Posted by swistle on 30th May 2012
Categories: Gifts, Toddler gear, Toys
8 comments
We were recently invited to a birthday party for a 2-year-old, and you know what I don’t remember? What 2-year-olds like. It’s funny how that was only three years ago and yet I had to go back into my journals to find out even what KIND of toy the kids were playing with at that age.
One idea we considered was musical instruments. Several of our kids were invited, so it seemed like a good way to bring a gift from each child: maybe one could bring this cool percussion toy (photo from Amazon.com), and one could bring bendy bells, and one could bring a harmonica and a kazoo.
Or maybe one kid could bring an instrument and one could bring a set of helping/digging garden tools (photo from Amazon.com).
I like the look of this Melissa and Doug beach set (photo from Amazon.com), and it’s particularly perfect for a late-spring or early-summer birthday.
I remember looking for fun tub stuff for this age. Some bath tablets to change the water color (photo from Amazon.com) seem like fun. Maybe these from one kid, and water flutes from another.
The LeapFrog fridge toy (photo from Amazon.com) is more expensive, but my kids had it and liked it. It sings a little success song whenever you put in the front and back halves of a vehicle—and if you do a mismatch, it sings a silly song. I liked Fridge Phonics even better, and so did two of my kids, but the vehicle one was more universally enjoyed.
I think this geometric stacker (photo from Amazon.com) is so pretty on the shelf, and has a nice long play time of baby to preschooler. It would make a good baby gift, too.
A water-drawing board (photo from Amazon.com) was one of our most successful toys overall. I bought one when Edward was 2 years old and we had a long car trip ahead of us, and it was great for that and great afterward too. It’s surprisingly expensive (this one would be a gift from all three kids), but I have it in my “worth it” category.
This Dwell Studio puzzle (photo from Amazon.com) is the kind of gift I’d give with the additional happiness of knowing it was likely to be very pleasing to the parent as well. Hip cool cute Dwell Studio animals!
I love dress-up puzzles. They’re one of the few toys I will play with when a child is not even around. The Melissa and Doug bear family is a fun one to start with, and one of the few that isn’t girls-and-dresses.
I think the stacker and the fridge toy might be a little young (my daughter is 26 months and has no interest in either of those anymore).
Right now, she is totally into a small bubble machine from toys r us ($15ish), the Melissa and Doug latch board (with the different locks that can be opened to reveal farm animals in various colors), sidewalk chalk, and her Disney princess soft dolls (can be found on sale 2 d
For $20). She also loves a pair of dress up fairy wings and her dress up doctor costume.
Good luck! 2 year olds are fickle - they might not like it now, but wait 20 minutes!
Melissa | May 30th, 2012 at 11:45 am
I have a 6 year old, 4 year old and a 2 year old, and they all love that Melissa & Doug beach set.
Christy | May 30th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Ok, I love your gift posts for the ideas, but what I really love about them is you help me discover brands I didn’t know about! Thanks!
sarabean | May 30th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
My 26-month old just got this book that I had never heard of:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0811879542/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=20602064395&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4598657731845710784&hvpone=10.87&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_1n3ftals3j_b
Ooh, sorry for the yucky long link–the book is called “Press Here” by Herve Tullet.
It. Is. Awesome. Interactive and really fun–she laughs her head off every time we read it! It’s not a board book, but the pages are glossy and a little thicker/sturdier than typical story book pages, so good for a 2-year-old. I find myself trying to figure out two-year-olds I could give it to. My 4 year old enjoys it too.
beth c | May 30th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
My daughter got this travel-size water drawing borad for her birthday this weekend. It’s cheaper than the one you linked (due to being travel size and flimsier), but still works great and we LOVE it. It’s is one of those ‘travel’ marketed things that actually does work great for car trips. We’ve used it a lot at home, too. I like that it’s the size of a coloring book.
http://www.amazon.com/AquaDoodle-20027353_1-Aquadoodle-Travel-Doodle/dp/B003AJ9LZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338417316&sr=8-1
Jesabes | May 30th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
One of the best gift my two year old got was a froggy backpack. It isn’t a toy (which is a positive) but it is a year later she still spends hours at a time playing with it. Bonus: The play involves her gathering up some of the half million small plastic items strewn throughout our house. You have to love small child, independent business. (And how cute is a tiny child in a tiny backpack?)
Bunnyslippers | June 1st, 2012 at 3:03 am
At 2 my son loved a shopping cart with toy food, any kind of toy car or truck, and outdoor toys like a ball or toy shovel. Also - DUPLOS!
lynn342 | June 3rd, 2012 at 9:11 pm
My two year old loves dressing up - his big hit presents from his birthday included a fireman raincoat, a fireman hat, a cowboy hat and little vest, a Darth Vader mask, and a home-sewn Batman cape. He’s worn that cape all over. And oh yes, bubbles. ‘I wish I liked anything as much as my kids like bubbles.’
I don’t think he’d go for most of these toys, with the possible exceptions of the beach toys and the garden set. The rest seem a bit young..? And neither of my kids liked those dress-up puzzles at all.
T | June 3rd, 2012 at 11:49 pm