35 Best Gifts for Toddlers

Deena Shinn is a freelance writer and editor. When she's not writing or wrangling her two feisty daughters, you can find her experimenting with sourdough bread or exploring northern California.

Expertise Deena has over a decade of experience writing and editing, covering everything from celebrity news to child development to wedding trends.

Aaron Pruner Writer

Aaron covers what's exciting and new in the world of home entertainment and streaming TV. Previously, he wrote about entertainment for places like Rotten Tomatoes, Inverse, TheWrap and The Hollywood Reporter. Aaron is also an actor and stay-at-home dad, which means coffee is his friend.

Coogam Wooden Montessori Coin Box

This toy may not seem very exciting, but if your favorite 2-year-old is anything like mine, they'll spend way more time than you'd imagine plunking bright coins into the slot, pulling them out of the drawer and then doing it all over again. It's a great toy for fine motor skills, and it doesn't take up much space or make any annoying noises, so there are wins all around. 

Melissa & Doug Poke-A-Dot Jumbo Number Learning Cards

My daughter played with these learning cards from Melissa & Doug at a friend's house, and she loved them so much, I ordered them for her before we even left the play date. She continues to play with them to this day. The cards are great for refining fine motor skills and learning to count. And they make the most satisfying "pop" when she presses the dots. Plus, they're sturdy enough that she can't rip them up. 

Honeysticks Jumbo Bath Crayons

These aren't the bath crayons you grew up with -- they're much better, easier to hold and nontoxic to boot. The Honeysticks bath crayons come in seven vibrant colors and are made in New Zealand with food-grade beeswax and soy wax, which is great for the environment and also when a toddler inevitably sticks one in their mouth. Parents will appreciate that the crayon markings also wipe off the bathtub easily. Instead of having to break out the cleaner, like with other brands of bath crayons, all I had to do was use a wet washcloth, and the marks wiped right off. 

Skoolzy Rainbow Counting Bears

Seventy-one colorful pieces are included in this sorting set. Colorful plastic bears correspond to an array of tumblers. Toddlers can sort bears by color, count them or just shake them up. An included scoop tool will no doubt be appreciated, and the whole shebang packs up in a storage bag.

Gund Slumbers Teddy Bear

Bring back a classic childhood toy. Gund's quality stuffed bears make amazing presents for any occasion. Your little person will love snuggling with Slumbers, a 17-inch friendly brown bear with a squishable body. Slumbers makes a fantastic bedtime buddy; plush bears are known to chase away monsters and scary dreams.

Magifire Playtime Matching Eggs for Toddlers

Two-year-olds are usually big fans of dumping out containers and filling them up again, and this matching egg set is perfect for working on that skill (yes, it's actually a developmental skill). It comes with the added bonus of featuring a matching component to help little ones learn shapes and colors. Your kiddo will have a great time problem-solving to correctly put two matching halves of each egg together to fill up the carton. 

Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets

Hand puppets have stood the test of time and still bring endless joy to kids, especially 2-year-olds who are learning all about animals and the noises they make. This Melissa & Doug set comes with an elephant, giraffe, tiger and monkey. Honestly, I'm not sure what's more fun: watching my kids put on shows for me or getting to make ridiculous animal noises while I put on a show for them. Either way, these puppets make a great fun and affordable present for a 2-year-old. 

LCD Writing Tablet for Kids

Toddlers love to get artistic, but sometimes it's nice to give them a creative outlet that doesn't require a full wardrobe change and scrubbing the table when they're done. That's where this LCD writing tablet shines. This gift is mess-free, super fun, and affordable too. My 2-year-old loves to draw on it while we're in the car, which makes it even more useful. 

VTech Spin and Learn Color Flashlight

Toddlers tend to love everyday objects that they're usually not allowed to play with. A perfect example? Flashlights, with all those enticing buttons and lights. That's where this kid-friendly VTech version comes in. It has five changing lights that aren't too bright for little eyes, and it comes equipped with 50 sing-along songs, music, sounds and fun phrases. The 2-year-old in your life is bound to love flashing it all over the house.

Kinetic Sand Scents, Ice Cream Treats Playset

If you're looking for a sensory toy that'll keep your little one busy, but you don't want to deal with the mess of slime or Play-Doh, this Ice Cream Treats Playset from Kinetic Sand Scents is a wonderful option. Kinetic sand is a natural sand compound that sticks together, allowing for all sorts of pretend play. The kit comes with a pound of colorful kinetic sand -- the scents are strawberry, chocolate and vanilla -- a sand tray, ice cream serving tools and even a waffle/cookie press. From delectable sundaes to ice cream sandwiches, your kid will have a blast playing ice cream shop. Since the sand never dries out, the possibilities for continued creation are endless. For ages 3 and older.

Learning Resources Big Feelings Pineapple

This silly pineapple is a fun toy, and toddlers gain social-emotional learning or SEL, skills as they play. Kids can create different facial expressions out of 26 face pieces that are stored conveniently inside the fruit. From frowns to heart eyes, toddlers can explore and recognize feelings with this set. Bonus: An emotions guide is included.

Fisher-Price Preschool Pretend Play Medical Kit 7-Piece Doctor Bag

This Fisher-Price Preschool Pretend Play Medical Doctor Kit is a great play set if you're looking for a fun, interactive way to introduce kindness and healthy habits into pretend time. The seven pieces in this set include a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, otoscope, syringe, bandage and doctor bag. Interactive elements like the sick-to-well button on the thermometer or the gauge-spinning blood pressure cuff will bring life to your kid's house calls. Plus, the more they interact with these medical pretend toys, the easier real doctor visits can become.

Moonlite Storytime Mini Projector with Eric Carle Stories

Bedtime stories have never been cooler, thanks to the Moonlite Storytime mini projector. It attaches to the flashlight on a cell phone and projects each "page" of the story and plays sound effects as you read along to your toddler. The projector is easy to use and has a wow factor that will boost a child's love of reading. This set includes four beloved Eric Carle stories: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Busy Spider, Brown Bear Brown Bear  and Mister Seahorse. You can also buy tons more stories to use with the projector. 

Melissa & Doug Toddler Toy Cleaning Set

Toddlers love to pretend to clean, even if they mostly just make messes all day. This set comes with a broom, mop, duster, dustpan and brush, along with a handy stand that all the items can live on when they aren't in use. My 2-year-old loves using the broom and dustpan to pretend to sweep up the crumbs she spills on the floor. This set is great for imaginative play and can help foster a sense of pride in your little one after they've completed a cleaning task and you sing their praises. Plus, there's something ridiculously cute about watching a 2-year-old lug around a mop. 

Hape DJ Mix and Spin Studio

Available in blue or red, this solidly constructed keyboard is sure to be a favorite toddler toy. The 18-key piano has all the bells and whistles. Little DJs can craft beats with 18 sound effects, five background tunes and four DJ noises. Kiddos can even change the speed and create record-scratch effects. 

Balance Stepping Stones

You might not think stepping stones would be an exciting gift for a 2-year-old, but I'm here to assure you that toddlers love to practice their gross motor skills with items like this. These stepping stones keep my little one busy for quite some time as she steps from one stone to the other and practices jumping down from the stone to the floor. This nonslip, lightweight set is also aesthetically pleasing and easy to store away when not in use, which is great news for parents. 

Little Tikes Fish 'n Splash Water Table

I don't think my family would make it through summer without our water table. Both my kids could spend hours outside playing with it -- splashing around, putting leaves in it, filling up plastic cups with water... you name it. This Little Tikes version has a game where you fill up the fish bowl until it overflows and dumps over, adding a fun element for 2-year-olds. It's the kind of toy that provides entertainment year after year too. Even older kids play with ours when they come over.  

Little Tikes Learning Activity Suitcase

Toddlers who enjoy pretending to be grown-ups will be fascinated by this activity suitcase. Inside are maps; accessories like a boarding pass and passport; and interactive games. Pack everything up when you're done and wheel the suitcase around like a seasoned jet-setter -- that's the best part. Bonus: Batteries are included. 

Jetson Jupiter Mini Light-Up Scooter

A fantastic first scooter for early riders, Jetson's Jupiter Mini three-wheeler has everything a free-wheeling kid needs. It has over 100 LED lights, a feature that kids absolutely love -- plus an adjustable handle and a rear brake. It folds up easily for transport or storage, making it a breeze for parents. Available in red, blue and black.

Hearth & Hand Toy Building Blocks Set

These beautiful blocks would make a wonderful gift for a 2-year-old. Most toddlers this age are just starting to enjoy building towers (and knocking them down, of course) and this set will surely foster creativity now, and for years to come too. The Hearth & Hand set is so pretty that parents will love it too. 

Duplo Town Garbage Truck and Recycling Set

No roundup of toddler toys is complete without Duplo. This truck set includes a "working" garbage truck; recycling bins with bags; bricks; a broom; and two figures. Little ones who are enthralled with the trash truck can haul bins to their hearts' content. There are 19 sturdy pieces in all.

Playmobil Knight's Castle Sand Bucket

The perfect spring or summer gift, this bucket doubles as a knight's castle. Playmobil's 1.2.3 line for littles features chunkier pieces for tiny hands. The Knight's Castle set includes a castle bucket, knight figure with horse, shovel, turret/sieve, drawbridge, flag and other clever accessories to create a medieval world at the beach.

Rocket Ship Play Tent

A stellar gift for a tiny astronaut, this popup play tent is a surefire hit. Imaginative play can really take off with a tent designed to look like a rocket. It's easy to put together (no tools required), though be warned that you have to climb inside. Bonus: The included bag is helpful for storage.

Haba Kullerbu Jump Into Car Dominoes

If you've got a toddler who's fascinated by cars and knocking things over, this Haba set couldn't get any better. Little kids can send a car flying down a track they build themselves. The cascading dominoes at the end make this 15-piece set irresistible. This track is hours of sturdy fun.

KiwiCo Bake-a-Cake Stand Mixer

My 2-year-old loves "helping" me in the kitchen, and she likes it even better when I help her bake goodies with her own KiwiCo stand mixer and accessories. We pretend to crack eggs and pour in the sugar to whip up birthday cakes, much to her delight. This is a great gift for a 2-year-old who's developmentally just beginning to dive into pretend play and will continue to grow into this toy and use it in different ways (like counting the butter, following the recipe cards, and so on). 

Baby Ball Pit with 250 Balls

This is the ultimate exciting gift for a 2-year-old: their very own ball pit. The memory foam ball pit is equipped with 250 balls for endless fun. It comes in pink ($90) and blue ($100) options and is big enough to be fun but small enough that it'll likely fit in a playroom or bedroom. It can also be used outside. The real bonus here is it'll house far fewer germs than any you've visited at play centers. 

Magna-Tiles

Magna-Tiles building tiles are pricey, but they're well worth the investment. Your kiddo is sure to build with these for years to come. Award-winning Magna-Tiles stick together with magnetic force to create all kinds of shapes and creations. The 32- or 37-piece set makes a great starter gift, and you can add more to their collection later.

Lyromix Mini Trampoline

As a parent, I'm a huge fan of this toddler-size trampoline. It wears out my toddler (especially when she's cooped up inside), is great for helping her learn to jump, she loves it and the price is right. This model can be used indoors and outdoors, which is ideal. We've gotten so much use out of this trampoline and it's lasted through some serious jumping from both of my kids. 

Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll 'N Trike

One of the hardest parts about giving gifts to little kids is knowing they'll eventually outgrow whatever it is. However, this Radio Flyer trike does a great job of growing with children for years to come. It comes in red and pink and converts from an infant trike to a steering trike, learn-to-ride-trike then a classic trike. It's rewarding to watch your little one learn to use it through the various stages.

Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe 3-Wheeled Scooter

Micro Kickboard's Mini Deluxe 3-Wheeled Scooter is stronger than it looks. This sturdy scooter can hold up to 110 pounds, meaning that it's designed to grow along with your kid, thanks to its adjustable T-bar. The lean-to-steer design helps maintain balance as your child develops their own sense of coordination. This specific model is perfect for the toddler who wants to roll like the big kids and look cool while doing so. 

Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit

Osmo is an award-winning toy brand that uses tablet technology. Four educational games are included in the Little Genius Starter Kit for the iPad (also available for the Amazon Fire tablet). You'll need your own iPad, but Wi-Fi is not necessary. Kids will learn phonics, develop predrawing skills, explore colors, improve problem-solving skills and identify social-emotional cues. Best for ages 3 and up.

Country Critters Wooden Activity Play Cube

When it comes to activity cubes, Hape's Country Critters Wooden Activity Play Cube has a sizable advantage over its STEM competitors. This thing is big and features a whole assortment of puzzle activities to help develop a toddler's logic skills, motor skills and patience. There's a cute, inviting animal theme happening here that draws children in to take part in activities like shape sorting, the color-coded animal queue and a colorful beaded adventure land.

Little Tikes Cozy Train Scoot

Any toddler will be delighted by Little Tikes' Cozy Train Scoot because they can actually ride around the tracks on the engine. Set up the eight pieces of included track, then toddlers can hop on the train and scoot or push the ride-on. Best for ages one and up, the train also makes a great push toy for early walkers. Bonus: There's storage under the seat for favorite toys and snacks. 

LovEvery Play Kit Subscription

LovEvery is a research-backed subscription service that delivers developmentally appropriate toys to your door every few months. From the Helper Play Kit for 2-year-olds to the Storyteller Play Kit, these sets help guide both child and parent through the important milestones -- making things fun and educational along the way.

Foamnasium x PBK Blocksy Heathered Basketweave Kids Couch

My kids are completely obsessed with our play couch. I really hesitated over investing in such a pricey gift, but I'm so glad I did. Ours gets played with in some way every single day, which is much more than I can say for pretty much every other toy we've purchased over the years, big or small. The play couch is great for burning off energy (especially on rainy days), practicing motor skills, and engaging in imaginative play. On any given day ours might be an obstacle course with a slide one minute then transform into an ice cream shop and later become a reading nook at the end of the day.