Overview: What Are 2-Year-Olds Interested In?
Kids develop at varied rates, and their interests and abilities evolve as they grow. While each 2-year-old is unique, many show curiosity in specific types of toys and activities.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), these are common interests for 2-year-olds: (1)
- Toys with buttons, knobs, and switches
- Playing with more than one simultaneously, such as different components of a play set (for example, ‘cooking’ food with a toy pan and stove or serving toy food on a toy plate)
- Running and kicking a ball
- Pointing to objects or pictures in books when prompted
At this age, children typically have a short attention span, often focusing on an activity or toy for only 4-6 minutes before moving on. (2)
Why Open-Ended Play Matters
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes the benefits of open-ended play, such as Montessori toys, for child development. These toys support cognitive learning, motor skills, language development, social interaction, and self-regulation.
Pretend play toys also enhance your toddler’s brain development, creativity, language and communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and socio-emotional growth.
Choosing The Best Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Think about the following questions when selecting toys for your toddler:
- What types of toys capture their interest the most?
- Are the toys the best size for their little hands and fingers?
- Are the toys safe, high quality, and age-appropriate?
Factors To Consider For The Best Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Based on the CDC’s milestones for 2-year-olds, here are some of the best gift ideas for this age group: (1)
- Play sets: For imaginative play and storytelling.
- Balls or toy sets with balls: Great for coordination and motor skills.
- Activity sets: Toys with knobs, switches, buttons for tinkering
- Picture books: Interactive books that invite pointing and identifying objects.
What Toys Should A 2-Year-Old Have?
Some of the toys ideal for a 2-year-old are those that help with their development and interests:
- Magna-tiles and building block sets to develop fine motor skills and master hand-eye coordination.
- Non-toxic bath time toys like foam letters and bath crayons.
- Montessori climbing toys or other climbers (such as the Pikler triangle)
- Toy sets (e.g., dollhouses with baby dolls, pretend cooking sets, train sets, Christmas sets, pretend food sets, etc.)
- Wooden educational toys for safe and durable play.
- Toys for practical learning (e.g., play kitchen, cleaning toys, etc.)
- Outdoor playhouse with ramps and slides
- Toys for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) or STEAM (STEM + Arts) learning
Safety Considerations
- Small Parts: Double-check for small parts (toys must be at least 1¼ inches in diameter and 2¼ inches long) to avoid choking risks. (5)
- Spherical Toys: Avoid spherical or circular toys (e.g., coins, balls, games with balls, and marbles smaller than 1.75 inches in diameter). (5)
- Quality: Always check for potentially sharp, breakable, or low-quality toys that might break apart, posing injury risks.
- Recalls: Monitor toy recalls.
- Non-Toy Objects: Never let your toddler play with non-toy objects, including balloons, crafting materials such as scissors, or fireworks. (5)
- Age Appropriateness: Check for age appropriateness (most manufacturers put age recommendations on the box or product description); toys for older kids (e.g., 10-year-olds) might contain objects that can be unsafe for young children.
Which Toy Would Be Most Appropriate For A 2-Year-Old Child?
Here’s our gift guide for high-quality, age-appropriate, and safe toys for your little ones:
Montessori Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Adena Montessori Toys for 2 & 3-Year-Old Wooden Shape Sorter
- Pros & Best Features: Color and shape sorter with a box
- Product Safety: Wear-resistant with smooth and burr-free wood
- Materials: High-quality AA beech wood
- Age Range: 2-3 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Color and shape recognition, logic training, imagination, fine motor skills, concentration, and problem-solving skills
- Extra Features: Includes holes on the removable lid for inserting the shapes in the box
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the product being “uninteresting” to their kids
- Customer Reviews:
“This is a great toy because it has so many options for difficult levels for a toddler, so it will grow with them as they learn and have this toy for a longer period of time. I highly recommend this!” – Reviewer on Amazon
“My 20 months old grandson came to visit. So I ordered a few Montessori toys for him… Of the 4 Montessori toys I got for him, I think this was his least favorite…” – Reviewer on Amazon
Montessori Mama Pretend Play Kids Cleaning Set
- Pros & Best Features: Realistic, child-size cleaning set
- Product Safety: Free from harmful chemicals
- Materials: Wood, fabric, and plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Practical life skills, hand-eye coordination, curiosity and imagination, and gross motor skills
- Extra Features: 9-piece cleaning set with organizing stand
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality (e.g., the washcloth bleeds color, the broom is crooked, etc.)
- Customer Reviews:
“My 2 year old loves this set! She likes to help me clean and she is just so happy to have tools that are her size. She uses this daily and it’s so cute seeing her clean!” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Overall ok, and our son especially likes the duster. But there are probably better sets out there: the broom is super crooked, one of the pins of the holder came out when we opened the box (big choking hazard!) and the washcloth bleeds color.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Montessori Educational Threading Toys Wooden Stringing Traffic, Wild Animals, & Fruits Lacing Beads
- Pros & Best Features: Wooden threading beads set with colorful animals, traffic signs, or fruits
- Product Safety: Child-safe; free from BPA (bisphenol-A) and phthalates
- Materials: Wooden bead blocks and string
- Age Range: 18 months to 5 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Fine motor skills, coordination, creativity, and imagination
- Extra Features: Includes a durable storage bag
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality and safety (e.g., the beads didn’t appear to be made of wood and the threading stick can be sharp)
- Customer Reviews:
“Toddler class loves playing with this toy. Colors are bright, enough beads for several to play at once.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“They are small, which is not a problem at all. But the blocks are not wooden, as advertised. They are compressed wood pulp/sawdust and heaven only knows what else.” – Reviewer on Amazon
STEM & STEAM Educational Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Skillmatics Thick Flash Cards for Toddlers: First 100 Animals (18 months – 4 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: 50 double-sided flash cards with realistic animal images
- Product Safety: Certified safe for 18+ months old
- Materials: Plastic-free, thick paper
- Age Range: 18 months – 4 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: STEM learning and cognitive development; kids can learn the different animal categories
- Extra Features: Includes an activity guide and three games
- Certification: ASTM (the American Society for Testing and Materials) and the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act)
- Made In: India (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about the flashcards being too thin for toddlers and getting easily damaged
- Customer Reviews:
“These flash cards are great for teaching multiple skills at once. You can work on vocab, letters, numbers, and colors all from this one product. Very durable for toddler play as well.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Cards got easily damaged after two or three times of us playing with them. The edges are completely gone.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Sunny Auntie Magnetic Tiles
- Pros & Best Features: 56-piece colorful magnetic tiles set
- Product Safety: Non-toxic and BPA-free
- Materials: High-quality ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creative problem solving, imagination, creative thinking, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Includes a high-quality storage bag and an instruction booklet; also has a 5-year warranty
- Certification: ASTM standard lab test (according to Amazon)
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the magnets being “too weak” to form the shapes
- Customer Reviews:
“Keeps kids busy for hours. From 1 year old onwards. Perfect for using creativity and imagination. Magnets work perfectly even when my toddler has thrown them around a lot.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Honestly don’t know why so many good reviews, the magnets are weak, do not stick together and hard to build as so weak.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Puzzles, Building Blocks, & Other Toy Sets
Lego Duplo Set – Mack At The Race (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Lego Duplo 14-piece set with Mack the Hauler from Disney’s “Cars”
- Product Safety: Non-toxic, BPA-free plastic (free from bisphenol-A)
- Materials: ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), a scratch-resistant, non-toxic plastic
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Self-expression, imaginative play, fine motor skills, and problem-solving
- Extra Features: Includes a toy wrench and Mack the Hauler
- Certification: EU and US standards
- Made In: Mexico (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about Mack’s missing trailer
- Customer Reviews:
“This set is amazing, we need more Cars sets! This pairs up perfectly to the last Cars duplo set!” – Reviewer on Target
“Son got this from the Easter bunny and loves it only complaint he had was Mac not having a trailer.” – Reviewer on Amazon
BeginAgain Animal Parade A to Z Puzzle and Playset (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Animal-shaped wooden puzzle set
- Product Safety: Child-safe materials, free from harmful chemicals
- Materials: Plantation-grown, eco-friendly, and sustainable rubberwood
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Letter and animal recognition, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, cognitive development, problem-solving, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Each puzzle piece is an animal that starts with the letter printed on its side; also includes a wooden tray
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Several customer complaints about quality concerns, especially about parts breaking off easily from the puzzle pieces
- Customer Reviews:
“Simple, fun, educational and decorative. It makes for a great gift for any baby shower or toddler.” – Reviewer on Walmart
“Not a good puzzle at all. Very small and poorly made. The animals don’t even make sense.”
Mudpuppy Jumbo Puzzle Map of the U.S.A. (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: USA puzzle map with jumbo pieces for tiny hands
- Product Safety: Non-toxic, soy-based inks
- Materials: 90% recycled paper
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Cognitive learning, problem-solving, fine motor skills, and learning about US locations
- Extra Features: Includes a box to keep the puzzle pieces when not in use
- Certification: CPSIA, ASTM, and CE Safety Regulations
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Several customer complaints about missing puzzle pieces
- Customer Reviews:
“…My daughter was obsessed at 2.5yo. Now my son at 3 does these puzzles for almost an hour each day. It’s the perfect size for them to feel challenged and accomplished when they finish it.” – Reviewer on Mudpuppy
“Normally we love these puzzles, but this box came with a missing piece, which was very disappointing!” – Reviewer on Amazon
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Extra-Thick Cardboard Building Toy Blocks
- Pros & Best Features: Jumbo-sized, lightweight building blocks
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Premium, extra-thick cardboard
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Gross motor skills, problem-solving, creativity, and balance
- Extra Features:
- Certification: Forest Stewardship Council certified product also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall:
- Cons: Some customer complaints on quality (e.g., the blocks easily get crushed)
- Customer Reviews:
“We’ve had these for about a year now. My expectations were low— after all they are cardboard, how good could they be? Well, actually, surprisingly strong, durable blocks. The 3 year old walks on them. She’s ridden her trike and her balance bike full blast into them, with barely a dent.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“We have two 25 pound toddlers and by the end of the first night we had to throw away 5 blocks because they were smashed. These are not very strong and if I hadn’t set them all up already, I’d be returning them.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker – Wooden Educational Toy
- Pros & Best Features: Colorful wooden stacking set with different shapes
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: High-quality wood
- Age Range: 2-5 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Color, size, and shape differentiation skills
- Extra Features: Includes pieces with simple puzzle-like grooves for promoting problem-solving skills
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: No recalls in the US; but this toy has been recalled by Health Canada in December 2008 due to high levels of barium (a heavy metal) (6)
- Cons: Some complaints on quality (e.g., the vertical rods coming loose after a few days); it had an old recall in Canada (no longer in effect)
- Customer Reviews:
“Very good quality. So many blocks and endless ways to play with them. We bought them for our 18 month old who is obsessed, but our 5 and 8 year old have been caught playing with them extensive amounts of time too! Win!” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
“The vertical rods came loose within a couple days. Poorly built. Very disappointing for what is supposed to be a premium project. WOULD NOT BUY AGAIN.” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube – Classic Wooden Toy
- Pros & Best Features: Colorful wooden puzzle cube
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: High-quality wood
- Age Range: 2-5 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Color and shape recognition, fine motor, and problem-solving skills
- Extra Features: The puzzle cube’s sides have holes for different shapes
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about safety and quality concerns (e.g., the wood pieces can easily splinter and the edges are rough)
- Customer Reviews:
“Perfect for little hands, colourful shapes make this fun.” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
“My son only played with it for an hour or so and already got wood splinter. Quality is really really bad. The corners are rough, I know woods are like this but at least file it.” – Reviewer on Amazon
2-Year-Old Toys For Learning Numbers & ABCs
LeapFrog My Own Leaptop
- Pros & Best Features: Digital ‘laptop’ toy for learning the alphabet and common words
- Product Safety: Child-safe materials
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 2-4 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Alphabet and word learning, cognitive skills, imagination, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Includes four learning modes: alphabet, music, games, and messages
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Several customer complaints about the display’s lack of brightness
- Customer Reviews:
“Great interactive toy to help with learning.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Screen does not have a light. Will mess up your child’s vision. Poor quality display!” – Reviewer on Amazon
Sesame Street Learning Letters (Elmo’s Learning Bus) (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Interactive, bus-shaped activity board and playset
- Product Safety: Child-safe and non-toxic
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Learning ABCs and colors, fine motor skills, and cognitive development; the Elmo button makes a sound, including music and letter-themed phrases
- Extra Features: Includes 26 removable letters and toy bus carrying case; uses two AAA batteries (included)
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Elmo only sings the alphabet and makes random phrases only for A-B-C
- Customer Reviews:
“My two year old son is obsessed with this learning toy. He loves listening to Elmo sing the alphabet.” – Reviewer on Walmart
“This is a huge disappointment my grandson is already bored with it after 5 mins. It only names and recites the first three letters then sings the alphabet song.” – Reviewer on Amazon
The Learning Journey Learn with Me – Count and Learn Cookie Jar (2-5 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Adorable electronic cookie jar for learning how to count numbers from 1 to 10
- Product Safety: Child-safe materials
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 2-5 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Interactive toy for number learning; STEM learning, listening and thinking skills, tactile, motor development, and cognitive development
- Extra Features: Push the cookie jar’s nose for interactive learning
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Imported; country not indicated (according to Walmart)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about difficulties in using the toy (e.g., the cookies are hard to insert in the slot, or the cookie jar is too complicated for kids to open on their own)
- Customer Reviews:
“Daughter loves this cookie jar! She loved playing with this interactive cookie jar that asks her to find the correct number to put in the slot. It’s nice that it corrects her whenever she got it wrong.” – Reviewer on Target
“Son didn’t play with it for long – he’s very good with fine motor skills but he found it difficult to get the cookies in the slot and even pinched his finger at one point…” – Reviewer on Target
Toys For Pretend Play & Practical Learning
Fun Little Toys Kids Play Tent (2-4 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Play tent set with pretend food and camping materials
- Product Safety: No sharp parts
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 2-4 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play, gross motor skills, and practical learning skills
- Extra Features: Includes a usable tent and a battery-operated lamp
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about missing or broken toy parts
- Customer Reviews:
“This is a cute little set with lots of parts. The lantern and watch really work! My grandson has enjoyed it.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Just received this and the flashlight doesn’t work, the lantern doesn’t turn on.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Melissa & Doug Play-Time Produce Fruit (9 pcs) and Vegetables
- Pros & Best Features: Set of realistically-sized fruits and vegetables
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Durable molded plastic
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Cognitive learning and pretend play
- Extra Features: Includes a box for keeping and sorting the plastic fruits and vegetables
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the ‘wooden’ box being made of cardboard
- Customer Reviews:
“Excellent quality and very realistic! Great variety for teaching kids about the different nutritional benefits of each type of vegetable.” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
“There is no wooden crate. Just a cardboard box that it comes in. Disappointed. I don’t like deceitful advertising.” – Reviewer on Walmart
Tender Leaf Toys – Mini Chef Chopping Board & Wooden Cutting Vegetable Toys
- Pros & Best Features: Cute chopping board with knife and cutting vegetable toys
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Sustainable rubber wood and plywood
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Cognitive learning, fine motor skills, role play, and imagination
- Extra Features: Includes velcro for putting the spices and vegetables together; also includes a mesh bag
- Certification: EN71, ASTM, and AS/NZS ISO certification; meets American, European, Australian, and New Zealand toy safety standards
- Made In: Indonesia
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the product being too small
- Customer Reviews:
“This set is adorable. I love that each piece can be cut multiple times and that the inside of each is painted, this isn’t always the case with other brands. The painting is done well and looks neat.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“This is so tiny. The cutting board is as big as my cellphone. Not worth the money. It’s cute but my toddler will not get much use out of it because it’s sooo small.” – Reviewer on Amazon
PairPear Wooden Tea Set for Little Girls
- Pros & Best Features: Wooden tea party set
- Product Safety: Non-toxic paints
- Materials: Wood
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Pretend play, motor, social, and emotional skills
- Extra Features: Can also double as decoration pieces
- Certification: ASTM F963 and EN71 toy safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about the label, commenting that it can be a unisex toy (also works for 2-year-old boys and above)
- Customer Reviews:
“This is a big hit in my house. Outstanding quality wood product perfect for toddler tea time. I love the tea bags and the lemon wedges. Great purchase.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Literally my only complaint is that the description is “for girls”. My son loves playing with it because he sees his dad drinking tea daily.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Melissa & Doug Wooden Play Food (2-5 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Wooden toy sets from five different food groups
- Product Safety: Free from lead (heavy metal) and other toxic materials
- Materials: Solid wood
- Age Range: Ideal for 2-5-year-olds
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Cognitive development, planning, sorting, and fine motor skills; food recognition and creating meal combinations for a balanced meal
- Extra Features: Includes four wooden crates
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about paint coming off from the toys
- Customer Reviews:
“My little one loves these for playing in his play kitchen. The quality is great. No paint peeling.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“paint came off one piece-I will not use this product.” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
Battat Musical Clean n’ Sing Vacuum (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Toy vacuum cleaner with sounds, spinning beads, and lights
- Product Safety: Non-toxic and kid-safe
- Materials: Worry-free, durable plastic materials
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Gross motor skills
- Extra Features: Includes three AAA batteries
- Certification: Meets EU, U.S. and Canadian safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Quality complaints from customers, including the sweeper not staying upright and the lights/sounds getting broken after a few days of use
- Customer Reviews:
“Lil ones that like to be helpful will enjoy this pretend vacuum. It has little ball inside, lights up and pops when pushed. On and off button, light weight and easy to push around. Good purchase.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Sweeper won’t staybin upright position and is losing little balls inside.” – Reviewer on Kohl’s
Melissa & Doug Get Well Doctor’s Kit Play Set
- Pros & Best Features: 25-piece doctor’s kit play set
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Plastic, paper, and fabrics
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play
- Extra Features: Includes a toy doctor’s bag
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the doctor’s toy bag being flimsy
- Customer Reviews:
“My toddler loves getting his doctor kit out to “fix” us when we have boo boos. He even tries to help the dog. Cute kit and great sized for toddlers.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“The toys are cute but the bag is soft and flimsy. I’m going to have to find a different one to put the set in.” – Reviewer on Target
Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Wooden Cookie Play Food Set
- Pros & Best Features: Colorful wooden play food set with sliceable cookies and different toppings
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Wood
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Practical life skills and pretend play
- Extra Features: Includes a real kitchen mitt
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: USA (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about quality issues (e.g., faded prints and spilled glue)
- Customer Reviews:
“Great item. Very engaging. Keeps granddaughters busy baking for hours. Not easy to do with 2 and 3 year olds.” – Reviewer on Melissa & Doug
“ There was dried glue spilling out from the spots where it had been used to stick on the Velcro. There were rough/splintered edges of wood on the play knife. The paint appeared faded. I wonder if this was just old stock, or maybe a knock-off product I received.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Musical Toys For 2-Year-Olds
PlanToys Solid Drum Toddler Musical Instrument
- Pros & Best Features: Wooden toy drum
- Product Safety: Organic pigments, formaldehyde-free glue, and water-based dyes
- Materials: Chemical-free, sustainable rubberwood
- Age Range: 18+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Hand-eye coordination, creativity, fine motor, and musical skills
- Extra Features: Includes one drumstick
- Certification: ASTM and EN71 standards
- Made In: Thailand
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Can be pricey; some customer complaints about quality and safety (e.g., the drumstick broke “easily”)
- Customer Reviews:
“My grand daughter loves her drum, it is very sturdy and well worth the price, it comes in a very nice sturdy box.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Sure this drum is great… until your two year old (who barely ever plays with it) strikes it a couple of times and the drum stick splinters in two!!! I’m shocked that such a shoddy product would be marketed to children.” – Reviewer on Amazon
STOIE’s International Musical Instruments for Toddlers
- Pros & Best Features: Musical instruments set
- Product Safety: Kid-friendly wood and smooth finish
- Materials: Wood and metal
- Age Range: 1-3 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Musical skills and creativity
- Extra Features: Includes a drawstring bag
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the toy set’s poor quality and safety issues (e.g., the parts are small and can easily break)
- Customer Reviews:
“My nephew who is 2 loved this. The instruments are great quality. They sound great. I love that they are wooden. Very good quality for the price.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Don’t believe the positive reviews. These are cheaply and poorly made. They look like tiny instruments but barely function and the sound is poor. The handheld drum on a stick came broken, the rod wasn’t glued and just fell right out when opened.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Kids Guitar Musical Toy Ukulele
- Pros & Best Features: Realistic ukulele toy with a harmonica
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Environmental friendly ABS plastic material and nylon
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity and musical ability
- Extra Features: Includes a playable toy harmonica
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about quality (e.g., it doesn’t sound like a guitar/ukulele, and the strings can’t be tuned)
- Customer Reviews:
“My daughter (2) and her baby brother (9 mos) both love this set! The instruments are very good quality for the money.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“This is a child’s toy. However the ” strings” are just one continuous piece of plastic barely on this. Within 5 minutes the first” string” slipped off this ukulele and there’s no way to reattach.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Bath Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Munchkin Fishin’ Bath Toy (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Magnetic toy fishing set
- Product Safety: Latex-free
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Hand-eye coordination and gameplay
- Extra Features: Includes magnets on the toys for easy “fishing”
- Certification: CPSC and ASTM standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some complaints about the product growing mold and leaking water
- Customer Reviews:
“Love this toy. When thrown in water the magnetic knobs in the “fish” point upwards making it easier for the “fishing rod” to “catch” those. Good for hand eye coordination.” – Reviewer on Munchkin
“Do not last but a month or 2 as they grow mold and dirty water leak out.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Yookidoo Kids Bath Toy Mold-Free Submarine Spray Station (2-6 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Battery-operated submarine toy with a spray station
- Product Safety: BPA and phthalate-free; submarine toy activates even in shallow water
- Materials: Child-safe plastic
- Age Range: 2-6 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: STEM learning (cause and effect), creativity, socio-emotional and cognitive development, and imagination
- Extra Features: Includes a spraying activity station and a removable funnel
- Certification: IPX7 waterproof certified bath toys
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about safety and quality issues (e.g., leaking batteries, mold growth, breaking down. etc.)
- Customer Reviews:
“My 2 year old and 9 month old fight over this toy! The quality is amazing and I have confidence it will last a long time unlike other bath toys with similar features.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“This children’s bath toy is a disaster Not only does it fail to keep water out, but it also leaks batteries, creating a safety hazard.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Munchkin Draw Bath Crayons Toddler Bath Toy
- Pros & Best Features: Easily washable bath crayons
- Product Safety: Child-safe and non-toxic
- Materials: Crayon acrylic (according to Amazon)
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Color recognition, motor skills, and creativity
- Extra Features: Includes a plastic holder
- Certification: CPSC and ASTM
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality and safety (e.g., the crayon parts fall off the plastic holder when tilted)
- Customer Reviews:
“The quality of these is great—most of them make nice dark saturated lines, but they also wash off SO EASILY, just with water! Much much better than the Crayola bath crayons we have.” – Reviewer on Munchkin
“The crayons fall out of the plastic thing and you can’t even even see the colors on the wall. They’re so light.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Munchkin Learn Bath Letters and Numbers 36pc Toddler Bath Toy
- Pros & Best Features: Set of 26 floating letters and 10 floating numbers
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Soft, durable, non-toxic foam
- Age Range: 18+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Number and letter recognition, cognitive development, and creativity
- Extra Features: The letters and numbers stick to bathtub or tiled walls when wet
- Certification: CPSC and ASTM
- Made In: USA (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about safety and quality (e.g., off-gassing)
- Customer Reviews:
“These letters are amazing, perfect size, stick easily to the wall with little water, and can also be used on windows and mirrors. Our son looooves them!” – Reviewer on Munchkin
“I did not expect a disgusting toxic smell to pour out of the box as I opened it. I would never let my baby bathe or play with something that smells like toxic chemicals.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Ride-On & Other Active Outdoor Toys For 2-Year-Olds
Strider Balance Bike (18 months – 4 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Unique bike design without pedals
- Product Safety: Child-safe materials; meets the CPSC bike standards
- Materials: Alloy steel frame with flat-free foam rubber wheels
- Age Range: 18 months – 4 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Balance, coordination, and gross motor skills
- Extra Features: With adjustable seat heights to grow with your child
- Certification: CPSC standards
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Doesn’t have a braking system
- Customer Reviews:
“I bought this for my friends sons 2nd birthday. He absolutely love it. It’s adjustable and allows you to move the seat up as they grow. So far it’s been durable as well.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“For the price, it should at least have real rubber tires and not plastic ones. Seat didn’t stay locked in position, kept swiveling to the sides. The assembly of the handle bar isn’t intuitive and not easy to get it aligned with the wheel assembly, it always seemed a bit off.” – Reviewer on Amazon
SEREED Baby Balance Bike
- Pros & Best Features: Four-wheeled baby balance bike
- Product Safety: Non-slip, wear-resistant closed wheels (safe for your toddler’s feet)
- Materials: Aluminum alloy frame and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) handle
- Age Range: 1-2 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Gross motor skills and balance
- Extra Features: Non-slip handles
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., the bike’s wheels broke easily and couldn’t be repaired)
- Customer Reviews:
“It’s super easy to put together, it’s light, well made it and super cute!! Toddler is having a lots of fun.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Fell apart 1 week of being used. Wheel feel off and can’t be put back on. Junk!!!! Very disappointed.” – Reviewer on Amazon
LaScoota 2-in-1 Kids Kick Scooter
- Pros & Best Features: Scooter with a removable seat
- Product Safety: Low vibration and high-impact shock absorption for safe navigation on rough pavement, cracked sidewalk, or occasional off-road terrain (e.g., grass)
- Materials: Plastic, aluminum, and rubber
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Gross motor skills and balance
- Extra Features: Removable seat and light-up wheels
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about safety (e.g., the break doesn’t work, leading to an accident)
- Customer Reviews:
“the seat is great support for 3+ riders. Able to remove the seat easily and teach them how to use the brakes. Bright colors for high visibility. Sturdy wheels for a comfortable ride.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“This scooter has a CRITICAL DESIGN ERROR which rear brake pad does not work properly. You can’t push enough rear brake pad and need to slow/stop by putting food on the ground instead, which may result with a harsh turn and crash as happened to my kid. Again, BRAKE DESIGN DOES NOT WORK WHICH LEADS TO ACCIDENT..” – Reviewer on Amazon
Best Choice Products 12V 3.7 MPH 2-Seater Licensed Land Rover Ride On Car Toy
- Pros & Best Features: Rechargeable ride-on Land Rover toy
- Product Safety: Includes a parent remote control for added safety
- Materials: Metal and PP (polypropylene) plastic
- Age Range: 3-8 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Coordination and practical life skills
- Extra Features: Two-person seating capacity
- Certification: ASTM-certified
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality (e.g., the ride-on toy keeps breaking down)
- Customer Reviews:
“We are very happy with this little car. Our 2 year old daughter is in love. We love that it has a parent controller. Very realistic looking.read more about review content We are very happy with this little.” – Reviewer on Best Choice Products
“We order this ride for our 4 years old and ever since it’s been assembled it’s been giving her nothing but the issues. Car continues to ride for 20 seconds then stops for 10 seconds and does the same thing reputedly, regardless of remote use or accelerating from the car it self.” – Reviewer on Amazon
CUTE STONE Color Changing Kitchen Sink Toys
- Pros & Best Features: Realistic (runs water), heat-sensitive kitchen sink toy set that changes color (turns white) if the temperature turns 91.4°F (33°C) to 107.6°F (42°C)
- Product Safety: Odor-free plastic; free from heavy metals and sharp parts
- Materials: ABS plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Practical life skills, imaginative play, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Can actually run water on the faucet (requires batteries); also has a detachable rack
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the faucet not working despite using fresh batteries
- Customer Reviews:
“This is one of my favorite toddler purchases so far! This little sink keeps her busy while I get a few kitchen tasks done and she feels like she part of the tasks with me. The system itself is super simple to use and easy to clean and maintain.” – Reviewer on Cute Stone
“The sink SOMETIMES works. When you turn it on nothing happens for about 10minutes, then you’ll hear a low hum for another 5-10minutes, and then water MIGHT flow through it. I kept thinking the batteries were to issue, but that made no difference.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Backyard Discovery Sweetwater All Cedar White Modern Outdoor Wooden Playhouse
- Pros & Best Features: Realistic playhouse with a side snack window and play accessories
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Cedar wood house and plastic accessories
- Age Range: 3-6 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play and practical life skills
- Extra Features: Includes flower pot holders, cordless phone, kitchen sink, and a working doorbell; also includes a 5-year warranty
- Certification: ASTM standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality (e.g., chipping and discolored wood)
- Customer Reviews:
“Absolutely loving this cute playhouse! We bought it for my son’s 2nd birthday present and it’s been such a great addition. It was easy to assemble and the quality, look and price is unmatched!” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Horrible quality, and comes in /9 many pieces! The wood is so cheap it’s almost like cardboard! Two different pieces broke just while assembling it. The black roof paint is also chipping in multiple places and it’s only been here a few days. Terrible!!” – Reviewer on Target
Best Choice Products Kids 3-in-1 Sand & Water Table
- Pros & Best Features: Outdoor convertible activity table (can be used for sand and water activities or as a picnic table) with built-in umbrella
- Product Safety: BPA-free
- Materials: Hemlock wood and plastic accessories
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Sensory play, imagination, fine and gross motor skills, and practical life skills
- Extra Features: Includes two plastic activity bins and an adjustable or collapsible umbrella
- Certification: CPSIA and ASTM
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the product’s quality and safety (e.g., the wood parts easily cracked)
- Customer Reviews:
“Well built, kids love it! Very versatile for creativity. They’ll enjoy this for a long time!” – Reviewer on Best Choice Products
“Cute table but not durable at all. Barely used it and even brought it indoors in the fall/winter and the support beams still cracked. No replacement parts available either.” – Reviewer on Target
Toy Trucks, Cars, Trains, & Other Vehicle Play Sets For 2-Year-Olds
Melissa & Doug Nesting and Sorting Garages and Cars (2+ years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Garage play set with stackable wooden cars
- Product Safety: Free from lead (heavy metal) and other toxic materials
- Materials: Wood and cardboard
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creative play, hand-eye coordination, color and number recognition, and size concepts
- Extra Features: Includes stackable garage blocks
- Certification: FSC-certified
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., the cardboard garage boxes can easily get crushed)
- Customer Reviews:
“My little one got great use out of these. They are very sturdy.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Nesting garages are very cheaply made. There is a sticker on top of the smaller garages that were peeling right out of the box.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Le Toy Van London Car Set Premium Wooden Toys for Kids
- Pros & Best Features: Wooden toy car set
- Product Safety: Durable wood with non-toxic, water-based dyes
- Materials: Wood
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play
- Extra Features: Hand-painted toy cars, including the iconic UK double-decker bus
- Certification: FSC-certified; meets EU/US standards
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality (e.g., the toys can break easily when dropped)
- Customer Reviews:
“I absolutely love these! My son is 2 and a half, and is obsessed with them. They’re amazing quality, and overall super cute!” – Reviewer on Amazon
“One of my toddlers dropped it while playing on the couch, it fell 2 feet and broke. That was within 1 hour of receiving it.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Toys For Emotional Intelligence For 2-Year-Olds
Fisher-Price Meditation Mouse (2-5 years old)
- Pros & Best Features: Go-to calming cuddle buddy and toy
- Product Safety:
- Materials: Stuffed animal with an embroidered face
- Age Range: 2-5 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play:
- Extra Features: Includes calming music and sounds; removable electronic parts to clean the machine washable toy
- Certification: Play Lab kid-tested
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the toy being loud and the music playing endlessly
- Customer Reviews:
“This mouse has done wonders for my son’s emotional regulation skills. I am so glad we found it.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Why is this so loud even on the lowest setting?? That’s not zen at all. If it wasn’t so loud it’d be perfectly lovely!” – Reviewer on Mattel
Hape Eggspressions Wooden Learning Toy with Illustrative Book
- Pros & Best Features: Expressive wooden eggs set with an illustrated emotion book
- Product Safety: Child-safe, water-based paint
- Materials: Solid maple wood
- Age Range: 2+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Emotional intelligence
- Extra Features: Includes a stand for the eggs
- Certification: EN 71 and ASTM F963l European and American safety standards
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the book being “lousy” or “awful”
- Customer Reviews:
“These are fantastic! Not only is it a cute set, but if you have a child with special needs, these eggs can be used for various purposes.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“…The book is awful though. I mean awful. Like doesn’t even make sense. The story line is lame. My kids are like, seriously…” – Reviewer on Amazon
Battat Education – Egg Toys For Toddlers – Matching Eggs
- Pros & Best Features: Matching expressions egg set with an emotions book
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Wood, plastic, and paper
- Age Range: 18+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Emotional intelligence, cognitive learning, fine motor skills, and social learning
- Extra Features: Includes expression cards and a toy bus container
- Certification: Not indicated; Play On Words (PAL) Award 2023
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality (e.g., the bus container doesn’t click shut)
- Customer Reviews:
“This is by far the CUTEST educational toy I have come across! All the eggs sit in an egg carton, and all have an emotion. When reading the story that comes with it you can match the faces and descriptions of the emotions to the eggs.” – Reviewer on Battat Education
“How disappointing! The lid of the bus doesn’t click shut. The eggs don’t click together and just fall apart immediately after you match them up. The storage compartment at the bottom doesn’t stay shut.” – Reviewer on Target
Dolls & Stuffed Toys
Manhattan Toy Playdate Friends Freddie
- Pros & Best Features: Washable doll with a companion stuffed toy
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Fabrics
- Age Range: 0+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Emotional intelligence and pretend play
- Extra Features: Has sculpted, embroidered hair and fully embroidered facial features
- Certification: EN71 and CPSIA safety regulations
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the doll having a “weird” texture and material
- Customer Reviews:
“Our toddler absolutely loves this doll. It’s lighter and smaller than normal rubber dolls, adorable, and washable! Great for traveling or to throw in a bag with you. The quality is great as well. Would highly recommend.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“The flip side is that the material is a little… weird. Not a cuddly texture. Somewhat translucent (looks odd along the hairline). Also the doll itself is an odd shape.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Other Educational Toys & Activity Tables For 2-Year-Olds
Montessori Sensory Playroom Toys Water and Sand Activity Table
- Pros & Best Features: 5-in-1 activity table
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Pine wood and plastic
- Age Range: Not indicated
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity, cognitive learning, fine motor skills, and sensory play
- Extra Features: Options to include activity bins and chair
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Türkiye
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., a leg needs to be tightened regularly)
- Customer Reviews:
“Absolutely love – seems to be made very well and high quality. super easy to put together.” – Reviewer on ETSY
“Item is good but one of the legs I have to constantly tighten as I don’t think it is set as well as the other 3 legs.” – Reviewer on ETSY
CocoMelon Toys
Crayola Color Wonder Cocomelon Coloring Pages & Markers
- Pros & Best Features: CocoMelon-themed mess-free coloring set
- Product Safety: Non-toxic
- Materials: Paper and plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play, fine motor skills, and creativity
- Extra Features: Includes coloring pages and markers
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: USA (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the marker ink easily drying out and being inadequate to color all the pages
- Customer Reviews:
“My two year old granddaughter LOVED her Cocomelon pages and mess free markers!” – Reviewer on CRAYOLA
“The makers dont color on some areas of the paper. And they dry out fast.” – Reviewer on Amazon
CoCoMelon Deluxe Family House Playset with Music and Sounds
- Pros & Best Features: CocoMelon-inspired toy house playset
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 34+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Pretend play and imagination
- Extra Features: Includes CocoMelon-themed music and sounds
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the dollhouse’s doors being too hard to open
- Customer Reviews:
“The figurines are nicely detailed and recognizable. Their heads and legs move; except for Bingo who is solid. The furnishings are nice quality and perfectly sized for the figures. Ours is a smaller house and space is at a premium so I love how this set is on the smaller side, closes up and everything can be stored inside. There is one button in the living room that can be pushed and a variety of songs from the show are played including our favorite ‘the clean up song.’” – Reviewer on Amazon
“When you buy a dollhouse for your little one, you expect it to open easily. That is not the case with this item. The house needed to be pried open – not once but every time!” – Reviewer on Amazon
CoComelon Boo Boo JJ Deluxe Feature Plush
- Pros & Best Features: CocoMelon-themed plushie doctor’s playset
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Fabrics and plastic
- Age Range: 24+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Pretend play and imagination
- Extra Features: Includes a plushie with CocoMelon-themed music (plays “The Boo Boo Song”)
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., the toy broke after a few uses)
- Customer Reviews:
“This doll is adorable—he is plush, not plastic—so very lovable. He talks and sings in an interactive way, his booboos light up and go out in an interactive way, he has a bag of bandages and medical instruments all packed in a cute bag.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“The product is awful. The buttons / sounds are already broken on our replacement, and this one may be even worse than the first one was. The button are not in the space they are supposed to be. They seem lost in the material be don’t light up correctly. Very poor quality.” – Reviewer on Amazon
CoComelon Official Musical Yellow School Bus
- Pros & Best Features: CoComelon-themed musical toy bus
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 24+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity and musical ability
- Extra Features: Includes a removable toy JJ character
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the music being too loud
- Customer Reviews:
“I bought this bus to my two years old niece. She loves it so much that she picks it up first thing in the morning. She would even want to take it to bed with her.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“It has loud volume that cannot be controlled (shy of turning off the toy) but a good workaround is putting something over the speaker to muffle it if it’s too loud for your taste.” – Reviewer on Amazon
CoComelon Official Friends & Family
- Pros & Best Features: CoComelon-themed toy figurines
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 24+ months old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity and social skills
- Extra Features: Includes two JJ characters
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality concerns (e.g., the figures don’t look realistic)
- Customer Reviews:
“These toys are super cool. My child love that these specific figures are able to sit.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“My daughter thankfully has no idea but the quality of these is terrible. They are not official cocomelon toys at all. They cannot be posed or used with the items that come with the house.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Screen-free Travel Entertainment & Activities For Playing On-The-Go
To keep your toddler entertained without gadgets, pack these items inside a bag or box they can bring on the go. These toys keep my daughter entertained when we’re out:
PicassoTiles 100 Piece Mini Size Magnetic Tiles Sensory Magnet Toys
- Pros & Best Features: Sensory magnetic tiles
- Product Safety: Child safe
- Materials: Plastic and magnets
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: STEAM learning, creativity, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Travel-size mini magnetic tiles
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about product quality and safety (e.g., plastic parts cracking and exposing tiny magnets inside the tiles)
- Customer Reviews:
“There are so many options to build and create. The quality is very good. It’s definitely a must have for little ones.” – Reviewer on Picasso Tiles
“My daughter played gently with this for five minutes before I noticed many of the pieces were falling apart, leaving the tiny magnets accessible to her. Magnets are such a serious choking hazard. This product should be recalled.” – Reviewer on Amazon
PicassoTiles Magnetic 4 Family Action Figures Toddler Toy Magnet Expansion Pack
- Pros & Best Features: Magnetic toy action figures
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic and magnets
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: STEM learning, creativity, and imaginative play
- Extra Features: Compatible with the PicassoTiles set
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality and safety concerns (e.g., the parts can break easily and expose the tiny magnets, posing a choking risk)
- Customer Reviews:
“These figures are sturdy and fun to play with. They magnetized well. Hours and hours of fun, with other magnetic products, or just to play with.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“My child played with these for the first time today and as I was helping him clean up I noticed that one of the feet were missing and the tiny magnet had fallin out! 😳this is not okay!” – Reviewer on Amazon
PicassoTiles 2pcs Mini Magnetic Tiles Expansion Car Truck Construction Set
- Pros & Best Features: Magnetic toy car set
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic and magnets
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: STEM learning, creativity, and imaginative play
- Extra Features: Compatible with the PicassoTiles set and action figures; also compatible with LEGO
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about design issues (e.g., the magnets don’t align with those for the tiles)
- Customer Reviews:
“They link together, they have lego base so you can play with tiles and legos at the same time? Whats not to love!” – Reviewer on Amazon
“These are not compatible with all magnet sets! The magnets on these cars are closer together then the set we have, and so we cannot build any onto the cars. The magnets fall off.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Yoto Player (Kids Bluetooth Audio Speaker)
- Pros & Best Features: All-in-one screen-free audio device for music, radio, stories, and white noise
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic and electronics
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity, cognitive development, and musical ability
- Extra Features: Includes 32GB internal memory and rechargeable lithium batteries
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None (the 2024 Yoto recall only involves the mini version)
- Cons: Some customer complaints about glitching and battery charging issues
- Customer Reviews:
“I love the yoto player so much! I love how there’s parental controls in the app. I love the little pixel pictures it makes for the different cards. There’s so much audio content, too. The brightness will auto adjust to the environment. It connected to my app easily.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“Unfortunately, can’t recommend this. Bought for a Christmas present (5mo ago) and it started glitching and now has stopped charging.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Mess-Free Arts & Drawing
Crayola Color Wonder Blippi
- Pros & Best Features: Blippi-themed mess-free coloring set
- Product Safety: Non-toxic
- Materials: Paper and plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Imaginative play, fine motor skills, and creativity
- Extra Features: Includes coloring pages and markers
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: USA (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about the marker ink easily drying out
- Customer Reviews:
“This is truly mess free and easy to use for my little one. She even left some of the caps off of the markers and they still worked! The size is perfect for toddlers. Quality is great.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“The market gave out too fast and not much for the kids imagination far as the pictures. I wouldn’t buy again.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow!
- Pros & Best Features: Set of reusable water-reveal activity pads
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Plastic
- Age Range: 3+ years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Creativity, imagination, and fine motor skills
- Extra Features: Erasable and reusable activity pads
- Certification: CPSIA; also meets US and EU safety standards
- Made In: China (according to Amazon)
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., the marker bleeds and the activity pads aren’t reusable)
- Customer Reviews:
“Great value, doesn’t make a mess, good for car rides and keeps kids busy.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“We enclosed the pen in the case and left it on a dresser and somehow it leaked all over the place and the page inside never dried and it is not reusable! Plus the brush became deformed somehow? My son only got to use it once.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Sticker Books for Kids
- Pros & Best Features: Reusable sticker books
- Product Safety: Child-safe
- Materials: Laminated paper
- Age Range: 2-4 years old
- Educational Value & Ways To Learn Or Play: Hand-eye coordination, concentration, fine motor skills, and creativity
- Extra Features: Includes stickers
- Certification: Not indicated
- Made In: Not indicated
- Product Recall: None
- Cons: Some customer complaints about quality issues (e.g., thin stickers and inaccurate labels)
- Customer Reviews:
“Lots of variety of stickers and they are easy to peel and stick; perfect for my 2.5 yr toddler.” – Reviewer on Amazon
“The qualities of the stickers and books are poor so after a couple of plays they lost interest quickly. For the same cost I believe they are many better sticker books.” – Reviewer on Amazon
Bonus: Books & Learning Supplements For 2-Year-Olds
The Color Monster: A Pop-Up Book of Feelings
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Evolution for Babies
Goodnight Moon
Cave Baby
Waiting is Not Easy
Moonlite Mini Projector with 5 Mickey Mouse and Friends Stories
First 100 Words: A Padded Board Book
Usborne Books “The Big Book of Colors”
”The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister
Welcome to the Symphony: A Musical Exploration of the Orchestra Using Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5
Toys & Gift Options For Other Age Groups
- Baby toys
- Best educational toys
- Educational toys
- Educational toys for toddlers
- Educational toys for 2-year-olds
- Educational toys for 3-year-olds
- Montessori baby toys
- Montessori climbing toys
- Montessori toys
- Montessori toys for toddlers
- Montessori toys for 1-year-olds
- Montessori toys for 3-year-olds
- Montessori toys for 4-year-olds
- Montessori wooden toys
- Outdoor toys for 1-year-olds
- Toys for 1-year-olds
- Toys for 2-year-olds
- Toys for 6-year-old boys
- Wooden educational toys
Toy Recalls To Monitor
- Calico Critters recall (2023)
- Kids Preferred recall (2023)
- Target Toy recall (2022)
- Haba recall (2022)
- Kidoozie Play Tent recall (2022)
- Monti Kids recall (2022)
References
(1) https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html
(2) https://www.cnld.org/how-long-should-a-childs-attention-span-be/
(3) https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/3/e20182058/38649/The-Power-of-Play-A-Pediatric-Role-in-Enhancing?autologincheck=redirected
(4) https://pathways.org/pretend-play-childs-developing-brain/
(5) https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/safetoys-young.html
(6) https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2012/kickboard-usa-recalls-childrens-scooter-due-to-laceration-hazard