2 year old presents!

[solania]

I have a DS who will be 2 just after Christmas, he’s very vehicle oriented and loves building toys (megablox, duplo and wooden blocks, rings ect) and drawing/painting crafty things.

I’m trying to think of things that will encourage his nurturing, caring side (he is very compassionate but currently not showing a lot of interest in soft toys, dolls ect) and his imagination. He’s just starting to get into pretend people like Playmobil so I think this sort of thing might be a new avenue of play for him.

I’ve thought of a dolls house but not sure, but I’m a bit in a rut of buying him cars, tractor puzzles, bus/digger games ect as it’s his main interest, so can anyone inspire me with some non duplo, non vehicle ideas for helping his development and imagination please? Thanks!

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Have a look at the Babipur site. They do lots of wooden toys suitable for toddle I think it is overpriced but they certainly have very enthusiastic supporters on their Facebook page.

@TrickyD

Have a look at the Babipur site. They do lots of wooden toys suitable for toddle I think it is overpriced but they certainly have very enthusiastic supporters on their Facebook page.

Yes, they are rather out of my budget! 😂 we do have some nice wooden stuff but it's mostly FB marketplace or cheap knock offs! Thank you though 🙂

How about a Happy Land vehicle set that includes figures? Your son sounds very similar to mine. He's three now and has had lots of play out of a Happy Land bus and campervan.

FurReal Rex the dinosaur or Cubby the Bear

My boys will be 2 just before Xmas and love Happy Land stuff, there's also a thriving resale of it on places like Vinted and FB marketplace. You could get a mixture of vehicles and animals - zoo etc.

Also worth getting an inexpensive doll, pushchair and bits to go with it. It's OK if the cars spend more time being pushed round or if doll gets to ride his monster trucks.

Happyland from elc - my son used to loooove the pirate sets
Chad valley tots town - similar vein to happyland - zoos, emergency stations, vets, trains etc.

Some kind of sports set - there's small basketball hoops/goals for that age, I think by brands like little tikes, fisher price etc

A small play kitchen or tool bench?

So many votes for Happyland! I’ve just remembered we bought a bundle last Christmas but he didn’t show much interest then so they’ve gone to the back of the cupboard. I will get them back out with ceremony for Christmas I think 😂 and maybe I can get a couple more bits to go with them.

I like the idea of a buggy or pram for a doll, he likes pushing stuff around. He has a couple of lovely dolls but currently showing no interest in them, but maybe that will come in time.

I will look up the other suggestions, thank you!

See Amazon.

Also we have spent the morning playing making tea, which he loves doing, so I might expand that and get a set of mats/coasters and cutlery etc. Maybe some play food. And he’s just taken my brush while I was typing and come to brush my hair for me so perhaps some sort of hairdressing kit (2 year old appropriate 😂) would be a good choice.

Ooh lots of ideas, thank you!

Yes, Babipur is out of very many budgets. Some of the items are very “I saw you coming” and the adult clothes which get fawned over are horrific.
But they have a cult following.

IKEA do a great range of play food, affordable and nice quality. Great for playing picnics, shops etc and can go with other toys like play kitchen/chef stuff, picnic blanket, shopping basket, till, tea set etc for other birthdays/xmas. Our basket of toy food is one of our most used things.

I know you said not Duplo but we bought our son the Duplo modular playhouse it comes with a family and he loved it when he was that age.

@TrickyD

Yes, Babipur is out of very many budgets. Some of the items are very “I saw you coming” and the adult clothes which get fawned over are horrific. But they have a cult following.

You mean you don't want an all over radish print? 😂

I love the ethics of babipur, but couldn't afford much. Although I do love plan toys (and Grimms, but there's no way I'd spend that much).

Op, what about play food?

Definitely get the happyland back out, he won't remember

Also don't put pressure on yourself when he hasn't a clue. Mine are 3.5 and 1.5 and although the eldest is just starting to 'get' it, he has no expectations. I'm saving the money for the more expensive years

Most 2 year old i know are getting a wooden kitchen for Christmas. There are some really good value ones out there from places like aldi and IKEA. If you don't have space for a kitchen, then wooden play food is good in its own. Melissa and Doug do some great sets like pizza, birthday cake, ice cream parlour. Both of mine loved that sort of thing.

Aldi have got some really nice wooden play food bits just now. My 2-year-okd really likes the biscuits (taking them in and out of the box, mostly!) and little coffee machine, so I get a change from being served tea

Aldi wooden toys are fab and lots of small world and role playing stuff available.

What about a nice farm set - animals for the compassion side and tractors as well?

I was going to say happyland too. The stuff is indestructible and there are some lovely sets. Some of the most used things in my house have been toy food that can be cut and a till. My (older) 2yo is obsessed with play money. Play doh is also a hit.

It's not in your criteria I'm afraid but I've had three children and every one of them has loved this. It's also great for encouraging language- you can use prepositions, talk about numbers, colours, animals etc. It also grows with the child because they then learn to play the game and there's a matching skill involved. At first they just like opening/closing and posting the letters which is great for fine motor skills.

www.elc.co.uk/games-and-puzzles/learning-games/Early-Learning-Centre-Pop-It-In-The-Post/p/540791

I have a 2 year old boy, but he has older sisters so lots of 'girl' toys to play with. I'd say a kitchen if you don't already have one. I'm looking at this, although I suppose it's a bit like happyland: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RJXDT9H/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttfabcNQZVV0SQMY83AXMY3RTE??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Also, if not a wooden kitchen then Melissa and Doug do a nice sandwich making set and pizza making set:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073F94V74/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttfabcCDZY757QMJ15WP2VPG03??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

If he likes Duplo and your not sure about a doll house what about the Duplo modular house?

Comes with a family of people, some furniture pieces, a pet or two and can be built several ways

For nurturing purposes, how about farm animals and/or a toy farm/farm play mat? (Possibly with a tractor to pique interest?) Or zoo animals and/or a zoo?

I know you said not Duplo but they do some really nice smaller sets for that age like this: www.johnlewis.com/lego-duplo-10949-farm-animal-care/p5443624?sku=239852642&s_ppc=2dx92700061600032917&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1zOEtR3Tc2oBku94IkbzTQK_&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1zOEtR3Tc2oBku94IkbzTQK_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4rHCyfDy8wIVUOrtCh3QCQcREAQYBSABEgKToPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or maybe something like a Noah’s Ark?

We are looking at a scooter and a toy kitchen for DC2 (who has a birthday close to Christmas).

The two year olds I know love playing in the mud kitchen and love the pepos pig play sets and Happyland. There are some fab Duplo sets too.

DS had this farm and tractor set as a toddler and loved it. Might be something to encourage him to look after the animals? Be warned though it’s bloody loud .

This caring for animals set also looks really cute and seems to have good reviews.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions! We also have his birthday in December so I have twice as many things to think about 😅 but I now have a list of not too expensive ideas to give relatives. Thank you!