Play characterizes childhood. It takes us through life's early milestones and toys have a big role in shaping the child into a wise, caring adult. At the age of 2, the child becomes more independent, begins to take on challenges and goes on small adventures on their own.
Toys for children at the age of 2
That the child and play develop together is a matter of course. That's why it's important that the toys do too! 2-year-old children can often find it difficult to concentrate on one thing for a long time and a variety in the toys can do a lot to stimulate the child's need for variety. Toys for children who are 2 years old can have many uses and it becomes important not to limit play. The child uses play as a tool in early development and through it, they can create understanding and learn new things about themselves and their surroundings.
We differentiate between physical development, cognitive development, language and social & emotional development. Different toys have different uses!
Physical development when the child is 2 years old
Physical development is an important part of the baby's journey. Through play and movement, the child's physical abilities develop right up to adulthood. There are also a lot of toys and playful exercises for 2-year-old children that train the child's physical development and motor skills.
In order to develop gross motor skills, physical activity is becoming more and more important. A 2-year-old child can often walk by themself, throw, catch, kick a ball and run without falling. They take on new challenges, and their daily explorations become more adventurous as they get older! Stick horses, play tents and a simple doll stroller are toys for children aged 2 years that help the gross motor skills on the trot.
Fine motor skills develop when 2-year-old children begin to feel toys and can adapt their grasp to objects. They like to pick in and out, snap, twist, open and take apart. An innocent little brick can easily be thrown in a certain direction. Splashing with water is also fun! It is also not unusual for the child's artistic side to emerge when they start doodling and drawing at this age. Toys for children who are 2 years old that develop fine motor skills are blocks of various kinds, sorting boxes and pounding benches, where they can grab, release, pair and tap.
Cognitive development at age 2
Cognitive development is the child's ability to think and remember things that they have experienced before. 2-year-old children like to explore with their fingers, can search for hidden toys, remember that the doll is in the bed, recreate experiences and can imitate everyday behaviors in play. Their problem-solving, logical thinking and imagination begin to emerge and they are eager to explore, discover and experiment.
Letter blocks, dress-ups that encourage role play and easy puzzles are toys for children aged 2 that train cognitive development.
Language development for children who are 2 years old
2-year-olds are getting more talkative every day! They discover that things have a name, can talk about things that are not present and learn the difference between in, under and over. Things that make sounds, tablets, music boxes and talking dolls are some super fun toys for 2-year-olds that brighten up playful days!
Social and emotional development for 2-year-old children
Social and emotional development means learning about identity, empathy and communication. Who am I? And who are you? At this age, the child begins to recognize themself in the mirror, in photos and sees the difference between mine and yours. "I can do it myself!" are thoughts that begin to emerge and the child's self-confidence is constantly growing. The child begins to learn words and expressions that describe how they feel and what they feel.
A play world with simple figures and shapes is a toy for children aged 2 that helps the child develop their social and emotional understanding.
How Micki develops toys for children aged 2 years old
As a product developer, there is a lot to think about when developing new toys for children who are 2 years old. For us, it is important that the toys we develop are fun to play with, but also that they support the child's developmental phases.
What should the child feel when they play? What experiences should they have? Our Design Manager Anne Avgrim explains more:
- Making products that strive to be with and support the child in the natural stages of development but that also challenge the child's curiosity has long been our focus. If we can also make the child want to play longer and to discover new things with the product the further they get in their development, that would be fantastic! says Anne and continues:
- Working more focused on this particular theme has strengthened our products so that they can support and guide the child in their development even more, which felt important but also fun and playful!