Useful gifts for your toddler's second birthday

by Montessori. Store December 09, 2022

Which toy is the right one for 2-year-old children? The answer to this question is related to the rapidly progressing (fine) motor skills as well as the increasingly well-developed eye-hand coordination. Individual interests and preferences for toys must also be taken into account.

In addition to motor development and educational aspects, however, safety is also crucial: special standards apply to children under 3 years of age, which toy manufacturers must comply with.

What is the average developmental stage of 2-year-olds and which toys are suitable for them? Here is the overview to find the right gifts.

Checklist: Toys for 2-year-olds

  • Mental and cognitive developmental stage: Children at the age of about 2 years can already match and put shapes in shape boxes, build towers out of 4-6 building blocks or solve simple puzzles with about 6-8 pieces. Here you can find interesting additional information about the developmental stage of 2-year-old children.
  • Motor skills : In line with their gross and fine motor development, 2-year-olds are able, for example, to wind up and drive wind-up cars, hold a crayon in their fist and paint, kick a ball or string beads, and drive a slide car.

  • Material and workmanship: Whether toys are made of plastic/plastic or wood is not necessarily the deciding factor. What is important, on the other hand, is robust and stable workmanship: seams and fasteners in particular must really hold and must not come off. Sharp corners or edges also indicate "cheap" workmanship.
  • Safety and harmful substances: small parts that can be swallowed are a major issue according to the European standard EN 71 ("Safety of toys"), especially for children under 3 years of age. There are also other special requirements for this age in terms of construction and mechanics. The toy material should also be free of harmful substances, as harmful substances can also be absorbed into the body via the skin and mucous membranes. Especially 2-year-old children often put objects in their mouths. Painted toys should also be saliva-proof - recognizable by the DIN 53160 label. It is best to choose toys with a seal of approval such as the GS ("Tested Safety"), TÜV or from Stiftung Warentest and Ökotest. If no test is available, information about harmful substances can be obtained directly from the manufacturer or retailer using the Scan4Chem app from the German Federal Environment Agency - manufacturers are obliged to provide information.

Important : The CE mark alone is not a guarantee of safe toys; it is merely a mark that must be affixed by the manufacturer.

Unsuitable toys for 2-year-olds are all those that are recommended by the manufacturer for children over 3 years of age - with such toys, the special DIN EN 71 requirements for children under 36 months are not met. This is why the manufacturer's age recommendation is so important at this age.

Have a look at some examples of our collection:

Art educational toy developed according to the Montessori educational system. Helps to study concepts of colors, shapes, numbers; Comparison, classification, analysis.
Handcrafted: natural basswood, safe wax cover. The bright colors also make this sorted wood visually stimulating.

At a modest size, this house is very functional - it has more than two dozen elements. They are all of varying degrees of difficulty: some will interest a one year old baby and others will like the child 2-3 years old.

An excellent combination of two transforming chairs and a large bench that acts as a table in the set.
When your little one grows, our multifunctional benches will grow with them and will be a popular place for your children to develop for a long time to come.
The multifunctional bench is able to continuously transform and adapt, not only to the needs of the child but of the whole family.

Wooden forest is a toy inspired by old fairy tales and our love of the forest.

A forest is a soft mossy path, the dewdrops on oak trees, the sound of a woodpecker or a cuckoo bird. What do you hear? Maybe a squirrel running by, or a pinecone has fallen on the ground?
Just as a real forest awakens the imagination and draws a fairy tale creature in a simple mossy stump, so our forest set tunes a child to play and adds a little magic to ordinary game scenarios.

Children's toy + meditation + kids room decor + contact with nature + development of imagination = our Mountains.

We make our arcs from linden, so they are lightweight, stable, and strong enough. The arcs are coated with a safe, lacquer-free paint so you can feel the texture of natural wood with your fingers. And yes, they do smell like fresh wood.

This toy shelf is a practical and functional piece of furniture that will accompany your child for years.

According to the Montessori methodology, furniture should be functional, appropriate to the needs, problems and age of the child. Children should have easy access to their belongings, furniture should not have dark corners.

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