• According to the National Network for Child Care, the defining characteristics of a two-year-old are independence and emotions. They want to do more for themselves than they are physically capable of, and they can go from giggling sweetheart to angry tyrant in a matter of seconds. Two-year-olds love to do things. They love to walk, run, push, pull and explore. The perfect gifts for two-year-olds help to channel all their energy into something positive and creative. Look for gifts that get them moving, improve their fine motor skills and appeal to their sense of play.
  
  

Get Artistic

• Look for art products that are designed just for smaller hands. Check out washable triangular crayons that are easier for little ones to hold, inks and paints that only show up on paper made especially for them, washable finger paints and sidewalk chalk. These kinds of gifts let a child be creative and expressive without adults having to worry about messes.
  
  

Build Motor Skills

• Toys like shape sorters, shape stackers, nesting toys and jack in the boxes help children learn important concepts like size, shape and cause-and-effect relationships while also building valuable muscle coordination. Look for shape sorters that use fun themes like barnyard animals. Look for shape stacker and nesting toys in bright colors and fun shapes to visually stimulate two-year-olds.
  
  

Get Musical

• Rhythm and music provide a great way to get busy two-year-olds moving and to help them express all those big emotions in a way that's exciting and fun. Look for keyboards, xylophones, toy microphones that play rhythms and record voices and toy instruments like drums or trumpets. It won't be long before your favorite two-year-old is singing and dancing. Get several two-year-olds together and have a musical parade.
  
  

Be Dramatic

• Puppets make the perfect gift for two-year-olds. They also provide a great way for adults to interact with small children by telling fun and silly stories through the puppet characters. As a two-year-old grows, he can use puppets to express his own stories.
  
  

Build Things

• Legos, Hasbro Clipo toys, Lincoln Logs and other building blocks are good toys for two-year-olds. They help build motor skills and teach valuable lessons about gravity and balance. Remember, two-year-olds still put everything in their mouths, so make sure you either by large versions of these toys, like Duplo Legos, or sort through what you purchase first and remove anything small enough to be a choking hazard.