A Perfect Gift For a Two-Year-Old

Two-year-old children love self-propelled ride-on toys and rockers. My boy/girl twins are 28 months old and make a beeline toward them whenever one is in sight.

A recent playgroup confirmed that this propensity is not just in our family's genes. Five two-year olds could not have enough turns "driving" a rocket ship around the living room at a friend's house. Even better was the rocket ship had lots of buttons and gadgets to occupy this curious group.

My children used such toys around their first birthdays but did not seem to be enjoying them to the same extent as they do now. By the end of their second year children have developed much more of the strength and coordination needed to put these toys to good use. Plus they are starting make believe play and incorporate their vehicles into these activities.

Depending on your personal preference and living arrangements most of these types of toys may be used both indoors and outside, weather permitting.

Here are a few of the ride-on toys that seem to be favored in my experience.

A certain brightly colored and adorable little coupe always seems to be a favorite. I have even seen one in the primate cage at our local rescue zoo! I have noticed that it is available in several styles. New features have been introduced including a molded-in handle for adult push rides. There is also a removable floor to protect child's feet while the parent is pushing the car. This version reminds me of the grocery carts with the attached cars where kids can ride. With these features the coupe can actually be started to be enjoyed when the child is even younger than two.

Tricycles are great stepping-stones to big kid bikes. Some manufacturers have models with a seat that sits lower to the ground providing a wider base of support. This is perfect for the younger set just starting out. It will not tip over as easily and there is less distance to fall vs. taller seat styles. More fun for the kids and my heart skips fewer beats!

Rockers also seem to be a hit with this age group. There are the more traditional wooden rocking horses which my kids have been enjoying since they were younger. This type can be found in a wide variety of animal and vehicle choices. My kids now prefer some of the molded plastic rockers with longer rocker bases and have been known to spend ten to fifteen minutes at a time riding. I especially like the seesaw style rockers that seat two children facing one another since they enable my twins to enjoy the ride together or with a friend.