Imaginative play toy ideas

[Glizmo]

My niece is turning 2 in a few weeks and SIL wants this to be a birthday and Christmas of imaginative play. I'm trying to think of ideas around the $20-$30 price range. They're fine with plastic toys, just nothing too big.

She already has a shopping cart, playsilks, dolls, doll stroller etc. SIL is getting her a play kitchen, play food, and a broom/cleaning set. Christmas is for filling her dress-up box - SIL will be getting princess dress-up clothes and I'll make her a tutu.

Any ideas of great imaginative toys for 2-year-olds?

[WatchingThemGrow]

musical instruments have been a huge hit for my 2yo. We have some from Kindermusik, but a lot from West Music.com

[Melaine]

My kids have really enjoyed finger puppets.

[Momof3Labs]

Easel? The Ikea one isn't too expensive.

[Dr C]

Blocks of some sort? Unit blocks, big cardboard blocks, duplos?
I know she is a girl but I don't know why a 2.y.o. girl would not like trains/track like all the 2 y.o. boys seem to.
A wagon?

[happymom]

Does she have a doll highchair? DD spends a lot of time pretending to feed her dolls in their little highchair. A doll cradle would probably be good too. What about a Cozy Coupe? We keep ours indoors and its a big part of DD's pretend play. She's always going somewhere, lol. Oh, just realized thats a bit out of your price range...maybe you can find a good deal on one.

[elliput]

Tea set or dishes to go with the kitchen and play food.

[Seitvonzu]

i second and third all the above ideas-- my 2 year old enjoys all those things and i might be biased, but i think her imagination is developing well

my child will be 3 this christmas (her birthday is 2 days before) and she's getting an ironing board/iron set (and maybe a drying rack , we have a pretend washing machine & she's really into dressing babies/stuffed animals), a pretend espresso maker (pink & plastic, but i call her "my little barista"), some dress up clothes (she had tons but, alas, children grow!), books, a couple games, and a very special custom doll that we've been calling "the birthday doll." i'm sure some other things too...

oh! i'm going to get her some "tree blocks" -- these might be good for the whole "imagination" thing... when we were on vacation i picked up a set of fairies and a cute mushroom table/chairs set. i decided to set these up with tree blocks from santa this year. i just need the blocks! search "treeblocks" (www.blueberryforest.com) -- the smaller sets are in your price range. they have these at our local "nature tots" program and the kids just love them...if you aren't into the fairy idea (ours is a set of 5, the brand is enchantmints or something like that), the blocks work well with animals, people, gnomes, etc. too. very open ended.

there is no shortage of things to give a 2-3 year old--they REALLY get fun at that age

my little girl also likes blocks (i hope she gets more and more into this- we have TONS) and her trains (she's IN LOVE with thomas!)

[amandabea]

I agree with all of the above ideas. Maybe a dollhouse. And while books don't meet the criteria for "play" they are great for the imagination and mind!

[Glizmo]

Thanks everyone!! You think I'd have no problems figuring out what to get, I have a 2.5 year old myself. But she turned 2 before summer so most of her favorite toys right now are outside toys!

DN has blocks, and a tea set... Would love to get her an easel (DD has the Ikea one and LOVES it), but it's "too big" for their house. But I'm really loving the rest of the ideas - both for DN and for DD for Christmas!! Thanks!