If you want to introduce your child to STEM skills, the right toys are one way to do it. Many toys are designed for hands-on learning, brain development, color recognition, and creative thinking.
That said, gifts for kids should be fun, so that needs to be considered. This article looks at the best STEM toys for 2-year-old children. We have some fantastic toys, all about sensory learning.
Comparison Chart
JUZBOT Montessori Toys Wooden Educational Learning Toys for 1 2 3 4 Year Old, Toddler Boy Girl Toy Gift Wood Preschool Fine Motor Skills Learning Games
PlayShifu Educational Globe for Kids – Orboot Earth (Globe + App) Interactive AR World Globe | 400 Wonders, 1000+ Facts | STEM Toy Gifts for Kids 4-10 Years | No Borders, No Names on Orboot Globe
Magna-Tiles Builder Set, The Original Magnetic Building Tiles for Creative Open-Ended Play, Educational Toys for Children Ages 3 Years + (32 Pieces)
KIDWILL Tool Kit for Kids, 36 pcs Wooden Toddler Tools Set Includes Tool Box, Montessori Educational Stem Construction Toys for 2 3 4 5 6 Year Old Boys Girls, Best Birthday Gift for Kids
CENOVE Toddler Toys Gifts for 3 4 5 6 7 Year Old Girls and Boys,Flower Garden Building Toy STEM Educational Activity Preschool Boys Girls Toys Age 3-6(130 Pcs)
Water Doodle Mat – Kids Painting Writing Doodle Toy Mat – Color Doodle Drawing Mat Bring Magic Pens Educational Toys for Age 2 3 4 5 6 7 Year Old Girls Boys Age Toddler Gift
Best STEM Toys for 2-Year-Olds: Reviews
JUZBOT Montessori Toys Wooden Educational Learning Toy
This simple STEM toy for kids is made of wood that can teach fine motor skills, math skills, and more.
Review
This safe STEM toy is made of natural wood, does not contain any toxic chemicals, and has smooth edges. On that note, all the wooden blocks are durable and large enough so your kids cannot swallow them.
This set comes with one large wooden box, a farmer, various fruit boxes, many different worms, carrots, and more. This allows your child to recognize different fruits, match shapes, play with the toy car, catch worms as the farmer, and much more.
This toy aids in developing counting and math skills, problem-solving skills, spatial recognition, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and other fine motor skills.
Moreover, all components fit in the box, making it easy to store in a tight space. In fact, it’s also pretty portable, so the child can take it with them.
Pros
- Durable
- Safe for kids
- Teaches hand-eye coordination
- Great for training shape recognition
- Aids in developing fine motor skills
Cons
Lots of small parts can be lost
PlayShifu Educational Globe for Kids
This STEM learning toy will teach your child about different countries, cultures, and more.
Review
This globe contains different visuals and pictures, including animals, monuments, capital cities, etc.
Your child can use a compatible tablet with the required application to learn about the world. Just point your tablet’s camera at one of the pictures on the globe, and information about that picture, whether it’s an animal, place, or monument, will display on the tablet.
Your child will learn animal facts, voice interaction, take quizzes about the world, globe puzzles, challenges, interesting stories, and more. It’s a highly educational toy that will teach your child about the world in a highly interactive way.
Not only will it introduce your children to different cultures and locations in the world, but it also helps develop spatial awareness.
Pros
- Great for learning world facts
- Compatible with most tablets
- Very user friendly
- Durable
- Ideal for learning about spatial awareness
- Helps develop problem-solving skills
Cons
Not ideal for developing manual dexterity
Magna-Tiles Builder Set
If you’ve got a young engineer on your hands, these magnetic building blocks might be ideal for them.
Review
Two magnetic cranes, various magnetic tiles, and building blocks come in the box. Your children can use the cranes to pick up the building blocks and build different structures.
First, this can teach construction and building processes. It helps develop hand-eye coordination and other fine motor skills. It’s also ideal for developing spatial awareness, manual dexterity, and problem-solving skills. Your kids will have to do some thinking to use this toy.
In addition, all components are large enough so your kids cannot swallow them. They’re also made of non-toxic materials, and the plastic used is very durable; this toy can handle a good bit of punishment. It’s a simple toy, yet very effective at promoting mental growth.
Pros
- Durable parts
- Safe and non-toxic
- Promotes critical thinking and problem solving
- Develops hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills
Cons
Small parts that can be lost
KIDWILL Tool Kit for Kids
This construction kit will introduce your kids to concepts that will aid their development.
Review
This small wooden toolbox is filled with various components, including small screws, nuts, bolts, wooden blocks, and different tools. These can be used to build multiple items such as a balance scale, airplane, car, helicopter, windmill, and more.
There are many different shapes, so your child will learn about various forms. At the same time, because construction is involved, they will develop spatial awareness. Moreover, all the blocks and tools are different colors, which will also help kids recognize colors.
Your kids will learn about counting. At the same time, because they have to work with their hands, your child will develop hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.
In addition, building small items involves a certain amount of critical thinking and problem-solving. Although this toy is straightforward, it is one of the best on our list in terms of helping your child develop mentally, especially a 2-year-old.
Moreover, all components are made of wood and other durable and safe materials. The wooden toolbox serves as storage and comes with a handle for easy portability.
Pros
- Safe and durable components
- Portable
- Teaches about colors and counting
- Ideal for developing spatial awareness
- Good for hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
Cons
Small parts are easy to lose
Flower Garden Building Toy
This Flower Garden Building Toy will teach your child about colors and help develop hand-eye coordination skills.
Review
This kit comes with a base and various flower components, ideal for teaching kids the various parts of flowers. In addition, these flowers come in many colors, so your child will learn to identify the different colored components used in building the flowers.
Furthermore, because your kids have to work with their hands to use this toy, it will help improve hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and other fine motor skills. It’s a very colorful toy that will provide your children with hours and hours of fun.
Moreover, this is a safe toy, as nothing is small enough to be swallowed. All surfaces are smooth, and the components are made with completely non-toxic materials.
Pros
- Safe components
- Teaches colors
- Teaches flowers
- Teaches counting
- Ideal for developing fine motor skills
Cons
The colors start to wear off after a while
Water Doodle Mat
This drawing mat is ideal for kids of all ages, and it’s something that can help develop fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, and general knowledge.
Review
This is a large drawing mat that comes with six pens that can be filled with water. These pens are then used to draw on the surface, and depending on where they draw, it will take on a different color.
The drawings or paintings will disappear after about 10 minutes, so your kids can keep drawing new things over and over. You don’t even have to erase the drawings or wash them away.
This set has molds or stencils for letters, numbers, and shapes. At the same time, it’s also an ideal toy for developing fine motor skills, manual dexterity, problem-solving skills, and general knowledge.
Moreover, this is an entirely safe and non-toxic toy. It’s highly affordable yet can provide countless hours of fun for your children. Although some small components can be lost, the parts are durable. Moreover, the mat can be folded into a small package for easy storage and travel.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to clean
- Teaches letters, numbers, and colors
- Develops fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Durable components
Cons
- Can be messy
- Small parts that are easy to lose
GETIANLAI Wooden Color Sorting Toy
This simple wooden block toy is an excellent STEM toy as it will help develop your children’s cognitive abilities.
Review
The simple wooden bases have vertical pegs. Various blocks come in different shapes designed to fit specific pegs.
Your child will be introduced to various shapes, including circles, rectangles, triangles, and even pentagons. They have to match the shape to the pegs, teaching your child about shapes and shape matching and developing spatial recognition and hand-eye coordination.
On that note, it will also teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The blocks will help your child recognize different colors.
This is also an ideal toy to help teach your children about counting. Moreover, because they must work with their hands, it will help develop manual dexterity. The wooden blocks are totally safe for kids and are painted with non-toxic paint.
Pros
- Affordable
- Durable
- Safe
- Teaches colors and numbers
- Develops spatial recognition, problem-solving, and fine motor skills
Cons
The paint starts to wear off over time
FAQ
What to Consider When Buying STEM Toys for 2-Year-Olds
Consider the child’s development needs when choosing a STEM toy and other learning resources. Some toys help counting and literacy skills; some are better for learning about shapes and colors, and others for spatial recognition and hand-eye coordination. You also want to take age ratings into consideration.
Do STEM Toys Really Work?
Yes, STEM toys help develop your child’s logical, spatial, tactile, critical thinking, and integrational skills. They are also ideal for emotional learning.
Are Colors Important in These Toys?
Yes, colors are important because your kids need to differentiate colors, plus they also help stimulate the brain and encourage further learning.
Final Verdict
We think the best STEM toy for 2-year-olds on the list is the PlayShifu Educational Globe for Kids. However, the toy you want should depend on your child’s developmental needs.
