You guys… I think I’ve decided that motherhood is just a constant whirlwind tears and love and mess… all wrapped up together with a “how is time going by so fast?!” mantra on repeat.
Anyone else?
My goodness. It just kills me a little! Noah is 2. 2!!! How did that happen so quickly? Man, oh man.
Motherhood is hands down the most beautiful, rewarding and also crazy thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I just can’t believe it’s been 2 whole years already. It makes my eyes water just thinking about it. He used to be so tiny, and now he’s like this little grown-up!
Ahhhh. Okay. I’ll stop. 🙂 I know so, so many of you feel the same.
One of my favorite parts about Noah growing up, though, is how fun his age is. I obviously loved the infant stages and the cozy cuddles and the nursing, but it’s just so dang fun to watch him learn to figure things out for himself, to turn into a little man, and to take life in with his own eyes.
Plus, let’s be honest… it’s way more fun to buy toys than countless burp cloths, am I right?!
Now that Noah is 2, there are some toddler items that we are both big-time obsessed with. From toys to clothes (baby clothes are just so CUTE), here are 10 toddler items we’ve all been loving for our little guy.
12 Toddler Items I’m Loving Now That Noah is 2
01. Lovevery subscription boxes.
Okay, you guys… these are the only toys we’ve EVER bought for Noah, and I have nothing but the best, best, best things to say.
Lovevery’s toys are absolutely stunning and wooden (no icky plastic toys over here), and they’re geared towards learning stages… which is so key to fostering development (and fun)!
We’ve been loving the Play Kits, which are delivered every 2 months or so according to the right learning stage and developmental age of your babe. They’re Montessori-based and packed with beautiful toys that Noah is truly obsessed with.
The Play Kits are also super convenient (and *simple*), because they’re exactly what you need at the time, and they hold up! They’re made so well, and I’d recommend them to anyone and everyone.
02. A learning and cooking kitchen play tower.
Noah absolutely loves “helping” me in the kitchen, whether it’s stirring something, pouring something, or just generally making me smile at him for… hours.
Truly, it makes my heart so, so happy.
I love having Noah learn his way around the kitchen right alongside me, which was why I was so excited to find a play tower for him that wasn’t… horrible to look at. 😉
Towers are so fun for letting them help out, and they’re safer than sticking them on the counter or a stool.
This toddler tower is my favorite and the one we picked (because I’m overly crazy about everything matching our aesthetic with the big open connected main floor we have, visual clutter drives me crazy so I wanted it to blend in). But I also love this one and this one. So good. There are a few different styles (some fold up to store, vs stay out, some fit more than 1 kid, etc, so pick whatever works for you!)
03. Slumberpod tent.
OK you guys. This thing. This the Slumberpod tent has been a life.saver. for us and one of the best things we’ve bought. This tent basically makes a portable dark spot for sleep, which is absolutely perfect for travel, grandparents houses, small hotel rooms, etc.
We always just put it over Noah’s Pack-n-Play for naps no matter where we are, PLUS it’s always consistent and looks the same to them… which, as all of us know, is key to making naps *actually* happen when they need to.
04. Magnetic tiles.
Okay, so… I kinda love these tiles as much as Noah does. Real talk.
Magnetic tiles… we love PicassoTiles… are a STEM-approved toy, and they’re so good for creative play. Noah absolutely loves making creations with these, and they provide a solid 20 minutes or so of focus….
…which is a WHOLE LOT for a 2-year old, am I right?!
But really, I love these guys. They’re such an easy way to promote fun and creativity, and they’re a must have for anyone looking for something for their toddler to do with their hands.
05. A good snack cup.
So, shocker to no one, but… 2 year olds are messy.
Like, real messy.
This snack cup has been such a lifesaver for us during snack time, and it’s perfect for on-the-go, too. It’s collapsible, easy to wash (major plus!), and it’s sooo much easier and more sustainable than going through a zillion plastic snack baggies.
06. Smoothie glasses.
Noah loves a good smoothie, just like his mama.
Plus, they’re one of the yummiest and easiest ways to go big on the greens and pack in the nutrition.
Since smoothies can be so messy (worth it, but still!), I have fallen in love with these smoothie cups here recently.
They’re all glass, so they’re totally BPA-free… and they’re literally un-spillable. No smoothie messes over here! Plus, straws are so fun to drink out of when you’re 2.
And, with the pretty color sleeves, lil’ babe has no idea what the smoothie *actually* looks like…
Which means I can pack in more greens. 🙂
07. Watercolor pad.
There was nothing more fun to me when I was 2 than art time, and Noah is the SAME. This watercolor pad has given us hours of fun, and I’ll say “us” because…
There’s no actual ink involved. Just water.
Which means that it can’t get on the furniture or the walls. Praise.
They’re genius, and they work by putting water in one end to make watercolors that only work on the special mat it comes with.
Noah loves it, and it’s been such a fun way to watch him create pretty pictures without creating pretty pictures on my home goods, ya know?!
08. Tiny Patagonia.
Okay, so I know this is expensive. BUT, it’s so worth it, especially when you live somewhere that gets super chilly (helloooo, PNW)!
If you size up a little bit, this baby Patagonia can be an investment that actually lasts for at least 3 years. We use it all year-round, and it’s probably been one of the best things we’ve ever, ever purchased for him.
I’m obsessed with his navy blue one (he’s so dang handsome in it!), and so is he, since, bonus points, it’s the same one as his dad’s. 🙂
09. The UPPAbaby Vista.
For daily walks, this has been the absolute best investment we’ve made… especially this year.
This stroller comes with a bassinet for babies (which was also so, so great for a portable crib for traveling and going to other people’s houses), but it also comes with adapters for almost all carseats. Considering that no one wants to transfer a sleeping baby to a carseat… yes, please.
Plus, it also becomes a jumpseat for that year mark all the way to toddlerhood.
There are a couple options to choose from, but we chose the Vista because it adjusts for 2 seats if you’re wanting more babes in the future.
10. STOKKE highchair.
Again with the investment piece…but the way I see it, a highchair is something that sits out in your kitchen ALL THE TIME.
I wanted something that was calming to look at and that matched the rest of our house, and this has been such a great pick for us.
Plus, Noah is truly obsessed with his highchair… probably because it always means food.
Like mama, like son.
11. A fun placemat.
Look, until I was a mama, I don’t think I had any idea how much fun you could actually have with a placemat!
We use this placemat for a little bit of everything… eating, crafts, hanging around. Also, it’s so CUTE.
I also really love this placemat since it’s easy to wipe clean and looks precious with his highchair. Plus, it’s BPA-free and made with food-grade silicone, which is big-time important over here.
12. Stainless steel water bottle.
As you know, drinking water is one of the best, easiest, most IMPACTFUL things you can do for your health.
And that goes for 2 year olds, too!
Noah loves his water bottle, which sounds so silly, but it’s true… and makes it so much easier for me to know he’s drinking enough.
This one that he loves is BPA-free and has a cap that keeps it from spilling when you throw it in a bag. Plus, he has so much fun flipping it open. Welp, looks like that one sold out fast, here is a similar one if the other one is still out of stock.
It’s the small things, right?
13. Ok, just one more as a bonus. These shoes, especially for spring and summer. They’re waterproof, easy to slip on and off and they go with anything. Most mamas know about them, but as a minimal kid-thing buyer, we were able to do everything we needed with a pair of these, a pair of “running” shoes (I did these, too cute and matching both mama & dada ) and a nicer pair for slightly dressier moments. Add in a pair of rainboots in the fall /winter& that’s all we’ve needed.
So, mama… what are some of your favorite toddler items? Share it with all of us in the comments below!
Patagonias are such a great choice for kiddos – especially for durability + their warranty/repairs! For a tip on less expensive Patagonias, you can also go their site wornwear.com, which has gently used (sometimes like new condition) Patagonia clothing – including kiddos! Save a little $ and help the environment by reducing consumption of new products (you can also trade in your used Patagonias for a little credit when they outgrow them!)