Last Updated on November 30, 2022 by admin
When my son was little, I remember how exciting it was one day when city trucks pulled up to fix a storm sewer drain in front of our house. My little guy was content to just sit on the porch and take in the entertainment for a while — and for him, sitting down for any reason was rare.
It’s common for 2-year-olds to love trucks. In fact, according to one article, it’s the most common “intense interest” that young kids tend to develop. The market has stepped in to provide lots of gift options for these kids. So if you have a truck-lover like I did, you have a lot of options for exciting gifts for them.
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Construction Truck Toys
I already wrote a post on the best toy construction trucks 2-year-olds. There are plenty of options to choose from, but dump trucks are probably the most popular toy truck to start with. You can see my son playing with our Mega Bloks dump truck at the top of this post. My own little truck-lovers played with this truck more than any other (and he had quite a few). My saintly father-in-law even repaired one of the wheels when it rolled off after years of use.
I’m a Duplo super-fan and prefer them to Mega Bloks, but my kids loved this truck even with the blocks completely out of the picture. I think the thing that sets it apart is the taller size that makes it easier for small children to run behind the truck as they push it.
The bucket of this Mega Bloks dump truck is shaped in a way that makes it easy for toddlers to grab/lean on it, too. So, despite not being made of superior quality plastic, this Mega Bloks truck still ends up being a great option for truck lovers. You can also hose it off, which I think is a crucial factor for toy trucks.
Truck Train Table
Train tables are one of the most popular types of toys for toddlers. (For more on how to choose a train table, check out our full post on train tables for 2-year-olds.) This one adds a little bit of an exciting spin on the classic table by adding a cab with buttons and a steering wheel. Tots can pretend to drive the truck when they’re not playing with smaller trains/trucks on the back. If you check out the post on wooden train sets for 2-year-olds, you may find that within each train set there are options for construction vehicles.
Construction Site Board Game
HABA has an extensive collection of great board games for age 2 and up. My kids have several HABA games. Although we haven’t played Building site ourselves, it has great reviews and I can imagine it would be a big hit with truck lovers. For more board game suggestions, check out The Best Board Games for 2-Year-Olds.
Construction Truck Rain Boots
I know this isn’t technically a toy, but most toddlers will get just as excited about a new pair of boots as they will about a new toy, especially if it features something exciting like trucks. Bonus perk: Their parents will appreciate this kind of gift, too. I’ve mentioned before that it’s a gamble to buy a costume as a gift for a 2-year-old, especially if that costume requires a hat. But I think boots give the same feel of a costume while actually being functional.
Duplo Construction Site Playset
I already mentioned that I love Duplo for 2-year-olds, and they have plenty of truck-centered toys that toddlers will love. I like this wrecking ball set as I know that toddlers like to destroy as much as they like to build. There is also a really cute $20 recycling truck set that I think my son would have loved at age 2.
Little People Construction Site Playset
The Little People line by Fisher Price has almost any type of miniature playset you can think of, and that includes the construction site. The little people in this set are compatible to drive the line’s larger construction trucks, which I list in the full post on toy trucks.
Construction Truck Books
There are so many truck-themed books out there for kids that it can feel a little overwhelming if you’re looking for one. My husband’s cousin is a teacher and got this for my son. I love it so much! The three trucks in the story get so tired from playing that they completely melt down, and their little caretaker has to calm them down and put them to bed.
I think toddlers might like a book about how hard it is to stop playing, and a chance to put themselves in the role of caregiver. Plus, the book rhymes and has a nice sing-songy flow, which I think is super fun for any little kids’ book.
A few other construction books for toddlers that my own kids loved include Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Stanley the Builder.
Construction Site Plate and Utensil Set
This “constructive eating” set can make mealtime just a little bit easier and more fun for kids.
Manual/Scooter Ride-on Digger Toy
The reviews on these scooter/digger contraptions are a little more mixed than usual for toys I recommend. Some people claim that this one, for example, is sized more for an 18-month old than an older toddler, or that it comes with parts missing. I couldn’t find one from a toy brand I trusted. That said, they do look fun and exciting for a truck lover, and no electricity is required to run it. I prefer the simpler metal crane toys that actually dig in dirt, but those are consistently recommended for ages 3 and up and might be too big or complicated for toddlers.
Electric Ride-on Loader / Construction Truck
I usually opt for simple, eco-friendly toys, but it’s hard to ignore the excitement that a real, working digger vehicle would inspire in a truck-loving 2-year-old. In my experience, these electric vehicles don’t have a great record for longevity — but most kids will find a way to keep playing with them even when the battery dies or the wiring fails.
