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14 best gifts for 2-year-olds to build their confidence and imagination

The toddler years are a time of rapid learning and child development 
The toddler years are a time of rapid learning and child development

Parents often fear the terrible twos, but it can be a wonderful age. At age two, toddlers are becoming capable, determined, curious and imaginative enough to really get to grips with “play”, so toys start to get more exciting. Their personalities are shining through and their likes and dislikes are clear, so you can choose a second birthday gift they will genuinely love and that will help their development.

Dr Amanda Gummer, Founder and CEO of The Good Play Guide, says: “As children become more confident on their feet they will enjoy active games and may have a favourite that they will want to play again and again. Toys that keep their attention and try to lengthen concentration will help with this age.

Imagination will be getting stronger and props for role play such as dolls and prams or action figures can keep them focused. Children at this age may struggle to play cooperatively with other children, so toys they can play with alongside other children, such as construction toys, may be popular and can help develop their social skills.”

With this in mind, we chose to test toys that would stand the test of repetition (for us as well as the kids) and stimulate their imagination and motor skills. We had a great time reviewing these with our curious two-year-old testers.

During our testing we were reminded that toddlers don’t care about price tags. When choosing a gift for a two-year-old, remember that it is the child you want to impress, not the parents. That being said, we do recommend checking with the parents if there is anything particular their little ones need or would especially love before you buy.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

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