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Children really start to become little people by the time they’re two, with strong opinions on what they do (and don’t) like. Most are walking and running around – often at high speeds – as well as climbing and pulling themselves up on anything they can get their hands on.
They’re also a lot of fun, constantly learning and developing physically, with fine and gross motor skills, along with verbally mastering new words every day.
“Two-year-olds learn through looping the same action over and over again, so gifts that reward repetition are great,” says Rachel Carrell, the CEO of childcare company Koru Kids. From role-play kitchens and dressing-up to imaginative books and busy boards, there are lots of opportunities for this. Busy boards, for example, are full of simple repetitive games and tasks – such as fastening buttons and zips and matching coloured stickers to shapes. Here we pick out 24 of the best gifts and toys for two-year-olds.
How I selected
The huge range of different things two-year-olds are into is what makes it such a wonderful age, but it also means choosing a gift can seem overwhelming.
To narrow it down, I spoke to parenting experts, as well as parents with two-year-olds, to find out which gifts they’d personally recommend. I have two daughters, aged three and six, so I’ve included products they enjoyed when they were two, including the toys they constantly went back to – and those that lasted as they grew older.
Some of my youngest daughter’s friends also tested out a few of the toys, and I’ve included their favourites. Most two-year-olds enjoy garishly bright and often offensively loud toys, but for the parents’ sake, I’ve kept these to a minimum.
All of these toys should keep a child at this age entertained for a few minutes – giving their parents a rare chance to drink a coffee while it’s still hot.
The best toys and gifts for two-year-olds
Story time
If you’re looking for a big gift for a two-year-old, you can’t go wrong with a Toniebox audio player. It comes in a range of colours and is simple enough for a two-year-old to operate by themselves. Both my children have loved these little story boxes, and they have staying power – my six-year-old still uses hers. The little characters you can buy for them – Tonies – are perfect for small fingers, and once you place the character on top of the box, their book (or songs) starts playing. There are so many to choose from, including classics such as Paddington, Mog, and the Gruffalo, as well as Disney and CBeebies characters, costing about £14.99 each, although often discounted in bundles.
Toniebox 2 audio player
Suitable for: 1+
Tea and marmalade
A tea set puts the child in control, allowing them to “host” you, Paddington (included in the set), or their other toys or dolls. There are nine pieces, including teacups, a teapot, a milk jug and a sugar pot. It’s ideal for small hands and, as everything can be stored in the included suitcase, it’s quite handy for trips out of the house, too.
Paddington Bear toy tea set
Suitable for: 2+
Fawning around
Soft toys are often bought for babies, but they can still be a great gift as children get older. Both of my daughters were obsessed with babies and dolls when they were two, but these often aren’t squishy or soft so aren’t the best for snuggling up to. This Lilliputiens soft fawn doll makes the perfect new friend for a two-year-old. Stella the fawn wears a colourful, flowery dress and is the perfect size for cuddles.
Lilliputiens: Stella the fawn plush
Suitable for: from birth
Bath buddies
In my experience, bath toys have an annoying habit of breaking, discolouring or becoming a magnet for all kinds of dirt. This trio of toys has not only kept my youngest entertained in the bath, but can also be easily cleaned to avoid any mould buildup. The whale squirts water, the octopus creates a rainfall of water, and the polar bear lights up, creating a calm bath-time experience. The bear is battery-operated, and mine has been going strong for more than six months of baths on most days. Bonus points for the tonal colours too.
Shnuggle polar bear, whale & octopus bath buddies set
Suitable for: from birth
Bother that cat
Judith Kerr’s Mog is a firm favourite with small children, and this collection wraps three of the classic books into one hardback edition. Inside there’s Mog the Forgetful Cat, Mog and the Baby, and Mog and Bunny. Hardback books are ideal for two-year-olds as they’re better at withstanding wear and tear.
Mog’s Bedtime Tales by Judith Kerr
Suitable for: 2+
One step, two step
“When children turn two, they start to ‘parallel play’ with other children but don’t always interact with each other. Sturdy toys that teach balance and coordination are important to help to build these skills, which they’ll develop further as they grow and start to play more with other children. Learning toys with numbers and alphabets can be introduced at this age too, such as tiles, stacking toys, and puzzles with four pieces.” Annette Kellow, parenting and lifestyle expert
Play Factory stepping stones, six pack
Suitable for: 2+
Pizza makes everything better
Role-play toys, such as kitchens and mini food sets, are great gifts for two-year-olds. They’ll provide hours of entertainment, letting them whip up various meals for you and anyone else who’s visiting your house. This one comes with a little oven, pizza tray and a plain dough base, with various toppings to suit even the fussiest pretend eaters. Toy kitchens are great, too, but most are suitable from three years, so a smaller set like this works well for two-year-olds. It also takes up much less space than a full-size kitchen, which the parents will thank you for.
Chad Valley wooden pizza counter
Suitable for: 2+
Keep them busy
“The perfect item for a child this age is just challenging enough that they can do it with mild frustration, but without getting overwhelmed. Two-year-olds are just at the beginning stage for ‘busy books’ – get one now, and they’ll use it in travel and restaurants for a couple of years.” Rachel Carrell, CEO, Koru Kids
Taf Toys my first busy book
Suitable for: 18 months+
Whose hat is it anyway?
The Jon Klassen books have been a firm favourite with everyone in our house. There isn’t much text, so they’re quick to get through before bed, and they’re funny (even for adults). The large pictures and repeating themes make them ideal for two-year-olds. There are three in the series and I’d start with the original, I Want My Hat Back.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Suitable for: any age if reading aloud
Be kind
These soft toys from Cuddle + Kind are built to last, and buying one also helps to fight child hunger. Handmade by female artisans in Peru, providing them with a sustainable, fair trade income, the natural, high-quality cotton dolls are also soft and cuddly. For every doll bought, the company donates 10 meals to children in need around the world through a network of humanitarian agencies.
Cuddle + Kind hand-knitted dolls
Suitable for: from birth
All aboard!
You can’t go wrong with a toy with wheels, and this little wooden bus allows them to play with the eight animal passengers, too. My children have spent hours placing these little figures on and off the bus (as well as their other toy vehicles) and loved to play pretend journeys where the passengers commuted between imaginary bus stops. This brightly coloured London bus is the perfect size for two-year-old hands and works as an early colour-matching game too – you can put the animals into the matching coloured seats. The top deck comes off so the child can choose where everyone sits – on the bottom or top deck – and it’s made from sustainable wood, which is long-lasting and designed to sustain toddler handling.
Early Learning Centre wooden London bus playset
Suitable for: 1+
Get moving
Three-wheeled scooters are perfect for two-year-olds, giving them independence while helping them with balance and coordination. It’s well worth buying one that folds – inevitably, you’ll be the one carrying it at some point. The range from Micro Scooters comes in lots of different colours and designs, all with light-up wheels. They’re suitable for children aged two to five and come with a two-year warranty.
I gave this to my youngest daughter as a big present when she was two, and it’s been in constant use ever since. There’s a range of accessories available, such as baskets, bells, and ribbons. As they’re so popular – most of my daughter’s friends have the same scooter – there’s usually a few of these on secondhand websites, so it’s worth checking places such as Vinted, Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
Mini Micro foldable LED with recycled deck
Suitable for: 2+
Go bananas!
You can’t go wrong with a T-shirt, especially if it’s covered in smiling bananas. These T-shirts are made from 100% organic cotton and are soft against small children’s skin. The clothes from Polarn O Pyret (or Pop for short) are designed to be “worn, washed and passed on” – and that’s true in my experience. They’re made to a high quality and are robust. It’s also worth checking the secondhand section of its website for discounted clothes. If the child you’re buying for isn’t into bananas, maybe ice-creams or a dog on a skateboard would suit them better.
Pop Bananas T-shirt
Suitable for: 1+
Colour matching and memory games
This simple but fun game helps children match colours and develop memory skills, and it’s ideal for Beatrix Potter fans. It was easy and quick to set up, and my testers loved it: they all picked a colour to collect and got involved with posting the coloured pieces through boxes. The cards are decorated with classic characters such as Tom Kitten, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck, and they can be played independently or with others.
Peter Rabbit posting game
Suitable for: 2+
Wear your snacks
This Wexbaby Croissant Club sweatshirt is a fun piece of clothing. Not only do most two-year-olds love a buttery pastry, but its lovely soft cotton is kind on a young child’s skin.
Croissant Club kids sweatshirt
Suitable for: sizes from six months to six years
Sticker dollies
Our house is frequently covered in stickers – and when I say house, I mean the walls, tables, floor and even the cat. The Usborne sticker books have always been popular with my daughters, providing a specific place for the stickers to go. It’s 32 pages and comes with lots of brightly coloured stickers for placing on the different fairy drawings. This one is specifically for younger children, with larger stickers so that they can do most of the sticking themselves. They’re also a nice screen-free way to keep kids entertained when you’re out of the house, on a journey or waiting for a meal to arrive.
Sticker fairy book
Suitable for: 2+
For more, read how to keep kids entertained on long journeys
Building bricks
This set creates a fire engine with a hose, a detachable trailer, a brick water tank and a rotating ladder with a basket (useful for all those rescues of a cat stuck in a tree). Created for small hands, Duplo was one of my daughter’s favourite toys when she turned two. It’s just the right age to play with it independently, creating both the set and their own designs afterwards. The firefighter figure, squirrel, tree and little fire brick lead to endless options for imaginative scenarios. It’s bright, colourful and a great introductory toy to the world of Duplo and Lego.
Lego Duplo fire engine with hose and firefighter
Suitable for: 2+
Clothes to get messy in
Most two-year-olds are into everything messy or muddy, so practical waterproofs make a great gift that parents will thank you for later. They’re ideal for wet weather and will keep children warm, dry and happy for longer – greatly extending the length of park trips for parents in need of fresh air and kids in need of tiring out. The clip fasteners make it easy for you to get children in (and out) of this dungarees set – making it perfect for potty-training – and it comes in four colours.
Originals waterproof dungarees
Suitable for: sizes from 18 months to 12 years
Hit the decks
The Fisher-Price record player is a classic children’s toy for a reason: not only does it last (my mum has mine from almost 40 years ago and it still plays a tune), but it’s also something young children can easily operate on their own. First made in 1971, it’s suitable from 18 months and up. With a choice of five playable records, which are stored inside the player, it’s also compact enough to be taken out of the house.
Fisher-Price Classics music box record player
Suitable for: 18 months+
Rainbow towers
“A rainbow stacking tower is an appealing unisex toy to be enjoyed over and over again. This task-oriented game can aid social connection or independent play, but its real value is in encouraging cognitive development, supporting colour recognition and counting skills. Furthermore, it supports the development of balance, dexterity and fine motor skills.” Candice O’Neil
Spinbow educational colour tower
Suitable for: 1+
Link and stack them
“A great gift is something that helps their developing language and dexterity. Large blocks and bricks in various colours are versatile and can be played with in so many ways; you can play alongside your child, keeping up a commentary about colours and asking about what they’re making. Good for spatial and motor skills and to develop their imagination.” Becky Goddard, wellbeing author and child psychotherapist
Melissa & Doug Blockables town play
Suitable for: 2+
First wheels
Balance bikes are an investment gift and a first introduction to riding a bike. The B’Twin 12in balance bikes sold at Decathlon are a great, affordable choice. They’re also lightweight (which comes in handy when adults end up carrying them), and include lots of features specifically for small children, including a low frame and footrests. There are also fun accessories to choose from – including a brightly coloured horn and a bell decorated with a confetti design.
B’Twin kids’ 12in aluminium balance bike Runride 900
Suitable for: 2+
For more, read our guide to everything you need to cycle with kids
Time for walkies
My sister gave my two-year-old a singing, walking Waffle the Wonder Dog (of CBeebies fame) for Christmas, and it was the best thing she opened on the day. It sings, walks and comes with a little brush and lead. It’s a great gift for mini fans of the CBeebies programme, and it’s much less offensive than other noisy toys. Waffle even made it into the car with us, so we all got the pleasure of listening to the theme tune for a long car journey too (I would not recommend this).
Waffle the Wonder Dog soft toy
Suitable for: 18 months+
Welcome to the bug hotel
A bug hotel is a great gift for curious little minds, and it provides entertainment over a long period, as children can watch the bug hotel be installed and then filled with new guests. We’ve had one for a few years, and my daughters love inspecting it to see if there are any new inhabitants and if any holes have been filled with leaves or families. It’s also a great way to inspire kids to get outside and to learn about the different insects living in their garden or outdoor space.
Wooden bug hotel
Suitable for: any age, supervision recommended
What you need to know
What to buy for a two-year-old
“The best gifts for young children are the ones that create memories or spark curiosity, rather than adding clutter to the house,” says Clare Cahill, former primary schoolteacher and owner of the sustainable bird food and nature brand A Little Bird Co. “I’ve never been keen on stuff ‘just for the sake of it’.”
Most parents and carers also know that children can be overwhelmed with toys and gifts, especially on birthdays or at Christmas, and often it’s the smallest and simplest things that they play with the most (such as the cardboard box the toy came in).
“Children aged two to six are natural explorers, and they love repetition, discovery, asking questions and doing things alongside adults,” says Cahill. “Simple, open-ended gifts that grow with them – like nature kits, loose-parts play, or art materials – will usually last longest. Toys that direct play, the ones that light up, talk or have just one ‘right’ way to use them, might look exciting at first, but often get played with less.”
What do two-year-olds play with the most?
“The simpler the toy, the deeper the play, and the longer it lasts,” says Cahill. “The more active the toy, the more passively a child gets to play with it.”
From stacking toys and stepping stones to role-play kitchens and play food, “a well-made toy, made from natural materials, is tactile, durable and beautiful to keep,” she says.
Books make wonderful gifts, too. They spark imagination, encourage conversation and can be enjoyed in so many different ways as children grow.
“At two, children are deep in what we call transporting and connecting play schemas; they want to move things from one place to another, over and over again,” says Roma Norriss, an attachment and nervous system specialist. “It’s how their brains wire up cause and effect, sequencing, and a sense of agency.”
Gifts that encourage independent play and include repetition are perfect for this age range. But Norriss warns against “overcomplicated, noisy toys that interrupt their flow” as a “toddler wants to do, not be done to”.
Gifts that encourage interaction are also key, says Marc James, head of quality, learning and development at Tiney. “They learn and absorb so many things when we engage with them, whether that’s singing, reading, playing or simply talking,” he says. “So when you’re considering a gift for under 3s, ask yourself: can we interact with this gift together? Can a sibling get involved? Will it open up their world or imagination? Or will they withdraw into another room with it, without much space for conversation or creativity? Ultimately, we want to support young children’s development by engaging, not just entertaining, them.”
For more:
The best toys and gifts for one-year-olds
The best toys and gifts for newborns and babies
Rebecca Goodman is a journalist living in Cambridgeshire. She has two daughters, aged six and three, and is deep in the parenting trenches, spending most of her time cleaning up crumbs, making endless snacks, and answering to never-ending demands while writing for national newspapers. She is passionate about embracing the good (and bad) aspects of life with two children
