40 Best Toys for 2-Year-Olds

The youngest LEGO fans can work on their critical thinking skills and motor coordination with this set, which has a rounded base that tips if the builders don't balance out the weight. It comes with two owl figures (each has a sleeping face and an awake face) and two eggs, so kids can perch them on the tree, place them inside the treehouse, put them to sleep inside the eggs, or discover their own ways to play. "[My son] tried to match bird to the egg colors and make stories with the two birds," one parent said. Ages 18 months+

What's a Bilibo? What isn't it? It can be a seat that they wobble around. Flip it over, and it's a tunnel or a shell. They can wear it on their heads like a helmet or use it as a landscape for their figures. The open-endedness means that kids can really be creative when they play with it. It also comes in several colors or in a set of six mini versions. Ages 2+

Melissa & Doug's new Blockables snap together with easy-to-grasp connectors, so kids can construct their own creations. This set has wheels, wings, and other pieces that'll let them make their own vehicles, which they can then wheel around for imaginary play. It comes with eight wooden blocks, two play figures, 17 connectors, felt wings, a propeller, a sail, a tractor hitch, and windshield which they can put together in any way they can imagine. Ages 2+

Now they can bop to their hearts' content without a bounce house or a trampoline—building strong leg muscles and a sense of balance in the process. The menagerie can include a fox, bull, cow, dog, tiger, or zebra, and when it's not in use, the cover can come off and be washed. Ages 18 months+

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Kids can use these big figures—the giraffe is more than 9 inches tall—in their wild-animal-related imagination games. But the real fun comes when the kids mix up the heads, bodies, and legs of the animals and create their own new creatures. (They're held together by magnets.) "He loved getting to 'mash' the animals up," one parent tester said. "He thought it was funny to put the wrong animal legs or head with the body." Ages 2+

This full-service cart was a previous Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner, and we still think it's awesome. The scooper picks up the ice cream, and it also recognizes colors and flavors. It comes with six different order cards and instructions, so a 2-year-old child can learn how to follow directions and boost their memory and sequencing skills. They can also practice counting with play money. Plus, the cart can actually be pushed around, so kids can play and move at the same time. It also comes in pink. Ages 2+; three AA batteries included

This is the one scooter they'll need throughout toddlerhood, and it grows with them in three different stages: First, it's a ride-on with a seat, then the seat comes off and it becomes a beginner scooter with an O-shaped handlebar, and finally it becomes a scooter with a T-shaped handlebar. It also comes in several colors. Ages 1+

John Deere fans will instantly recognize the green and yellow color scheme on this tractor, which toddlers can use alongside their favorite vehicles. But this one has a twist: It comes with a battery-operated toy drill that kids can use to take the tractor apart and put it together again, turning it into an early STEM toy. Ages 18 months+; 2 AA batteries required (not included)

When they're looking to do water play, this table lets them pour water into the upper tier and watch in delight as it "rains" down to the lower one. It also comes with creatures that float, tools to scoop, and other cause-and-effect toys like ramps and water wheels. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say it takes some time to set up, but the results are worth it. Ages 18 months+

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These blocks offer more of a sensory experience than other building bricks. They can be squished or stretched, and some have beads, sand, stars, or smaller bricks inside. Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved using them as fidget toys, and parents say kids liked exploring the different textures. You get 20 pieces in a set, so they're great to combine with other sets (Goliath or otherwise) for a true variety of sensations. Ages 2+

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These egg-shaped crayons are easier for toddlers to grip, but they'll still let kids draw whatever creations they can dream up. It comes with 12 colors, and one of these crayons is equal to 14 regular-sized ones, so they'll last a long time, too. Ages 1+

This Good Housekeeping Institute Seal-holding LEGO train set is just the right size for toddlers: only 22 pieces, with lots of fun accessories like gifts, a cupcake with a candle, balloons, and a train to carry them all. There are even some numbered bricks so kids can practice counting and stacking. Ages 2+

For families interested in trying out Montessori toys for 2-year-olds this is a good place to get started. There are 33 pegs in different colors, sized for toddlers' hands. The rest is open-ended: Kids can sort them by color, stack on the board as tall as they can, create patterns, or find their own ways to play. Ages 2+

Toddlers learn best when they get a front-row seat to the action, and this learning tower lets kids get up to counter height. This is especially helpful for kids who want to get involved with cooking in the kitchen, and the Good Housekeeping Institute named it the best overall learning tower for its solid construction. When it's not in use, the bottom step folds up so it's not in the way. Ages 2 – 6

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They'll have to practice their focus and aim—or just get their sillies out hitting the ball in wild arcs—with this toddler-sized golf set. It comes with its own goal-like putting hole, three balls, and two clubs, plus a rolling cart that'll also help them roleplay the part of master golfer. It's part of Little Tikes's sports line, which also includes tot-sized basketball, T-ball, and soccer sets. Ages 1+

This book truly had a "wow" factor for Good Housekeeping Institute testers, because it folds out into a train that can be wheeled around the house. Each train car also has flaps to explore. “The book’s design makes it engaging to play with independently,” one dad said. Ages 2+

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Excite their imaginations with this farm play set, which has lots of fun cause-and-effect features: the chicks can hatch, the corn can "pop," the bell rings, a button turns the outdoor light on and off, and—best of all—there's a trap door in the hayloft that sends characters down to the first floor. It also plays sounds and songs and folds up when not in use. It comes with a farmer and four animals, but if you want more Little People farmhands, you can fill out their collection with Disney princesses, DC heroes and villains and various Barbies. Ages 1+; 2 AA batteries included

Ms. Rachel fans will thrill to this block set, because they embody everything that makes her videos so engaging. Sure, toddlers can use them to stack and build like a regular block set. But the sides also help kids practice letters and sounds, counting and naming emotions. There are also some activity blocks that, when used like dice, encourage kids to get up and move. Ages 18 months+

They'll get a lesson in cause-and-effect when they see these cars zip down the slanted ramps, and Montessori enthusiasts say watching the cars is good for eye-tracking. But for kids, it feels like a cool stunt each time the cars reverse direction. It comes with seven cars in different colors of the rainbow. Ages 18 months+

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The best bath toy for little Disney fans, this is a play set that doubles as a bath toy. The boat really floats, and it comes with Moana, Heihei, three flowers that can be stacked, a vase that turns a flower into a water squirter, and a boat with a sail, all sized for toddler hands. And if Moana isn't their fave, Playmobil also has Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, and Mickey and Minnie bath toys, too. Ages 1+