Educational Toys for a 2 Year Old

We got a great Animal Puzzle by Brainy Baby at www.mybabycrazy.com. My little one started using it at age two. It has pictures on one side and words on the other. Pieces fit together when you have the matching picture or word. It is a great way to introduce early concepts, then build up to spelling and letter recognition. They also have a Sorting Suitcase toy that is educational and fun!

I have always used flash cards and the foamy letters in the bathtub since he was a year old. At eighteen months my son knew all the letters in the alphabet and could identify numbers up to nine. Now he can count until five by himself and sometimes randomly reads words. I also believe that reading is good. My son likes the pop up books with letters or anything underneath. May be a computer that is age appropriate with letters and numbers or blocks with letters and numbers. the most important thing is to spend time with him and to make learning fun.

I had ABCs for the tub that would stick on the walls of the tub and my kids loved them. This is also how they learned to read at very early ages. When they are in the bath and playing with the letters you make it fun for them by saying the letter name and eventually the sounds. Then you start with the 3 letter words. They love it because it is fun and interactive. Cheap toy too!

Hi L.,

How about...
-magnetic letters and numbers (you can use a cookie sheet or the fridge as the board)

-an assortment of empty containers and odds and ends to sort by color or size (muffin tins work great for this)

-books! I prefer books over toys that whir and beep any day

-sports-y things - basketballs and a basket, mini golf, bowling toys... so fun!

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find the perfect thing. :)
C.
My blog --> http://priority1mail.blogspot.com

Dear L.,
Discovery Toys has an excellent selection of age-related toys. They work off of demos in the home. My children are much older now, but they still remember some of their favorite toys as coming from the Discovery Toy line.
At the age of two, your child is very capable of counting to 100, learning to read, swim, and learn different languages and music appreciation. How much do you want to work with him? How much do you want him to work on his own? The greatest growth in learning actually is developed from birth to the age of three. In the womb he knew your voice and the sounds near.
If you go with a computer, monitor the amount of time that your child is on it. There are wonderful software programs out there and it maybe a way of learning his letters, but I would make the letters on the keys bigger....use you imagination....so he does not strain his eyes.
Sand letters on a board is a way to teach your son the alphabet, but tracing the letters will also teach him to write. If you look into the Montessori programs, there are brochures available, this may also interest you.
Have a Blessed Season of Love,
E.

My kids had a learning laptop that taught them counting, colors, shapes. It was Barney themed which was a bonus for them. I liked the Leapfrog toys they had also. They played with them a lot. They had a bus that taught the alphabet, a magnetic fridge game that taught about farm animals, a doll that taught about feelings.

Keep in mind that everything kids do at this age teaches them some skill and gets them to think. So don't discount toys that aren't electronic or don't seem educational. You might consider puzzles, books, blocks - you can find them in a variety of themes to suit what you would like to concentrate on or that match your child's interests (such as favorite characters). Candyland Castle is a game that was a hit with my kids. It is a good for teaching colors, shapes, matching, taking turns. Maybe consider "crafts" that let them be creative. I like playdoh and Crayola Color Wonders products as they are fun and not messy. You can "teach" shapes, sizes, how things feel, colors, sorting, actions, etc. Hope this helps.