The Best Toys for 1- and 2-Year-Olds, and What Each One Teaches

Between one and two, your child learns an enormous amount in a short time: to walk, to grip with their fingers, to understand that doing something makes something happen, and to say their first words. The right toy at this age doesn't need to be expensive or covered in buttons. What matters is that it fits their hands and their stage. This guide covers what to choose, and what each toy teaches.

What makes a good toy for a 1- or 2-year-old?

• Big pieces: larger than your child's mouth and easy to hold in one hand.
• One clear action: put in, take out, bang, build. A toy that does everything by itself turns your child into a spectator.
• It grows with them: a ring stacker, for example — first they only pull the rings off, then they put them back, then they order them from biggest to smallest.
• Safe, sturdy materials: smooth wood, thick plastic or soft silicone.

Toys for 1-year-olds (12 to 18 months)

What they're learning: to grasp and let go, to put one thing inside another, and cause and effect.

• Ring stackers: the Fish Ring Stacker or the Wheeled Ring Stacker, which they build and then pull along as they walk. Both build grip and focus.
• A pounding bench: the Wooden Pounding Bench — hit a ball with the hammer and it drops through and rolls out of the side. It turns the banging they love into something with a target, and trains hand–eye coordination.
• A sound book: My Sound Book: Animal Sounds (ages 1–4) links each animal's picture and name to its sound, so names are learned by listening and saying them together.

If your child is under one, see toys for ages 0–1: rattles, silicone teethers and first ring stackers.

Toys for 18-month-olds

What they're learning: to turn a piece until it fits, and to tell shapes and colours apart.

• Shape sorters: Baby's First Blocks — 16 pieces with a bucket and a lid full of openings, or the Wooden Shape Sorter Truck they load with blocks and then pull. They teach problem solving and patience.
• Matching eggs: Matching Eggs — every egg comes apart in two, and it only closes when the shape and colour match.
• Textured balls: the Textured Sensory Balls — every ball feels different, to squeeze, throw and learn through their hands.

Toys for 2-year-olds

What they're learning: to build and assemble, to say more words, and to copy the grown-ups.

• Jumbo blocks on wheels: Car Building Blocks — they build a car on a chassis with working wheels and drive it. The blocks are jumbo, so they clip together without the finger strength small bricks need.
• Magnetic fishing games: the Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game with fish numbered 0 to 10, or the 2-in-1 Fishing & Shape Stacking Board. They train focus and a steady hand, and the numbers come along for free.
• First-words boards: the My Family Learning Board to name mum, dad, grandma and uncle, and the Space Learning Board for planets and rockets. Pointing and naming is how vocabulary grows.

Every toy for this age is in toys for ages 1–2 and baby and toddler toys. Looking for a present? See gifts for 2-year-olds.

Games at home that cost nothing

• In and out: an empty box and some blocks or wooden spoons to put in and take out. The simplest game, and the one they love most.
• Who's that?: family photos on your phone, no videos — point and name.
• Back and forth: roll a ball to them and let them roll it back. It teaches turn-taking.
• Sounds of the house: "What does the door say? Knock knock." Language is built from games like these.

Safety first

• Follow the age on the box — it's there for a reason.
• Keep anything small enough to fit in their mouth away from children under three.
• At this age, play with them rather than leaving them alone with a toy, especially toys with magnets or strings.
• Check toys now and then: cracked wood or a broken ring goes in the bin.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best gift for a 1-year-old?

A ring stacker, a pounding bench or a sound book: something they can hold, act on and see a result from.

My child gets bored of toys quickly. What should I do?

Rotate them: keep four or five out, hide the rest and swap every week. A hidden toy comes back as new.

Are wooden toys better than plastic?

Wood is sturdy and heavy with a natural feel; good plastic is lighter and easier to clean. What matters is a safe material and large pieces. Read more in our guide to choosing toys by age.

Read next: How to help your child talk: play ideas, speech toys and milestones; Child development stages, month by month; Baby toys by month.