To buy a gift for this 2 yo and if so what?

[Whatsnewwithyou]

My good friend has just completed the adoption of a 2 year old boy and she's ecstatic about it. I think I should buy them a little gift for Christmas (even though my friend and I usually only exchange cards) and also to celebrate his adoption. I have found a great little gift for my friend but am stumped about what to buy a 2 year old boy.

AIBU to ask for ideas? Something light because they live overseas, and it can't be a book because they're not English speakers (they're French and live in France).

I was thinking some cute little monster paw slippers I saw in Mark's and Spencer's but am worried he might trip over the claws. I don't have children so I'm not good at figuring out what they might want - please help and thank you!

What about an english book. My 2 year old loves dear zoo. Light and easy to post.

My 2 year old has a book in french and german. She loves them. Dont rule it out!

The Snowman - there are no words in the book, just pictures, and it's very English.

Other ideas:

• nice pyjamas (JojoMamanBebe does lovely ones).

• a sign for his bedroom door with his name on it (again, Jojo do nice wooden ones), would be post-able.

• a height chart.

• on the name theme, you can buy things like little trains with each carriage being a letter of the alphabet.

How about a nice dressing monogrammed with little ones new initials
It’s a nice present and nicely acknowledges him being part of the family

My 2 year old loves jigsaws, duplo, toy animals, anything she can pretend to cook and serve food/drink in - so tea set, toy saucepans etc. Oooh! She got a toy pizza made of felt for her 2nd birthday, and served pizza to everyone for weeks. Melissa & Doug, I think, but pretty sure MIL got it in TK Maxx. That would be v light and easy to post.

What about stickers? Kids that age love stickers (from my experience) and you could get some 'English' style ones to send, or maybe a sticker scene book. My 2 year old loves that kind of thing and very light to post. Duplo is also very popular for that age group, or send a 'v-tech toot toot' taxi or bus. Very English but you don't need to speak English to love them!

Do you know what size his feet are for the slippers?

What about a toddler peg jigsaw?

Struggling to understand why people think an English book would be a good gift for a French child

Why are people suggesting English style things and English books?

We don't even know op is English and even if she /he was why would a French child want specifically English style things.

Honestly, I don’t think it matters what you choose, I’m sure she’ll love it- it’s a really lovely thought.

Peepo book.

Such a lovely book and one I really enjoyed reading to my two.

Can you send them a small but good quality picture frame, with a note explaining how it's for a special photo of the 3 of them? (Sorry, I'm boring!!l)

For the little boy, there's some great suggestions already. I would add looking at joules for things like lovely socks or a top. They have fun kids stuff.

A special bauble for the Christmas tree to keep as a memory and a Jellycat toy.

My 2yo loves playdough. It's fun and fairly light so easy to post. You can get little sets with shapes/cutters.

When are you wanting to buy the present? The reason I say this is because Magnificent Stanley makes initial tops however the shop is shut till after Christmas due to demand (and they take 3 weeks to make)

Alternatively you can get personalised pull trains - www.notonthehighstreet.com/percyandnell/product/personalised-wooden-train?istCompanyId=aa76f5e6-d733-4e56-8409-574cea196cc9&istItemId=wtqtrrrrim&istBid=t&DGMKT=FID__TID_pla-486107025817_PID_761949&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4paml7ic3wIVCrvtCh3DZwpyEAQYASABEgJZ0_D_BwE

How about a French book then? Something like this which is a French edition of a popular English series that she may not be familiar with, but a 2-year old would love:

www.little-linguist.co.uk/ou-est-mon-renne.html

Unless you are buying every year, I'd style it as an adoption present. Buying this Christmas sets a precedent and. Ight make her feel obliged to reciprocate.

I'd get a nice book (surely Amazon does French kids books), something they can read together at night

Thanks all, I'm leaning towards the Duplo sets - I didn't know these existed and there are some very cute ones on the web site.

If anyone's interested the gift I'm getting for my friend is this... someone gave me one and I love it so I've ordered one for her, toowww.naturisimo.com/products.cfm?id=3264&

Oops
www.naturisimo.com/products.cfm?id=3264&

Excellent point, @SleepStandingUp I will do exactly that!

Mr (or Mrs) Potato head. Hours of fun and translates into any language!

Have a go at navigating the amazon france page if you want to save the hassle of posting!

How lovely! They will be delighted with anything that has the child's name on. The little name train things that two pp' s have suggested are lovely. We got them for our boys. :-)

We had a Swedish picture book and the giver had handwritten on each page a translation. Made it lovely and personal.

Ok now I'm leaning towards the train! Thank you again.

When my dad was born, my colleague gave her a personalised toy with her date of birth, weight, name etc on. Perhaps you could get something with his adoption date on and his new name?

My 2 year old likes:
Kitchen pretend play toys
His doll. (Imaginatively called ‘Doll’).
Duplo and Mega blocks
Painting/colouring
Threading toys
The Melissa and Doug latches board
And a few board games for toddler- Haba make a few, then there’s Where Bear and Monkey Around and Chugg Choo Choo by Peacable Kingdom.