Ideas for second boy, aged 2

[Equimum]

I'm going to leave big presents until nearer the time, but I'm trying to think of ideas and start picking up some bits for our two boys for Christmas. I have lots of ideas for our (will be) five year old, but I'm at a loss for our younger son, who will be two.

We already have a toy kitchen, thousands of vehicles, ride-ins, a tool bench, Duplo, a million books, lots of puzzles, musical toys, cuddly toys, Playmobil 1.2.3, a playhouse, a tepee etc. He is getting a scooter for his birthday, and will 'inherit' his brother's balance bike at skmepoubtover the next year.

Is there anything than anyone's 2-3 year olds love that I could think about, please?

TIA

[Equimum]

some time over the next year

[NoWordForFluffy]

This is the problem with second children! DS is 13 months' younger than DD and we've struggled with 'big' presents as she's already had them!

I'm assuming you already have a shit ton of Duplo etc? You've named everything that our just-3 year old DS loves (though he's just getting into dolls / the toy buggy etc). Bloody difficult, isn't it?

[BelafonteRavenclaw]

I'm in the exact same position. We already have everything. Thankfully DS2 likes Thomas the tank engine and Hey Duggee so we'll pick him up a few pieces related to that as DS1 was never fussed on them. As for big ideas I am stumped too.

[Equimum]

Thanks ladies. It is difficult, isn't it. The only thing DS2 has really shown a love for, is the wooden trainset, but we already have several plastic tubs full of that (track, stations, bridges, trainwashes, crossings, sheds - you name it, we have it) as DS1 has always loved it too.

no word, yes, we have two Kallax boxes full of Duplo, as we were given lots second hand, and relatives added to when DS1 was small.

[Isadora2007]

A wheely bug?
Space toys
Paw patrol
Bath toys
Quality wooden blocks

[Popskipiekin]

We are going to have this exact same issue with DS2, not helped by him having a Christmassy birthday I'd like to get DS1 a toy kitchen but am deliberately holding off so I can get for DS2, otherwise I fear there will be no "big" gifts left.
Have you got a garage/helter skelter type thing? DS1 2.10 has always loved this kind of thing. More play food/utensils for the kitchen?

[NoWordForFluffy]

We got then-2 year old DS some of the wooden cutting food last Christmas. He bloody loves it! We got him the mini Weber BBQ for his birthday this week, which he also loves.

[christmasunicorn]

This is the problem with second children!

Sorry but this comment really made me LOL. Dc5(!!!) will also be 2 at Christmas (well on Boxing Day). He'll be getting a balance bike and a play kitchen for his birthday but I see you already have those. For Christmas we don't do big presents and buy lots of smaller toys instead like a character teddies, train set, small grimms rainbow, small wooden animals etc. Have you looked at grimms toys?

[Equimum]

Thanks again to everyone who has commented.

Funnily enough Christmasunicorn, I have been contemplating getting the 12 piece rainbow, with the calls and semi circles, but I am worried they might go be liked, and that would be quite an investment. I'd certainly prefer to do that than buy character toys (we do prefer wood, and traditional/ open-ended play things), but I don't want to throw money away either. Do your children enjoy these things, and if so, until what sort of age do they like the Grimms stuff? (I'm assuming as you have five you have some a little older than mine).

[christmasunicorn]

Well this is the first that I'm buying the grimms for. I didn't know of it when the rest were little and then they suddenly seemed too old to invest the money into (they are 13, 8, 8 and 5). Everyone I know who has them does rave about them so I'm just gonna test the waters with a small one first. My older boys love imaginext, Pokémon, yo Kai watch and anything superhero related

[KC225]

Micro scooter and helmet. My twins were 2 and a half

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Wobbel board!
Ball run
ELC Build It Rally Raider
Melissa and Doug Fold & Go Barn
VTech Kidizoom Duo Camera

These are ideas I have for DS who will be 2.5, I'm positive he'll like them all though. He isn't the second child though, DS2 will only be 7 weeks old so...

[Equimum]

Thanks anyway christmas unicorn. I got the box of wooden blocks this morning, and was actually really surprised by how much DS1 (nearly 5) did with them, so maybe the rainbow would go down well with both boys.

Thanks KC, that's a fab idea, but my mum is sorting the scooter for his birthday.

Bendy, there's some fab ideas there, thank-you. I like the idea of the Wobbel board - again, though, I'll have to really think about that level of investment. I guess this is the perfect age to buy it though (?).

We actually have the M&D playbarn and can say it is definitely worth getting - both ours live it. The animals it comes with aren't great, so we tend to use Schleich ones.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Equimum oh glad you like the barn, I've heard the animals aren'tgood but never heard of Schleich soif I do get him the barn, I'll have to try those animals too!

I do agree re. Wobbel, I think if they love it and 'get it' they'll use it in tons of different ways, but if they don't then it's just a lump of wood - bit of a gamble!

[MargaretCabbage]

I got my two year old a cheaper alternative to a Wobbel, a Creatimber. He does play on it quite a lot.

We're having a similar issue with our second child, we've already got EVERYTHING.

[mmgirish]

I have two boys and it's getting increasingly difficult to buy presents. How about an easel and painting things?

[Equimum]

Oh, I'll look up Creatimbers, thanks Margaret.

mm, my brother is getting him an easel for his birthday, so hopefully that will go down well. Thanks

[Enidblyton1]

It's crazy isn't it - that lots of us struggle with buying gifts for second children. Parents and relatives tend to go a bit overboard with presents in the early years (I'm as guilty as most people). An easel from an uncle is quite a big present - is he buying him everything to go with it too? Paint/paper/brushes etc? If not, you could always buy those.
Do you have room for a teepee in your house? They are fun. If not, you can also by material that goes over a table and turns it into a play house.
Books are always good.

One thing is usually certain. Whatever you buy a 2 year old, they'll end up liking the box/wrapping paper/smallest gift you've bought!

[SimplyNigella]

Do you have a wooden train set already- Brio or similar? DS got his for Christmas when he was 2 and we add to it each year.

Do you have the M&D doorbell house? Again, DS still loves his now.

Ikea do some fab toys, we have the gymnastics bench and mat which would work for both ages.

[Equimum]

Thanks again. Yes Enid, it is crazy that we struggle so much to buy for the second. The even crazier thing is, that in comparison to many of his friend's, DS1 never seemed to have a huge amount of toys, but we have generally stuck to traditional type things, rather than buying lots of plastic, character and 'on trend' toys. He also didn't go to nursery until he was three, so we wanted to make share we covered the learning bases. Consequently, over the first four years he has acquired some very nice toys, like kitchens, trainsets, castles etc, but I still want to submit to buying 'tat' and five minute wonders for our second.

The easel is a very nice gift for his uncle - he's getting the Ikea one and we already have paper and a box of arty stuff, but au may well get a few more supplies - good idea.

Ooh, now, we don't have the doorbell house Nugella. I've heard good things about that before, so will definitely look. That might actually be a good idea to pass into grandparents.

[NoWordForFluffy]

DS loves the M&S cleaning set, come to think of it.

[NoWordForFluffy]

M&D. Autocorrect issues.

[Nicpem1982]

How about a market stall or shop le toy van do nice ones my dd loved hers

she also has a wooden pirate ship from her uncle which I expect will go down well for her birthday

[Serafinaaa]

My 2 year old loves his toy electric guitar and keyboard?

[MrsGB2225]

Play shop
Fire engine
Doctors kit/vet kit
Football goals


This is a great thread, I'm certainly stealing a couple of ideas for my 2yo boy!