Shortly after my husband and I learned we were expecting our first child, we made a pact: we wouldn’t fill our home with hundreds of toys destined to be played with once, forgotten, and left to gather dust until they broke or were hauled away.

It’s exactly the kind of thing you say in the blissful ignorance of pre-kids life. Two and a half years (and two children) later, we’ve received our fair share of toys and trinkets from generous, well-meaning friends and family. Along with them came the inevitable pile of playthings that were barely touched, broke within days, or quietly made their way to Goodwill or the local landfill. But through some trial and error, a bit of research, and thoughtful conversations with loved ones, we’ve slowly pared down our children’s collection—and at the risk of overstating it, the shift has been life-changing. Our home feels calmer and more organized, our kids play longer and more independently, and I no longer find myself guiltily stuffing bags with broken plastic.

So without further ado, here are the toys that survived the edit; the ones we’d choose again, recommend to friends, and happily make room for.

Best Toys For Two-Year-Olds

01. Stapelstein Stepping Stones

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: these are some seriously pricey foam blocks—are they really worth the hype? Trust me, I thought the same thing. But the endless raving reviews convinced me they held a special kind of magic. And they do.

I wake up daily to the refrain of my two-year-old yelling, “Mama! I want to play with my stones!” What follows is endless entertainment—jumping, stacking, filling, standing, sitting, and more. My one-year-old, who recently started walking, loves them too. She’ll put a single foot on one and yell “yay!” or pretend they’re drums while my toddler jumps and crawls around her. They’ve been worth every single penny.

02. MAGNA-TILES

Just when I thought every iteration of building blocks had already been invented, we stumbled upon these. Bigger than Legos (translation: no choking hazard for littles who like to chew), easier to carry around, and more versatile than wood blocks—they’re just so. much. fun.

My toddler loves building towers (and promptly knocking them down), castles, and ramps for his monster trucks to drive down. We also keep a mini set on hand for when we go out to eat as a family, and it keeps him entertained sans screens every time.

03. Yoto Player

If you’re not familiar with the Yoto, it’s essentially the modern version of a CD player. You purchase cards with themed songs or stories, insert them into the player, and enjoy guilt-free bliss as it entertains your little ones—no screens required.

Our kids (ages 2 and 1) are currently obsessed with one of the song cards—I’ve heard it more times than I can count. I’ve heard great things about the Tonies Box as well, but we liked the ease of storing Yoto cards neatly in a book and the wide variety of content Yoto offers.

04. Play Couch

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t convinced our kids would actually use this that often. But it’s truly one of their favorite things.

It sits front and center in our play area as a couch about 25 percent of the time. The rest of the time, they’re building forts, creating obstacle courses, designing car ramps, or dreaming up any number of imaginative setups. Ours is the YOURIGAMI brand, which admittedly doesn’t offer colors I love quite as much as The Nugget. That said, I appreciate that YOURIGAMI also makes a Play Gym and Play Castle for even more building options—and it comes in at a fraction of the price.

05. Schleich Animal Figurines

This brand has been around for a century, and it’s obvious why. The animals are beautifully made, incredibly durable, and endlessly engaging.

Yes, they’re pricey, but the cost-per-play is unmatched. There’s so much learning, so much open-ended play, and so much joy—like watching my one-year-old daughter grab a dinosaur and yell “rawr!!!” at her big brother. They’re also an easy go-to when grandparents and extended family ask what to gift for birthdays or holidays.

Other Favorites

While these are our top five, a few categories remain non-negotiable in our home. We have no limit on the number of children’s books we keep—there are baskets and bookcases filled with them in nearly every room. Both of our kids love Hot Wheels and monster trucks, so we keep plenty of those on hand. Wood puzzles are a hit, as are their balance bikes (ridden outside only).

A Starting Point

If you’re looking to simplify your toy collection, I hope this list gives you a helpful starting point. Every family is different, but choosing toys that support open-ended play, hold up over time, and truly earn their place has been a game-changer for us. These are the pieces we’ve loved, lived with, and would confidently recommend again. Happy playing!

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