Do you have any birthday present suggestions for a 2 year old?

Question

Specifically I am looking for ideas of things that I might be able to help my 5 year old make since we don't have much extra money right now. The 2 year old is really interested in blocks, babies, and animals right now.

Answer 1

I'm glad you asked this, because my kids recieved from their Aunt and Uncle the most wonderful gift that lasted for years!

They each recieved a large plastic tote box that had their name written on it in in a black Magic Marker. My son's had the addition of his picture glued onto the lid. On the lid were stickers of the things my kids liked: kittens and birds for one and blocks, cars and trucks for the other.

In the box:

3 boxes of instant pudding (to fingerpaint with)

crayons

washable markers

sponges in shapes of animals and shapes

crayola washable paints

playdough (you can do the homemade kind w/ recipe attatched too)

pre-colored macaronis and shoestrings for stringing

bag of pre-cut foam shapes ($199 for 150 count at Walmart)

non toxic paste (easier for toddlers to work with)

a large vinal tablecloth (for an art mat)

a "Raffi" cd to set the creative mood (any children's music cd wiil do)

a child's size muslin apron with their name written on it (again, at walmart for $1.99)

and a box of clean up wipes (This was great for me, but also provided a great way to teach our kids that cleaning up after fun is the last part of play).

Since recieving these, we have made many, many art, creative and even dress-up boxes for other's birthday parties. We have heard over and over again that these boxes were the child's favorite present. The nicest thing is to hear this weeks or months after the party and to know they are still enjoying it.

As a mom, it was a great start to have such boxes. We added to them and changed the ingrediants of them as our childredn got older of course.

Hope this can be of some help or inspiration for more ideas.

Answer 2

Have your five year old make a card. It could be drawn and embellished with stickers, or painted. To be honest, a 2 year old is not going to care about what he gets so much as the whole birthday event.
My son and daughter had a joint birthday party (they are 2 and 4) My son loved the party and presents, but my daughter didn't pay attention to the presents past the first one. Our neighbor kids ended up opening the rest of the presents for her.
Do you sew? Even if you didn't you could make a dress-up costume for the 2 year old. My daughter loved that the best. To be even more simple you could make a fairy wand. My girl got one and my son liked it also (probably because it was like a stick).
search the web for home crafts and there'll be a ton! Good luck!

Answer 3

I understand exactly how you feel right now, trying to come up with a way to celebrate without spending a whole lot, but making it special all at the same time. Right!? You could check out like craft stores, You could probably find things to make a babydoll there for not a whole lot of money. Or make special masks, like a whole animal collection, so that your 2 yr old could play pretend. I listed a website for crafts that I found, maybe you could get some ideas there as well.

http://www.craftsitedirectory.com

Answer 4

Find a good sturdy box, a shoe box is ideal. Help your older child cover the base ofthe box with any kind of paper and decorate it. Then cut out construction paper letters to spell the younger child's name, and glue it to the top of the box so it reads "(insert name)'s special things". Let your child fill it with inexpensive items from the dollar store. Crayons, hair things, plastic men - whatever your child's interest is. The next time your 2 year old finds a special rock or leaf they will have a special box to put it in.

Answer 5

I would say anything that comes in a big box, I found with my 2 children they played with the toy for a couple of hrs and the rest of the time they played inside the box . Taking their other toys inside with them . I tell you you get peace and quite for many hrs this way .

Answer 6

At that age they get excited about everything. You could make a bird house kit and then put it together and paint it with your child. Make your own blocks and paint them together. Sock puppets are fun and every child loves a puppet show.

Answer 7

I was going to suggest a bubble machine, but you couldn't make it. they are fairly cheap though. early learning center i think around £6. and washing up liquid works as well as their expensicve bubble mixture!

or face masks? (animal ones)

Answer 8

i gave my kids some cardboard boxes when they were that age, theyn had more fun with them than any thing else.