At 2, a boy wants toys for moving and toys for copying you: a balance bike or a three-wheeled scooter, a truck that really rolls, wooden food to cut, a first peg puzzle, a soft toy to take everywhere. The gifts that work are the ones he masters alone, without help, with an immediate result.

What a 2-year-old loves

This is the age of balance and self-assertion: he runs, climbs, jumps with both feet, and says "me" about everything. Words arrive by the dozen, first sentences too. He lines up, stacks, fits pieces in, and starts again until it works. Pretend play begins in earnest: he cooks next to you, repairs with his tools, drives his cars while imitating the engine. He needs sturdy toys with no small parts, and plenty of space to let off steam.

Our gift ideas

To move

The LR M balance bike is the gift for 2-year-olds par excellence: it teaches balance before pedals. The R1 three-wheeled scooter leans to turn, and the wooden dachshund ride-on suits the youngest. See our outdoor toys.

To roll

The yellow Volkswagen camper and the Citroën 2CV 4x4 are sturdy Norev cars that fit his hand. The wind-up ice cream truck drives by itself, and the Eiffel Tower mini roadster is a souvenir of Paris. All our cars, boats and planes.

To do what you do

The wooden cutting food slices with a real knife sound, the Scattered Stars kitchen set equips his first tea party, and the Granito kitchen fits in a small flat. All our pretend-play toys.

To fit and name

The wooden alphabet puzzle and the dog letter puzzle fit piece by piece, My beautiful shape farm sorts shapes into the right door, and the emotions activity cards put words on what he feels. See our puzzles.

To make

The magic finger paint washes off with water, My first slate wipes clean in one go, and the fifteen pots of Patarev never dry out. All our arts and crafts.

To cuddle and imagine

Bretti the yeti is as tall as he is, the Wheat fluffy rabbit fits in the bed, and the brontosaurus or raccoon figurines start the first stories. All our soft toys and figurines.

What budget?

Under 20 euros: the figurines, the 2CV, the ice cream truck, the finger paint, the alphabet puzzle or the emotions cards. Between 20 and 50 euros: the cutting food, the camper van, the bigger puzzles, the shape farm, the Wheat rabbit and the kitchen set. Above 50 euros: the balance bike, the scooter, the ride-on, the Granito kitchen or Bretti the yeti, for a gift that leaves a mark.

Frequently asked questions

Balance bike or scooter at 2?

The balance bike first: it teaches balance and prepares for a bike without stabilisers around 4. The three-wheeled scooter also suits from 2, but asks less of balance. Both are chosen by saddle or handlebar height, so measure the inside leg before giving.

How many pieces for a puzzle at 2?

Peg puzzles of 4 to 12 pieces, with a knob or a shape that is easy to grasp. The 24-piece jigsaw comes around 3.

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 girl
• Gifts for a 1-year-old boy
• Gifts for a 3-year-old boy
• 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.