The best toys for two-year-olds

This fun matching game is simple and familiar, and toddlers love to match the farmyard animals with you. Tested by mum Philippa: "My little one is entertained for a good length of time playing with this game and she matches the cards to the boards independently if there is nobody available to play with! I can see how, as she gets older and plays properly, this game will be great for encouraging turn taking and sharing. It will also support with developing social skills in small groups of children. Four boards is just the right amount I think - it means that players aren't waiting too long for their turn again which is key for games for young children!"This game won Gold at our sister title Mother&Baby's 2021 Best Toddler Toy Awards.

A fun dollhouse from LEGO DUPLO that will provide hours of entertainment, allowing for role playing and imagination to run wild. Tested by mum Emma: "My little boy loves LEGO DUPLO and can be entertained for hours by building, deconstructing and then re-building again. It's also fun for an adult to get involved as there are different ways to build the house, so it's a chance to get creative. There's lots of potential to add to the house with other pieces over the months/years too."This toy won Silver at our sister title Mother&Baby's 2021 Best Toddler Toy Awards.

Encouraging imagination, role playing, learning the ABC, and building, this truck is loads of fun for developing toddlers. Tested by mum Soniya: "My toddler has really enjoyed playing with this toy. He is happy to play independently with it which allows me to get jobs done on my own. I am hoping with time he will make use of the alphabets on there as currently he is only using it as a truck or as a motor activity with the blocks. I love that the toy is versatile and allows many different uses."This toy won Bronze at our sister title Mother&Baby's 2021 Best Toddler Toy Awards.

Make getting familiar with numbers fun with this colourful jigsaw puzzle which is a great learning resource. This will help boost your little ones number and counting skills as well as their ability to observe. Tested by mum Sarah: "I think this is a very good quality game and it has a lot of nice features (it stores well, has nice illustrations, has some educational value in assembling a puzzle and teaching counting, shapes, colours etc). I like that it's made of cardboard and not plastic, and I think the company is a good one in that they will replace any missing parts for free."This toy won Bronze at our sister title Mother&Baby's 2020 Best Toddler Toy Awards.

Filled with colourful pages, different animals and bright objects, this book is great for boosting your two-year-old's knowledge and language. As well as being able to touch different animals, they'll be able to hear different sounds to stimulate their senses, all while learning new and exciting facts. Tested by mum Eleanor: "The Learning Friends 100 Words Book hasn't left our side since we received it. My two daughters aged nine months and three years both love this book. It has kept them both entertained on many occasions. I have used the book when traveling in the car, cooking their tea, putting the washing on and many more tasks that were impossible to do without one of them getting upset."

Toddlers seem to love pretending they're at the shops, whether they're emptying the shelves or acting as the supermarket cashier. This toy till is both fun and educational for little ones as it is designed to help them with their counting skills. Tested by mum Katrina Irvine: "I would recommend this to other mums, but I'd make sure they knew about the coins getting stuck in the back of the till beforehand! The till is nice and small, and fits in a bag if you want to carry it out and about. It's easy enough to use for a child independently and is great fun to play together as well, and you can easily add their favourite food items from your kitchen. It's also really good for their counting skills."

This fun ice cream cart toy will help improve your toddler's memory, counting and creative abilities, as they have to remember the orders, put the ice creams together and make sure they get the ice cream to all the customers at the cart. Tested by mum Kelly: "The cart sings as you push it, which my little one loves. It has a volume control which is nice for parents. The design is clever as the scoop recognises the flavour and will say the colour or the flavour. My two-year-old repeats some of the colours back, helping him learn. It has a lot of different features and the cards read out different challenges. "

A fun matching activity that can be developed into different games as your tot grows, these cards feature 12 farm characters and objects for your little ones to match. The cards can be wiped clean and big enough for your little one to recognise the animals.Tested by mum-of-three Melanie Hudson: "I would recommend this game to a friend or family member as it is such a well-made card game. The card pieces were really thick and easy for my little one to pick up, and they could withstand the dribble should she put them to her mouth. The design of the animals on the cards are very colourful and are quite big which made it easier for them to recognise the animals. This game was not just popular with my little one but with my older children too, who are three and six years."

A beautiful, richly coloured musical instrument gift set. It includes a Baby Xylophone, Ocean Drum, Rattle Roller and Rainbow Spinner. Your baby will be able to watch as the colourful beads cascade, creating fascinating sounds and wonderful visual effects that will delight young children.Tested by mum Shelley McDonough: "I would recommend this toy because my daughter absolutely adores it! The design of each of the instruments is beautiful, they're extremely well made, like real little instruments for toddlers. They are bright and colourful and keep my daughter entertained for hours. The product even comes with songs that we have enjoyed learning to play together."

Suitable from two years old, this scooter has been designed to grow with your tot. With two front wheels to make scooting easier, and an innovating steering system teaching your little one to balance, our mums loved how intuitive the scooting style was. Tested by mum Nina Fletcher: "This is the best scooter we have tried. The adjustable handlebar is a great design feature as the scooter will grow with the child. The 'lean and steer' scooting style is intuitive. It is sturdy and feels safe with its three wheels so even very young children will learn quickly to scoot confidently."

There are probably cheaper kids' kitchens, but how cute is this for your little chef? Complete with a hob and oven, sink, microwave, fridge and telephone.

Your little one's imaginations are sure to flourish as they start exploring the Timber Tots Tree House. This nostalgic Treehouse is action-packed with two character figures who can jump in the lift to reach the upper level, play on the swing, head to the garage to wash the car or take a nap in the secret bush.

Bring your tot's favourite story to life with this 16-piece cardboard floor jigsaw puzzle. This bright colourful scene will teach your little one important problem-solving skills.

Suitable for toddlers from two years, this is a great way to encourage your tot to get creative. With one chalkboard and one whiteboard, this clever easel can be folded flat for easy storage.

A fun way to encourage your little one to learn the alphabet, this colourful puzzle teaches them to match letters and pictures. Helping develop hand eye coordination and problem-solving skills, this is a great buy.