meta reviews 19
Here's our best toy pick for 2-year-olds and up. Photo by Melissa & Doug


By the time your child hits 2, buying toys will likely mean finding those that are both safe and open-ended. A toy that only has one use won’t leave a lot of room for learning, let alone allow the child to have fun in his own way.

One of the best (and comparatively priced ) toy sets that meets these ends is the Melissa & Doug’s Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-piece pretend play set.

You might be wondering why a pretend cleaning set is our top choice; here’s why. Kids at this age want to be like the “big people:” If you are cleaning the car or dusting the floor, you’ll soon be sharing this chore.

Enter this 6-piece pretend play set into the conversation. Made by a trusted company, this play set has passed safety requirements. Designed for the child to move from one piece to another -- whether it’s pretending to clean or converting the broom into a guitar -- it encourages your child to be active, helps spur the magination, and introduces him to the concept of responsibility. When another child comes to play, social interaction, always a good thing, can be added to the asset’s list. With a price that reviewers have praised, this purchase won’t be denting your wallet. You’ll have yourself a simple but effective toy set that would last for a long time.

This play set has more than 10,000 ratings, as well as a near-perfect 5-star rank on Amazon and Walmart. Parents are particularly surprised at how a cleaning play set has managed to engage their kids for hours, while others noted how it’s also a fun way to interact with their toddlers. The product’s quality also has been praised, as has its affordable price point.

So, Melissa & Doug Let's Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-piece pretend play set is our top choice for your 2-year-old’s playtime. And beyond.

Article medically reviewed by Yvonne Stolworthy, MSN, RN
If you're interested in reading how Medical Daily reaches its Top Pick conclusions, please click here.