As a certified K-12 teacher, I am all about educational toys! My core value as a teacher was to “sneak the learning in.” I wanted to make learning so much fun that my students didn’t realize they were learning in the process! So, I wanted to do the same regarding my own kids.
Now that I’m a seasoned toddler (boy) mom, I have also picked up a few tips for choosing the best educational toys for two-year-olds, which I’ll share.
Feel free to browse the list visually–that’s how I find ideas for my own kids–or read the little blurbs with each toy to see how I use them for teaching. Stick around at the end for important developmental milestones to look for at this age and my recommendations to meet them!
⚠️ SAFETY WARNING: Always supervise your children when playing. Many of these toys contain small parts that could be choking hazards. Do not play with toys with small parts if your child still puts things in their mouth. Anything that fits through a toilet paper tube is considered a choking hazard. Many of these toys are rated for 3+ and while my child is developmentally ready for them, your child might not be. Always read the manufacturer warnings and labels to understand age requirements.
Tips For Choosing Educational Toys
Often, I go to friends’ houses and see their dolls and trucks scattered all over the house while the puzzles, flashcards, and books collect dust on the shelf. It’s so important to carefully choose your educational toys with these tips in mind so that they become the *most* used toys in the house!
Toys you want to play with: You will spend the most time with these toys. If you think it’s awesome, your kid will too.
Multipurpose: Find toys that can be played with in many different ways (I’ll give examples).
Your child’s interests: My older son (4) has always loved blocks. Instead of changing his interests, we broadened his idea of what blocks are. We have Magnatiles, Duplo, Lego, Squigz, Tinkertoys, Melissa and Doug construction blocks and MegaBloks.
Brand trustworthiness and durability: If you’ve got a toddler at home, I’m sure you’ve been burned by discount toys that have broken within a few uses. At this point in my career and parenting, I go with brands I trust (you’ll start to see a pattern with my recommendations!) and opt for the most durable option. Educational toys are an investment, so you want them to last.
Ignore gender stereotypes: Your little girl might love dolls, and your little boy might love trucks, or the opposite might be true. At this age, it’s all about creating a well-rounded human who feels confident as an independent problem-solver, leader, and caregiver as they age.
Variety: You shouldn’t expect to hear Beatholven on a mini piano at two years old… But you should explore music, science, art, and literature with your little one to tap into their uncovered interests and talents.
Pro Tip: Looking for toys and activities for babies and toddlers of other ages ??
Side Story: I recently got weird looks at my son’s birthday party when his gifts were about nurturing. I got him a baby carrier for his doll, a feeding set (you know, those “magic” bottles), some doll clothes, and diapers. Of course, his other presents included Hot Wheels, Spiderman, and a GIANT garbage truck. He barely looked at my toys while we were at the party. And everyone assumed that he would never play with dolls, even if I wanted him to… But guess what? As soon as everyone was gone, the *first* thing he did was find his baby, put him in the carrier, and feed him a bottle. These are the nurturing skills that I want to teach my children! Regardless of what everyone else thinks ?.
Books
You might think your two-year-old has no interest in books, probably because you haven’t found the right ones yet!
My two-year-old is obsessed with books … But it wasn’t until recently. He discovered one of my older son’s Pop-Up Peekaboo books, one of his favorite things to do since. Before that, he would try and tear the pages or chew on the spines!
Pro Tip: Get your books from the library! Especially if you’re not sure what kind your child likes. Check out a few different types, see what they like, and invest in that series.
Puzzles
Recently, I’ve been loving puzzles that double as other things (like that Melissa & Doug puzzle book!).
Puzzles can teach pattern and shape recognition, fine motor skills, and problem-solving. Puzzles can also be a bit boring for toddlers. Look at these puzzles that teach your kid all the skills while maintaining an element of play.
Do you wish you knew Javascript and or HTML? Me too! (although I’ve had to learn a lot as a blogger over the years). Teach your child coding and immerse them in science and engineering with my favorite STEM toys.
Arts and crafts can be messy, time-consuming (to prepare and to make), and elaborate. OR they can be simple to set up, mess-free, and require no parental help. We enjoy both types of arts and crafts in my house, so I’ll give you my favorites for each!
Pro Tip: Stock your craft supply kit with foam shapes, stickers, tempura paint, paint brushes, glue, construction paper, and more from Dollar Tree. They have a great selection of kid-friendly supplies for $1.25 each!
Parent-to-Parent: I love the Crayola Mess-Free system much more than my kids. There is a 1-2 second delay between using the colorless ink, and it appearing on the special paper. For my oldest, this was a deal-breaker. He never created with these. For my second, he’s more receptive to it but prefers traditional coloring and painting. They make great travel activities that you don’t have to worry about making a mess.
Teach hand-eye coordination, building, balance, and more with blocks galore.
[lasso description=”My little one got this on his first birthday, and continues to play with it consistently at the age of two. I think this is great for children who struggle with shape sorters. They can learn how to insert coins into a slot, without getting frustrated by the shapes. ” id=”3724″ link_id=”10901″ ref=”amzn-battat-education-piggy-bank-for-kids-educational-pig-toy-developmental-playset-fine-motor-skills-18-months-save-count-piggy-bank” title=”Battat Education Piggy Bank”]
Are they creative toys? Engineering? Fine motor? Gross motor? Blocks are everything! We have so many blocks that I think my head might explode. If you’ve never branched out beyond traditional blocks, you’re in for a treat!
WARNING: Many of these block sets have small pieces that are choking hazards. Remove any pieces that fit through a toilet paper tube. They could be choked on.
[lasso description=”Stick them to each other, the walls, the windows, and even your forehead! These silly Squigz are well-made, durable, and endlessly fun.
<strong>Pro Tip:</strong> I always keep a few of these in my diaper bag! They are great for playing at restaurants, doctors offices, and more! ” id=”3992″ link_id=”10907″ ref=”amzn-fat-brain-toys-squigz-starter-set-24-piece”]
Let’s normalize teaching our children to nurture. Some might be naturally nurturing souls, while others think that baby dolls should be used to squirt imaginary explosive poop all over everyone–not that I’m talking from experience ?.
Your fondest memories of playing as a child likely involved pretend play. It’s a chance for children to let their imagination take over and be whoever they want to be. This type of imaginative play should start in children around two years old, but it may take longer for some.
I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that your two-year-old loves to do everything you do. This behavior is adorable and can be great for teaching your child to become independent and self-reliable. Use these toys and everyday objects to teach young children to care for themselves, their surroundings, and others.
[lasso description=”We love our learning tower for letting our toddler watch us and help out in the kitchen. This one is adjustable so it cnan grow with them. It has lateral (side to side) supports in addition to front and back. ” id=”3778″ link_id=”10925″ ref=”amzn-ipow-learning-stool-toddler-tower-adjustable-height-kids-step-stool-bamboo-kitchen-bathroom-counter-helper-montessori-stool-learning-furniture-standing-baking-tower-with-safety-rail” title=”IPOW Learning Stool Tower”]
[lasso id=”24″ link_id=”10926″ type=”table”]
Pro Tip: Kids think washing themselves is a blast, and it’s life-changing when they can dress themselves and brush their teeth! You don’t need anything fancy. A few bathroom additions will set them up for success.
[lasso id=”25″ link_id=”10927″ type=”table”]
Tips for Teaching Success
If you aim to teach your child skills and concepts with educational toys, here are my recommendations to get the best results.
Avoid Screens, Plastic, and Noise as Much as Possible
You’ve probably noticed that most of these toys don’t make noise, don’t have screens (in fact, none of them do), don’t have buttons that light up, and are wood as much as possible.
Don’t get me wrong, if you go digging in our toy closet, you’ll find all those things! You’ll even see my 2-year-old watching his favorite TV shows after nap while he wakes up and has a snack. It’s not that I’m against these things in general; it’s just when it comes to educational toys.
Open-Ended
Educational toys are most beneficial when they are open-ended. I was famous in my school for giving my students problems to solve that I wasn’t even sure there was an answer to! You’d be AMAZED at the things that children come up with when they aren’t given specific instructions, directions, corrections, or looking for a particular outcome.
Today, your broomstick is a rocket ship; tomorrow, your books are building blocks; and on the weekend, it’s all hands on deck in the “ER” as your child performs surgery with their hard and screwdriver.
Developmental Milestones For 2-Year-Olds
Remember that 75% of kids can achieve these developmental milestones for two-year-olds by a certain age. Don’t be discouraged if your little one takes longer to master these skills.
Social/Emotional Looks at your face to see how you react. | Notices when others are hurt or upset. | Recognizes familiar people. | Happy to see other children. | Wants to be independent. | Shows defiance. | Has episodes of separation anxiety.
Language/Communication Points to objects you name. | Says at least two words together. | Knows at least two body parts. | Uses gestures beyond waving and pointing (like nodding, shaking, etc.). | Follows instructions.
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving) Can use both hands at once. | Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons. | Plays with multiple toys at once. | Begins to stack and sort. | Make-believe play.
Physical (outdoor toys are perfect for this) Kicks a ball. | Runs. | Walks (not climbs) up a few stairs without help. | Eats with a spoon. | Climbs up and down furniture.
My best advice? Let your child play without rules. It can be hard sometimes, but they will learn more by experiencing their toys and learning what doesn’t work independently.
My four-year-old would now tell you that brooms are for sweeping, books are for reading, and tools are for building. He figured this out all independently from learning and exploring the world on his terms.
Don’t damper their imagination by only allowing certain toys to be played with the “right” way.
I am the founder of Mommy Maker Teacher and a mom of two toddlers. With a degree in education, 12+ years of experience as a K-12 teacher and curriculum developer, and courses in childhood psychology and language acquisition, I share research-backed parenting tips and advice. I provide helpful content for moms on all stages of motherhood—from trying to conceive and pregnancy to postpartum, breastfeeding, and parenting.
