Children’s toys today are as innovative as ever. They incorporate all the latest technologies to help set the young up for success at a headstart. The products that are sold to the public currently have the best protections, greatest safety standards, and highest quality parts and accessories. Never has there been a better time to be a kid. But with this arises care, mostly due to the sheer number of toy companies that are around. It’s not like the old days when you could give a toddler boy a mini wagon and gift them with candy until the next holiday comes around! Speaking of two-year-old boys, there’s plenty of entertainment available to keep them occupied. Here are five of the latest and greatest toys for their delight.
Best Toys and Gifts for 2 Year Old Boys of 2018
To show some of the basic specs on each item, here is a brief but helpful comparison chart with each reviewed piece and standout features to be found in its package.
Product | Type | Age Range | Sound | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Go! Go! Smart Wheels Park (Editor’s Choice) | Elevator, Race Track | 1-5 years | Yes | Check Price |
Magnetic Wooden Block Set | Magnetic Wooden Blocks | 1-4 years | No | Check Price |
Musical Learning Workbench | Workstation | 1-2 years | Yes | Check Price |
Walk-A-Long Snail | Shape Sorting, Pulling | 1-4 years | No | Check Price |
Tool Truck | Toy Truck | 1-4 years | Yes | Check Price |
1. VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Park – Best Learning Toy For 2 Year Old Boys
Do you remember the toy race track with the electrified centerpiece? There were usually two lanes that allowed kids to race two cars around an infinite loop. While those can still be found even today, there something in similar vein available for your toddler son. The VTech Go! Smart Wheels Park is a much more colorful track that utilizes the environment around the cars to an arguably better degree than the former. One of the best things about it is how well it uses sound effects whenever a car is driven over anything. For instance, if your son pushes the car past the labeled portions indicated on the runway, a sound or music will commence. But before that even begins, the vehicles should be placed on the elevator ride. Show your child how to do it and they will quickly pick up on how to utilize everything that the toy offers.
Handle with Care
On a not so good note, get ready for them to become frustrated at times with how easily the cars fall off the track, especially when they are going down the incline that supports the toy vehicle when it passes from the elevator shaft. This is a fragile toy, so any rough play could likely result in something becoming damaged. It shakes whenever play is done; the smallest bump could send pieces toppling. Just to be careful so as to not annoy your child with this issue. You don’t want to see them cry if it keeps disassembling itself every time it’s played with. In the end, this VTech toy still makes the list for being a productive tool to aid their sensory abilities.
- Sound changes when the position of the elevator is moved
- Plenty of routes available that turn into a near maze-like track
- Sensors that are placed throughout the tracks make sounds whenever a toy car moves over them
- The cars easily fall off the tracks and are not held down firmly
- The Body is not sturdy at all and rattles at the slightest movement or touch
- Tracks are easily broken and may fall off during play
2. Tegu Robo Magnetic Wooden Block Set – Best Travel Toy For 2 Year Old Boys
Wood is been used for thousands of years to carve and produce playful ornaments and toys for kids. The Tegu Robo Magnetic Block Set takes the conservative physical features of wood material and makes things more interesting by throwing magnets into the mix. They are embedded within each piece, so the eight blocks included can be shaped into lots of different and surprising shapes. Show your toddler how to make an airplane, dogs, rhino, or even dinosaur with the small pieces. It’s a great way for them to grow their gross motor abilities.
The Sky’s the Limit to what They Can Create
Having something in store to pass the time (something that doesn’t make any noise) might save you the headache of having to deal with irritable crying when the airplane’s cabin lights go out. Granted, this won’t be a toy that will constantly keep them occupied (no lights, no sounds) but it will boost their curiosity to try other toys of the same variety when they become older. And that’s a good thing because too much noise from a toy is a recipe for a headache!
- Almost completely child safe parts (blunt pieces of wood blocks)
- Contains magnets inside, whereby the pieces can be shaped into lots of different figures
- Paints are made from water based materials
- Great for air travel; TSA compliant as a carry on item
- The blocks are small and easy to misplace
- May not hold some children’s attention, especially if they’re used to louder toys
- Magnets are not powerful enough to remain in place when the toy is moved
3. CifToys Musical Learning Workbench Toy – Best Gift For Learning Gross Motor Skills
Do you know if your son has an interest in toy tools? If so, the Cif Toys Musical Learning Workbench Toy will be right up their alley. They will be well on their way to being a little master of carpentry in a very short time, and it’s easy to see why. There are numerous different parts, all of which resemble the larger tools from which they are based on. There’s a wrench, screwdriver, hammer, and mini power saw. To the right is housed an imitation drill and four individual buttons for them to hammer away at. The center has a cutout that fits different shapes into four varied parts. It’s a good way for them to become familiar with shapes and coordination.
Learning Shapes, Volume, and More
The blocks from which they are fed must be placed into the cutouts in line with their shape when they are pushed inside. A small drawer opens on the side, making it easy for them to grab and have another go at as many times as they wish. This isn’t a large product by a longshot. And sounds could be improved, especially with the drill, which sometimes produces no noise when activated. Other than a few slight recommendations for improvement, the Musical Learning Workbench will be your toddler’s favorite toy when they want to be totally engrossed in activity centers that are fun and easy to maintain.
- Nearly every pieces moves or can be moved
- Very helpful in aiding problem solving skills
- Has flashing lights and sound effect that mimic engineering noises
- The dimensions are small
- Sound emitted does not always come out when activated
- Made of thin plastic that feels very fragile
4. Hape Award Winning Walk-A-Long Snail – Best Walking Toys For 2 Year Old Boys
Give your boy their own pet with the Walk-A-Long Snail. It includes everything they’ll need to train, teach, and direct their little friend when playtime is at hand. Forming the shape of a snail, the toy can be used either in the house or outside, so long as there is a flat hard surface for them to pull the wooden roller along. Having a stroll on the sidewalk? Let them bring it along and pretend it’s a pet they’re taking out. The noise level is very low when the blocks aren’t placed inside the shell. And the paint should stay firm for years. You should still be careful when going over the material whenever you wish to sanitize it. The best remedy is to substitute liquid disinfectant with a damp cloth.
Choose Your Surface Wisely
Like many other toys that are rolled, unless it’s rubber, the material will be somewhat hard to move on the smooth ground. A sidewalk it fine, but waxed hardwood tends to be the worst. Additionally, check them out and interior portions of the snail for small splits in the wood. Some models may have tiny splinters, so if you do see any, be sure to remove than and treat until the area is blunt. Don’t expect to see such as thing, but it’s never a bad choice to look. It is wood, after all.
- Small size is beneficial to parents as a toy to bring outdoors
- Produces little noise, even as it’s being rolled indoors (when the shapes are not placed inside the “shell”
- Paint doesn’t chip
- Depending on the surface, the wheels make have trouble rolling when pulled
- Some models may have randoms wood splinters along the bottom of the toy
5. Toyk Little Mechanic Tool Truck – Best Sound Toy For 2 Year Old Boys
2-year-old boys love toy cars. You may already own several for them. The most popular are simple toys that roll on the floor when pushed forward by them. But now there’s a new way to start up the engines that involve a completely automatic experience. The Toyk Little Mechanic Truck aims to show your toddler how entertaining it can be to operate a car entirely on its own. It’s doesn’t include any batteries with the car, so you’ll have to grab three AA’s for it to work as expected. Surprisingly, the toy weight about two pounds so doesn’t panic it feels heavier than it looks in the photos. In a way, that’ll keep your child from attempting to throw it. But that’s not likely to happy anyhow, especially when they find out how to play with its self-driving mechanism that’s situated in the area where the transmission on a normal car would be located.
A Carpet Drag
Carpet doesn’t work so well with the Little Mechanic. Sure, your child might get it to move at a slow pace, but it’s nothing compared to tile or hardwood. As such, you might find yourself supervising them on the porch, that is, if you do have carpet or heavy rugs throughout your home. The smaller toy pieces also serve their functions but may stop occasionally. This could be due to the battery coming loose from the charger when it’s fitted into the slot. But this is an exception. In general, most children will have a blast with it anyhow, just from keeping up with the car as they set it off in different directions. Use it when you want to get them tired before bed rest.
- Useful for a child hand-eye coordination development
- The truck has automatic operating abilities that allows it to move on it’s own
- Building and taking apart the truck is simple for small children to do (after knowing how the toy operates)
- A drill included with the toy may stop working on occasion
- Requires three AA batteries for the car to drive automatically
- Does not roll well on carpeted floors
Best Toys and Gifts for 2 Year Old Boys – Buyer’s Guide
Children’s toys are products that could be remembered by your son long after they have passed their toddler years. The more you know about the toys that capture you attention, the better satisfied you and your child will be with the safety and entertainments featured on the item in question. Use these tips to make sure that no unexpected issues happen that would force you to make a return.
Be Sure that the Toy is Suitable for your Child’s Age Limit
Young children could be turned off from a toy that’s geared for a five-year-old, as it may have more advanced features that they aren’t yet accustomed to using. Not to mention choking hazards. Most age recommendations are shown in boldface on the packaging and online photos, so it isn’t something that’s too difficult to find. Still, if you’re not sure, don’t hesitate to check what others have said about the product. Or you could contact the seller directly.
Know your Child’s Play Area
You probably know more about your child’s immediate surroundings than your own room. Try to remember subtle things in your home’s interior, most notably your floors. Toys that utilize wheels or devices that are rolled tend to either do well or poor, something that’s highly dependent on the smoothness of your walking space. Carpet floors are oftentimes the worst.
They create too much friction. Most toddler’s toys have very basic parts that don’t include rubber. If you do have carpet and are thinking of getting any sort of walker, check the tire’s material. If there aren’t any rides and the bottom presents nothing but a smooth lining, you’re probably going to be better off with another toy that doesn’t have such features. Likewise, hardwood and tiles floors can also perform subpar, even with the same sort of wheels. When in doubt, consider where your 2 years old may play (places that are outside of their room), which goes directly into the next section.
Indoor Or Outdoor?
Some toys are obviously built for the outdoors, never to be taken inside. But some could be well served as a fun activity for both settings. Again, toys with rollers are often the most recommended. But other products would do fine too. Products without batteries are the best because there’s less worry about getting circuit boards and other sensitive equipment wet. Magnets are one option, as they are easy to clean once brought back indoors but are usually small enough to carry.
Look For Signs of Any Potential Injury-Causing Defects
The following is a short listing on some of the things you can do to prevent injury to your child, before and after the toy is purchased:
- Look at the toy from as many angles as possible, including the interior features that may come into contact with your child when they play
- Check for small gaps and crevices in the product that would be easy for a small child to place their hands and fingers inside
- Be sure that the corners on any device are not too sharp. Blunt ends work best
- If viewing products with many stickers and wood pieces, check how firm they are placed and any areas that look brittle, jagged, or easy to come apart
- If there are parts featured with the toy that you think is too small, either discard or look for a different toy altogether
- When considering a toy that has strings, it is advised that it’s length be measured
- Observe any hollowed out containers or kits included with a toy for potential suffocation hazards
- Look at what others have said about a toy, any odd odors, defects, warnings, etc
Conclusion
You want the very best for your child, and they deserve the best. The toys shown above can provide a pre-education experience for your 2-year-old boy and make them excited to try out all the possible qualities that exist in its makeup. The Tegu Robo and VTech are favorites but don’t diminish the other toy products at all. Each piece has its own great quality, and your child would probably agree too. Above all, pick the toy that you know is right for them.
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