Clutching a critter in each chubby hand, my toddler happily runs around our home and places his animals in toy tractor carts and dump trucks-and sometimes he just moves them around the sofa. But Schleich also makes a variety of dinosaurs, wild animals, and fantasy creatures, sold individually or in sets. (If you’re curious, a New England toy company provides a wonderfully detailed primer on Schleich’s history and manufacturing process Schleich also offers some background on how it designs its figurines.) The Schleich Farm World 4-Piece Set-which comes with a cow, a sheep, a rooster, and a donkey-is an excellent place to start your collection. Each tiny replica in its collection has intricate, hand-painted details, and the plastic is molded to show features like tiny bits of hair and the texture of feathers. The German company has been developing a growing following in the US. My 2-year-old is totally into cows (“moo moos”) and other farm animals, and introducing him to the realistic-looking figurines from Schleich has taken that fascination to new heights. 5 out in the world-even if it is while watching an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. But we think many 2-year-olds would also be ready for them.) And grownups can’t help but feel proud when their kids are able to recognize Beethoven’s Symphony No. ( Welcome to the Symphony and Welcome to Jazz have both been favorites in my son’s reading rotation since he got them, at age 3. And while the excitement of pressing the 19 sound buttons may initially overshadow the rich text and lovely illustrations, kids can appreciate this book on deeper levels over time-think of it as an evolving performance. The book covers the orchestra, musical terms (such as dynamics, tempo, and harmony), and groups of instruments (strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion). This accessible, interactive introduction to classical music is written by Carolyn Sloan, author of the similarly structured Welcome to Jazz (featured in our guide to the best gifts for 3-year-olds). 5 in C Minor with some charming mice narrators and- da-da-da-dum!-you’ve got Welcome to the Symphony: A Musical Exploration of the Orchestra Using Beethoven’s Symphony No. (Just keep in mind that since kids develop at different rates, all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.Ĭombine Beethoven’s Symphony No. We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens. If you’re looking for more gift ideas for kids, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, as well as these wonderful stocking stuffers for kids. Our testers have played with these toys outside of their official age-range recommendations, and they’ve found them to be appropriate for this guide. Some of the toys on this list are officially recommended for kids who are 3 and up. We spoke with Singh and other child-development experts-along with parents and other caregivers on our staff-to identify memorable and engaging gifts for 2-year-olds. Toys that let a 2-year-old slide, wiggle, scoot, bounce, or otherwise expend some of their boundless energy are also likely to be a hit. Some 2-year-olds are still engaging primarily in “parallel play.” And some are now interested in playing with others, so simple board games may help them to practice sharing and taking turns. Kids this age may be able to use their fine motor skills in more-precise ways, such as for stacking, fitting, and twisting smaller pieces. The most engaging toys for 2-year-olds offer lots of different options for hands-on, manipulative play. “Play is how they start to understand the world,” said Heather Singh, director of educational programs at the Thinkery, a children’s museum in Austin, Texas, at the time of our interview. When you’re trying to keep up with the developing skills and interests of a 2-year-old, it can feel like you’re sprinting (sometimes literally) or playing a guessing game.
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