Looking for the best Montessori toys for 2 year olds? You have come to the right place! After extensive research to find quality and educational toys for my son, I have a list of toys we love or plan to get!
Between 2 and 3 years old, your toddler is growing into a little human every day. They have their own mind and ideas. They constantly test out everything, even our patience!
While choosing toys for 2 year olds, we have to keep in mind a few important criteria. The toys should be age-appropriate, educational, and aid in development. The toys should also foster independent play and creativity.
Looking for long-lasting toys, certified non-toxic and natural materials, is not always easy to find in the UK. But I have a list of them just for you!
Top 5 best Montessori toys for 2 year olds
Best educational Montessori toys for 2 year olds
When we think of education and development for 2-year-olds, we do not think of books or school learning materials. We think of learning toys that encourage the natural development of their skills and challenge their emerging problem-solving skills and independence.
A 2 year old master new skills daily! They also learn new words every day. They learn all these primarily through play.
Building Blocks
Building Blocks are one of the toys everyone seems to recommend. This construction toy is the epitome of an open-ended play toy. It allows young children to build anything they want or use it in any creative ways they can think of.
At 2 years old onwards, you will see the building blocks getting a lot of action from your little ones. They learn coordination, problem-solving, concentration, spatial awareness and creativity through blocks play. Add wooden figurines, cars or Schleich animals for an extra dimension to their play.
At an early stage, my son enjoys knocking down the towers we built. Around 20 months old he started to stack them up while declaring “construction”.
- Set includes 100 wooden blocks in various shapes for open-ended play and discovery.
- Durable & Safe: Made of robust wood with stable, high-quality craftsmanship for long-lasting use.
- Supports Creativity: Ideal for imaginative building and developing spatial awareness.
- Easy Storage: Comes with a practical linen bag for tidy and convenient storage.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages hands-on, self-directed play that fosters concentration, fine motor skills, and creativity.
- Compact Size: Block size approx. 9 x 3 x 1 cm — perfect for small hands.
Wooden Peg Puzzles
Puzzles are excellent learning toys to help brain development. A 2 year old will first need to find the correct slots to the pieces. Then they have to coordinate their hand and arm to fit the puzzle piece in.
I have introduced peg puzzles to my son since he was 1 year old. I started with simple one-piece geometric puzzles inspired by Montessori materials.
By 2 years old, we can build up to 9 pieces of puzzles with smaller pegs, working on that pincer grip. Sequencing puzzles are also popular at this age based on their interest in differentiating sizes.
Start by introducing one set of puzzles at a time. Later when they have mastered them, you may present all the sets in one go.
Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles are one of the affordable choices in the UK.
- Themed Wooden Puzzle: 8-piece vehicle-themed peg puzzle featuring fire engine, police car, bus, etc., ideal for 2+ year olds.
- High Quality & Safe: Made from durable wood with easy-grasp pegs; bright, kid-friendly design.
- Educational Value: Encourages fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, shape recognition, and problem-solving.
- Screen-Free Play: Promotes imaginative, self-led play away from screens.
- Montessori-Aligned: Supports Montessori principles with hands-on, self-correcting play that fosters independence and concentration.
- Gift-Ready: Great gift option for toddlers aged 2–4; pairs well with other Melissa & Doug puzzles.
Duplo
Lego Duplo is one of the very few plastic toys I recommend. This bigger version of the famous Lego is not only safe for young children but also easier for them. They can use it to practice their hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Duplo provides opportunities to build various scenarios. The more Duplo you have, the more creative you can get. This construction toy is simple to use and helps to develop your child’s fine motor skills. Lego Duplo is also durable, and my son plays with the set from his father’s time which still looks almost new!
This LEGO Duplo Construction set toy comes with a dump truck, a crane, a bulldozer and some building blocks for your child to enjoy. This set is excellent for both solo and social play, and promotes role-playing or pretend play with its various items.
- Rescue Playset: Includes firefighter, cat, fire engine with lights/siren, and accessories.
- Interactive Features: Raise ladder, rotate basket, feed and give water to the cat.
- Skill Development: Boosts fine motor skills, empathy, and storytelling.
- Guided Creativity: Picture guide encourages building and imaginative play.
- Montessori-Aligned: Promotes hands-on, real-world role play and child-led learning.
- Great Gift: Ideal for toddlers aged 2+, especially those who love vehicles and animals.
Magnetic tiles
Magnetic tiles are a popular STEM toy or construction toy as they provide a unique building possibility. This STEM toy will improve your toddler’s fine motor skills, teach them colour recognition and improve their stacking skills. It also develops your child’s spatial awareness and problem solving skills.
This toy is great for both solitary or group play. A large set of 100 pieces are recommended by many parents to start with. With this amount, you have enough building tiles to build some serious constructions. .
- 100-Piece Set: Includes 82 magnetic tiles + 18 Clickins (letters/windows) for creative play.
- Learning Through Play: Enhances motor skills, problem-solving, and shape recognition.
- Versatile Use: Ideal for solo or group play, preschool activities, and STEM learning.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages hands-on exploration, self-directed building, and creative discovery.
- Great Gift: A Fun and educational gift for kids.
Matching-pair games
Matching-pair games help toddlers to develop their memory and logic skills. At this young age, a 2 year old can start by matching the body to the head. As they grow older, you can move up to more complicated matching cards. Playing matching games together with your child requires turn-taking and fast interaction, encouraging children to learn social skills at the same time.
- Match heads and tails of 12 friendly characters to win.
- Bright, durable cards perfect for memory or matching play; 1–4 players.
- Skill-Building: Boosts memory, observation, hand-eye coordination, and turn-taking.
- Grows with the Child: Can be adapted into a memory game as skills develop.
- Eco-Friendly: Made from recycled board, wipe-clean, and built to last.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages independent matching, visual discrimination, and tactile learning.
Best Montessori wooden toys for 2 year olds
I love wooden toys for their inherent quality. Here are the reasons why you should get wooden toys for your toddler:
- offers a tactile sensation, and children appreciate that. Wood allows the child to come close in contact with nature.
- It is environmentally friendly, organic and a renewable substance.
- Wooden toys are durable and can endure rough treatment.
- Usually, wooden toys do not come with advanced technology such as blinking lights and electronic sounds. These distract the child instead of fostering creativity.
Getting well and sustainably made wooden toys in the UK is possible, and here are my son’s favourites.
Wooden train and railway tracks set
Wooden train and railway set for 2 years old are some of the popular toys for toddlers in the UK. They love to move the train along the tracks, which you have built for them, at first. At some point, they will learn to create simple train tracks themselves.
As your child inch towards 3 years old and shows more interest in building the tracks, you can buy expansion packs to add to the set. This will add on a new level to their railway tracks play.
- Classic Train Adventure: Includes engine, wagons, station, trees, curved tracks, and bridge — layout size 85 x 45 cm.
- Expandable Play: Compatible with all BRIO train sets via magnetic couplings and wooden tracks.
- High Quality: Made from FSC-certified European beech wood and durable plastics.
- Safe for Toddlers: Rigorously tested beyond legal safety standards; suitable for ages 2+.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages hands-on, open-ended play that supports coordination, imagination, and sequencing.
- Great Gift: Ideal for birthdays or Christmas for train-loving toddlers.
Wooden Nesting / Stacking Boxes
The nesting/stacking boxes check all the points for being both Montessori and Reggio-friendly toys.
The child learns size discerning and hand-eye coordination as they stack them up. This toy not only urges them to learn about sizes but also challenges their movements.
This toy also qualifies for open-ended play. The child can use them as little houses for toys dolls, garages for their car, or farm for their animals. The possibility is endless!
- Montessori-Inspired: Designed for hands-on learning—teaches size, color, weight, and sequencing.
- Stack & Nest: Includes 10 solid wood cubes (largest: 15×15×15 cm, smallest: 3.3×3.3×3.3 cm); stacks up to 115 cm tall.
- Versatile Play: Great for building, sorting, counting, imaginative use (e.g., drums or containers).
- Educational Value: Promotes early learning in math, motor skills, and spatial awareness.
- Safe & Eco-Friendly: Made from sustainable wood with non-toxic paint; meets international safety standards.
Wooden Grimm’s Rainbow
This open-ended toy made from wood, colored in a beautiful rainbow color from Grimm, is very popular. This is because kids of all ages can enjoy playing with it with endless creative possibilities.
A quick search on the internet will find many inspirations on how to use the rainbow. The child can stack it, or use it as enclosures, or use it for marble runs. There are so many ways you can play with the Grimm’s rainbow!
They are so very lovely to add to the play area, and children enjoy beautiful things too!
- Open-Ended Play: Grimms wooden rainbow offers endless creative uses—stacking, enclosures, marble runs, and more.
- Beautiful & Versatile: Vibrant rainbow colors make it a visually appealing addition to any play area.
- For All Ages: Inspires imaginative play across a wide age range.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages self-directed, tactile exploration and creative problem-solving.
- Inspires Creativity: Widely loved and shared for its limitless play ideas and aesthetic appeal.
Wooden peg dolls
Wooden peg dolls will add a whole new dimension to the children’s toy collection. With the dolls, there are unlimited ways for story-telling or imaginative play.
Thus, if you are serious about fostering independent play, you should add some wooden peg dolls into the mix. They will boost their language development through role-playing games. It also encourages more engaged plays.
- Montessori Toy Set: Open-ended, hands-on learning tool inspired by Montessori principles.
- Complete Set: Includes 7 peg people, hats, balls, cups, bowl, spoon, tray, linen bag, and multilingual activity guide.
- Skill Development: Supports focus, memory, sensory play, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.
- Learning Through Play: Teaches color matching, sorting, comparison, and early logic.
- Portable & Neat: Comes with a tray and storage bag—perfect for home or travel.
- Eco-Friendly & Safe: Made from natural linden and birch wood, finished with non-toxic wax; safety tested (EN71).
Best Montessori Toys for 2 year olds – Outdoor
Playing outdoors is one of the best activities you can give your child. Check out the many outdoor activities ideas you can do with your toddler, especially during summer in the UK.
Nature is the best playground, and no toys can replace it. That said, you can also buy some toys for outdoor play while your child explores every nook and cranny.
Also, when it is not always possible to go to nature, playing outdoors in the backyard or on the balcony is a good alternative. Your toddler can get some fresh air while they play with some things that are only possible outdoors.
Balance bike
Balance bikes are popular here in the UK because of its conducive environment. With good pathways and parks in the vicinity, young children can learn to move around with a balance bike.
Unlike pedal bikes, these bikes are simple, without foot pedals or gears. This allows a child as young as 18 months to use them, teaching and encouraging balance and coordination.
When shopping for a balance bike for you 2 years old, find one that has an adjustable saddle seat and handlebar. This allows the bike to grow along with your child.
Balance bikes can be used up to age five when the kids graduate to a pedal bicycle. By then, they are equipped with the skills of balancing and steering with handlebars. Thus reducing the learning curve of cycling.
At around 14 months, we introduced our son to a trike, and he had a lot of fun with it, especially around 18 months. Later, we introduced him to a two-wheeled balance bike. After a few tries, he surprised us by going off like a little explorer at 21 months!
- Faster Balance Learning: Helps kids ride confidently without training wheels.
- Grows with Child: Adjustable seat (11–17”) fits ages 1–4 years.
- Kid-Friendly Design: Padded seat and mini grips for comfort and control.
- No-Flat Tyres: Foam rubber tyres are puncture-proof and low-maintenance.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages independence, physical coordination, and self-paced learning through real-world movement.
Sandpit
If you have space or a garden, a sandpit is one of the best investments for the kids to play with.
Toddlers have always loved scooping and dumping. They also like experimenting with how things work and building structures or sculptures.
Kids can have all sorts of sensory play at the sandpit, which can also be used in creative role-playing games. The sandpit can be a mud kitchen, a play store, or a restaurant. Sit back and be amazed by what your toddler can come up with.
- Built-In Roof: Swiveling, water-repellent canopy provides sun and rain protection—no extra cover needed.
- Durable Wood: Made of solid, pre-treated spruce wood; long-lasting with regular maintenance.
- UV Protection: Canopy offers 50+ UV protection; includes fill-level scale and ground fleece for cleanliness.
- Sturdy & Safe: Stable, weather-resistant design ensures safe outdoor play; easy to assemble.
- Spacious Play Area: 120×120×120 cm—fits multiple kids with seating along the edges.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages sensory exploration, independent outdoor play, and social interaction in a natural setting.
Inflated pool and water play toys
Every young child needs a water play activity. You can always set up buckets or trays of water for sensory play. But an inflated pool, especially during summer, will be a bigger hit with your little ones.
Coupled with a few water play toys or just about any household item that can be put in the water, they will have hours of fun.
- Fun & Colorful: 3-ring inflatable rainbow pool for outdoor water play.
- Spacious: Holds approx. 76 gallons (288 L); size: 147 x 33 cm.
- Durable Build: Made from 8-gauge vinyl; includes repair patch.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages sensory exploration, independent water play, and outdoor movement.
Montessori toys for 2 year olds – Montessori Materials
Montessori toys focus on being practical and useful for learning and refining a specific skill. Our focus here is to find age-appropriate toys for 2 years old that aid their understanding of the real world.
I am sharing here some Montessori-inspired toys you can easily find in the UK. They are aligned to the Montessori approach yet affordable and fun to play with at home.
Read more at our Ultimate Guide to Montessori Toys
Schleich animals
Schleich animals are one of the best figurines, being true to details and size. They are well-loved by toddlers and beyond. A 2 year old will start role-playing by playing farm or the likes. They will also incorporate it into their creative play.
They are also very useful for introducing vocabulary. I draw inspiration from the Montessori method of 3-part lessons to teach my son the names of the animals.
First period – name the word/concept. For e.g. this is a horse, that is a car!
Second period – asked to recognize the vocabulary. For example, where is the horse? Bring me the cow, please.
Third period – ask the child to name the object. We carry out this period only when we are sure the child knows it.
We also use picture books or cards for matching when we are going through the second period. My son loves to bring the right animal and match it to the printed version.
- Imaginative Play: Farm animal figures inspire endless storytelling and role play.
- Realistic & Detailed: Lifelike design sparks curiosity and creativity.
- Educational Value: Encourages language development, observation, and imaginative thinking.
- Montessori-Aligned: Supports open-ended, hands-on play and learning through realistic representations of the natural world.
Color matching/sorting activity
Your child will start to become interested in colours around 2 years old. They will start discerning them and enjoy sorting them.
You can start by introducing the primary colours first to your toddler. Then build it up to more later as they gain confidence in the skill.
These sorting cups can also be used in open-ended play or role-playing activities. These extended plays add extra value for the money invested.
- Montessori-Aligned: Open-ended wooden toy designed for hands-on, self-directed learning.
- Complete Set: Includes 7 balls, 7 cups, spoon, bowl, linen bag, and tray—ideal for color sorting and stacking.
- Skill Development: Builds focus, memory, fine motor skills, coordination, and perseverance.
- Learning Through Play: Teaches color recognition, size, comparison, classification, and analysis.
- Eco-Friendly & Safe: Made from natural wood with non-toxic wax; tested to EN71 standards.
Layered puzzles and complete-a-picture puzzles
As your child grows into toddlerhood, he is ready to take on more puzzle challenges. If you have been building up his puzzle skills since he was 1, he is ready now to tackle not only multi-piece puzzles but also multi-layered ones.
Completing a puzzle really brings pride to the toddler. He also learns persistence and patience, and sees results in them.
Layered puzzles help them to learn size discrimination. Meanwhile, a real puzzle, albeit a smaller version, will help them train their memory as they try to rebuild what they saw before!
- Layered Puzzle Challenge: Fire engine-themed wooden puzzle ideal for toddlers ready for multi-piece, multi-layer play.
- Builds Confidence: Completing layers fosters pride, patience, and persistence.
- Memory & Focus: Strengthens visual memory as they recall and rebuild previous layers.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages independent problem-solving, sensory learning, and gradual skill progression.
Geoboard with elastics
Geoboard is one of the toys that promote practical and sensorial activity while working on geometric shapes. These skills are essential for pre-reading and pre-writing activities. The child learns to see shapes and name them, preparing them to recognize letters and numbers.
This toy also improves eye coordination and muscle control—not to mention those pincer grip practices! It is also designed to help the child concentrate from left to right and top to bottom—another pre-writing skill!
- Montessori-Aligned: Hands-on tool for learning 2D shapes, symmetry, angles, and fractions through self-directed play.
- Creative Challenge: Includes 18 pattern cards, 5 blanks, and rubber bands for both guided and open-ended design.
- Durable & Safe: Sturdy board and strong bands for lasting use (adult supervision for under 3s).
- Skill-Building: Enhances fine motor skills, focus, and confidence through visual problem-solving.
- Great Gift: Ideal for home learning, parent-child play, or travel fun.
Threading / Lacing
Threading or lacing is an excellent toy to challenge a child’s fine motor skills. It also allows them to learn a multi-step activity. The child develops their cognitive and visual perception as they practice their hand-eye coordination with this toy.
This Melissa & Doug kids’ beading set helps children develop strong fine motor, cognitive, and visual perception skills while promoting hand-eye coordination.
- Colorful & Engaging: Set includes 30 bright wooden beads, 2 laces, and a wooden storage box.
- Skill Development: Supports fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and visual perception.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages independent, hands-on learning through tactile, real-world materials.
- Trusted Brand: Melissa & Doug is known for quality, imagination-sparking educational toys.
Child shape/size tools
In a Montessori environment, practical life items such as a cleaning set or a functional washing area are bought or set up in a child’s size. Maria Montessori calls play a child’s work. Learning to be functional individuals gives the children pride. They love to imitate the adults and also to learn to be independent.
Useful toys like this require the child to be active and develop their skills. It also helps them to increase social interaction when they join in to do the work together.
There are a few items you can also get for your home to help your child hone their practical life skills.
Child cleaning sets
Melissa & Doug toys are well-made toys for toddlers, and they can be easily found in the UK. We can be sure this child’s cleaning set is safe for them to use.
My son is still playing around with his broom most of the time when he was younger, but I allow him to explore with it as long as he is not using it inappropriately. Now closer to 2, he started to try to sweep up his mess, though he still needs to learn how to do it properly and to completion.
- Realistic Wooden Set: Includes broom, mop, duster, dustpan, brush, and stand—just like real cleaning tools.
- Skill-Building: Boosts coordination, fine motor skills, responsibility, and self-esteem.
- Montessori-Aligned: Supports independence and purposeful, practical life activities, core to Montessori learning.
- Trusted Brand: Melissa & Doug—30+ years of quality educational toys.
A wheelbarrow and gardening tools
If you have a garden, a wheelbarrow is what every 2 years old needs. They are also active in their transporting schema during this age. The transporting schema is when young children move or transport objects from one place to another. You will find them using the wheelbarrow to pick up, transport and then dumping the leaves or branches around the garden.
- Stable Design: Two-wheel structure ensures balance and easy handling.
- Durable Build: Metal frame and bucket with rubber hand grips for comfort.
- Practical Use: Load capacity of approx. 25 kg—great for real tasks or pretend play.
- Montessori-Aligned: Encourages purposeful movement, responsibility, and outdoor practical life skills.
At the same time, providing them with real gardening tools, but in their size, will boost their interest in helping out. Toddlers love to mimic adults and will gain confidence in their independence as they explore working with the tools. Not to forget, the fine and gross motor skills they gain as they play.
Garden Hand Tools in a Carry Bag
Best Montessori toys for 2 year olds – Musical
Music and musical toys are some of the best educational toys for 2 years olds. They encourage movement and coordination. They also teach rhythm while improving language, and social skills. Here are our recommended musical toys in the UK.
Wooden Musical Instruments Set
If you prefer wooden toys then getting a set like this is perfect. There are a lot of classic instruments for the toddler to experiment with producing different sounds. You can also join in to make music with them, teaching them rhythms and patterns.
Tidlo Wooden Musical Instruments Set (14 Pieces)
Plan Toys drum
Adding this beautiful wooden drum to the set will make it complete. I recommend this drum often because it makes such lovely sounds. The drumstick with rubber stop is a genius as it gives the hitting a gentle spring. The different sections of the drum also make a nice variation of tones.
It is also not too loud, which was important for younger babies but nonetheless still a good feature with enthusiastic toddlers. The adults will enjoy hitting the drum as well!
Plan Toys Solid Drum
Child Music Player
At 2 years old, your toddler is also ready to explore the world of music himself. You will find them repeated, asking you to turn on their favourite music. They will also enjoy just listening to music, flipping through the songs or finding the one that pops into their head. At the same time, you will see them doing dances and all sorts of movements they have learned along with the songs.
Hence it is useful to provide them with a music player that they can play independently. The player is simple to use and lets a toddler learn to play, select and enjoy music whenever they want to. This is also Montessori aligned if you are into them learning practical skills.
Many of us strive to reduce or not to have screen time at all for our little one, hence this beautiful wooden music player. It may be quite some investment but you will find them using it for years to come.
Wooden MP3 player for kids
Montessori toys for 2 years old – Activity toys
There are a lot of activity toys possible for 2 years old toddlers. They now push boundaries and love to pretend play. They are also walking, jumping and learning vocabularies, all of which are perfect for various activities and play.
There are a few types of appropriate activities for 2 years old.
Role play
Role play toys are great for the education and development of a 2 year old. It not only helps them develop their language but also their social skills. It is also the key to the child’s imagination.
Play kitchen
If you have the budget and space, a wooden kitchen will be a perfect gift for 2 years old. Finding an appropriate sized wooden play kitchen for your toddler is no easy feat, but luckily I found some good ones in the UK.
There are many things one can do and learn there, such as pouring and transferring. Activities such as opening and closing doors or containers are great for motor skills too. My son does pretend play by cooking and offering food to me, once he got into this phase.
There is a lot of fun at the play kitchen be it by playing alone or with others.
New Classic Toys Wooden Play Kitchen
A pram for baby doll
By now, your toddler probably has their favourite doll or a baby doll. Adding a pram to the collection allows them to interact more with it. They can role-play as a caregiver to their baby doll and push them around the house.
A 2 year old also find themselves in the phase where they like to push things around a lot. This doubles as an excellent gross motor skill activity.
Pinolino doll pram
Movement
Toys that encourage activity and movement are important for toddlers. They are currently trying to master all their new skills – walking, running, hopping, balancing and manipulating their whole body.
Pikler triangle
A Pikler triangle is the brainchild of Dr Emmi Pikler, and it has been one of the pedagogic specific materials that has gone mainstream.
It allows children to learn climbing safely, while they practice the combination of skills needed to achieve that.
For 2 years old, a Pikler Triangle can be used for movement activities, such as climbing up and down, and also sliding down if coupled with a slide.
Meanwhile, it can also be used creatively in open-ended play. Give your toddler free rein here and you will find them using it for all sorts of activities and creative play. For example, as car ramps, turned around as tent with a cloth thrown over, or as a cave for their figurines.
Pikler Triangle
-> Check out Pikler Triangle UK – All you need to know about this climbing frame
Wobble board
A Wobble board is actually a toy for just about every age, but at two, this balance board is great for developing core strength and learning to balance. It does not take up much space but can be used to burn all these toddlers’ energy easily!
On top of that, it is actually an open-ended toy itself. With some creativity, toddlers can use the wobble board as a ramp for their cars, or a lazy chair to lie and read, or a bed for their dolls. The possibility is endless.
Curvy Wooden Balance Board
Arts and craft for 2 year olds
At this age, providing toys that allow your toddler to express and explore their creativity is crucial. There are many craft activities for kids that you can try with your toddler. You can also just start by using simple plain art paper and colour pencils or watercolour paints.
Watercolour Paint Set of 12
Crayons are also good for young children as they are easy to grasp and marks are the result of how hard they press. This serves as a good cause and effect learning. Getting them natural beeswax crayons are also a plus, especially if your toddler still put things into their mouth once in a while.
Honeysticks PUre Beeswax Crayons
Home-made play dough is great and easy to make at home. Check out this no-cook play dough recipe that I have been using.
At a later stage, you can also start introducing child-size scissors for them to learn cutting and pasting.
Of course, not all art and craft activities need to be confined indoors. Take your 2 year old out for a nature walk scavenger hunt! After hunting and gathering, you can use it for nature art projects back home!
Montessori friendly board games for 2 year olds
Haba is one of my favourite brands when it comes to buying toys or games for young children. They are usually eco-friendly and durable, using wood or thick cardboard as the base.
Haba has a whole range of my very first games to choose from, and two absolute favourites for the age of 2 years old are Here Fishy Fishy! and My First Orchard.
My son started exploring with the Here Fishy Fishy at around 18 months. He picked up some fish with the magnet and was very proud of himself.
From 2 years old onwards, we can start to invite them to play socially together, by using the dice that comes with it. Social play helps to keep the toddlers engaged in group play, at this age, mostly with an adult. The simple rules of the game teach the children patience, cooperation and concentration.
HABA Here Fishy Fishy!
Choosing toys for 2 year olds and their development
Choosing toys for 2 years old is a lot of fun. They are curious, walking, improving their vocabulary and motor skills every day. They also learn to problem-solve and role-play. All these make them excellent at play.
When we look for age-appropriate toys for our 2 years old, we should look at how these can aid and foster their development and interest.
There are some developmental milestones to take note of during this age to help us find the right toys and activities for our 2 year old:
- Walk, run and learning to jump
- Throw or kick a ball
- Balances on one foot
- Climb on furniture or play equipment, or tree!
- Walk up and down the stairs independently
- Growing independence and wants to do things for themselves
- Show a sign of potty training or toilet learning readiness
- Start practising snaps and zips
- Hold utensils and crayons with fingers but grasp may not be quite right
- Enjoy more complicated pretend play
- Complete multi-piece puzzles
- Group or sort toys by type, size or colour
- Recite favourite books and rhymes
- Sing their favourite songs by themselves