Best toys for 2-year-olds: our guide to the best gifts for toddlers

LEGO is a brand that has established itself as a children's classic, loved by adults and children equally, and their Duplo sets for toddlers are no exception. Promising hours of safe, creative play, your child can let their imagination run wild and create all kinds of structures and creatures.

Popular amongst Mumsnetters, this starter box is our pick for the best DUPLO set. It has 65 classic bricks, two figures, a car, windows, a roof, two loaves of bread and some flowers, which can all be conveniently stored in their Lego-shaped storage box (to avoid any feet-related accidents).

The set even includes a starter booklet full of ideas, helping inspire them and bring their imagination to life. The only problem is they'll love it so much they'll want to add more sets to the collection!

Read next: The best books for 3-year-olds, according to Mumsnetters

Toddlers love to get creative, but some regular crayons can be challenging for young children to hold. These MyFirst Jumbo Crayons from trusted brand Crayola are perfectly sized for small hands, allowing your 2-year-old to easily grip and explore mark marking with a range of eight bold and bright colours. 

Robust enough to withstand being dropped or handled with enthusiasm, these crayons are a great way to encourage your child’s artistic flair and enhance those fine motor skills. You will need to supervise them closely, however, as some toddlers may still be tempted to put things in their mouth or even colour something they shouldn’t. 

Read next: Best toddler reins to keep your little ones close

Toniebox 2 tested & reviewed by Mumsnet editor Rachel Erdos: Toniebox 2 review

Forget Alexa! Children can dance, sing and listen to stories on their own Toniebox and with the release of the brand new Toniebox 2, this screen-free interactive speaker is better than ever!

While it retains the soft-touch, durable cube design of the original Toniebox and works with all your existing Tonies, it adds a suite of smart features, including the Tonieplay easy dial system, which unlocks interactive, quiz-style audio games that kids can actually play along with (no screen needed).

A dynamic light ring responds to playback and guides children through activities, while bedtime helpers like a sleep-timer night light and a gradual "sunrise" alarm support your little one's routines. Built to be even more toddler-friendly than its predecessor, it’s certified from age one (vs. three-plus previously) thanks to features such as squishier side padding and larger, softer 'Nursery' Tonies made just for little ones. It also works with a parent-app and features more memory. The result? A familiar toy that’s smarter, more playful, and geared to grow with your child.

Read next: Yoto Mini vs Toniebox: which is the best screen-free audio player?

Tested & reviewed by Mumsnet writer Rachel Jeffcoat: Read our full Mini Micro Deluxe Review

Tested & reviewed by Mumsnet writer Laura Cooke: Read our review of the Mini Micro Deluxe Glitter

Micro Scooters come highly recommended amongst Mumsnet users and make a great first scooter for toddlers. Unlike some budget designs which can be heavy and hard to handle, Micro Scooter Mini Micros are designed specifically for younger riders, with a lightweight design and simple tilt-to-steer system which is easy to master, even for beginners. 

Available in a choice of five bright colours with LED lights to blaze a trail, the Mini Micro certainly doesn’t come cheap, but is easy to adjust as your child grows, lasting them right through till at least their 5th birthday. We love the durable anodised aluminium frame which is clearly built to last, combined with chunky silicone handle grips and a large anti-slip footplate that can help your toddler learn to ride with confidence. 

Shopping for a scooter? Take a look at our tried-and-tested guide to the best kids' scooters.

With a removable board for feet, the Cozy Coupe has been a much loved toy for generations, initially pushed along by a parent, before allowing your toddler to control the movements themselves, moving their feet Freddie Flinstone-style to navigate around their surroundings. Instantly recognisable, it's a real classic that will be played with over and over - plus they're easy to re-sell. That's why we think it's still the best toy for 2-year-olds.

A fun ride-on toy with wheels that spin 360 degrees, the Cozy Couple can encourage even the most reluctant of 2-year-olds to go and play outside, improving gross motor skills whilst encouraging creativity, imagination and communication skills too.

This original design Cozy Coupe comes with an ignition switch, opening fuel cap, working horn and easy open door and can easily With a variety of different designs to choose from, you can even pick up a police car, princess, black cab or dinosaur version to help bring your child’s interests to life.

For fun, fresh air and five minutes' peace, check out our round-up of the best outdoor toys for kids.

If your two year old is car obsessed, they’ll absolutely love this two-storey interactive garage from Vtech Toot Toot, a fun and entertaining toy that encourages imaginative play and refines those fine motor skills.

With one musical car included, children can navigate up and down the ramps to the turning station, petrol pump or electric meter, before heading to the shops and getting squeaky clean at the local car wash. Drive over one of six Smart Point locations across the garage to trigger lights, sounds and music - be warned though, the music is incredibly catchy, so parents will soon find themselves singing it in the shower.

Read next: The best train sets for toddlers and children

Tested & reviewed by Mumsnet editor Laura Westerman: Read our full Scuttlebug review

Scuttlebugs come highly rated amongst Mumsnet users, with super cute and appealing characters that make a great first ride-on toy for two-year-olds. With three chunky wheels and intuitive front-wheel steering, they’re really easy to control, allowing your two-year-old to climb on board and whizz around the park in next to no time. 

Our tester loved the impressive three-click fold, making it quick and easy to pack away or stash in the bottom of your pushchair if your child’s legs get tired. While it’s fair to say they may outgrow them quite quickly, the budget-friendly price of just £20 is an absolute bargain, even for relatively short-term use. 

Related: Best ride-on toys for one-year-olds and beyond

With realistic colours and lovely quality, tactile wood, this ice cream set from Melissa and Doug is a thing of beauty. 2-year-olds love to play either side of the counter, and it’s a fun and easy game for them to play with teddies, siblings, friends and parents. 

The clever scoop is easy for little hands to use, and the set comes with a toddler-friendly menu. Kids love to stack the ice cream scoops and add toppings to make tall and delicious-looking creations.

Related: The best stairgates for a safe, toddler-proof home

If your 2-year-old loves getting crafty, drawing or painting but the thought of getting the paints out around your cream carpets just isn’t practical, Aquadoodle is a great solution.

This portable fold-out mat comes with a water pen that allows children to get creative without any mess, creating watermarks on the mat as they run the pen across the surface. The water fades completely once dried, allowing the mat to be reused over and over again.

Read next: The best child safety locks for babyproofing your home

2-year-olds love role play and replicating ‘grown-up’ behaviours, using their imagination to act out scenes and tasks like shopping, cooking and gardening. The Little Tikes Gas 'n Go Mower makes a great toy for toddlers, combining creative role play with keeping active in the great outdoors.

With no batteries required, this smart little lawn mower can be pushed along just like a walker, with bright and colourful beads that pop and bounce on the inside as it moves. While it can be on the noisy side, we love the included pull cord and toy petrol can that makes it feel just like the real thing.

Read next: The best toy storage solutions for a clutter-free home

Mumsnet users absolutely love Orchard Toys for their wide range of educational games and puzzles. While many of their games are targeted at pre-schoolers, Post Box is a great first game for 2-year-olds introducing colour matching and the concept of taking turns.

We love the simplicity of this game, making it ideal for beginners to play with siblings or parents. While the cardboard pieces are thick and durable, the postboxes can fall over quite easily, so you may wish to support them while your child ‘posts’ the matching letters.

Read next: Our pick of the best play kitchens for kids

Wooden train sets have been around for years, but children still love building tracks and watching trains go around. BRIO’s My First Railway Beginner Pack has been designed with toddlers in mind so they can start creating tracks as young as 2-years-old.

The 18-piece pack makes a simple circular track easy enough for toddlers to build and it comes with a wagon that makes a fun noise as it goes around. There’s also a colourful bridge and ascending track so children can watch the train go up and down.

The great thing about BRIO is you can buy lots more tracks, trains and accessories to connect together so children can keep on creating and expanding their own little world, it’s also compatible with most other brands, helping you expand your collection without breaking the bank. We think this is the best train set for 2-year-olds.

Sand and water tables are popular amongst Mumsnet users and their toddlers, especially in the summer months. Perfect for keeping cool and getting outside, some parents report that their 2-year-olds even play withn it during the winter too.

Versatile, portable and easy to set up, this double-sided sand and water table includes moulds, a sand rake, a scoop and boats to enable hours of outdoor, screen-free fun. The set is brightly coloured can even be left outside in all weather thanks to the handy storage lid which will protect the sand from the elements.

The only downside is that sand is not included, so you’ll need to purchase play sand separately!

Related: 10 best water tables for exciting outdoor play

Tested & reviewed by Mumsnet editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our full Yoto Mini review.

Travelling with a 2-year-old can be challenging, but this small and portable audio player for kids can certainly take the stress out of car and plane journeys.

With an audio port for headphones, children can select from a range of Yoto cards (sold separately) and choose from a selection of stories, music, activities and even meditations to help keep them calm and comfortable during travel without relying on tablets.

The Yoto mini is small, lightweight and easy to carry, whilst providing educational and entertaining audio to listen to on the go.

Read next: Best garden slides for toddlers and beyond

Loads of moving parts and two characters make this set perfect for imaginative play. The tipper truck can fit DUPLO bricks or other small toys, while the excavator has a movable cabin and shovel.

The two vehicles are very easy to put together with just a few large pieces each. Your little one might like to combine the pieces with the rest of their DUPLO collection to personalise the trucks, or play with them as is - they're fun either way. DUPLO is pretty easy to clean, so these trucks would work well in a sand pit.

Read next: Best remote control cars for kids, test-driven by Mumsnetters