The second year marks an incredible time of discovery as little ones master walking, begin expressing themselves, and dive into imaginative play. At this active age, the best gifts combine durability with developmental benefits, creating opportunities for both independent exploration and engaging interactions.
We’ve handpicked and regularly update this selection of toys that support growing skills and endless curiosity. Each recommendation balances educational value with pure fun, making it easier to choose gifts that will remain engaging as abilities grow and interests evolve.
1.Bath Time Art Adventure Crayons
Two-year-old boys are natural explorers who love making their mark on the world. These chunky bath crayons turn an everyday routine into an exciting art session, perfect for little guys who are discovering the joy of scribbling and creating while feeling relaxed and playful.
Made from natural beeswax with food-grade colors, these crayons offer peace of mind while encouraging developmental milestones. Boys can practice early drawing skills, experiment with shapes, and engage in imaginative play – all while getting clean!
- Extra-large size perfect for small hands still developing fine motor control
- Natural, non-toxic ingredients safe for enthusiastic toddler artists
- Makes bath time engaging and fun while supporting creative development
- Encourages parent-child interaction during daily routines
- Durable design stands up to energetic toddler play
- Clean-up required after artistic adventures
- Premium price point compared to standard bath toys
2.Bath Time Science Water Flow Explorer
Two-year-olds are natural explorers who love discovering how things work. This engaging water play system transforms bath time into an exciting laboratory where curious minds can experiment with water flow, making delightful rain showers and testing cause-and-effect relationships.
Perfect for energetic toddlers who thrive on hands-on discovery, this durable toy makes daily routines more engaging. The simple finger controls match developing fine motor skills, while the fascinating water patterns keep young minds engaged throughout bath time adventures.
- Develops early STEM skills through natural water play exploration
- Perfectly sized controls build fine motor coordination
- High-quality materials ensure years of safe bath time fun
- Easy-clean design prevents mold and keeps play hygienic
- Encourages independent play during daily routines
- Requires adult supervision for water play safety
- Premium price point compared to basic bath toys
3.Steam-Puffing Engine of Wonder
Two-year-old boys are natural explorers of motion and mechanics. This locomotive perfectly channels their boundless energy into chase-and-catch adventures while satisfying their growing curiosity about how things work. The simple push-button operation puts them in complete control.
Whether scooting around during playtime or becoming part of imaginative adventures, this sturdy engine delivers endless entertainment. The safe steam effects create magical moments that spark wonder and excitement, making it an especially enchanting holiday gift when unwrapped.
- Encourages active physical play through exciting chase games
- Develops cause-and-effect understanding with simple button controls
- Safe steam effects provide engaging sensory experience
- Durable construction stands up to enthusiastic toddler play
- Perfect size for small hands to grasp and control
- Requires batteries for operation
- Limited to floor play only
4.Hape Frog Pull-Along
This cheerful frog’s mouth opens and closes as toddlers pull him along, making for an engaging, interactive experience. At the crawling stage, the Hape Frog Pull-Along encourages kids to follow behind as they develop core strength and coordination.
Once walking, it becomes a fun take-along buddy for adventures around the house – building skills like balance and endurance. With sturdy wheels for smooth pulling and a bright, appealing design, this frog makes an ideal first pull toy to foster developmental milestones.
- Develops crawling and walking skills
- Open/close mouth for engagement
- Sturdy wheels glide easily
- Vibrant, friendly design
- Pull cord could be a hazard if not supervised
5.Lego Duplo Disney and Pixar's Cars Lightning McQueen
This LEGO DUPLO set brings the beloved Lightning McQueen and Mater to life in brick form, perfect for little Cars fans aged 2 and up. The set includes buildable car toys of the dynamic duo, plus a car wash playset with spinning tuning table, movable washing arm, and toy spanner.
Toddlers develop fine motor skills driving the cars through the wash and attaching Mater’s tow hook. The recognizable characters spark creativity as kids engage in pretend play and storytelling. A great gift to inspire young imaginations while practicing construction skills.
- Features popular Disney characters
- Develops fine motor skills
- Encourages creativity and pretend play
- Buildable cars and playset
- Small pieces may be a choking hazard
6.Fisher-Price Smart Stages Tablet
The Fisher-Price Smart Stages range is a really clever piece of technology that allows parents to set toys to the right developmental level for their child. Not only does this mean that the toy is perfectly tailored to their current stage of development, but it also means that the toy is likely to last longer as the setting can be changed when the time is right to extend the child’s learning.
The Fisher-Price Smart Stages Tablet is a toy tablet to encourage children’s interest in and use of technology, improving hand-eye coordination and understanding of cause and effect with plenty of interactive buttons. The songs and learning settings include plenty of opportunities to build vocabulary and improve speech and language skills.
- Encourages use of technology
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Three different levels available to suit child’s age and stage
- Available in 4 different colors
- Promotes speech and language development
- Requires batteries
7.VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Ultimate Corkscrew Tower
The tower captures their imagination while interchangeable tracks allow 2-year-olds to build different race configurations. Pressing buttons on the included Rocky the Race Car introduces early literacy concepts.
With 5 SmartPoint locations that play sounds, this toy builds thinking skills and reinforces cause-and-effect learning. As they construct unique tracks, creative thinking is nurtured. This interactive racetrack playset provides an engaging way to enhance cognitive and fine motor development.
- Corkscrew tower encourages imaginative play
- Interchangeable tracks build problem-solving skills
- Interactive features introduce early literacy
- Promotes fine motor development
- Boosts creative thinking
- Requires 2 AAA batteries
8.Micro Scooters Mini Deluxe
Scooters are popular with children of all ages and around about age 2 a child is likely to have enough physical strength and skill to learn to scoot. The Micro Scooters Mini deluxe is especially designed for younger children, aged 2-5 years, and has a handle that can be easily adjusted to the right height and plenty of grips on the scooter deck so it’s perfect for a 2-year-old boy just beginning to learn.
Scooters are a great way to encourage outdoor, physical play to keep children active and healthy, and to help burn off some of that endless 2-year-old energy! Scooting also helps to develop balance, coordination, core strength and control. The Micro Scooters Mini Deluxe makes a great gift for a 2-year-old.
- Adjustable handle height
- Suitable for ages 2-5
- Grips on deck
- Encourages outdoor physical play
- Develops coordination
- Requires protective equipment, e.g. helmet
9.Paw Patrol Zip-Up Hoodie
This fleece Paw Patrol hoodie makes a perfect gift to keep your 2-year-old boy warm and cozy all day long. It’s an officially licensed costume hoodie featuring his favorite Paw Patrol character like Chase, Marshall, or Rubble. The plush fleece material is super soft against little one’s skin while providing warmth and comfort.
The bright colors and fun Paw Patrol graphics will make this hoodie an instant favorite. The zip-up front is ideal for easy on and off while the hood gives extra warmth. As an officially licensed product, you can be sure of the hoodie’s high quality and durability through many wears and washes.
- Officially licensed Paw Patrol
- Soft, cozy fleece material
- Keeps toddlers warm and comfortable
- Easy zip-up front
- Handwash only
10.Play-Doh Super Colour Pack
What child doesn’t love playdough? Playdough seems to be one of those toys that has maintained its appeal through generations of children, largely due to its open-ended nature. Playdough can be used in a variety of ways and allows children to get creative and explore sensory input as they play. The Play-Doh Super Colour Pack is a great gift for a 2-year-old boy as it includes 20 different colors to allow for a real range of different creations to be made.
Playing with dough also has the added benefit of being extremely good for children’s fine motor skills; as they squeeze, pinch, poke and roll dough they are working the small muscles in their hands and fingers, strengthening them for writing much further down the line.
- 20 colors
- Encourages fine motor skills
- Open-ended
- Improves creativity and imagination
- Sensory play resource
- Adult supervision required
11.Bristle Block Deluxe Builder Case
Open-ended resources are fabulous for encouraging children’s creativity, imagination and construction skills and the Bristle Block Deluxe Builder Case is about as open-ended as they come! Whilst there are some pictures to suggest the types of models that can be made using the bristle blocks, nothing is prescribed and there is plenty of opportunity for creativity.
Coming with its own storage case the Bristle Block Deluxe Builder Case is extremely practical to store or take along on a playdate, vacation or trip. The blocks press together easily, but do help to build strength and dexterity in the hands making this an ideal gift for a 2-year-old boy to use somewhat independently.
- Open-ended toy
- Encourage creativity
- Improves construction skills
- Comes with storage case
- Not so durable locking mechanism
12.Little Tikes Junior Activity Gym
The Little Tikes Junior Activity Gym makes and ideal gift for 2-year-old boys who are very physical and have lots of energy to use up on a daily basis. Providing both climbing and sliding this activity gym encourages a huge range of physical skills including balance, control, coordination and strength and is a brilliant way to keep children active and healthy.
Easy to assemble, the Little Tikes Junior Activity can be used both indoors and out and has been made using strong, durable materials so it should last a long time. Ideal for 2-year-old boy with some space to play outdoors.
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
- Durable and strong materials
- Easy to assemble
- Encourages physical play
- Keeps kids active and healthy
- Larger item, requires plenty of space
13.Green Toys Double-Decker Car Carrier
2-year-old boys and cars seem to be a match made in heaven! Lots of boys of this age have a very strong interest in cars, vehicles and anything that moves! The Green Toys Double Decker Car Carrier is a dream come true with vehicles that can be loaded onto a vehicle, this encourages imaginative play as well as physical skills being developed by pushing and pulling the vehicles around.
Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the Green Toys Double-Decker Car Carrier can be cleaned in the dishwasher to keep germs at bay, which is always a useful feature in a child’s toy! It is made from 100% recycled plastic with absolutely no BPA, phthalates, external paints or coatings meaning that this represents a safe, non-toxic and eco-friendly gift.
- Made from 100% recycled plastic
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor play
- No BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external paints or coatings
- Can be cleaned in the dishwasher
- Encourages imaginative play
- Larger toy, requires storage space
14.John Deere Build-A-Johnny Tractor
Appeal to two interests at once! The John Deere Build-A-Johnny Tractor is an ideal gift for a 2-year-old boy who is interested in tools and building, as well as vehicles in general or tractors in particular. It includes 16 building parts and all the tools needed to put together a working tractor toy.
Although this may sound complex and out of the range of a 2-year-old, the John Deere Build-A-Johnny Tractor is designed for younger children so all the pieces are larger, and easier to grip and the tools are designed to be used by toddlers and preschoolers. This is a brilliant toy for improving motor skills and strength in the hands, wrists and fingers and is sure to keep a 2-year-old boy busy.
- 2-in-1 toy
- Encourages creative, imaginative play
- 16 building parts included
- Improves motor skills
- Designed for younger children
- Small parts need to be kept together
- Requires batteries
