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Gifts for 1 & 2-Year-Olds That Will Grow With Them
31
items Trusted Recs!! These are all items we’ve actually purchased and used, or an upgrade to something we used based on our learning experiences. My children are 4 & 2.5 and we’re still getting play out of all of these.
Sections
8
Art Supplies
Pretend Play
Sensory
Building
Playsets
Play Food
Art Supplies
Usually I try to avoid characters, but as far as I know these are the only sticker books like these sold in a multi pack. The key is that the sheet that holds the stickers is attached to the binding. Their other ones are great but once you lose the c...
Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Puffy Stickers 3-Pack
No one wants to color with anything aside from these, including me. We haven’t used the “watercolor” feature much, but the crayons have such rich color and glide across the paper.
Ooly Watercolor Gel Crayons
The stickers are on one side and the page is on the other, repeat across the entire book. A mom made these after being annoyed that all the stickers are usually in one section of the book. This really does make a difference.
Cupkin Pirate Sticker Book for Kids, 300+ Stickers
Love that you can use both a pen and paintbrush, but be advised that the pen comes out to change it so, even though it’s attached which is great, it can still get lost lol
Etch A Sketch Freestyle Drawing Tablet
Classic for a reason.
Cra-Z-Art Retro Magna Doodle - Classic Magnetic Drawing Board, Ages 3+
Pretend Play
If your child sees you putting on makeup, they’ll love this set.
Melissa & Doug Love Your Look Makeup Kit
Capes are great for flexible sizing and love that this one is reversible. This was my son’s second Halloween costume, and we’re still playing with it!
Great Pretenders Reversible Dragon/Knight Cape S/M
A great push toy that will grow with them. Shop, take care of dolls, throw stuff in the basket, etc.
Little Tikes Cozy Shopping Cart Red/Yellow
Sensory
These are 100% worth the hype. We usually keep ours outside - they’re used as stepping stones, for the floor is lava, seats to play in the yard and as bowls. We have both sets!
Balance Stepping Stones
Of all the pull toys we had (a lot!! 😭) this was by far the most played with. The others are gone! It makes a very satisfying jumping motion, and is heavy and wide enough that it doesn’t tip over easily, which was a problem we some of the other ones...
Melissa & Doug Frolicking Frog Pull Toy
Our favorite for “special baths”
Glo Pals Water-Activated Light-Up Cubes 12pk
Count them, sort them, put them in sand, use them as pretend food if you’re my kids 😭
Learning Resources Friendly Farm Animal Counters - 72 Pieces
Super smooth and mesmerizing - a mix between play dough and kinetic sand
Mad Mattr Blue 10oz - Soft, Moldable Dough
Building
These grow so well with your child! They can be play food, make chains, and then make more elaborate things like dress up as they get older. The downside is them getting dumped on the ground.
Learning Resources Link 'N' Learn Links - 500 Pc
Great set because it has a vehicle, people and animals. Not too many pieces so it shouldn’t overwhelm. Duplos are great but they take up a lot of space quickly.
LEGO DUPLO Caring for Bees & Beehives Toy
Great set for when you’re ready to fully jump in to the duplo life.
LEGO DUPLO Classic Deluxe Brick Box 10914
Lightweight - similar to magnetiles but less bulky and don’t make a crashing sound when they fall on the floor. Start with the pack of just X’s.
Clixo Tiny & Mighty
Start your block collection off right with unit blocks, which you can add to as your child grows.
Melissa & Doug 60pc Solid-Wood Blocks Set
The first thing my toddler could stack! Also use as bowls, and the dripping feature is fun. Great bath toy too!
Lovevery Drip Drop Cups - 12pc
Playsets
Polly pocket for toddlers. Great toy to bring on trips.
Carry Around Animal Town
Big. Plastic. And worth it, I fear. My kids use this for cars and also as slides for their little animals.
Fisher-Price Little People Hot Wheels Stunt Track
Play Food
Rivaling only desserts with play food, drinks are super popular especially if they’ve seen you drink “special drink,” as mine have. We have these and the disappearing liquid Melissa and Doug set. These are far more popular due to the straw.
Le Toy Van Honeybake Smoothie Cup Set of 3
Made of recycled plastic, these have a nice feel and pretty colors. Bigger than the tiny tin tea sets, these can also be used as plates and bowls for the play kitchen. Can even use with mad mattr or kinetic sand!
Tea Set – Green Toys eCommerce
This is one of the only fake food sets I recommend. Kids love desserts. They love the oven mitt. It stores easily - ours alternates between being stored like a puzzle and living in our pretend oven.
Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookies Toy Set
This is absolutely the best toy in our house. I wouldn’t have purchased it, thinking it was too big, but it’s the most popular toy with every kid at any party.
Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter
I’ve been thrilled with how many different ways our children have used these. Most commonly it’s been as play food in the kitchen, and they’ve started using them on top of unit block towers. Watch the small parts with young children, I don’t recommen...
162 Pc Wooden Rainbow Stacking Toy Set
At first they’ll only care about the noise it makes opening and closing, but then it gets deeper 😂
Battat Toy Cash Register with Scanner & Money
Dolls
A great first Barbie - she’s also a bath toy, and doesn’t come with a million parts. Plus, kids love mermaids.
Barbie Mermaid Doll with Pink Hair & Headband
Bitty baby is the perfect baby doll. Soft body, no hair to mess up, extra special if you can go to the store together and let them pick their own. Plus nostalgia for millennial moms 🫶
Bitty Baby®: Baby Dolls for Toddlers
Other Fun Things
Simple but endlessly amusing
The Original Toy Company Pop Up Fire Truck
Simple but mesmerizing! A fun iteration :)
The Original Toy Co. Pop Up Birthday Cake