Two years - perhaps the first birthday, when the child is already gradually beginning to understand that this holiday is especially for him. This fact imposes a special responsibility on all those who are going to please the kid with a gift - there is no way to be wrong! At the same time, the crumb is still small enough so that you can get a clear idea of what exactly she wanted to get, so you will have to build on the general preferences of children of this age.
Selection features
At a very young age, a birthday present for a little birthday boy is chosen with a strict reference to how old he is. The second birthday in life is no longer the most difficult task for adults, but still, one of the most difficult. At this time, the choice of possible gifts is greatly expanding, compared to one year, but many things still cannot be given.
There is clearly something to choose from, however, if you do not yet have your own children, it is not so easy to figure out what is possible and what is not, especially considering the interests of the baby.
A good choice requires an understanding of the needs of a birthday person of this age.
He already walks and even runs well enough, and therefore any toys and accessories for active pastime should definitely be considered.
At approximately the same stage of life, creative searches begin, so that various appropriate sets may also be relevant.
But the baby is still very small, and this should be taken into account when choosing a gift: there should not be too complicated toys, it is also unacceptable for the present to have small details that you can choke on.
If we start from the color scheme, then the bright should still attract the child's attention, but less colorful options are already acceptable.
The best gifts from parents and grandmothers
Probably, at two years old, gifts begin to be divided into those that are appropriate from the closest relatives, and those that are suitable for the rest of the guests. In any case, parents and grandparents are unlikely to ignore such an important family event, so ideas of what could be given are needed.
Usually, babies receive the most valuable gifts from close relatives - and we will consider them:
- Children's furniture. Children a little older may not like such gifts, but at two years old they are both practical in their use and beautifully complement the interior. Of the common options - a children's table with a high chair, an inflatable chair, or even a larger bed - so that the grown-up child can fit. Thanks to its well-thought-out design, such a solution can cause real delight.
- Personal transport. The first car is still far away, but a scooter or a tricycle is already quite appropriate. Although, stop: who said it's too early for a car? If you have the appropriate financial capabilities, you can now give your child a car, of course, a toy car, but a big one, already with a motor and remote control, allowing you to take small walks on it under the supervision of your elders.
- Sports goods for kids. The level of physical activity is now already sufficient to start thinking about what to do with it. The ideal solution is if the child has a small playground right at home. In an apartment, it can be a small trampoline, an inflatable slide, a Swedish wall or a dry pool - not the one in which they float in the water, but the one filled with small balls.
- Clothes and bed linen. Here we are talking about warm things for the winter, as well as about various outfits - dresses for a girl or a beautiful formal suit for a boy, which will be suitable for photo shoots and for visiting visits. A bathrobe or towel with ears will also be a useful and beautiful gift. We also admit the option with bedding made of natural fabric.
On this, of course, the options do not end there, but it is these things that are most often given by the closest relatives.
If you want to give something themed, choose among creative, memorable and sporting gifts.
Useful ideas for developing creativity and intelligence
At two years old, the child is an already formed personality who is actively looking for himself. In this regard, it is from the age of two that it makes sense to give something that is focused on the development of creative impulses.
It's probably a bit early for an electric guitar, but a set of wax pencils or finger paints will already be appreciated, in a sense, coloring also fits here.
It is also early for plasticine - because of the eternal desire to taste everything, it poses a danger to the baby, unless we are talking about a special, environmentally friendly variety.
If you want to develop the musical abilities of the birthday man, you can pay attention to special children's toy instruments - most often they look like a piano, but there are also various pipes, guitars and even harmonicas.
As for intellectual development, sets, for example, animals, or vegetables and fruits, will play a very important role. Such gifts, in addition to purely playful, have a very practical application: they help to learn the names of shapes and colors, and along the way they develop memory.
Similar functions have a children's play first aid kit, which also removes the fear of doctors, and tool kits for boys.
Cubes, constructors and mosaics develop an understanding of the whole and its details, and contribute to the development of motor skills. A beautiful large picture book should also interest a two-year-old.
Toys and gifts
At two years old, the child still wants to just play, without thinking about whether it is useful for his development or not. For this reason, most toys, unless they have small parts, remain perhaps the most popular gift option.
The choice of a particular toy largely depends on the gender of the child: by the second birthday, children already understand the difference between boys and girls and usually already follow the generally accepted interests for both.
The girl will definitely appreciate a beautiful doll, especially one with which you can bend arms and legs, as well as a stroller for her, and everything else that imitates household chores - from toy dishes to similar furniture.
The boy's interests are much closer to technology - he will like cars, trucks and cranes. From what children of both genders will love: wheelchair cars with handles, as well as toys that can speak.
There is an important point here: if your gift speaks or makes any other loud sounds, it is better to consult with your parents in advance about whether it is worth making such a present. The fact is that many adults are annoyed by the constant noise, and then they simply pull the batteries out of the toy, as a result of which all the "genius" of the donor's plan is lost.
As for mementos, this is usually the lot of godparents. Most often, they give a cross for this purpose, but in fact, any gift "for growth", up to jewelry, will do as a memorable present.
The best games and sports equipment for the fidget
At two years old, the simplest board games are already available to the child. Speech, first of all, about puzzles and lotto - preferably special, designed for such small children. Perhaps the kid does not yet fully understand the whole meaning of the fun, and does not plan to strictly adhere to the rules of the game, but he is already interested, and, experimenting with the details, he will slowly begin to learn and develop logic.
As for sports, it's about time for him! Here are some of the more popular ideas:
- Tricycle. This is an absolute hit in the world of gifts for young children, because as soon as the baby learns to ride it on his own, his delight will simply not be the limit. The use of this sports equipment is also permissible in an apartment: it does not take up much space yet. But the benefits are a lot: it develops various muscle groups, and the vestibular apparatus.
- Dry pool with balls. All parents have probably seen this popular children's entertainment - it is often installed in large supermarkets and shopping centers. Its meaning is that there the child can perform any active acrobatic stunts without the risk of hitting or getting injured. This allows you to throw out the seething energy without negative consequences.
- Balls. Another very relevant gift, which for girls will soon lose its relevance in many ways, but for boys it will be a pleasant surprise up to 30 years old and older! A toy that looks simple at first glance develops large motor skills, and also teaches you to interact with other children - it is still better to play the ball at least together.
- Trampoline. It is no secret that children are very fond of jumping and beds and sofas often suffer from this, and there is always a risk that the child will fall from there and hit. Another thing is to put a trampoline right at home! Firstly, the result will be simply amazing, because the trampoline is springy, allowing the child to jump much higher, thanks to which not a single kid is left indifferent. Secondly, such entertainment is usually protected along the perimeter by a high soft mesh, which excludes the jumpers from falling outside the soft surface.
This list could be continued indefinitely, but when choosing, keep in mind that the coordination of movements of the birthday boy is not yet very good, so he is not ready for too difficult physical exercises. In addition, the focus should be on injury safety.
Original options
All these gifts will surely find a response in the soul of a little birthday boy, but they are too commonplace, and there is always a risk that the child already has exactly the same or very similar thing. Many guests, in an effort to stand out and be unique, would like to give a two-year-old child something original. This is not so easy to do, but it is possible.
Actually, the most common among atypical gifts is a gift not so much to the birthday person as to the whole family. We are talking about a professional photo session, as an option - even a thematic one. The kid is still unlikely to understand what is happening, but he may be interested in at least just visiting the bright scenery and trying on unusual clothes. But after a couple of years, he will be happy to consider photographs of himself little in a special suit, and such a gift will delight him even twenty years later.
Recently, the fashion of giving small children vintage wine has been rapidly gaining popularity, but this trend is not yet generally known.
The idea is to give the little birthday boy an expensive alcoholic drink with the wish to drink it on the day of majority. At two years old, the baby is still unlikely to fully appreciate any gift, but imagine his surprise when his parents give him such a reminder from the past for his eighteenth birthday! Moreover, good wine only gets better over the years.
Another interesting option is a tree sapling. A two-year-old child himself can take a symbolic part in his planting on a personal plot, and a photograph of this moment risks becoming one of the best in life. In addition, this is a tribute to the ancient traditions of our people, and if the birthday person is also a boy, then he can safely put one of three checkboxes for himself - he planted a tree, all that remains is to build a house and raise a son!
What gift can you make yourself?
It is often said that the best gift is one that is made with your own hands. For a two-year-old child, there are not so many such options, but they are.
The most common option is an interestingly designed handmade photo album. Nowadays, by the age of two, babies already accumulate at least a hundred photographs, from which you need to choose the best ones, united by some common idea or plot. All this is folded in a certain order, decorated with hand-made bright drawings or applique from cutouts, signed with beautiful wishes - the gift is ready!
If a photo album is more of a souvenir value, then a developing book performs a specific developmental function.
This is where special attention should be paid to the concept - the plot of the book should be of interest to the child, but at the same time it should also help develop certain skills and abilities.
Most often, for this purpose, books are made that teach counting, where each number is accompanied by an illustration with the corresponding amount, for example, of fruits. The explanation to the figure may well be voluminous - for this, the required number of colored beads is attached to the pages on strings. Such a solution is not as simple to implement as it might seem, therefore, only those who have good creative skills and have high perseverance, coupled with the desire to achieve the final result, should take on such tasks.
Alternatively, you can also make a business board with your own hands, but at two years old the child has already outgrown it a little - unless we are talking about the most complex models. Such a design should consist of complex elements - in particular, toggle switches and switches must necessarily turn on small flashlights or give sound signals, the board must also be equipped with various keyboards from phones, and so on, because simple things no longer belong here. Self-assembly of such a toy is not within the power of every man.
What shouldn't be gifted?
There are types of gifts that seem appropriate for two-year-olds, but are actually unacceptable. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing ideas:
- no separate small parts, including small puzzles and constructors - the owner will surely pull them into his mouth, and it is not yet known how it will end;
- toys with small batteries are also unacceptable - for the same reason;
- the child will love musical and talking toys, but may not receive parental approval, which will hinder the full use of the gift. Therefore, before you buy, consult with the family members of the hero of the occasion;
- it is unwise to give a child too expensive toys. He still does not see the difference between cheap and expensive, but any parent will confirm that not a single toy has survived from two years to a more or less conscious age of its owner;
- for the convenience of the child, the toy should be light and small, so the time for huge soft toys has not yet come;
- if you are giving a book, try to choose a copy with thick pages - this is the last hope that it will last a relatively long time;
- do not present the birthday boy with toys that are too complicated for two years of age. Dolls should be relatively natural and simple, no barbies or interactive models. Boys do not need radio-controlled cars yet - it is not easy to control them, and the sharp sound of the engine can scare. Contrary to advertisements for special children's tablets, it is probably too early for them too.
Do not be too lazy to devote a little more time to choosing a gift for a two-year-old baby, and then it is possible that even with a small financial cost, the child will be satisfied. Pay attention to the materials from which the gift is made - ideally, they should be completely natural and non-toxic.
You will learn more about gifts for a 2-year-old child in the following video.
