37 of the best toys for 2-year-olds in the UK

Suitable from: Two-five years | Toy type: Card game | Teaches: Colours | Award: Gold

A fun, colourful game for your tots to play, use these friendly elephants to teach little ones about colours as they dress them in their different outfits. Play the game and match the head, body and leg cards of the same colour or mix it up and watch your kids have fun creating their own outfit combinations. There are 30 chunky pieces in total and they’re the perfect size for little hands to hold.

Pros:
Colourful
Wipe clean pieces
Cons:
Would be nice if they were waterproof as well as wipe clean
Cards don’t slot together so they can move around once placed

One mum said: "My boys love the Orchard Toys games and they are always well received. They make great presents too as the price point is right for nursery friends etc. They’re easily stored and can be played for a short or longer period of time, so useful to have at hand. As a brand they’re the best on the market in terms of price point, durability and concept."

Read our full review of Orchard Toys Dress Up Nelly here.

Suitable from: Three years+ | Toy type: Wooden | Teaches: Cause and effect | Award: Silver

Teach your little one cause and effect with the help of this Hercules Weightlifting toy from Classic World. Hercules’ arms will move up and down as they add and remove ‘weights’. Fun as well as educational, children will love watching the eyes waggle as the ‘weights’ balance.

One mum said: "My son was really excited to play with this for the first time. As soon as he saw the box he couldn't wait to get it out. He started playing immediately and I guided him with phrases such as 'I wonder what would happen if you put one orange disc on one side and one yellow disc on the other side' – he very quickly understood what was happening and was excited to see what would happen to the 'strongman's' eyes with each disc that he added."

Read our full review of the Classic World Hercules Weightlifting toy here.

Suitable from: 18 months+ | Toy type: Fine motor game | Teaches: Colours, counting and sorting | Award: Bronze

Children will learn to count, recognise colours and shapes, and start to grasp sorting and matching while playing with Spike. The colourful quills are just the right size for little one’s hands to grasp and when they’re finished playing, the pieces are stored nicely inside the hedgehog.

One mum said: "Great toy for hand-eye coordination and learning colours. My 18-month-old loved it and knew how to use it straight away. My 4-year-old also took great enjoyment out of it and they played together for hours. My little one has got a lot better with her fine motor skills since using this and can easily put the spikes in the holes compared to when she first used it, so it has definitely helped her develop these skills. My 4-year-old has ASD so his fine motor skills aren't at the level they should be and this has helped immensely also!"

Read our full review of Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog here.

Gold winner at the Mother&Baby Awards 2022 for Best Toddler Toy

The Hooga balance bike is a quirky fun Zebra-themed child's outdoor ride-on toy. It's designed to help your little ones build up their strength and will develop motor skills, coordination, and agility.

Our mum tester Lauren said: "I like the fact the bike is light to carry. So when I am out with my child I can carry it home easily while still pushing the buggy. It is also easy to wipe clean which is very important as outside toys can get dirty very quickly. It also fits my 2 year old very well since the wheels and seat can be adjusted so this saves me having to buy another bike too soon."

Check out our full review here.

Silver winner of the Mother&Baby Awards 2022 Best Toddler Toy

This is a fun-filled sound game where players listen to the sounds on the Orchard Toys app or make noises themselves and match them to pictures on their playing boards! Children will have fun as they buzz like a bee, moo like a cow or hiss like a snake.

Tested by mum Helen for the 2022 Mother&Baby Awards: "I have 2-year-old twins and a 4-year-old. This game is easy for all ages to play with on their own or under adult supervision. I found that they all engaged with it well so covers all ages. It's in a small box so doesn't take up too much space in the toy storage. The cards are all bright and colourful so eye-catching for the children."

Read our full review of Orchard Toys First Sounds Lotto Game here.

Shortlisted for Best Toddler Toy at the Mother&Baby 2022 Awards

With seven complimentary play cards to inspire and add fun stories to tell, these Wonder Buddies will have your toddler laughing with delight as well as stimulating emotional intelligence, fine motor skills, imagination & creativity, gross motor skills, cognition, language and communication and senses.

One reviewer said: "My 2yo loves his Leo the Lion. Absolutely love this little cutie and teaching my little one about compassion. Feeding him, playing and putting him to bed, definitely less tantrums when his friend is doing the same thing."

Shortlisted for Best Toddler Toy at the Mother&Baby Awards 2022

You'll find an abundance of uses for the Original Tuff Tray. It's perfect for play in the home or for outdoor play in the garden - for the messy stuff! From sand and water to painting and bubbles, get creative with endless activities for little ones to enjoy their home-schooling time.

Pros: Easy to clean, great for messy play, use indoors or outdoors, no tools required to set-up
Cons: Comes with a lot of packaging which feels unnecessary

Our mum tester Lucy said: "We use this tuff tray with our nearly 3 year old for messy play whilst I attend to my newborn. It's the perfect way to do messy play with sand, water, rice, oats etc and keeps my toddler occupied. The stand means it can be used as a table and saves me bending down, so better for my back. It's also great quality, easy to clean and has many uses which means it's worth the price point over cheaper alternatives as it lasts longer."

Check out the full tried and tested review from parents here.

You’ll find yourself playing along with your child as they get the hang of turning these hand puppets into characters. Role-play together and help your little one develop important conversation skills.

Pros: Suitable for boys and girls, other designs available, quality materials, appealing to little ones
Cons: It's a cramped fit for adults if you were looking to join in

Review: "These little puppets are perfect for little hands. We have others of bigger size I use to perform theatre for my son and he is so deligthed when I gave him the Zoo friends, so he can do the same as mum. They are easy to manage for a kid size hand, there are also light in weight and simple (their mouth do not move), so children know straight away how to use them. They are really cute and soft."

There are probably cheaper kids’ kitchens, but how cute is this for your little chef? Complete with a hob and oven, sink, microwave, fridge and telephone.

Pros: Easy to build, high quality, great attention to detail, sturdy, alternative designs available
Cons: A little expensive and the price can vary

Review: "Great little kitchen for my two-year-old baby girl. Keeps her busy at least for an hour each day and the excitement doesn't seem to become less. It took my husband four hours to put it together (instructions are great) but that's mainly down to the fact that there are lots of parts, pieces and joints. Once it's done you'll have a wonderful and pretty little play kitchen adding to your interior."

Encourage your little one to bring the farm to life. Complete with lights, music, sounds and Smart Stages learning content, they'll stay entertained for hours with the Discovery Buttons and songs.

Pros: Sturdy and lasts for years, keeps tots busy for a long time, some found the playset to be bigger than expected
Cons: Okay value - a little on the expensive side

Review: "I had debated over which farm to buy for my son for Christmas as with so many different ones it was an eek situation! Luckily I decided to go with this one and couldn't be happier! It is a fantastic size with plenty of space for the animals to live and play with there. The interactive buttons are brilliant so are the doors to open and close for the barn. The other button which makes the eggs go up and down is another nice touch. The bell that you can ring is perfect and not something that I had noticed when I ordered this. He is so happy with it and has finished this off in a great way."

It brings six different puzzles in one brightly coloured tray. It helps develop matching skills, concentration and dexterity from an early age.

Pros: Sturdy, colourful, can be used as a puzzle and building blocks, great size for little hands
Cons: Some parents expected it to be bigger than it actually is

Review: "Got this for my two-year-old granddaughter for Christmas, the blocks are very study, the puzzle pieces are very colourful and the pictures are on the bottom of the tray. The cubes are small but ideal for small hands, great value for money."

Bronze winner of the Mother&Baby Awards 2021 Best Toddler Toy

Encouraging imagination, role-playing, learning the ABC, and building, this truck is loads of fun for developing toddlers.

Pros: Great quality, versatile, easy to clean, good for solo play, toy grows with your child
Cons: It uses uppercase instead of lowercase letters - the latter is preferred for preschool children

Tested by mum Soniya for the Mother&Baby Awards 2021: "My toddler has really enjoyed playing with this toy. He is happy to play independently with it which allows me to get jobs done on my own. I am hoping with time he will make use of the alphabets on there as currently, he is only using it as a truck or as a motor activity with the blocks. I love that the toy is versatile and allows many different uses."

Read our full review of the LEGO DUPLO My First Alphabet Truck Toy here.

This Geometric Stacker wooden toy has 25 colourful wooden pieces of rings, octagons and rectangles for your tot to explore that can be matched and stacked on three rods. Helping to build early shape, colour, and size differentiation skills, the stacker can be enjoyed by baby alone or there are multiple games that can be played with a parent too.

Pros: Non-toxic, great quality, durable, looks just like the photo
Cons: Smaller than expected

Review: "This is my daughter's favourite toy! She has lots of wooden toys and some plastic toys. This is her favourite as she loves to pull the rings off. Since she could sit she loves to dismantle then crawl and play with the rings on the floor. The next stage is learning how to re-stack. My older children love to play with this toy with the baby too. Fun for all! The toy still looks new. The colours don't run, no chipping or flaking. The rings have been gnawed and thrown but looks perfect."

Bring your tot’s favourite story to life with this 16-piece cardboard floor jigsaw puzzle. This bright colourful scene will teach your little one important problem-solving skills.

Pros: Sturdy and nice-sized pieces, great quality, a good challenge for two-year-olds
Cons: Smaller than expected

Review: "This is a lovely puzzle. The pieces are large and sturdy. The picture is easy to pick out seperate creatures such as Fox or Snake to make a start building the jigsaw. I got it for my 2yr olds birthday, they were excited to see it and can make it independently (but still a challenge) after a week."

If you haven’t introduced your tot to playdough yet, now is the time. Encourage her to get creative, whilst learning letters with these clever little cutouts.

Pros: Easy to use, a great introduction to Play-Doh, educational and fun
Cons: Hasn't got the longest life - can dry out quickly

Review: "My two-year-old absolutely loves this. I supervised her whilst she played with this. When I got it out for the first time she got so excited as its something completely different for her. It helps her to learn colours and shapes too, its amazing how quickly she has picked up learning the shapes, colours she was already pretty good with but this just helps reinforce what she already knows."

This toy was shortlisted for the Mother&Baby 2020 Best Toddler Toy award.

Filled with colourful pages, different animals and bright objects, this book is great for boosting your two-year-old's knowledge and language. As well as being able to touch different animals, they'll be able to hear different sounds to stimulate their senses, all while learning new and exciting facts.

Pros: Handle on top for easy portability, wipe-clean, simple to use, engaging, great value for money
Cons: It's quite heavy and bulky

Tested by mum Eleanor for the Mother&Baby Awards 2020: "The Learning Friends 100 Words Book hasn't left our side since we received it. My two daughters 9 months and 3 years old love this book. It has kept them both entertained on many occasions. I have used the book when travelling in the car, cooking their tea, putting the washing on and many more tasks that were impossible to do without one of them getting upset."

Read the full review of the LeapFrog Toys Learning Friends 100 Words Book here.

Suitable from two years old, this scooter has been designed to grow with your tot. With two front wheels to make scooting easier, and an innovative steering system teaching your little one to balance, our mums loved how intuitive the scooting style was.

Pros: Sturdy, adjustable, easy to handle, light and foldable, choice of colours
Cons: Quite expensive

Tested by mum Nina Fletcher; she said: "This is the best scooter we have tried. The adjustable handlebar is a great design feature as the scooter will grow with the child. The 'lean and steer' scooting style is intuitive. It is sturdy and feels safe with its three wheels so even very young children will learn quickly to scoot confidently."

Beautiful, richly coloured musical instrument gift set. It includes a Xylophone, Ocean Drum, Rattle Roller, Bells and Shaker Maraca in fun colours and suitable for 12 months and up. Your baby will be able to watch as the colourful beads cascade, creating fascinating sounds and wonderful visual effects that will delight young children.

Pros: Well-designed for little hands, makes an acceptable noise level without being too noisy, durable and good quality
Cons: A little expensive and the price can vary

Dad John said: "Bought this for my son for his 1st birthday - 6 months later he still plays with all the instruments in this set. Very well-built and robust, have to say this was a fantastic buy at a good price."

A fun way to encourage your little one to learn the alphabet, this colourful puzzle teaches them to match letters and pictures. Helping develop hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills, this is a great buy.

Pros: Easy to lift chunky letters, colourful, smooth feel, sturdy board
Cons: A bit smaller than expected

Review: "Bought this ABC board after seeing it on a YouTube video featuring a Father and daughter going over her ABCs. I liked the chucky letter design and that my daughter would be able to feel the shape of the letters in her hand as well as by sight. The board has not disappointed! My daughter loves it and it has been a daily staple in her play."

This won a 2020 Mother&Baby Bronze award for Best Toddler Toy

Make getting familiar with numbers fun with this colourful jigsaw puzzle which is a great learning resource. This will help boost your little one's number and counting skills as well as their ability to observe.

Pros: Great for independent play, wipe-clean, bright and colour, easy to travel with
Cons: The box it comes in could be sturdier

Tested by mum Sarah for the Mother&Baby Awards 2020: "I think this is a very good quality game and it has a lot of nice features (it stores well, has nice illustrations, has some educational value in assembling a puzzle and teaching counting, shapes, colours etc). I like that it’s made of cardboard and not plastic, and I think the company is a good one in that they will replace any missing parts for free."

Read our full review of Orchard Toys Number Street here.

There's nothing any two-year-old loves more than playing shops with their very own till and pretending to be a supermarket cashier. This toy till is both fun and educational for little ones as it is designed to help them with their counting skills.

Pros: Fun and educational, very interactive so not too repetitive, good to play with friends or independently
Cons: A number of parents had issues with the coins getting stuck behind the till

Tested by mum Katrina Irvine for the Mother&Baby Awards 2018: "I would recommend this to other mums, but I’d make sure they knew about the coins getting stuck in the back of the till beforehand! The till is nice and small, and fits in a bag if you want to carry it out and about. It’s easy enough to use for a child independently and is great fun to play together as well, and you can easily add their favourite food items from your kitchen. It’s also really good for their counting skills."

Read our full review of the Leapfrog Count Along Till here.

When your toddler presses one of the five buttons located on this fluffy puppy's collar, the dog will play fun songs and music and talk back while flapping its ears. You'll also notice the feet are interactive too with numbers and songs sung by pressing those.

Pros: Cute soft toy, lots of interactive features, great value for money, some found it to be bigger than expected
Cons: Battery operated - those included won't last long as they're for demo purposes only

Review: "Lovely reading companion for a child that enjoys their books. Well made and speaks well."

This fun ice cream cart toy will help improve your toddler's memory, counting and creative abilities, as they have to remember the orders, put the ice creams together and make sure they get the ice cream to all the customers at the cart.

Pros: Great value, bright and engaging, sturdy build, easy to clean
Cons: Parents would have preferred it to be a little bigger - could be easily outgrown

Tested by mum Kelly for the Mother&Baby Awards 2018: "The cart sings as you push it, which my little one loves. It has a volume control which is nice for parents. The design is clever as the scoop recognises the flavour and will say the colour or the flavour. My two-year-old repeats some of the colours back, helping him learn. It has a lot of different features and the cards read out different challenges. They are too complex for my little one but it will continue to challenge him as he grows. It has two storage compartments meaning it can be packed away easily."

Read our full review of the Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart here.

This sand and water table will be great fun for your toddler to enjoy in the garden, stimulating their senses whilst developing their creative skills through play. Fill one trough with sand, the other with water, and your child can use the ten toys provided to mould, rake, scoop and splash!

Pros: Dual-purpose, also available in pink, great for hands-on discovery, comes with a durable waterproof lid
Cons: Need to buy sand separately

Review: "Bought this for my toddler aged 20 months and he loves playing with the sand and water table. Great fun and lots of useful accessories. Nice bright colours and the cover has car tracks in top, useful for when the sand and water table is packed up."

With 60 pieces to play with, your toddler will love using this multi-coloured bricks for hands-on play. They come with distinct shapes and are a good size which makes them great for little hands. Easily store away in the bag for an easy end-of-playtime clear-up.

Pros: Storage bag included, bricks are bright and chunky, great size for small hands, easy to use
Cons: You'll probably end up wanting to buy another bag!

Review: "This is the first set of megabloks I've bought my toddler and he loved them! Building up then BASHING down, what's not to love? 60 pieces isn't a many as it sounds but it's amazing how far a two-year-old can spread them! I recommend these over legos for toddlers, they're chunky for little hands, and too big to choke on when they inevitably go in the mouth! They're easy to wipe down... I would recommend these to anyone with toddlers/younger children, especially if you also have a baby crawling around and don't want little pieces being choked on."

A fun Minnie Mouse-inspired, dollhouse-style set from LEGO DUPLO that will provide hours of entertainment, allowing for role-playing and imagination to run wild.

Pros: No choking hazards, good longevity, encourages independent play, easy to clean
Cons: Could have more options for things you can build

Review: "With two classic Disney characters and a lovely cafe play house this is a great set. Very easy to build and looks impressive. It’s quite durable and very playable. Perfect gift."

A lovely green toy for a two-year-old if you're eco-conscious, these vibrant crayons are made from 100 per cent pure beeswax. The unique chunky shape of these crayons makes them easier for small hands to hold while being much harder for small hands to break. The sustainable process used to create the crayons causes minimal impact on the environment and gives the crayons a sweet honey scent.

Pros: Ergonomic shape and easy to hold, bold colours, eco-friendly, non-toxic, smells of honey
Cons: Little pricey for what they are

Review: "Bought for small granddaughter, only nine months, and more into eating things than drawing but Mama and Grammy have had real fun, 'helping' her to draw and doodle. They are exactly the right size for small fingers and hands, they smell absolutely delicious and are exactly what the box says they are."

This cute and soft giraffe-design rocking horse is a great quality toy for children aged over 18 months. Upgraded from your classic rocking horse, it includes a music feature with 32 nursery rhymes which'll play when the horn is pressed.

Pros: Other animal designs available, soft, excellent quality, provides good support with a belt included for safety
Cons: There's a chance your child might outgrow it quite quickly

Review: "Absolutely love this rocking chair. Very soft, colourful. Sturdy handles. Best of all, my daughter loves it. Great value for the money. Thank you."

Cheerful Poppy and her six colourful count-and-stack-flowers are perfect for preschool fine motor fun. Little ones can stack Poppy’s two-piece flowers, then count them up and carry her around with the child-sized handle.

Pros: Cute design, includes a handle for fun on the go, stores inside the pot for easy clean-up
Cons: The flowers can fall out quite easily

Review: "Bought two for my 1 yo toddler class. They love that it has a handle to carry around and all the holes they can poke things in, including the flowers!"

This fun piano mat with its 10 piano sounds, 10 songs, eight instrumental sounds and bright colours will stimulate your toddler's senses. Anti-slip and made of a soft material, they'll enjoy playing and running up and down the mat.

Pros: Easy to use, choice of sounds
Cons: It can get very loud, and potentially a bit annoying for adults if your child has happy feet!

Review: "Present for my granddaughter, I am sure she will be delighted with it!"

These beautifully hand-painted wooden food pieces will not only teach your toddler the main food groups for a balanced diet but will make great use for picnic, market or kitchen pretend-play. You get 21 pieces of food and four separate wooden crates to keep them in.

Pros: Great quality products, durable, little crates for storage, great introduction to food groups
Cons: Bit more expensive than other food sets

Review: "These are great for kitchen or picnic roleplay, I couldn't work out the difference between this and the more expensive one but this does the job. They are sturdy, not too small either, I have a one and three-year-old both still put everything in their mouths, so I'm rest assured these aren't too small for them to choke. They love playing with them and there is great detail in them so they can recognise the item."

Cry Babies character Newborn Coney is like a real baby! This lightweight and cuddly doll with have your little one in awe. Coney cries with real tears, comes with baby-like sounds, and even falls asleep.

Just like a real pet, take Baby Paws everywhere you go! Once you give them its dummy your cute puppy will go to sleep, but take it away, their eyes will open and make the most adorable sounds!

Cry Babies Goodnight Dreamy is the perfect toy for those bestime snuggles and playtime. Take her dummy away to see her cry LED tears and make baby sounds. Return her dummy and her face lights up, and touch her tummy to hear soothing lullabies.

Has your little one dreamed of having their own mini barber shop? With this playset full of creativity, your child will be able to cut, trim, shave, and style with pretend play shaving essentials.

Cuddle and play with this cute Bluey plush soft toy. Your little one will be able to create some fun and use their imagination during playtime. Made with deluxe fabrics with embellished details, this plush toy is perfect for following your little bubba anywhere.

Get ready to be stunned with the Cookeez Makery Surprise Pet! Animal Surprise Playset. With this, your toddler will be able to bake their very own surprise plush best friend! Open the oven door and find your very own warm-hearted and fragranced interactive plush pal in the shape of a delicious baked treat.