The 20 Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds

Two-year-olds love to build—as long as the pieces are sized appropriately for them. The biggish parts in this cheery set are shaped just right for this age group. Your tot will have a fence up to keep the animals safe in no time. Fine motor skills get an added boost from pushing the gorilla on the swing, feeding the penguins fish and helping the zookeeper with his wheelbarrow.

Buy it: $40, Amazon.com

Splashing, scooping and pouring water is one of those rare activities that can keep many a 2-year-old entertained for a good long while. This incredible water play table is basically a mini water park in your backyard, complete with waterfalls, maze-like spinners, ramps and buckets. With over 1,000 Amazon reviews at nearly 5 stars, it’s clearly among the best gifts for 2-year-olds around.

Buy it: $55, Amazon.com

Two-year-olds are changing and growing fast. This versatile toy keeps up with them, serving as a toddler-sized vehicle, a set of blocks and a scooper. What kiddo wouldn’t want to scoot the morning away on this reptilian ride-on, gobbling up blocks?

Buy it: $35, Amazon.com

Calling all music lovers! This awesome wooden instrument set is a good gift for 2-year-olds who enjoy banging out rhythms and reveling in noise. The all-in-one melody-making machine includes a xylophone, drum and drumsticks, cymbal, guiro and clapper.

Buy it: $35, Amazon.com

Balance bikes are easy to find. But a balance bike that doubles as a noble steed, fierce dragon or magical unicorn? That’s a rare find. Your child’s imagination will take flight on this toddler training bike. The handlebar and seat is adjustable, and with a weight limit of 44 pounds (and puncture-proof tires), this unique gift for 2-year-olds could very well still be in rotation at Christmas 2020.

Buy it: $80, Amazon.com

By their second birthday, kids are ready to beef up their phonics understanding and vocabulary. Picking up this toy is an easy decision if a few educational gifts for a 2-year-old are still on your shopping list. When your child places a block inside the “smart star cube,” they’ll hear the letter (say, Q) and word (quail) shown on that block. Press the “question button” for a suggestion for which block to find next. As your little chatterbox recognizes ever-more letters and words, their confidence will get a nice big boost.

Buy it: $28, Amazon.com

Starting a bedtime story habit early is one of the best things you can do for your child. So a brand new book certainly makes the list of best gifts for 2-year-olds. This one is special, written in rhyming verse and personalized with your child’s name. A cuddly cast of characters will usher your wee one off to dreamland. It’s destined to be a keepsake after the last bedtime story has been read (sniff!).

Buy it: $30, Wonderbly.com

Help your little one’s imagination take flight with this sweet stuffed animal. It boasts soft plush wings and tiny horns for little hands to explore and hug. They might even offer to share with their favorite playmate (watch those burgeoning social skills soar!).

Buy it: $23, Nordstrom.com

Push toys are fantastic gift ideas for 2-year-old boys and girls—it’s just one more reason for them to run around with glee. This mama marsupial, crafted of sustainable rubber wood, will impart balance, coordination and fun as your kiddo makes her hop faster and faster.

Buy it: $34, Amazon.com

A little red fire truck ride-on—with a shiny silver bell!—is about as classic a gift for a 2-year-old as they come. They’re just the right age to maneuver their way to the next big rescue. This snazzy vehicle boasts a working steering column, plastic fenders (for the sake of your furniture), rubber tires and a chip- and rust-resistant finish. This is one of our top contenders for best Christmas gifts for 2-year-olds.

Buy it: $149, CrateandBarrel.com

Now that your child is on the cusp of being able to confidently manipulate blocks to create whatever their imaginations can conjure, a sturdy construction set is a solid pick. These 26 vibrant pieces can keep up with your little one’s blossoming creativity.

Buy it: $35, Nordstrom.com

Made of sustainable wood and in modern style, this double-duty beauty hits on two skills children this age are just getting down pat: pulling toys and sorting shapes. The chunky pieces ease the way toward shape (and color) recognition and smooth hand-eye coordination.

Buy it: $32, Amazon.com

The concept of playing with a pal is just taking hold at age 2—so bring on team sports! Not only does this ball and electronic net combo let kiddo kick to their hearts content, but it can even keep score for two players. The target can be adjusted to make scoring more challenging as time goes on. It’s easily one of the best gifts for 2-year-olds who love to kick and run.

Buy it: $48, Amazon.com

This is the year when tots start showing off their flair for design. Make it easy for your eager artiste to craft and create with a kit geared toward beginners. Included supplies make six different projects (with just a little help from you). You’ll be hard-pressed to find better gifts for 2-year-olds at a price this low!

Buy it: $8, Amazon.com

This colorful wooden train is one of the best gifts for 2-year-olds who love to stack and build. The 28 block pieces form a puzzle that encourages tots to work those critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills. Bonus: They can also be stacked independently, perfect for open-ended imaginative play.

Buy it: $35, Nordstrom.com

Hear ye, hear ye: Your toddler’s carriage awaits. This stately ride allows for foot-to-floor motion, so gross motor skills get a workout. Clip-clop sounds add to the fantasy, and the footman (that would be you) has a handle to push tuckered out royals back home. If you’re still trying to narrow down all the big gifts for 2-year-olds, the search may be over.

Buy it: $100, LittleTikes.com

The monsters have moved out of the closet and into this easily totable toddler toy. And they’re not scary; they’re friendly! Fine motor and counting skills get honed as your child using the magic (sshh, it’s magnetic) wand to feed the outgoing ogres the right portions.

Buy it: $20, Amazon.com

If you’re on the hunt for Christmas gifts for a 2-year-old, this beginner set would be a fantastic choice. Wooden Brio trains are among the most classic toys for toddlers, and for good reason: They encourage creativity and hand-eye coordination, and they’re beautifully crafted.

Buy it: $47, Amazon.com

To be sure, balls make for good gifts for 2-year-olds—but telling a toddler “no playing ball in the house” is less than fun. This new game keeps it safe and easy. Two toddlers can play together, as they take turns loading the lightweight balls and then launching them down the ramp or through a tunnel. The mini dump trucks can be put to work carting balls to and fro.

Buy it: $27, Amazon.com

Here’s when you’ll want to catch your kid with a hand in the cookie jar. Before you know it, they’ll be counting to 10 and recognizing numerals. It takes a bit of strategy to get a cookie in the jar the right way (fine motor skills at work), but when they do, they’ll hear the number representing the chips on that cookie. This toy is worth a look if you need ideas for budget-friendly, educational gifts for 2-year-olds.

Buy it: $20, Amazon.com

Updated October 2019

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, some of which may be sponsored by paying vendors.

Plus, more from The Bump:

The Best Developmental Toys for Babies and Toddlers

The Best STEM Toys for Babies and Big Kids

The Best Travel Toys for Keeping Toddlers Entertained