In an effort to help other parents and grandparents who are looking for gifts for their children or grandchildren I’ve put together this list of best toys for 3 year old toddlers. My son and other children from friends and family have really enjoyed playing with these toys I know yours will too.
Shopping for 3 year olds can be challenging. They may not be ready for certain toys their age or they might be well advanced past normal toys for their age range. I’ve done all the research and found 20 of the best toys for 3 year old.
I have a knack for shopping for kids toys. My son is 3, extremely active, smart, but doesn’t speak. This means he’s ready for some toys but not for others. Finding the correct toys for your kid means knowing where your kid is developmentally.
When researching toys I specifically looked for toys that work well for ages 3-5. Longevity in use is important when buying toys. Nothing is worse then buying your kid a toy they only play with a few times before no longer being interested in them.
I also looked for toys that encourages your child’s natural mimicking behavior. At this age they want to do everything we do. Instead of stopping that behavior we give them toys that help them to mimic what we do. This helps to build life skills.
Finally I looked for educational toys that help to satisfy their natural curiosity. They can learn new and amazing things about the world around them. Additionally, this encourages lifelong interest into education and science.
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Educational Toys For 3 Year Olds
Educational toys should be more than just book smarts. At this age your child is more curious about the world around them. Giving them toys that educate them about their world helps them in the future.
Teaching them how to clean up, different foods, and how to build will help to train those fine motor skills. Additional to this they can build up their imagination and creativity too.
20 Best Toys for 3 Year Old
Dyson Toy Vacuum
I love this Dyson Toy Vacuum.. With real suction and sounds it’s believable and your child will get an absolute kick out of helping you vacuum.
Mickey Mouse-Ka-Explorer Play Set
This set comes with binoculars, flashlight, and compass. They are fantastic for imagination play. Imagine you kid playing explorer on a play set like this.
Ride On Powered Quad
I remember I had a motorized quad. Especially if you live in a neighborhood with quiet streets or have a large backyard. They can drive around the backyard while you sit and enjoy some sweet tea while reading a book.
LEGO Table
This LEGO compatible table is perfect for your child. They can use the hard top surface for coloring and table top play then build huge towers with the LEGO top.
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Waterpark Play Table
The waterpark play table is an awesome summer toy. Sensory toys are all the rage and your kid will love playing with this one.
Mr Potato Head
I had to include one of my favorite throwback toys. My son loves all things Toy Story. Additionally you can teach you kid about different parts of the body with this fun inexpensive toy.
Crystal Growing Lab Play Set
This is a great play set for teaching kids how crystal form and for them to enjoy those crystals as treasure in pretend play.
Talking Microscope
Help your kid explore and learn about science with this toy talking microscope. It’s comes with photo slides so you kid can learn about the world around them. It is not a real microscope to look at rocks or other items they find.
Little Tikes Turtle Covered Sandbox
A sandbox is a fantastic backyard toy for every kid with hours of enjoyment for several years running. The sandbox has a lid so you can close it up and keep the sand fresh.
Sand Toys
No sandbox would be complete without a full set of sand toys. Your kids can build sandcastles and dig till their heart’s content with these affordable buckets, shovels, and molds.
Augmented Reality Based Globe
This is a really cool toy. You can use it with a smartphone to teach your children about the world around them. They can learn to identify countries and what those countries are known for.
Kinetic Sand
Kinetic sand is a favorite among children and adults. It’s a cleaner version of moon sand and stays wet and moldable unlike play dough.
Slime Kit
Slime has been a favorite among kids because it’s fun to make and fun to play with. This kit helps you and your kids make slime together.
Rainbow Counting Bears and Sorting Cups
These are a simple and quiet toy to teach colors, counting, and build matching skills. Toys like these are great for 3 year olds to build up those preschool skills.
VTech Care For Me Toy Dog and Carrier
This is a fun imagination based toy. Solely for fun but a still a great toy that your child is sure to enjoy.
Magnetic Alphabet and Letters
These are extremely useful. They can help teach your child about the alphabet and spelling. Our son learned how to spell his name because of these magnetic letters. They are an affordable toy that every child will love.
Fisher-Price Think and Learn Smart Cycle
This toy is great for getting your child active while also enriching their young mind. This smart cycle turns learning into a game. There are three ways to play and it can play on a tablet or TV through Bluetooth.
Little Tikes Basketball Hoop
Get your kid interested in sports at a young age and build a lifelong activity to keep them active and healthy. The little tikes basketball hoop is just the toy you need. They can learn to play and stay active throughout.
Melissa and Doug Let’s Play House Set
I love Melissa and Doug products. This set is a great one to help your child mimic your behavior with toys their own size.
Related Post: The Best Easels for Toddlers – Melissa and Doug Easel Review
Little Tikes Picnic Table with Umbrella
This picnic table with umbrella is a great toy for your kids to sit at outside. Enjoy a backyard picnic or let them play at it outside while you get some relaxation time.
Final Thoughts
All these toys are great picks for 3 year olds and are likely to entertain and educate your child for a couple of years. The key to finding toys your child will love is to know what they already enjoy doing.
If your child is super active go with toys that keep them active. For imaginative kids keep building on that imagination with building toys. If they follow you around everywhere and want to do what you do give them toys that mimic. Find what they are interested in and build on that naturally with toys that encourage them to play how they like to.
Which toy is perfect for your kids play style? Let me know in the comments below. Follow me on Pinterest for more like this and pin this to your toys and activities boards.
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- A Parent’s Guide To Tablets For Toddlers
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Thanks for sharing such informative article. It’s important to engage our kids in learning toys.wow! I just love it. It really super idea for kids fun. Kids must love it.