Comments on: Essential Toy Guide: 2-Year-Olds

By: Amber

Amber — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:37:56 +0000

Speaking to Lara’s comment about building larger items before the gift giving, I’ve found it useful, especially with very young children, to de-package ALL gifts before wrapping. I pull toy lawn-mowers, trains, cars, action figures, etc out of their cardboard-and-wire prisons and slide them freely back into their boxes so that all the little one has to do is tear, open, and go. Similarly, when I gave my sister a bunch of barbies, I took all the accessories out and put them in a little carrying pouch for safe-keeping, so they didn’t get tossed out with the plastic packaging and paper. It really helps to avoid that frantic, hopping, shoulder poking excited impatience while you struggle and fumble with hundreds of twist-ties, irritably shouting “just a MINUTE!”

By: Amber

Amber — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 19:45:13 +0000

My son just turned two and is OBSESSED with the toy trains they have at daycare.

You can get a small starter set from IKEA’s website for about 15 bucks. Supposed to fit with most commercially available wooden sets, too.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30064359

By: Lara

Lara — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 04:04:21 +0000

Books
Some prettend play toys perhaps either little people or wow toys if you can stand the noise of the frictin motor. Iwas going to suggest a kitchenor larger prettend toy. I would second looking for larger toys second hand. Its more environmentaly friendly to buy a secnd hand plastic toy then buy a nice rubber wood or bamboo toy new. The kids won’t nottice for a while especially if you build larger items before the gift giving.

By: Jen

Jen — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:20:10 +0000

you should check out Walmart for a play kitchen, they’ve got the really nice Step 2 lifestyles kitchen for under $100! it’s smaller than they more expensive styles, but it’s big enough for my 2 kids. They love it! http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5903083

also, craigslist.org is great for finding deals on big items like that.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:00:31 +0000

Play kitchen- although it’s tough to find a gender-neutral one that’s not 200$. My son loves his Little Tikes Cook ‘n Learn kitchen (although we never put in the batteries…) along with the felt play food we’ve bought and made. He spends hours playing picnic and cooking and carrying his groceries around in a lunchbag from Target (5$)

By: Jen

Jen — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:22:10 +0000

PLAY-DOH… my girls can spend hours with that stuff!

Art supplies… coloring books, finger paints, etc

Doll house/farm for pretend play

play kitchen

puzzles

I’m giving my 2 year old, a Barbie hair styling head… she loves doing my hair, and I think she’s going to love it!

By: Ticia

Ticia — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:10:58 +0000

Duplo
toy cooking stuff
in place of aqua doodle, magnadoodle, similar function, great for car rides

By: lara

lara — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:26:24 +0000

How about a rody jumping horse with or with out the rocking base. Toy farm animals

By: Kelly K

Kelly K — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:25:48 +0000

Just an infou : http://www.healthycanadians.ca/pr-rp/recall-retrait_e.php?langCd=eng&searchTyp=1&re_id=494&searchstring=melissa%20and%20doug&searchyear=&searchcategory=&StartIndex=1
And I thought I finally could trust a toy company… silly me. (the recall does not spec. match the stackers but you know how these things snowball)