Your 2-3 yo's favorite toys...(it's Bday time!)

[barkley1]

DS is turning 2 in a few weeks, and I need some suggestions! What are your toddler's favorite toys, both inside and out? He has puzzles and books, obviously, and an indoor soft play climber, as well as some riding toys for outside including a second-hand Kettler I just got (for free! yippee!) It's hard for me to know what stage will be next and what he's big/old enough to enjoy...

Some thoughts: sand/water table, art easel

Any big winners in your house?

[LMPC]

DD loves her easel...gets daily play at our house. Also, she's warming up to her balance bike.

[vonfirmath]

DS is turning 2 in a few weeks, and I need some suggestions! What are your toddler's favorite toys, both inside and out? He has puzzles and books, obviously, and an indoor soft play climber, as well as some riding toys for outside including a second-hand Kettler I just got (for free! yippee!) It's hard for me to know what stage will be next and what he's big/old enough to enjoy...

Some thoughts: sand/water table, art easel

Any big winners in your house?

Big winners here are
Haba Orchard (got for Christmas when he was 2 and STILL loves it at almost 4)
Imaginext Fire Station (3rd birthday gift)
Gamewright Hiss (around 3rd birthday)
Melissa and DOug alphabet puzzle (uses to spell words, etc)
Melissa and doug magnetic pattern toy
balance bike

Leapfrog Letter Factory
Leapfrog Talking Words Factory
Bob the Builder On Site DVDs

[brittone2]

At that age, my kids have really enjoyed little tools to imitate/help us with. A child sized broom, rake, shovel, swiffer w/ a section removed to make it shorter. Not the most exciting, but that stuff has gotten a ton of play value here through the years. Looking through a Montessori site like Forsmallhands always gave me fun ideas for kids that age.

DS1 got his balance bike for his 3rd bday and that was the perfect time for him. DD started riding the handmedown balance bike at 2.5 and was riding a regular pedal bike (without training wheels) at 3.5. So 2-3 is a good age IME for a balance bike, but some kids will be ready sooner, and others a little later (my son was much more conservative at that age than my DD).

Simple games starting at age 3 (Zingo, Memory type games, etc)

For a 2 yo, something like a Learning Tower? We got ours when DS1 was maybe 18 months and we still use it 6 years later.

[vonfirmath]

At that age, my kids have really enjoyed little tools to imitate/help us with. A child sized broom, rake, shovel, swiffer w/ a section removed to make it shorter. Not the most exciting, but that stuff has gotten a ton of play value here through the years. Looking through a Montessori site like Forsmallhands always gave me fun ideas for kids that age.

DS1 got his balance bike for his 3rd bday and that was the perfect time for him. DD started riding the handmedown balance bike at 2.5 and was riding a regular pedal bike (without training wheels) at 3.5. So 2-3 is a good age IME for a balance bike, but some kids will be ready sooner, and others a little later (my son was much more conservative at that age than my DD).

Simple games starting at age 3 (Zingo, Memory type games, etc)

my son was ready for games sooner. He played "Go Away Monster" and Candyland at barely 2. Haba Orchard at 2y4m (as noted). Chutes and Ladders by age 3.

[kristac]

geotrax
magnatiles
big trucks
rody
discovery toys castle marbleworks
unit blocks
duplos

[carolinamama]

Outdoor:
Balance bike (small, light one)
LT lawnmower, play blower and chainsaw
Big sandbox with shovels, buckets etc
Big Tonka truck
Play wheelbarrow
Balls

Indoor:
DS2 loves figurines such as horses, dragons, dinosaurs, knights, pirates, animals and the like. Ours range from Playmobile, Pappo, Schleich, lego men, and other random things.
Bruder trucks (garbage truck, flatbed trucks with bulldozer and backhoe)
Magnatiles
Wooden traintracks and trains
Big cardboard blocks - we have 3 full sets and we can really build big towers and tunnels for play trucks and cars

[swissair81]

My 2.5 year old loves anything firetruck or digger. I got him a helmet and he runs around playing fireman.
He has a FP garage that all my kids think is way cool http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...PX8MATGV5VB9KZ
He loves magnatiles, duplo blocks with the wheelie cars.
He loves the workbench that is a hand me down from his 17 yo uncle. My mother has it in her playroom and he loves it.
Thomas is also a huge hit.
I also got him some discontinued Little Tikes trucks on ebay- like this http://cgi.ebay.com/LITTLE-TIKES-SEM...item3a67a1d47f
Megablocks makes some ride on toys from CAT (the construction company). My son loves his.

[kristac]

I also got him some discontinued Little Tikes trucks on ebay- like this http://cgi.ebay.com/LITTLE-TIKES-SEM...item3a67a1d47f
.

We love this truck as well!! It is a huge hit at playgroups.

[WatchingThemGrow]

costumes! my 3yo has spent a year dressing up. He any costume!