Fun educational toys for 2yo

[The3Bears]

ds2 is 2yo and will not sit still for 2 minutes apart from to play with cars, I have lots of books and peg puzzles, threading beads etc but can anyone else recommend anything that might hold his attention for longer and help him with his learning that I can do with him??

[caz18b]

My 2 year old gets bored very easily and she also loves to learn new things (we don't force this on her, she just seeks it out). She has really loved more difficult puzzles (beyond the peg puzzle types) especially large floor puzzles like this Alphabet floor puzzle She enjoys doing the puzzle (with help) and also learning the letters and finding the items etc

[maxandprincess]

I have a 2 year old one and it's basically what she wants. She also like to play with cars and i have included wooden blocks a couple of times, building bridges for the cars and streets. She liked that a lot. You may also try some tool toys. Kids tend to like them. At least my little one. Last few toys we bought at //www.greenbeekids.co.uk as we don't like flashy toys - they are least educational.

[SBGA]

My DS also had speech delay at that age, turned out he had severe glue ear on both sides. I felt terrible as he appeared to hear ok and it was only when he started nursery that someone noticed he had obvious deficit. He caught up and overtook his peers once his hearing resolved so no worries there.

[Justgotosleepnow]

And on a ridiculous personal note, my DH only ever played with cars. He is now an automotive engineer. He is so into cars it's crazy
So maybe your son will be in F1 one day and you can embarrass him with tales of you getting referred for car obsessions when we was little

[Justgotosleepnow]

Inconceivable those are great extra toys to add to the list!

Glad you have been having fun op

How about you do some little videos on your phone of what he can do, the week before your check up appointment? Then if he's unsure of the room you can show where he's at.

And maybe if he is speech delayed then you might get referred? This could only be a good thing, right?

Also, HV are the first line of 'authority' that we parents get in contact with. So if they pick up stuff they absolutely have to do check ups & refer. Although this can cause you stress I know. So go armed with videos, or ask the HV to come to your house instead, explaining he didn't feel comfortable in her meeting room.

Don't worry & keep playing!

[SBGA]

Don't ever take away his cars if he enjoys playing with them!!!! It's do valuable, my DS is starting school and spends hours linking cars up, playing his imaginary racing games. It's vital for him and you're completely right to allow him access to a game like that if he shows an interest.

I bet your obviously inexperienced HV has no children of her own!

[inconceivableme]

My 2 yr old DS likes:

ELC trucks that join with magnets

an empty spray bottle filled with water that he uses to ' clean ' with a cloth outside

a cheap kitchen scales to weigh small toys, and dry pasta etc when playing ' cooking'

blocks of any kind - wooden, duplo, mega bloks etc - build, group by colour/shape, count etc - or try to!

a doll - to wash, feed, change nappy, dress etc

IKEA plastic tool set - to 'fix' his cozy coupe car etc

HTH

[The3Bears]

Thank you for the lovely comments, yes we've had a great day today I even managed to get him to sit down for longer than 5 minutes and do a peg puzzle together while saying the names of the animals, he loved it and keeps going back to do it again and again. He wasn't repeating the names of the animals but were on day one and I'm sure in time he'll be able to say them without any help from me.
We've also been playing with some toy food putting it in and out of a bag and saying what each items called which he seemed to enjoy, I'm going to try the ideas with the cars tomorrow and can't wait I'm sure he'll love it.

I just feel under so much pressure from some silly HV and that something must be wrong as he isn't talking yet, I never had the 2y check with ds1 and never had any worries that he was delayed and eventually he just started talking (and never stopped) it just seemed so wrong to make a 2yo who I still class as my baby to perform these things in front of a complete stranger in a unfamiliar room, fingers crossed he speech comes along in the next 3 months as thats when we have to go back

[Justgotosleepnow]

How is it going today?
Hope you are having fun playing!

[EstellaSpitsEmOut]

What an awful HV. Please know that you are not a bad mother and you are doing everything just fine. My 2yr old DS would probably act the same in that situation as he's very shy around strangers - we should have our check soon. And he still has a bottle of milk when he first wakes up!

I like the comment above about talking him through the play. Interacting with him and making up scenarios is great educational play. Have fun today!

[The3Bears]

I know Ive been terribly upset since we got home and worrying that I've been doing everything wrong (his speech is delayed, but ds1 was the same and has since caught up)
Im not going to take his cars away at all he loves them and he's still had his bedtime bottle tonight.


Thank you for the list we have all those things around the house anyway so i'll get them out tomorrow.

[Justgotosleepnow]

What! Jeepers what an awful HV appointment. But you said yourself he was tired. You know him best, not one late in the day appt with a stranger in a room he's not comfortable in.

That list I gave you- it's from my speech therapist's top toys list, as each thing teaches them stuff through playing.

I think it would be mean to take his cars away

He's still a baby, why not let him have a bottle? It's comfort not just milk. Anyway, it isn't her who would have to deal with upset DS at bedtime for days on end.

[The3Bears]

I wasn't too bothered about him playing with his cars either as he just loves to push them backwards and forwards, line them up etc. However he had his 2yr check today and it didn't go to well it was late in the afternoon he was v tired and didn't do a thing apart from trying to climb onto the table, the HV was very rude and asked if he behaved this way all the time and after asking what he liked to play with (cars) she said to not let him play with them as there not educational, also to do more peg puzzles with him but not car ones!!

Came home feeling like a terrible mother also got told off for still letting him have a bottle of milk at bed time and was told to throw them all out.

[Justgotosleepnow]

Yes, everything he is doing is learning! Don't worry, just play with him. It's great to describe what he is doing, not ask a zillion questions.
Eg oh that's a blue car. It's driving up the ramp.
He will learn vocab, know you are interested and be playing all at the same time. It's lovely

[EstellaSpitsEmOut]

I like the suggestions above. Also how about making bridges and slopes out of cardboard boxes, tunnels out of toilet rolls etc. He'll be learning things like under and over and cause and effect without even realising.
I really wouldn't worry about educational at 2yrs tho, as they learn so much through normal play.

[Justgotosleepnow]

A ball
Wooden spoons
Stacking cups
A saucepan
Jigsaw
A bag
Bubbles

[EightFiftySix]

What does he do with his cars? Drive them, line them up, crash them? Maybe you could develop his play from there.

Some flour on a table top to drive patterns in - early mark making. He could press the cars onto playdough to see different shapes. How about using a trailer or lorry to transport dried beans/ pulses around the room and play a building site game? Painting in a shoebox by rolling a car around through spots of colour to make tracks. Sensory, but incorporates his interests.

On the other hand, if he is sitting playing nicely with his cars, let him. He will move on to another thing in time.