Ideas for my baby's birthday (she will be 2) please

[SleepySuzy]

Hi, has anyone got any brilliant ideas for my little princess. She is 2 on 6 January, and I don't want to waste my money on toys that end up in the bottom of my toy box. I am planning ahead, due to being on a fairly tight budget.

Obviously a fair bit to buy as it's just after christmas.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Both of MT's ideas are great and the cookers often come up second-hand in local papers (rather than £50 or so!). I'd add a doll's pushchair or pram and cot, if she likes dolls. Or how about a tricycle?

Yes i bought my dd a sand/water table for her 2nd birthday. She has loved it and uses it in all weathers. Got the Little Tikes one that closes up, the water section lifts up to act as a lid for the sand pit when not in use.

They are fab, aren't they? We just use it for water but it's been played with nearly every day since we got it (also for dd2's 2nd Birthday!).

my Ds's birthday is 6th Jan too...he will be..............15!!!!!

At 2 she probably wont notice.We used to get summer presants for him..toys for outside and toys to grow into as its along time 'till next presant intake!!!

Toy kitchen and play food
Doll's & accessoeries (pushchair, etc)
Aquadraw
Sand/water table
Easel

Oh, what about ELC's Happy Land. DD got that from about 18 months and she still plays with it now, at nearly 3.5 - really hard wearing too.

Wow! Thanks everyone for your fantastic ideas! I love em, keep em coming!

Suzy x

We have bought ds (2nd b-day coming up) a tea set. Cheap and loads of 'bits' so if you like to be tidy prob not great Also comes in nice big box to play with. Also he likes his shopping basket with bizarrely coloured plastic food in. Basket doubles as a hat which is good if you like taking photos of your child looking daft.

for my dd's 2nd bday in May we got her easel and bits, and my parents got her the fab keyboard in elc. it is so good. helps her put her musical energies into something!

for xmas we're thinking a trike, so that is also an option.

Hiya, my dd's best presents at 2 were teaset, play food, fuzzy felt, sand & water table, trike, bouncy castle and a little slide. HTH, Iona x

I'm loving these ideas, think I'll print them out for my family to pick from!!

DD turned two in June. The most successful presents were the till from ELC, the shopping basket and some plastic tins. She plays shops and loves playing with the money.
She was given fairy wings which were a big hit (also with her brother, aged 3!). Also a mermaid costume, which are reasonably priced from Woollies - both get played with a lot.
A tea set in a wicker style basket (around £4 from Asda) is a huge hit - plays tea with dolls a lot.
If she hasn't already got one, a doll's buggy is always popular.
An easel - we bought the Ikea one - £12. It has blackboard, whiteboard/magnetic board and paper on a roll.
Re kitchens etc, you could always try Ebay - there are often some bargains there.

Thanks for a great list. Definately gonna distribute this!

sleepysuzy, ds1 was 2 last Jan 11th. He was totally aware of the whole run up to Xmas thing, but when it actually got to Xmas day he was totally overwhelmed by the whole business and only opened two presents on the day (much to the disappointment of grandparents - he was the only grandchild then!). So we opened one present a day or sometimes none at all. It was late January before he finally opened his last present - our main gifts were: for Xmas the ELC tea set (£10) and that was going to be it, but then I won a MN comp and so he also got a fabulous farm for his birthday. But we weren't going to bother otherwise!

The tea set has been mentioned a lot, think I'll put that high on my list!

I can understand being overwhelmed, my dd gets a bit that way at my dp's parents. Bless them.

yes, he just couldn't cope. However, the countdown to his 3rd birthday started in, oh, February! I think it will be a different matter entirely this year. The tea set gets used daily for baking birthday cakes and throwing parties!

I can't wait now! And it's months away!

With b'day and christmas so close maybe you could get some things that were for the summer/garden? Friend of mine with 2 boys whose b'days are Oct and Jan has recived money/vouchers from grandparents in the past to buy summer things (eg sandpit) later in the year.

Only other things I'd add to list are scooter or cosy coupe type car. I'd never have believed ds could be into a scooter, but he whizzes about on his. He's 2 yr 4 months.

Ikea easel is not a huge hit here (thankfully I got it for a fiver at an NCT sale!).

Good idea, thanks!

With b'day and christmas so close maybe you could get some things that were for the summer/garden? Friend of mine with 2 boys whose b'days are Oct and Jan has recived money/vouchers from grandparents in the past to buy summer things (eg sandpit) later in the year.

Only other things I'd add to list are scooter or cosy coupe type car. I'd never have believed ds could be into a scooter, but he whizzes about on his. He's 2 yr 4 months.

Ikea easel is not a huge hit here (thankfully I got it for a fiver at an NCT sale!).

(sorry - phone rang, boy waking up and I got confused!)

No worries! My bambino's awake now, and I didn't do anything while she was asleep, and the house is a tip!