The 32 best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds

The best gifts for 2-year olds.
The best gifts for 2-year olds.

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Two is an adorable and exciting age. They’re talking, exploring, and gaining new physical skills by the day. Two-year-olds really start interacting with the world—and with their toys. If you're wondering what to gift your curious little one keep on reading.

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We've compiled an exhaustive list of the best gifts for 2-year-olds this year, from toys to get the wiggles out, to building sets, to pretend play. Here are 31 gifts that 2-year-olds are sure to love.

Do note though, we're expecting massive shipping delays this holiday season. This means you'll want to get your holiday shopping done early. So start scratching those top gifts off your list for your little one right now.

1. For the one who loves to ride the rails: A sturdy toy train starter set

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: First Railway
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: First Railway

Brio is the go-to company when it comes to toy trains, and this sturdy little set is great for toddlers. This grow-with-them toy is the perfect starter set and is compatible with all other Brio sets, to grow with them as they get older. We love the colorful train, the rainbow bridge, and the reversible magnets that make for loads of creative play.

Get the Brio First Railway train set at Amazon for $49.99

2. For the one who loves to cuddle: A giant teddy bear

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Kai stuffed bear
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Kai stuffed bear

This cute stuffed bear is a great gift pick; Kai is soft and squishy, and we just love his big round head. Gund’s modern taupe bear comes in 12- or 23-inch sizes but we say go big or go home!

Get a 23-inch stuffed Kai bear at Amazon for $24

3. For the one with extra energy: A tiny trampoline

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Tikes trampoline
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Tikes trampoline

Two-year-olds are balls of energy, especially when they’re cooped up in the winter—and especially when homebound during a pandemic! That makes this trampoline a perfect holiday gift. Your toddler will love bouncing, and you’ll love the physical outlet. For indoor use only, the Little Tikes trampoline has a handle bar for stability and it isn’t far off the ground, making it a safe option for little ones.

Get a Little Tikes 3’ trampoline at Amazon for $59.99

4. For the little city planner: A 3D car rug

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A 3D roadmap rug
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A 3D roadmap rug

This beautiful rug will not only level up the play space, it will double as your kid's favorite toy. With tactile 3D features, little ones can take their cars or their toys on journeys throughout town. Developed by an architect and a mom, the slightly raised areas create tracks and trails for kids to discover, inspiring loads of imaginative play. This rug is made with non-toxic dyes and fabrics, meets all of the European Child Protection standards and is certified to be hypo-allergenic.

Get the Mini City 3D Kids' Car Rug in medium at Amazon for $98.95

5. For the one who is a Peppa Pig fan: A Peppa Pig play set

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A Peppa Pig play set
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A Peppa Pig play set

Little fans of the TV series "Peppa Pig" will go bananas for this six-piece playset that lets Peppa and friends be the kids about town. Peppa, Suzy Sheep and Pedro Pony are each included, as well as a car, a camper van and a helicopter, for all of their travels.

Get a Peppa Pig Vehicle and Figurine Set at Amazon for $32.99

6. For the musical prodigy: A musical chicken

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A musical chicken
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A musical chicken

If they're about to graduate from banging the pots and pans, this beautiful wooden folk art-inspired chicken is just what they need to level up. This toy includes guiro-like notches, a 5-bar xylophone, two clacking "wings" that double as drums and detachable "drumstick" wooden mallets, as well as fun spinning gears, blocks and even a maraca. This playful wood activity toy is great for introducing little ones to music and for fostering motor development and auditory stimulation.

Get the Manhattan Toy Musical Chicken Wooden Instrument at Amazon for for $39.99

7. For the one who loves luxury: Baby’s first Tesla

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: My First Tesla Model Y
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: My First Tesla Model Y

Spoil your car-loving tot with a tiny Tesla. This ride-on toy is great for ages 18 months and up, and yes, it looks just like a real Tesla. Fun features include a horn, working steering wheel, quiet wheels, and an ergonomic seat. At a hundred bucks, this is a fun splurge that will look great under the tree.

Get a Radio Flyer My First Tesla Model Y car on Amazon for $89.99

8. For the one who needs help falling asleep: An Elmo bedtime pal

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Bedtime Elmo
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Bedtime Elmo

Toddlers love Sesame Street’s adorable red monster. But what they’ll love most about this plush Elmo doll is the flashlight. Bedtime Elmo comes dressed in glow-in-the-dark star jammies and carries a working flashlight that lights up when pressed. The perfect present for toddlers who might need bedtime support from a comforting character.

Get a Bedtime Elmo at Walmart for $43.51

9. For the one who likes to "cook": A chic and compact kitchen

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Step2 Classic Chic Kitchen
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Step2 Classic Chic Kitchen

Step2’s latest play kitchen gives you so much bang for your buck—especially because the small-footprint kitchen only stands 3-and-a-half feet tall. The stove actually bubbles and sizzles, and the on-trend features are really fun: a coffee station, windowed refrigerator, and breakfast bar to name a few. Produce baskets and other realistic accessories are also included.

Get a Step2 Classic Chic Kitchen on Amazon for $129.99

10. For the one who likes hands-on learning: A KiwiCo Koala Crate

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Koala Crate
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Koala Crate

For some creative fun that has a little bit of entry-level STEAM learning, Koala Crates by KiwiCo are just right for the preschool set. You can either order a one-off kit or a monthly subscription. Whichever you choose, each kit is filled with discoveries and games for hands-on learning.

Get the Preschool Koala Crate by KiwiCo starting at $17.50

11. For the one who is an early learner: The Duplo alphabet truck

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: My First Alphabet Truck
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: My First Alphabet Truck

This alphabet truck set is an adorable way to introduce two-year-olds to the world of Duplo (which leads to the smaller Lego bricks). The 36-piece truck set includes two kids and a bear. Building with Duplo promotes fine-motor skills, spatial awareness, and problem-solving abilities. And letter recognition can’t hurt.

Get a Duplo My First Alphabet Truck at Amazon for $20

12. For the one who likes dolls: A My Little Girl doll

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A baby doll
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: A baby doll

Two is prime baby doll age, and this doll from Madame Alexander is a perfect toddler companion. With a snuggly, weighted body and comes in three skin tones to choose from, Sweet Smiles Kitty is sure to be your little one's favorite cuddly companion. This doll comes with a baby bottle and is ready to be fed, for little ones who have a nurturing side.

Get a Madame Alexander Sweet Smiles Kitty doll on Amazon for $34.14

13. For the one who is a daredevil: An at-home roller coaster

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster Rapid Ride
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster Rapid Ride

With parks and schools closed, Step2’s roller coaster is a great antidote to the stuck-at-home blues. You can set it up indoors or out, and your toddler will have so much fun riding the ATV-style car down the nine-foot track. The coaster pieces come apart easily for storage, which is very handy.

Get a Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster Rapid Ride & Hide Edition on Amazon for $139

14. For the one who loves to clean: An interactive vacuum

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: LeapFrog Pick up and Count Vacuum
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: LeapFrog Pick up and Count Vacuum

There’s just something about vacuums that captures toddlers’ attention. We can’t explain it, but we can recommend this cool toy. The adjustable smart vacuum can suck up the “dust” pieces as well as play learning games. Lights, sounds, and bouncing balls add to the excitement. Maybe your kid will even transition to the real thing one day!

Get a LeapFrog Pick Up and Count Vacuum at Amazon for $24.96

15. For the one who likes to sing: A friendly farmer Mickey

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Disney Junior E-I-Oh! Mickey Mouse
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Disney Junior E-I-Oh! Mickey Mouse

Gift this fun new farm-themed plush to your little Mickey fan and watch their eyes light up at his musical antics. E-I-Oh! Mickey Mouse dances as he plays classics like the Chicken Dance and “Old McDonald.” The animal sound guessing game is also a big hit with toddlers.

Get a Disney Junior E-I-Oh! Mickey Mouse at Walmart for $39.82

16. For the one who likes to play outside: A new pair of rain boots

The best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Western Chief rain boots
The best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Western Chief rain boots

Toddlers adore rain boots. Whether it’s because boots are easy to pull on, the bright designs, or just because kids know they’ll be puddle jumping, this footwear inspires joy. And classic rain boot brand Western Chief has fun new styles perfect for gifting. Ladybugs, glitter, Hello Kitty, Batman, and light-up camo are just some of the options.

Shop Western Chief rain boots on Amazon starting at $16

17. For the one who likes cars: The Sit & Stand Skyway

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Sit & Stand Skyway
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Sit & Stand Skyway

A Little People car tower is a holiday classic. This one is two playsets in one, when it converts from sit-at-roadway to stand-up skyway. They can start out zipping the accompanying "wheelie" vehicles over the roads and down the ramps of the horizontal town, with fun features like a parking garage and a gas pump. Then, when they are ready for more excitement, they can raise the roof to make this a nearly 3-foot tall skyway, for some daredevil fun.

Get a Little People Sit & Stand Skyway at Amazon for $59.99

18. For the one who is a budding artist: A new easel

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Partners art easel
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Partners art easel

You may have had to improvise and move preschool into your house this year. Why not improve your school setup with a new easel? We like this two-sided model because it provides a total art experience: paper roll, storage bins, paint holders, clips to hold projects, and a chalkboard. It's available in a variety of colors (including natural wood).

Get a Little Partners art easel at Amazon for $159.99

19. For the one who likes getting new toys: A Lovevery subscription

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Lovevery Subscription Kit
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Lovevery Subscription Kit

Give the 2-year-old in your life the gift of an awesome subscription box designed just for them with a Lovevery subscription. Each month, Lovevery sends high-quality, age-appropriate toys right to their doorstep, so that little ones can enjoy hours of fun while they learn important skills.

Get a Lovevery subscription starting at $80

20. For the one who is a tiny hipster: Their own espresso set

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Skip Hop Bark-ista
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Skip Hop Bark-ista

A great gift for littles who love imitating adults, the Bark-ista cafe set can whip up (pretend) coffee drinks galore. Play coffee pods, toppings, donuts, milk, and sugar are all included. Convincing lights and sounds add to the barista experience.

Get a Zoo Bark-ista cafe set at Amazon for $39.99

21. For the one who is a little hero: A transforming fire truck

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: VTech Helping Heroes Fire Station
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: VTech Helping Heroes Fire Station

VTech toys have all the bells and whistles, and their new fire station set is no exception. The Helping Heroes Fire Station includes two firefighters, a truck/station combo, a helicopter, and a mini truck. When it’s in station mode, three different levels contain a tiny gym and command center. Transform the station into a truck and the firefighters are ready to roll with lights and sounds.

Get a Helping Heroes Fire Station at Walmart for $39.82

22. For the one who can't sit still: A wobble chair

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Studico Active Chair
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Studico Active Chair

If your kiddo is doing preschool on Zoom (or even spending more time on a tablet than usual) you may find they have the wiggles. This wobble chair is a great solution. The height is adjustable, the top is lightly cushioned, and the bottom has non-slip rubber. It's available in six colors.

Get a Studico Active Chair on Amazon for $59.99

23. For the one who is a Blue's Clues Fan: A dance-along plush Blue

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Blue's Clues & You Dance-Along plush
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Blue's Clues & You Dance-Along plush

Blue’s Clues is hot again thanks to the new series "Blues Clues & You!" (as parents of toddlers are probably aware), so this dance-along Blue plush is a great gift option. The set includes a Handy Dandy Guitar, which acts as a controller for Blue’s moves and tunes.

Get a Blue’s Clues & You Dance-Along plush on Amazon for $34.99

24. For the one who likes blocks: A starter set of Duplos

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Duplo Classic Brick Box Set
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Duplo Classic Brick Box Set

If you have a little builder on your hands, this is the perfect starter set for their entry into the world of Lego and Duplos. This 85-piece set is perfect for two-year-olds and includes all sorts of interactive pieces, including a rolling car, a birthday cake, swinging window and doors, and posable Duplo figures. It also comes with a reusable storage box.

Get a Classic Brick Box set at Amazon for $49.99

25. For the one who likes pretend play: A first washer/dryer

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Tikes Washer / Dryer
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Little Tikes Washer / Dryer

There are plenty of play kitchens on the market, it’s about time for a washer-dryer! Add this fun set to your toddlers’ pretend play repertoire and encourage laundry learning. The washer-dryer makes realistic sounds and boasts quite a few features: detergent drawer, folding tabletop, storage baskets, and tumbling drum. Accessories like “clothes,” play detergent, and towels are included.

Get the Little Tikes First Washer/Dryer at Amazon for $41.97

26. For the one who is ready for STEM toys: A magnetic building set

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: SmartMax Magnetic Pieces
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: SmartMax Magnetic Pieces

These 30 magnetic pieces will keep your two-year-old entertained, which is also a gift for you. Different shaped bars and balls “click” together with magnets to create all kinds of shapes. The pieces are chunky enough for little hands, making this a great building set for toddlers.

Get the SmartMax Start Plus on Amazon for $42.50

27. For the one who likes to garden: A two-sided kitchen with interactive elements

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen

For the toddler who wants a more of a farm-to-table play kitchen experience, this Fisher-Price model will deliver. One side is a garden where toddlers can “plant” flowers, collect veggies and eggs, and more. (Over 30 accessories are included.) The other side is a kitchen with a smoothie blender, recipe book, and interactive buttons.

Get a Fisher-price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-fun Garden To Kitchen at Walmart for $69.97

28. For the one who needs an indoor playground: A play tunnel

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Pop-up Play Tunnel
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Pop-up Play Tunnel

Indoor playgrounds are off the table thanks to COVID-19, but you can create your own fun at home. Get this affordable, hide-and-seek play tunnel in the mix and let your little one crawl and explore. This four-way tunnel gives all sorts of fun hiding places for some silly, exploratory fun.

Get the Hide & Seek Pop-up Play Tunnel at Amazon for $34.95

29. For the one who loves to be comfy: Carter's pajamas

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Carter's holiday pajamas
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Carter's holiday pajamas

Give them the gift of comfy cozy jammies this year, with a pair of festive holiday sleepwear from Carter's. We love their selection of Christmas prints, and the affordable price point.

Shop holiday pajamas at Carter's

30. For the one who likes to play store: A toy cash register

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Retro Classic Cash Register
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Retro Classic Cash Register

For younger kids who aren't yet ready to learn about money—but who still love to play with it—you can't beat this retro register. The buttons and brightly colored and oversized "coins" are easy for little fingers to grasp, and the register itself is sturdy and charming.

Get the Fisher-Price Retro Cash Register at Amazon for $21.92

31. For the one who likes to fix things: Their own toolset

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Green Toys Tool Kit
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Green Toys Tool Kit

If you've got a budding Mr. or Miss Fix-it on your list, a tool kit made just for them is a must purchase. Green Toys' tool set includes 15 different pieces, all crafted from recycled plastic milk bottles. There's even a pink and purple version for kids who prefer a more vibrant tool kit.

Get the Green Toys Tool Set on Amazon for $18.87

32. For the one who wants to take a ride: A classic tricycle

Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Radio Flyer Tricycle
Best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds: Radio Flyer Tricycle

There's nothing better than a classic Radio Flyer Tricycle for toddlers who want to learn to ride. This one even comes with a bell and streamers for the ultimate first cycling experience.

Get the Radio Flyer Tricycle at Amazon for $57

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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: The best gifts and toys for 2-year-olds 2021