Two-year-olds certainly have more of a reputation as board game ruiners than board game players. Any tabletop game enthusiast with a toddler has probably experienced the fun of many attempted games interrupted by toddlers who want to grab pieces or bump the board.
But, by age two (especially the tail end of age two), some kids will be ready for simple board games, card games, and puzzles.
There are only a handful of games that market themselves as being for kids this young. However, in my opinion, many of the ones that do position themselves in this age group do a great job of being accessible to toddlers but still being relevant to your kids’ interests for several years.
One of these games is Roll and Play. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases — but was gifted this game independently of my relationship with Amazon.) I would put this game on the shortlist of top gifts for two-year-olds, overall. It’s as basic as it gets: No competition, no winning or losing — just taking turns throwing a fluffy colorful die, then following a series of fun and silly directives.
Each color on the die triggers a specific category of actions you take. Actions involve things like counting, making faces and identifying body parts, colors and emotions. My kids both continued to ask to play the game throughout their preschool years.
The game is made by the company ThinkFun, which claims that Roll & Play is the “first toddler game ever designed.” I’ve even noticed that the game has inspired a few copycats in the years since I received it as a gift for my own 2-year-old.
The game costs about $26 at most retailers, including FatBrain Toys, Target, and Amazon. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
