Inexpensive things that look more for 2.5 year old

[Itsamumone]

We have got him a bike already, and it’s more than we intended to spend (it’s a good one) 😥 So now I’m just thinking he’s going to walk in on Christmas morning to only one gift. What else could we get him that would be exciting for him but not end up another couple of hundred pounds

Some crayons and a colouring book.
Some chocolate coins.etc

Seems like they're all gone😫 I was planning to get one of the train sets. None in local store so I looked online again and says unavailable!

Argos are doing their 2 for £15, loads on there. Otherwise...
Car mat
Duplo
Play food & basket
Little till
Jigsaws

The Works often have jigsaws on offer. They do 10 books for £10 too. Tesco has a toy sale on at the moment too, I got a few bits for my nearly 3 year old the other day. We’ve had some good finds on Facebook marketplace place so worth a look (we got loads of toot toot cars and track for £30….probably worth about £200 new, we gave it a clean and our little boy had no idea it wasn’t brand new).

What about practical items such as an umbrella and new welly boots?

The Works has some good offers on at the moment.

also Mum2Mum markers are brilliant for second hand toys

Play kitchen? Pick one up on marketplace or charity shop and set it up ready to play with in the living room - you could always add a bow or drape a bit of wrapping paper over it

The Works do 10 books for £10.

Does he have a train track? You could buy a couple of trains to add to it.

Aldi have some small duplo sets at the moment for a reasonable price.

some playdoh?

some colouring things?

some small cars?

A cardboard box and some balloons!

Have you got a lidl nearby? They're also having a wooden toy week, loads of train stuff and food stuff when I went earlier today. I picked up a remote control train and a big suspension bridge for my 2 year old.

Also have a 2.5 year old and I don't want anything giant, and she doesn't need anything. But I'd love to get something she LOVED that will make her face light up on Xmas morning like last year when she got a doll. It's tricky!

Oh no! Have you got an ikea near you? Their train sets are pretty good!

Lidl has a cute wooden train set for £12.
The Elefun game looks very expensive but is reasonable and hours of fun.

Crayons or chunky pencils
Colouring book
Sticker book
Duplo (maybe a secondhand bundle!)
Light up wellies (do not underestimate how happy this will make your toddler!)
Paint or paint sticks are fun - they’d be super amazing to use on one of those colour in your own house etc.
Books
Cars/tractors/ trains tend to be fun for most toddlers around that age too….!

Have a look at home bargains! They have lots of toys and all really good price it’s usually my go to for children’s birthday party gifts

We got a massive box from the furniture shop for free and we had great fun coloring and playing. Happy days. Miss them being little.

I've done loads of second hand things for my kids over the years, but a good new one recently was a little toddler basketball hoop for my 2 year olds birthday. It was reduced at the end of the Summer from about £35 to £10 and is big, and lots of fun. It came with a ball but I also bought a little baby shark ball which she's loved.

what are your little ones interests? I would use that as a guide. it can be quite cheap at this age so my recommendations would be

wooden train set (can be added to over the years also with a car track)
colouring books/art set
selection box
a ball
cars or garage set
a book or small set Think poundland, home bargains. Especially for fav characters
plush toy
bath toy as usually need replacing due to mold being caught up inside.
fav character cup or plate set

My daughter will be 2.5 yrs and I've got her colouring in books and some finger painting books from Hobbycraft.

At that age they have no concept of value. Poundland is good for stocking fillers, and second hand from charity shop or eBay for the rest. Mine loved wooden cooking toys

This op.
Check your fb marketplace for some wooden play kitchen or Lego duplo.
Mine loved books at that age especially the pop up books.

Light up wellies or trainers.

Spinning top toy- again huuuuge favourite.

I remember I got them rocking horse from charity shop for a fiver and they loved it.

Anything sensory at this age is a great hit really and it really doesn't need to be a brand new op, that's the magic of this age.
Save your money for upcoming age, that's the real struggle believe me.;)

I think a decent bike is worth it. We bought Ds his first running bike for 2nd birthday, it’s a decent brand and really lightweight. He was off like a rocket on it Within days. Recently he borrowed a friends when we travelled to them, he’s now 3.5 years and he struggled with it as it was heavy in comparison he couldn’t lift and move it himself despite the fact he’s been doing that 18 months at home.

For additional items I would look secondhand for things that can be added to, like duplo, brio track or similar. You can add to any current collection you have or start new one

Hobby craft have big cardboard play houses/boats ect for £10.00

Den building set with the straws that connect into the balls. You can get little straws or the big straws depending on their dexterity. My son LOVED his den building set at that age. It’s was only £12 I think from Aldi. Literally loved it until we then bought him the little straws as he could do more with them.

like this: https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/activity-toys/build-your-own-den---75-piece-kit/5052089185500.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqP2pBhDMARIsAJQ0CzoFxpmo1UXRyh3qx939b0X848eYStj7GX9ENKVbQb-pYuadrxD8kPkaAi9uEALw_wcB

He also loved monster trucks at this age and at nearly 7 still plays with them. They’re chunky so great for little hands. They’re £4/5 each. Check marketplace for those too.

He also loved all his wood playfood at that age and only just let me sell it recently aged 6.5. Aldi are selling a little wooden checkout so just get some playfood for it so you can play shops if he hasn’t got anything like that.