Toys for 2–3 Year Olds

At two, hands become much more skilful. Children can thread, screw, pour and place small objects with purpose. They start to sort by colour and size, build simple towers and enjoy finishing a task. Language grows fast, and with it pretend play: a car is no longer just pushed, it drives to grandma's house. Many two-year-olds also have a strong will and short patience, so toys that give quick success and can be repeated work best.

• Fine motor skills and focus. Wooden lacing toys with zoo animals or with cars and road signs. A wooden tip on the cord makes threading easier for small hands. See fine motor skills toys.
• Vehicles and stories. A wooden car transporter with small cars for loading, unloading and driving. More in toy cars and vehicles.
• Outdoor play. A BIG mini excavator for digging and loading sand. See sandpit toys.

Look for toys that are slightly challenging but give quick success: lacing, sorting, simple puzzles and vehicles. Toys that connect with everyday life, such as cars, animals and tools, support pretend play and language. Many toys for 1–2 year olds are still interesting at this age, and some toys for 3-year-olds can be introduced with an adult's help. Check the age label, especially for small parts.

Two-year-olds learn a lot by copying. Show how to thread one animal, then let your child try. Talk about what you are doing: "the red car goes on top", "the elephant is first". Turn tidy-up into a game: drive the cars back to the transporter, put the animals to bed in their tube. Short, cheerful play is better than long sessions that end in frustration.

Looking for more? See toys for 1–2 year olds and toys for 3–5 year olds, or browse wooden toys and Montessori toys.