30 Best Toys & Gifts for 2 Year Old Boys [2020]

When it comes to buying an appropriate gift, it can be difficult to choose for very young children, especially if you do not have kids yourself. If you have a 2-year-old boy on your gift list right now, then purchasing a gift that is safe, appropriate, and fun may seem like a bit of a challenge, but it does not have to be.

This gift guide was created to help you select the perfect gift for the 2-year-old-boy with a birthday or celebration coming up soon. We have searched and explored all the top-rated gifts this season to bring you this curated list of the best of the best. Our picks include something for every young boy in need of a gift right now. You will find toys, games, playsets, activities, crafts, books, and much more, and each is rated as appropriate for toddlers from 24-36 months old. You can’t go wrong with any of the choices on our list, and your favorite preschooler will love whatever you choose.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Fresh Mart Grocery Store

Imaginative play is crucial for toddlers, and with this sturdy and adaptable pretend grocery store from Melissa & Doug, your 2-year-old will be inspired to be creative and have fun. This store enables him to interact with parents, siblings, and others, to practice social and motor skills, and to learn early concepts of sorting and counting. Designed for your child’s safety and at the perfect size for your young man, this playset comes with the company’s Happiness Guarantee.

Your 2-year-old and his playmates can browse the shelves, pay for their purchases, use the scanner to ring up items, and pay using the card machine. There is even a cash drawer to collect payment. Your preschooler will love playing store with this handsome set, and parents will love that it is easy to assemble and built to last.

LeapFrog Storytime Buddy

Your child will love spending time with this cute four-legged friend who is not only adorable and soft but also helps him with his early literacy skills. Storytime Buddy is programmed to read five different tales, each focusing on developmentally appropriate skills like emotions, shapes, numbers, colors, and opposites. Buddy even asks your little reader comprehension questions and helps him learn his ABCs while reading.

Additional buttons on this cuddly pal engage bedtime features like playing a lullaby, turning on the nightlight, and playing bedtime stories at a very low volume. Buddy will soon become a day and night friend for your little man. Your child will love playing, pretending, and reading with this gift from LeapFrog.

PlayMonster Free Wheelin’ Rider Convertible Balance Bike

Allow your toddler to enjoy free play and build strength with this quality, durable convertible pushbike that will grow with him. It can be used in two separate ways depending on the developmental needs of your little man. As a three-wheeled pushbike, he can learn coordination and strength while playing. And, as he gets more comfortable, it becomes a two-wheeled balance bike to teach him to balance and prepare him for his first bicycle.

This strider has a well-built body and sturdy wheels with plenty of grip. The handlebars are easy to turn for your youngster, and he will love pushing himself around the house, driveway, yard, or neighborhood. The height is adjustable, so it will grow with him, making this the perfect trike to prepare him for his first two-wheeled experience.

LEGO DUPLO All-in-One Box

Introduce your toddler to the magic of LEGO with his first set of DUPLO building blocks. This is the best starter kit you can find because it includes all the foundational pieces he will need to build anything his mind can imagine. He gets tons of standard colored blocks, a boy and dog mini-figures, wheels that roll, windows that open, and even numbered pieces to help him learn.

This set will give him hours of creative play and exploration, allowing him to build towers, houses, trucks, cars, and anything else he can dream up. It comes with a sturdy storage box to keep everything together, too. And because these are DUPLO blocks, they are the perfect size for smaller hands, allowing him to develop his motor skills while he explores the depths of his imagination.

How to Two by David Soman

Your young reader will love reading this story again and again as he learns how to share playtime with new friends and unexpected visitors. How to Two is the tale of one child’s afternoon at the playground and how his games and activities must change each time someone new joins the group. He can simply enjoy the words and pictures or, when he is ready, he can practice his counting skills from 1 to 10 on each two-page spread.

One of the subtle but essential messages of this book is the diversity of backgrounds that each child comes from and how all these children find a way to play together and enjoy their afternoon. Children will learn a great deal about sharing, flexibility, inclusivity, and diversity when they read this book again and again.

Hape Mighty Mini Band Wooden Percussion Instrument

Children learn a great deal from making music, and this is the perfect introductory toy to set him on the path to making tunes. This all-in-one toy features plenty of ways to produce melody and keep the beat, including a drum and cymbal, a clapper, a guiro, a xylophone, and drumsticks. He can create tunes, tap a beat, and explore to his heart’s content. He will develop hand-eye coordination, rhythmic skills, and an appreciation for creating sound with his movements.

Parents will love that all the instruments store neatly away in one place. And kids will love the many different noises, melodies, and rhythms they can create with this well-made machine. It is easy to clean with just the swipe of a rag, too. And because there is more than one instrument to play, your preschooler can play by himself or with a playmate, sibling, or parent. Hours of musical fun awaits with this amazing toy!

Green Toys Rescue Boat with Helicopter

Your young one will love to play the rescuer with this fun and functional set from Green Toys, a leader in sustainable toys. This set includes the rescue boat and helicopter along with a captain and pilot. It can be used in the bathtub, swimming pool, splash pool, water table, or anywhere on dry land. Your little man will love landing the helicopter on deck, chugging through the waves, and leading rescues with this tough and durable toy.

Green Toys makes child-powered toys that do not require batteries. Every one of their products is dishwasher safe and able to be fully opened, which prevents mold from growing inside these water toys. Made from recycled milk jugs with no paints, coatings, or plastics that will rub or flake off, you will feel safe and confident allowing your young one to play with this toy on land and in the water.

Fisher-Price Little People Caring for Animals Farm Set

Any 2-year-old would love to explore and play with this farm set from Fisher-Price. Your preschooler can pretend to feed and tuck in the animals for the night while exploring life on the farm. He will hear lots of songs, phrases, and sounds when he engages with the various buttons and activations on this playset. He will engage his senses while expanding his curiosity and wonder, all while learning to feed and care for living things.

The discovery button gives your toddler ideas for what to do, or he can explore and imagine all on his own. Farmer Jed will teach him what his animals need, too. Compatible with other Little People sets and characters, this set makes the perfect addition to your little one’s playroom. He can learn valuable motor skills while also exploring how to take care of others and be an active community participant.

Boon Building Bath Pipes

Turn bath time into an exploration in learning with these building bath pipes from Boon. Your 2-year-old will adore scooping and pouring water through his self-created maze of pipes, which can be used together or separately. He can stick and re-stick these all on his own thanks to the suction cups that adhere easily to your tub walls. And you will feel safe knowing all the water will stay in the tub thanks to the downward trajectory of each pipe.

These are great tools for the swimming pool, in the kitchen, at the water table, or anywhere your young explorer wants to play. Even older kids love these, which makes sibling bath time a lot more enjoyable, too. He will have fun experimenting with his designs and learning while he creates new formations.

DUPLO My First Number Train

From DUPLO, this train set combines several skills into one fun and functional learning tool that teaches and reinforces counting proficiencies. Your child will construct his train by counting from 0 to 9, and once the numbers are in the correct order, he can pull his train anywhere and imagine adventures on his personal railway of fun.

Building with blocks reinforces motor skills, and with this set, his imagination can run free. This set comes with three mini-figures, including a boy, a girl, and a cat. He can build many different vehicles and structures from this set, which will continue to reinforce his counting skills again and again.

Echo Glow

The nightlight just got a lot smarter with this introduction from Amazon. The Echo Glow is compatible with all your Alexa-enabled devices, including the Echo Dot, Echo Plus, or Echo Show 5. You can use your Echo device to program and control the Glow, which uses colored lights to send reminders, provide helpful feedback, and tell your child when it is time to wake up each day.

You can program your child’s Glow with a rainbow timer, which tells the kids how much longer they have until the next activity. You can also program it to wake your child using gradually brighter lights. Kids can pick the color of light they want in their room, as well. While not a real necessity, it is a fun tool that easily integrates with your other Dot components and gives your toddler some visual reminders to help him stay on track.

Crayola Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring Kit

While we love when our little artists share their passion for drawing with the world, it would also be wonderful if their artistic renderings never left the page, right? Color Wonder markers and paper are the answers to every parent’s prayers because these markers will not show up on anything other than the special Color Wonder paper that comes with the set. That means it is finally safe for your 2-year-old to take markers in the car, to a restaurant, or over to grandma’s house, because he can’t get his colors anywhere you do not want them to be.

This set includes ten each of classic and pastel colors plus two special coloring books. You can purchase refills of the paper and special coloring books separately to give your little artist hours of fun without worrying about him writing on the furniture, walls, siblings, or himself. You do not have to stifle his creativity any more with the magic of Color Wonder, mess-free materials!

Little Tikes Classic Castle

Give your child the gift of a backyard playhouse with this medieval offering. He will enjoy years of playtime fun as he defends his castle, rescues those in need, and imagines worlds of knights, pirates, kings, and much more. This playhouse is perfect for little tykes but also transitions well as they age, becoming a staple for years in your backyard.

He can learn motor skills by climbing, sliding, crawling, and exploring, and his creativity and storytelling will grow by leaps and bounds with this castle that even includes its own lookout tower to defend against invaders. Built of rugged materials that are made to last, many users report that generations of family members get to enjoy this long-lasting gift of creativity and outdoor fun.

Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House 6-Piece Pretend Play Set

Your little man looks up to you and wants to be just like mom and dad, and giving him toys such as this offers him the ability to learn to do just that. With his very own pretend cleaning set, he can become a productive member of the family, do his part, and feel like a “big kid.” Pretend play like this encourages active participation, develops fine and gross motor skills, and can help your child learn essential coordination abilities.

Your child will learn independence while also learning valuable life skills and using his imagination. Designed to be the perfect size and fit for your toddler, this pretend set includes a play mop, broom, duster, brush, and dustpan, and it comes with an organizing stand to keep it all together. This is a fantastic addition to your child’s toys and can provide your 2-year-old with a much-needed sense of purpose in your home.

Step2 Art Easel Kids Desk

Your young artist will love using this multi-purpose piece to create all his masterpieces. He can use it standing up or sitting down, and there is plenty of space to store his supplies and works of art. The stand-up easel is a magnetic whiteboard, and you can attach paper using the provided clip. The sturdy desk includes the perfect place to sit while he perfects his paintings and drawings.

This double-sided playset means your preschooler can play with a friend or sibling, too, while they both create their art. For youngsters still developing vocabulary, artistic expression is a terrific way to share their feelings when the words are not there yet. Give your young man a space of his own to create with this set from Step2.

VTech Smart Shots Sports Center

Your young man will enjoy learning and playing two different sports with this activity set. This set includes a basketball hoop and ball as well as a soccer ball and goal. Your young lad will be able to keep score with the light-up scoreboard, which can help him learn cause and effect. The outside of the goal is filled with gears, buttons, and pictures, introducing him to colors, numbers, and much more.

Give your child the gift of activity with this pint-sized playset that will help him develop coordination, balance, and strength as he kicks, runs, throws, and plays to his heart’s desire. He can even play with friends or siblings while learning and growing.

Press Here Board Book by Herve Tullet

More a game than a storybook, Press Here begins on the front cover, where your young reader must press the yellow dot to see what happens next. Each page is a surprising and interesting twist that asks your 2-year-old to follow instructions, develop his early literacy skills, and practice his motor skills, all while having a fun time!

This imaginative and playful tale will have both parents and children laughing and exploring as you follow along with this fanciful story that will have you pushing, shaking, tilting, and exploring this book just to see what happens next. And the fact that this simple story manages to capture the imagination with only a flat surface is even more ingenious. Both parents and children will love this selection for bed time or read aloud.

Bristle Blocks

Most parents will likely remember this building toy from our youth, and they have made a comeback in recent years. Unlike other types of snap-together blocks, Bristle blocks can stick together at just about any angle, due to their unique design with flexible bristles. This makes them the perfect building toy for younger children, who can stick and unstick them easily.

Your child will entertain his imagination and creativity while also building valuable skills with this set of 112 blocks and accessories. This massive set contains enough for him to build with playmates, too, and with a variety of colors and sizes, he can build anything he can imagine. Building blocks are a staple for the toddler toy chest, and Bristle Blocks make a wonderful addition for your little one’s.

Smart Sizzlin’ BBQ Grill

Your little one will enjoy cooking up a feast at your next cookout with is own interactive BBQ set. He can pretend to grill food with these interactive skewers that recognize and name whatever food is placed on them. Friends and family can request orders, or he can build his own, and the set reinforces names of foods, numbers, colors, and many other important learning skills.

The set includes nine different food pieces, including peppers, steak, corn, shrimp, and hot dogs. He will be able to cook and serve up his creations using the utensils, plates, and condiments included. And it all stores snugly inside the grill when not in use. With three modes, including music only, he can use this toy in many ways for lots of pretend play fun. Help him develop essential skills while exploring his creative side with this fun playset from LeapFrog.

Hape Beach Basics Sand Toy Set

Your preschooler will love playing in the sandbox, digging in the garden, exploring at the beach, and pretending at home with this sand toy set from Hape. Made from quality and durable materials for hours of digging fun, the set gives him everything he needs to build a sandcastle, plant something in the garden, or play in the sandbox at home or the park.

A perfect size for younger children, he will love filling his bucket with treasures, dirt, water, or sand and hauling it around. The tools, including a shovel, rake, and sifter, allow him to explore his surroundings through active play that encourages the development of vital motor skills while allowing his imagination to roam free. A classic essential for any toddler, this quality set makes the perfect gift, no matter the season.

Laugh & Learn Pull & Play Learning Wagon

This fun and functional toy can be used for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers of many different ages, and it can be adapted to fit your child’s needs. When your little man is young, he can play with this while seated to expand his coordination and introduce necessary skills. Toddlers will be encouraged to keep walking and pulling the wagon because of the phrases and music that play via the motion-activated sensor.

You can adjust and change the settings to play new sounds, music, and phrases as your child grows, so he is always learning something new. The buttons and interactive toys inside the wagon teach important literacy, numeracy, and life skills, as well. Cognitive learning skills include problem-solving, sorting, shapes, letters, numbers, colors, basic Spanish words, and much more!

Little Tikes Gas ‘n Go Mower

Another pretend toy that allows your toddler to emulate his favorite adults, this push mower gives your little man a fun experience while supporting his developmental needs. From Little Tikes, this mower makes different engine noises and has a moveable throttle and a pretend gas can that is stored on the mower. The popping beads will entice him to keep pushing and “mowing” so he can continue to make the beloved sound.

Your little man will love helping you in the yard with this pretend playset that will make him feel grown up and helpful. As he pushes, he is building strength and coordination, and pretend play like this makes him grow in his confidence and helps him feel like part of the family. Perfect for young ones who love “helping” dad in the yard.

Play-Doh Fun Factory

No list of toys for a young child would be complete without an offering from Play-Doh, and what could be better than the classic Fun Factory? Hands-on exploration knows no limits with a can of this modeling clay and your child’s imagination. With this set, he will receive 25 cutters plus other tools for hours of creative fun and construction.

His little hands will love squishing the dough through the Fun Factory tool, and he can roll, pat, cut, combine, and squeeze to his pleasure with this amazing playset that has everything he needs. Parents, siblings, and family members will love playing alongside their little man when this gift enters the house, too. Because when Play-Doh is around, we are all kids at heart, right?

Hape All Seasons Kids’ Doll House

Hape has consistently topped the charts for years with this dollhouse, which is a perfect design and size for toddlers, preschoolers, and young children. This All Season’s dollhouse comes with six rooms, a roof that changes with the seasons, and plenty of accessories for your little ones. The open design makes it easy for several children to play together.

Decorated in bold, primary colors and made from solid materials from sustainable sources, this playset will last for years and provide hours of creative and pretend play for your young one. He can explore, have adventures, learn to share and cooperate with other children, and imagine anything he likes with this functional, unisex dollhouse that comes with everything he needs to get started.

Old MacDonald’s Farm Sound Puzzle

Your child will love putting together this interactive puzzle that includes the farmer and his animals. The pieces include a dog, sheep, pig, horse, cow, and more. He can sing along to the children’s classic song as he uses his coordination and motor skills combined with problem-solving to put the pieces where they belong.

This set comes with eight pieces that are easy to grasp and manipulate, plus directions and lyrics for singing the song and playing this game. Puzzles are an excellent choice for toddlers, as they combine several learning skills into one, fun activity. Made with care and guaranteed to nurture your child’s mind as well as his happiness, this puzzle is an excellent gift for any preschooler in your life.

Melissa & Doug Police Officer Role-Play Costume Set

2-year-olds love to pretend, dress up, and play various roles, and this role-play costume set is an excellent choice for your little man. He can pretend to be the police officer for your family’s neighborhood, keeping the peace and ensuring the safety of everyone on his beat. He will love playing with the whistle, handcuffs, and walkie-talkie while issuing citations on his “ticket.”

The costume comes with a jacket, cap, and write-on name tag, so he can customize his uniform. He will have tons of fun enforcing the rules, talking with the citizens of his jurisdiction, and keeping your family safe from harm. All parts are easy to clean and made to last. The young crime fighter in your life will enjoy unstructured playtime with this fun costume set from a leader in children’s toys and games.

LEGO DUPLO Town Fire Truck

Young boys love to imagine themselves as firefighters and other rescuers, and this set from LEGO DUPLO is a terrific addition to his building block set. He can build a fire truck, complete with flashing lights and sirens, plus a tree from which he can rescue the stranded cat. The set includes a firefighter and child figure and 21 pieces that are easy to assemble.

Compatible with other DUPLO blocks, your young builder can use these pieces to build other structures and combine them with other sets. Your preschooler can explore his imagination, build his motor skills, and enjoy endless fun with this compact set that is perfect for taking on the road when you travel.

Indoor Trampoline

Your energetic toddler will love bouncing on this fun and pint-sized trampoline that comes with a padded grab bar to increase stability and safety. Jumping is a great activity to build strength and balance, and with this sturdy set, your child will work off tons of energy while safely bouncing. And because it folds up, it can easily be stored out of the way when not in use.

Great for rainy-day activity sessions, as an active alternative to TV watching, or for little ones with lots of pep to spare, get your toddler a gift that lets him move safely indoors or outside. Bouncing can help promote fitness while building lower body strength, coordination, and flexibility in young children, and having his own trampoline that is just his size will make him more likely to stay active as he grows, too.

Eyelike Stickers: Trucks

If your toddler loves trucks and other vehicles, then this giant set of reusable stickers is a great gift for him. With over 400 different stickers featuring trucks, rescue vehicles, and working vehicles of all types, he can stick these safe and non-destructive stickers anywhere he wants to create his own art and tell his own stories. The reusable stickers will adhere to glass, hard surfaces, paper, notebooks, and just about anywhere he wants them to stick, and then he can move them again and again whenever the mood strikes.

The set features clear, realistic images of hundreds of different trucks of all shapes and sizes and perform many distinct functions. He can tell stories, create scenes, and explore his creativity and self-expression when you give him this sticker book. If he is not into trucks, look for the many other themes in this series, which include animals, the ocean, dinosaurs, insects, farm life, and much more. Each is equally well made and full of beautiful images.

Toyk Aqua Magic Mat

This magic mat uses the power of water to allow your child to draw and create without worrying about messy clean-up or accidental spills. Simply fill the three included water brushes with tap water, close them, and place them in the “on” position, and your toddler can start drawing, tracing, and creating on this floor mat that will magically create colorful images where he presses.

He can draw his own images or use the included stencils to learn to create shapes, letters, and numbers. The images magically disappear within 10 minutes, leaving a blank canvass for more drawing and creative fun. This is a great gift for traveling or to use during playdates, as you never have to worry about messes or spills.

Things to Consider When Buying a Gift for 2-Year-Old Boys

Buying a gift for a 2-year-old does not have to be difficult if you understand what children this age need, are capable of doing, and are most interested in playing with. Knowing the developmental needs of children this age can help you select a toy, game, or activity that he can use, that will help him learn and grow, and that will capture his attention. Children this age are developing quickly, and much happens between the ages of two and three. Below are some basic guidelines for what 2-year-olds can and can’t do as well as how to select the right gift for the young man on your gift list.

Physical Milestones for 2-Year-Olds

Young 2-year-olds will still be developing confidence in walking while older children will begin running, climbing, and exploring the world more. Jumping, kicking, and throwing are excellent skills for them to be learning and practicing during this year. Catching and throwing, as well as other activities that develop hand-eye coordination, will continue to evolve. Continuing to develop their gross motor skills, including speed, strength, balance, and coordination, will be important.

Children this age are developing a great many of their fine motor skills during this year, including grasping and manipulating objects, drawing, dressing and undressing themselves, and engaging in other activities with their hands.

Cognitive Milestones for 2-Year-Olds

Most children of this age can follow simple instructions and are starting to grasp easy concepts. Many are beginning to think and reason for themselves. While many 2-year-olds still prefer to play alone, some may play with others more readily or play alongside peers in what is known as parallel play. Children of this age are using their creative thinking more, which means they are more likely to engage in role-play and pretend play. They also can recognize some of their colors and shapes, but this is still a developing skill.

Developmentally, they are working on learning basic literacy skills like recognizing letters, practicing sounds, learning new vocabulary, and expressing themselves more complexly. They are talking more and looking for the names of objects, people, and actions in greater frequency. As they approach three, they will also be putting together more complex sentences and playing with language.

Emotional and Social Milestones for 2-Year-Olds

During this year, your child will seek to develop more independence but still enjoy your comfort and assistance when they are struggling. While younger toddlers may not socialize readily with other children, they will do this more as the year progresses. Imitation is a common learning tool at this age, and they will need to learn cooperation, sharing, and other social skills beginning this year of their development.

Considerations for Toys for Toddlers

Versatility can make a toy more suitable and more likely to be used. Toys that can go from indoors to out, and those that can be used in many different settings will be helpful. Those that teach many different skills and that have the capability of progressing as your child grows rapidly during this time will also extend the longevity of a gift.

Make sure that games, toys, and activities are made from non-toxic materials, including BPA-free plastics. Children this age still enjoy placing things in their mouths, so avoid painted toys, those with plastic coatings, anything with rough surfaces, or small objects.

Children this age are constantly learning, and toys that talk and have programmed sounds can help them learn unfamiliar words and engage them in understanding. Sounds and music also stimulate interest and engagement for toddlers.

Wrap Up

Your 2-year-old will thrill over any of the gifts on our list of the top 30 for 2020, and you will feel good giving any one of them as well. Young children this age need stimulation and enrichment as well as opportunities to improve their cognitive, physical, emotional, and social skills, and this list of gifts offers ample chances and possibilities for appropriate development. Rest assured that you are giving the gift of learning and fun with any of the choices from our carefully selected options.

Product Boxes: Last updated on 2021-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API