Toy Gift Ideas for a Two-Year-Old

Two is an exciting age for a kid. By the age of two, most toddlers are masters at running and jumping and are now ready to try out toys that encourage development of more complicated gross motor skills like a bike or baseball set. They are also at an age where they love expressing themselves through art, and copying mommy and daddy by playing pretend. Here are some ideas for toys if you are looking for a gift for a two year old.

Pretend Play Toys

The older a child gets, the more interested she'll be in pretend play and the more developed her little imagination gets. Some pretend play toy ideas a 2 year old might like: a baby doll, accessories for a baby doll such as feeding items, stroller, cradle, etc., a tool set, a kitchen playset, shopping cart with pretend food items, a doctor playset (especially helpful if you use it to act out going to the doctor before a real visit; this will hopefully help make going to the doctor a little less scary) and a dollhouse.

Sports Toys

It's not too early to encourage the sporty side of your little one! My 2 year old loves kicking, so we got her a soccer ball and now she loves kicking it around the house! I remember playing "baseball" with my little brother when he was about 2...I'd throw a plastic ball so that it would hit his toy bat as he swung it. He loved that game! Some good sports toy ideas: any kind of ball, a toy baseball set, and a plastic toy bowling set. Also, around two years old a toddler is ready for his first real bike. A bicycle with training wheels or a tricycle is a great way to have your child learn some gross motor skills.

Art Toys

Another great toy gift idea for a 2 year old is an art toy. Some ideas for art toys: crayons (get the chunky kind for a 2 year-old...they won't break as easily), finger paint (2 year olds love to get messy!), and clay along with some molds and cookie cutters. Don't forget to include a coloring book or pad of paper with the gift. Be careful when getting these things as gifts for someone else's two year old, though. Some parents won't be too happy about the mess that many of these art gifts will entail, so ask first. Also, you can now find products that only show color when used on a certain type of paper, and if used anywhere else, they show up clear.

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