Looking for the best Montessori toys for 2 year old toddlers. This carefully curated list of toys has all our favorite picks and is designed to support your child’s early learning and development.
If you have young children, you know how important it is to keep them engaged and learning through play.
That’s where Montessori toys come into play (literally)!
The Montessori method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is all about fostering independence, self-directed exploration, and a love for learning from a young age.
In this blog post, we’re diving into the world of Montessori-inspired toys and exploring the top picks for those inquisitive and creative toddlers.
These toys provide hours of fun and help develop essential skills and independence in your little one.
Let’s discover the best Montessori toys to delight and educate your child.
This post is all about the best Montessori toys for 2 year olds.
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Montessori Toys for 2 Year Olds
Understanding Your Child’s Developmental Needs
At two years old, toddlers are like little sponges, eagerly soaking up everything the world has to offer.
They’re mastering the art of walking, which often quickly progresses to an adorable waddle-turned-run, bringing joy and a few bumps and tumbles.
These tiny humans are starting to string together sentences that can either melt your heart with their innocence or make you chuckle with their quirky logic.
It’s a time of rapid physical growth, where they seem to change from baby to kid overnight.
This stage of life is also marked by a strong desire for more independence.
They want to feed themselves, put on their shoes (even if it takes a while), and explore their surroundings on their own time and in their own way.
It can be a frustrating but also magical phase filled with wonder and discovery.
During this crucial period, your kids will learn best through play and because of this, the right toys can make all the difference in their development, nurturing their budding skills and interests while providing hours of entertainment.
How to Choose the Best Montessori Toys
When choosing Montessori-friendly toys, I always consider three key things: safety, durability, and educational value. This is your go-to checklist for toy shopping.
Safety tops the list because, at this age, everything eventually finds its way into their mouths.
Beyond the basics, you’ll want open-ended toys that encourage independent play and focus. These toys should be versatile enough to grow with your child, sparking their creativity and teaching them essential skills in a fun, seamless way.
If you’re thinking, “I could use some help!” you’re in the right spot.
Throughout this post, you’ll find our favorite Montessori-aligned toy picks for 2-year-olds.
These toddler toys are designed to encourage self-directed play and engage your child’s imagination, helping them learn skills without even knowing it.
25 Favorite Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Overall Top Picks
- Children’s Factory Sensory Table
- IKEA DUKTIG Play Kitchen
- Pikler Triangle
- Melissa and Doug Shape Sorter
Sensory Toys
Sensory play is great for toddlers, unlocking their tactile senses while helping them discover and make sense of the world around them. It’s incredible how something as simple as a bumpy ball or a soft, fluffy square can spark so much joy and curiosity in your child. Here are a few of our favorite Montessori-inspired sensory toys.
Sensory Mats
Sensory mats are so much fun for tiny feet and hands.
With various textures and materials, these mats are great for both color recognition and sensory development, encouraging toddlers to explore different sensations and learn about their environment through touch.
Recommended Age: 3+
Sensory Table
A sensory table is often found in Montessori classrooms and is also a great addition to your Montessori home environment.
It can be filled with anything from water to sand, to rice, or even pasta, providing an endless opportunity for sensory exploration.
It supports imaginative play and can be a fantastic tool for introducing scientific concepts like volume and buoyancy in a very hands-on, playful manner.
Toys For Practical Life Skills
In the Montessori philosophy, nurturing everyday life skills early is crucial for developing independence and confidence. The carefully selected toys in this section help encourage your toddler to mimic everyday activities, from dressing to cleaning, in a fun and engaging way. Not only do they help refine motor skills, but they also instill a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
Melissa and Doug Pretend Play Cleaning Set
Who knew cleaning could be so much fun?
The Melissa and Doug Pretend Play Cleaning Set allows your child to mimic you and take part in household chores, promoting responsibility and practical life skills.
And it’s adorable to see them get excited about sweeping and dusting!
Recommended Age: 3+
Kinderific Garden Set
Gardening teaches patience, responsibility, and the science of plant life.
The Kinderific Garden Set is designed for small hands, making it easier for toddlers to dig, plant, and water with tools just their size.
It’s a wonderful way to introduce them to the joys of nature and outdoor work.
Recommended Age: 2+
Toddler Learning Stool
A toddler learning stool or learning tower in the kitchen is a game-changer.
It safely brings your child up to counter height, encouraging their involvement in cooking and meal prep.
This involvement is fantastic for their self-esteem and understanding of food and nutrition.
Recommended Age: 18 months+
Melissa and Doug Cutting Fruit Set
This fruit-cutting play set introduces the concept of part-whole relationships, which are essential for cognitive development.
It also teaches a practical life skill, and the slicing sound when cutting through the Velcro fruits provides sensory input that is incredibly satisfying!
Language Development Toys
Your toddler’s vocabulary and understanding of communication skills are increasing rapidly during this life stage. These language development toys will help to nurture this growth, using sounds, words, and images to engage and teach.
Sandpaper Letters
Montessori sandpaper letters are a tactile way to introduce the alphabet, blending sensory play with language learning.
Children trace these letters with their fingers, which helps in memorizing the shapes and sounds of each letter, a foundational step in reading and writing.
Recommended Age: 3+
Nouns Flashcards
Simple picture flashcards are great for building vocabulary.
They introduce new words and concepts in a fun, engaging way, and you can turn it into a game to make learning even more enjoyable.
Math and Cognitive Development Toys
This part of our guide on Montessori-style toys for 2-year-olds is all about math and cognitive development toys. From shape-sorting toys that sneak in lessons on geometry to counting games, we’ve got the picks that’ll have your toddler thinking, learning, and, most importantly, having fun.
Melissa and Doug Shape Sorter
Shape sorters are classic for a reason.
They teach recognition of different shapes and colors, and the act of sorting them into the correct holes improves problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.
Recommended Age: 1+
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Piggy Bank
Typically, I try to avoid noisy toys, but my 2-year-old loved playing with this pig, which helped her a lot with her counting skills.
This piggy bank toy is a take on a traditional Montessori coin box and introduces concepts such as object permanence, numbers, counting, and even multiple languages, as it has both an English and Spanish option.
It’s a delightful way to start building basic math skills, and you can easily leave the sound turned off if desired, and it will still be engaging.
Recommended Age: 1+
Learning Resources Color Sorting Set
Color sorting sets are not just about recognizing colors; they also introduce sorting and categorizing, which are essential cognitive skills.
This sorting set is also great for fine motor development as little hands grasp and manipulate the pieces into various baskets.
Recommended Age: 18 months+
Melissa and Doug Nesting and Stacking Blocks
Stacking and nesting blocks teach size differentiation, coordination, and problem-solving.
Plus, knocking them down is a blast, offering a lesson in cause and effect.
Fine Motor Skills Toys
From threading beads to stacking blocks, these fine motor toys will get those little hands moving, grabbing, and exploring in ways that boost dexterity and coordination.
LEGO Duplo
LEGO Duplos are the perfect pick for little builders, with their larger, easy-to-handle pieces that spark creativity and build precision.
They’re not just fun for kids; adults will love joining in, too, making it a fantastic toy for family playtime.
Your 2-year-old will have a blast constructing towers and anything else their imagination comes up with.
And you’ll appreciate a durable toy that keeps up with your child as they grow and learn, offering endless opportunities for you both to play and explore together.
Recommended Age: 18 months+
[RELATED: 11 Cool Lego Table Ideas for Kids | Easy DIY Ideas and More!]
Hape Pound and Tap Bench
This toy combines pounding action with musical play, improving hand-eye coordination and introducing musical sounds.
It’s a fun way to develop rhythm and explore cause and effect.
Recommended Age: 1+
Wooden Lacing Apple Toy
Lacing toys, like this apple, are wonderful for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
They also teach patience and concentration, as threading the lace requires focus and dexterity.
Lovevery Wooden Rainbow Stacking Toy
Stacking toys are endlessly fascinating to toddlers.
This rainbow version teaches colors and sizes and encourages creative play, as the arcs can be used to build unique structures.
Creative and Imaginative Play Toys
Pretend play toys are so much fun because they aren’t just any toys; they open doors to new worlds, turn your living room into a jungle, and transform cardboard boxes into castles. They’re about letting those little imaginations run wild and giving your kid’s creativity a boost.
Play Kitchen
A play kitchen is a great toy for sparking imaginative play, packed with chances for role-playing and practical life activities.
It’s not just about playing chef; it fosters teamwork, boosts language skills, and gives a peek into daily chores.
Our favorite play kitchen is the IKEA Duktig kitchen.
It’s a simple kitchen for those who prefer minimalist design, and for those who love a DIY project, there are many ways to customize it to match your home decor perfectly.
You will get the best price buying this direct from IKEA but it is also available on Amazon.
Recommended Age: 3+
[RELATED: 9 IKEA Playroom Ideas for Kids: Brilliant Design Ideas and Storage Solutions]
STEAM Life Table Top Easel
Art is a fun outlet for kids to show who they are, and this tabletop easel is perfect for encouraging your toddler to draw, paint, and explore all sorts of shapes and colors.
Sure, it might not win any beauty contests compared to other toys, but it’s great at home or on the go.
Even though the whiteboard markers it comes with aren’t the best, swapping them for better ones is an easy fix.
Your little one will adore the freedom to take their easel wherever they go, switching between the chalkboard and whiteboard as they wish.
Recommended Age: 3+
No-Spill Paint Cups & Brushes
No-spill paint cups have been game-changers in our house, making painting a stress-free, fun activity for my 2-year-old and a lot less messy for me.
These tools let me chill out about spills and splatters, which gives her more freedom to let her creativity shine.
Gross Motor Skills Toys
This section looks at the best toys for 2-year-olds that encourage jumping, running, and maybe even a little controlled chaos. These picks are perfect for burning off that endless toddler energy (you know what I mean) while building strength, coordination, and balance.
Strider Balance Bike
Balance bikes are an awesome first step before moving on to a traditional peddle bike, teaching toddlers balance and coordination and boosting their confidence.
These bikes get kids used to the feeling of balancing on two wheels without the complication of pedals, paving the way for a smoother transition to regular bikes, often skipping the need for training wheels.
Your 2-year-old will relish the freedom and the thrill of speeding up, while you’ll love watching them gain independence and master new skills.
Recommended Age: 18 months+
Pikler Triangle
The Pikler Triangle, based on Montessori ideas, is a climbing frame that grows with your child, helping them develop movement skills and independence.
It’s perfect for indoor fun and allows your toddler to climb at their own pace, only climbing as high as they are comfortable. (Of course, adult supervision is always required).
You can build one yourself or find great ready-made ones.
Kids love it for climbing and sliding, and you’ll appreciate its stylish look and how most can be folded away for easy storage.
Recommended Age: 2+
[RELATED: 10 Best Toys For Climbing Toddlers That Will Save Your Sanity]
The Nugget Play Couch
The Nugget is an awesome piece of playroom furniture that also becomes forts, slides, and all sorts of playtime obstacles, sparking tons of active fun and creativity for your little ones.
We snagged one for our daughter when she was two and it’s one of the most-used toys in our house.
Your 2-year-old will have a blast jumping on the cushions and building fort after fort while you appreciate the variety of colors available to match your home decor.
Recommended Age: 1+
Wobble Board
A balance board is a simple toy with endless possibilities that improves balance and coordination.
It can be a bridge, a slide, a rocking chair—whatever your child imagines.
Tips for Integrating Montessori Toys into Daily Play
Creating a Montessori-friendly space at home might sound like a big project, but it’s actually pretty straightforward and fun!
Something as simple as setting up a cozy corner with a low shelf where a few toys and materials are displayed at your little one’s eye level is perfect.
This simple setup invites them to explore and choose what interests them, fostering independence from the start.
And here’s a little tip to keep their curiosity peaked: rotate the toys and activities on the shelf every few weeks.
This way, everything feels new and exciting without overwhelming them with too many choices.
[RELATED: MONTESSORI PLAYROOM IDEAS | MONTESSORI TOY ROTATION | IKEA PLAYROOM IDEAS]
Where to Find Montessori Toys
If you’re wondering where to buy Montessori toys for your 2-year-old, here’s a quick guide to top online stores offering a diverse range of Montessori-inspired toys suitable for different tastes and needs:
- Amazon offers a vast selection of Montessori toys from numerous brands, featuring customer reviews and fast shipping options.
- Fat Brain Toys specializes in high-quality educational toys that enhance sensory and cognitive development, adhering to Montessori principles for toddler-friendly play.
- Etsy showcases unique, handmade Montessori toys by independent creators, providing a selection of intricately designed wooden toys and educational materials.
- Lovevery delivers Montessori-inspired play kits on a subscription basis, developed by experts to support your child’s developmental milestones with age-appropriate toys and activities.
- Target also offers a selection of Montessori-inspired toys, making it easy to find educational and developmental toys in a retail setting known for its convenience and variety.
These platforms cater to those seeking Montessori toys that encourage explorative and self-directed play, offering convenience and quality to enhance your child’s learning experience.
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, selecting Montessori toys for your 2-year-old doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
The options we’ve outlined are designed to enhance cognitive, motor, and sensory development, aligning with the Montessori philosophy of education through exploration.
By choosing toys that foster independence, creativity, and problem-solving, you’re investing in your child’s future learning and growth.
Consider the toys’ educational value and durability as you make your selections, ensuring they will be cherished and utilized for years to come.
If you want more information, check out our post on creating an educational play space for your kids.