2nd birthday gift ideas

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

I know I could post this on another board that is specific to raising a toddler, but I prefer the advice of O'15 (who doesn't?!). DD has so many toys, but I want to find things that will continue to be developmentally appropriate as she grows into a 3-year-old!

DD is about to turn 2 and her grandparents, aunts, and uncles keep asking for gift ideas. If you have a 2 year-old in your life, or someone around that age, what is his/her favorite item?

Thank you in advance for your input!

Cupcakesandquilts · August 2015

I have the same question! Especially with birthday and Christmas coming with a newborn!

MamaOwl15 · August 2015

My son turned 2 in May. Mostly he received books, toys, and clothes. The only thing he actually needed were clothes, though.

One of his favorite gifts that he got was a Thomas and Friends train track set. I like this because it's challenging for him to put together, but he's developing problem-solving skills and motor skills he plays with it.

Some other ideas (based on things I think my toddler would like) might be:
- age-appropriate arts and crafts supplies (finger paints, crayons, chunky beads and yarn laces to string them on, etc)
- swim lessons
- a class at The Little Gym or equivalent/toddler gymnastics/tumbling
- a trip to an indoor trampoline park

Everyone wants to give him toys for Christmas and his birthday, but if my son is any indication, two year olds love to climb, jump, and tumble. He likes his toys but he could take or leave most of them.

aah1013 · August 2015

I don't know what your yard situation is like, but some of my daughter's favorite things are a water table, sandbox, and soccer net. She can stay occupied for hours with those couple things. Inside, she loves dress up stuff, sit n spin, play kitchen, art supplies, and I got her a cute apron last Christmas for helping me bake/cook.

FrozenMommy · August 2015

DUPLO!!! My 3 almost 4 year old loves hers and plays with them every day.

sugarplum513 · August 2015

My daughter turned 2 in May. Her favorite toys are:
- leap frog lap top
- ALEX wall easel, plays on it multiple times a day
- balance bike
- lego duplos
- little people princess castle and the horse stalls that the horses rock down
- flash cards (target has a ton in the dollar bins right now)
- books
- doc mcstuffins doctor sets, every toy and person gets a check up daily
- dress up shoes, jewelry, & tiaras.

MamaOwl15 · August 2015

sugarplum513 said:
My daughter turned 2 in May. Her favorite toys are:
- leap frog lap top
- ALEX wall easel, plays on it multiple times a day
- balance bike
- lego duplos
- little people princess castle and the horse stalls that the horses rock down
- flash cards (target has a ton in the dollar bins right now)
- books
- doc mcstuffins doctor sets, every toy and person gets a check up daily
- dress up shoes, jewelry, & tiaras.

DS got a "my first leaptop" for Christmas this past year (perhaps the same one you have), and he loves it.

millereliz13 · August 2015

Mr Potato Head. It's a simple, classic imagination powered toy.

aah1013 · August 2015

Yes, @sugarplum513, the Doc McStuffins doctor set is great! My daughter got it at 18mo for Christmas and still uses it almost every day. I highly recommend it.

MamaOwl15 · August 2015

millereliz13 said:
Mr Potato Head. It's a simple, classic imagination powered toy.

Yes, this! DS has this big potato head that has inside a Mr and Mrs Potato head and a potato cat and dog. The big one is storage for all the small pieces and also is its own toy. He loves to put all the parts in the "wrong" place (like lips where the ears go).

MamaOwl15 · August 2015

@LiveNLove44, do you baby wear?

If so, your DD might like this or something similar for her dolls. I'm actually thinking of getting one for DS so he can "wear" his bear when I wear his little sister.

nbpa3027 · August 2015

Duplo, Little People, or anything Melissa & Doug. My kids loved the Melissa & doug ice cream set in particular.

shannond21228 · August 2015

I love the idea of activities as gifts! Our boys love their play kitchen, doctor set and floor puzzles. They got their kitchen for Christmas, a few months shy of two and still love it.

102215duryee · August 2015

My DD really loved any gifts that involved doing something. They are so on the move at that point they want to experience things.

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

@MamaOwl15, you had great ideas for the activities! I love "experiences" versus "things" for DD, so I think I'm going to make this part of her "wish list" when I talk to grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Also, I do babywear, and that toddler babywear gift sounds like a neat idea! She loves to carry her baby around, go "shopping" with her in the cart, go for walks with her outside, and show her all around. I think babywearing is the next natural step!!

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

millereliz13 said:

Mr Potato Head. It's a simple, classic imagination powered toy.

I totally forgot about Mr. Potato Head! What a great, simple idea. She does love items like that when we go to her friends' houses, so I'll put that on the list. I'll also be looking for one at a garage sale

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

@sugarplum513, I love that your list was specific! What is it about that easel that you like the most? My mom was looking at easels, so I could pass this on as a recommended item, too. Also, I hadn't thought of dress up clothes for a 2-year-old but I can see how DD would really like them. I'll check it out!

LiveNLove44 · August 2015

Rec your favorite Little People sets! Both sets of grandparents want to get her a set, and they want to know which ones kids I know like the most. Your kids count in that "kids I know" category for now

Cupcakesandquilts · August 2015

Little people farm set is pretty cool!

komorebi · August 2015

Blocks, magnatiles and crafty stuff.

eat111315 · August 2015

For dd second birthday we got her the Melissa and Doug kitchen. We told all the fam that's what she was getting so they all got her pots and food and the like. A year later she and her brother both still play with it daily.

Also second the rec for experiences. We told the grandparents (after they asked) that the kids don't need anything but we'd love to get museum memberships. After family contributions we got one for the museum of science and the aquarium. Of corse, the grandparents enjoy going as much as the kids.

AshleeM7784 · August 2015

You ladies are full of such great ideas! I'll definitely keep these in mind when my son turns 2 in February. I just got a balance bike that we're planning to give him for Christmas.

For his birthday we are planning to move him into his "big boy" room (so we can move the baby out of our bedroom and into the nursery). We're getting him an airplane toddler bed and grandparents are going to pitch in with other accessories for the new room. I want to make it a fun special thing for him so he doesn't feel displaced by the new baby.

sugarplum513 · August 2015

@LiveNLove44 we have the KidKraft easel (I think it was about $140) which DD used often but it took up so much space. It was about 3 feet by 3 feet and we finally put it in the basement to make room for other things. My mom bought her the ALEX Easel (on Amazon for just under $50, I think) for her birthday, which I asked her to, and it hangs on the wall in our kitchen. It literally takes up zero space. It has a chalkboard and a roll of paper at the top that pulls down over the chalkboard and slides into a bar at the bottom to hold the paper in place, she alternates between chalk and colored pencils each time she uses it. It has 4 colored cups at the bottom that she stores her supplies in. The roll of paper at the top has lasted us almost 3 months with daily use and is only about half gone. The only downside is that it needs to be drilled into the wall, but worth it in my opinion.

MariahOBrien · August 2015

Is it bad that I'm taking mental notes of all of these gift ideas for future reference? $:\$ ">

loveleighmami · August 2015

Melissa and Doug has a super cute metal shopping cart that my 6 year old still uses years later

Wood toy kitchen

Small table and chairs

Duplo

Age appropriate doll house

Train set

Musical instruments

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