The 20 Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds of 2021

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On the surface, buying a gift for a 2-year-old shouldn’t be a big deal, but these little tots are more opinionated than you may think (and they’re definitely not shy when they don’t like something). Then you also have to decide if you want to get them a toy, a book, or something with a specific use.

Suffice to say, it’s a lot, so we’ve rounded up some of the best gifts for 2-year-olds to help you with your shopping.

Our Top Picks

Toomies TOMY Hide & Squeak Eggs at Amazon

This toy is great for toddlers because it teaches matching, color identification, and helps strengthen fine motor skills.

Fisher Price Servin' Up Fun Food Truck at Amazon

This food truck stands just under 28 inches tall, has several interactive features, and comes with 20 food-serving accessories.

Pottery Barn Kids My First Anywhere Chair at Potterybarnkids.com

The best feature, however, is that the cover can be removed and tossed into the washing machine whenever it needs to be cleaned.

You Matter at Amazon

“You Matter” by Christian Robinson is a sweet kids book that is perfect for bedtime stories, or anytime, really.

Animal Adventure Joyrides Sit-In Rocking Toy at Amazon

Why have a rocking horse when you can have a rocking llama, bee, dinosaur, unicorn, or giraffe instead?

Janod Duck Pull Toy at Walmart

This toy features two cherrywood and beechwood ducks painted in bright, fun colors and attached to a pull string.

Skip Hop Toddler Backpack at Amazon

This backpack is sized just right for little toddlers so that they can wear it without getting thrown off balance.

B. Toys Building Blocks For Kids at Amazon

Comes with 68 interlocking pieces that are easier to put together and take apart than LEGO Duplo blocks.

Fisher Price Little People Exploring Animals See ‘N Say Gift Set at Buybuy BABY

Kids will have a blast moving the arrow of the Say ‘N See around to get to know the sounds of some of their favorite animals.

Two Is Terrific! at Hallmark.com

Comes in a hardback cover with 20 pages filled with gorgeous illustrations and a sweet rhyming story that celebrates turning two.

This toy is great for toddlers because it teaches matching, color identification, and helps strengthen fine motor skills. The little egg carton comes with six eggs that come apart, can be put back together like little puzzles, and that even squeak when they’re played with.

What Our Editors Say

"I've gifted these cute little eggs to two of my friends' toddlers and they love them! Something about pulling the shells apart and hearing the little eggs squeak really draws them in!" - Latifah Miles, Verywell Family Commerce Editor

Great for pretend play, this food truck stands just under 28 inches tall, has several interactive features, and comes with 20 food-serving accessories. It also offers three-stage play so that it can grow with your child as they continue to develop.

Finally, this toy is packed with different sounds, lights, and other fun features that will certainly keep toddlers occupied.

Damhorst Personalized Wooden Child's Name Puzzle Stool

These chairs are designed to be just the right size for little kids to sit back and relax. There are several cover options, too, from solid colors to patterns with Disney characters, and many of them can be personalized with the child’s name or initials.

When it’s set up, the chair has a little handle at the top so that it’s easy for grown-ups to pick up and for toddlers to drag around when they want to move it to another room. The best feature, however, is that the cover can be removed and tossed into the washing machine whenever it needs to be cleaned.

This is a message everyone could hear now and then, especially little kids. You Matter by Christian Robinson is a sweet book that is perfect for bedtime stories, or anytime, really. It's filled with unique, colorful illustrations and a story that will warm your heart.

Animal Adventure Joyrides Sit-In Rocking Toy

Why have a rocking horse when you can have a rocking llama, bee, dinosaur, unicorn, or giraffe instead? These rocking toys are great for kids between 2 and 4 years old and are made from quality materials that are soft and durable. Not to mention, they’re downright adorable.

For some reason, toddlers tend to love toys they can drag around with them, like these cute little ducks on a string. This toy features two cherrywood and beechwood ducks painted in bright, fun colors and attached to a pull string.

Each duck has wheels so that it rolls smoothly, and there are cute little feet attached to each wheel so that they make a little smack sound, just like a real duck.

This backpack is sized just right for little toddlers so that they can wear it without getting thrown off balance. There are several animal designs to choose from, each of which features a front zippered pouch, a main zippered compartment, and a water bottle holder on the side.

The straps are padded and adjustable for a comfy fit, and there is a hook on the top of the backpack so your toddler can hang it up like a big kid when they’re not using it. It’s a great gift because it’s functional as well as fun for little ones to play with.

Toddlers who love to stack blocks will really enjoy this set that comes with 68 interlocking pieces that are easier to put together and take apart than LEGO Duplo blocks. The blocks come in an assortment of muted colors and are made from non-toxic plastic that is durable, flexible, and great for sensory play.

Fisher Price Little People Exploring Animals See âN Say Gift Set

With this bundle, kids get the Say ‘N See toy as well as nine Little People figurines. The theme of the bundle is animals, so kids can hear, see, and play with a variety of different animals using these fun toys.

Kids will have a blast moving the arrow of the Say ‘N See around to get to know the sounds of some of their favorite animals.

If you’re on the hunt for a birthday gift, this cute book is a hot contender. Two Is Terrific! comes in a hardback cover with 20 pages filled with gorgeous illustrations and a sweet rhyming story that celebrates turning 2.

One thing is for sure, 2-year-olds may be small, but they have very big emotions, and this toy is great for helping them identify what they’re feeling while also having fun. It comes with a wooden board and 10 pieces, each with a different shape and a face to represent an emotion (happy, sad, angry, etc.).

The pieces come out and can be played with like a puzzle, and when they’re all in place your tot can move the arrow on the wooden board to point to whatever emotion they’re feeling.

Bath time is so much fun that it’s hard to get toddlers out of the tub, but if they have one of these little robes to snuggle into, the transition may be a little easier. They’re available in five different styles and in sizes small to extra large.

Each robe is made from polyester fleece, comes with a tie, and features a hood with an animal face or other object embroidered onto it.

Mollybee Kids Toddler Scavenger Hunt Cooperative Game

If your 2-year-old is ready to play with you (not just near you) this cooperative game is a great gift. It comes with 20 double-sided cards that have your toddler looking for different objects around the house, like a button, a hat, and a book. It’s a fun way to engage with your child and play together.

Pottery Barn Kids Wooden Cooking & Eating Set

By this age, little ones are really starting to get into imaginative play that mimics life, so these toy wooden eating utensils are great toys. The set comes with a salt shaker, pepper shaker, plates, forks, knives, cooking pot and lid, a skillet, and a spatula, all of which are made from various types of safe, durable wood.

If you’re buying a gift for a toddler with some outdoor space, then this map-style splash pad will surely be a hit. It’s 68 inches with several small holes along the edges so that when it’s connected to the hose, the water comes out of them like they’re little fountains.

Adults can control how much or how little water comes out simply by turning the hose up or down. This splash pad is made from high-quality materials and comes with a hose spigot tool to ensure a good, tight fit.

This little ride-on toy is fun in general, but its three-stage design is what lands it on this list. As your child develops it can be set up as a push toy with a wagon, a ride-on toy, or as a scooter. It features an adjustable handlebar as well as a front light and a button that plays music and other sound effects.

With a fun story, amazing illustrations, and a panel of buttons that make all kinds of different sounds, this book has pretty much everything a 2-year-old could want.

As you read through the pages with your child, little button pictures come up in the text, offering them an opportunity to find the button (animal) on the panel that matches the one on the page and hear an animal sound. It has everything from a snake hiss to a bear snuffle to a dolphin chatter, and your kiddo will love it.

Younger 2-year-olds who are strengthening their fine motor skills, and love a good surprise, will enjoy this toy that features four buttons and four little monsters.

Each button operates differently, either being pushed, twisted, flipped, or turned, and each time your child uses the button, a little monster will pop up. It’s a cute toy that’s great for development, is a lot of fun, and doesn’t require any batteries to work.

This toy combines two things two-year-olds love: imaginative play and bubbles! They can push the little mower as if they’re cutting their own grass and, as they do it, watch bubbles pop up with every step. The mower features realistic sounds and, when it's powered on, will create bubbles whether your child is pushing it or not. When it’s not being played with, the mower folds down easily and compactly for storage.

iPlay, iLearn Bouncy Pals Unicorn Hopping Horse Plush

Instead of rocking, this little horse (or, unicorn) allows kids to climb on to bounce and hop. Simply inflate the toy using the air pump provided, zip the cover over it, and let your little one play away. It’s safe for kids as young as 18 months old and is made from high-quality materials so you don’t have to worry about your child popping it as they bounce down the hall on its back.

Final Verdict

Truthfully, any gift on this list will be a hit with two-year-olds, so you really can’t go wrong. Still, we rank the Skip Hop Toddler Zoo Backpack (view at Skip Hop) highest because it’s quality made, functional, fun for kids to play with and wear, and something that’s easy to stow away in the house, so it won’t take up limited floor space in a bedroom or playroom.

Why Trust Verywell Family?

Ashley Ziegler is a full time parenting writer and mom to a two year old and a five year old. Over the years, she has researched and tested hundreds of children’s products from clothes, to diapers, to car seats, to toys, both professionally and personally. When creating this list, she considered the products’ quality, longevity, entertainment value, and safety, as well as shopper reviews.

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The 20 Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds of 2021

Put a smile on your little one's face

Toomies TOMY Hide & Squeak Eggs

What Our Editors Say

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Servin' Up Fun Food Truck

Pottery Barn Kids My First Anywhere Chair

You Matter

Animal Adventure Joyrides Sit-In Rocking Toy

Janod Duck Pull Toy

Skip Hop Toddler Backpack

B. Toys Building Blocks For Kids

Fisher Price Little People Exploring Animals See ‘N Say Gift Set

Two Is Terrific!

Anthropologie Shape of Emotions Toy Set

Pottery Barn Kids Critter Bath Robe

Mollybee Kids Toddler Scavenger Hunt Cooperative Game

Pottery Barn Kids Wooden Cooking & Eating Set

Magifire Splash Pad

Skip Hop 3-in-1 Ride-On Unicorn

World of Eric Carle, Hear Bear Roar

Fisher-Price Monster Pop-Up Surprise

Lydaz Bubble Mower

iPlay, iLearn Bouncy Pals Unicorn Hopping Horse Plush