educational learning for 2 year olds

21 Important Things to Teach Your 2 Year Old

by Marissa Labuz | Oct 31, 2023

At this age, children are like little sponges, picking up every bit of information about the world around them. The majority of things that your two year old learns will be through play and normal social interaction.

Everyday occurrences can provide numerous learning activities for your two year old. However, there are plenty of everyday skills and tasks that you can start teaching your toddler.

Being at home with two toddlers for awhile and just trying to make it to nap time, I realized that maybe I wasn’t teaching them enough. Between meal times, clean up, and just trying to prevent any bodily injuries, actual learning can seem to fall on the back burner.

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Two Year Olds Can Learn Through Play Activities

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I know that children can learn a significant amount of knowledge through their everyday play.

Toys and gadgets may be teaching them things like cause-and-effect, problem solving, and new language. They’ll also be developing key skills like hand-eye coordination and independence.

Both structured and unstructured play are important to develop these necessary skills. Most of what they learn, you won’t even realize that you’re teaching them!

However, if you’re not in the education field, you may be unsure of simple ways to teach your two year old or ways to incorporate new learning into everyday activities.

What You Can Teach Your Two Year Old

Below are a bunch of skills and concepts that you can help your 2-year-old to understand . Practice and exposure is the best way to develop new skills with your child.

Below is a list of learning activities for two year olds for the whole range up to 3. Not exclusively once they turn two.

Always remember that every child develops at their own pace so don’t worry too much if your child doesn’t know all of these concepts yet. This isn’t a list of what they should know at this point, but rather a guide to help you understand what they may be capable of learning at this age.

1. NEW WORDS AND CONVERSATIONAL SPEECH

Your 2-year-old should have gained a slew of new vocabulary words in the past year. Now they’re learning how to put these words together to form 2-3 word phrases, short sentences, and questions. Here are some of the common words, phrases, and concepts that your two year old may be able to say and understand:

• Action words to help them communicate (more, go, come, want, up, down, etc.)
• Manners (please, thank you)
• Names of body parts
• Animal sounds and names of animals
• Names (their own first and last name, and names of family and friends)
• Vehicles (cars, trucks, firetruck, airplane)
• Household objects (names of certain food, utensils, furniture, clothing, etc that they use daily)
• Colors and Shapes
• Sizes (big, small, tall, short)
• Direction words (below, above, next to, on top, underneath, etc. although this may still develop more later )
• Weather (sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, snowy, hot, cold, etc.)

Before they turn 3, they should have a pretty extensive vocabulary. If your child has several words, help them to group words together if they’re not doing so on their own. For example, if your child says “more,” repeat after them, “more Cheerios?” and have them repeat the two words together. If they say, “want water,” repeat after them, “I want water?” and have them repeat that as well.

Adding on words to their current vocabulary will help them speak in longer phrases and sentences.

If your child is not continuing to gain more words throughout the past few months, consult your pediatrician. Here are more  tips to get your toddler to talk  here.

2. READING BOOKS

At 2, your child should definitely get the concept of “reading” a book. Of course, they won’t actually be reading the words , but they will most likely grab a book and snuggle in the corner of the couch to flip through the pages.

Make sure they understand how to read the book from front cover to back cover and the right way to hold it. They will simply look at the pictures at this age, but as they get later in their 2’s, they’ll start to recognize that there are letters and words on the page that actually mean something.

When you are reading to them, be sure to use your finger to follow along with the words on the page so they start to associate the letters with what you’re saying. At this point, you can stop making up your own words or just describing the pictures on the page and actually read word-for-word . This way, your toddler will get the concept that a story is being told.

Have your toddler describe the pictures to you and you can even ask them questions about the pictures or the words that you just read. Questions like, “What color is the girl’s dress” or “Which one is bigger, the lion or the snail?” are appropriate at this age.

They’ll still benefit most from board books where they can easily turn the pages, but may start exploring books with thinner pages. Some favorite types of books around 2 years old are Lift-The-Flap Books , Touch-and-Feel Books , and Play-A-Sound Books .

They’ll love books with lots of pictures, their favorite characters and objects, or silly books. Check out my list of the Best Books for 2 Year Olds here.

Related Post:  The Outstanding Benefits of Reading to Babies and Toddlers

3. PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE 

Your two-year-old is probably begging to do things on their own so give them these opportunities to learn, understand, and make mistakes (within limits, of course).

Of course they may not have perfected the skill yet, but the only way a child will learn these new skills is by doing it by themselves. You can help them to complete the task once they’ve already tried it on their own.

They should be increasing their independence in areas like:

• Dressing : choosing their own clothes, taking on/off shirt/pants with help, underpants/pull-up with help, shoes, and socks, and even learning the right way to put on items (backwards or forwards)
• Feeding:  using utensils with some spills, choosing their meals and snacks, opening containers, drinking from a straw cup regularly, and practicing with an open cup with supervision. I love these OXO utensils for 2 year olds as they have a good gripper and can really pierce the food, but if your toddler wants to be even more like mom and dad, these ones are great toddler utensils also.
• Brushing teeth and hair:   Teach them how to brush back and forth on their own and using a cup to rinse. My toddlers LOVE using an electric toothbrush like this one , especially the ones with their favorite characters.
• Cleaning up:  wiping up messes, putting toys away, bringing dishes, cups, & utensils to the sink when done, throwing away their garbage, and using a handheld vacuum to clean
• Hygeine : Blowing their nose, washing their hands, using a washcloth to wash themselves in the tub. Make washing hands and standing at the sink much easier by using stools and sink faucet extenders .
• Transitions:  Getting in and out of the car on their own, going up and down the stairs, ending one activity and moving to the next without complaining, turning on/off lights when entering/leaving the room

Be sure to model and show your childhood to do these skills the right way so that they don’t keep practicing something the wrong way.

4. PRETEND PLAY

Using their imagination opens up a world of fun and play for your toddler. This skill typically comes naturally as they copy and imitate what they see in the real world, in books, or on tv. They will use a combination of imagination and reality to copy the things they see daily , like these:

• Cooking in a play kitchen with pots and pans
• Hosting a tea party for their dolls and stuffed animals
• Feeding, burping, and changing a baby doll with play spoons, bottles, and diapers
• Talking on the phone with a play cell phone
• Playing doctor with a doctor or nurses kit
• Going shopping with a shopping cart and fake food
• Driving a car
• Sweeping, mopping , and vacuuming the floor

5. DRAWING AND COLORING

These are great fine motor learning activities for 2-year-olds . At this point, they should have moved past scribbling and be able to make some intentional marks on the paper, including a straight line down, straight line across, and maybe even attempt a circle. Of course, these may not be perfect, but they should get the concept of making intentional marks.

They’ll love coloring pictures, but getting them used to making marks will help improve their drawing and writing down the road. Print out pictures of their favorite characters or get a coloring book from their favorite tv show.

Also, you can draw or print out pages with letters so they can trace and get familiar with the alphabet.

I highly suggest  these finger crayons for the young ones.  They are perfect for little hands and promote a good grasp when holding the crayons.

If you’ve already started using markers, you have probably discovered that toddlers and markers aren’t a good match (unless you want a mural on your wall), so these Crayola Mess-Free Coloring Sheets are my absolute favorites!

The markers come out clear if they are used on any other surface besides the paper. On these special sheets, they’ll turn a color so your toddler sees the masterpiece that they are creating. They have so many characters available so I’m sure you can find a pack that your child will love.

6. NUMBERS AND COUNTING

Your 2 year old may be able to count to 10 (with some errors at times) from memory and maybe even higher with more practice. They can also work on recognizing and identifying those numbers and counting objects.

You can practice counting with so many different, everyday objects :

• count each step while you’re walking up the stairs
• count the number of French fries on their dinner plate
• count the number of toys in their bin

Numbers are everywhere so be sure that they are counting whenever they can.

The concept of one-to-one correspondence (one object is one number) comes later, but many toddlers can get the idea early on. Just show them how to point to each object as they count it and correct them if they start saying 2 numbers as they count one object or skip over objects when counting.

Related Post: 19 Activities to Introduce Counting to Your Toddler

7. LETTERS AND SOUNDS

Your child may already know many of the letters of the alphabet. They may be able to recite the ABC’s from memory (with some errors and help as needed). Now you can work on recognizing letters, as well as the sounds they make.

When talking about a letter, for example M: say M says mmm for mom. Always have them repeat you to etch it into their memory.

Be sure to have your child look at both uppercase and lowercase letters when learning . Most children are taught all of the uppercase letters first, however, the lowers case letters are the ones that they will see more often when they read or see words.

These name puzzles from Bloom Owl are a great way to get your child learning the letters of their name. They’ll love playing with the puzzle as they start to recognize the letters they see all the time.

By far my favorite resource for having your child learning letters and letter sounds is the Leap Frog shows on Netflix . They include Letter Factory, Phonics Farm, and more. If you have Netflix you can access these shows! My 20 month year old was reciting all of the letter sounds because he loves this show so much!

Related Post: Sticker Activity for Learning Letters

8. BUILDING

Building helps to improve your child’s hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. They’ll be able to use their imagination and creativity to create masterpieces and then knock them all down when they’re done.

This Melissa & Doug Alphabet block set  is great for small hands to stack. Two year olds also love Mega Blocks as they are perfect for stacking, putting together, and taking apart. My kids are obsessed with Magnetic Tiles and Bristle Blocks for building too.

These toys and learning activities for two year olds encourage imaginative play and let them problem solve and investigate the world around them. Tell them to build a robot, a tall building, or a table. They’ll love trying to come up with ways to make these items.

Puzzles are a great activity for fine and visual motor skills (hand-eye coordination). Having to fit a piece into it’s correct spot by turning and manipulating it is great for visual-spatial awareness.

Your 2 year old may still enjoy doing inset puzzles with knobs or pegs, which allow them to easily match shapes and items and fit the pieces in a spot. If they seem to have moved past simple inset puzzles, they may be ready to start with interlocking puzzles.

If you want to try out some more complicated interlocking puzzles try these to start. Also the name puzzles mentioned above are great to also enhance letter learning at the same time.

10. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND GETTING OUTSIDE

Two-year-olds are known to be pretty wild so you probably won’t need much coaxing to get them active. However, make sure they’re getting plenty of physical activity to learn new gross motor skills . These include:

• Pedaling a tricycle or ride-on toy
• Throwing/catching/kicking a ball

The best way to get them active is to give them lots of outdoor time . Take them to playgrounds to climb on the equipment as they offer so many opportunities for enriching gross motor skills. Take them for a walk and point out all the sights you see.

11. MUSIC, DANCE, AND RHYTHM

Children love rhythm and music so get them singing, dancing, and exploring their bodies with music. Put on music for them to dance to, sing along to their favorite songs with a microphone , or make their own music with  toy instruments like maracas, xylophone, tamborine, etc .

You can also make musical ‘instruments’ with so many household objects , like shaking pill bottles, banging wooden spoons, or filling plastic Easter eggs or water bottles with uncooked beans or rice.

Songs are also the best way for little ones to learn and memorize new concepts. Therefore, you can sing songs like the ABCs, head, shoulders, knees, and toes, or Old McDonald to learn letters, body parts, and farm animals, respectively.

12. POTTY TRAINING

Around 2 is the typical age that most parents decide to start potty training. Between 2 and 3, many children will be fully capable of using the toilet.

You can start gradually by introducing the potty and have them sit on it during different periods of the day when you know that they usually go.

Be sure to wait until they’re ready and don’t force it on them. You can start slow and steady with gently potty training to get them familiar or dive all in on a 3-day potty training binge.

Here are some great tips on potty training your toddler here.

13. SENSE OF TIME

This is something that may not come until closer to 3 and of course your two year old will not be able to tell time. However you can still teach them a basic sense of how much time is remaining or when time is over.

For example, when you say “5 more minutes left to play until dinner time” or “go brush your teeth in 1 minute,” They still won’t have a true sense of how long these increments of time are, but you can try to make them aware that 1 minute is quick, compared to 10 minutes or 20 minutes.

Before they fully have a sense of time, try setting an audio or visual timer when you need to show them when time is up. For example, when you say clean up in 5 more minutes, set a timer for 5 minutes to ring when it’s time.

We love the Time to Wake clocks for my toddlers. They let them know when it’s time to call for mom or get out of bed by simply turning a different color when it’s almost time to get up or when they should leave their room.

This is a great visual way for them to “see” and understand time.

Of course, safety is a crucial lesson to teach your child. This is the age where they will probably have no fear or understanding of dangerous situations. The following practices need to be taught and don’t just come naturally to your little one:

• not running away in public
• not running out into a parking lot
• stranger danger
• staying close to mom or dad
• being cautious when crossing streets
• holding hands when in public or outside
• sun safety: applying sunscreen, wearing hats

Speaking of safety for your little ones, the Whystle App is a great resource for all parents to have that tracks all safety information that’s important to your family. This includes product recalls for toys, food, and more that could promote dangers into your home. Download this app free on your phone and then there’s a free trial for the subscription so you never miss an important safety warning.

15. MANNERS AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS

Understanding how to properly treat others is a valuable trait to instill in your child. This goes for respecting both adults and other children. It’s important to teach your children how to use polite words and actions to show manners.

At this age, they are starting to test their boundaries and explore new ways of getting what they want. Instill rules for respecting others even through times of frustration.

• Saying  excuse me  when needing someone to move or get their attention
• Patiently waiting  for a parent to finish talking to another parent before chiming in
• Saying  please and thank you  shows consideration and appreciation
• Making  eye contact  when speaking to others
• Apologizing  when you do something wrong
• Share  their toys or items that belong to them
• No pushing, hitting, biting, or pulling hair to hurt others in any way

16. STAYING HEALTHY: GOOD HYGIENE AND EATING WELL

Teaching your child to practice good hygiene and healthy eating is great to start young . Build-in their hygiene routine throughout the day and they will become accustomed to this regimen. Eating healthy foods early on to set them off for a healthy diet for the rest of their life. These include:

• eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Avoid: processed foods, unhealthy snacks, and sweets
• washing hands after meals and potty
• brushing teeth morning and night
• bathing daily
• keeping their clothes and body clean while they eat or play
• covering their mouth when they sneeze or cough
• blowing their nose into a tissue
• wiping their own privates after going potty

Complying with:

• brushing and combing hair
• cutting fingernails and toenails
• cleaning inside ears with a  child safety q-tip

Related Post:  How to Get Your Picky Toddler to Try New Foods

17. ACTING APPROPRIATELY IN PUBLIC AND UNDERSTANDING “NO”

Toddlers are very ego-centric (only care about themselves). It’s totally normal for them to only think about how things will affect them. This almost always leads to inappropriate behaviors as they learn what behaviors get them what they want.

Don’t always give in to every cry  and teach them that sometimes they can’t get everything that they want. Don’t always give them the cookie that they’re begging for or the new toy at the store. If they must get the object that they desire, make them earn it.

Teach your 2-year-old how to act appropriately to avoid tantrums in public. Try  putting rules in place  when you are out so they know what is expected of them. Always have a way to redirect or distract them when you see a tantrum starting (using something else they are interested in). Lastly, just avoid situations that could set them off.

This is a great article about  Tips for Cry-Free Shopping with Your Toddler

18. HAVING A ROUTINE

Your child probably already has some routine in place th roughout their day . However, you want to ensure that they are consistently doing what is asked of them so that they could even do it on their own if needed. The more structure that your child has in their day, the more they will start to understand time and a daily schedule.

I love using a  routine or responsibility chart (like the blue/green one on the right) so my toddler can have a visual cue of everything that is expected of her. Use  one with pictures  instead of just words, ( like this Mickey Mouse chart ), so your toddler actually understands what it’s for.

Here are some examples of day-to-day routines that you can create a specific pattern for:

• Bedtime: Brush teeth, go potty, wash hands, put pajamas on, read a story, go to sleep
• Morning: Go potty, wash hands, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast
• Before naptime
• Pre-dinner wind-down time
• Cleaning time

Related Post:  Why Your Child Needs a Daily Routine and How to Make One

19. STAYING ON TASK

A toddler has a very limited attention span (unless of course, they’re watching their favorite television show). It’s only reasonable to ask them to focus on a task for around 4-6 minutes at this age. However, it is important for them to be aware that once they start a task they should finish it to completion.

My daughter loves to grab a puzzle and put in 3 pieces and walk away or sit down and read 2 pages and then walk away.

The goal of teaching your child to stay on task is to complete what they start.  Here are some tips:

• While playing with your child, make sure that they complete the entire activity, ie. puzzle or read through the whole book, before they get up and run around.
• If they’re coloring or building a tower, keep them engaged in that one activity for as long as possible before you let them move on to the next.
• During mealtimes make sure they remain seated and finish their meal before getting up and playing.
• Make sure they clean up one activity before moving on to the next

20. BEING A HELPER

Little kids LOVE to help grown-ups. They want to do everything that you’re doing because they’re starting to gain this growing confidence and independence. Invite them to perform tasks that they may not be able to do independently, but that they can help you with.

• Get the mail
• Take the trash out
• Refill the toilet paper roll dispenser
• Help with cooking: mixing, adding ingredients
• Carrying in bags or groceries
• Fill the dog bowl
• Entertain a younger sibling

21. TECHNOLOGY

Technology or screen time should be  limited  for toddlers to 1 hour a day, but it is important for your child to learn how to use these devices. The fine motor skill of swiping, clicking, and sliding to nagivate through tablets and smart phones are something that your 2 year old can easily learn.

Ipad  educational games like  ABC Mouse are great to sharpen a lot of the educational skills listen above, as well as practice using a tablet or smart phone. My toddler loves  ABC Mouse because of the wide variety of games and fun. She’s learning how to trace letters, numbers, make new sounds and words, etc. They’re giving a  FREE 30-day trial now  so sign up while you can!

Leapfrog Laptop  is also a fun interactive computer that toddlers can easily use and learn on.

Most of these skills can be accomplished at some point while a child is two (24-35 months old), but every child develops at their own pace. This article is not intended to skew your mind into thinking that your child MUST know these concepts.

However, if you are looking for learning activities to do with your child, ways to engage their mind, or knowledge to teach them, these are some great tips. Your child is NOT behind if they can’t adequately do all of these things, but if you are concerned, please speak to your pediatrician.

Have fun teaching your two-year-old and enjoy watching them blossom this year. They’ll be growing and developing before your eyes so don’t blink! Here are some more great learning activity ideas to do with your 2 year old.

Related posts:

17 Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds: Teaching Toddlers Through Play

Play-based learning is the best way for your toddler to learn about themselves and their world.

The world of your 2-year-old is full of exciting possibilities. They are developing quickly, and you will find them ready to dive into learning experiences. They are actively looking for ways to assert their independence and test their boundaries (and yours!).

Learning activities for 2-year-olds should look at their development holistically and engage them in new ways of thinking. Toddler learning activities are a fun way for you to connect with your child as you learn and grow together.

Play-Based Learning for Toddler Development

When your 2-year-old is playing, they are learning how the world works. Play ignites their curiosity and gets them to think creatively about simple tasks.

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning” – Diane Ackerman.

Here are some other ways that play is beneficial for development:

• Practice life skills
• Improves communication
• Develops empathy
• Encourages imagination
• Allows for independence and autonomy
• Fosters problem-solving skills

17 Learning Activities for Your 2-Year-Old

When it comes to educational activities for toddlers, you want to make them hands-on and fun. Learning should be joyful and creative. Fun activities can teach your child and keep them happily immersed in play.

Activities for Gross Motor Skills Development

1. Play Silks and Dancing

There is something magical about watching a child lost in their own world. Play silks are a great way to encourage imaginative movement in little kids. 

Put on some music and let your little one move to the rhythm. This unstructured activity allows them to use any movements they want. The play silks help them move their bodies, become aware of themselves within a space, and embody different characters. 

Fun Tip: Try music that evokes different moods. Watch as your child adjusts their movements to the music.

Benefits: 

• Imagination
• Free movement
• Express emotion

2. Animal Imitation

What toddler doesn’t love pretend play? 

You can use animal cards, toy animals, or even recorded animal sounds for this activity. Help your child think about how each animal moves and then watch as they try to imitate that movement. They can include the sound the animal makes to really get into character.

Fun Tip: Do this activity with your child. Yes, it may seem silly, but they will love it. Play is how our kids communicate with us, and something special happens when we join them in their world.

• Crossing the midline and gross motor skills
• Builds core strength
• Improves focus and attention

3. Mud Monster

Getting dirty is a great way to learn and a fun activity. Not only is mud a fantastic sensory experience, but it contains friendly bacteria that stimulate the release of serotonin . 

To create your mud monster, draw one on a wall with mud or build one around a hula hoop placed on the ground. Your toddler will then make mud balls and have to throw them into the mud monster’s mouth. Your 2-year-old is learning to throw overhand at this stage, and this is a fun activity to practice.

Fun Tip: Let your toddler help you make the mud. The process of mixing sand and water is a valuable learning opportunity.

• Develops tactile skills
• Strengthens throwing motion
• It helps them identify their dominant arm

Activities that Develop Fine Motor Skills

4. Building Blocks

Building blocks are a classic toddler activity that has a multitude of benefits. Simply place a bag of blocks on the floor and watch as your little one begins to create. At this age, your 2-year-old will be able to build a tower of 4-7 blocks, opening up a world of possibilities for them.

Fun Tip: Add other elements such as cars, animals, and wood planks. This will help your toddler play with the blocks in new and imaginative ways.

• Problem-solving
• Early math skills

5. Simple Tracing

Your 2-year-old might not be holding a pencil confidently, but they will enjoy simple tracing activities. They will help them develop tensile strength in their fingers and work on their fine motor skills.

Use simple shapes and lines with an easy-to-follow dot-to-dot pattern. A chunky pencil or marker will work best for your child’s inexperienced fingers.

Fun Tip: Start with sidewalk chalk to encourage large, free-flowing movements. Before starting with a pencil, try a Q-tip and paint to follow a series of dot patterns.

• Hand-eye coordination
• Concentration
• Crossing the midline

6. Paper Washing Line

Reaching the washing line outside might be tricky, but you can create a mini version indoors. All you need is a cardboard box, some twine, and two pieces of dowel rod. You can cut out clothing from cardboard and let your 2-year-old peg them onto the line.

Fun Tip: You can use clothes pegs to hang up art, count, color sort, and paint with. They are a versatile option for 2-year-old development activities. 

• Improve pincer grasp
• Motor accuracy
• Hand preference

7. Playdough Jars

Play dough is fantastic for sensory play and fine motor skills development. Put playdough and loose parts into different jars with the lids on. Then let your toddler open the jars and empty the contents. Opening the jars is good fine motor practice and your toddler is also at a stage where they love to empty containers.

Fun Tip: Ask your toddler to sort the items and place them back into the jars at the end of the activity. 

• Strengthens fingers, hands, and wrists
• Improves concentration

Activities for Language Development

8. Picture Books

Picture books are essential in child development, particularly for emergent language. Reading picture books allows you to foster connection with your toddler while demonstrating a love of reading. Your 2-year-old will also learn to connect the words to the pictures. This will help them understand their meaning better.

Fun Tip: Play a game of ‘spot the x.’ You can help your child learn new words as they associate them with a picture.

• Listening skills
• Strengthen visual thinking skills
• Encourage conversations

9. Mystery Bag

This is a versatile game that you can play with almost any object. Put a selection of things into a bag. Ask your toddler to reach into the bag and try and name an object they feel before pulling it out. This is a fun way to introduce new words to your child’s vocabulary.

Fun Tip: For an interesting variation of this game, draw the outline of your toddler’s body on a large piece of paper. Then ask them to point to and name their different body parts. 

• New vocabulary
• Improved tactile sense

10. Story Cubes

Story cubes have scenes/characters/objects depicted on them. Your toddler can choose the order of the cubes, and you can create a story together. This activity is excellent for teaching toddlers about creative thinking and future scenarios.

Fun Tip: Incorporate tower building into the process. Then start the story from the top of the tower and reverse it. This is a fun way to introduce the concepts of top and bottom while helping your toddler use their imagination.

• Imaginative play

11. Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes are great for teaching 2-year-olds about phonics and help with language development. Keep your rhymes simple and choose ones with repetitive verses.

Some great nursery rhymes for 2-year-olds are Incy Wincy Spider, Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, and Hickory Dickory Dock.

Try to incorporate rhymes that have corresponding movements. The car is also great for practicing nursery rhymes with your toddler.

• Develop motor skills
• Teach grammar
• Introduce counting, colors, and shapes

Activities for Social/Emotional Development

12. Emotion Cards

2-year-olds are learning about themselves in relation to other children so talking about emotions is vital. Emotion cards work well as they show the picture that relates to a feeling. Start your day with the emotion cards and regularly bring them out. 

Fun Tip: Take a ‘sportscasting’ approach to toddler behavior. That means you observe and repeat the facts of the situation. This allows your toddler to feel and deal with the emotion for themselves.

• Builds empathy
• It helps them learn self-regulation and self-control
• Emotional vocabulary development

13. Simon Says

2-year-olds are starting to copy the behavior they see around them. That makes Simon Says a fun and simple game to play. Your toddler is also becoming more aware of themselves, and Simon Says is a fun way to start teaching them about the parts of their body.

Fun Tip: Use the anatomical names for body parts. Children must know the real names as they become aware of themselves and their bodies.

• Developing body awareness
• Sequencing Skills
• Following instructions

14. Kitchen Time

Your 2-year-old is becoming more independent, and you may find them increasingly defiant. Spending time in the kitchen is a great way to help them feel empowered and capable.

Simple cookies, scrambled eggs, and banana muffins are easy recipes that your 2-year-old can make with you.

Fun Tip: Involve them in the whole process by allowing them to crack, mash, and scoop but also wash up.

• Basic math skills
• Builds independence
• Boosts confidence

Activities for Cognitive Development

15. Puppet Play

Puppet play is an amazing developmental tool for toddlers. Your 2-year-old is starting to engage in make-believe play and new language. Puppets encourage creativity, imagination, and new vocabulary. It also helps develop social skills.

Fun tip: You don’t need fancy puppets. Toddlers love craft activities, so why not make your own out of socks? You know, the ones that make it out of the dryer without a partner?

• Motor skills
• Builds self-confidence

16. Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt is a versatile learning experience that you can use repeatedly. For example, you can have a color hunt where your toddler has to find items in the house that are a specific color. Or you can stick shapes around the house and ask them to find and sort them.

Fun Tip: Take this activity outside for a diverse sensory experience with different textures.

• Color identification

17. Sorting Basket

Sorting baskets are another fun matching game to help your toddler learn colors, numbers, shapes, and sizes. You can put almost anything in a sorting basket, from leaves and stones to blocks and fabric scraps.

Fun Tip: Mix up textures and color shades to challenge your toddler.

• Develops reasoning and thinking skills
• Encourage categorizing
• Early literacy and numeracy skills

Teaching Your Toddler Through Play

Play-based learning opportunities are the best activities to get your toddler engaged and excited. They allow you to introduce complex concepts through simple play that your 2-year-old can easily understand.

Watching your little one engage with the world around them is a magical time, so get on their level and get playing.

Mommy Maker Teacher

From Pregnancy To Toddlerhood

75+ Best Educational Toys and Gifts for 2-Year-Olds

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! 

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through one of these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for the support!

⚠️ 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 ??

Check Out My Other Toy and Activity Guides:

• Activities For A 4 Month-Old
• Toys And Gift Ideas For 9 To 12 Month Babies
• Activities For a 14-Month-Old Busy Toddler
• Educational Toys and Gifts for 2-Year-Olds
• Outdoor Toys for 2-Year-Olds
• Airplane Toys for Toddlers
• Music Players For Toddlers

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!

These interactive books captivate little learners.

• Huge, detailed pop-up displays.
• Cute story lines.
• Themes for all interests (animals, vehicles, trucks, holidays, and more).

The pages are filled with pokable dots (they remind me of the push tabs on soda cups!).

At 2-years-old these books are great for engaging toddlers and developing hand-eye coordination.

As your child ages, Poke-a-Dot books have hidden games and challenges to do (like counting, Eye Spy, and more).

• Every page has a unique texture to feel.
• Children are eager to turn the pages.
• Teaches kids about their sense of touch.

I love these lift-a-flap books because your toddler can hold on to them themselves without worrying about ripping or tearing the page.

Each page has a hidden object to find that goes along with the storyline.

• Doubles as a search and find.
• Lets children learn authentic sounds of animals, automobiles, nature, and more.

Puzzle books are new to the scene and so much fun for little kids.

• Move the puzzle pieces to their slots throughout the book and become part of the story.
• Use the book as just as puzzle.

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. 

• Use the magnetic spoon to pick up scoops and toppings and place the scoops into the cones and bowls! The cone and bowl pieces have slots to stick ice cream.
• Give your child custom ice cream orders and watch them make it.
• In the end, solve the puzzle to clean up!

Note: I was disappointed that the entire puzzle isn't magnetic (that would make storing it so much easier!). Only the ice cream scoops and toppings are magnetic.

• Fish with the included magnetic fishing rod!
• Practice colors and name recognition with your toddler ("can you catch the blue one?" or "can you catch the turtle?").
• When you're ready to clean up, complete the puzzle to put it away.

You might not think of Velcro food as a puzzle, but it is! Recognizing the shapes and colors that go together and connecting the pieces is what puzzles are all about.

Teach your child fine motor skills associated with cutting and preparing food as well.

This is a quality set and another example of a hidden puzzle. The menu lets your child see pictures and recreate the cones. They can also see which pieces fit together and which don't.

Coding and STEM Toys 

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 .

• These little guys are the cutest (see their fox and lizard also!).
• Create paths using PUZZLE pieces.
• Coding Critter will follow your path.
• Teach engineering symbols like straight lines, loops, turns, and wavy lines.
• Open-ended play: Coding Critter will follow any black line. Grab your masking tape and create tracks all around your house!

• Things I love: It's super-simple (only goes forward and only turns left), never runs out of battery, and is virtually indestructible.
• Things I don't love: It's super simple (yes, this was also something I originally loved!). Once my son got a little older, he outgrew this toy. I prefer toys that last a little longer. The range is short. Stand too far away, and your car won't go.

Final Verdict: Although my son outgrew this in about a year, I would still purchase it again. The simplicity made it easy for him to learn the controls in one sitting. The speed was perfect, and it is heavy-duty but never scuffed my walls!

I have to admit, I might have a little too much fun with this toy as a 30 year old woman!

Take the car apart and build it back together with the functioning drill.

Teacher Take: This drill wins over some of the others on the market because it has a novice-level drill bit that makes it easy for even little hands to operate.

It also has a reverse function (for taking apart or fixing mistakes).

Finally, you can use the toy car for pretend and imaginative play.

The fun of tools, without the worry of small pieces for toddlers still putting things in their mouth.

Teach your child how to use different tools and the motions associated with them.

Each card has a theme with several learning modes and games.

• Teach your child about touch screens and buttons without screen time.
• Only offer one card at a time to make the toy seem new and exciting for each user.

Note: This is not a toy that I own or have used. I found it online while looking for another toy. I think it's really awesome and might become a birthday present in the near future!

Musical Instruments 

• Strum mode lets you strum the strings like an actual guitar.
• Turn off strum mode and "play" pre-made songs.
• The buttons on the guitar neck play musical notes.
• Select between acoustic, electric, and "barking" guitar sounds.

My kids have a blast with this guitar. They can make their own songs or play along to existing ones!

If you haven't yet bought this for your child, now is a great time!

Not only does this double as a musical instrument and pull toy, but you can also practice colors by having them hit the colors as you say them. Teach them songs this way!

My kids can't get enough of this music player ( one of many we own ).

They can sing pre-recorded Cocomelon classics or sing their songs through Bluetooth. It teaches kids about music and singing for joy.

All of the fun of a drumset without the noise!

• Play the drums by hitting the pads with the drumsticks.
• Several modes allow your child to play their own songs, stick to a beat, recall patterns, and more.

We have an actual piano at home that my two-year-old loves to play. We can play simple songs together.

I love this kid's piano: It has color-coded keys matching the included color-coded songbook. The color-coded notes are shown on a lined sheet of music and identified with a color and letter. Kids can learn music notes by color first, letter second, and finally on sheet music.

I can't say enough good things about the Tonie player. It's a top music player for children, and they've now introduced audiobooks!

We have a Toniebox and a Yoto player . I love them both, and so do my kids.

The Toniebox is great for younger children with shorter attention spans (shorter tracks) and who are more clumsy (it has soft sides that land with a soft bounce).

• Buy character song soundtracks and audiobooks.
• Listen through the speaker or connect headphones.
• Creating your own characters lets you upload custom playlists with infinite possibilities.
• Record your voice and "read" stories to your child.

I have the Yoto Mini , but I recommend the Original Yoto player for children under 3. It's bigger and can sit on a shelf, vs. the Mini, which could be easily dropped or lost. We also have a Toniebox player , which we love, but Yoto offers more variety and customizability for parents.

• Listen to endless free content (daily podcasts and radio stations are free!)
• Create your own Yoto Cards with up to 100 tracks.
• Control the Yoto player remotely from the parent app.
• Connect headphones with a wire or Bluetooth.
• Set daytime and evening parameters (including turning it off after bedtime).
• Use it as a white noise player.
• Built-in alarm clock.
• Built-in okay-to-wake clock (lets children know when it's time to be in bed and when to get up with different colored lights).

Arts and Crafts 

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!

Practice colors, shapes, numbers, patterns, and stringing beads with this kit.

Teach sewing skills with this lacing toy.

The board is velcro-like (although dust and debris don't stick to it ?) and comes with colored cords of different sizes that stick to it.

Tracing cards come with it, or you can use the blank cards to create your own design.

I love that the cards and cords are stored within the board, making it easy to store.

Paint sticks are so much fun!

They go on buttery-smooth and have a paint-like feel, but they are half as messy as traditional paint.

Does your baby Hercules have a habit of snapping ordinary crayons in half?

Or wind up eating more than they are coloring?!

These twistables have hard plastic outer shells, so no more snapping!

Some two-year-olds aren't ready to hold pencils and crayons. These eggs fit right in their hands and make for a traditional coloring experience.

Designed just for toddlers, these easy-grip markers teach proper finger placement.

Are all kids in love with markers? Or is it just mine!?

If your little one has mastered holding markers and you're ready for the real deal, these are my top recommendations because they don't dry out!

• Chunkier than standard dot markers (perfect for tiny hands).
• Washable (from a trusted brand!).
• 30 activity pages included to practice numbers, letters, shapes, and pattern recognition.

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!

I could go on and on about how much we love Water WOW products from Melissa & Doug!

• Fill pen with water.
• Color pages.
• Watch the picture appear.
• Watch it dry and fade back to white.

If you're tired of your toddler dumping over paint pots or your paints always drying out, switch to Pop & Paint. It has a self-moistening paintbrush, eight paint colors, a palette, and a cleaning disk.

It's not the same as traditional paint, but we love this set for quick craft sessions!

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.

• Color, paint, stamp, and doodle with water
• Colors appear when wet and disappear when dry

Teacher Take: This mat stands out to me from others because of all of the extras that are included: pens, rollers, stamps, foam shapes, etc. It's also from a brand that I know and trust. 

Sorting and Stacking 

Teach hand-eye coordination, building, balance, and more with blocks galore.

I love this toy so much.

• Stack the cars on top of each other
• Recognize colors
• Count how high the cars go
• Lift the exit gate and pull the cars out by the little pegs
• Match the car colors to the levels
• Play with the cars all on their own

Sort, count, and stack all in one.

• Learn shape placement and recognition
• Fine motor skills to put the pieces in the peg
• Teach body parts

• Practice stacking

Play with the animals in their barns to encourage pretend and imaginative play.

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Blocks 

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.

I am a huge Lego Duplo advocate and was even featured in Parent's Magazine with tons of ideas for ways to play and teach your child with Duplo.

Everything you need (including a storage case) to start building with Duplo. Dozens of designs that are ready to make or create your own! Encourage pretend play and imagination with all of the characters included.

Are they expensive? Yes.

Are they worth it? Yes.

The name brand is worth it here. Knock-off brands don't have the magnetic power for building. If you stack too many together, the creation will collapse from the weight.

I love our particular set because you get the car base, some road pieces, functional cranes, and spinning bases. These can be used as pictured or re-configured into your designs.

Pro Tip: When looking for Magnatiles for 2-year-olds, look for sets with mostly square shapes . Triangles are tricky to build, while even young toddlers can grasp building with squares.

Full Disclosure: We don't own them, and I've never played with them, but I see them all the time and think they are so cool as a block-alternative for children who aren't interested in traditional blocks. 

Trains are blocks, too!

They encourage problem-solving, building, connecting, engineering, and more.

We have all BRIO trains and tracks. Just like Magnatiles, I feel the brand is important here. We experimented with several other train sets that crack, splinter, or don't fit well together.

Nurturing Toys 

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 ?.

I don't know why this is rated 5+ (let me know in the comments if you know why!) . The bottle doesn't seem like a choking hazard to me. The leash is longer than 6", so it could be a strangulation hazard and should be monitored closely. But you could certainly remove the leash.

We LOVE this lamb. It reacts to being petted, asks for attention when lonely, and drinks its bottle. My boys love feeding her (her name is Toot ?) and listening to her burp!

This is rated for ages 6+, and I would use extreme supervision with a toddler doing this activity. You don't want them to eat the dirt or seeds. This would have to be an activity done largely by the parent.

Why I like this set:

• Teaches patience
• Nurturing (watering)
• You can see the plants growing (so it helps our impatient growers!)
• Teaches life cycles
• Teaches about cultivating food for eating

Care for sick animals and nurse them back to health.

Pretend Play

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. 

This also falls under nurturing: preparing food for people.

• Have your child prepare pretend meals
• Pretend to clean dishes
• Take orders from friends and family

Pro Tip: I'll use uncooked pasta or rice (if I'm in the mood to vacuum ?) and let them "cook" with it.

Let their imagination (and carpentry skills) soar with this fun workbench!

The power tools actually work and make sounds.

Toddlers love creating their own little spaces. Use it as a barn, a reading nook, or a place to be silly!

Melissa & Doug have dress-up costumes for whatever your child could imagine. Their costumes are well-designed and sturdy and come with fun accessories to let their imagination run wild.

There are Little People sets for every interest your child could have. It's great to teach them about new interests, careers, skills, and vocabulary related to the different sets. I love that these sets are open-ended with infinite possibilities to play.

This barn playset also sparked some early independent and creative play with my toddler. We also enjoy singing farm-related songs and making animal noises. I teach him to nurture the animals by feeding them and petting them ?.

Independence Tasks 

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.

This sink has running water but you don't have to fill the reservoir if you don't want to. The accessories that come with it are too cute. Give your toddler some dishes of their own to clean.

You'll be happy to know that these toys aren't just for show! The toys actually function so your little one can help with household tasks.

Yes, this vacuum will suck up dirt and debris but don't count on it for doing any major cleaning.

Disclaimer: Ours was a different color, and the motor eventually burned out after two years of extensive daily use. We then bought the actual "Dyson" toy vacuum, and that broke after only a few weeks of use, so this is still my recommendation.

We have smaller bathrooms, so I love these folding step stools. They can be tucked away when not in use and easily moved from the toilet to the sink.

We've tried a few potty training seats, and this one seems to have the snuggest fit for our toilets. It's a trial-and-error thing!

We use these command hooks to hang a hand towel and their bath towels at toddler height.

Make brushing their teeth a fun experience with their favorite characters and a spinning toothbrush!

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.

Get your little ones involved in real food preparation. I love this set because it has two wooden knife options to teach kids to cut soft foods (think banana, avocado, etc.). This set has everything they need to cook alongside you in the kitchen and will grow with them as they get older.

Mamas, idk if it's just me, but I LOATHE high chairs. When my little one was in a high chair, I felt like I was constantly cleaning clunky trays that got water all over my kitchen. We decided to replace our high chair with this booster seat, and we never looked back. I am actually in love with this seat for all of these reasons:

• It's plastic: no mystery crust and goop in the cushion crevices.
• It grows with your child: there are three height positions.
• It fits at the dining table: you can slide this seat under most tables so it is out of sight.
• Convertible: start your little pushed up to the table with a tray (like a high chair) and eventually remove the tray.
• Additional trays: the additional trays are $6 each and are dishwasher safe. We bought 3 extras (one for each meal of the day plus a backup), which was life-changing!
• Portable: easily take this on and off of any chair. The backrest folds down to save space. The feet are retractable to save space. It even comes with a tray lid to use your tray as a storage container.

Make your tiny tot feel like everyone else in the family with utensils that look like grown-up ones.

Just like with plates, our toddlers drink from glasses at mealtime. It's important to find glasses that are their size. A shot glass makes a perfect training glass when you're just starting with open cups!

Pro Tip: A wise mom once told me, never fill your toddler's glass more than you're willing to clean up. It's the best advice I've gotten for baby-led drinking .

You might be surprised to learn that my two-year-old sits at the table with us and eats from a glass plate and drinks from a glass cup at mealtime!

• Glass plates teach responsibility
• Grab plates that are 6-8" for two-year-olds
• These triple-layer plates are shatter-resistant

As the mom of a toddler who threw his plastic plates and high chair trays, I was hesitant to introduce glass plates as a part of baby-led weaning ... But we've never had an issue with him trying to throw a glass plate. They understand that glass plates are a privilege, making them more responsible at the dinner 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. 

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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.

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32 Top Learning Toys For 2 Year Old (Boost Development)

Is your 2-year-old walking or still crawling? Have you noticed they are still wobbly and unsure on their feet? Two-year-olds are clumsy and are all over the place. However, with the right guidance and the help of one of our suggested top learning toys for 2-year-olds, you can support their physical development and provide them with engaging opportunities to learn and grow.

They walk, crawl, run, climb, throw and drop things, and they make a ton of mess. Not their fault though. Their movements are awkward because they have not mastered their gross and fine motor skills yet. They can talk but not clearly, they keep falling, and need a lot of help.

What are the top learning toys for 2 year old? The best toys for 2 year old are those that help them learn important skills like gross and fine motor movements, spatial awareness, imaginative play, language, and vocabulary, and learn colors, numbers shapes, and other cognitive skills. Two-year-olds need a lot of help in gaining the confidence and independence to move freely. They need toys to help them build strong muscles for movement. Toys should be able to help them with literacy and pre-math skills to prepare them for preschool. Lastly, learning toys for 2 year old should be fun and provide a meaningful experience.

Learning Toys for 2 Year Old

Don’t you find it overwhelming when shopping for learning toys for 2 year old? There are just too many choices. Lucky for you, we have come up with a list of the best for your little one.

Building Blocks

Building blocks provide endless possibilities for fun. Your two-year-old can build, construct, and design anything they can imagine.

It helps to develop their language and expand their vocabulary. Building blocks teach early math skills. Two-year-olds will learn to plan and strategize by learning about positions, colors, shapes, and sizes.

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Playing with building blocks is so much fun your little one will learn about balance, gravity, and geometry without even knowing it!

Matching Toys

Matching may look simple and easy but that’s what makes it effective. Matching requires visual memory and discrimination, improving a young child’s cognitive skills.

It practices the child’s skill in identifying patterns, similarities, differences, and relationships of objects. These help children learn about representation and build their problem-solving skills.

Matching toys also help improve fine motor skills. Not to mention they are so much fun to do with family members and friends. So it improves language, vocabulary, and social interaction too!

Puzzles are a must-have for every child. They are fun and educational. It can be a topic specific if you have a specific goal or lesson to teach your child. For example, if your two-year-old is starting to learn ABCs or numbers, you can reinforce that by letting them play number or letter puzzles.

Puzzles help develop:

• Concentration
• Language and vocabulary
• Spatial awareness
• Shape, color, size, objects, letter, and number recognition
• Fine motor skills
• Hand-eye coordination
• Cognitive skills

Words, Letters, Colors, and Numbers

Two years old is a perfect age to start learning about basic words, letters, colors, and numbers. It is a good way to develop their language and support their growing vocabulary.

These can come in different forms like flashcards, board games, puzzles, wooden blocks, abacus, and many other toys.

Wooden Musical Instruments

Simple wooden musical instruments are great for introducing music, sounds, and noise while having different sensorial experiences.

Music stimulates a child’s brain and can make learning easy. It is calming and improves two-year-olds creativity and imagination. It facilitates brain development.

Think of simple musical instruments like maracas, tambourines, ukuleles, or a drum.

Outdoor Toys

Exploration, especially nature exploration , is important for young children. This is how they can learn to understand their physical world and develop a connection to nature – plants, and animals.

Learning toys for 2 year old for nature exploration like big catchers, gardening tools, catching nets, or a fishing rod is a good start.

Being exposed to nature keeps kids active. They learn compassion for animals and other living things. They are encouraged to move and be active, developing their fine and gross motor skills.

Toys for Physical Activities

Being active is important for your two-year-olds. They have so much energy they need an outlet to channel that. Learning toys for 2 year old that encourage physical activity can include training bikes, a wagon, a ball, a wooden balance board, a claiming triangle, and an outdoor gym.

Physical activities help build strong muscles to improve movement and sharpen their senses.

Toys that encourage physical activities to promote social interaction, language development, and develop good character traits.

Shape Sorters

Shape sorters help children learn about shapes, colors, and spatial awareness. They provide a hands-on experience in matching shapes to corresponding holes, enhancing fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities.

Picture Books

Picture books are excellent educational toys for 2-year-olds as they introduce them to new words, objects, and concepts. They stimulate language development, expand vocabulary, and enhance visual recognition skills.

Nesting Cups

Nesting cups come in different sizes and can be stacked or nested inside one another. These toys teach children about size relationships, coordination, and cause-and-effect. They also promote sensory exploration as kids can fill them with water, sand, or other materials.

Counting Toys

Counting toys, such as number puzzles or counting blocks, are perfect for introducing basic math concepts to 2-year-olds. These toys help children learn to recognize and associate numbers with quantities, promoting numeracy skills and early counting abilities.

Magnetic Letters and Numbers

Magnetic letters and numbers are great tools for introducing the alphabet and numerals to young learners. They can be stuck on the fridge or a magnetic board, allowing children to explore letter and number recognition, spelling, and basic math operations.

Art Supplies

Art supplies, such as washable markers, finger paints, and crayons, encourage creativity, self-expression, and fine motor skills. They provide a sensory experience and help children develop hand-eye coordination, color recognition, and early writing skills.

Pretend Play Sets

Pretend play sets, such as kitchen sets, doctor kits, or toolkits, foster imaginative play and social interaction. They allow children to mimic real-life scenarios, enhancing language skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of roles and responsibilities.#

STEM & Montessori-inspired Toys: Introducing Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Discover the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Montessori-inspired toys designed to engage and educate 2-year-olds. These educational toys for 2-year-olds offer hands-on learning experiences that promote problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativit y. With a focus on child-led exploration and independence, these toys provide a foundation for early learning and development.

Lovevery The Block Set

– The Lovevery Block Set is a play kit that promotes language, independence, and social-emotional skills.

– It is made from sustainably-harvested wood and other child-safe materials, ensuring the safety of your child.

– This toy offers educational value by encouraging problem-solving, balancing skills, learning numbers, imaginative play, and real-life skills.

– It is recommended for children aged 34-36 months.

– The set includes a wooden counting box, a land and sky puzzle board, a wooden camper van, and more.

– It is certified by the FSC, guaranteeing its sustainable sourcing.

– So far, there have been no product recalls for this toy.

– The only downside is that it can be a bit pricey.

KiwiCo Koala Crate

– The KiwiCo Koala Crate is a box that contains various arts and crafts, toys for imaginative play, and science activities.

– It meets safety standards, ensuring that the materials used are safe for children.

– The materials in the crate are a mixture of paper, wood, and cloth.

– It offers educational value through imaginative play, fine motor skills development, STEM learning, memory improvement, and creativity.

– This crate is recommended for children aged 2-4 years old.

– Each crate contains a random assortment of different preschool materials for hands-on learning.

– There have been no product recalls for this toy.

– The only drawback is that you cannot choose which items are included in the crate.

Montessori Generation Busy Board

– The Montessori Generation Busy Board is a bag filled with various activity options, including buckles, snap pockets, laces, buttons, and zippers.

– It is made of high-quality, child-safe materials to ensure durability and safety.

– The materials used in this toy are cloth.

– It provides educational value by promoting creativity, coordination, attention, memory, and fine motor skills.

– The recommended age range for this toy is 1-4 years old.

Magformers Basic Set

– Brand: Magformers

– Best features: Magnetic building blocks for open-ended creative play

– Product safety: BPA-free and made with high-quality materials

– Materials: ABS plastic magnets and high-quality construction

– Educational value: STEM learning, spatial awareness, problem-solving, and creativity

– Age range: 3+ years old

– Extra features: Includes various shapes for endless building possibilities

– Certification: ASTM and CPSIA compliant

– Product recall: None

– Cons: Some customers find the magnets to be a bit weak.

Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set

– Brand: Learning Resources

– Best features: Coding and programming game set with a robot mouse

– Product safety: Made with child-safe materials

– Materials: Plastic and electronic components

– Educational value: Introduction to coding and programming logic, critical thinking, problem-solving, and sequencing

– Age range: 5-9 years old

– Extra features: Includes coding cards, tunnels, maze pieces, and more

– Cons: Younger children may require adult assistance to fully understand the coding concepts.

Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst Kit

– Brand: Tinkering Labs

– Best features: Kit for building and experimenting with electric circuits and motors

– Product safety: Made with high-quality, child-safe materials

– Materials: Wood, plastic, metal, and electronic components

– Educational value: Hands-on exploration of engineering, circuitry, problem-solving, and creativity

– Age range: 8+ years old

– Extra features: Includes a variety of building parts, electric motors, and tools

– Cons: Requires adult supervision and guidance for younger children.

Educational Building Sets & Blocks: Building a Foundation with Learning Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Spark your child’s imagination and cognitive skills with educational building sets and blocks designed for 2-year-olds. These engaging toys foster creativity, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities . With a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, these learning toys for 2-year-olds offer endless possibilities for construction and exploration.

– The Educational Building Sets & Blocks are a rainbow-shaped block set that comes with little people figures.

– These blocks are made of high-quality, child-safe materials, ensuring durability and safety.

– The materials used are wood with non-toxic paint.

– They offer educational value by promoting creativity, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, logic, and problem-solving skills.

– These blocks are suitable for children aged 1 year and above.

– The only downside is that they can be a bit pricey.

Melissa & Doug 100 Piece Wood Blocks Set

– The Melissa & Doug 100 Piece Wood Blocks Set includes 100 pieces of solid wood blocks in nine shapes and four colors.

– These blocks are free from lead and phthalates, ensuring the safety of your child.

– They are made from sustainably sourced wood.

– This toy provides educational value by teaching early math concepts, engineering skills, color and shape recognition, fine motor skills, and dexterity.

– It is suitable for children aged 2 years and above.

– The box that the blocks come in can be converted into a carrying case.

– The set is certified by FSC, as well as US and EU conformity certificates.

– Some parents have complained about the block pieces being smaller than expected.

LEGO Classic Creative Bricks Set

– Brand: LEGO

– Best features: Classic LEGO bricks for unlimited building possibilities

– Product safety: Made with high-quality, non-toxic materials

– Materials: Plastic

– Educational value: Creativity, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and imagination

– Age range: 4+ years old

– Extra features: Includes a wide range of LEGO bricks in various shapes and colors

– Cons: The set does not come with specific building instructions.

PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set

– Brand: PicassoTiles

– Best features: Magnetic building tiles with vibrant colors

– Product safety: BPA-free and made with child-safe materials

– Educational value: STEM learning, creativity, spatial awareness, and problem-solving

– Extra features: Includes squares, triangles, windows, and more for endless building possibilities

– Cons: The magnets can be a bit weak, resulting in less stable constructions.

K’NEX Education Intro to Simple Machines: Gears Set

– Brand: K’NEX

– Best features: Building set for exploring simple machines and gears

– Materials: Plastic and metal

– Educational value: Introduction to engineering, gears, mechanics, problem-solving, and critical thinking

– Extra features: Includes gears, connectors, and building instructions for different models

– Cons: Younger children may require assistance in understanding the mechanical concepts.

Words, ABCs, Numbers, & Colors:  Fun and Learning Combined in Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Introduce your 2-year-old to the exciting world of words, ABCs, numbers, and colors through educational toys. These toys engage young minds in early literacy and numeracy skills while making learning fun . From alphabet puzzles to color recognition games, these interactive toys enhance vocabulary, letter recognition, and color awareness in an enjoyable and age-appropriate way.

Melissa & Doug ABC-123 Abacus

– The Melissa & Doug ABC-123 Abacus consists of 36 pieces of abacus wood blocks with ABCs and numbers or figures.

– The abacus blocks are made from sustainably sourced wood, ensuring their safety and durability.

– This toy offers educational value by helping children learn their ABCs, math concepts, colors, patterns, and fine motor skills.

– The blocks feature different illustrations, including animals and common objects or food items.

– The toy is certified by FSC, as well as US and EU conformity certificates.

– Some parents have complained about their kids’ fingers getting stuck between the blocks while turning them.

Battat Wooden Activity Cube

– The Battat Wooden Activity Cube offers different activity options on each side.

– It is constructed with sturdy and smooth materials, ensuring its safety and durability.

– The toy is made of wood with water-based, non-toxic paint.

– It provides educational value by promoting cognitive and problem-solving skills.

– This cube is recommended for children aged 1 year and above.

– It is certified to meet EU, US, and Canadian safety standards.

– The only potential drawback is that having too many activities to do in one toy might overwhelm your child.

Shape Sorter Puzzle

– This shape sorter puzzle offers a unique feature that allows your child to mix and match the slots to change their shape.

– It meets US product safety requirements, ensuring its safety for children.

– The materials used are child-safe plastic.

– This toy provides educational value by promoting problem-solving skills, spatial reasoning, and learning shapes.

– It is recommended for children aged 2 years and above.

– Some customers think it may be too complicated for a two-year-old.

Fat Brain Toys Count & Sort Stacking Tower

– The Fat Brain Toys Count & Sort Stacking Tower is a color-coded stacking and sorting tower designed to teach children about numbers and colors.

– The materials used in this toy are child-safe and meet international, US, and European safety standards.

– It is made of wood.

– This toy offers educational value by promoting cognition, sequencing, memory, counting, number recognition, and fine motor skills.

– The tower comes with number tiles, a stacking peg, and 45 color-coded discs.

– It is certified by ASTM, CPSC, European Safety Standards Commission, and the International Council of Toy Industries.

– The only downside is that the brand does not offer spare parts, so you cannot get new rings if you misplace any.

Leapfrog Storytime Buddy

– The Leapfrog Storytime Buddy is a cute plushie with a light-up tag button that makes Buddy talk and sing.

– It is made of soft cloth plushie materials, ensuring a safe and comfortable play experience.

– The toy is made of soft cloth and certified RoHS-compliant plastic.

– It provides educational value by promoting early reading, role play, and cognitive skills.

– This toy is recommended for children aged 2-5 years old.

– It comes with five read-along books.

– The toy is certified by RoHS.

– Some complaints have been made about the toy’s sound breaking down after a few days.

LeapFrog Mr. Pencil’s Alphabet Backpack

– Brand: LeapFrog

– Best features: Interactive backpack toy with alphabet and writing activities

– Educational value: Letter recognition, letter sounds, writing skills, and vocabulary development

– Age range: 3-6 years old

– Extra features: Includes interactive games, drawing, and music

– Cons: The backpack may be a bit small for older children.

Melissa & Doug See & Spell Learning Toy

– Brand: Melissa & Doug

– Best features: Spelling and vocabulary learning toy with colorful letters

– Materials: Wood and non-toxic paint

– Educational value: Letter recognition, spelling, vocabulary development, and fine motor skills

– Age range: 4-6 years old

– Extra features: Includes double-sided spelling boards and storage case

– Cons: Some parents find the letter pieces to be a bit small.

Lakeshore Learning All About Me! Personalized Photo Book

– Brand: Lakeshore Learning

– Best features: Personalized photo book for early literacy and self-expression

– Materials: Cardstock and non-toxic ink

– Educational value: Letter recognition, name recognition, early literacy, self-expression, and family engagement

– Age range: 2-4 years old

– Extra features: Allows personalization with child’s photos and names

– Cons: Limited customization options for the book’s content.

Puzzles: Engaging and Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Unlock the cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills of your child with educational puzzles designed for 2-year-olds. These captivating toys provide a platform for your little one to explore and develop critical thinking, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness . From shape puzzles that foster early recognition to jigsaw puzzles that challenge their growing abilities, these learning toys offer endless opportunities for growth and development. With vibrant colors, engaging designs, and age-appropriate challenges, these puzzles empower 2-year-olds to unleash their potential while having fun.

Hape Farmyard Peg Puzzle

– The Hape Farmyard Peg Puzzle is a 3D puzzle featuring a farmyard scene

– It is made of non-toxic, child-safe materials, ensuring the safety of your child.

– The puzzle is made of sustainably harvested rubberwood with water-based stains.

– This toy provides educational value by promoting cognitive and problem-solving skills.

– The puzzle pieces are labeled with colors for easy identification.

– Some parents have complained that the puzzle pieces were smaller than expected.

Matching Toys: Building Connections with Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Help your 2-year-old develop memory skills and visual recognition through matching toys. These educational toys provide opportunities for children to match and pair objects, fostering concentration and cognitive development . Whether it’s matching shapes, colors, or pictures, these toys offer engaging challenges that promote learning and cognitive growth.

VTech Mix and Match-a-Saurus

– The VTech Mix and Match-a-Saurus is a cute dinosaur toy with puzzle spikes for matching.

– It is made of BPA-free materials, ensuring the safety of your child.

– The toy is made of ABS plastic.

– It offers educational value by promoting cognitive and fine motor skills.

– The dinosaur moves around and makes sounds (requires batteries).

– It is certified to meet US and European safety standards.

– Some complaints have been made about the dinosaur playing the same song even with different puzzle combinations.

Puzzle Playhouse

– The Puzzle Playhouse is a puzzle that features colorful illustrations and child-friendly designs.

– It is made of eco-friendly recycled paper, ensuring sustainability and safety.

– The puzzle pieces are made of cardboard.

– It is recommended for children aged 2-5 years old.

– The puzzle features child-friendly illustrations.

– Some customers have complained that the pieces don’t click or fit snugly together.

Ravensburger My First Memory Game

– Brand: Ravensburger

– Best features: Classic memory game for young children

– Materials: Cardboard

– Educational value: Memory skills, concentration, turn-taking, and visual recognition

– Age range: 2+ years old

– Extra features: Includes large, colorful cards with familiar images

– Cons: The cards may be a bit thin and prone to bending.

ThinkFun Zingo Bingo

– Brand: ThinkFun

– Best features: Fast-paced bingo game for early learners

– Materials: Cardboard and plastic

– Educational value: Picture-word matching, vocabulary development, concentration, and social skills

– Extra features: Includes a Zinger device for dispensing tiles

– Cons: The Zinger device may require adult assistance for younger children.

Peaceable Kingdom Monkey Around

– Brand: Peaceable Kingdom

– Best features: Cooperative game for color and pattern matching

– Materials: Cardstock

– Educational value: Color and pattern recognition, cooperation, social skills, and turn-taking

– Extra features: Includes large, sturdy cards with adorable monkey illustrations

– Cons: Some customers find the game too simple for older children.

Imaginative Play, Role Play, & Pull Toys: Igniting Creativity with Learning Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Encourage imaginative play and role-playing skills with a range of educational toys designed to captivate 2-year-olds. From pretend kitchen sets to pull-along toys, these playtime companions inspire creativity, social interaction, and fine motor skills . With these toys, your child can embark on imaginative adventures and explore the world through imaginative and educational play.

Lovevery The Realist Play Kit

– The Lovevery The Realist Play Kit is a science experiment kit that includes lessons for volume and liquid conservation.

– It is made from sustainably-harvested wood and other child-safe materials, ensuring safety and sustainability.

– This toy offers educational value by promoting problem-solving, creativity, cognition, memory, fine motor skills, and basic science and math concepts.

– The recommended age range for this toy is 31-33 months.

– The kit includes a match-and-tap hammer box, memory game, board book, and a countdown timer with color indicators.

– It is certified by the FSC.

Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark Play Table

– The Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark Play Table is a two-tier toddler water table designed for showering splashes and waterfalls.

– It is free from phthalates and heavy metals, ensuring the safety of your child.

– The materials used are polyethylene and/or polypropylene plastics.

– This toy offers educational value through pretend play, sensory exploration, social development, and STEM learning, such as cause and effect, gravity, water flow, and volume.

– It is recommended for children aged 1½ years old.

– The table can be easily cleaned using household cleaners or disinfectant wipes.

– It is certified to meet ASTM safety standards.

– The lack of pre-drilled holes for assembly may make it a bit difficult to assemble.

Little Tikes Go & Grow Dino Ride On Toy

– The Little Tikes Go & Grow Dino Ride On Toy is a dinosaur ride that can grow with your child.

– It is free from BPA,

latex, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and phthalates, ensuring the safety of your child.

– The toy is made of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene.

– It offers educational value through imaginative play and gross motor skills development.

– This toy is recommended for children aged 1-3 years old.

– It features oversized back wheels for stability.

– It is certified by CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act).

– Some customers have complained that it’s too small for their two-year-old.

WowWee Pinkfong Baby Shark Song Puppet

– The WowWee Pinkfong Baby Shark Song Puppet is a puppet that sings the popular “Baby Shark” song.

– It is made of soft plush fabric, providing a comfortable and safe play experience.

– This toy offers educational value through pretend play.

– Kids can control the tempo of the song by opening the shark’s mouth fast or slow.

– The only drawback is that the shark’s mouth has to be moved in a specific way for the song to play at normal speed.

Hape Roller Derby

– The Hape Roller Derby is a colorful ramp toy with toy cars.

– It is made of child-safe, BPA-free plastic.

– The materials used are ABS plastic and beechwood.

– It offers educational value by teaching children about colors, cause-and-effect, gravity, numbers, and colors.

– This toy is recommended for children aged 18 months and above.

– The cars can move forward or backward.

– Some customers have complained that the pieces don’t click or fit together snugly.

Green Toys Fire Truck

– Brand: Green Toys

– Best features: Sturdy fire truck toy made from recycled materials

– Product safety: BPA-free and made with 100% recycled plastic

– Materials: Recycled plastic

– Educational value: Imaginative play, storytelling, fine motor skills, and environmental awareness

– Age range: 1+ years old

– Extra features: Includes a working ladder and two removable firefighters

– Cons: The ladder may be a bit stiff to move for younger children.

KidKraft Uptown Espresso Kitchen

– Brand: KidKraft

– Best features: Large play kitchen for imaginative cooking and role play

– Materials: Wood, plastic, and metal

– Educational value: Imaginative play, pretend cooking, social skills, and creativity

– Extra features: Includes a refrigerator, oven, microwave, and other interactive elements

– Cons: Assembly can be time-consuming.

Hape Wooden Pull-Along Snail Toy

– Brand: Hape

– Best features: Adorable pull-along toy with a friendly snail design

– Educational value: Gross motor skills, coordination, imaginative play, and cause-and-effect

– Extra features: The snail’s shell spins as it rolls

– Cons: The string for pulling may be a bit short for taller toddlers.

What are learning toys? Learning toys are also called educational toys. They are designed for learning a new skill(s), a lesson(s), achieving a new milestone(s), or improving existing ones. These toys are specifically crafted to engage and stimulate the minds of 2-year-olds, providing them with a hands-on and interactive learning experience. Whether it’s through puzzles, building sets, or language development tools, educational toys for 2-year-olds play a crucial role in their cognitive, physical, and emotional development. These toys foster creativity, problem-solving abilities, fine motor skills, and social interaction, laying a strong foundation for future learning. With age-appropriate challenges and engaging features, learning toys for 2-year-olds create an exciting and fun-filled environment for exploration, discovery, and growth.

Why do toddlers need learning toys? Learning toys for 2 year old are important to help them achieve their developmental milestones. Toddlers need learning toys to stimulate their innate desire to learn and do things on their own. These educational toys for 2-year-olds provide hands-on experiences that promote cognitive, motor, and social development. By engaging with age-appropriate learning toys, 2-year-olds can enhance their problem-solving skills, fine motor coordination, language development, and early literacy and numeracy abilities. These toys foster a love for learning and exploration, setting a strong foundation for their future educational journey. Whether it’s building blocks, puzzles, or imaginative play toys, the right learning toys for 2-year-olds can make a significant impact on their growth and overall development.

Are learning toys necessary? Learning toys are necessary to aid your child’s overall development and growth. Learning toys can come in different forms. You can buy manufactured toys, make DIY items, or use regular household objects for playtime. Educational toys for 2-year-olds provide age-appropriate challenges and activities that stimulate their cognitive, motor, and social skills. These toys foster creativity, problem-solving, and early learning concepts such as numbers, letters, and colors. They encourage exploration, curiosity, and a love for learning. Incorporating learning toys into your child’s playtime helps them develop essential skills while having fun and building a strong foundation for future learning.

Where can I buy learning toys for 2 year old? You can buy learning toys from your favorite local toy stores or buy them online. There are many available resources nowadays to shop for learning toys. Visit well-known retailers or browse through dedicated websites that specialize in educational toys for 2-year-olds . Online marketplaces also offer a wide selection of learning toys for 2-year-olds , allowing you to compare prices and read reviews before making a purchase. Additionally, consider checking out educational supply stores or visiting local children’s boutiques that prioritize learning and development. Don’t forget to explore second-hand options like consignment stores or online marketplaces, as you might find gently used educational toys for 2-year-olds at a more affordable price.

The best toys for 2 year old are those that help them learn important skills like gross and fine motor movements, spatial awareness, imaginative play, language, and vocabulary, and learn colors, numbers shapes, and other cognitive skills. Two-year-olds need a lot of help in gaining the confidence and independence to move freely. They need toys to help them build strong muscles for movement. Toys should be able to help them with literacy and pre-math skills to prepare them for preschool. Lastly, learning toys for 2 year old should be fun and provide a meaningful experience.

© Montessori Toddler 2023.

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The Best Playful Learning Activities for 2 Year Olds

July 30, 2017 by Sheryl Cooper

Last Updated on May 26, 2023 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: These 20 toddler learning activities are super fun, getting young children engaged with a hands-on approach.

You are a teacher who is putting together a curriculum for your toddler classroom. Or you are a parent that wants to add some learning to your toddler’s day.

It’s really much easier than you probably think. You don’t need flashcards. You don’t need fancy materials.

I’ve put together a collection of learning activities that your toddlers will love! And they are learning at the same time!

Activities that are age-appropriate and engage as many senses as possible. These learning activities involve concepts such as shapes, colors , numbers and letters in a fun, playful way. They can be done at home or in a classroom environment , with one child or a group of children.

Easy hands-on fun.

Touch and explore colors .

Learn about the farm while driving farm vehicles through paint.

Paint pigs (using free printable) using golf balls.

Stamp toys into paint for some fun shape art .

Grab some small brushes and use with paint for a fun process art activity .

Stamp spools into paint on big sheets of paper.

Include a no-mess sensory art activity to your day (free printable).

Drive cars through shaving cream rainbows to make roads.

Paint with fire trucks .

Squeeze paint onto pine cones and strengthen fine motor skills.

Roll a ball through paint.

Learn about the colors of the rainbow while painting on bubble wrap.

Get the hands involved while color mixing .

Learn about the shape of a circle while stamping with a paper tube.

Related: Easy Toddler Process Art Activities

Water Table

Make some alphabet soup using foam letters.

Sort colors in the water table.

Strengthen fine motor skills while using basters with water .

Learn about farm animals while washing them in a water table .

Related: 10 Ways to Have Fun with Water

Sensory Bin

Explore letters in the sensory bin.

Push construction vehicles through kinetic sand.

Put together a flower sensory bin that includes letters.

Scoop and pour colored pasta . (My Bored Toddler)

Make some 2-ingredient (toddler safe) cloud dough . (Happy Hooligans)

Practice pincer grip while transferring rainbow cereal . (The Resourceful Mama)

Related: Big Collection of Sensory Table Activities

Make an alphabet train to put on the wall. (Thriving Home Blog)

Add some fine motor with this ping pong name recognition activity . (Fantastic Fun and Learning)

Press letter stamps into playdough. (This Little Home of Mine)

Wipe letters that have been written on a window. (Busy Toddler)

Put alphabet pieces into a bin of rice. (Autistic Mama)

Related: 16+ Playful Toddler Alphabet Activities

Mix colors while driving cars through rainbows .

Learn what happens when yellow and blue are mixed using paper tubes.

Strengtehn fine motor skills while making rainbow sun catchers .

Go on a toy color scavenger hunt . (Hands On As We Grow)

Create your own color toss activity with bean bags. (Minne-Mama)

Collect leftover paint swatches to make a color book . (Craftulate)

Experiment with colors by painting with cotton balls and clothespins. (Domestic Mommyhood)

Related: How to Teach Colors to Toddlers with 15 Fun Activities

Match numbers using stickers. (Learning 4 Kids)

Add literacy to your day with foam letters .

Put pom poms into numbered ice cream “scoops” . (Happy Tot Shelf)

Work on color skills and numbers with this count and sort posting box. (The Imagination Tree)

Related: 25+ Number Games for Toddlers

Recycle paper tubes for some simple circle shape art .

Work on triangle shape recognition while pressing buttons into playdough.

Invite your toddlers to go on a circle hunt .

Feed the hungry shape monsters . (The Imagination Tree)

Roll the ball on the taped shape. (Hands On As We Grow)

Paint giant shapes on paper. (Happy Toddler Playtime)

Related: 25+ Shapes Activities

Strengthen fine motor skills with some DIY cardboard beads . (The Imagination Tree)

Press colored tissue paper to a big sheet of contact paper for a fun window display.

String Cheerios on spaghetti. (Juggling with Kids)

Balance dinosaurs (or other toys) on blocks. (Moments Enriched)

Related: 25 Easy Toddler Fine Motor Activities

Make fizzy ice cubes . (Busy Toddler)

Have fun with enormous bubbles ! (Happy Hooligans)

Related: 10 Toddler Science Activities that are Full of Fun

Invite your toddlers to make some pumpkin muffins .

Put together a simple chocolate chip banana muffin cooking activity .

Make some applesauce using a steamer – quick and easy!

Related: Cooking With Kids – Easy Recipes

Explore nature with a scavenger hunt. (Childhood 101)

Take a nature walk, notice the birds, and make a bird feeder . (Happy Hooligans)

Related: 15 Nature Activities for Toddlers

Looking for more ideas? Check out these 15 toddler activity packets that I helped create!

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About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 25 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

Reader Interactions

September 11, 2017 at 2:55 am

You need to write a book!]

September 11, 2017 at 10:43 am

I just did! It includes lesson plans for 20 different themes. It’s on the front page of my blog. But I have more I want to write. 🙂

30 Learning Activities for 2 Year Olds

Discover fun learning activities for 2 year olds ! From educational activities to arts and crafts, get ideas to do with your toddler.

I don’t stock sensory bins or organize trays of card stock at home. I also don’t like how many toddler activities seemed to focus on the parents’ crafting skills, not necessarily the child’s.

And I’m more interested in child-directed learning, not the “final product.” It’s not so much about creating a beautiful item as it is about allowing kids to be curious and ask questions.

Still, even as a non-crafty mom, I wanted to provide my kids with activities that encouraged their desire to learn and explore. After all, toddlers still have the same curiosity as when they were infants, but with the ability to do more complex tasks.

Below, I’ve listed the best activities I’ve done with my kids when they were this age. I divided them into five categories for a total of 30 activities (which makes for a fun month-long challenge!). These activities are bound to keep your toddler busy and engaged.

That said, I purposefully kept these activities realistic to do as well. You won’t need to buy science toys or craft supplies galore. If you do decide to buy anything, you’re more than likely going to use the materials over and over.

And these activities are simple . We’re all busy, and we know 2 year olds don’t exactly sit still for hours at a time. They can definitely go at their own pace. Hopefully, you can find them useful. As one parent said:

“I don’t even comment on blogs. But I’m trying to introduce new activities that we can do together and this has really helped. I just wanted to say thank you for putting these ideas and resources together!” -Kaitlin

Table of Contents

Craft activities

1. play dough.

Roll play dough into balls and count them one by one as you place them into a pile. Or roll them into long strings and spell the letters of your child’s name. Encourage fine motor skills by allowing her to pinch bits and pieces off of a large ball.

2. Fractions with paper

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Grab a sheet of paper, cut it in half, and explain how the two pieces make up the whole paper. Then, cut those two pieces in half, making quarters. Keep going, making eighths.

After each round of cutting, assemble the paper so your child can see how all the pieces form the original sheet. You can also get these pizza fraction toys to make it even more fun.

3. Matching game

Using card stock or index cards, write two sets of the letters of the alphabet and have your child match them together. Start with a few at a time to avoid overwhelming her with all 26. Either way, keep the letters all the same color so she understands that she’s matching by letters, not color.

4. Glue by color

Cut tiny pieces of colored paper—for instance, blue, red, yellow, and green. Then, on separate sheets of paper, draw two circles per sheet using different-colored crayons. One sheet can have a blue circle and a red circle, while another has a yellow and a green one.

Finally, have your child glue the cut-up pieces into the matching-colored circles (green bits into the green circle, for instance).

5. Mix colors

Using the three primary colors of red, blue, and yellow, show your child how to mix and match to make different colors. A few to try include:

• red + blue = purple
• yellow + blue = green
• red + yellow = orange

6. Count with dot markers

Have your child practice numbers with dot markers . Print two sheets of paper in landscape format, with the numbers 1-10 along the side. Show her how to color the appropriate number of dots next to each letter, counting along with her.

FREE printables: Make these activities even easier with these ready-made printables ! You’ll get a set to play the matching game, sheets to glue by color, printables to count with dot markers, and samples of my workbook, Letters and Numbers.

Grab the printable pack below—at no cost to you. You’ll also get my newsletters, which parents say they LOVE:

“Loved this email, it came precisely when I needed it! Many thanks for sharing your insight and helping me see things differently!” -Alejandra M.

Educational activities

7. sort colors.

Find a set of items and sort them by color. A few ideas include building blocks, magnets, cars—anything you’ve stored in a box! Then, sort them into different piles or place them into empty bowls, one for each color.

8. Count everything

Play a game of counting everything . Count toys like building blocks and pom poms, or snacks like crackers and carrots. Use any opportunity to count. Climbing a set of stairs? Count the steps you take. Pushing her on a swing? Count each time you give her a push.

9. Cut paper strips by size

Play a game of sorting by size, using 10 pieces of paper strips, straws, or pipe cleaners, ranging from one to 10 inches long. For instance, you can have one piece that’s one inch long, then another that’s two inches long, and so forth.

Once you have all 10 pieces, shuffle them on the ground and encourage your child to arrange them in order, from smallest (one inch) to largest (10 inches).

10. Sink or float

Gather a few household materials or toys and experiment to see which ones sink or float. You can do this during bath time, or pour water into a large bowl, water table, or kiddie pool. Find water-safe items with varying weights so your child can see different results.

Tip: Afterward, you and your child can use the water for your plants!

11. Letters in the tub

My kids played with a set of foam pieces of the alphabet , which they used to learn even more about letters and numbers. I’d also show them simple words to spell, or how certain letters come together to form their names.

12. Trace and write letters and numbers

Worksheets like those in my Letters and Numbers workbook are another fun way to introduce your child to the alphabet. Start with large letters and encourage him to “trace” with his fingers, before moving on to smaller letters to trace with a pencil or crayon.

Outdoor activities

13. nature scavenger hunt.

Make a list of items your child might find outdoors and help her collect her findings. A few ideas include leaves, twigs, rocks, pebbles, or flowers. Bring a bag to store the items, and cross the item off your list once you’ve found what you were looking for.

To make this game even easier, task her with finding just one type of item during your nature walk. For instance, my son loved finding baby pine cones, which our local park had plenty of. We’d simply make a pile of pine cones on the base of a tree until we found nearly all of them.

14. Collect and compare leaves

Collect a variety of leaves outdoors, lay your findings in a row, and talk about how each leaf looks and feels. You might talk about the different textures, colors, or shapes, and describe why some are soft and green while others are brown and crinkly.

15. Plant a seed

Plant a seed and watch it grow over the next few days and weeks. Depending on the weather, you can start the seeds in small containers indoors, or sow them directly into the ground outside. And stick to large seeds like sunflowers or bush beans—these are easier to hold and they grow quickly.

16. Bucket of ice

At a children’s birthday party we attended, the kids were intrigued with nothing more than a simple bucket of ice. They had found an empty water cooler with only ice and water. They’d grab pieces of ice and move them to the grass to watch them melt.

You can do something similar by placing a few ice cubes in a bowl and heading outdoors. Allow your child to grab the ice cubes and lay them on the ground. Talk about the differences between how it melts on the grass versus the hot concrete.

17. Mud play

Find a spot in your backyard or park and pour water into the soil. You can even bring pretend cooking items or old kitchen utensils you no longer use for imaginative play. For instance, stir and “bake cookies” on an old baking tray.

18. Sidewalk chalk

Grab sidewalk chalk and head to your sidewalk, driveway, or park. Draw pictures, write words, and practice coloring in shapes. Sidewalk chalk lets her be creative in a way that’s different from the crayons and pencils she probably uses often.

Practical activities

19. sweep into a square.

Encourage your child to do chores with simple sweeping! Using painter’s tape ( we have a bunch of these at home ), make a square on your kitchen floor. Then,  with a child-size broom , have her sweep all the dirt from the rest of the floor into that square.

20. Pour water

Place a bowl and a measuring cup filled with water on a baking sheet. ( I like this Oxo one because it’s lightweight with a rubber grip for easy handling.) Then, have your child pour water from the measuring cup into the bowl.

Using two measuring cups, she can pour the water into one measuring cup, going back and forth easily. She can also pour and scoop small items like dry rice, beads, or sand. Keep a towel handy for easy clean up.

21. Use liquid droppers with water

Using kid-friendly liquid droppers , show your child how to collect water by pinching the dropper and dipping the end into a bowl of water.

Then have her open her fingers, drawing water into the dropper. And finally, she can press the dropper once more, releasing the water into another bowl. This is a fantastic way to develop fine-motor skills.

22. Use tweezers and puff balls

With kitchen tongs ( or kid-friendly tweezers) , have your child collect cotton or puff balls from one bowl to another.

If you use different-colored puff balls, you can also have her sort them by color or number. For instance, all the blues in one pile, or make a pile of one, then two, then three, and so forth.

23. Sort laundry

As much as we dread laundry, you have to admit, it can make for an easy activity to do with your 2 year old. For instance, have her sort laundry by type (like shirts and pants) or by color. She can also match socks or set aside household laundry like napkins and rags.

24. Water plants

Kids love watering plants! Use a simple watering can like this to help your child learn how to water both indoor and outdoor plants. You might even make this part of her weekly chores—something she’ll do every Saturday morning, for instance.

Places to go

25. children’s museums.

Nearly every major city has a children’s museum. I prefer these types of museums because they invite hands-on participation (so I don’t have to holler “Don’t touch!” all the time). In Los Angeles, I love going to Kidspace , California Science Center , Discovery Cube , and Skirball’s Noah Ark .

26. Libraries

Many libraries include activities for kids, from story time and magic shows to arts and crafts. Grab calendars from your local libraries so you can attend events specifically for toddlers. Plus, going to the library encourages you and your family to make regular trips to borrow and read books at home.

27. Nature walks

Explore a new trail or nature walk with your child! You might check out a local hike, the lagoon, or the forests in your area. Bring a magnifying glass so she can observe curious finds along the way.

28. Sandbox or beach

Playing with sand either at the beach or in a sandbox at your local park can be so much fun! Bring sand toys and encourage your child to build, experiment with water, and learn through sensory play.

Don’t want to deal with the mess? Grab a bag of kinetic sand, which is easier to mold and less messy. I keep this in a plastic storage box with a lid for easy clean up.

29. Botanical gardens

I love taking my kids to botanical gardens because they invite so much exploration. The trees and plants are wilder than more polished gardens, and they include streams and even animals like lizards, fish, and turtles.

In Los Angeles, my favorites are the UCLA Botanical Garden and the South Coast Botanic Garden .

30. Aquariums

Discover the ocean and marine world by visiting your local aquarium! Your child can have an up-close opportunity to meet many of the animals who live in the water while learning about ways to care for the environment .

As you can see, these activities don’t need to be complicated or take too much time. Your child can play with mud or mix primary colors, and learn about sizes with paper strips or water volume with measuring cups. And most importantly, she can develop a love of learning.

You can do activities with your toddler—even if you’re not a crafty mom.

Don’t forget: Join my newsletter and grab the printable pack below —at no cost to you:

Nina Garcia is the founder and CEO of Sleeping Should Be Easy, a leading parenting resource and online blog. She has spent the last 14 years creating helpful content for parents through online courses and workshops, ebooks, newsletters, and the Sleeping Should Be Easy website.

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10 Comments

Love your ideas!!

Thanks, Tracey! Glad the article is helpful.

Incredible and helpful ideas

Thank you for letting me know, Lillian!

I enjoy some of the activities to perform with my almost 2 year old granddaughter- I have worked with pre-school for 26 years and teaching on this level is somewhat different for me,

I’m glad to hear it, Charlotte!

I don’t even comment on blogs. But my toddler is going through the only wanting daddy phase and I’m trying to introduce new activities that we can do together during our quality time and this has really helped. I just wanted to say thank you for putting these ideas and resources together!

I’m so glad to hear that Kaitlin! Thanks so much for letting me know.

Very informative, thank you

I’m so glad, Natalie! Thanks for letting me know <3

Looking for strategies or have questions about how to support your child’s education? Ask our AI-powered assistant.

Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Fun and Easy Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

7 Fun and Easy Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

by Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos | May 16, 2023 | Core Skills

Welcome to the terrific twos! Toddlers are bursting with energy and movement, and the age of 2 is a crucial time in their brain development. This is a wonderful opportunity to refocus their energy into fun learning activities for 2-year-olds. We know that as a parent to a toddler, it may feel more like lots of cleanups, tantrums, trying to prevent physical injuries…so we’re here for you with a curated list of fun things to teach your toddler! 

While children do learn through everyday play, it’s also essential to create specific activities for them . At Begin, we recommend teaching toddlers fun activities focused around the 5 C’s , or 5 key areas of learning for all children: Core Skills , Creativity , Curiosity , Character , and Critical Thinking . By thinking in terms of the 5 C’s, you can ensure that your child’s learning development is holistic and well-rounded. 

The Short Cut

• Learning activities for toddlers can help them with the 5 C’s that help them thrive in school and life
• Toddlers are bursting with growth–this is a crucial time in their development, and they’re ready to learn! 
• Activities that involve one or more of their senses will help your child stay better engaged
• Parents can teach kids at their own pace to excite their interest
• A learning membership that grows with your child can provide great opportunities for toddler and 2-year-old learning

Introducing Your Toddler to New Learning

Stumped on what to teach a 2-year-old? Read on! In a nutshell, educational activities for 2-year-olds are essential because they:

• Introduce children to new concepts and Core Skills 
• Allow kids to practice Critical Thinking as they face new challenges
• Help children learn to try until they succeed
• Encourage Curiosity as kids try new or unfamiliar things
• Help children continue developing their fine and gross motor skills 

Try out some of the activities below—and watch your child’s creativity and curiosity grow! 

Engage Your Child’s Senses

At this stage, one of the best ways your child is discovering their world is through their senses. You’ve probably noticed how your child’s tiny fingers and hands love touching and exploring new textures.

Of course, it’s not always possible to engage every sense through play, but ensuring that the activity you choose involves using at least a couple of their senses will help your little learner continue learning through external stimuli.

Is the Activity Safe?

It’s important to choose activities for 2-year-olds that are child-friendly. For instance, consider if the items for a game you’ve selected are small enough to fit in your child’s mouth. Choking is a serious hazard for children under three.

While you’ll likely be closely monitoring their play, it’s beneficial to be proactive and avoid unnecessary stresses.

Is the Activity Age-Appropriate?

When choosing learning activities for 2-year-olds, keep in mind the developmental milestones to expect from your child.

For instance, by the 24-month mark, children can sort shapes and colors, build towers of four or more blocks, and communicate in simple two- to four-word sentences. 

Understanding these and other milestones will help you choose the most relevant games to help your child continue learning and growing at a healthy rate.

Fun Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

1. mini-tangram puzzle.

What You’ll Need:

• Our printable mini-tangram puzzle guide
• A pair of scissors

What to Do:

After printing out the file, proceed to cut out the different shapes on the first page. The second page has an outline that the cutouts from the first page will fit into perfectly.

Start by showing your child where and how to put the puzzle pieces together. Afterward, step back and let them practice on their own.

In the beginning, there might be a lot of trial and error. That’s okay! This is the perfect opportunity for them to practice their problem-solving skills.

To make it more challenging, your child (or their older sibling) can complete the puzzle using only the border on page three.

Optional: Make Your Own Puzzle

If your child has mastered our mini-tangram puzzle, why not make your own?

Start by gluing a picture you like onto some firm paper (bond or construction paper). Then cut this into four, five, or more pieces. Just like that, you have yourself a new puzzle!

You can also give your child a piece of bond or construction paper and let them draw their own puzzle, which you can then cut out for them to piece back together.

2. Crazy Costumes

• An iOS or Android device with the HOMER app
• Another favorite character

In this fun activity, children get the opportunity to dress up their favorite HOMER characters! Your child’s storytelling and creativity will be front and center here.

You can follow this link to get detailed instructions about playing Crazy Costumes on different devices (iOS and Android). If you don’t have the HOMER app, see what characters you already have around the house. Does your child have a favorite stuffed animal or poster? Get creative using found objects to recreate their favorite character’s look and vibe, or come up with a brand-new persona! 

What crazy costumes will your child come up with?

3. Play Dough

If your child loves play dough (what kid doesn’t?), then don’t forget to incorporate this soft and squishy material into their playtime.

There are many relevant play dough activities for 2-year-olds, including:

• Creating basic shapes, like a ball or a pancake
• Forming animals, like a snake, fish, or dog (remember it’s okay if these animals aren’t perfect!)
• Learning basic 2-D shapes by outlining triangles, squares, and circles with their play dough

We also encourage you to use a variety of play dough colors so your child can practice learning colors while they play. Hands-on activities engage kids’ senses and are a fantastic way to fully immerse your child in learning!

4. Building Blocks

• Set of building blocks
• Large play mat

If your child is like most 2-year-olds, they probably love playing with blocks! Playing with building blocks is a great independent activity for children, but you can also join in to help enhance learning.

You may ask questions to encourage Creativity, such as:

• What is your building — a school or a home, a toy store or an ice cream parlor?
• Who lives in your building?
• Who might visit it?
• What else is in the neighborhood?

By thinking through these questions, your child will be improving their language skills as well as Creativity.

Additionally, you can use blocks to demonstrate how to create a solid base for a building and to practice counting and learning colors (e.g., let’s stack two red blocks on top of each other).

5. Color Mixing Sensory Bag

• Icing or shaving cream
• Food coloring
• One small bowl
• Toothpick or spatula
• Large zip-top bag and tape, or cookie sheet

Start by filling your bag with icing or shaving cream. After selecting two different colors, add a few drops of each into the bags. Proceed to tape the bag carefully onto a working surface. Now, your child can use their fingers to squish and mix the colors.

While they’re mixing, put some icing or shaving cream into your bowl. Next, add a few drops of food coloring into the bowl and fold the color into the icing or shaving cream.

Lastly, it’s time to scoop the colored icing or cream into the bag or cookie sheet and encourage your child to mix the two colors.

Color mixing is a great hands-on activity to engage your child’s senses while they learn Core Skills.

6. Colorful Cookies

• 1 cup of butter or margarine
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 ¾ cups of flour
• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheet
• Cookie cutters

For detailed instructions on making delicious cookies your 2-year-old (and you!) will enjoy, check out this activity put together by the team from our HOMER app .

This is a great activity to help your child explore kitchen items. They can also act as a little sous chef by helping you roll the cookie dough and use the cookie cutters.

This activity is also excellent for language development, learning colors, and sensory skills. Considering all the yummy goodness from this activity, they probably won’t need much encouragement to participate!

7. Plant a Seed

• This printable field notes template
• Crayons or pencils
• A large jar (glass or clear plastic)
• Fast-growing seeds (e.g., peas or beans)
• Paper towels
• An old milk or juice carton
• A ruler or measuring tape

Follow the simple instructions from our field notes template to help you plant a seed and watch it grow! Your child can actively participate by measuring the plant daily and observing any noticeable changes.

We love this activity, as it helps to encourage language development. It also helps your child boost Critical Thinking by learning to compare and contrast (as the seeds grow) and understand the basic needs of a growing plant (e.g. sunlight and water).

Teach Them at Their Own Pace

Toddlers grow at an incredible rate! By introducing the 5 C’s through fun learning activities for 2-year-olds, you’re helping support that growth even more. Whether you use some or all of the above activities, we hope you and your child have fun through it all! 

If you find yourself needing extra things to do with a 2-year-old, check out our learning membership , which helps them develop the right skills as the right time to thrive.

Take our quiz to see which stage is right for your family today!

Jody has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science and more than a decade of experience in the children’s media and early learning space.

View all posts

Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos

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12 Fun Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Looking for ways to entertain and educate your toddler? Check out these expert-recommended indoor activities for 2-year-olds to enhance your little one's development.

After your child celebrates their second birthday, they will experience major intellectual, physical, social, and emotional changes that help them make sense of the world. With that, having a supply of hands-on learning activities for 2-year-olds is incredibly important.

"The stage from 2 to 3 is major because language is really beginning to develop ," explains Robert Myers, Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychologist, founder of the Child Development Institute, and assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. "Children are also starting to recognize that they're independent beings and are actively exploring their world."

Dr. Myers notes that parents can provide encouragement and support that enable the child to master key developmental tasks. "Always layer activities with lots of language, interaction, and imaginative play," adds Roni Cohen Leiderman, Ph.D., dean of the Mailman Segal Center for Human Development at Nova Southeastern University, and co-author of Let's Play and Learn Together . "Child development comes through the portal of relationships with parents or caregivers."

To get started with your little one, try these simple learning activities for 2-year-olds to keep them entertained, engaged, and always growing.

Play Dress-Up

Haul out a pile of old clothes and let your child play dress-up. "You can also participate, but it's great to encourage group play with two or three other children their age," Dr. Myers suggests.

Skills learned: Creativity, imagination, language skills, and social development

Decorate a Crayon Carrier

Cover a table with newspaper, then gather a resealable zipper storage bag, glue stick, pompoms, and crayons. Let your child use the glue stick to coat the bag and help them stick on the colorful pompoms. They can fill the bag with crayons when it dries. Next time you go to a restaurant, whip out the carrier and let them show off their creation. They will be excited to use their creativity again.

Skills learned: Motor skills, planning, creativity

For an easy indoor activity for 2-year-olds, hide a toy somewhere in the house, and ask your child to find it. Explore with them, using cues like "warmer" and "colder" to guide them. You can also use flashlights for the search or hide several objects at one time.

Skills learned: Listening, problem-solving, social skills, and memory

Make a Mailbox

Create a mailbox by decorating an old shoe box or cardboard box and cutting a slit in the top. Fill it with your junk mail for your child to open. "Not only does this develop fine motor skills as they open the envelopes and take out what's inside, but you can also use it to teach your child basic concepts," Dr. Leiderman says.

"Talk about the pictures, colors, and letters; help them sort it by size, shape, or color; or count the pieces. You can also layer in imaginative play by playing post office, or playing store with the coupons."

Skills learned: Develops an understanding of basic concepts, and fine motor skills

Imagine a Boat

Lay out a towel or blanket on the floor and have your toddler sit it, gently pull them around the room. Pretend the blanket is a train or a boat and that you are stopping at different places, like the zoo, the grocery store, or a favorite restaurant. This activity for 2-year-olds at home will also improve balance !

Skills learned: Balance, pretending

Trace Their Body

Have your child lie down on a large piece of paper and trace the outline of their body. "Because the child has to lay still to be traced, they learn self-control," Dr. Leiderman says. "You can show them where the two eyes, nose, and mouth go, but if your child just wants to color all over it, that's fine. Don't impose anything on them, just let them have fun with it."

Note: If your child doesn't want to lie still, don't force them. Start with tracing just their hand or foot, or tracing your hand or foot.

Skills learned: Sense of self, self-control, and identifying body parts/language skills

Play Simon Says

Start out with simple directions ("Simon says, touch your toes"). Then graduate to silly, more complex routines ("Simon says, tug on your left ear, then your right ear"). You can also encourage your child to jump, skip, catch something, and more. And don't forget to drop "Simon says" every now and then during this learning activity for 2-year-olds!

Skills learned: Gross motor skills, following directions, and receptive language

Try a “Stop and Go” Game

Play games that involve starting and stopping, such as "red light, green light" or "freeze dance." Developing self-control will eventually help children negotiate, compromise, and work out conflicts without losing their temper, Dr. Leiderman says.

Skills learned: Self-control

Craft a Collage

Cut out different noses, eyes, hair, and other features from old magazines, and give them to your child. Encourage them to make funny creatures or silly faces with the features, then glue them onto a piece of paper.

"Talk to your child about the pieces and how to glue them down, but don't be too directive with it," Dr. Leiderman says. "Ask a lot of 'wonder questions,' like 'I wonder what would happen if you put the pieces down without the glue?' and 'I wonder why the glue is getting all over the table?' Childhood is about learning new facts and applying them to theories, so help them make theories."

Skills learned: Creativity, language

Pass a Ball

This fun activity for 2-year-olds requires a play tunnel. Standing at opposite ends with your child, take turns lifting each end to roll a softball back and forth. "This can take some trial and error for your kiddo to get the hang of, but it's great motor planning practice and takes teamwork," says Rachel Coley, occupational therapist, author of Simple Play: Easy Fun For Babies , and founder of CanDo Kiddo .

Skills learned: Motor planning, understanding cause and effect, teamwork

Draw a Song

As you sing one of your child's favorite songs, draw a simple picture of what is happening in the lyrics, then hand your child the paper to draw something else mentioned in the song. For example, Coley would sing "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" to her son, first drawing the spider and then having him draw his version of the rain. Go back and forth until the song ends.

Skills learned: Language skills, creativity, storytelling

Initiate Conversation

Hand over a doll or plush toy, and encourage your child to hold, talk, dress, and take care of it. "Talk to the doll the way you would talk to a child, and encourage your child to do the same," Dr. Myers says. In addition to language skills, this activity for 2-year-olds also teaches creativity and imagination.

Skills learned: Social, language, and fine motor skills, creativity, and imagination

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The Best Educational Toys for Toddlers to Combine Fun and Learning

Inspire little minds with building, reading, matching, and more educational toys

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Verywell Family / Amelia Manley

Educational toys are great for toddlers because they help stimulate learning , whether it’s through stacking blocks or simply reading a book, as young children reach developmental milestones. Look for toys that will add educational value to your child’s playtime and hone in on any of their interests to keep it entertaining. 

To begin our research, we surveyed 875 parents about what toys their children love to play with, how they play with them, and why they love to continuously use them. We also spoke with a pediatrician and reviewed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on how to buy safe toys and what to expect during the toddler years (ages 1 to 3). Moreover, we reviewed developmental milestones for toddlers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When reviewing products, we carefully considered age recommendations, toy safety, milestones, design, ease of use, and value . Lastly, a board-certified pediatrician from our Review Board reviewed this article for accuracy on how to evaluate safe and age-appropriate educational toys for toddlers.

• How We Selected and Tested
• What to Look For

Why Trust Verywell Family

More toys for kids, best overall, melissa & doug grocery cart push toy and puzzles.

Versatile (several activities in one design)

Wood material is durable and high quality

Push handle isn't adjustable

Why We Recommend It

Melissa & Doug is a well-loved brand among parents we surveyed because of the company’s high-quality materials and educational toys—and this toddler grocery cart is no different. One of our writers received a free sample of the company’s Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart and says the toy is even cuter in person. The cart arrives nearly fully assembled, minus attaching the handle with a screwdriver, which is a piece of cake. 

This toddler grocery cart is all about learning; it features a built-in matching game , two puzzle boards, 12 shape-sorting pieces that double as puzzle pieces, and a play coffee cup with a lid for imaginative play. Whether littles—ages 1 and up—play with the puzzles or sort shapes, the Melissa & Doug grocery cart encourages fine and gross motor skills , color and shape recognition, counting, problem-solving, and more. 

While the handle doesn’t adjust, kids can push the grocery cart thanks to moving wheels that glide on carpet and tile. The beautiful and durable wood is just the cherry on top.

Best Building

Mega bloks 80-piece big building bag.

Budget-friendly

Practices problem-solving and fine motor skills

80 blocks included

Only blocks in storage bag

The Mega Bloks First Builders Bag is our top pick because this set of blocks provides endless playtime possibilities . Blocks provide an opportunity for you and your little one to practice problem-solving and fine motor skills , as well as a great base for non-stop pretend play. 

The top criteria for a good set of blocks are durability, a safe and fun size, and disinfecting ability. The Mega Bloks are a parent favorite because they come with 80 colorful building blocks , including special shapes for under $20. They click into each other nicely without too much pressure (good for little hands) and can be stored easily in the zip bag they come in.

Best Matching

Kidzlane egg toy for kids and toddlers.

Durable case included

Teaches color matching

Easy to grab for little hands

Some eggs don't stay together

May be hard to open for some toddlers

Whether it be with colors, shapes, or even animals, matching is a great skill to work on with toddlers. This affordable egg toy is designed to help your toddler learn to count, sort, and match . The set includes 12 plastic eggs, each of which has a different color and a number of small pegs that match up with another half with the same layout. 

Kids love to click and pull apart these eggs, and they are easy to grab for little hands . They come in a durable plastic egg carton, which also acts as a carrying and storage case. You can even use these eggs with pretend play for a fun learning experience in the play kitchen.

Best for Sensory Learning

Democa quiet book for toddlers.

Nine engaging activities

Machine-washable

Some pages not as engaging

Keeping a toddler busy and entertained is a full-time job. The deMoca Quiet Book makes things a lot easier with nine engaging activities built into a brightly colored fabric, machine-washable book. 

The activities include matching velcro-colored shapes, learning to tie shoes and button buttons, and a clock to tell time. The book is perfect for sensory development and encourages dexterity and spatial awareness . This travel-friendly activity book will keep your toddler busy, and there aren’t any pieces or parts to lose.

Best Flashcards

Learnworx flashcards for toddlers.

101 flash cards included

Large print

No shapes, colors, or numbers

Flashcards are a little bit of an old-school learning method but are much loved by parents, teachers, and toddlers because they’re easy, fun, and great for on the go. We love this flashcard set from Learnworx. The set comes with 101 large-print, extra-thick cards that feature cute and bright pictures of objects and scenes like animals, foods, and household items.

On the back of the cards, prompt questions encourage counting, spelling, and more, like “How many lions do you see?” The cards wipe clean and store easily in a toddler-friendly box.

Best Puzzle

Melissa & doug farm animals sound puzzle.

Realistic animal sounds

Puzzle pieces have peg for easy grasping

Wood is sturdy

Batteries not included

Another solid educational toy for toddlers is this Melissa & Doug Sound Puzzle. Parents we surveyed recommend this educational toddler toy because it promotes fine motor skills , and kids can play with it independently. Each puzzle piece includes an easy-to-grasp peg for little hands. Once children place the puzzle piece into the correct spot, they’ll hear realistic animal sounds . While we love the farm animals theme, it also comes in musical instruments, vehicles, pets, and zoo animals.

ToyVelt Dinosaur Take Apart Toys

Helps with hand-eye coordination

Not recommended for children under 3 years old

Even though the concept of STEM might seem a little advanced for your toddler, encouraging exploration and play that involves invention and problem-solving are all part of it. This colorful set includes three or six dinosaurs and tools .

The idea is for your toddler to take apart and reassemble the dinosaurs using kid-friendly tools. Although this toy may not be right for a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old child will love the process of taking apart and fixing the dinosaurs. They will work on their hand-eye coordination, creative problem-solving, and patience , all while having fun.

Best for Fine Motor Skills

Learning resources spike the fine motor hedgehog.

Quills fit into hedgehog for easy storage

Works on fine motor skills

Does not make sounds/noises

Want to know how to work on your toddler’s fine motor skills? Find a toy that keeps their attention! Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog gets rave reviews because kids love it just as much as parents and grandparents. The brightly colored peg-shaped pieces can be placed in and out of the friendly hedgehog and are easy for kids to grasp. 

With this cute toy, you can also work on color recognition, sorting, and counting skills, then simply store it away as one piece. Good for a young toddler and your budget, and your toddler will love this fun little hedgehog.

Best for Memory

Banana panda suuuper size memory game.

Practice matching, focus, and sorting

Easy to learn

Only animals or vehicles offered

Best for ages 2 and up, this giant Banana Panda memory game is a good way to practice matching, focus, and sorting . The game itself is easy to learn and fun to play. You can also use the cards as flashcards to introduce new words. 

The Banana Panda game has adorable colorful animal illustrations and the pieces are made of thick cardboard and are large enough for a toddler to see and grab. These easily store and are portable for travel or play on the go.

Best for Reading

Leapfrog learning friends 100 words book.

Introduces toddlers to 100 vocabulary words

English or Spanish offered

Batteries required

Touch can be sensitive

You can count on LeapFrog to make an interactive educational toy that both you and your toddler will love. With the Learning Friends Interactive book, your toddler will be introduced to 100 vocabulary words and be able to touch the words and pictures on each page. The book also has fun facts, music, and sounds and can be turned to Spanish for language learning. 

The word categories in the Learning Friends Book include pets, animals, food, mealtime, colors, activities, opposites, outside, and more . Take this book with you in the car or while you grocery shop, and your toddler will be happily entertained.

Best for Art

Betheaces aqua doodle magic drawing mat.

Six drawing templates

No toxic ingredients

Pens may leak

As any parent will tell you, any toddler art activity that doesn’t involve mess is a sure winner. With the Aqua Doodle Magic Drawing Mat, there is no mess, no toxic ingredients, and no ink . The magical pen transforms water into a mess-free color and disappears after a few minutes, so the fun doesn't have to end,

The Aqua Doodle also includes four drawing templates, four pens, and four shape stencils . The water drawing mat itself has a bright and colorful border and is large enough to be shared and played with outdoors (but it also folds up and is easy to take with you).

How We Selected and Tested Educational Toys for Toddlers

• Expert Input: We spoke with Whitney Casares, MD, MPH , pediatrician, author of “Doing It All: Stop Over-Functioning, and Become the Mom and Person You’re Meant to Be” (releasing January 23, 2024), and founder of Modern Mommy Doc, to find out what to look for in educational toys for toddlers. We reviewed guidance from the AAP on how to buy safe toys and what parents and caregivers can expect during the toddler years, ages 1 to 3. Moreover, we reviewed CDC guidance on developmental milestones for toddlers.
• Parent Survey: We surveyed 875 parents to learn more about what toys their children play with, how they play with them, and why they love them. Additionally, we asked parents and caregivers about their favorite brands and what makes them well-loved among their families.
• Design and Features Research: After reviewing guidance and insights from our expert, the AAP and CDC, and parents, we studied the design and features of more than 30 educational toys for toddlers on the market.
• Safety and Convenience Assessment: We considered toy safety, age recommendations, ease of use, developmental milestones, and value when reviewing products.

What to Look for in Educational Toys for Toddlers

The good news with toddlers is that they are naturally curious, so they can find interest in just about any toy. Also, little ones this age just love to play in general, and since there are so many opportunities to learn through play, that leaves a huge selection of educational toys to choose from.

According to Dr. Casares, toys that facilitate problem-solving, like shape sorters, are a great option for toddlers because of their natural interest in exploring the world around them. Additionally, consider interactive toys and toys that teach natural associations, like a horse in a barn, or a fish in the ocean.

Development is still a major consideration when shopping for toys for toddlers because they’re still working on mastering many skills. Dr. Casares says play helps with every aspect of development, including gross motor, fine motor, social-emotional, and cognitive skills. In order to find the best toys for toddlers, it helps to keep some common milestones in mind when you’re shopping.

• Cognitive Development : The Kidzlane Color Matching Egg Set is an educational toy for 1- and 2-year-olds that encourages problem-solving. 
• Fine Motor Skills : Spike the Hedgehog helps toddlers strengthen their fine motor skills, like grasping.
• Language Development : Naming objects is a milestone for toddlers between 1 and 2 years old, and LearnWorx Flashcards are great for helping little ones learn and identify new objects and expand their vocabulary.

Entertainment Value

While toddlers have a wide range of interests, their attention spans are typically short, so looking for entertaining and engaging toys is essential. It’s important to provide a wide range of activities for toddlers, according to Dr. Casares, so a toy that can be played with in multiple ways is more likely to keep a toddler’s attention.

Additionally, she suggests looking for toys that offer some kind of sensory or imaginative play because they’re not only entertaining for toddlers but also really great for supporting their development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! During the toddler years , children grow and change rapidly in the areas of cognitive, physical, and social development, and educational toys can help them learn and grow. Toys that encourage building, matching, and moving pieces around help kiddos improve their hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and problem-solving skills, while those that encourage creative or imaginative play will help them learn and identify new objects and build their language and social/emotional skills.

Children start to learn and refine many skills between 1 and 3 years old. These include cognitive skills like reasoning and thinking things through and social skills like asking for help, building independence, and playing appropriately with others. Language skills also take a big step forward during this phase, as kids go from using just a handful of words to connecting words with images, speaking in complete sentences and communicating more complex thoughts.

While it's smart to have a variety of toys that will encourage the development of different skills (such as blocks for motor skills and books for language skills), too many toys can actually lead to overwhelm—and research shows children who have fewer toys played with each longer and played more creatively.

To keep your playroom from getting overloaded , store or give away toys that your child has outgrown, put toys on display (and encourage little ones to put them away at the end of playtime), and make books and educational toys the most accessible.

Deanna McCormack is a freelance writer and creative consultant based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She enjoys working with start-ups and regularly covers product launches in the lifestyle, beauty, and motherhood space. A self-proclaimed expert at baby registries and gift ideas, Deanna has two kids and is the co-founder of Loonie Kid, a Canadian clothing company for kids and toddlers.

Additional reporting by  Ashley Ziegler and Katrina Cossey .

When it comes to toys for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top toy picks for every developmental stage and personality phase here:

• The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids
• The Best Developmental Toys for Babies
• The Best Tummy Time Toys
• The Best Active Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Phonics Toys for Preschoolers
• The Best Toys for Learning Letters and Numbers
• The Best Musical Toys for Children of All Ages
• The Best Montessori Toys to Encourage Thoughtful Play
• The Best Sesame Street Toys
• The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids of All Ages
• The Best Dinosaur Toys
• The Best Toys for Fine Motor Skills Development
• The Best Toys for Independent Play
• The Best Snow Toys for Kids
• The Best STEM Toys for Kids
• Best Laptop Toys for Kids
• The Best Social Emotional Learning Toys
• The Best Robot Toys
• The Best Ride-On Toys
• The Best Cleaning Toy Sets
• The Black-Owned Gift Guide

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important milestones: Your child by 2 years .

American Academy of Pediatrics. How to buy safe toys.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Ages & stages.

Dauch C, Imwalle M, Ocasio B, Metz AE. The influence of the number of toys in the environment on toddlers’ play .  Infant Behav Dev . 2018;50:78-87.

By Deanna McCormack Deanna McCormack is a beauty, parenting, and lifestyle writer who has written for Bustle, Byrdie, TheEverymom.com, and more.

How Wee Learn

Out of the box learning ideas, playful art, exploring nature, and simple living - that is How We Learn!

Learning Activities for 2 Year Olds

May 18, 2022 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Two-year-olds love to learn, and they learn best through play and exploration. In this post, I’ve rounded up some of the best learning activities for 2-year-olds from across the web.

These simple activities will help your toddler develop the skills needed for preschool and beyond—skills like fine motor skills, gross motor skills, language development, early math skills and social-emotional skills. 

Just before we get into all of the learning activities, I have a freebie for you! This Rainbow Puzzles Pack is full of ideas for playing with your toddler:

And speaking of playing and learning with your toddler, perhaps it is time for my Playful Days Toddler Program? One beautiful learning-filled craft or activity every day at your fingertips. Find out more: Playful Days

I hope you love it!

Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Your two year old will love doing these learning activities as they develop fine motor and gross motor skills, learn by exploring the senses and develop vocabulary, social and emotional skills through play. 

Fine Motor Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

DIY Twist-Top Board by Busy Blooming Joy  – This simple activity is great for developing a two year old’s fine motor skills and practical life skills. All you need are some twist caps of various sizes, hot glue and an old cutting board. 

Pom Pom Transfer Fine Motor Activity by Mombrite  – Simple activities are great for two year olds. This fine motor activity only uses a muffin tin, a bowl of pompoms and a spoon. 

Threading Station by Busy Toddler – This fun threading station is a great way for two year olds to practice fine motor skills. You will need cut-up straws and pipe cleaners for this activity. It also makes for a great quiet time activity!

Basic Cereal Threading Activity by Hands On As We Grow  – Here’s a simple fine motor activity that is perfect for two year olds. All you need is some play dough, spaghetti and o-shaped cereal. Toddlers will stay busy threading that cereal onto the spaghetti!

Clothespin Pull Toddler Fine Motor Activity by Days with Grey  – This fine motor activity is perfect for two year olds. You will need clothespins and paper tubes. Then your toddler can explore pulling them off and clipping them back on again. 

Gross Motor Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

3 Ways to Learn with a Bouncy Ball – Bouncy balls are fun for everyone, but especially two year olds! This post has some fun ways for little kids and big kids to play and learn together with bouncy balls.

Bubble Wrap Runway by Hands On As We Grow  – Setting up bubble wrap on the floor is a great way to encourage gross motor development for two year olds! They can walk, run, crawl, and push trucks across it to their hearts content!

Jungle Vine Gross Motor Activity by What We Can Do With Paper & Glue  – Creating a jungle for your two year old to crawl through is a fun way for them to get in some gross motor movement. All you need is a roll of green streamers and tape. 

6 Creative Movement Activities Using Streamers by The Inspired Treehouse – Streamers, whether paper or ribbon, are a versatile tool for encouraging gross motor movement in two year olds. This posts give 6 different ideas for how to play with them. 

Throw and Roll a Ball to Improve Gross Motor Skills by Moms Have Questions Too – All two year olds love balls! This simple activity is a great way to help your two year old improve their gross motor skills using a ball. 

Sensory Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Simple Nature Sensory Bin – Two year olds can learn so much from a simple nature sensory bin. They can learn to recognize different textures, scents and all about nature!

Bubble Sensory Play for Toddlers – Bubble play is a fascinating activity for two year olds. Bubbles are also an excellent learning activity that encourages fine motor skills, visual tracking, and oral motor skills for speech, plus they are just plain fun!

Woolly Sheep Sensory Play for Toddlers – This adorable Woolly Sheep craft really engages the senses for toddlers! It is also an excellent activity for working those fine motor muscles. 

Simple Pour and Scoop Sensory Bin by Laughing Kids Learn  – Two year olds can learn valuable practical life skills with this simple pour and scoop sensory bin. All you need is a bin of peas and lentils with cups and scoops in various sizes.

Easy Water Sensory Bin for Toddlers by My Bored Toddler  – Toddlers will learn so much from this easy water sensory bin. All you need is a bin of water and various containers and tools for your two year old to experiment with. 

Vocabulary Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

5 Natural Language Development Activities for Toddlers – Development of language and vocabulary is very important for toddlers and two year olds. This post contains 5 wonderful activities to help develop oral language in the natural world.

Learning Body Parts Activity for Toddlers by Activity Mom  – This is a fun way to teach your two year old the names of the body parts. You will need a picture of your toddler, sticky contact paper and little pompoms. 

Position Words: The Over Under Game by Busy Toddler  – This simple game is a fun way to teach your two year old position words like over and under. All you need is a toy and a cup making it the perfect game to play while on the go.

What’s In The Bag? A Fun Early Language Activity by The SLT Scrapbook – This simple early language activity is a fun way to get your two year old talking. All you need is a bag full of small toys to get your toddler interested in talking. 

Imaginative Play Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Play-Doh Faces Invitation to Play by Busy Toddler – This creative activity is the perfect way for two year olds to play using their imaginations. All you need is some colorful playdough and a variety of craft supplies. 

An Invitation to Play: Cardboard Cookie Shop by My Baba  – This activity invites toddlers to play creatively by making cardboard cookies. For this simple, imaginative activity you’ll need cardboard circle cutouts,  shaving cream and sprinkles.

Giant Nail Salon for Kids by Happy Toddler Playtime – Your two year old will have so much fun painting these giant fingernails! All you need is some cardboard, markers, washable paints and paintbrushes.

Shaving Cream Sensory Play to Decorate the Cake by Days with Grey – What would be more fun and creative for a two year old than decorating a birthday cake! For this imaginative play activity, you’ll need a cardboard box, shaving cream and decorations. 

Loose Parts Learning Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Fall Play Dough Tree by Stir the Wonder – Loose parts can be combined with play dough as a fun, fine motor activity for two year olds. This is an excellent activity for toddlers to explore colors, textures and themes. 

Construction Site Play Dough Invitation by Fantastic Fun and Learning  – What two year old doesn’t love construction vehicles? This loose parts and play dough activity is sure to be a hit among toddlers!

Light Table Free Play with Loose Parts by Where Imagination Grows  – Adding loose parts to a light table is a great way to capture the imagination of a two year old. This type of play lends itself well to developing fine motor and early math skills. 

Mirror Play and Loose Parts by Little Bins for Little Hands  – Including a mirror with loose parts is another way to add some excitement to loose parts play. This is a great way for two year olds to explore reflections and symmetry. 

So there you have it, 27 amazing learning activities for two year olds! I hope these activities inspire you to help your two year old learn through play and exploration.

And if you love these ideas, have I got something you will adore!

Play into Kindergarten Readiness is my program for 2 and 3 year olds . ONE activity per day, twenty minutes a day, with ALL core skills covered. Everything is step-by-step with no prep needed. Check it out here: Play into Kindergarten Readiness

P.S. Don’t forget to grab your FREE Printable Quiet Time Play Mats!

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50 Perfect Crafts for 2 Year Olds!

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Your toddlers are taking big steps by recognizing names, saying words, and following simple directions. These education toys for toddlers help them build even bigger skills!  From gaining more and more imaginative skills and social skills to understanding more about sorting and patterning, your toddlers will enjoy our specific educational toys for 2 year olds . Is your child or your classroom full of 2 year olds more interested in downloadables? We also have many fun learning activities for 2 year olds that are enjoyable, engaging, and educational. 

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Home • Toddler • Play And Activities

43 Easy Learning Activities For 2-Year-Olds

Learning activities are a fun way to aid your two-year-old’s cognitive development.

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Organizing activities for two-year-olds may seem challenging. But, fret not! Children love playing new games, and as they grow up, they become more curious to explore the new surroundings around them. Therefore, parents can figure out various engaging activities that are fun and informative. This also helps them develop cognitive skills at a young age ( 1 ).

When you expose your child to different indoor and outdoor games and activities, it will help create a perfect playing and learning experience. But if you are unsure what activities to introduce to your two-year-old child, this post can help you.

How Can Activities Support A Toddler’s Development?  

Imparting education to a two-year-old is not a difficult task. By altering their play activities, you can introduce them to the world of learning little by little. Here are a few benefits that your toddlers can reap through different activities ( 2 ):

• Imparts problem-solving skills
• Teaches them patience and perseverance
• Helps them recognize and differentiate things around them
• Promotes creativity
• Improves motor skills i An ability to move and control various body parts, especially hands, legs, and fingers.

40+ Activities For Two-Year-Olds

Here are fun and educational activities that can keep your child engaged and explore them to new things.

Educational Activities

1. can it sink.

Image: Shutterstock

The fun bath-time activity boosts reasoning skills among children.

How to play?  

• Fill up their bathtub or a bucket with water.
• Put toys of varied weights in the water.
• Let your child observe the toys sinking or floating.
• Later, you can test your child by asking about different objects—if they float or sink.
• You can also narrate some stories to your two-year-old while indulging in this water play to bolster their interest in storytelling.

What does it teach?  

• Improves their cognitive and reasoning skills
• Gives them a peek into the world of science

2. Match the pair

It is an activity that is fun, educating, and not as complex as it seems.

• Pick a pair of toys or pictures from different categories. These can be animals, vegetables, fruits, or even a few pieces of Legos.
• Separate the pairs by putting them in two baskets or scatter them in the room.
• Ask your child to identify the items belonging to the same category and put them together.
• Give them a high-five or chocolate as a reward.

Wh at doe s it teach ?  

• Improves hand-eye coordination i An important cognitive skill of performing movements with hands while being guided by the eyes.
• Exercises their cognitive skills i All the skills that the brain possess like memory, reasoning, reading, learning, reasoning and paying attention.

3. Puzzle time

Introduce your child to the world of puzzles with this easy-to-solve DIY activity.

• Draw a picture on cardboard and color it.
• Cut the cardboard once vertically and twice or thrice horizontally to get square or rectangular puzzle pieces.
• Shuffle the pieces and ask your child to arrange them.
• You could also make a reference picture to help your child.
• Do not make the shapes too complicated.
• Keep the number of pieces minimal in the beginning and increase as per your child’s convenience.
• Teaches the concept of ‘whole’ and ‘fraction’
• Improves their recognition, patience, and goal-setting skills i This could be inculcated as a method of learning where the motivation is maintained by setting a goal and striving toward it.

4. Color quest

This is one of the memory games similar to matching the pair but includes colors.

How to play?                                                                           

• Use toys or items of the same color. You can use Legos, cars, or color blocks.
• Leave the pile to them and ask them to segregate the items based on colors.
• Helps form the link between words and visual clues
• Improves cognitive and recognition skills

5. Color balls

It is a fun-filled color-related activity for your child.

• Give your child different soft color balls and let them toss them around as per their will.
• You can teach them to catch a ball and ask them to throw a particular color ball.
• Improves their motor skills
• Helps them identify colors
• Improves hand-eye coordination

6. Count ‘em all

The best part of the activity is that you can use anything you can find around the house.

• Put the items in a row and count them aloud by pointing them.
• Let your child repeat after you.
• You can increase the count slowly.
• Introduces them to the world of numbers
• Improves counting and cognitive skills

7. Draw that rhyme

The entertaining activity can be played while singing your little one’s favorite rhymes.

• Pick their favorite rhyme.
• Show them books or pictures related to the rhyme. For example, you can show them cartoon pictures of a bus for the rhyme, “The Wheels On A Bus.”
• Later, draw the picture and show them how it’s done.
• After a few days, give them a piece of paper and crayons and let their imagination run while you sing the rhyme.
• Eventually, you can go with different rhymes during their playtime.
• Improves their recognition and concentration skills
• Enhances hand-eye coordination

Indoor Activities

8. toy hunt.

It is a fun alternative to the hide and seek activity to keep your child excited.

• Hide their toys and let them search. Do make sure to intimate them before hiding their toys.
• You may even give them cues as they hunt for their toys.
• Improves their mobility, coordination, and imaginative skills
• Builds confidence and teamwork when played with others
• Encourages to think and comprehend

9. Charades

A simple activity that lets your child use their creative mind.

• Say a word out loud and let your child enact it.
• Start with simple and basic words such as ‘eat’ and ‘sleep,’ and proceed with more challenging words.
• You can also teach them opposite words in a fun way.

What does it teach?

• Improves vocabulary
• Sparks creative thinking

10. Touch and feel

It is an easy and fun activity for your toddler.

• Place a few items of different textures in front of your child.
• You could use a rock, a few pebbles, dough, or slime—anything you can find around the house.
• Let them observe each of them.
• You can also try this technique with temperatures within their bearing capacities.
• Builds vocabulary
• Improves sensory skills

11. Sorting game

Sorting is a fun way to keep your child engaged.

• You can opt for sorting boxes available in the market or make one yourself. For a DIY sorting box, take a container with a lid and make holes of varied sizes.
• Give your child smaller items of different sizes and ask them to put them into the container.
• You can demonstrate how it’s done in the beginning.
• Leave them with the container and the objects to their calculations.
• Strengthens hand-eye coordination
• Improves problem-solving and motor skills

Jennifer Bly, a mother of two and author, emphasizes the value of everyday activities as learning opportunities for children. She explains, “A simple activity such as putting the dishes away is a fabulous opportunity to teach skills such as sorting and classification. I love watching my 2-year-old put the cutlery into the cutlery tray, and I am amazed at how quickly she mastered the skill of sorting the cutlery into their proper place (i) .”

12. Up the ladder

It is a child-friendly, uncomplicated version of snakes and ladders.

• Draw a ladder placed alongside a building or a tree on a piece of paper.
• Pick your child’s favorite miniature toys and ask them to make them climb the ladder.
• You can dictate simple instructions such as stop, start, top, and bottom.
• Improves vocabulary and hand-eye coordination
• Helps to teach directions

13. Dress up

It is a fun way to boost creativity.

How to play?

• Place a pile of clothes in front of your child.
• Let their creativity run wild while they dress up.
• You may join them too as they make themselves a crown out of their trousers.
• Once ready, you two can play the music and indulge in a fun dancing session to spend quality time together.
• Stretches their imagination

14. Travel diaries

It is an engaging indoor world tour activity for children to enjoy.

• Use any item around the house that can accommodate your child. Maybe a blanket, towel, cardboard box, or their mini-cars.
• Let them travel the world.
• You can tag along and enjoy a house vacation if you wish to.
• Alternatively, you can name the rooms of the house with places they’re familiar with. For example, the kitchen can be London, and the bedroom Paris. Maybe their grandparents’ house or even to a jungle or park for that matter.
• Just say the name of the place and run around the house for an adventure.

  What does it teach?

• Expands their imaginary skills
• Teaches pretend play

Outdoor Activities

15. sandbox.

The activity keeps your children occupied for hours.

• Create a box and fill it up with sand.
• You can also add pebbles, buckets, shovels, and a few of their favorite toys.
• Strengthens fingers and hands
• Improves coordination

16. Gardening

It is a habit that can be started young.

• In the beginning, keep the activity simple.
• You can ask your child to plant a seed.
• Leave the watering task to them, even if it includes a mini-mug pour from time to time.
• Watch their interest in gardening develop as the plants grow.
• Later on, you can teach them to shovel and pick fruits and flowers.
• Teaches them about cause and effect theory
• Makes them responsible
• An early start to nutrition education

17. Ball games

Pave a path for their sports career by letting them play ball games.

• All you need is a softball and any game of your choice.
• Start with simple ball-throws and let them master the act of catching.
• Then you can teach them to toss or kick the ball.
• Ultimately, include bats and see their skills
• Helps muscles development

18. Pour it all!

It is a fun activity but can be super fun for the children.

• Give them a few mugs and a pouring medium of your choice. It could be water, sand, or even some rice.
• Let them pour it from one jug to another.
• Develops their motor skills and hand-eye coordination

19. Simon says

It is a classic game that says it all!  

• Name an activity after stating the words “Simon says.” For example, Simon says touch a tree or Simon says touch red color.
• Let your child run around to complete Simon’s task.
• Improves their concentration and recognition skills

20. Bubble pop

It is a simple yet engaging game that your toddler would love to play.

• Fill up a tray with water and some dishwashing liquid
• Use a wire loop to make blow bubbles. Let your child run around popping them.
• Or you can also let them wave or blow the loop to make bubbles.
• Develops motor skills and strengthens muscles
• Makes them curious about the wonders of science

21. Obstacle course

The obstacle course is a child-friendly game for adventurous play.

• Select an area that is safe for your child to jump around.
• Clean it and remove any rocks or pebbles that may hurt them.
• Draw a path and place several obstacles along.
• The path can be as complicated as you wish to. But make it simple in the beginning.
• Ask your child to reach the other end of the path.
• You can also include other mini tasks such as kicking and hopping.
• Helps them master their motor skills
• Teaches them the act of balancing

Fun And Coloring Activities

22. paint the sheet.

The simple painting activity can let your child’s creative juices flowing.

• You’ll need a large sheet of paper, water paints, and a coloring tool of your choice.
• Give them brushes, sponges, or cookie cutters to make the activity
• Leave your child with the paints and let them fill up the sheet.
• Stimulates creativity
• Improves coordination and concentration skills

23. Mix them up

It is an activity where learning gets fun in few seconds.

• Place a few cups of water and add food colors to them.
• Let your child mix them up and discover the world of color combinations.
• Stretches their observation capacity
• They may start using mathematical reasoning while mixing colors proportionally

24. Rainbow food

It is an activity that can be used to teach your toddler good eating habits.

• Add food colors to their food.
• It may be rainbow pasta, rice, or even smoothies.
• Make sure to add colors in front of your child.
• Let them enjoy the delicacy.
• Teaches them mathematical reasoning and healthy eating habits

25. Color sorting

The color sorting activity is designed to make learning fun.

• Take a sheet and draw circles of different colors.
• You can also take several cups and color them on the outside.
• Ask your child to place objects of similar colors in the circle or inside the cups.
• Improves visual perception, identification, and thinking skills

26. No-mess painting

It is a fun activity, and you need not worry about the mess.

• Take a sealable plastic cover and place a piece of paper
• Fill it up with a few drops of paint.
• Remove the air and seal the bag tight.
• Let your child push the paint in any direction they want.
• In the end, you can remove and dry the paper.
• Stimulates creativity and improves hand-eye coordination

27. Coloring book

A classic approach to coloring will help your child learn about colors and drawing skills from a young age.

• Get a few coloring books or download a few coloring printables online.
• You can buy crayons, sketches or even paints. Make sure that they are child-friendly without chemicals.
• Try to help them color inside the margins. It is okay if they move outside the margins.
• Improves finger grip, eye-hand coordination, and concentration skills

28. Paint them all

It is an activity for children who like messy painting.

• Take a plastic tub outdoors.
• Give your little one a few brushes and let the painting begin.
• You could also attach the paper to the walls and let them paint on it.
• They could also paint bubble wraps, Legos, or whatever you find suitable around the house.
• Introduces them to the concept of colors

Art And Craft Activities

29. color mix.

It is a fun way to teach children about colors and mixing.

• On paper, add colors or paints of your choice.
• Mix them and show how the colors
• Tell them what each color is called.
• You can begin with primary  
• Improves color recognition and vocabulary

30. Playdough

Playing with the dough is simple and engaging. You may even ask your child to mix colors in the dough.

• Get your child to play dough and let them take the lead.
• You can show them how to mix colors and demonstrate a few shapes.
• Develops muscles in fingers and hands
• Improves motor skills

31. Glue art

It is a simple introduction to the world of crafts to make your toddler’s time enjoyable.

• Give them some glue and few paper
• Help them in pasting different coloring pages together.
• You can also draw shapes of different colors and ask them to paste color paper-cuts into those shapes.
• Improves hand-eye coordination and motor skills

32. Zig-zag

It is not as complex as it seems and lets your child scribble anything they want to.

• Draw zig-zag lines on a piece of cardboard or paper.
• Take a few large size buttons and toxic-free glue.
• Ask your child to stick the buttons or paper along the lines.
• Improves motor skills and hand-eye coordination

33. Cotton ball craft  

Learning becomes fun with this activity.

• Draw the outlines of animals, trees, fruits, or vegetables in different colors on paper.
• In a few cups, pour water and add food colors.
• Help your child dip cotton balls in the water.
• Let the cotton balls dry, and then help them sort the balls in the same colored shapes.
• Improves hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity

34. Paper plate crafts

This easy and fun animal intimation activity for the tiny tots can help them enjoy fun learning time.

• Decide the animal you like to make.
• Draw the outlines of the individual parts on different paper plates. For example, if you plan to craft a bird, you can draw the face on one plate and its beaks on the other.
• Color the parts and assemble them with glue.
• You can also use accessories such as buttons, artificial feathers, googly eyes, and much more for decorations.

35. Nature collage

It is a beautiful activity that lets your children fall in love with nature.

• Collect anything from around the house. You can get leaves, twigs, flower petals, buttons, and paper
• Draw random lines on a piece of paper.
• Help your child stick similar category items in each zone.
• Teaches them the concept of patience

Developmental Activities

36. object tracking.

It is an activity that can be their first step towards art.

• Take a paper and place any objects on it. Maybe a few Legos, straws, or even your hand.
• Give your child several colored pencils and let them trace along with the objects.
• Improves motor skills and manual dexterity
• Teaches patience

37. Indoor car race

The activity is a mix of adventure and patience.

• Create a driveway.
• Add obstacles through the way. You can place any object you find around the house—a box, a few more cars, or few Legos.
• Let your child run their trucks or cars through the driveways without touching any obstacle on the side.
• Improves hand-eye coordination and concentration

38. Nature hunt

Here’s an activity you can do the next time you’re outside with your child.

• Name an item and ask them to hunt for it.
• They can collect flowers, twigs, leaves, pine cones, and maybe shells.
• Improves observational and recognition skills

It is an introductory game to the world of words and numbers.

• You can use any building blocks that have letters or numbers on them.
• Help your child stack them as you say out loud what’s on them.
• Eventually, you can ask them to arrange the letters and numbers in order.
• Improves dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and motor skills

40. It’s counting time

The activity can be played anywhere, while on a road trip or when the power goes off.

• Ask your child to count any available item.
• Bowls, carrots, or clips—it can be anything you find around the house. Use it as an opportunity to teach them numbers.
• Builds math skills

41. Tracing alphabet and numbers

It is an activity that sets the course to learning.

• On a paper, dot letters and numbers. You can also download free printables online.
• Give them color pencils and help them trace along with the dots.
• Make sure to speak out the letters or numbers while they trace.
• You can also use this method to teach shapes and patterns.
• Improves fine motor skills

42. Arrange in order

It is an activity designed to teach sizes.

• Take a few straws and cut them into varied sizes. You can also use blocks or Legos of various sizes for this activity.
• Mix them up and let your child arrange according to height.
• You can also use leaves, twigs, petals, or any other object for this activity.  
• Improves observational skills and recognition skills

43. Balloon pop

Balloon pop is a vibrant and engaging activity for 2-year-olds to learn colors, sounds, and coordination. This game is a fun learning activity for children to play and learn simultaneously.

• Inflate several balloons in different colors and sizes.
• Securely tape the balloons at a low height on a wall or let them float with strings attached.
• Encourage your child to pop the balloons by gently pressing or tapping them.
• As each balloon pops, cheer and name the color loudly.
• Repeat the names of the colors with each pop to reinforce learning.
• Color recognition
• Motor skills
• Auditory stimulation

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What cognitive skills should a two-year-old have?

According to the CDC, your child should be able to do the following activities by the time they are two years of age ( 3 ):

• Hold a bottle or container with one hand and open it with the other hand
• Play with multiple toys at the same time
• Try and use knobs or switches on their toys

2. How many hours a day should I play with my toddler?

You should play for at least ten minutes with your child every day initially and increase the timings according to your comfort and skill adjustment. This special playtime also allows you to build a bond with your little one ( 4 ).

3. How can I foster my two-year-old’s imagination with activities?

Reading books, telling stories, acting out nursery rhymes, and exploring new nearby places together can help boost your two-year-old’s imagination. Engaging in pretend play or dressing-up games, playing with puppets, and drawing can also spark your child’s imagination.

4. How can I help my two-year-old develop cognitive skills?

You may aid your child’s cognitive development by engaging in puzzles, problem-solving, reading, and other interactive play activities. Crafts, drawing, playing outdoors, and building activities can also boost their creativity and thinking skills. Additionally, engaging them in age-appropriate tasks around the house and limiting screen time can promote independence and learning.

5. Are there any special considerations I should make when playing with my toddler on a daily basis?

Playing daily with your toddler helps foster a loving, strong bond and keeps them physically and mentally active. However, make safety a priority by removing hazardous objects and securing furniture and electrical sockets. Choose age-appropriate games, engage in interactive play, and do not force them into activities. Furthermore, try to limit screen time when using iPads or TV for educational games. Finally, be patient with your child’s changing moods and try to be flexible to incorporate their ideas of fun.

Channel the energy of your two-year-old in the right direction with the help of these learning activities for 2-year-olds. Children are at their developing stage at this age, so these activities will help you combine learning and fun while keeping your children engaged in something productive. These will not only develop their motor and cognitive skills but also teach them to be patient. With a little bit of help, you will see your child reach their developmental milestones with great levels of creativity and perseverance.

Infographic: Benefits Toddlers Can Reap Through Different Activities

Various learning activities and games can help children acquire knowledge fast and help them develop cognitive, motor, and creative skills. Learning through games is always fun and exciting for children. The infographic below highlights the benefits toddlers may reap through different learning activities.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

• Activities such as Count ’Em All or Counting Time improve toddlers’ mathematical, reasoning, and analytical skills.
• To improve their motor skills, they could trace alphabets and numbers or engage in other object tracking activities.
• Art and craft activities with playdough or nature collages stimulate creativity while teaching color combinations.

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Keeping a toddler engaged in an activity for long is a real challenge for any parent. Here are some fun and easy activities to keep your 1-2 year old entertained at home!

Personal Experience: Source

MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.

1. In Brief: The Science of Early Childhood Development ; Center on Developing Child; Harvard University. 2. Summertime, playtime : Usable Knowledge; Harvard School of Education. 3. Important Milestones: Your Child By Two Years ; CDC 4. Special Playtime ; CDC

• Fact-checker

Dr. Sadhvi Mythili MBBS, Psychiatrist

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18 Fun and Educational Toddler Apps to Help Kids Learn

Download these apps and turn screen time into learning time.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We updated this article in March 2023 to add new picks based on recent testing.

Our top picks:

Best Overall

Pbs kids games.

Best Educational

Abc mouse abc mouse.

Best Personalized

Homer learn & grow.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute test and review all kinds of apps, from workout apps to dating apps . When it came to finding the best apps for toddlers , our on-staff parenting experts and real-life parent and child testers got hands-on with dozens of popular apps to evaluate them for ease of use, age-appropriateness, ability to engage and more.

Here, we review our favorites — some feature your toddler's favorite TV personalities, like Elmo and Daniel Tiger, some will get them up and moving so screen time isn't also sedentary time and many of them are even free. But the good news is that all of them should keep your kids' attention long enough for you to get something — anything! — done.

PBS Kids Games should be a staple in any house with a toddler. GH Chief Technologist Rachel Rothman and her little ones use this app daily in their house. "PBS Kids Games is great because it covers a lot of popular titles with content and games you can feel good about ," she says. You'll find Daniel Tiger, Arthur and all the other popular characters come together to create games so fun kids won't even realize they're educational, making it a great app for kids and students alike . The app is also constantly updated with new games so your kids won't run out of content to explore.

Make learning fun with this educational and exciting app that uses stories, quizzes, games and videos to get kids started on a path to learning about reading, math, science and art. Our testers said they loved and used this app even before they began officially testing it for GH, and our experts appreciate that you can follow your kid's progress on a virtual map that outlines their learning progress so you can both see how far they've come in real time (and celebrate their victories).

Homer Learn & Grow

This app earned itself a GH Parenting Award in 2022 for its exciting way of teaching a variety of important topics like math, reading and social-emotional awareness. Our parent testers like the personalization options that let families with more than one kid customize their learning for each little one, and appreciate the diverse offerings for those of different ages and education levels. Our kid testers liked that the app gave them the chance to record their own voices so they can show off their mastery of each skill.

Elmo Loves 123s

Learning your 123s can be difficult for toddlers, and this app will help get them on the path to becoming a math wiz. The free preview lets little ones learn 123 and you can download the full version to get games, videos and more on all numbers 1-20 . In fact, all of the iOS apps and Android apps by the Sesame Workshop are great, putting all the Sesame Street friends to good use helping kids do everything from learning their letters to using the potty. But Elmo Loves 123s is one of our favorites because of the cute ways Elmo helps kids learn their early numbers.

Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings

You can never have too much Daniel Tiger, and kids and parents will adore this app that helps them explore and understand emotions . This fun pick features games, sing-alongs, art exercises and a "feelings photo-booth" that lets kids take pictures of themselves to better understand expressions. We're fans of all things Daniel Tiger, and appreciate how this app helps little ones get more in touch with recognizing feelings, expressing themselves in positive and valuable ways and understanding social-emotional cues.

Ring ring! It's Elmo. Your kid can learn valuable social skills while making important phone calls to their favorite Sesame Street character. Like FaceTime but with Elmo, this app helps little ones get used to talking over video chat , and lets them practice for those long distance calls with Grandma. Rothman notes that her kids were particularly enthralled by this app during their early toddler years. Aside from video calls, this app also lets you receive voicemails and listen to messages from your furry friend at any time.

Khan Academy Kids

Kids can learn reading, writing, math, social-emotional skills and more when they hop on the Khan Academy Kids app. Just like the regular Khan Academy app, which kids can graduate to once they turn four, this toddler-friendly app will help them learn the important skills they'll need once they enter preschool. It allows you to create a personalized learning path for your child , plus, you don't need to worry about paying a subscription fee or slogging through ads since this app — and all the educational content that's constantly being updated — is completely free.

Beck and Bo

This beautifully animated app lets kids put characters in different scenes, from everyday locations like the grocery store to exotic locales like the jungle. T hey can place characters and objects in the scene, or tap on items to find out what things are called and learn new words . It's a great introduction to pretend-play and online gaming, letting kids play games like matching and ball, learn logic by building each scene and manipulating characters and objects to different areas, expand their vocabulary and more.

Epic! will inspire and encourage early readers to fall in love with books. With more than 40,000 bo0ks on the platform that are ready to read, it's easier than a trip to the local library, and you can search through them by age or interest. Plus, there's even books and quizzes in foreign languages to help introduce your little ones to Spanish, French or Chinese at a young age. You get a free month-long trial before being charged a monthly fee; check with your school, though, because sometimes they can set up free subscriptions for their classrooms.

2-3.com Baby Games

Your baby gamer will adore the games found on this app that tiny tots won't be able to get enough of. Using sounds, animations and numbers, this app makes it simple to introduce a variety of topics to your kids. Created by a dad who wanted to give back, these free and simple interactive games for the littlest of kids include balloon-popping games, virtual instruments to play and even fireworks so that the youngest members of your family can join in the app fun, starting as early as six months.

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Nostalgic parents probably remember the Very Hungry Caterpillar from Eric Carle's beloved books from their own early reading days. Not only has this books stayed a staple in the nursery for decades, but its app version helps introduce kids to educational themes with one of their favorite literary characters. This app lets kids take the Caterpillar through games that tackle very basic math, problem-solving and science .

Starfall ABCs

There are a million apps that claim to help kids learn the ABCs, but this one is backed by a nonprofit education company . Kids interact with letters and learn how to make sounds and words. While you can chose to pay for the upgraded version to get a few more bells and whistles, like math lessons, we found the free version to have an impressive amount of content all on its own.

Goodness Shapes

Friendly-looking shapes help kids learn colors, matching and sorting in this preschool-friendly app. You might want to use it as a de-stressing tool, too. Kids can challenge their brains while they practice shape, color and pattern recognition and play some fun games with cute shape characters. One of our favorite things? It's offline, so you don't have to worry about being hooked up to Wi-Fi while playing, and since you pay a couple dollars upfront for access, there aren't any additional paywalls or ads to wade through while playing.

It can be hard to get your steps in if you spend the majority of your time at home on screens, but this adorable app helps encourage your little ones to get active. When it's time for a movement break, this app has videos that gets kids up and exercising so they don't spend all day lounging on the couch. From dance to yoga to mindfulness, there's over 300 videos on here to get you started. The simple, follow-me videos even have an educational twist sometimes (one of our favorites teaches kids about making patterns ). That might go over your toddler's head, but they can still try the moves. While it's geared toward a little bit older kids, little ones can get in on the fun and copy the moves with you.

Cosmic Kids!

Yogis and meditators will appreciate this app geared toward giving toddlers their first taste of mindfulness. A bit of meditation can help everyone manage their emotional wellbeing and stress levels , and Cosmic Kids has over 80 yoga videos and 28 mindfulness sessions. For families looking to get into yoga, this mindfulness app offers videos of workouts geared for kids. (Your toddler may have to do modified versions of the moves since the app is made for a little bit older kids.) The host, Jaime, puts routines together that are themed to Frozen , Star Wars , Minecraft and other kid faves.

It's a little bit like the game Guess Who, where kids have to identify animals who are dancing, wagging their tails or crying. There's also a social/emotional learning component to it, since sometimes they have to identify animals by what they're feeling and pick out who is surprised, crying, happy, sad and more. This app lets kids interact with animals of all sorts and learn more about emotional cues and what they mean. We appreciate that it engages a variety of skills and senses.

Lego Duplo World

Winner of the KAPI Best App award in 2020 (amongst a variety of other awards throughout the past few years), this open-ended app lets kids explore the in-app world and build 3D structures. It's all the fun of Legos without the fear of your kids leaving them on the floor for you to step on. Featuring games with animals, cars, trains and more, this app lets your kids use 3D bricks to build while learning more about how the world and the many things in it function. When they get older, they can connect and play with friends.

Moo, Baa, La La La!

Classic children's book writer Sandra Boynton is known for her dozens of board books for little ones, and this app brings one of your favorite ones to life. With this app, her Moo, Baa, La La La! book becomes interactive , and kids can hear animal sounds and do things like tap the screen to turn day to night. This e-book experience is great for traveling, since you don't have to bring anything along with you to create the perfect bedtime routine and read your little one's favorite book.

How we test apps for toddlers

We know many apps are out there on the market, and how difficult it can be to find out which ones are worth downloading and purchasing for your family. To find the best apps for toddlers, we tested dozens of popular kids' apps designed primarily for 2 to 4-year-olds. After consulting our consumer panel, made up of real parents and their children, we were able to narrow down a list of apps worth considering.

Then, our experts evaluated each app on a variety of factors, like how easy it is to use for both parents and children independently, whether or not it's worth its price, how long and effectively it can hold your kid's attention, whether or not it's age appropriate, if there are any tech pitfalls and more.

What to look for in apps for toddlers

✔️ Safety: To avoid getting scammed and protect your own safety, there are a few things you can keep in mind when signing up for a new app. Consider how much information the app is requesting from you and whether or not it feels necessary. Is there additional verification required when you log in? Parents can check out the number of times the app has been downloaded, the rating and reviews on the Apple or Google Play store to make sure it's even safe for download. Don't forget to look over the permissions list and app description before downloading.

✔️ Features: Some apps offer personalized learning plans or include features that let more than one kid track their own plans at the same time. Others simply offer fun games to keep your kids entertained for a few minutes. Keep an eye out for the extra features of each app depending on what you're hoping to achieve.

✔️ Ease of use: While toddlers are a little young to be navigating apps on their own, some will be able to do so once they get a bit older. Not only will this help them develop their independence and strengthen their problem-solving skills, but will give you a much needed break while they're entertained. Make sure the app is intuitive enough for them to handle on their own.

✔️ Age: The right apps for your kids are age appropriate for many reasons. Not only will this avoid unnecessary frustration when you accidentally put them in 3rd grade reading far before they're ready, but it means you don't have to worry about the content they're consuming. To get the most benefit out of each app experience, make sure that they're not learning at too low or too high of a level.

✔️ Price: Many of our favorite picks are free, but a few of the more specialized apps feature paid upgrades or monthly subscriptions with access to all of their unlimited games and videos. It may be worth a few bucks if it's an app your kid is particularly engaged with.

✔️ Engagement: Keeping your child entertained and engaged is one of the most important aspects of a good app. If your kid isn't excited to hop on and spend time learning new things, watching videos or playing the app's games, then it doesn't matter how helpful the app is if they can't even be bothered to log in.

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People , covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology and a master’s degree in journalism.

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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Home » Recommendations » Toys » 10 Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

10 Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Your little toddler is getting into all sorts of things. At this age, children are growing intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. 2-year-olds are learning many skills around language and problem-solving. Your child might be able to follow simple directions (when she wants to). Most children at this age can sort shapes and find things hidden under several covers.

1. Fat Brain Toys Personalized Name Puzzle – $27

Some toddlers may start to recognize the letters in their name. The personalized name puzzle from Fat Brain Toys promotes letter recognition, name recognition, self-esteem, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. Each and every name puzzle is carved out of solid, high-quality wood and painted with vibrant, non-toxic colors. Promote your toddlers individuality with a unique, custom puzzle. The puzzle will be carved out exactly as typed on Fat Brain Toy’s website (Capital letters A – Z only). Each letter is 3-inches tall. The base measures 4.5 inches high. The width of the base depends on the length of the child’s name.

Why we Recommend?

• Custom made — uncommon names are no problem
• Up to 9 characters per puzzle
• Promotes logic, fine motor, name spelling, and self-esteem
• Solid wood construction
• Vibrant colors
• Non-toxic paint
• Pieces are just the right size for little hands to grasp

2. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn, Learn to Dress Puppy – $18

The Fisher-Price Learn to Dress Puppy is a great toy for 2-year-olds to learn basic getting-dressed life skills. This Puppy also helps improve fine motor coordination. This toy is loaded with upbeat songs and encouraging phrases to teach toddlers how to get ready for the day. The songs, sounds, and phrases play when you press Puppy’s belly. Toddlers can learn about different types of clothing, daily routines, body parts, and shapes. Your little one can practice buttoning a shirt, buckling a belt, tying one shoe, and using the velcro strap on the other. As toddlers practice buttoning, buckling, and tying to help Puppy get dressed, they are learning all-important life skills. This can boost their confidence in their own ability to help themselves.

• Promotes fine motor development
• Exercises dexterity and hand-eye coordination
• Provides practice for self-help and daily living skills
• Buckle, button, shoelace, and velcro strap
• 30+ playful songs
• Introduces body parts, shapes colors, and daily routines

3. Melissa and Doug Dump Truck – $20

Shape sorters and vehicles make excellent toys for 2-year-olds. This Dump Truck from Melissa and Doug is a combination an cool truck and wooden block shape sorter. Toddlers can drive blocks and small people figures around as they play. The shape sorter emphasizes basic math skills. Each of the 9 blocks fits into a different shaped hole on the side or top of the dump truck. Smooth rolling wheels deliver the payload wherever your little one desires. Lift the tailgate and dump the blocks out to play again. Toddlers can work on motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they fit the shapes into their corresponding holes.

• 9 wooden blocks in vibrant colors
• 2 people figures fit nicely in the truck’s cab
• Teaches shapes and colors
• Encourages imaginative play
• Promotes motor skills and hand-eye coordination

4. Tag Toys Wooden Tumble Down Counting Pegs – $65

Teach counting in a concert, active, and enjoyable way with Tag Toys Wooden Tumble Down Counting Pegs . To start learning, put one of the 10 interchangeable number plates on top of the counting box. Encourage your 2-year-old to place pegs into the holes while counting out loud. When first learning to use the toy, and adult may need to count for the toddlers. However, with repeated interactions, toddlers can learn to count the pegs all on their own. Once the counting is complete, the child can pull the knob and the pegs tumble down. This cause-and-effect interaction stimulates like a reward, reinforcing the activity as a fun way to learn.

• Teaches number recognition
• Child learns to count from one to ten
• Introduces the concept of quantity
• Promotes fine-motor skills, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination
• Self-reinforcing, educational play
• Wood construction

5. Lakeshore Learn the Alphabet! Dough Mats – $10

These colorful alphabet mats turn dough art into a fun, educational experience. Learn the Alphabet Play Mats from Lakeshore Learning outline upper- and lowercase letters. They also feature pictures of things that start with each letter. Children can use their own dough to form each letter on the mat. The whole thing comes with 26 mats that are size 8-inch by 10-inch. The dough is sold separately.

• Teaches letter recognition
• 26 mats in all — letters A to Z
• Hands-on learning
• Forming dough strengthens motor skills and hand muscles
• Reusable mats

6. Leap Frog LeapStart – $40

• Interactive board with stylus
• Covers many skills
• problem solving skills
• reading comprehension
• phonics and spelling
• counting and math
• Expandable with 25+ books (sold separately)
• 30+ educational activities in every book

7. Marvel Education Caterpillar Story Props and Book – $60

Engage children in imaginative, hands-on learning with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Props and book . Act out the Hungry Little Caterpillar by Eric Carl with these soft story props. Use the large, plus Caterpillar to act out “eating” each of the 16 food props then transforms it into a butterfly. Your 2-year-old will be amazed. Toddlers are starting to develop an understanding of narrative order. Teach literacy and story sequencing from a young age. You can talk about concepts such as first, next, and last.

• Make literacy fun and engaging
• Teaches story sequencing
• Puppet changes from caterpillar to butterfly
• 15-inch wing span
• 16 padded food props
• Reusable for story repitition

8. Hape Creative Peg Puzzle – $20

Promote spacial problem-solving and fine motor skills with this Creative Peg Puzzle . The grooved shapes add an extra dimension of challenge and fun to this colorful peg puzzle. Each peg has small wood protrusions that prevent the shape from sliding down easily. Fortunately, the shapes have grooved holes that allow them to fit when turned just the right way. Your toddler will have fun twisting to fit the grooved shapes along the complex peg system. This toy promotes logic, matching, spacial awareness, and critical thinking.

• Introduces logic, sorting, and matching
• Exercises spacial awareness, critical thinking and problem-solving
• Strengthens dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills
• Teaches cause and effect
• Wood constrcution
• Pieces are good size for little hands to grip

9. Fat Brain Toys Forrest and Friends Discovery Tree – $70

• Just the right hight for toddlers
• Keeps little hands busy exploring
• Promotes hand-eye coordination, fine motor, and cause and effect
• Provides sensory exploration and experimentation
• Loopy rails with vibrant colored beads
• Spinning gears and propellers
• Doors that open and blocks that slide along tracks
• Lots more fun springs, spinners, and sliders
• Durable wood construction

10. Melissa and Doug First Shapes Jumbo Knob- $10

• Solid Wood Construction
• Teaches colors, shapes, and matching
• Promotes imaginative play
• Knobs are great for little hands to grip
• Increases spacial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and visual perception

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21 Best Learning Toys for 2 Year Olds in 2024

• December 1, 2023 February 10, 2024
• Pinterest 760

Here you will find a roundup of the best learning toys for 2 year olds and toddlers from a homeschooling mom of three ! From matching and sorting toys to building and art supplies, this list has all the best educational toys for toddlers.

As a mom of three energetic little ones, I know firsthand how crucial it is to keep our children engaged, stimulated, and, most importantly, learning through play.

With my youngest quickly approaching the age of 2, I’ve scoured the market for educational toys that not only captivate their imaginations but also encourage their cognitive and physical development.

After much trial and error, I’ve compiled a list of the best learning toys for 2 year olds that have passed the ultimate test—my kids’ approval.

You might also like these related posts:

• Best Learning Toys for 3-Year-Olds
• Realistic 2 Year Old Daily Schedule
• Easy Toddler Lunch Ideas for 2 Year Olds

Lovevery Block Set

Learning Toys for 2 Year Olds

Matching and sorting toddler toys.

• Lovevery Block Set and Shape Sorter – blocks are great for learning spatial awareness, geometry, fine motor skills, problem solving skills, and creativity. This set also comes with a shape sorter! This block set is made of durable, high quality materials, and is something that will grow with your toddler into the preschool years and beyond! ( see on Amazon , see at Target )
• Matching Eggs Toy – This matching egg set is great for color and shape recognition as well as hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. My toddlers loves to take them apart and put them back together and they are also fun because they can be played with as a play food toy.
• Learning Resources Matching Heads & Tails Flash Cards – let your toddler learn about animals and the world around them, while practicing hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills! These are a great quiet time activity at a restaurant or waiting room.
• Counting & Sorting Color Bears – teach your toddler about colors and sorting by size, while practicing find motor skills and building hand strength with the tweezers! I especially love that this set comes with colored sorting cups and a storage bin.
• Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting – another fun way to practice color identification and sorting! It’s also fun because the food can be used as play food for imaginative play.
• Wooden Shape Color Stack Puzzle – practice shape and color recognition, hand-eye coordination, problem solving, and cognitive puzzle skills! This is a simple toy that’s been in our playroom for years!
• Learning Resources Alphabet Matching Alpha Pops – a fun way to practice color recognition and matching as well as learning the alphabet. The two piece pops click together so this toy also helps with hand-eye coordination. These are on our wish list and come highly recommended!

Building and Creative Learning Toys for 2 Year Olds

• Bristle Blocks – Bristle blocks are great for 3-D building and imaginative play! There are so many ways to hook them together and build whatever your toddler can dream up.
• Duplo Blocks – building toys like duplos can encourage imaginative play, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills. They can also be used as a sensory toy if you cool them in jello or throw them in a bath tub full of water.
• Picasso Tiles – these are for a more advanced builders, but are a fun way for toddlers to build in 3D. Picasso tiles connect on the edges using magnets and are great for practicing architectural design. They can also teach creativity and sense of shape since they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
• Tempura Paint Sticks – a less mess way for your toddler to learn about colors, practice fine motor skills, and express their creativity! We have this exact set and they wash off very easily.
• Crayola Double Doodle Board – washable crayons for mess-free learning! Coloring is great for practicing pre-writing skills and fosters creativity.

Read more > 8 Benefits of Open-Ended Play for Toddlers

Puzzle, Books, and Pattern Toddler Toys

• Learning Resources Hedgehog – a fun toy to practice hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. We got this when my first was a baby and it has been a favorite for the 2 year old age range.
• Alphabet Learning Puzzle – great as a puzzle to practice spatial awareness and matching, as well as for letter and number recognition.
• Personalized Puzzle – a fun and unique gift that is also a great educational learning toy for your toddler! These are great gifts for toddlers who already seem to have everything or gift givers who just want to give a personalized gift.
• Wooden Lacing Beads – great for color and pattern recognition, and fine motor skills. This toy also teaches early math skills like counting and sequencing! We love Melissa & Doug toys for their amazing quality!
• LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book – this book is great for leaning, recognizing, and practicing to say a variety of words. When you touch the picture it says the work aloud so its great for independent play as well as structured learning with the help of an adult. This also has an option to learn in Spanish!
• Toddler Flash Cards – we use flash cards for structured play, but they can also be used for independent play if your toddler will cooperate. I use an empty coffee can and cut a slit in the top to make a fun toy incorporating flash cards. Check out this activity plus a few more in my post: Fun & Easy Toddler Activities for 1-2 Year Olds

Play Kits and More

• Lovevery Play Kit – as a mom of three, I highly recommend the Lovevery play kits! If you haven’t gotten one yet, two years old is the perfect age to start! Some of our favorite play kits are for the two year old age range (including The Helper Play Kit & The Free Spirit Play Kit ). (Save 10% when you prepay for multiple play kits)
• Sprinkle In Learning ABS’s & 123’s – Sprinkle in learning is a great small business that creates PlayPods for toddlers! Their ABC’s & 123’s Bundle is great for two year olds who are just learning the alphebet and numbers, or want to practice. They also have tons of other PlayPods to choose from ( they are great for travel! )
• Montessori Preschool Busy Book – this busy book is great for quiet time or keeping your toddler entertained on flights, road trips, appointments, or restaurants. My kids have LOVED this activity book for many years and it’s a great alternative to screen time.

Read More > Toddler Sensory Activities My Kids are Loving

Read More > Best Learning Toys for 3-Year-Olds

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• By Ethan Kelly
• Last Updated June 17, 2024
• Lifestyle & Culture
• Baby & Toddler

Top 2 Year Olds Developmental Milestones Every Parent Should Know

Wondering what 2 year olds developmental milestones your child should be reaching? At this age, children typically start walking with confidence, saying a few words, and showing interest in playing with others. This article will help you understand these key milestones in physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional development, and guide you on what to look for as your toddler grows.

Table of Contents

Key takeaways.

2-year-olds hit key milestones in physical, cognitive, language, and social development, like walking confidently, solving simple puzzles, and starting to form sentences.

Tracking these developmental milestones helps parents identify any delays and ensure their child is growing healthily. If concerns arise, consulting a pediatrician is crucial.

Encouraging your child’s development involves engaging in creative play, providing outdoor activities, and nurturing a loving environment, which supports their overall growth and emotional security.

Introduction

Remember the first time your little one smiled at you? That magical moment was just the beginning. Developmental milestones are those significant abilities and skills that children typically achieve at certain age ranges, and they give us crucial insights into how our children play, learn, speak, act, and move. From that first contagious giggle to the joyous day when they take their first independent steps, milestones mark the wondrous journey of growth and discovery.

But how do you know if your child is on track? That’s where the art and science of tracking developmental milestones come into play. Standardized developmental screening tools are available to help you understand your child’s progress. By keeping an eye on these milestones, you’re not just witnessing their growth—you’re also ensuring that any developmental delays or concerns are identified early on, giving your child the best start in life. Some key developmental milestones to track include:

Rolling over

Social interaction

By monitoring these milestones, you can ensure that your child is reaching important developmental markers and address any concerns that may arise.

Physical and Motor Skills Milestones

When it comes to physical and motor skills, 2 year old children are like little explorers conquering the vast terrain of their world. At this stage, your toddler should be:

walking with confidence

attempting to run

climbing stairs while holding your hand

kicking a ball without losing their balance

These are the milestones your child should be reaching, and they are as thrilling for you to witness as they are for your child to achieve.

But why are these physical feats so important? Each leap and bound represents a leap in your child’s progress, cementing the building blocks for future skills and coordination. And let’s not forget the sheer joy and laughter that comes with child play—those moments when your little one proudly shows you how they can throw a ball overhand or stack four blocks into a wobbly tower.

As parents, it’s exciting to see our children gain skills earlier than we expect. But even if they’re taking a bit longer, each child develops at their own pace. That’s why understanding and encouraging physical activity and celebrating each new motor skill is pivotal. It’s not just about keeping them moving; it’s about nurturing their overall development, including social and emotional growth.

Cognitive Development Milestones

Have you ever watched in amazement as your child sorts shapes or tackles a simple puzzle? These are the cognitive development milestones that come into play around the age of two. The way toddlers begin to sort shapes and colors, build with four or more blocks, and solve simple puzzles are all indicators of their blossoming thinking skills.

Cognitive development in toddlers is all about curiosity and problem-solving. They start to understand two-step directions like “pick up your teddy bear and give it a hug,” showcasing their ability to remember and follow simple instructions. And when your child gives reasons for things, such as needing a coat because it’s cold, they are not just making connections but also communicating their understanding of the world around them.

Interactive play with common objects, puzzles, and blocks are more than just fun activities; they are essential exercises for the mind. As your child develops these cognitive skills, they’re also laying the groundwork for future learning. So the next time your little one insists on finding a hidden toy or proudly completes a puzzle, know that these are significant cognitive milestones your child is reaching.

Language and Communication Milestones

The chatter of a two-year-old can be music to a parent’s ears, even when it’s a string of incomprehensible babbles. By the age of two, most toddlers will have a vocabulary of around 50 words and start to form two to four-word sentences. It’s a time when they’re not just learning new words but also beginning to communicate their thoughts and feelings.

Language development is a cornerstone of a child’s progress. As they move from repeating words to forming word sentences, toddlers are also practicing the art of conversation. They might ask simple questions like “Why?” and “How?” showing their growing curiosity and desire to engage with others. And while their speech may not always be clear to especially adults, the effort they’re putting into talking is monumental in their development.

Encouraging your child’s language skills is about more than just expanding their vocabulary. It’s about nurturing their ability to express themselves and connect with the world. Whether through telling stories, singing songs, or simply chatting about the day, every word shared helps build the communication milestones your child is striving to reach. Being mindful of not using repeat words can also contribute to their language development.

Social and Emotional Milestones

The social and emotional milestones of a two-year-old are like the colors of a vibrant painting—they add depth and richness to your child’s developing personality. At this age, you’ll find your toddler imitating others, showing affection, and sometimes even asserting their independence with a little defiant behavior. These behaviors are not just adorable but are considered normal signs of development.

Watching your child play with other children, you’ll notice the excitement and joy that comes from social interaction. It’s in these moments that toddlers learn to share, take turns, and build friendships, all of which are crucial for their emotional development. And while they may start to show more independence and even defiance, this is simply a part of their journey towards self-discovery and asserting their individuality.

It’s a joy to see your child sing songs with older children or tenderly care for a teddy bear, as these moments reflect the emotional milestones your child is reaching. Whether it’s through playdates or group activities with familiar people, fostering these social and emotional skills is key to helping your child navigate the world confidently and compassionately.

When to Consult a Pediatrician

It’s natural for parents to wonder if their child is developing on track, and sometimes there may be reasons to seek professional advice. If you notice that your child is not meeting developmental milestones or has lost previously acquired skills, it’s crucial to consult a pediatrician. Developmental screening at recommended ages is an essential part of ensuring your child’s well-being.

Pediatricians use standardized, validated tools to get a clear picture of a child’s progress, and these screenings can help identify areas where a child may need additional support. If concerns arise, early intervention programs can offer tailored assistance to help your child catch up. And if you’re still worried after consulting your doctor, don’t hesitate to ask for a referral to a specialist who can offer further guidance.

Remember, most toddlers develop at their own pace and may reach certain milestones earlier or later than their peers. However, staying informed and proactive about your child’s progress is a critical part of being a supportive and engaged parent, ensuring you are aware of your child’s progress at every stage.

Encouraging Your Child’s Development

As a parent, you’re not just a caretaker; you’re the maestro of your child’s development. Engaging in simple make-believe games, storytelling, and singing can turn everyday moments into opportunities for growth. These pretend play activities stimulate your child’s imagination, language development, and cognitive abilities, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Outdoor play is another avenue for encouraging your child’s development. Some benefits of outdoor play include:

Honing gross motor skills through activities like running, jumping, and playing catch

Fostering a love for physical activity

Developing fine motor skills through art activities or simple cooking tasks

Introducing concepts like sequencing and cause and effect

So, make sure to provide opportunities for your child to engage in outdoor play and creative activities to support their overall development.

Every toy, every book, and every playdate is a chance for your child to learn and grow. By providing a variety of experiences, from pulling toys to exploring nature, you’re not just entertaining your child—you’re helping them develop the skills they need to thrive.

Sleep and Nutrition Needs

As much as play and learning are essential, so are sleep and nutrition for your growing toddler. With the hustle and bustle of exploring and learning, two-year-olds need about 11-14 hours of sleep per day, including naps, to recharge and process all that new information. The transition from two naps to one typically occurs during this period, adapting to your toddler’s changing needs.

When it comes to nutrition, a balanced diet fuels all the running, thinking, and growing that two-year-olds do. If you have any concerns about your child’s eating habits or nutritional intake, don’t hesitate to consult a pediatrician. They can provide guidance to ensure your child is getting the nutrients they need to develop healthily.

Enhancing Learning and Emotional Security

Creating a secure and loving environment is the bedrock for enhancing learning and emotional security in your two-year-old. When a child feels safe and confident, they’re more likely to be independent and well-behaved. Interactive play is not just a way to pass the time; it’s a powerful tool to boost your child’s learning and development.

By incorporating several toys and activities into your child’s routine, you stimulate their interest and curiosity, which are essential for learning. Whether it’s:

building a tower of blocks

splashing in a water table

playing with puzzles

drawing and coloring

playing with playdough

Each activity supports the development of critical skills from motor coordination to problem-solving, involving various body parts.

And let’s not forget the emotional aspect. A child who knows they’re loved and supported is more likely to take risks, explore, and ultimately, learn. By providing a nurturing environment, you’re not only enhancing your child’s learning but also ensuring they feel emotionally secure to face the challenges and joys of growing up.

Learn more, visit Your toddler’s developmental milestones at 2 years .

As we’ve journeyed through the developmental milestones of two-year-olds, from their first wobbly steps to their curious questions, it’s clear that each milestone is a stepping stone to the next. Whether your child is stacking blocks with precision or stringing words into sentences, every achievement is a cause for celebration and a sign of the incredible potential within them.

So take heart, parents. With your love, guidance, and a watchful eye on these developmental milestones, you’re providing your child with the tools they need to grow, learn, and flourish. Embrace each moment, from the messy to the miraculous, and remember that in these early years, every small step is a giant leap towards the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i tell if my child is developing normally for their age.

You can tell if your child is developing normally for their age by monitoring their progress against developmental milestones like motor skills, language, and social interaction. If you’re worried, consider using standardized developmental screening tools or consult with a pediatrician.

What are some simple activities to support my child’s development?

Singing songs, outdoor play, reading books, and playing with blocks are great activities that can support your child’s development in multiple areas. So, give these a try and see how your child enjoys them!

When should I transition my child from two naps to one?

You should transition your child from two naps to one when you notice signs of readiness, like difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for morning naps. It’s a natural step for growing toddlers.

How can I create a secure and loving environment for my child?

To create a secure and loving environment for your child, it’s important to consistently respond to their needs, spend quality time with them, and establish a balanced routine. This will help them feel safe and nurtured, encouraging healthy development. No date

What should I do if my child isn’t talking as much as other children their age?

If you’re worried about your child’s speech development, it’s best to consult a pediatrician for an evaluation or a referral to a speech therapist. It’s important to address any concerns you may have about your child’s speech development.

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Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre Ltd Waikato

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Exciting toddlers kaiako position at Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre!

Are you a passionate, peaceful, and playful registered ECE kaiako?

We are looking for a qualified and registered kaiako to join our dedicated toddlers teaching team!

Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre is nestled in the heart of Ohaupo with stunning views of Pirongia mountain.

We pride ourselves in creating a nurturing and peaceful home-away-from-home, where children flourish through respectful relationships, creative play, and engaging learning experiences.

Join us in embracing our nature school programme, delving into the marvels of the natural world, and building strong community connections through our local curriculum and regular bush walks.

At Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre, we boast excellent teacher-to-child ratios of 1:6 in our toddler class, and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where kaiako are truly valued and appreciated.

Benefits for you include paid teacher registration, extended pay parity, first aid training, mentoring, and great teacher-to-child ratios. And as the successful applicant, we are offering a $1,000 recruitment payment!

(Note: We are not an accredited employer, so you will need to be entitled to work in NZ.)

To seize this opportunity, please apply.

Don't let the chance pass you by to be a part of our dynamic and passionate teaching team at Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre!

How to apply

Please email your CV and cover letter to:

Pauline Mercer [email protected] (07) 823 6755

Vacancy reference #: 1HAhD0

Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre Ltd NZ

ECE centre details

Grasshoppers early learning centre ltd.

Type: Education and Care Service Maximum licenced places: 65

Service ID: 45343 ERO report View more on Education Counts

Physical address: 4 Great Burke Street, Ohaupo

Postal Address: Flagstaff, Hamilton 3210

Related categories

Learning areas and strands.

• Health and physical education
• Learning languages
• Mathematics and statistics
• Social sciences
• Te reo Māori
• Belonging / Mana Whenua
• Contribution / Mana Tangata
• Communication / Mana Reo
• Exploration / Mana Aotūroa
• Well-being / Mana Atua

Position types

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Explore the wonders of the Wagner Institute of Science

PHILADELPHIA -- A trip to the Wagner Free Institute of Science is more than just a day at a museum.

It's like a trip back in time.

The Wagner is a natural history museum founded in 1855.

It's a 19th-century museum, educational center and library dedicated to preserving and displaying natural history from many time periods of the world's history.

It is housed in a National Historic Landmark in North Philadelphia.

Many of the displays and specimens within are original to the time period and they are how people in the 1800s would have seen them.

Executive Director Susan Glassman explains, "One thing that's cool is the displays were set up in the 1890s and they haven't changed much since. It's kind of like stepping back in time. It's a great place to explore natural history but it's also a great place to see how our understanding of the natural world has evolved."

The Wagner offers a number of free educational programs for children and adults alike.

A museum dedicated to free access to science and its wonders has always been a part of its mission since its inception.

"The most wonderful thing is the sense of wonder when people come here," Glassman explains. "You come in downstairs and it's an old building. But then they come upstairs, and they light up, especially kids, when they look at these displays. And that sense of wonder is what inspires us in our work."

Check out the Wagner and the wonders within at wagnerfreeinstitute.org

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