Favorite Toy/gift for 2.5 Year Old Boy? I'm Clueless!

My boys love trains. My older ds who is 8 now still plays with the wooden track and train set we bought him years ago if my younger ds who is 3 lets him near it. Its a no name one we bought at Target with lots of peices but now that my 3 yr old is in to Thomas the tank engine I bought him a couple of actual Thomas trains that will work on the track. The Thomas stuff is quite a bit more pricey but I have noticed the no name wooden track sets fit the expensive Thomas trains so you can mix and match and save lots of money. We have been thinking about the train table they have at Costco that comes with tons of train tracks and parts, a table and trundles for storage underneathe.
Any kid I have ever seen come in contact with a train table loaded with trains and tracks have had to pulled away from it. I like that trains are also a little like legos in that you have to build the track yourself, you can make a different track every single time, you have to use your own imagination as well as practice your fine motor skills to get the pieces together (with your son being 2.5 only adults will probably have to help him get a track set up for awhile but my ds just turned 3 and he's off and making his own track designs now needing only a minimum of adult help). You also have to be up and physically moving the trains. I am not into all these electronic toys that keep my kids seated and pretty much "tell" them how and what to play. I love that about the old fashioned wood train sets. They are also sturdy, I have had this cheaper set for 5 years and thru 2 boys and now 2 girls and only one piece has been damaged (but still can be used)..also wanted to add that we also have a big set of wooden blocks that get stored with the track and often my 3 and 2 yr olds are building stuff to go with the track... a barn, house, tunnels etc so I would also suggest a set of wooden blocks, again its a toy that is all about imagination and practicing fine motor skills:)
If you need a few more suggestions I would highly recommend you take a look around the toy area of your local ecfe classroom if you get a chance. They always have such great ideas for toys that are fun and educational and won't break the bank. If you can't get to an ecfe classroom I am sure you could email an ecfe educator in your school district who would be happy to help you come up with some great toy ideas for your son.
Good luck
K. H

1 mom found this helpful

I have a 27 month old boy who is also VERY busy! I feel the same way as you...there is nothing really jumping out at us.

He is getting more and more into trains now. We had just bought a cheap Ikea set and he loves to build the track with help. But now he knows Thomas and likes some of the fancier features like bridges and things. I have gone to Micheals with the coupons from the paper and have bought these additions to our track.

He also loves cars and trucks, but we have SO many. I am getting a few more of the Cars characters, since he knows the characters now.

His absolute love are tractors and farm things. We found some really cute John Deere farm sets at Fleet Farm. Instead of a doll house and dolls, he'll be getting a barn, tractors and farm animals! He's really getting into the imaginitive play with those sorts of things.

He really enjoys his Little People garage as well.

From family we've asked for passes to play areas, the zoo, and the Children's Museum.

I know kids love those small indoor trampolines, but I'm also aware of how many fractures kids get from these things. Still, I'd rather have a child jump on that than the furniture!

If you have the space, those indoor forts and tunnels can be fun.

Good luck!

My son is 2 right now and is really into manipulative toys. He might enjoy soemthing like that.

I'd love more ideas as well.
however, my 2 1/2 yr. son LOVES Diego and Legos.

I have 3 boys, the biggest hit in the house is the Geo Trax set. It's nice because others can add to it with the small or large pieces depending on what they want to spend. They have loved it from 2 years to 5 years and still enjoy it.

The other thing that is a HUGE hit with my 4-year old that we got him last year was the Diego Rescue Center. He has played with this probably the most of any of his toys. This year he wants more DIego items. I like the Diego products and they encourage the boys to care about the environment and animals. These toys grown with them a little too.

Good luck!

Lots of kids like trains at that age. A train table is a nice idea because they can use the table for blocks, legos and other things as well. We took my son to Choo Choo Bob's on Marshall in St. Paul the other day and he LOVED the trains!! They have trains running as well as wooden trains set up for the kids to play with. Might be nice to go there to see if your little guys is interested. I was able to get a train table off craigslist for under $100.

If you're still stuck, go to any Creative Kidstuff location in the Twin Cities...the people that work there always have sort of a "top 10" list of what the hottest toys are at any age. They tend to be pretty selective with their inventory, which means great variety without a lot of junk. Happy Shopping!

Geo Trax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My son got those for his birthday last year (he turned 2) and he loves them, they are very durable and if you go online they have little videos, it's pretty cool. Even my brother (who is 20) loves them!!!

I used to work at Sears and they would give away the big appliance boxes. I picked one up and made a play house for my daughter.I hung cloth over opening cut windows and put up little curtains hung pictures and put in a little lamp and her books she loved it and played for hours in her little house. My sister loved the idea and put boxes together for a more deluxe version.Priceless entertainment. K. g

I have two boys, ages 5 1/2 and 2. My 2 year old is getting a big fire truck for Christmas, he is over the moon about it, whenever we go tothe store we have go to visit the fire truck! :) He's also crazy about trains, and the Disney die cast Cars from the movie.

At this age, blocks are very popular too, both my boys will sit for an hour at a time building houses, garages, barns, etc with blocks.

They also have a large collection of John Deere and other models of tractors. They 'combine' the carpet in thier playroom and have a whole elaborate farm scene set up.

My little one loves this little RC truck he got for his birthday. Its a toddler one, so its only one button to go and when he lets up it stops. Its little Tikes.

So.... fire truck, tractors, trucks, blocks, and trains. :) Books too, our boys will sit forever reading books. :)