These eco-friendly and age-appropriate gifts for 2-year-olds are cute, fun, lovely– and non-toxic! I cobbled together this shoppable guide for parents or friends of toddlers who want to purchase something that isn’t single-use plastic crap, that can age with children and provide utility to any childhood while also being FUN.
Everything in this list is generic, so most children in the two-year-old age range will enjoy, regardless of their specific interests. (If they’re into Moana or K-Pop Demon Hunters, well– that’s a story for another time.)
Below, we’ve included links for easy shopping– just in time to spoil that adorable toddler in your life!
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Dabble & Dollop Bath Fizzers
Dabble & Dollop Bath Drops are made without synthetic dyes or artificial fragrance. Kids have so music sensory fun watching them dissolve in the bath, and we love that this gift gets used up, leaving parents with less crap in their house. We also love that they call them bath drops and not bath bombs— it’s just a nicer sound.
Tegu Wooden Magnetic Block Sets (For At-Home and On-The-Go)
We love their travel sets!
Tegu’s Discovery Magnetic Wooden Block Set is a great, comprehensive entry point to the world of magnetic blocks– but we also love their unique 8-piece Travel Pocket Pouch Block Sets, which are great for families who travel with kids but don’t want to rely on screens for entertainment. On a plane, for example.
^ These come in a variety of colors so you can choose your aesthetic (or toddler’s favorite colors!) and they work well in hotels, on planes, and in trains and automobiles, as the magnetic connection between blocks makes it easier to keep them all together, even when still-developing fine motor skills are at work.
Bubble Tree Non-Toxic Bubbles (Refillable, Made in the USA, and Packaged in Aluminum– Not Plastic)
Bubble Tree Non-Toxic Bubbles comes in sturdy aluminum bottles that you can refill with more solution when they run out. This way, you won’t have to keep buying more small plastic bottles (which is also great if you have multiple kids and younger ones who will grow into their bubble phase at a later date). Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, so it’s one of the best packaging solutions we have in the realm of sustainable manufacturing.
Buying US-made non-toxic bubble solution is important because kids often accidentally “eat” bubbles when they pop on their face, mouth, or hands. Most bubble mixes sold in the US are made in China, and some have been tested to contain harmful ingredients. This mix is paraben free, phthalate free, sulfate free, and NPE & DEA free. It’s our favorite bubble solution on the market!
Mini + Me Sock Set from Hansel From Basel
These adorable mommy+me sock sets are both luxurious and stylish, ethically made in Europe by seasoned artisans. Hansel From Basel is a go-to “cool mom” resource for all things fashionable and hip related to socks.
With the new addition of the Mini + Me collection for parent-child duos, the parents in your life (and their tots) will be cozied up in style. Plus, many of the socks in this collection are made in Portugal at a small family-run factory that operates entirely on renewable energy! (As of this writing, 30% of their entire stock is made with 100% renewable energy.)
We love the twee designs in timeless patterns like strawberry and polka dot, but the collection is always changing as new inspiration comes to the fore.
Customizable Wooden Music Box
This lovely handmade music box series by SnBWoodshop is fully customizable– you can choose the type of wood, personalized engraving, bespoke design, and a unique song that holds sentimental value. They have classic ballads like “Auld Lang Syne”, “Brahm’s Lullaby”, and “Amazing Grace”, but they also have pop-culture tunes like “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter, “Beauty and The Beast”, “You Are My Sunshine”, and even more recent toddler-beloved tunes like “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen.
This gift is handmade and completely plastic-free! And it’s mechanically operated so no need to install batteries or anything like that. (Always a plus!)
RAD Children’s Furniture (Aesthetically Pleasing Function Wood Tables, Bookshelves & More!)
This is more of a gift to parents than kids, but it’s a necessary part of any playroom! RAD Children’s Furniture Bookshelf is one of several amazing eco-friendly toy tables, desks, bookshelves, and other furniture that the company makes for toddlers, specifically. Everything is wood, low VOC, and produced in the Montessori style.
So again, no plastic here, and the table will outlast the toddler years and could be easily repurposed or given to another family for their aesthetic enjoyment during the toddler years.
Handmade Mini Wood Rolling Pin (For Baking or Playdough-ing)
The Lost Kitchen stocks these lovely, mini wooden rolling pins for toddlers in their online shop, and we love that they are plastic-free and handmade in Maine.
Whether your burgeoning toddler is starting to show an interest in food or they simply like pretending to “cook” with their playdough, a wood rolling pin is a fabulous item to have. This is a great sustainable gift and it’s also functional, so little people can keep using it well into their kid years and beyond.
It’s great for rolling out cookie dough, pasta or dumpling dough, pizza dough, and more!
Hydroflask Metal Sip Water Bottles
These durable, colorful metal water bottles are the best on the market when it comes to metal sippy cup alternatives.
By age 2, little ones are active and ready to use a metal sip water bottle like those in Hydroflask’s Stainless Steel Kids Water Bottles. Even with the plastic-free zeitgeist upon us, it’s still nearly impossible to find a kids water bottle that has absolutely zero plastic in the make, but these come darn close (the straws inside and the lids are plastic, but the water sits in an entirely metal chamber that performs well under hot and cold conditions).
These come in a variety of cool colors and themed crossover collaborations, so there’s a make and style for every kid. Kids love having ownership over their special drink cup, and parents love the utility of this gift. Plus, these water bottles last forever and are pretty hard to break.
Decorative Stained Wood Growth Chart Boards (An Elegant Keepsake Masquerading as Decor)
Bleusdecor on Etsy hand-makes unique wood growth chart ruler boards— a beautiful keepsake that masquerades as a piece of artsy decor. Parents can measure their child’s height on these large wood rulers for years to come, without marking up the walls. (This is also nice because families can take the memories with them if they ever move.)
We love the refined and rustic, plastic-free quality of these giant wood handmade rulers, which can also be customized with names or quotes like “Loved Beyond Measure”. Plus, they’re made in the USA.
Check out the various colors, stains, and text styles available for customization here. Toddlers love to see how tall they are!
This DIY Playdough Recipe (Easy to Make and Adorable to Package in a Glass Jar with a Bow)
Most generic playdough isn’t safe for kids under 3 because of the ingredients. Fortunately, this non-toxic, plastic-free playdough recipe is lovely for sensory-seekers 2 and under, because it’s made from real-food ingredients so it’s technically safe if ingested. (Not that you’d want to let them, because it does contain raw flour, which can give belly aches if eaten in large quantities.)
Here’s the recipe:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered baby formula
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- food coloring (we love this plant-based food coloring from Whole Foods, or other natural food dyes like blue spirulina powder)
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the wet ingredients (oil and water). If you’re using food coloring, dissolve it into the water first for even distribution. Knead the dough with your hands until it comes together in a smooth mass. If it’s too sticky, add small pinches of flour until it feels right.
Conversely, if it feels too dry, then add small spoonfuls of warm water until it forms a smooth, pliable dough.
Ultimately, this safe and non-toxic play dough is super satisfying to squish and mold– without the chemicals or plastic packaging. (I like to package it in a cute glass jar with a ribbon for gifting. Plus, if you’re on a budget, this is a great, cheap gift that brings SO much joy! Kids love it, and the adults in their loves often appreciate the homemade aspect.)
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Related: Yes, we also have a roundup of eco-friendly gifts for 1-Year-Olds.
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