2 yr birthday gift

[mermaidmama]

My sons 2nd birthday is coming up and I need gift ideas. What does your 2 yr old like to play with? Thanks!

[BetsyS]

My 1st 2 year old got a starter IKEA wooden train set that he loved, and he still plays with (at almost 4).

My second son will be 2 in a month. For him, we're getting him a little step-stool to reach the sink to wash his hands. I'm painting it with his initial on it. He'll love it, and he'll love that it's "his".

[just_lily]

My nearly 2yo is getting a balance bike. Yay! Well actually granny and grandpa are getting her the bike, and we are getting her a helmet.

[baglady]

I would totally ask for clothes and pjs, but that's just me!

[curiouscanadian]

I can't comment yet on things that have been a hit but on my wishlist for DS's 2nd birthday (for others if they ask) I have:

Chimalong Jr or Chimalong XR from Woodstock Chimes
Plan Toys Solid Drum
Plan Toys Concertina
Lace Up LadyBug
Wedgits
Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring books by Gerda Muller
Magazine subscription to Babybug and/or Wild Animal Baby
Animalia by Graeme Base
Pinwheel
Jacob’s Ladder
Magnetic letters/numbers
Wooden Play Kitchen/Food
Imaginetics Enchanted Forest or Fun on the Farm Magnet Set
Magneatos?
Crazy Forts?
Schleich Farm Life or Forest Life animals

I've started brainstorming early on this as while I would prefer DS have natural, more open-ended toys, pretty much all of the extended family (bless them) would prefer something they can pick up at TRU, Walmart or the like. We've already pretty much maxed out the options from those places finding small toys to take with us on a long drive so I've been trying to find other stuff that's available locally at least, if at some of the more specialty stores.

Oh, and there was another good thread on this topic here. HTH!

[Chloe'sMama]

We got DD a wooden kitchen and I can't wait to give it to her! Her bday is Friday. I will let you know how she likes it. Nephew (6) and Niece (3) have one and both love to play with it, and so does DD when she visits.

[foodymama]

We got DD an easel and the grandparents got her finger paints and she loves it. She loves just coloring with her crayons as well. I think it's the idea that that she doesn't have to sit down to color!

[Thalia]

We got DD a tricycle and a easel for her 2nd birthday last year, and both have been much used and beloved.

[VTnurse]

My son is two this weekend. His favorite gifts so far:

Mini drum set
Anything bubbles

[mama2soren]

I second the wooden train set suggestion. I played with trains for many years as a kid, and DS loves his new set, too! It's a great way to help fine motor development along.

[mom61508]

DD loves

stickers
bubbles
pop up books
shopping cart
stroller
purses
eco-dough
window crayons

[pantrygirl]

train sets, scooter, balance bike and kitchen seem to be my daughter's fascinations right now.

[PennyRoo]

We've had lots of success lately with asking relatives to give 'experience gifts' - sometimes many people go in together on something. That's offered us access to many wonderful things normally too expensive for our budget -

some examples:

a 12 month pass to our local zoo
ditto to the children's museum
a gymboree class, or movement class for toddlers
a "parent and pike" swim class at the Y

[Katie T]

DD2 will be 2 on the 30th and we have a big doll house from DD1 and so we are getting a few more dolls and another room set for it. We just brought it downstairs (big kid playroom is upstairs so she has never played with it before) and she has been playing with it every day for several hours so I am sure it will be a hit!

Bad thing is she needs no clothes or jammies so I don't really want to ask for those. Anyone who asks me what to get her we told them what we were doing so if they want to add to it they can.

[puffingirl]

For DD's 2nd birthday we got her a sand and water table---it was a huge hit and has been played with endlessly. Other things that we've given her that she's gotten a ton of use out of include easel and art supplies and a play kitchen. The balance bike hasn't gotten much use.

[rightkindofme]

We had my friend make this wood kitchen. My daughter is in love and plays with it constantly.

[Dreamy]

We got DS a Radio Flyer trycicle with the parent steering mechanism, and it's perfect for going for walks. My parents also got him a smaller one which he rides in the house, and he's got pedaling down pat now and rides it every day.

He's also obsessed with the "spring loaded" cars that you pull back to make them go, he sleeps with them.

He also always wants to "fix" things with DH's tools, I really need to get him some toy ones before he falls and hurts himself on one of them.

He uses his stepladder every day to hang out in the kitchen, he likes to be up near our level. We got him a play kitchen last Christmas because he loves helping to cook, but he hasn't touched it in a couple of months now Guess I should've gotten the toolbench after all... (he's 26 months BTW).