Our favorite toys for two and three year olds
Toddlers are the perfect combination of fun and crazy. At this age, my son really loved puzzles, building toys, play pretend toys, and toys that helped him get out all that energy.
In this gift guide, you’ll find our favorite toys for two and three year olds. And most of these toys are still played with today. I’m sure you’ll find something on this list that your toddler will love for many years to come.

Disclosure: One Little Small is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. I selected the products in this guide because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Toddler Gifts
Melissa & Doug Wooden Peg Puzzle 6 Pack
I love these peg puzzles from Melissa & Doug. They are the perfect beginner puzzles for 2 year olds.
Melissa & Doug Jigsaw Puzzle Bundle
These Melissa & Doug jigsaw puzzles are great for older toddlers. We bought our son the dinosaur puzzle at age 3, and it was a huge hit!
CreateOn Sesame Street Colors with Elmo
Most toddlers love Magna-Tiles and Sesame Street. Put them together and you’ve got this Elmo set from CreateOn. We purchased this set when my son was 2 and he still loves playing with it.
CreateOn Daniel Tigers Neighborhood: Daniel’s Many Feelings
Another awesome Sesame Street themed Magna-Tiles set from CreateOn is this garbage truck set. And it’s perfectly on brand for a toddler who is sometimes grouchy and loves the garbage truck.
Playskool Mr. Potato Head
Another classic toy from our childhood that my child loves today is Mr. Potato Head. This toy is best for kids ages 3 and up due to the small pieces.
Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set
My son began to play pretend as a toddler, and play food has always been a hit in our house. This set from Melissa & Doug is nice because it’s durable and made from wood. And my son loves that he can use a “real” knife to cut the food.
FUNERICA Cash Register Toy
If you’ve got play food, your toddler will probably ask to play pretend grocery store. And then you’ll need a toy cash register. This one is nice because it also comes with a set of play food, pretend money and working microphone.
Little Tikes Shopping Cart
And since you can’t play pretend grocery store without a shopping cart, you’ll to get a toy shopping cart. This classic shopping cart from Little Tikes is nice because the plastic doesn’t ding furniture and it fits nicely into a corner of a room.
Playskool Sit ‘n Spin
Some toys are a classic for a reason. What I love about the Playskool Sit ‘n Spin is that it gives my son the thrill of spinning in circles without the chaos of constantly crashing into furniture.
Big Gifts for Toddlers
Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
It might seem odd to gift an outdoor toy during Christmas in the Midwest, but hear me out. Saving something special for warmer weather gives your kiddo something to look forward to – and you’ll be a head of the curve purchasing a water table before everyone else does come spring time. We’ve had this water table for over 3 years, and it’s still in great shape and gets tons of use!
Step2 Whisper Ride On Push Car
My son loves this ride on push car so much that he still asks to sit in it for family walks, even though he barely fits anymore. This is one toy you will get a lot of use out of.
Little Tikes 3′ Trampoline
I was hesitant to dedicate space in our house to a mini trampoline that would be out all the time, but I’m glad I did. It’s an easy way to help my son burn off some extra energy before school or in the afternoon on a rainy day.
BRIO My First Railway Train Set
If your child loves toy trains, BRIO sets are worth the investment. There are a ton of different, imaginative sets that all connect with ease. This high-quality toy will last for years, even with repeated abuse from little ones. This BRIO First Railway Train Set is a great first set to gift your little train enthusiast.
Intex Inflatable Jump-O-Lene Bounce House
We purchased our bounce house as our big pandemic quarantine purchase. What I like about this bounce house is that you don’t need a huge area to use it inside – it’s only about 5.5 ft x 5.5 ft. We are able to use ours inside by moving around a few things around – and it’s definitely been handy to have this bounce house on rain days.
Thank you for checking out my gift guide for toddlers. I hope you are able to find the perfect gift for your two or three year old in this list of toys my son has loved so much.
If you enjoyed this gift guide, make sure to check out my full collection of holiday gift ideas for kids, including Gift Ideas for Babies, Gift Ideas for One Year Olds, Preschooler Gift Guide, Hanukkah Gift Guide and Stocking Stuffers Guide.