Last Updated on November 4, 2022 by admin
If you’re shopping for toys for a 2-year-old, it’s tough to go wrong with a toy truck. They’re such a popular type of toy for toddlers and kids of all ages that there’s almost an overwhelming amount of toy trucks to choose from.
Here’s, we’ll break down exactly which types of toy trucks 2-year-olds tend to like, then list the brands that have full lines of toy trucks that younger kids will love.
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Types of Toy Trucks for 2-Year-Olds
If you’re not a truck superfan like the 2-year-old you’re shopping for, you might need a little refresher on the wide variety of toy truck options you have to choose from. They generally break down into these categories:
- Construction truck toys – I wrote a full post on all of the options in this category, which includes dump trucks, bulldozers, cement trucks, and loaders.
- City truck toys – The most popular options in this category for 2-year-olds are garbage trucks and fire trucks. Other options, like street sweepers and busses, are available but are generally targeted toward older kids.
- Farming vehicle toys – Tractors are by far the most popular toy option in this category, and I wrote a full post on toy tractors for 2-year-olds here. (Other options like toy combines and harvesters become more common as kids get a little older.)
- Transport truck toys – There are a few toy tow truck options that 2-year-olds might like, which I listed in the construction truck post. But there are also really popular car carrier trucks, which 2-year-olds tend to be fascinated by in real life.
Lines/Brands of Toy Trucks for 2-Year-Olds
You certainly don’t have to stick to one line of toy trucks, but having a compatible set can look nice and make play a little more fun (especially if the accessories/drivers are compatible, too).
It’s also worth noting, especially because I’m an Amazon affiliate, that there are a ton of toy trucks on Amazon from random “brands” shipped straight from China. These toys may be somewhat less expensive, but they also may not have the same safety guarantees that more established brands have.
I think that’s especially important considering toddlers are more likely to be rough with toys and put them in their mouths. (This article explains a little more about these random Amazon “brands” whose names are basically 6-letter, all caps nonsense words.)
I decided recently not to list toys on this site from brands that don’t have their own websites (not just an Amazon store) that seem legit. To me, a legit website has, among other things, a page describing where and how their toys are made.
Beyond the brand, I only chose to feature vehicle lines that have strong Amazon reviews. I do have personal experience with my own kids playing with most of these toy truck brands when they were little. I also believe that friction-powered, pull-back, and remote-controlled trucks are more frustrating than fun for 2-year-olds. I don’t recommend any trucks that 2-year-olds can’t push freely with their own hands.
With that in mind, here are some of the brands I trust that offer a great selection of toy trucks for 2-year-olds, in no particular order.
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Green Toys Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Yes
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Yes (they’re even machine-washable!)
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Type 1 plastic made from recycled milk jugs
- Special highlight: These toys have held up after years of frequent use in my house
Fisher Price Little People Toy Trucks and Playsets
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Yes
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Not really
- Requires batteries: They take batteries and play music
- Material: Plastic (not sure which type — the shiny kind!)
- Special highlight: My kids honestly weren’t as enthralled with these as they were with the more realistic trucks, but these are still affordable, fun toys whose drivers are compatible with a huge selection of other Little People miniature playsets
Wonder Wheels by Battat
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Yes
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Yes
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Polypropylene (plastic), which technically makes it recyclable if you can find a facility that would accept it
- Highlight: Simple, affordable, and clean designs
(20 cm x 30 cm)
Battat Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Yes
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Meh (these seem to have more moving parts which means nooks and crannies for mud to get stuck in)
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Plastic (not sure which kind, but it’s shiny and not as “soft” as Wonder Wheels)
- Special highlight: These trucks have removeable drivers and a few moving parts that some 2-year-olds might find exciting
Mega Bloks Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Yes
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Sure, why not
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Plastic
- Special highlight: Compatible with Mega Bloks building sets. I personally found that the size of the Mega Bloks dump truck, in particular, was a hit with toddlers because it’s high enough for them to push around and run behind
(12 x 12 x 5 inches)
Tonka Steel Classics Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: Nope. These are recommended for age 3 and up, probably because they’re heavy and made of metal. But my truck-loving son was drawn to the metal trucks even as a toddler.
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Yes, but make sure they dry out if you don’t want them to rust
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Steel and Plastic
(8 x 17 x 11 inches), this one is technically recommended for ages 3 and up, perhaps because it’s heavier and has metal parts
Blippi Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: No
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Meh (these seem to have more nooks and crannies for mud to get stuck in)
- Requires batteries: Yes
- Material: Plastic
- Special highlight: Obviously, the main perk of these toys is their connection to the popular toddler show host, but the toys seem to be well-reviewed.
Matchbox “Large Scale” Vehicles
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: No, 3-and-up
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: The dump truck might be
- Requires batteries: The dump truck might not need batteries but the garbage truck does
- Material: Plastic
Playmobil
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: No. There are too many small parts to be safe. But you could potentially put all the small parts away to make the toy safer and get them back out when your child is older.
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Not really. These toys are “fancier” than the ones intended for mud and sand.
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Plastic
- Special highlight: These toys are high quality, used for years, and are compatible with a whole world of other Playmobil sets
Melissa and Doug Toy Trucks
- Recommended by manufacturer for under age 3: No, probably because the fine motor skill requirements are a little high
- Ideal for muddy and wet play: Nope, wood generally gets ruined from the water over time and the paint flakes off
- Requires batteries: No
- Material: Wood
- Special highlight: If you’re trying to avoid plastic, this is one of the few brands that doesn’t use it.
Major Brand Toy Trucks: CAT and John Deere
Some of the most popular real truck brands for adults have their own lines of toys for kids. I consider these lines to be honorable mentions on my list because although they have their own Amazon stores, these companies clearly aren’t producing the toys themselves and are instead just licensing other toymakers to do it. As such, each brand has a wide variety of types of vehicles available, some of which are designed for toddlers and some for older kids. Here are some of the popular ones I came across that younger kids might like.
