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8 Learning Toys for 2-Year-Olds, Recommended by a Child Psychologist

8 Learning Toys for 2-Year-Olds, Recommended by a Child Psychologist

posted on October 22, 2020

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:

Image of Ooly Play Again Reusable Stickers - Princess Garden - Recommended by Child Behavior Clinic

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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Image of Mudpuppy Pouch Puzzle - On the Farm - Recommended by Child Behavior Clinic

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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Image of B. toys - Bristle Blocks Stackadoos – STEM Toys for Kids 2 years - Recommended by Child Behavior Clinic

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

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

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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Image of smarTrike Indoor Toddler Trampoline with Handle - Ball Pit with 100 Balls Included - Foldable Kids Trampoline

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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Image of KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set - Recommended by Child Behavior Clinic

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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Image of Learning Resources Snap n Learn Dinos - Recommended by Child Behavior Clinic

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!

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This website, products, services, information, and other content, including information linking to third-party websites are for educational purposes only. They are not intended to replace the advice of a licensed medical or mental health professional. Information provided cannot diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Engagement between Child Behavior Clinic or Dr. Jacque Bogdanov and others on this site or otherwise does not constitute therapeutic services, psychological advice, or consultation, and should not be considered a therapeutic relationship. If you are in distress and in need of immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Last Updated on February 19, 2021 by Dr. Jacque Bogdanov