Are you looking for the perfect 2nd birthday gift?
Then you've come to the right place. I'll tell you here which birthday present for the second birthday of your child, grandchild or godchild will not only delight them, but will also encourage and support your little one in their development.
To help you understand why this birthday present is so great, I would first like to talk about an exciting developmental phase that your child goes through around their second birthday.
Categorizing - basic function of logical thinking:
Around their second birthday, children discover that objects can be the same or different based on their properties. They begin to distinguish and sort things according to certain characteristics. Soon they can even match simple shapes such as circles or triangles.
Sorting has little to do with a sense of order. Children do not group their toys to create order, but to distinguish them according to certain characteristics. This insight marks the beginning of categorization , a basic function of logical thinking.
If you want to support your child's development as best as possible, it is worth offering him a simple shape game around his second birthday (eg with circles, triangles and squares). By playing with shapes, your child can practice and improve this newly learned skill. After a while, shape games with slightly more complex shapes are suitable.
Puzzles also become interesting now, as not only shapes but also pictures have to be recognized and assigned. Around the second birthday, your child can be encouraged and excited with very simple 2- to 3-piece puzzles.
Some children quickly become real puzzle masters, while others may show less interest. This is why the size of puzzles varies greatly at later ages.
The perfect gift for a 2nd birthday:
Since this new skill of categorization develops around your child's second birthday, shape games and puzzles are the perfect second birthday gift!
Your child will love them because they match your child's interests and abilities at this stage. This toy also encourages and stimulates their development. You see: The perfect birthday present for a second birthday!
Your child is getting older:
When your child gets older and their interest in playing with shapes decreases, you don't have to throw the toy away. You can continue to use the shapes in the play kitchen or on the children's construction site for symbolic play such as "little cakes" or "dump truck loads".
Most shape games are also decorative and are suitable for beautifying the children's room.
Take time to play:
Take the time to play with your child and encourage their cognitive development. Shape games and puzzles are wonderful tools to develop your child's skills while having fun. Enjoy this exciting phase of discovery and growth together with your little adventurer!
I hope this post has given you some helpful ideas. Stay tuned and check back soon to discover more exciting topics!
Source images: Mushie, Stapelstein