Best toys / games for 2 year olds?

[CravingSunshine]

Please can I pick your brains? I haven't refreshed my collection of rather tired-looking plastic for 8 months so I don't blame him for being a little bored. Today he was standing on the edge of his wooden playpen (heart-failure moment) so I think he needs some new entertainment. I need him to be in there for a bit whilst I shower as I have a crawling 9mo as well to contain.
His favourites have been:
ELC post box
http://www.elc.co.uk/Fisher-Price-Laugh-and-Learn-Piggy-Bank/115599,default,pd.html piggy
trollies /things to push
and a few teddies, cars, old plastic credit cards, coins.
It's always been hard to entertain him as he doesn't sit still and loses interest after about 30 seconds.
We have got him House of Locks but not given it to him yet.
Is there anything else magical out there? What do you think of Playmobil toys?

happyland toys are lovely and long lasting. my 5 yr old still plays with hers dollshouse and we added a farm for dd2 so they play together now.
aquadraw are good.
board books.
wooden train set.
jigsaws.

Thank you, family, I'll look at Happyland and Aquadraw. Never had much look with wooden toys as he chucks the bits behind the radiator... sigh

what is a house of locks?

I have a 2 year old (well nearly!) who is obsessed with keys and locks and that sounds like something he'd love! x

I found out about it on MN. It's this. Quite pricey so I hope he likes it... What does your DS like?

My little boy, nearly 3, loves his duplo and any little animals and cars. He also loves puzzles and if you have the time simple games like Scardy Cat and If you see a crocodile (both Orchard toys). I have found wow toys to be a big hit, no batteries and hard wearing.

Thanks Mrs CF, I'm looking at Wow right now. Have you tried Playmobil? My brother used to love them but can't remember if that was when he was older and started constructing his own 'towns' etc.

My 2.1yo plays endlessly with his train set and collection of Thomas trains.

He is also really into his marble run set. He can't build it himself but asks for it to be built every day (it can be built in lots of different ways) and spends time dropping marbles into it.

He also likes his 'hopperz' bouncy ride on, his collection of schliech (sp?) animals, a puppet mouse we have and his books.

Umm, just re-read your post and realised it needs to go in a play-pen. Don't think any of what I suggested would fit the bill. TBH I don't think there's any way I could contain/ entertain my DS in a playpen now!

EBD I don't think I can contain him in the playpen any longer either as today I found him standing on the precipice - he had used his mailbox to climb up and perch... I guess I want to try and spark his imagination. He hasn't been particularly inspired by any toys ever, bar the few I've mentioned, and although I go out twice a day and take him for a runaround outdoors I'd really like for him to play happily with a bit of absorption in something at home.
What does your DS do with his Schleich animals? I found a cat of said brand stuck in our (inherited)sofa but hadn't considered them before.

He mainly pretends to make them walk around the place and find stuff to eat. He lines them up or 'pidgeon holes' them (like putting one on each step, or one on each slot of the bookshelf). There is the odd fight. He likes the really tiny ones like chicks and will spend time putting them into individual shot glasses pots.

It's really all about the Thomas trains here though. He pours over the 'collectors poster' with all the take and play trains on it geek.

I live in a really small house and I have gates on the kitchen and stairs and have toddler proofed the living area in between as well as I can. Now, I shower quickly with the door open and just let him potter with cbeebies on. I actually think he is safer like that than if I put him in a space that he would try to escape from. Maybe not so easy with a baby in the mix.

My just 2yo DD likes: duplo, playmobil, dolls and doll accessories (bed has been a smash hit, keeps her occupied for hours), building blocks, drawing and sticking stickers. She also loves puzzles, puzzle books are very good, pull along toys, and finger puppets, which are surprisingly absorbing considering there's not much to them. She enjoys her keyboard and Has also started with a few baby board games, but those obviously need and adult to play too. She also really likes cleaning. I got her a dustpan and brush for her birthday but she can happily wash down cupboards and floors with an old rag.I'd say the winners by far at the moment are Lego and the dolls bed.

Oh yes, Yika reminded me that DS loves his broom and dustpan and brush and sweeps a lot. Long may that last.

DS (2.5) loves his big box of Duplo - we bought a base board too to make it easier to build towers - his wooden train track (we have a cheapy one from Ikea), anything involving cars (we have a fair few lorries, tankers, race cars, police cars etc), his jigsaws (which we have to do with him to keep him concentrating, but he really enjoys them), magnetic letters, sticker books, books in general....

Thanks for all the brilliant ideas. I wonder us there a base board for Megabloks as we have a bag of them but the towers always fall over on carpet.

My son is two and a half and loves Schleich animals, wooden railway, Take N Play Thomas trains (not bothered about the playsets though, Wow toys, Fisher Price Little People, books with sounds, Tag Junior and most musical things.

I particularly recommend Wow toys (can be found on Amazon) we have a couple and he loves the helicopter and fire engine best right now. Tag Junior has also been a massive hit, he plays with it every day.