Two year old boys are on the cusp of a very special time in their development. This is an exciting time for them in so many ways - socially, cognitively and physically. They are very busy learning and growing. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming when you need to come up with a gift idea or find the best toys for 2 year old boy - the choices are endless!
You definitely want to be sure that you are choosing a high quality, well made game or toy. Toddlers play hard, as they should! They learn best when they are playing. So you want to be sure you are picking a toy or game that is made to last and with top quality materials.
You will want to consider things like durability and the ability to clean a toy when purchasing as well. Another factor to definitely keep in mind is longevity. Quality toys will be made to last.
In A Hurry? Here's The Best Toy for 2 Year Old Boy
Why Choosing A Perfect Gift And Toy Matters
Picking the right toy at this stage of development has the potential for positive impact. There are many toys available that are geared for specific developmental areas: STEM, fine-motor, gross motor, language based, etc.
STEM toys are popular choices because they encourage toddlers to start exploring and problem solving. Skills that are invaluable in school and later on in life. Fine motor skills can include things like holding a crayon or paint brush. Gross motor skills will include the ability to pick up more solid objects like blocks and play bricks and be able to build with them. It is clear that toys at the toddler stage provide a much needed education. Toys help toddlers to grow academically and developmentally.
But toys can and should definitely be all about having fun while learning. The right toy or game will provide hours of entertainment for your toddler, as well as help them to grow. Let’s take a look at top 17 best toys for 2 year old boy and help you pick a perfect gift.
What's Included
Our Top 17 Picks for Best Toys for 2 Year Old Boy (2020 Updated)
1. Janod Nutty The Squirrel Balance Game
This is a unique gift for a 2-year-old boy in that this is a game that will help encourage the development of eye-hand coordination. This game also helps to introduce and reinforce color learning and is a fun way to practice counting! The trick is to see how many nuts can be balanced on Nutty the Squirrel before he tips over and loses his stash!
2. Mega Bloks 80 Piece Big Building Bag
These Fisher-Price building bloks are the perfect gift for 2 year old boys. This beginner set includes multiple, easy to hold shapes in bright colors. This set is great for encouraging imaginative and open ended play. In addition, these bloks helps to develop eye-hand coordination. Toddler boys can spend hours using these blocks and building whatever the mind can dream up.
3. Fisher Price Loops and Swoops Amusement Park
This super fun play set will provide hours of entertainment for your toddler! He will be able to let his imagination run wild with this Fisher Price amusement park set up that even includes a jump at the end for the car to go airborne!
4. Green Toys Farm Play Set
This farm set is the ultimate gift for a 2 year old boy. This timeless set includes a farmer, truck, barn and several animals and pieces of farm equipment. This set actively encourages open ended play and the use of imagination. In addition, setting up the pieces will help with developing coordination. Toddlers will enjoy playing on the farm over and over again.
5. HABA Brain Builder Peg Set Building Blocks
This awesome gift is unique, entertaining and colorful! This gift includes a set of colorful blocks and a set of cards with 3 different levels of play. The idea is for the 2 year old boy to use his cognitive abilities to solve this STEM game. The cards contain different pictures that the boy will then have to figure out how to replicate using the blocks.
6. Power Wheels Thomas the Train and Friends with Track
What toddler boy wouldn’t love to have a ride on Thomas the Train set for himself?! This Thomas the Train set includes a power wheels ride on Thomas the Train so any boy can be a conductor. This sets up indoors to provide hours of fun on a rainy day. Just get your little man a conductor hat and he's good to go.
7. DripDrip Bath Toy
This great bath set will have your toddler channeling his inner scientist during bath time. This set includes 3 different plastic cups to pour water through and watch what happens. Each cup one dispenses the water in a different way. This toy encourages exploration and basic science concepts all while having fun and getting clean!
8. Melissa and Doug Jumbo Cardboard Building Blocks
2 Year old boys will always enjoy building and these jumbo building blocks from Melissa and Doug will not disappoint! This set of cardboard building blocks comes in 3 different sizes so that boys can design and build to their heart’s content. This gift encourages the child to use his imagination and provides for open-ended play.
9. Foam Bath Toys Alphabet Set
This bath set will turn bath time into learning time without your toddler even realizing it. The foam set alphabet letters, colors, and numbers. These large foam letters float in the water and will stick to the tub walls when wet. This provides a fantastic opportunity for kids to practice recognizing their letters, writing and recognizing their own name, and eventually spelling and reading other words.
10. Boon Building Bath Pipes Bath Set
Water play is a very unique way for children to learn and explore. So if you are looking for a unique gift idea or toys for 2 year old boy, think water play. This set comes with 5 different pipes with different functions so that your toddler can create and experiment while in the tub. These pieces are designed to be used either individually or together. This set encourages the development of motor skills, cognitive abilities, and basic science principles.
11. John Deere 15" Big Scoop Dump Truck
If you are looking for a great gift idea or toys for a 2 year old boy, look no further than this John Deere Big Scoop Dump Truck. This replica John Deere dump truck will provide hours of fun in the sand box or at the beach. Toddler boys will be able to let their imagination run wild with this dump truck. Sand play encourages muscle development as well as motor skills.
12. Step2 Water Table Play Set
Water play is also a fabulous way for toddler boys to have fun while learning valuable skills at the same time. This Step 2 Water Play Table Set will provide hours of entertainment for young toddler boys. At the same time, they will be developing motor skills and problem-solving. This set allows children to explore cause and effect and rearrange maze pieces for endless options.
13. Melissa and Doug ABC-123 Abacus
Once again, Melissa and Doug provide toddler boys with a great toy that secretly doubles as a learning tool. This abacus contains 36 double-sided letter and number tiles. They have also incorporated pictures and words. This abacus will be a great learning tool to help toddlers develop letter, word and number recognition. This would be a great toy for 2 year old boys to have in their playroom.
14. The Learning Journey My First Match It
This puzzle game is a fantastic way to introduce different modes of transportation as well as the concept of matching games. Toddler boys will have to figure out which two pieces belong together. This will help them develop cognitive skills and fine motor skills as well.
15. VTech KidiBeats Drum Set
A fantastic gift for 2 year old boys is this Vtech KidiBeats Drum Set! Your toddler will think its fun, and it is, but he will be having so much fun he won’t realize all the learning he is doing at the same time. The drum pads and cymbals each have their own sounds for sensory development. And this set has different modes of play - rock, dance and pop- that help teaches letters and numbers.
16. Geometric Board Blocks
Another great gift idea for toddler boys is this geometric block sorting toy. This toy encourages the development of eye-hand coordination and imaginative play. The block pieces help develop sorting skills and the geometric shapes are a great introduction to math.
17. My First Tool Box
What toddler boy wouldn’t want his own tool set to help out around the house? This would be a great gift for a 2 year old boy. This set has so many positives, it’s sure to be a hit! This gift is also portable meaning your builder can happily follow dad or mom around the house while they are doing chores.
Best Toys for 2 Year Old Boy (Buying Guide)
Toy Importance and Benefits
One thing that almost all experts agree on is that play is work for children. Children are learning constantly, especially when they are “ doing”. Knowing this manufacturers are able to construct toys for children that encourage and enable them to develop and learn new concepts and skills while they are playing.
The key is find toys that will encourage the correct, age appropriate developmental skills that a toddler should be acquiring. For a 2 year old boy these skills would include fine motor skills, gross motor skills, problem solving and also be learning to recognize letters and numbers.
Another key factor is to provide your toddler boy with a variety of activities, so that he can be stimulated in new ways that will engage him and hold his attention (however brief that may be!). An excellent point to consider when purchasing these toys is how many skills will be targeted with a particular toy.
Factors to Consider
When you are looking to purchase toys for your child, or as a gift, there are many factors to keep in mind. You want to consider the child’s age, developmental appropriateness and the “fun factor”.
The first point to consider is the age of the child. It is very easy to buy online or in the store, but it is worth it to take a few seconds to check the age rating by the manufacturer. It should be somewhere on the box. It is very important to not pick a toy that is too old for the intended toddler.
A toy that is too old for me will be frustrating for him as it could contain skills he hasn’t acquired yet. Likewise, a toy that is too young will be so easy for him that he will be bored without the challenge.
An age appropriate toy will have been designed to help toddlers with age appropriate skills. Also, check out some amazing toys idea for 3 year old boy.
At the same time, you want to be sure that the toy you will be purchasing has a focus on developmental appropriateness. This means that the puzzles or activities will be geared towards toddlers. It will include features such as letter and number learning and recognition. It will include colors and animals and perhaps other everyday items that the child will know and recognize.
If the toy has things to hold, they will be chunky and easy for the toddler to manipulate. The activities in the toy will promote learning by experimenting. They will definitely be hands on! Toddlers are not afraid to get dirty!
This brings in the “fun factor”. Yes learning is serious work. But toddlers learn by doing.
So, if activities and games are structured in a fun AND productive way it is a winning combination.
The games and toys become something the toddler enjoys doing over and over. And then the repetition lends itself to learning by rote and/or muscle memory.
Another very important factor to consider when purchasing great toys for 2 year old boy is the materials that the toys and games are constructed from.
Absolutely you want to purchase quality items that will stand up to lots of use. You want the games and toys to be used often so that the toddler will get the most benefit from it. So, look for well constructed toys. Some of them might even have manufacturer warranties included. Another consideration is the type of materials used. There are so many options these days for toys made out of recycled materials, toys that are BPA free, etc.
It has become easy to find toys that meet your personal requirements. There are even manufacturers that state they only use recycled materials in their packaging. There are many options available.
Lastly, you want to definitely remember batteries.
No toddler wants to be disappointed when he opens the perfect gift….only to have to wait until the next trip to the store for batteries so he can play.
And no parent wants to face an unhappy toddler!