In celebration of one of my favorite ages- TWO! - I put together a 2nd Birthday Gift Guide to tell you about some of my favorite toys from VTech® and LeapFrog® that are sure to inspire learning and play. Check out my Top toy picks that are sure to make your two-year-old’s birthday wishes come true!
Getting to know your toddler’s growing personality along with watching the emergence of new skills is so much fun! My two-year-old seemingly learns how to do something new every day, whether it is kicking a ball for the first time or scribbling across a piece of paper to create her own little work of art to proudly hang on the refrigerator. She is bursting with energy and so excited about everything there is to learn in the world around her!
There is something extra special to me about 2nd birthdays because it has always been the first time my children begin to understand and acknowledge that it is their special day. We love celebrating with tons of colorful balloons, a special outfit, a birthday hat, and unwrapping a few special presents!
As a mom of three from ages ranging between seven and two years old, I love using a birthday celebration as an opportunity to refresh our toy collection as they continue to learn and grow. When shopping for any birthday, I always try to think about milestones and skills that are expected to emerge within the next 12 months or so so that I can choose toys that will encourage their development. For this 2nd birthday gift guide, some things I am looking for include toys that promote gross and fine motor skills, speech & language development, cognitive developments, and support social/emotional milestones.
Healthychildren.org mentions these examples of skills that may have already emerged by age two and will continue to develop in the upcoming year:
- Gross Motor Skills- Walking, running, jumping, climbing, throwing, kicking.
- Fine Motor Skills- Building towers, turning knobs, pouring, scribbles.
- Speech & Language- points to or names objects in pictures, strings together words to form sentences
- Cognitive- sorting, colors, shapes, concept of counting, problem solving,
- Social/Emotional- Pretend play, independence, playing alongside others.
VTech® and LeapFrog® are two brands that offer an amazing selection to add to any 2-year-old’s birthday gift list. Each toy is always the perfect combination of learning and fun! I know that as excited as my child will be to unwrap one of these toys, I will be equally as excited to know that these gifts will help her develop and learn important age-appropriate skills. Take a look at five of my top choices to wrap up for your little one’s 2nd birthday:
2nd Birthday Gift Guide
My toddler has just started showing interest in imaginative play and she is going to love this laptop that lets her pretend to work alongside me! She can type away on the A-Z keyboard or play one of the five fun learning modes. The coolest feature? The magic swivel screen that turns the laptop into a tablet- complete with a touch screen! There are fun games, like bubble popping, on the screen that keep her engaged and giggling the whole time she plays! I especially love the handle that makes it easy to take this toy along with us in the car or to appointments.
This sports center is a must for any budding sports superstar! My two-year-old is always tagging along to her older siblings' sports games and I know she will love this fun 2-in-1 play experience that is just right for her!
Whether they are tossing the basketball into the hoop or kicking a soccer ball into the net below, children will love to hear playful sounds and encouraging phrases! The songs are seriously cute and your little one will love to dance and sing along! Count baskets along with the LED screen that also displays fun animations to encourage play. A variety of manipulative features, such as gears and buttons, help to build fine motor skills while also teaching shapes and numbers!
This activity desk is everything; so much fun and function packed into one space. As soon as I saw this interactive desk, I knew it was a toy that would grow with my two-year-old for years to come! (In fact, my five-year-old son loves it just as much!)
The activity pages are filled with engaging content including numbers, music, colors and more. They can explore by tapping the images as well as toggling between modes to play different games. My toddler loves the music page where she can tap out tunes on colorful piano keys. There are even expansion packs that offer different themes such as nursery rhymes, math, and reading skills (a great gift for future holidays!).
A fold-down writing pad and light-up display encourage writing practice by tracing letters, numbers, and shapes. Not to mention, learning how to hold the stylus promotes fine motor control as she taps the lights to fill them in.
Make space on the fridge to display plenty of artwork because you can also switch things up by transforming the desk into an easel to encourage creativity. Plus, I love all the built in storage space for art supplies!
There is nothing my two-year-old loves more than music! I already know she will be dancing along to the beat of this drum set as she learns to the music! There are four electronic learning drums she can play along with using the included drumsticks. Watching each light up as she taps them creates a fun multi-sensory experience. Along with nine melodies in a variety of musical styles, it also teaches letters and numbers.
This spinning ride-on seat is so much fun and an engaging way to use some of that never ending toddler energy! The colorful lights and music that play encourage kiddos to turn the steering wheel and spin themselves. Each spin introduces something new, like letters, colors, numbers, and animals.
I hope that this 2nd birthday gift guide helps you to choose a special gift for your two-year-old that will inspire learning, skill development, and of course tons of fun!
Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her social media and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young children, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!