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Photo-Illustration: Photo-Illustration: Stevie Remsberg; Photos: Courtesy of the retailers
Buying a gift for a 2-year-old requires balancing a bit of knowledge about the skills they are developing with careful study of their personality. According to Jeannette Corey, director of the Bank Street Family Center, play at this age often focuses on ways they can have an impact, accomplish a goal, and solve a problem. They are able to maintain focus for longer periods of time now, so they will be more interested in activities like stacking blocks or assembling simple puzzles, she says. And because 2 is the age when children begin to engage in pretend play, Corey recommends toys that let them imagine themselves in the roles of adults and other important people in their lives — from a play kitchen where they can bake a make-believe cake to a doll stroller they can push to the park.
To curate the list of toys and games below, I talked to professionals like Corey, as well as stylish and picky parents, toy-store buyers, and teachers, about the toys they love and recommend for 2-year-olds. I also kept tabs on the toys that my toddler son (who just turned 3) enjoyed playing with most over the last year and the ones that were most popular among his friends. I’ve organized my recommendations by price, so if you have a specific budget in mind, you can use the table of contents to jump to that section — or read all the way through to get an idea of what 2-year-olds are into, according to the people who know them best.
Meanwhile, if you’re also shopping for kids in other age groups, we have gift guides for 1-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, 10-year-olds, 11-year-olds, and 12-year-olds — plus the meticulously curated Strategist Toy Store, filled with all our greatest hits.
Updated on February 9, 2026I added several new picks and confirmed that everything here is in stock, with pricing that’s up to date.
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As they explore their growing independence, many 2-year-olds start asking for everyday tools and accessories of their own. Not only is this toddler-size, color-changing umbrella fun to use, it will help them practice gross motor skills.
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There are an infinite number of construction-, garbage-, and dump-truck toys made for little kids. But this front loader comes with a smiling driver you can take out and move around. And the bucket is hinged in three places to make moving piles of dirt or sand easy.
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This Fisher-Price medical kit was so helpful when my son was 2 and feeling nervous about IRL doctor visits. He was fascinated with the syringe that has a real working plunger, loved pushing the button on the “digital” thermometer, and the included tote bag lets him practice putting all his tools away. He and I would pretend to give each other medicine, listen to each other’s bellies, and take each other’s temperature — and this kind of pretend play (combined with reading a Daniel Tiger book recommended to me by Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang) made him a lot more comfortable when it was time for the real thing. But if you’re looking for more of a doctor dress-up toy, Kelly Harris Smith, founder of the Minni art space for kids in Boston, recommends the simple coat-and-stethoscope set from Learning Resources. “My kids loved to take care of their toys and stuffed animals,” she says adding that this type of imaginative play encourages toddlers’ empathy and imagination.
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Very few toddlers are good at entertaining themselves for long periods of time, especially in a car or on an airplane. So for long trips to see family, I would always pack a tote bag with some of my son’s favorite books as well as crayons, paper, and lots of stickers. This doghouse-shaped activity book is a perfect travel companion that combines coloring pages with over 100 stickers. The brand also makes similar books about mermaids, dinosaurs, and outer space.
After turning 2, my son became increasingly interested in puzzles. The sweet spot was around a dozen pieces, which made them challenging enough to hold his interest but didn’t take him longer than five to ten minutes to complete. Some of our favorites were the “pouch puzzles” from Mudpuppy, a magnetic ice-cream puzzle from Melissa & Doug that also works for pretend play, and a rainbow-shaped puzzle with a frolicking unicorn from Crocodile Creek.
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Putting clothes onto a doll can be a challenge for most 2-year-olds, but this dress-up puzzle makes it easy and fast to change Minnie Mouse’s outfits and expressions.
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While pregnant with her second child, preschool teacher Kathleen Cann got a baby doll and a toy stroller for her then 2-year-old as a way to prepare for the arrival of a new sibling. “She was obsessed and took really sweet care of the doll,” says Cann. This umbrella-style stroller is easy to push, folds up for storage, and has a real working canopy, plus a storage basket in the back.
DUPLOs — LEGO’s larger blocks designed with smaller hands (and curious mouths) in mind — are great for this age. And many kids continue to play with them even as they get older. The classic brick box is a fantastic gift, and many of the themed sets are affordable enough to give as add-ons. Trains and cars are already beloved by 2-year-olds, and this number train set mixes the magic of a freight train with a cheery color scheme and basic 123s. Or you could get a garden-themed set that also includes counting as part of the play. Like all LEGO products, DUPLO bricks are virtually indestructible.
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Strategist senior editor and parent Ailbhe Malone told me about this interactive recipe book with pull tabs, flaps, and pop-out utensils that walks toddlers through all the steps of making spaghetti. She says it’s as enjoyable to read as it is to use in the kitchen. And it’s part of a series that also contains volumes about tacos, pancakes, and cookies.
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This adorable push-button wooden telephone is a fun way to spark conversations between toddlers and their parents, grandparents, or siblings. It also makes it a little easier to say no when they ask to play with your smartphone.
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Most 2-year-olds go wild for bubbles, and this adorable bubble pal won’t spill when tipped or turned over. The dispenser comes filled with bubble solution and you also get a refill jar, an extra wand, and a quick-release cord so your child can safely wear it around the playground or backyard. Once you run out of solution you can buy powdered refill packets that conveniently mix with water.
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Corey also recommends giving bouncy balls to 2-year-olds because the toy will “grow” along with them. “Balls are wonderful for 2-year-olds who can roll them and chase them. At around age 3, children can practice throwing and catching, while at 4 they might create a game with rules that involve a ball,” she says. My son is drawn to balls of all kinds, but when he had just turned 2, his favorites were small enough for him to hold in one hand. These flashing sensory balls have an added layer of fun — plus the soft spikes make them easier to catch and grasp.
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A bowling set gives little kids an outlet for their “knock it down” impulses while also helping them practice taking turns and rolling balls instead of throwing them indoors. The caterpillar pins in this “buggy” design from Melissa & Doug can be used for pretend play, too.
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One of the very first non-crayon art supplies I bought for my son was a set of these dot markers. They’re similar to bingo daubers in that they are full of liquid pigments and have a stamplike tip. But they are also washable, making them great for toddlers.
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For more traditional drawing and scribbling on paper, Emily Motayed Lancaster, co-founder of Nurture& and mom of two, recommends classic washable Crayola markers, which she says are key for parental sanity.
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For a no-mess creative toy, consider this twist on the classic Magna Doodle drawing board, which mom of two and wellness entrepreneur Liv Lo Golding says is fun for 2-year-olds to draw on, erase, and repeat. There are lots of different iterations available, including miniature ones that Strategist senior writer Lauren Ro says make excellent birthday-party favors. This animal-themed version from B.toys has a big drawing area and comes with four stamps — cat, dog, duck, bunny — that kids can also use as pens. The handle makes it easy for small hands to carry it into a car, onto an airplane, or just to another room.
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Alexandra Figueras-Daniel, an assistant professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research, recommends finger-puppet toys for this age group, specifically citing the very detailed ones from Folkmanis, like this praying mantis, because of how realistic they are. In addition to helping kids work on their fine motor skills, puppets can “inspire lots of language, as children can speak through the role of the puppet,” Figueras-Daniel explains.
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This Ikea kids’ easel comes with a dowel to add a roll of paper, and the large surface area and short legs make it easy for 2-year-olds to reach. Rebeca Raney, an artist and arts educator, says “every nursery school has multiples of this one,” noting that “Ikea does a super job with their art products.” When you’re not using paper with it, kids can draw with dry-erase markers on one side and chalk on the other.
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Melissa & Doug’s set of well-made cleaning tools is a perennial Strategist best-seller that I have seen entertain children for years — even if they stop sweeping and start using the broom as a sword or the mast of a cardboard-box pirate ship.
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If you’re looking to gift a unique stuffy, Jellycat should be on your radar. All of the brand’s toys are soft and cuddly, with cute expressions that make them seem extra friendly; stylish parents will also get a kick out of the delightful designs and “It” stuffie status. When my niece had just turned 2, a pair of smiling broccoli and cauliflower florets were a big hit; she loved to “eat” the vegetables and offer bites to my brother. Current offerings include this red apple, a hot dog, and a baguette as well as a whole menagerie of interesting animals.
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Strategist lead editor and parent of three Lauren Levy recommends Blockaroo’s magnetic foam blocks for kids this age; where Magna-Tiles are flat and have more of a learning curve, Blockaroo’s 3-D foam shapes are easier and less frustrating for younger kids to work with. They are also lightweight and soft and float in the bath.
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I try to limit screen time for my son, but he adores playing with his Story Dream Machine, a retro-looking projector and audio player that we got as a baby step toward letting him watch TV. It’s basically a mini slide projector that plays read-aloud books, from Elmo’s Trip to the Dentist to Eric Carle classics to his current favorite, GO, GO, Trucks! It has a convenient carry handle, a focus adjuster, and can be used as a nightlight and sound machine come bedtime. There are hundreds of titles for it, too, but this bundle comes with a trio of nostalgic Golden books.
Read more: This Retro Picture-Book Projector Is a Toddler Screen Alternative
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Active toys often require extra space, but Malone says a wobble board is just as engaging and simple to store, plus it can double as a bed for stuffed animals, a slide, a ramp for toy cars, and a chair.
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Kids love looking at books with photographs of everyday people, especially other kids. Lovevery makes the best examples of this kind of board book that I have found. Like the brand’s toy kits, its books are curated in bundles by age with developmentally appropriate stories. My son loved this set because it includes a book about a fire station, with pictures of fire trucks that have flaps he could open to see inside every compartment and door.
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This elaborate Melissa & Doug ice-cream-counter set combines fine-motor-skills development with elements of pretend play. Motayed Lancaster received a version of the set for her daughter long before she turned 2; at first, her daughter just loved mouthing the ice-cream scoops, but as she aged, she began to stack them one by one and now she pretends to be an ice-cream-shop owner, asking what flavor her parents want and then serving it to them. “I love toys like that — where it can graduate from one type of play to another over time,” Motayed Lancaster says.
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Full-size dollhouses take up a lot of space and aren’t ideal for families with small apartments. Instead, Alexis Swerdloff, New York deputy editor and mom of two, suggests giving a more portable dollhouse like this one that closes up when it’s not in use. It comes in a few different designs, including this horse stable, a wooden barn, and a pink cottage.
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The most popular toy in our pediatrician’s waiting room is a simple pretend coffee maker. My son gets so much joy out of playing barista that I think it’s worth splurging on this detailed wooden set over cheaper plastic alternatives.
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A first train set is a powerful memory for every generation, and Brio is the gold standard. All Brio sets can be endlessly expanded with accessories and integrated into play with other kits, even many from other brands.
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For younger kids who are just getting started with dolls, Motayed Lancaster recommends American Girl’s Bitty Baby line. She bought one when her own daughter was 2, and as with full-size American Girl dolls, there are many skin and hair colors available plus an entire Bitty Baby universe that includes furniture, clothing, a car seat, a baby carrier, and even a cup of peas and a snack pouch.
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Yang strongly believes in giving kids real musical instruments as early as possible because they sound better than toy versions and help teach kids about treating things with care. For this age, she recommends a Kala ukulele because of the good quality of sound and small size. Her daughter started playing with it as a toddler and later passed it down to her younger brother, who at age 2 would spend much of each day walking around strumming it.
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Bouncing engages almost every muscle group in a child’s body, especially the legs and core, says Lily Balsen, a New York City–based yoga teacher whose clients range in age from newborn to 80. So a classic toy like Rody the bouncy horse will foster balance and a sense of spatial orientation, she says, adding that rhythmic movement is a great self-soothing and self-regulating mechanism. Also, it’s just plain fun.
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Strategist contributor Steven John has watched kids line up over and over for a chance to zoom down the track of this toddler-size ride-on roller coaster. And as long as a parent is nearby with a watchful eye, it’s perfectly safe for most 2-year-olds to use. Steps on either side of the platform let toddlers get on the car all by themselves — and it is just as fun to ride on level ground for youngsters who aren’t ready for the roller-coaster experience. This model, as its name suggests, packs down compactly when the time comes to hide it away.
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As an almost 2-year-old, my son would sit down on anything around the same height as his butt, backing up into a bottom step, his Nugget play couch, or a step stool and then proudly looking up at me once seated. So for his 2nd birthday, we got him a chair from Piccalio that goes from seat to step stool to activity table with a few turns. If we had more space in our apartment, I would have purchased this full set of two chairs and a table so he could sit and draw or eat with a friend.
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The Woom GO 1 is our top-pick balance bike for its lightweight aluminum frame, low crossbar, shock-absorbing air-filled tires, and extra safety features. And according to Yang, it’s an ideal size for average-height children just turning 2. She prefers it for this age compared to the bigger Strider bike that her daughter started riding at age 4. Both bikes have 12-inch wheels, but the Woom’s crossbar curves down low to make it easier for shorter kids to get on.
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Corey looks for toys that offer lots of “opportunities for creativity, curiosity, problem-solving, and cooperation,” and specifically mentioned the importance of toys that support cooking play. Play kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, but “I love gifting the Tender Leaf Toy kitchens,” says Motayed Lancaster, who bought one when her daughter when around one year old. She loves the muted colors and how it helped her daughter begin to role-play; at age two, her daughter began verbalizing what kind of dishes she was making with the accessories: “Here, mama, some fish!” And then putting them on a plate and handing it to her. The kitchen can also be combined with other appliances like a refrigerator or accessories like a stand mixer to build a more complete set.
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