As a mom of two girls and a child psychologist, I see personally and professionally how play helps with development, social skills, emotion regulation, parenting skills, and behavior problems. People often ask me what are good learning toys for 2-year-olds. Or, what I have in my own kids’ playroom. This is why I started a social media series. There, I share fresh ideas for every month of early childhood. Sometimes a common theme emerges around the toys, but in reality – most fit under multiple categories.
Here is the full list of my favorite learning toys for 2-year-olds and why:
Ooly Play Again Reusable Stickers
Mess-free imaginative play
Peeling and placing help with fine motor skills. You can wash the stickers clean if needed. Super durable and thick. The board scene is sturdy and has storage room. A few stickers are small, so remove those if anyone may be tempted to put in his/her mouth. We have the Princess Garden, but there are also dragon, outer space, and mermaid themes.
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Mudpuppy Pouch Puzzles
Help develop problem-solving skills
Helps little ones develop finger strength, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills. Zippered pouch makes it easy to store and use on-the-go. They're so great that we have TWO, On the Farm and Mighty Dinosaurs (of course).
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Bristle Blocks
STEM Building Blocks
Great for working on dexterity, fine motor skills, hand eye-coordination, imagination, creativity. Lately, our blocks have become "birds" and "dinosaurs." 🤣
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The Pencil Grip Kwik Stix Solid Tempera Paint
Quick drying, washable, less mess paint for toddlers
I didn't know these existed until we got them in a Lovevery box a few months back. They're an awesome less-mess, less-worry way for toddlers to paint. Getting the caps on and off and twisting the paint out also helps with fine motor and coordination skills. Try with blank paper or use with printable sheets/coloring books with your toddlers favorite characters.
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HABA My Very First Games – First Orchard
Great co-op game to introduce board games to toddlers
It helps to develop social skills, taking turns, counting, and color recognition. Bonus - the game pieces are also great for pretend play, since we're all about that at this age.
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smarTrike Indoor Toddler Trampoline and Ball Pit
Awesome foldable kids trampoline
It's great for gross motor movement. Especially as the weather is getting cooler, we're looking for more ways to burn energy off inside. It's often used as a backdrop for pretend play too - a pool, a train car, a skating rink. You name it, it's probably been it. Comes already with 100 crush-proof balls, but I recommend getting more.
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KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set
Pretend and Independent Play
We have the Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen With Lights & Sounds. It's big enough for two kids at the same time. KidKraft makes different sizes and styles though. It's great for pretend and independent play, social skills, and fine motor skills (turning of knobs and buttons). There are cabinets and shelves that let young kids put toys away themselves and work on independence.
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Learning Resources Snap’n’Learn Dinos
Great Fine Motor, Counting & Sorting Toy
Our daughter LOVES dinosaurs. These snap n learn dinos help with the fine motor skills by pushing together and pulling apart. They're great for pretend play, color naming, and sorting.
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As my kids grow, I will keep adding to this list so bookmark the page for great toy ideas every month. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or questions, never hesitate to contact me. I answer every message!