Toys that keep your two-year old entertained while also helping their skill development.
Ah yes… the “terrible twos”. I’ve heard this phrase since I was little and my younger siblings hit this age. Honestly, so far it hasn’t been too terrible with Ollie, but I have noticed that he’s gotten more rebellious. The poor kid wants to be more independent, but doesn’t quite have the skills to follow through with what he wants to do. Plus, he has people telling him what he can and cannot do all day. Heck… I’d be pitching a fit too!
I started reading the book SuperBaby a little while ago and one of the key points is just how important Playtime is for our children’s development. It helps them cope with things they’re dealing with in real life, teaches them how to act in certain situations, and helps them learn in a fun and exciting way that doesn’t feel like work.
While I’m no expert, I do love sharing what’s worked for us and over the past few months I feel like we’ve come across some really great toys that I love because they help with skill building and Ollie loves because they’re fun! If you have any additional recommendations I’d love to know about them!
If you’ve already done the whole Mega-Blocks deal and your toddler is over them, try these magnet tiles! These help develop math, science, spatial and tactile skills.
This puzzle is one major reason Ollie learned his alphabet so quickly. He never really liked puzzles before… but this one he’ll put together over and over again. Just make sure you keep the pieces in a little bag – they get lost easily. Couch cushions find them very tasty apparently.
The bubbles that won’t spill! We were going through so many bubble containers before this guy. Just make sure you also purchase the bubble solution. While this toy doesn’t teach him the alphabet or built STEM skills… it does teach him patience when trying to blow bubbles. We also take turns holding one bubble blower (is that what they’re called?) so it helps with taking turns as well.
This isn’t the exact brand that we have, but the idea is the same. We have three packs of these matching puzzle games (a gift from my MIL) and Ollie LOVES putting them together. It’s great for learning animals, numbers, etc. Right now he likes just matching them together, but later on the pieces can be used flipped over for a game of memory.
This block set is WAY more versatile than you think. It comes with 70 wooden blocks in a rainbow of colors AND a play guide showing you more than 20 ways you can play with this set. We sort the colors, fit shapes into their coordinating slots, build a car (yes, the box turns into a wooden car model!), and set up a tiny toddler hurdle (which Ollie can’t get enough of and I find hysterical). These blocks are designed to build spatial, language, and problem solving skills.
Honestly, any Play-Doh set is going to be a hit. As long as you can prevent them from eating it… it’s great! Ollie will tell me what letter he wants to make and then we make it together. He gets so proud and excited, it’s one of my favorite things to do with him!
P.S. I’m holding a giveaway now thru August 21, 2020 and giving away some of these amazing toys! Head to my Instagram for how to enter (super easy!)
Love, Lindsey
3 Comments
Thank you so much for sharing these awesome toys. We recently had an water color accident with our two-year-old boy that resulted in a call to a local carpet cleaner to remove stains. Needless to say, I’m ready to give some new, less messy toys and activities a try. Thanks again!
It sounds like you’re navigating the “terrible twos” with a good perspective! Ollie’s growing desire for independence is a normal and healthy part of development, even though it can manifest in some challenging behaviors. It’s great that you recognize his need for autonomy while also understanding the limitations he faces at this age. Your empathy towards his situation, acknowledging how frustrating it must be to constantly be told what to do, really shows your insight and patience as a parent during this phase. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the tips, Lindsey! Those two-year-olds can be quite the hassle. Like Alicia said, we also had an incident, but on our upholstery, and we had to call an upholstery cleaner to fix the issue.