Gifts for Two Year Olds
Our gift guide
Two-year-olds are busy, curious, and full of personality—and the toys they gravitate toward at this stage should nurture all of that blossoming independence. This is the age of big feelings, big imaginations, and big developmental leaps, which means the right toys can support everything from problem-solving and communication to movement and early pretend play. In this guide, we’ve gathered thoughtful, developmentally rich gift ideas that match the way two-year-olds learn best: through hands-on exploration, storytelling, and joyful play that keeps them engaged while growing important skills.
Crossroads Countryside Play Mat
This countryside play mat invites two-year-olds into a rich, imaginative world: from farm fields and forests to a riding school, the printed roads and scenes provide a backdrop for vehicle play, role-playing, and storytelling. The non-slip fabric supports safe movement and active play, while the illustrated details help develop vocabulary (“sheep,” “tractor,” “river”) and observational skills. It’s also designed to pair with Crossroads building blocks, so children can build their own farm and extend their play from the mat to real structures, supporting spatial reasoning and early narrative development.
Crossroads Countryside Building Blocks
This wooden block set includes 20 cubes, 4 decorative elements, and 10 animal/character figurines, letting toddlers build a full farm landscape. Through stacking, sorting, and constructing, children practice fine motor control, sequencing, and problem-solving. The themed blocks (barn, animals, structures) also promote imaginative play and help build early spatial-awareness. And because the pieces fit into a smart box with a sliding lid, they also encourage organizational skills as kids learn to sort and store.
Crossroads White Valley Veterinarian Vehicle
This wooden veterinarian rescue truck brings a caring dimension to play: toddlers can push it around the farm mat, and role-play caring for animals. It supports gross motor development (pushing, steering) and emotional skills as children enact helping and nurturing. When combined with other Crossroads building blocks or mats, it deepens the play experience by reinforcing cause-and-effect, story creation, and prosocial behaviors.
Cari 12″ Soft Doll
HABA’s Cari doll is perfectly sized for toddlers, with a soft body and a slightly weighted base that lets her sit up independently. Her embroidered face, pigtails, and simple clothes invite cuddling, comforting, and pretend play. Because her dress closes with hook-and-loop fasteners, children can practice fine motor skills and self-care routines like dressing. Pretend play with Cari helps build emotional awareness, language skills, and social competence as children treat her like a friend or companion.
Animal Parade Blocks
This set of 25 wooden blocks features different animal shapes — giraffes, lions, zebras, and more — that can be assembled and reassembled in endless ways. Through open-ended construction, toddlers build fine motor dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and creative thinking. As they mix and match shapes to invent new animals, they also develop symbolic play and early geometry skills (recognizing forms and spatial relationships). The sustainable beech wood blocks are large enough for little hands and support long-term play.
