Educational Toys & Books for 2 Year Olds

Once your child turns two, they are officially a toddler! You may not be sure what your little one should typically be able to do at this age, and it can be hard not to compare them with other toddlers. There are, however, a variety of developmental milestones that can help you get a better idea of what you can expect of a 2-year-old. Keeping in mind that kids develop at different paces, there are different toys for toddlers that can help your little one’s progress.

TOYS FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS

By their second birthday, toddlers are bursting with energy and curiosity. Toys give them the chance to figure something out on their own and practice new skills continually. The best toddler toys are ones that grab their attention and promote their mobility. As toddlers get more mobile, they’ll take an interest in toys to push, pull, and drag around with them. They’ll also get a thrill out of things that challenge their minds, like puzzles and blocks. It’s also crucial that you pick age-appropriate toys for 2-year-olds. Your toddler might be able to play with toys fit for older kids, but they could be a choking hazard because the pieces are small. A too advanced toy can, however, result in your child getting frustrated because they cannot figure it out. When your child finds something they can do, and it’s a little bit difficult, but not too much of a struggle, that’s the key.

If you are trying to find gifts that would make it in the top 10 educational toys for toddlers list, you definitely need to read on.

BEST TODDLER TOYS FOR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Two-year-olds are  growing  by leaps and bounds and are learning a lot of new physical skills, both with the big muscles (gross motor skills), and the small muscles (fine motor skills).

Most kids start to walk, run, and pull or carry toys while walking. Some classic toys for 2-year-olds, such as balls and pull-carts, will help them hone their gross motor skills.  Balls are versatile toys as your kids can throw and kick a ball, or try to catch it with both hands. Their fine motor skills will have improved, and they can build a block tower of at least four blocks. The best toddler toys at this age are open-ended. This means that your child can play with the toy in a variety of ways.

Blocks, for example, can be used to build a tower, a house, a plane. As your children get older, they may even pretend each block is a different kind of food and use them to make some exciting dishes in their play kitchen. They also impart spatial relation skills, so that as your child grows, they’ll have a better understanding of spatial language–up, down, around, in, and on. 

EDUCATIONAL TOYS FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS

At two, your child would have reached new cognitive milestones. Toddlers begin to develop problem-solving skills, the ability to predict, the ability to ask and answer questions, and the list goes on. At this age, kids typically enjoy more complex pretend play. Pretend play helps them learn to manage their thoughts, actions, and emotions. Pretend-play also builds language and literacy skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to put events in a logical order. Sensory play toys for toddlers are excellent resources for exploring and discovering the world around us.

You need to choose toys that your child can use to develop and act out stories. Toddlers always want to be like older people. So if they see an activity that you usually do, they are going to want to do it too. If they can do it with other kids, even better. Dolls and puppets are excellent classic toys for 2-year-olds that can help your child play alone, with you, or with other kids.

TOYS FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS – SOCIAL SKILLS

At two years of age, there are several language milestones that toddlers are expected to have reached. They usually should be able to understand much of what you say to them. They’re also talking more, initially using a variety of single words, and eventually two to four-word sentences.  Books are also among the top 10 educational toys for toddlers. Kids can recite favourite books and nursery rhymes with you or on their own. This makes learning to read and carrying out conversations easier.

At this age, children can typically speak and understand the words for familiar people, everyday objects, and things they usually want. You may start hearing phrases like, “mummy eat”. A two-year-old still has many words to learn, so they need toys that facilitate language development. They typically start to be more independent and interested in other kids. Not having the words to express themselves can, however, be frustrating. Children need a broad vocabulary base to be successful in the school years, and such skills can be learnt through free play with peers. By their third birthday, explore more educational toys and books for three-year-olds.