At 2, a girl wants toys for looking after and toys for moving: a doctor's kit to treat her soft toys, wooden food to cut, a three-wheeled scooter, a Maileg mouse that becomes a character, glitter modelling dough. The gifts that work are the ones she masters alone, without help, and can show off.

What a 2-year-old loves

This is the age when everything speeds up: she runs, climbs, takes the stairs, and says "by myself" before you finish the sentence. Words arrive by the dozen, first sentences too, and she gives her soft toys voices. Pretend play settles in: she nurses, feeds, puts to bed, cooks next to you. She loves sorting, fitting, stacking, and starting again until it works. Toys must be sturdy, with no small parts, and survive being dragged from room to room.

Our gift ideas

To nurse and feed

The mini doctor's kit treats the whole family, and the wooden cutting food slices with a real knife sound. The Hanako outfit and the Norah outfit dress her 28-centimetre doll, and the Maileg baby potty completes the mouse nursery. All our pretend-play toys.

To move

The R1 three-wheeled scooter leans to turn and suits from age 2, the pull-along sheep follows her steps, and the wooden Hop rabbit rocker stays until 4. See our outdoor toys.

To imagine

Maileg's ballet dancer mouse is the first character of a collection, the horse and stable play set opens the farm stories, the forest and animals building set tidies into its box, and the alpaca figurine joins the herd. Our Maileg world and our figurines.

To transform

The star wand and tiara set and the gemstone headband go on in three seconds, the sequin ghost tutu twirls well, and the witch hat serves all year round. Our costumes range from accessory to full outfit.

To make

The glitter modelling dough is made for 18 months and up, the felt boards stick and unstick endlessly, and the water-painting pad leaves no stains. All our arts and crafts.

To cuddle and look at

The Oat fluffy rabbit fits in the bed, the mini Lullaby friends rabbit in the changing bag, and the wooden activity circus is explored with the fingertips. All our soft toys and baby toys.

What budget?

Under 20 euros: the glitter wand, the headband, the tiara, the modelling dough, the felt boards, the toy camera or the alpaca figurine. Between 20 and 50 euros: the doctor's kit, the cutting food, the dancer mouse, the Oat rabbit, the tutu, the activity circus and the building set. Above 50 euros: the scooter, the horse and stable set, the pull-along sheep, the toy cart or the rocker, for a gift that leaves a mark.

Frequently asked questions

Is a scooter at 2 too early?

No, as long as it has three wheels and turns by leaning, like the R1: the child stays stable and learns balance without thinking about it. The two-wheeled scooter can wait until 5.

Do girls and boys of 2 need different toys?

No. Nursing, cooking, rolling and building are the big scenarios of this age for every child. Our pages by gender follow what parents search for, not a rule of the shop.

Can the gift be wrapped?

Yes, gift wrapping is free: tick the box on the product page before adding to cart. Delivery to a pick-up point is free from 80 euros in mainland France, and you can collect your order in our shop at 211 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris.

See also

• Gifts for a 2-year-old boy
• Gifts for a 1-year-old girl
• Gifts for a 3-year-old girl
• All toys for ages 1 to 2
• All our gift ideas by age

Advice from the team at L'Oiseau de Paradis, a toy shop in Paris since 1932.