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From educational puzzles to kitchen tools, these expert-approved ideas will help toddlers develop skills while having fun. Remote Wala Truck
When it comes to toddler toys, 2-year-olds are capable of so much more than they were a year ago — which is great when it comes time for shopping for the best gifts for kids for the holidays or their birthdays. Whether they're into Montessori-style play sets that help them work on their skills or sensory toys that play music and have textures to feel, they're drawn to so much more around them.
"This is a huge jump in their thinking skills!" says Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three, an organization that focuses on kid development during the early years. "As they are discovering that they, themselves, are individuals with their own thoughts and feelings, they are also learning that others have their own thoughts and feelings too. Pretend play gives children a chance to take on these different perspectives. Usually the first pretend play parents see is 'playing house,' since it’s what children know best, but really children act out any familiar scenario — like when my daughter picked up a toy phone and said, 'Shhh, I have a conference call.'"
Parlakian also says roleplaying items can encourage pretend play, including toy kitchen items, dolls and strollers or vehicles with chunky figures that can fit inside. In addition, she suggests looking for toys that encourage problem-solving like wooden blocks, building toys and puzzles. Toys and games that support open-ended play and can be used multiple ways are good, too.
With all this and in mind, when it comes time to buy gifts for kids this age, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute see hundreds of toys each year, and call in the best ones to test them for safety, functionality and fun factor. They look for toys that build on these developmental skills, toys that are well constructed and playthings toddlers will return to again and again. Some of our recommendations are even current or previous Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners! With all that in mind, these are the best toys and gifts for 2-year-olds in 2023.
Our Top Picks for the Best Toys and Gifts for 2-Year-Olds in 2023
Some other things to keep in mind: Two-year-olds are still too young for toys with small parts that can be choking hazards, they might not have the attention span for complicated games with lots of rules and they still don't have enough motor coordination for some more sophisticated toys. If you follow those guidelines, no matter what you get, you'll end up with happy toddlers!
Looking for more great gifts? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:
Best Gifts for Toddlers | Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers | Best Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds | Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds
What's a Bilibo? What isn't it? It can be a seat that they wobble around. Flip it over, and it's a tunnel or a shell. They can wear it on their heads like a helmet or use it as a landscape for their figures. The open-endedness means that kids can really be creative when they play with it. It also comes in several colors or in a set of six mini versions. Ages 2+
This full-service cart was a Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner in 2018, and we still think it's awesome. The scooper picks up the ice cream, and also recognizes colors and flavors. It comes with six different order cards and instructions, so your 2-year-old child can learn how to follow directions and boost their memory and sequencing skills. They can also practice counting with play money, or by using the syrup pump. Plus, the cart can actually be pushed around, so kids can play and move at the same time. Ages 2+
If they ever wanted to ride their stuffies around the room like a trusty steed, now they can. This comes with a plush cover that you can take off for washing, and as kids hop around they learn about balance and coordination. It comes in a lot of animal forms, too. Ages 18 months+
If you're interested in trying out Montessori-inspired toys for 2-year-olds this is a good place to get started. There are 33 pegs in different colors, sized for toddlers' hands. The rest is open-ended: Kids can sort them by color, stack on the board as tall as they can, create patterns or find their own ways to play. Ages 2+
They'll get a lesson in cause-and-effect when they see these cars zip down the slanted ramps. It feels like a cool stunt each time the cars reverse direction. It comes with seven cars in different colors of the rainbow. Ages 18 months+
Your toddlers can ride anywhere on this sporty scooter. It features wide-set front wheels that help with stability, while the handlebars help them steer. There's even a storage compartment under the seat. It holds up to 42 pounds, so they can ride around starting at age 1 and until they're about 3 years old. Ages 1+
Kids can practice nurturing and empathy during their imaginative play with this toddler-friendly baby doll. And, if they love too much, it can also go in the washing machine. It comes in several different outfits and skin tones, too. Ages 1+
John Deere fans with instantly recognize the green and yellow color scheme on this tractor, which toddlers can use alongside their favorite vehicles. But this one has a twist: It comes with a battery-operated toy drill that kids can use to take the tractor apart and put it together again, turning it into an early STEM toy. Ages 18 months+
Make an at-home playground on a budget with this indoor foldable slide. This one-time Parenting Award winner is available in a rainbow or sunny print is made with strong cardboard that holds up to 50 lbs. The best part—it won’t take up much space when not in use. Simply fold the slide flat when your child is done playing, and it is thin enough to fit into super tight spaces. Break it out on rainy days, and put it away when the sun comes out. Ages 2+
Good Housekeeping testers loved combining and re-combining all the Potato Head pieces to make different families. The set comes with two big potato bodies and one small one, plus 45 pieces to switch up between them. It gets very silly very quickly! Ages 2+
This cutie walked away with a Good Housekeeping Institute Toy Award a few years ago because the 12 pegs were easy for little hands to grasp. Parents will love how every piece stores neatly away inside the hedgehog's body, making for easy storage (and on-the-go transportation). And if they become Spike fans, they can get even more toys, including a fidget toy, a sensory treehouse play set, a rainbow stacker and a puzzle. Ages 18 months+
Your toddler is probably obsessed with "Baby Shark," this will have them practicing their numbers. Kids will particularly love that they can play the song over and over again. Ages 2+
RELATED: The Best STEM Toys for Kids
This isn’t your average wood block set. The 70-piece learning kit promotes STEM learning as it is made with over 18 different bright colors and features over a dozen fun features like shapes, wheels, ramps, magnetic rods, shape sorters and more. What makes it even better is you can turn this set into a storage car for easy containment of all the pieces. Ages 18 months+
As expected, you get two of every animal (including giraffes and zebras) in this Noah's Ark play set. When playtime is over, they all fit neatly into the inside of the boat, and the ark can actually float on water! Ages 18 months+
Level up bath time with this Playmobil set, which adds some sensory play into the mix. It comes with a seesaw tha floats in water, along with a boat that attaches to it when kids put the boat's ring around the seesaw's peg. The seesaw also has a flap that opens and closes. Kids will have fun with cause-and-effect, pouring water on the different sides of the seesaw to see what happens, sending the incuded figures (two people and an octopus) down the slide, or splashing them through the flap and into the water below. Ages 18 months+
If they love Elmo (and who doesn't?), this toy will bring the biggest smile to their face. He flaps his arms, movies side from side to side and more. He’s bilingual and can lead games in English or Spanish. Ages 2+
RELATED: Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards
These egg-shaped crayons are easier to grasp, but they'll still help them draw whatever creations they can dream up. And one of these crayons is equal to 14 regular-sized ones, so they'll last a long time, too. Ages 1+
If they love caring for baby dolls, this three-piece nursery set will have them feeding their dolls, taking them for walks in the stroller and putting them to bed. Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the look, saying it was the perfect mix of kid-friendly and realistic, and the kids couldn't get enough of them. (Note: Dolls are not included, and these are sized for 14-inch dolls.) Ages 2+
Toddlers love nesting dolls, but they often have little pieces that can be choking hazards. This one comes with a set of five cloth dolls perfect for little ones. To get to each layer, kids have to undo zippers, buttons or bows, so it works on fine-motor skills, too. Ages 2+
This Good Housekeeping Institute Seal-holding LEGO train set is just the right size for toddlers: only 22 pieces, with lots of fun accessories like gifts, a cupcake with a candle, balloons and a train to carry them all. There are even some numbered bricks so kids can practice counting and stacking. Ages 2+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.
Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH’s growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH’s annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.
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