Two-year-olds are full of energy, enthusiasm, exploration—and growing independence. With so many new skills, your child can’t wait to use them! Check out our terrific toys for twos, plus playtime ideas for fun crafts and activities to help your toddler discover the joys of accomplishing new things.
He knows the difference between safe and dangerous
She's becoming more social with other kids
Good eye-hand coordination means he can build with blocks and tuck a stuffed animal into bed
Ride-on toys
Thomas & Friends™ Lights & Sounds Trike
Barbie™ Lights & Sounds Trike
DC Super Friends™ Batman™ Lights & Sounds Trike
Help your child learn more:
Show him how it works. Ride-ons are designed so a child's feet reach the ground or pedals and body weight helps push it around. Children may not realize their feet should go around on pedals—they want to push back and forth. It may help if you put his feet on the pedals, hold your hands on top of them and push so he feels the motion of the pedals going down and around.
Help her learn directions by saying the words, "Now you're turning left," or "Turn to the right."
Take me along! Children love to use a ride-on's little storage compartments. Help your 2-year-old select a "friend" to take for a ride, or pack a little snack to enjoy on a break.
Where to park? Give your child a "parking spot" in the shed or garage. Say, "This is your parking spot—just like mommy and daddy park the car."
Play kitchens
Grow-With-Me Kitchen™
Servin’ Surprises™ Kitchen & Table
Dora Fiesta Favorites Kitchen
Help your child learn more:
“Let's make spaghetti!” Help your child get started by offering suggestions. “Can you cook the sauce?" Use what comes with your play kitchen as a guide, or safe items from your own kitchen as props. Your 2-year-old will think it's great if you make something in the play kitchen and then prepare the food in your kitchen; you'll add realism and richness to the play.
Kid cookbooks. Get some children's cookbooks with simple directions and colorful photos and make a meal together.
Keep it clean. Cooking together is a great time to teach your child about good sanitary practices. "Before we start, we always wash our hands so we don't get germs in the food." Also talk about the need to cook food thoroughly, keep your hair back, etc.
Challenge new skills. As memory skills and ability to follow directions emerge, give your child opportunities to try them out at other times, like when you're grocery shopping. "I noticed how good you are at making spaghetti in your kitchen. Can you help me find everything we need to make it for dinner?"
Sports toys
Grow 2 Pro™ Junior Basketball
Barbie™ Grow With Me™ 1,2,3 InLine Skates™
Super Sounds Soccer™
Help your child learn more:
Make adjustments. Whatever sport your child is trying out, make sure it’s at the right level. If you're using an adjustable basketball hoop, for example, put the backboard at its lowest setting for a 2-year-old. An adjustment feature on a sports toy lets you challenge your child as she grows and skills develop.
Great job! Praise specific actions to make your support more useful. Instead of saying, "Wow! You're a great player!" be precise. "You're really getting the hang of throwing that ball just hard enough to get to the hoop."
Put it in words. Paint the picture of your child's success: "Take your time and think about putting the soccer ball in the net." Make your words as descriptive as you can: "You kicked the ball right into the net. Your aim was great, and it went right in. Good for you!"
My turn … Help your 2-year-old learn about taking turns by introducing the concept of team play. "It's your turn to throw the ball … Now it's my turn to try."
Battery-powered ride-ons
Power Wheels® Barbie™ Lil’ Quad™
Power Wheels® Thomas & Friends™ Thomas the Tank Engine™
Power Wheels® DC Super Friends™ Batman™ Lil’ Quad™
Help your child learn more:
How does it work? For your 2-year-old's first adventure on a battery-powered ride-on, take time to go through how it works: show him how to make it go forward, how to stop it, how to turn.
Safe space. Make sure where she drives is not only safe, but big enough for her to turn around until she can back up.
Where are we going? Your child will love to pretend to be going places in his car—to the store, to Grandma's house, to the zoo. Add props like a bag of groceries to put in the car. Or make traffic signs with your child’s help. Talk about what each one means and how a driver is supposed to respond when they encounter one.
Children develop at their own pace and reach milestones at different times. The highlights mentioned in this website are approximate guidelines only. If you have any questions about your child's development, consult your healthcare provider.
Dance 'til You Drop
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Most toddlers love to express themselves through music and dance. Provide your toddler with an opportunity for creative body expression, with a fun twist.
Materials
Audio player & playlist with a variety of music
Large area for dancing
Instructions
Play the music and stand in the middle of the room.
When the first song comes on, dance to the music, and encourage your toddler to dance with you.
When the music changes, change your dance to match, and encourage your toddler to change with you.
Dance until you drop.
Safety
Be sure the room is cleared so you don't crash into anything while you're dancing! Take breaks if you get tired.
Never underestimate the value of play. That’s something I came to appreciate while training to become a child psychologist. Beyond being a lot of fun, playing provides so many benefits to children.
Among them:
It allows young children to communicate
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What to Look for in a Toy
Children love to be creative and use their imaginations.Toys provide an opportunity for them to do just that, and play an important role in enriching children's lives. By giving children opportunities to be creative, you help develop thei
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Tips to Promote Imaginative Play
Provide a collection of dress-up props for role-play.
Look at the clouds and take turns imagining what they resemble.
Plant seeds for imaginative thinking by reading lots of books together.
Provide toys that
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