Cool birthday gifts for 2-year-olds should be able to keep up with them — even if you can’t. Imaginative play toys help channel that boundless curiosity into something more productive than, say, taking a crayon to your wall, while other toys will help build important skills like strengthening their memory or learning to follow directions. (Win!)

Of course there’s also cool clothes, great books, and fun room decor. . . we found so many cool gifts for 2-year-olds, the biggest challenge might be getting them to sit still long enough to unwrap all of them.

Please note that we’ve included links to both big and small shops for convenience and price. But we always encourage you to shop your own local independent toy stores, book stores, and boutiques!

Be sure to see our full list of the coolest birthday gifts for kids by age

The best gifts for kids by age 2023

The coolest first birthday gifts
The coolest birthday gifts for 2-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 3-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 4-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 5-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 6-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 7-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 8-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for tweens and big kids 9-12
The coolest birthday gifts for teens

 

The coolest birthday gifts for 2 year olds

All gifts have been editorially determined by our staff, there is no compensation in exchange for picks.
CMP is an rstyle and Amazon affiliate which means we may receive a small commission from certain purchases to help us remain independent and support our staff.

This post is new for 2023.

Olli Ella soft body baby doll
($50 at The Tot)

Floppy in all the best ways, these adorable soft baby dolls are the perfect size for 2 year old arms to hold. Simply lovely.

LEGO DUPLO: My First Alphabet Truck
($24.99 at Amazon)

Learn letters through play with this chunky set of DUPLO letter bricks that neatly stack up on the back of this moveable truck. A great starter set or to add to your toddler’s growing collection of DUPLO.

 

Kidzone electric bumper car
($179.96 at Amazon)

For kids as young as 18 months, this ride on comes with a remote control so parents can control the driving. (You can turn over the controls once the young driver is old enough to not just ram you in the legs over and over.) Too bad they don’t come in adult sizes too.

 

Wonder and Wise kayak sleeping bag
($123 at Nordstrom)

They’ll paddle off to dreamland in this sweet little kayak sleeping bag. Grab this little mini version too, and their favorite lovey can join them for sweet dreams!

Wooden food puzzles
($24 each at Keiki Kaukau)

It’s never too early to introduce them to the wonders of food from around the world: Maybe they’ll be more apt to stray from their “safe” mac and cheese and try some crispy lumpia or miso soup. Your biggest choice will be which one of the six chunky puzzles from this Hawaiian toy company will be on your menu, er, shopping list?

SMOL Rainbow Bounce House
($429-$479 at The Tot)

For indoors or out, it’s an awesome way to burn off that energy they never seem to be lacking. In pink or blue; also available here.

 

Just Like Me curated book subscription
(from $30/month at Just Like Me)

We’ve recommended this well-curated monthly book subscription for a few years, thanks to its focus on diversity in kids’ literature. We also like that the books grow up with your kids, so you can start them with books aimed at two year olds, but they’ll still get books they’ll love when they’re six.

Sesame Street toddler socks
($39 at Bombas)

The letter of the day is S! Sesame Street socks are super soft and suggestive of your kids’ favorite characters, like the tiny cookie for Cookie Monster or the pink circle nose for Grover. Stupendous!

Personalized shape puzzle

($32.99 + $7 for personalization at Bannor Toys)

This chunky shapes puzzle is great for practicing hand-eye coordination; the personalization makes it an extra-special gift.

Key-shaped crayons from Jar Melo
($14.97 at Amazon)

Unlock their artistic side with these key-shaped, chunky crayons in a dozen colors. Add lots of drawing paper so they can get coloring right away.

LuMi nightlight gift set
($42.99 at Little Lantern)

The coziest night light that turns on with a touch of the belly, LuMi is easy for toddlers to carry as they waddle down the hallway to wake you up for another glass of water. Don’t worry, they’ll sleep through the night someday.

 

Timber Tots Treehouse play set
($49.95 at Fat Brain Toys)

One of the cutest things to come back from the 70’s, this Timber Tots Treehouse closes up so you can easily move it from the bedroom, to the living room, to the kitchen, to grandma’s house, and back to the bedroom. Because you know they’ll want to take it everywhere.

 

Black empowerment tee for toddlers
($14.24 at ELNA4 Creative House)

Celebrate the birthday boy or girl‘s newest year with a soft tiny tee with a powerful message that reverberates back through the ages. Love the elegant image above, and the “boy” image is striking as well.

Handmade Montessori wooden play kitchen
($504+ at Palumba Camden Rose)

The perfect-sized toddler play kitchen, this beautifully handmade — and splurge-y — wooden set includes a stainless sink with knobs that turn, a faucet that rotates, and a cutting board and baking racks that slide out. So there’s lots to play with before you even add play food!

 

Truck bookcase + toy storage
($249 at Crate and Kids)

This beautifully made toddler-sized bookcase will look great in their bedroom for years, plus it’s just the right size for them to put their own books away. We can hope, right?

 

LEGO Star Wars plush minifigures
($15.10-$31.50 at Amazon)

Larger than your standard minifigure, but they don’t hurt when you step on them at night. Love this entire line from Manhattan Toy!

Koala Crate monthly craft subscription
($21.95/month for 3 months at KiwiCo.)

Well-planned themes, engaging activities, and quality materials makes a Koala Crate subscription such a terrific gift for two-year-olds that just keeps on giving every month.

 

Cool toddler joggers. . .with pockets!
($24.95+ at Princess Awesome/Boy Wonder)

These cozy unisex fleece-lined leggings covered in fierce dragons would be amazing on their own, but these joggers also have pockets! (just a tip: check them before you start the laundry. . .)

Also available in a bright rainbow pattern as well as mathematical symbols.  From Princess Awesome/Boy Wonder, a company whose medical superhero clothing was a top pick.