Toys that last from 0-2 years old!
Our most loved toys that lasted us 2 years of play!
As my little guy turns two, I have begun to organize and retire some old toys. This has had me reflect on the most used and loved toys that lasted pretty much his entire life.
You never know when you buy a toy if it will end up being a one hit wonder. It’s disappointing to see a toy not get used. I determined there were a few criteria for these long lasting toys:
keep them open-ended
buy quality over quantity
aim to hit a variety of skills & language targets
Alright, here are our top toys that lasted from 0-2!
At the top of the list we have…
#1 - Stack n Nest Cups
✅ Open-Ended
✅ Quality
✅ Works on various skills & language targets
targeting vocabulary, “up, up, up, down!”, “in”, “on”, “where” “inside” “big” “tall”
Hiding and seeking toys
Memory
Building
Nesting
Scooping/Pouring
We started using these stacking/nesting cups at 4 months and it has been awesome watching them get used over and over again. I would have to say that this is one of our most used toys to date. Thanks to the open-ended nature of these cups, very couple of months, they have been used in new ways. These silicon muffin cups work great for stacking and nest too!
#2 - Books!!
✅ Open-Ended
✅ Quality
✅ Works on various skills & language targets
You can never have too many books in the house. Reading daily together boosts language development and conceptual knowledge of the world.
Some of our favourite books 0-2
Priddy books - “B is for Bear” & F is for Farm
#3 - Shape Sorter
❌ Open ended
✅ Quality
✅ works on many skills & language targets
We brought this Melissa & Doug shape sorting cube in when M was 4 months old too! Although it is not as open-ended, we talked about many concepts like the colours, modelled how it worked and used it to stack towers and knock them down. There are tons of activities to engage with 0-2:
Shape sorting
Colour sorting
Stacking
Matching
Categorizing
Vocabulary: shapes, colours, in, out, turn/rotate, stuck, too big, more
#4 -Farm & Animal Set
✅ Open-Ended
✅ Quality
✅ Works on various skills & language targets
Animals and figurines open up so many opportunities for speech and language development. We started with farm animals and progressed. We receive this Little People Farm set as a gift at 6 months and it still is a top pick for my 2 year old. You bet, he used it at 6 months and still to this day!
Here’s how we started:
-animal identification
- animal noises
- putting animal down the slide - object permanence
Here’s how it’s going:
matching animals to pictures & sounds (check out our 3 Part Montessori Matching Cards here!)
ASL with animals
Imaginative play
We spent a lot of time targeting language with this toy. There’s lots of fun to be had, just get playing & talking!
#5 - Vehicles
✅ Open-Ended
✅ Quality
✅ Works on various skills & language targets
Things that “go” can be so fun! Moving objects fast, slow, zig zag, forward back! Or maybe, they even fly! Vehicles have been a staple for our shelf work and my child’s main go to for independent play. Try to choose vehicles that are durable and built to last.
Here are some of our most loved:
#6 - Pots, Pans & Stirring Spoons
✅ Open-Ended
✅ Quality
✅ Works on various skills & language targets
Kids love mimicking and replicating what they see adults do all day. A big part of our day is cooking! You can give your child the real deal and let them have at it at your pots and pans, like I did. Or, you can find tons of options online. We love these pots & pans from Melissa & Doug (again!).
Moving forward, I try to keep the rule of 3 in mind when buying new toys for my little guy: open-ended, quality, works on a variety of skills! If you keep these three things in mind, I know you wont be disappointed with the longevity of your toys!
What toys would you add to our list? We would love to see your answer in the comments below.
