Best toys

I have a two year old. Looking for recs on toys and puzzles-activities.

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Target has a new line of STEM toys for toddlers called GiggleScape. We love them.

We play with a lot of things that mimic what I’m doing like she has her baby doll to take care of when I take care of her little brother, a kitchen set was a good addition to her play, bags or purses to carry things around, stuff like that. We also have a train set from Brio that she loves and have added cars and boats to the set. Activities we do are water color, play dough, and baking together. I also keep balloons on hand to blow up for keepy uppy.

My son loves magnetic tiles!

Melissa & Doug - I love ALL of their products. From puzzles to painting to wooden toys to dress up costumes. You can find them on Amazon. Pricey but hours of entertainment for your little one.

A play couch. Pricey but omg my toddler looooooves it.
As far as puzzles, he loves the wooden rainbow and playing with blocks. Also magnetic blocks.
Another thing that’s great is play silks. Sarah’s silks has a ton of sales happening from time to time.
Staplestein stepping stones are pricey but another one he plays with a lot and open ended.

This page has good ideas

https://raisewildflowers.com/toy-shop

Omg just a few open-ended toys allllll the way!! People had given my daughter so many toys and she wouldn't play with anything for more than a few minutes and I was going crazy. I read a book called "Simplicity Parenting" (amazing). I donated all of her toys except for a few stuffies, 1 block set, 1 doll, some playsilks, homemade playdough, magnetic tiles, 1 car, 1 plane, and a basket of animal figurines which get rotated. We don't do any screentime, but she got a Yoto for her 2nd birthday and listens to it all of the time. I know this is a post asking for toy recs, but her play completely changed when I gave her less and she's genuinely happier. It really is powerful. I catch her pretending her fingers are people that talk to each other sometimes. If she's bored she'll just engage her imagination, which means she's never bored anymore. I don't hear whining in the car or at restaurants anymore. Best thing I've done for her and wish I had done it even earlier! 💜

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