Perhaps one of the best things about games is that they ignite our imaginations. Since toddlers learn best through imaginative play, age two is a great time to begin introducing games. The following list features fifteen fun games for 2 year olds that engage them in cognitive, physical and social ways. They are all designed to encourage their overall development while having fun in the process.
15 Fun Games for 2 Year Olds That Aid Development
Hello Sunshine
This adorable game is a great place to start when introducing a child to games. It features simple instructions, which will teach your little one to follow basic directions. The premise is to play hide and seek with a plush, smiling sun according to directional cards. Your child will learn positional words like in, on top, and next to. This game also helps to develop spatial awareness. Check it out here!
Stack a Cake
This game combines two toddler favorites – stacking and storytelling – to encourage working together as a team in order to create a beautiful cake for Bear before he returns home. It fosters the development of important social skills like problem-solving, while also teaching communication skills between peers and between parent and child. Check it out here!
First Orchard
This game is really easy to play and your 2 year old will be able to complete all the steps themselves! Ideal for social skill development, this game fosters cooperation by encouraging kids to work together in order to win together. Players work to collect fruit from trees before the raven arrives at the orchard to eat it. Completed quickly, it’s ideal for two-year-olds and their notoriously short attention spans. Check it out here!
Don’t Dump Dumpty
Every 2 year old gets a kick out of blocks coming crashing down, especially if Humpty Dumpty is perched on top. This game offers ten different ways to play, making it a versatile way to entertain your two-year-old. Children can develop spatial awareness while building up a wall using numbered tiles that encourage math skills and tactile learning. They also practice taking turns in the process and learn the value of trying again when the wall inevitably falls. Check it out here!
Feed the Woozle
If you’re looking for a game that will improve your two-year-old’s fine motor skills, this one accomplishes just that – with a healthy dose of laughter, too. Children use a large spoon to feed the monster a variety of giggle-inducing treats, such as hairy pickles and fuzzy donuts. Basic gameplay directions encourage taking turns. Plus, even if your child is too little to really play by the rules they will still love feeding the Woozle. Check it out here!
Where’s the Bear
At age two, toddlers are beginning to understand problem-solving, and this game encourages those important skills. Combining the concepts of stacking blocks and looking for hidden things, kids practice both hiding and finding Bear, while developing a greater understanding of object permanence in the process. Check it out here!
Monkey Around
For wiggly toddlers who struggle to sit still, games can be a bit trying. This one, however, encourages kids to get up and move around. They’ll further develop gross motor skills, coordination, and body part identification as they choose a card and perform activities like hopping and marching. The game is basically different cards that tell you what to do with the banana, like “Put the banana on your head,” so it’s perfect for 2 year olds. They will love to perform the action as well as see you do it. Check it out here!
Bunny Bedtime
It’s developmentally normal for two-year-olds to be a bit contrary at times, preferring to make their own decisions. As a ‘make a choice’ game, this one encourages this skill set, as well as toddlers’ social and emotional development, by letting them choose Bunny’s clothing, bath toys and more as she goes about her bedtime routine. Check it out here!
Here, Fishy, Fishy
This game is ideal for two-year-olds who don’t quite grasp the concept of a game with rules just yet. It features less structure than some, preferring to encourage free play and allow children to use their imaginations. Two-year-olds can experiment with how they use fishing rods, learn about undersea creatures and develop their concentration skills in the process. Check it out here!
Happy Farm
This is a perfect game for home, car rides or on-the-go, as it transports easily. Kids learn turn-taking and sharing, while also developing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This game, which features a host of animals, can be tailored to ages 2-5 so it grows with your child over time, keeping them engaged for years. Check it out here!
Button, Button, Belly Button
This color-matching game takes your two-year-old on an adventure to collect a rainbow of buttons for Bear, while encountering man belly buttons along the way, too. Ideal for developing color recognition skills and spatial awareness, this game also encourages vocabulary growth, understanding the concept of same versus different, and social development. Check it out here!
Heads & Tails
Toddlers are always eager to explore the world, and this game takes your two-year-old into the world of animals through a set of self-correcting puzzles. It is designed to promote conversational and social skills, as well as encourage creative thinking, problem-solving and perseverance as your child works to link two matching puzzle pieces to complete each individual animal picture. Check it out here!
Acorn Soup
This adorably packaged game encourages your toddler to help Squirrel store food for the winter by following simple and delicious soup recipes. In addition to learning to help a friend and to follow directions, this game helps children practice taking turns and develops hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, too. Check it out here!
Picture Lotto
One of the hardest concepts for two-year-olds to learn is taking turns. What’s great about this game is that it’s fast-paced, meaning children don’t need to wait long for their next turn. Your child will turn over a card and see if it matches their board, which leads to the development of shape, color and picture recognition skills. Check it out here!
Roll and Play
It can be difficult to keep a two-year-old’s attention, but your toddler won’t be bored with this interactive game. During play, it prompts children to do things like roar like a lion, spin around three times or find something blue. A thoroughly engaging game, it also helps toddlers learn colors and hone memory skills. Check it out here!
Play is integral to healthy brain development in children. If you’re looking for ways to engage with your toddler, these 15 fun games for 2 year olds offer something for everyone. Not only does gameplay provide an important way for children to develop cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally, but games also provide an outlet for busy little minds and hands to stay engaged in productive ways. As a bonus, they can lead to meaningful moments of connection between parent and child, strengthening your bond over time.
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