Small gift for 2.5 year old to play with at the table

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

It's not a Christmas one but I know people on this board are fab at gift ideas.
Friends are coming over for lunch with their daughter and her son who is just over 2 and a half.

I'd like to buy him a little something, ideally something he can play with while we're sat at the table as our lounge is being redecorated so we will sit in the dinting room before and after we've eaten. . I often buy sticker books or colouring books for other children but he's a little young for that. Thought about a book but never know what they have already. So many things aren't suitable for under threes. In times gone by I'd just have wandered round the ELC!

Any ideas? £5 ish, £10 max as don't want to embarrass them.
Thanks

Water wow by Melissa and Doug?

You can get magnetic board books - we have a snail and a whale one and a building site one. We also have one where you have make silly faces. Sticker books are good but you need an adult to participate.
Maybe an orchard toys matching game.

@yourfavouritemuggle

Water wow by Melissa and Doug?

That looks great but I feel he's a little young for that? Or have you used with 2.5 year olds - happy to be educated!

@Idontgiveagriffindamn

You can get magnetic board books - we have a snail and a whale one and a building site one. We also have one where you have make silly faces. Sticker books are good but you need an adult to participate. Maybe an orchard toys matching game.

Magnetic books sound good, will Google. I wouldn't get sticker books for a child this young.

Yep the water books are great, Galt do them too. They feel like they're colouring but no need to be neat and no mess!

Water wow is fantastic. No mess, endless repetition.

Magnetic books and water painting books are both good! What about fuzzy felt, too?

A 2.5 yo would easily be able to do it without constant help from an adult.

Jigsaws

The magic water colouring books are great, I also recommend those. Popper toys like these also seem to go down bizarrely well. Can’t see the appeal but for little ones it seems that once they pop they can’t stop. www.amazon.co.uk/UK-STOCK-Fidget-Adults-Bubble-Special/dp/B09CH85Y62?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Are they possible regular visitors? Or do you have other young people visiting? I'd be inclined to visit a carboot / charity shop and buy a selection of things to make a toybox to keep at your house rather than a single 'gift' that they may or may not like (and even if they do like it, at age two it's unlikely to occupy them for more than a few minutes).

Think wooden blocks, Duplo, Sticklebricks, water pen / aqua doodle / chunky toy cars etc.

I tend to just get sticker books for the 2.5 year old I know. He seems to manage them fine, but I guess it depends on the child.

@careerchangeperhaps

Are they possible regular visitors? Or do you have other young people visiting? I'd be inclined to visit a carboot / charity shop and buy a selection of things to make a toybox to keep at your house rather than a single 'gift' that they may or may not like (and even if they do like it, at age two it's unlikely to occupy them for more than a few minutes).

Think wooden blocks, Duplo, Sticklebricks, water pen / aqua doodle / chunky toy cars etc.

I would definitely do that if there were regular visitors. This little one lives a long way away so won't see him very often at all. I'd like this to be a little gift he can take away. Water or magnetic books sound good if people are sure they're ok for that age

When my son was 2.5 he used them independently. It's water in a pen and the colours appear when they scribble on it, he used to his it all the time when we went for meals etc. x

@yourfavouritemuggle

When my son was 2.5 he used them independently. It's water in a pen and the colours appear when they scribble on it, he used to his it all the time when we went for meals etc. x

Sounds perfect - thank you and to all for your suggestions.

Our DD got given some crayola magic pens that you use with specific paper and the colour appears but it won't show on normal paper or walls/furniture. Absolute genius and she loves them.

She isn't quite 2.5 and she does love a sticker book too but you have to keep more of an eye so she doesn't stick them to other things (she generally just wants to put them onto paper but always a risk!)

@ContadoraExplorer you’re lucky! At 2 my DD ADORED stickers but they rarely went anywhere near any paper 😂 Doorframes, walls, toys, furniture, spines of books, herself…everything was fair game for stickers 🤣

@foxgoosefinch 😆 always a risk but her gran has her pretty well trained in where she sticks them! It's more climbing or jumping on/off things we have to be really careful about with her 🙈🙈🙈

A selection of fidget toys would be good too.
www.amazon.com/Fidget-Sensory-Bundle-Stress-Stretchy/dp/B086W85D7P/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=quiet+toys&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1637643634&sr=8-13

2 year olds love stickers! Most sruff says not for under threes but I think that is due to insurance. Most under 3s I know have such things. As long as the parents thinks it is appropriate and they are supervised (which kids that age are) they are fine.

The Little First Sticker books are fine for that age as the stickers are really easy to take off. DD has been using them since she was 2 and can do it all by herself. There's even a specific Christmas one. They do end up on a lot of stuff though. She likes to stick them on me

2.5 definitely isn't too young for colouring or sticker books! Most toddlers enjoy from about 1.5, some earlier but a pretty safe bet 1.5+

Magic slate. Cheap, portable and hours of fun!