What are the best gifts for 3 year olds? Inside this post we're sharing simple toys and tools that make great birthday gifts and holiday gifts for toddlers.
What are the coolest gift ideas for 3 year olds?
3 year olds are creative, curious, and love to play! The best gifts for 3 year olds include:
- Toys that help them use their imaginations
- Tools that help them move their bodies
- Tools that help them create
- Toys that get them engaged in pretend play and small world play
- Tools that develop their curiosity
Three year olds love to use their skills to make their own ideas happen! Toys that are open-ended and allow for creativity will always be the most popular ones!
25+ Awesome Gifts for 3 year olds
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This list of awesome gift ideas for 3 year olds includes ways to play, create, and get kids moving! Click on the links below to explore each of these toys and tools in more detail.
1. Kinetic sand
By age three most kids aren't trying to eat the kinetic sand, so they can just manipulate it and explore it! Kinetic sand has such a cool texture. We love to add our mini CAT trucks into the sand during playtime.
2. Balance bike
We typically give our kids a balance bike around their third birthday. Some aren't interested in it till they are closer to age 4 and some LOVE it! It has been a great way for our kids to learn how to ride a bike without training wheels.
3. Play-doh Tools
We love this Play-doh Fun Factory set and this Melissa & Doug Shape Model and Mold Set. Having cool play-doh tolls makes it extra fun!
4. LEGO sets
The big open ended LEGO DUPLO box of fun is my favorite but my kids also love a variety of sets. Lately the Big Farm DUPLO set has been a hit. Do your kids have a favorite set?
5. Craft supplies
Giving a craft kit or a tub of craft supplies is always a great gift idea that keeps on giving! You can find some of our favorite craft & activity supplies in this 10 Favorite Craft Supplies post.
6. Magnatiles
I haven't met a kid that doesn't love magnatiles or magformers yet. These aren't cheap, but they are definitely worth the investment! Kids (and adults) love playing with them!
7. Vehicles
There are so many different types of vehicles that three year olds like! My kids have loved big Construction trucks and have also loved more complex vehicles like the Hape Discovery Space Center. Three year olds can handle a few more complex smaller pieces, so these sets can be a lot of fun!
8. Dress up costumes
I love classic costumes like firemen, chefs, construction workers, and butterflies! We also love to collect tutus, jewelry, wands and crowns so that kids can put together their own costumes. Animal costumes and super hero capes are a lot of fun too! My 3-year-old's favorite costume right now is his astronaut costume!
9. Plasma car
Plasma cars are awesome! They are so fun and pretty easy to manipulate. They work best if you have a flat surface for kids to ride on.
10. Melissa and Doug Big Rig Building Set
My 3-year-old got this set for his recent birthday and he has really enjoyed using the tools. This is a great toy for building fine motor skills.
11. Pretend Play Cash Register
This cash register is fought over constantly at our house. I wish we had three of them! It is so fun to use when we play store or restaurant.
12. Books
You can never go wrong with books as gifts! We love to gift our favorite classic children's books and some more popular titles. Some of our favorite children's books are featured on this list of amazing picture books for toddlers. These are only a handful of favorites. We have tons! What are your favorite books to gift to 3-year-olds?
13. Monthly Magazine Subscriptions
National Geographic for Kids, Highlights High Five Magazine and Zoo Books are all great magazine subscriptions to check out!
14. Science set
We really like this primary science set along with using giant turkey basters and these cool jumbo test tubes. We use them for fizzy science activities most often!
15. Dollhouse
My son and daughter both loved playing with dollhouses when they were around age 3 (and older)! There are so many different types of dollhouses. This Hape dollhouse is my favorite.
17. Blocks
A solid high quality set of blocks is good for any age of kid. Blocks provide limitless opportunities for creativity. We love the jumbo cardboard Melissa & Doug blocks along with the plain wooden Melissa & Doug blocks.
18. Hex Bugs
Hex bugs are SO COOL. I have just as much fun with them as my kids. They are little bugs that are battery operated and move around. It is fun to buy the habitats that they sell or you can just use the bugs and create your own habitats using blocks or other random things around your house.
19. Cardboard boxes!!
Sometimes you don't need to buy anything fancy... just buy a tall wardrobe box from Home Depot and let your kids go crazy. We make them into dog houses or little cottages or even rocket ships.
20. Micro Mini Scooter
The Micro mini scooter is perfect for 3 year olds. They can zip around the neighborhood and develop so many great motor skills while they ride.
21. Games
Three year olds are fun to play games with when they are super simple! Two of our favorites are Hiss and Spot it Junior.
Do you have any other favorite games for 3 year olds? Tell me about them!
22. Little People Princess Castle
Fisher Price toys help kids use their imagination and build their creativity through small world play!
23. Switch and Go Dinos
These vehicles turn into dinosaurs! Kids have fun transforming them and using them for pretend play.
24. Toy Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs of all sizes are fun for 3 year olds to use as they play and create! They can even use them in sensory bins and other small world play activities.
25. Fine Motor Tools
3 year olds are curious and love to explore. There are so many amazing fine motor skills activities that they love! We like to have these fine motor tolls on hand to help them create and play.
26. Tonie Box
3 year olds love listening to music and stories with this fun tool!
What are some experience gifts for 3 year olds?Â
- Gift card for gymnastics, sports, or music class
- Children's Museum membership
- Zoo membership
- Ticket to an indoor play place or art studio
- Aquarium membership
- Trip to go get ice cream
Sometimes giving the gift of an experience is so much nicer than giving a toy! Memberships are one of my favorites because then we have something fun to do all year long... especially in the winter when it is cold or wet and we get bored easier!
Go here to read more about experience gift ideas for kids.
Need more gift ideas?
Here are a few other favorites gift ideas for kidsI
Need some more gift ideas for 3-year-olds? Check out this 3-year-old gift conversation over on the Toddler Approved Facebook page for more ideas.
stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/68412979/Kinetic-sand-warning-after-dogs-brush-with-death
Kinetic sand is very dangerous if a child swallows it. Check up on it before recommending it
for young children.
As mentioned on many websites where you purchase kinetic sand (as well as on the box), Kinetic Sand is Non-Toxic. It has been tested for all required safety standards. Kinetic Sand is a modelling compound and is not intended for consumption. As with all toys, children under 3 years should be supervised at all times whilst playing with Kinetic Sand. This list shares favorite gift ideas for 3-year-olds. If your 3-year-old still puts toys in his mouth, you will also want to supervise your child with kinetic sand along with many other toys and products. It is up to each parent/caregiver to decide what they feel comfortable giving to their child as a gift. If kinetic sand doesn't work for you, this post shares 19 other ideas that might. Thanks!
I'd add strawtastic to.this list
Lovely ideas, might use some of these for my nearly 4yo 🙂 x