If your child was 2 or so last Christmas...

[TwinsAndTrifle]

Hello our DTwins will be two at Christmas (one boy, one girl) and just wondering of any success stories, regarding things to put in stockings, main presents, trips or activities?

They're sort of at that age where they'll engage and enjoy things, but too young to have any real notion of Father Christmas, or any real desire for a particular present.

They love The Snail and The Whale, so have a plush toy and a sticker book. The boy has the Playmobil bus from the bargain thread. I love to plan early, so any recommendations or tips most welcome.

Thank you x

I've got a little girl and her main present from us was a play kitchen from ASDA with some fruits, veggies and utensils and she loves it. I also got her lots of books and she got a hetti hoover, musical tractor and an easel with chalks and 'pen paints'. Her stocking was filled with stickers for crafts and a little my little pony type thing and a hair brush for her to brush her hair and the ponies. Not sure about boys I'm afraid but I'm sure they all like similar types of things!

Bubbles in his stocking. Wooden Melissa & Doug car transporter toy (the cars are brio compatible). Clothes actually went down well - he just wanted to wear them ASAP!

A doll house is a big hit here (dd was two boxing day) and a trampoline. She has also recently really got in to duplo and loves her doll pram, cot and high chair.

Bigger slide outside was also a hit this Easter.

She loves a little toy animal carrier she had to carry around her stuffed dog

My ds loved his paw patroller and his ride on digger. Still playing with both regularly 6 months later which is impressive tbh.

When DD was nearly 2 at Xmas we got her a wooden train set (the IKEA one) and lots of play food, kitchen accessories and a till (again, IKEA came in very useful here!) We already had a secondhand play kitchen. She's now 3.5 and all still gets played with very regularly. Duplo also a big hit.

My daughter was 2.5yo last Christmas.

She received (from family etc too):

Duplo
Playmobil
Playdoh
Dressing up outfits
Books - Mainly Julia Donaldson and Elmer
Sticker books
Doll
Tonie box
Puzzles - Peppa, and the tiger who came to tea

And in her stocking I put (I had a list in my phone so copied):

Hair clips
Hair bobbles
Peppa toothbrush
Enamel cup
Some cars
Stickers
Some Peppa pants
A couple of little bits from Flying tiger - a mini water book and a mini sticker book
Bubble bath
Bath sponge

DGS was 2 and a bit at Xmas and tbh he was overwhelmed with the presents on the day and didn’t open many. He wasn’t unhappy but it was just all a bit much. He enjoyed the run up to Xmas more and DD says she wishes she’d let him open some smaller gifts across advent with his calendar etc as he’d have enjoyed that.

He got an add on slide for his Pikler triangle climbing frame, wooden animals, books, a farm set and some peppa toys.

He really liked his bubble machine too and a toy story mini backpack.

DS was 2yr 3 months and loved the ice cream cart we got him.

We did a santa visit to a local charity one, he loved it, and while I doubt he full understood it, he had a great time there.

We'd read stories with Santa in it that prepared him. Stickman book has a great santa in it!!

Ice cream cart for sure. Even my older child loves this and he’s 5.

Bubbles were the most popular present in DS stocking. Stickers and books also, and some mini Bing figures.

At that age we got DD a wooden train set as her main Christmas present, and it ended up possibly the most played with toy we ever had. She literally had it out daily for three or four years! It was a big set from John Lewis but it was just as good quality as Brio (only cheaper), and it was so worth the money. A joint present maybe for both?

Other things that were a hit at that age - Duplo, Happyland, stickers, IKEA kitchen, felt fruits and pans. Bath toys and boats. Rag dolls and soft toys.

In her stocking at that age I put:
Soft toy (a penguin I think)
Light up bath ducks (these were a BIG hit but they don’t last long! You can get light up dolphins and clownfish too if you look around). Bath toys are a big hit still at this age!
Light up bouncing ball (not a small bouncy ball, a bigger rubber one)
IKEA finger puppets
Bath crystals that pop and change colour
Large chocolate coin
Satsuma
Wooden animal puzzle from Tiger

Is there something from Playmobil, around the same size as the bus, that your DD would like? I just bought that bus for my nephew who’ll be two at Christmas, but my DD would have loved it at that age!

What about something like this Playmobil horse trailer for your DD?

Playmobil 70181 1.2.3 Car with Horse Trailer for Children 18 Months+ www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JMD55NX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6DJJJ4MVXWBSK3GFGGEQ?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Oh and the light up bath ducks were from Tiger, which is fantastic for stocking fillers and bubbles and so on. (Actually I forgot the bubbles, I put those in DD’s stocking too at that age.)

Playmobil all the way here, all played with daily. Also one of those road map rugs has been a hit. He had a kitchen and food for his birthday in November and loves that still, but even more popular is a kind of shop/ Ice cream cart!!

In his stocking, we put poundland lorry and elf rich he adores! Stickers and toothbrush/ toothpaste etc

I can’t get a link to work for some reason, but it was the 120-piece wooden John Lewis train set on their website that we got for DD, about £60; and I can say without reservation that it was fantastic. The quality is great, you can buy lots of additional pieces and it’s compatible with Brio and other similar sets.

My boy was two and three months last Christmas.
He got mostly diggers and figures (knights, dragons, animals) which he is still obsessed with and plays with every day. I also got him the ELC castle for his knights and dragon figures to go in.
Also books with sound buttons.
A knight sword and shield.

IKEA kitchen with play food / pans / tea set etc a massive hit and is played with most days, also the ice cream cart (leap frog I think). Ride on digger also went down well, We also got things we can add to for future Christmas and birthdays like wooden train track (started with brio but added from big jigs off Amazon (and they do loads of great toys) duplo and playmobil - some good deals on Amazon

For stocking presents, we’ve done things like small soft toy like mr dinosaur, chocolate coins, a slinky, ball, harmonica, bubbles

For Christmas Eve box we do pjs, chocolate, Christmas dvd, Christmas book, Christmas craft (cheap thing from asda like making a decoration), the Christmas plate for Santa and a Christmas decoration that they then hang on the tree

Another thing we did one year was a play Mobil advent calendar which had farm animals but also Santa, sleigh and reindeer. The farm animals are out with the rest of the toys but the Santa, sleigh and reindeer go away and come back out with the Christmas decorations and cause great excitement each year !

His sister was 3 and she got a Tonie box which he also loves to use. He takes it to the bathroom to listen to a story when he does his “big poo”
I’d recommend the tonie box. It will also help relatives with gift ideas (a tonie)

A toy kitchen was a winner here, with some of the wooden food you can cut from Melissa and Doug. A balance bike wasn't a winner on the day, but goy so much use in the year that followed.

Ooh watching this thread with interest. My DS will be 2 years 2 months at Christmas and I'm interested to know how much interest he is likely to take/what activities I can do with him.

So far I've booked a lights evening at a local national trust place. I'll probably book a santa visit too, but a low key one rather than a fancy train ride.

I was thinking of introducing an advent calendar this year. Is he too young?

I think mine will be too young to understand anything, but they'll enjoy everything.

Who doesn't like to open a little door and be presented with a pretty picture or a chocolate. I don't think it matters too much if they know they're counting down to Christmas Day.

Well....that's how I'm going to play it. And great idea about a light trail, mine would love that! Thank you!

ds absolutely loved the leapfrog ice cream truck.
I think pick a few presents but don’t go overboard as it can get really overwhelming!

Stocking fillers that were a hit were:
Schleich animal figures
Bubbles
Colouring book and crayons
Bath toys

Also it’s not a present but DS loves the CBeebies pantos that come on around Christmas, and also the Julia Donaldson books have been made into short films that are on bbciplayer.

@StevieNix we have The Snail and The Whale on daily. So much so, that DD now gasps in time with the snail

Can't wait to see which one they do this Christmas!

You will be surprised at 2 DD1 could let me Santa Claus brought presents of toys and sweeties. DD2 2nd birthday soon and she knows she will have a cake, balloon and a present. They catch on quickly to these things but they have low expectations as to the number of gifts and they are easily overwhelmed.

Two is a good age for a scooter and helmet, make believe toys, tea sets, doctors kits, builders kit, arts and craft things, buggy and doll.

Don’t put anything messy in their stocking unless you are happy for them to make a lot of mess on Christmas morning. I vividly remember the cheap stamp and ink pad set.

Melissa and Doug pizza shop has been the biggest hit!