to ask for help choosing a present?

[Hotpinkparade]

This really shouldn't be so difficult but I'm totally flummoxed. I've gone back and forth on loads of different things - I don't have kids, and am aware that loads of toys that look fun end up being total tat that breaks or never gets played with.

My nephew turns 2 next week. He likes playing outdoors, taking things apart and seeing how they work. His mum prefers wooden toys to plastic, and nothing too huge - unless it's an outdoor toy, then size is less of an issue. They have a big garden. His parents push him towards toys related to vehicles/tractors/farming, but tbh I think this is more their interest than his at this point so not a requirement really.

Can any of you recommend toys your kids have had and loved? Budget around £40ish.

Balance bike
Micro mini scooter
Toy food (le toy van do nice wooden things)

Melissa and Doug have a good range of toys.
Another suggestion is a day out with your DN, it could become a nice tradition.

Mud kitchen. Or a Scooti.

Wooden toolbench, it's actually also a walker/push along but my 5yo still plays with it sometimes playing fixing/mechanic/engineering type role play games.

Or what about loads of crafty stuff? Stickers, card, paper, colouring book, feathers, paint pens, stamps, crayons, chalk, washable felt tips, googly eyes, tissue paper, etc. At turning 2 their attention span will be very short but they can start to do stuff like that in short bursts and will use it more as they get older too, from 2.5 both mine have loved that kind of thing.

Thanks for suggestions everyone! I thought about a scooter/balance bike, but think a first bike is something his dad would probably like to buy for him. Plus the good quality ones are maybe a bit out of my price range!

Googling Melissa and Doug now...

Love the idea of a craft box! Not the sort of thing his parents would necessarily think of but I think he'd love it.

amzn.eu/d/29MSXb8

Slightly over budget but the Melissa and Doug ice cream set has been such a huge hit!

wheelbarrow

We have one of these but it's hardly used. What does your LO do with it?

amzn.eu/d/hkO7LDU

This Bosch car is brilliant! My boys had from age 2, though technically it's age 3+. Hours of fun using the 'drill' to take wheels off and put them back on!

@pambeesleyhalpert we didn't have one but they loved it when we would find them at playgroups etc. Balancing and rocking on it etc

Was going to suggest the same thing, every child who visits our house goes straight for it and my DD must have made THOUSANDS of ice creams since she got it for Christmas.

Ditto! Coming on to say exactly the same! This will be a toy loved for years. Beautiful too.

A Melissa and Doug tool set sounds a good idea- or this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-Latches-Developmental-Construction/dp/B0026ZPTYY/ref=ascdff_B0026ZPTYY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310813294976&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12372683617686027540&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006656&hvtargid=pla-383090254949&psc=1&mcid=7f495d1295b6308899c203044b268d91&th=1&psc=1

Toy food related things are favourites here. Toy kitchen, pans, toaster, tea set, wooden veg that you chop in half with a wooden knife, ice cream stand mention by others, plastic food etc. There are pizza sets, salad sets, all kinds of cool wooden variations.

I think 2 is a bit young for a craft box. It would be good when he's 4 or 5. Younger than that they can't do anything without help, lose interest quickly and the amount of mess doesn't justify the parental effort.

Other good options would be a toy pram, car garage, Duplo, wooden train set, outdoor things such as sand and water table, mud kitchen, ride on toys

Thanks so much everyone, love all these ideas!

I love the look of the Bosch car, and also have a soft spot for the ice cream set - other family members have the same one and it seems to get played with lots! Might go for that as I feel like his parents will buy him lots of car-type toys and fewer pretend play things, and I have an Amazon voucher I can use to bring it in budget.

My DCs got a lot of mileage out of wooden magnetic cogs at that age. Fitting them together on the freezer and gradually got more sophisticated as they learned, then turning the top one and watching the other turn at different speeds.

My son has the Melissa & Doug wooden ice cream set and still plays with it often. He's 3 coming up for 4. I bought it for his second birthday.

Magnetic tiles have been the biggest hit with my two from about 2 onwards. My 3yo makes lots of garages for his cars with them despite owning a perfectly good toy garage.

Builders tool belt and toy kitchen things have also been big hits.

My DS lived his wooden train set - the Brio type. We added to it over the years. It was the one thing that he consistently played with.

Mud kitchen.
Sand/water play table ready for the summer.
Sand pit.
Slide.
Swing.
Paddling pool and toys.
Goalpost and football.