6 fun, educational games for 2-year-olds

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Toddlers are constantly developing, so the best games for 2-year-olds are often the ones that challenge them. Keeping up with their boundless energy is all about finding new games to keep them excited and stimulated. If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some of the best educational games for 2-year-olds.

1. Simple language games for 2-year-olds

At two, your child may already be chattering away and repeating every word you say. This is the perfect time to introduce them to a few simple language games such as ‘Simon Says’ and ‘Going on a Picnic'. Give your child simple, positive actions like ‘Simon says smile’ or ‘Simon says touch your toes’. It’s a fun way of developing your child’s motor and language skills.

2. DIY building blocks

Indoor games for 2-year-olds don’t have to require a trip to the toy store. You can use ordinary household items, such as empty kitchen roll tubes, as building blocks. We like Plenty, because they’re strong enough to withstand a bit of rough and tumble. Teach your child how to stack the tubes to make a pyramid and knock them down again for fun.

3. Create a farm with modelling clay

Show your child how to make simple animal shapes out of modelling clay. You can play with the figurines after you’ve made them, creating a make-believe farm. It’s one of the best educational games for 2-year-olds, as it develops your child’s language, sensory, motor and creative skills. Wait until they’ve reached their second birthday for this one (modelling clay is recommended for children over two) and make sure they’re supervised throughout.

4. Body tracing

Get your child to lie down on a sheet or roll of large paper (A0 might be large enough, but if not a big roll of craft or wrapping paper can be good) and trace the outline of his or her body. Once you’re done, encourage your child to draw on clothes and a face within the outlines. This teaches your child where body parts are located and he or she can learn self-control by having to stay still for a minute! No small feat, as mums and dads know all too well. 

5. Make counters out of toilet rolls

This is one of those ingenious games for 2-year-olds that’s fun for the whole family to play. Decorate two or three empty kitchen roll tubes with colourful felt tips or paints together. Then, carefully cut them into smaller rings, roughly one inch in width, with a pair of scissors (this part is grown-ups only). Next, take a long length of strong kitchen paper and twizzle it into a rope, before helping your little one to string the empty kitchen roll rings onto the paper like beads. Tie the loose ends of the paper towel together so that you have what looks like a giant bracelet. Get older siblings involved with helping your toddler to count the cardboard tube rings, moving them along like counting beads. Choose extra strong kitchen paper like Plenty, so that the paper rope holds together well.

6. Finger painting

Two-year-olds love getting messy, and painting is a fun, sensory activity that will keep them fascinated for hours. Grab some tempera or children’s finger paint and set your child loose on a large piece of paper, or even kitchen paper. The pretty embossing on Plenty kitchen paper makes a fun painting template, and it’s strong when wet, so it’ll hold together well. Soon you’ll run out of space on your fridge for all the mini masterpieces your child has created. Don’t forget to keep some extra kitchen paper on hand to mop up spills as you go.

Discovering new games to play with 2-year-olds is a fun learning experience for parents and children alike. You don’t need to invest in a lot of expensive toys for children; sometimes the simplest indoor games for 2-year-olds are the most fun.