Before I had a two year old of my own, I used to spend weeks deliberating over birthday present ideas for the toddlers in my life before inevitably panic buying them a book. Book’s are safe. Parents like them and I like them. Did the kids like them? It’s hard to say. I can’t recall many squeals of delight as the wrapping paper hit the floor, but I do remember some appreciative ‘ooo’s’ from the parents and the promise of an early bedtime story.
But since having a child of my own, I now know that there are many many more present options out there that he would probably choose over a book. Namely anything that has irritatingly noisy buttons, no off switch, and requires three AA’s. And I get it, because when you’re a toddler you want chaos. You want destruction. You do not want to sit nicely on a beanbag and flick through a good lift the flap on your birthday while your cousins are off racing flashing neenaw cars down the hallway.
So let me do the hard thinking for you. Below is my list of the top ten present picks for two year old’s – all of which strike that fine balance between being heaps of fun yet developmentally encouraging. A tick for you, and tick for them.
Kids chalkboard/whiteboard with stand
Two year old’s love to make marks on paper, but it’s not so enjoyable for them if they can’t yet press the crayon down hard enough or the paper keeps moving around when they’re stabbing at it. This sturdy easel has a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard on the other, both of which are magnetic, plus it comes with three empty paint pots, a pack of chalk, two handy board wipers, and a whiteboard pen. As a kid who spent many an afternoon playing ‘schools’ with my little sister, I would have been absolutely thrilled with this kind of set up. The thrilling bit for me now is that all the art making equipment can be kept in one place underneath the easel and when it’s not in use it can be folded down and put away. No big bulky present regret here!
Magnetic building blocks
These magnetic tiles are one of those brilliant toys that kids play with differently every year. When Kobie was one he would just stack these together one on top of each other but now he’s two he’s starting to experiment with the ways he connects them. I’m hoping he follows in his dad’s footsteps and becomes an engineer (or pro rugby player – I’ll take either) so this is a great way of getting kids interested early on in creating structures and seeing something they’ve built take shape in front of them.
Indoor/Outdoor standing sink
If your two year old is anything like mine, they watch you like a hawk and are desperate to join in with anything and everything you do. Even with the arduous task of washing up!
This standing sink can be used indoors during the winter and played with out in the garden during the summer. The tap is fully functional – you just need two AA batteries and a sink full of water and it will cycle the water through for endless fun! The legs are detachable so you could add it to an existing kitchen set up if you wanted, and it also comes with nineteen accessories including cooking utensils, crockery, and fruits and vegetables for your little one to diligently wash.
Hook-a-duck
As much as toddlers get frustrated when they can’t do something, there’s nothing like seeing the beam on their little face when they finally do manage to do it. With this hook a duck fishing game they’ve got twelve little ducks to hook as well as some maths challenges included in the set if your two year old is feeling particularly on it that day.
Ten Little Dinosaurs book
I know I said there’s a lot of better present options out there for kids, but truth be told we absolutely love the ‘Ten Little’ books in our house. The bright busy pictures and silly rhymes have kept Kobie laughing for months now, but since he’s turning two I’ve got to level it up from his current favourite (pirates). Now it’s all about dinosaurs and the great big ROOOAARRRS they make, and anything quiet will simply no longer do.
This is a great little present for any two year old because they love being in control of turning the pages, pointing at all the picture details and making loud noises along with mum or dad. It’s also not too long so you won’t lose the will to live when it’s thrust at you at every bedtime!
Step up and down rollercoaster
This one is definitely on the pricey side but I can’t not include it because it looks like IMMENSE fun! Their very own rollercoaster with none of the queuing or height restrictions! If you want a toy that’s going to keep them, their cousins and their friends occupied for years to come then it’s got to be this one.
The coaster car has a high back, handrail, and foot rests for a secure ride and there is an additional track expansion pack available if you’ve got a true thrill seeker on your hands.
Toddler play kitchen
As much as we want our kids to play with toys of all sizes and colours, when it comes to big and bulky small world toys like play kitchens, it’s definitely a win win when they can blend in seamlessly with your living room decor.
This John Lewis play kitchen has a total of five doors for them to open and slam, plenty of knobs and handles to twist and several shelves for your little one to stack their food tins on. If you want a kitchen that will play an important part in your child’s memories then consider going big on this occasion to really inspire your budding baker.
Farmyard puzzles
If there’s one thing two year old’s love it’s sorting out and matching up which makes this the perfect first puzzle for their collection. The cards are super bright and chunky but small enough for little hands to hold and can be easily wiped clean. They’re also great for practising identifying animals or turning them over and playing the memory game.
Melissa and Doug Slice and Stack Sandwich Counter
Watching a two year old start to engage in imaginative play is one of life’s best bits. It took Kobie a while to get there but now he happily takes our pizza orders and feeds us all wooden pizza blocks whether we want them or not.
This sandwich counter would be great for little one’s learning to make food in the kitchen with mum or dad, or for encouraging fussy eaters to engage in different foods in an unpressurised environment. I think it would make such a nice game to play with older siblings or friend’s kids’, and it’s not as big as a full play kitchen set up if you only have a small area for toys.
Bear Dress Up Set
Simple puzzles make such great presents for two year old’s because they tap into two of their favourite things – control and figuring things out. This bear dress up set goes one better because it’s up to them to dress the bear so there is no right or wrong way to play, it also helps with speech and language as you can name the clothing items as they put them on and use ordering words such as ‘then, over, under’, and it encourages them to identify matching items to create outfits such as ballerina or doctor.
So there you have it – ten tried and tested present ideas for two year old’s that will suit any budget or gender and are guaranteed to be a year round hit with the parents as well as the little one’s!
