My son loves his flash cards. Puzzles?

Playmobil 123 Truck With Garage

http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-123-Truck-With-Garage/dp/B000N1XQHA

He’ll have to figure out how to get the driver into the truck, how to back the truck into the garage so it can be loaded up, and he’ll have to figure out the shape sorter that fills up the truck.

Playmobil 123 is great, just great. Really well-made, loads of play value, play value that will last a long time. Buy him a farm set now and he can just identify cow as ‘cow,’ but in not so many months he’ll be able to play more elaborately with it…

we have the playskool busy gears thing and it is great
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2297970

A fastener box or board might be cool for him, if you don’t want to put out the money for a pretty one you could always make one yourself and personalize it too
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Deluxe-Latches-Board/dp/B000NVBE1A

or a skills board like this http://astore.amazon.com/finemotorskills/detail/B00005TNIC

there is a really great shape sorter cube by mellisa and doug too
http://www.furniturefind.com/Melissa-and-Doug-575-JW1254.html

Shape sorters are a good toy for this age – they range from the balls with several shapes to the bucket type with just a few shapes – obviously the complicated ones are better for slightly older kids

Also the wood puzzles that have the large cutout pieces with the knobs on them.

There are several variation on stacking toys that are more complex – I’ve seen some wooden trains with different shapes that stack on them, also some wooden bead toys where there are patterns for them to match.

Cloth activity books are also nice- the kind that have like a button, showelace tie, zipper, snap, etc for them to practice on. Not sure where these are available from…if you are crafty it would be pretty easy to make your own.

There are also endless battery-operated toys that teach shapes, letters, colors, etc using buttons – pricey new but you should check out thrift shops and garage sales, you can often find them there.

ETA: Thought of some more! Building blocks of any kind are great – megablocks they can start using soon after a year, my dd already loves to pull them apart. Also musical instruments, lots of hand-coordination and stuff they learn from them, drums, tamborine, cymbals, whatever.

The old toy that’s been around for ever! the Barrel w/shaped blocks and shaped holes. he has to work to get each one in the correct hole. Or color associated toys as well.

there are some versions of this toy that has lights, and sounds etc. but i find those are WAY TOO distracting for them and they lose interest in the original task.

i prefer the plan old fashion block toys, puzzles and activity tables made of wood and w/bright colors (NOT noisy plastic toys).

My favorite toy place is eco Time toys. they have the cutest things, don’t require batteries, are well made, non-toxic, inexpensive and brightly colored!

like these-
Classic Block Shape Sorter toy-
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Melissa_Doug_Shape_Sorting_Cube_p/md575.htm

this one is pretty cheap, and even my older boys like playing w/it, making picture and things w/ their little brother and sister-
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Haba_Color_Pegs_p/hb2230.htm

this one is great for learning numbers, and then later when they are older…time (and it’s cheap!)-
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Melissa_Doug_Wooden_Shape_Sorting_Clock_p/md159.htm

This one has ALWAYS been a hit w/my boys…lol i think all boys like banging on things-
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Melissa_Doug_Pound_A_Peg_p/md496.htm

Puzzles would be great for him, if he likes to really study things (Hayden *my youngest* is like that)-
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Melissa_Doug_House_Pets_Jumbo_Knob_p/md2055.htm
http://www.ecotimetoys.com/Melissa_Doug_Wooden_Fish_Bowl_Jumbo_Knob_p/md2056.htm

they have SO much stuff, even organic toys. check out the site. it’s so cute!