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When we asked Milk Teeth co-founders Catherine Newell-Hanson and Rebecca Calavan about the kind of play their respective children were into at 3 years old, they responded almost in unison: jumping. “Jumping on the bed, jumping off the couch, jumping on us, jumping on the dog, jumping on the trampoline,” Calavan elaborated. Of course, 3-year-olds also enjoy running, riding a scooter, drawing, playing dress-up, creating elaborate setups with action figures, and building block towers to knock down. At this age, kids are also talking a lot more, whether they’re narrating pretend play or speaking in the voice of their favorite doll or stuffy. “There’s so much language development that’s happening, so talking and having conversations is really important,” says Erica Hill, a consultant at the early-childhood-education research foundation HighScope. And that’s true whether you’re discussing the differences between two Hot Wheels cars or pouring them a cup of invisible tea in the bath.
To help you find the best toys that will give the 3-year-old in your life a chance to jump, chat, and otherwise indulge their many evolving interests, we talked to child-development specialists, toy buyers, and stylish parents about the toys they recommend. The expert-approved gifts below are organized by price, so if you already have a budget in mind, you can use the table of contents to jump to that section. Otherwise, read all the way through to get the full picture of what makes an elder toddler tick.
Meanwhile, if you’re also shopping for children in other age groups, we have gift guides for 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, 10-year-olds, 11-year-olds, and 12-year-olds — plus the meticulously curated Strategist Toy Store, filled with all our greatest hits.
Update on November 6, 2024: Replaced the Gabby’s Dollhouse cruise ship with the newer Purrfect Celebration dollhouse from the same brand; replaced the sold-out Brio Smart Tech train set with a fire-rescue-themed set from the same brand; added an LCD drawing board, a remote control Optimus Prime, and the Retrospec Cub balance bike; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
Under $25
Susie Allison, a mom, former teacher, and the creator of BusyToddler.com, loves gifting Kinetic Sand to 3-year-olds because it is especially satisfying to play with. Kinetic sand isn’t gritty like real sand — it has a velvety-smooth texture that’s easy to mold, and it’s way less likely to end up in someone’s eyes. This Construction Site set is also featured in our Strategist Toy Store of the 100 most essential toys; it’s an excellent value, with two pounds of light-brown Kinetic Sand, a working dump truck, a crane with a swinging bucket, and a wrecking ball.
LCD drawing boards are a modern twist on the classic MagnaDoodle — all it takes to draw is gentle pressure from your finger or a stylus. Both Newell-Hanson and Calavan told me they’ve bought this model from Target’s Gigglescape line in multiples to keep on hand as gifts; it comes with an attached stylus, which Newell-Hanson says is a must, as well as a set of stencils shaped like stars, hearts, a car, and a fish. When I tried it myself, I especially appreciated the one-touch erase button, which provides a clean slate in an instant.
Melissa & Doug’s Sticker Wow activity books come with a handheld dispenser that deposits dime-size stickers like a self-inking rubber stamp. Each dispenser is shaped like an animal or object (so far, there’s a cat, dog, dinosaur, turtle, tiger, unicorn, fox, astronaut, ice-cream cone, and bulldozer) and comes with 100 themed stickers. It’s so much fun to repetitively smash the stamper onto the book’s pages or other paper, creating trails and other patterns of colorful cartoon dots. You can also use it to play pretend by, say, stamping your kid’s notebook as they board an imaginary train or enter the arena of a make-believe concert. And once you run out of the included stickers — which will happen faster than you think, the only downside — it’s simple to pick up refill packs.
If you have an aspiring pop singer in your home, publicist and mom of two Sonya Li Casino recommends this wireless mic that her son loves to perform with. When he asked for a real microphone, she got him this Bluetooth one that can connect to other devices. Though Casino warns that it’s “slightly obnoxious,” it’s also undeniably fun.
Newell-Hanson also recommends this affordable Green Toys tea set, which her daughter especially loved to play with in the tub. It comes with a teapot; sugar bowl; mini milk pitcher; and cups, plates, and spoons for four in two color schemes — primary red, blue, and yellow or the pastels shown here. It’s also food-safe and dishwasher-safe in case you want to go all out the next time you play Tea Party.
At 3 years old, Calavan’s son was so obsessed with Hot Wheels cars that he would even sleep with them sometimes. So she always kept a few on hand as cheap, small gifts, just in case she needed to “negotiate a deal with a terrorist toddler.” This set of ten cars could also be used as stocking stuffers, party favors, or easy Hanukkah gifts.
“Don’t forget about playing outside,” says Dr. Roberta Golinkoff, a professor of child psychology at the University of Delaware and co-author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children. She stresses the benefit of cheap and easy outdoor games like hopscotch that adults can share with young children. Use this set of 64 washable crayon-shaped sidewalk chalks to draw your hopscotch court, or “just give it to them and let them go wild,” she says.
At 3, children will often express a preference for (or maybe develop an intense obsession with) specific characters from the books, shows, or movies you share with them. And action figures let them create their own little fan-fiction, screen-free. We featured this Bluey set in our list of the best Easter basket ideas, but it would also make a great birthday or holiday gift. Whether they’re nuts about Bluey or madly in love with Peppa Pig (like my niece) mini figures like this will keep them entertained in restaurants, in traffic, and in doctor’s waiting rooms.
And fans of the Disney show Spidey and His Amazing Friends will love this set of its web-throwing stars. They’d also make a fun cake topper for a Spidey-themed party.
Calavan recommends friction-based monster trucks for this age because they are easy to pull back and launch. They also take off fast, but won’t break if they hit something. I have tested this Aeromax dinosaur pull-back truck and like that, in addition to making it flip and spin, you can open its jaws and move its tail up and down.
Here’s a toy that will encourage — and help dissipate — some of that jumping energy. The Flybar Foam Pogo Jumper has a wider, sturdier base than a traditional pogo stick, which according to child psychologist Dr. Nicole Beurkens allows younger children to use it successfully. (It’ll still take many 3-year-olds a bit of practice.) It can be used outdoors or in, as the foam base won’t mess up your floors.
Jeannette Corey, director of the Bank Street Family Center, says that for young children “play should be as hands-on and open-ended as possible with lots of opportunities for creativity, curiosity, problem-solving, and cooperation.” She recommends giving kids open-ended building toys like blocks that will grow with them as they mature and become more sophisticated. The nine different shapes in this 100-piece set from Melissa & Doug are made of smooth, vibrantly painted wood and allow kids to build a huge variety of structures. Compared to other sets of wooden blocks, they are very affordable.
“Plus-Plus pieces are designed in Denmark and can be used to create anything from simple towers to imaginative robots,” says Stirling Kelso, founder of Half Pint Travel. They’re another great building toy; in addition to the creativity and fine motor development involved in using them, Kelso says a tube of the repetitive shapes is a lifesaving distraction, especially on an airplane or at a restaurant, because they’re versatile and require some concentration to pull apart and put back together. In other words, he explains, “they buy you at least 15 minutes of freedom.”
Both Newell-Hanson and Calavan say they have gotten a lot of mileage out this colorful fake sink that can nonetheless be filled with real running water. “It’s not an attractive item, and requires a towel, but it provides maximum toddler absorption,” says Newell-Hanson. The sink comes with everything a 3-year-old needs to get scrubbing, including cups and plates that change color in warm water; just add the H2O.
Under $50
Melissa & Doug’s Water Wow! reusable coloring books are the wildly popular predecessor of the brand’s StickerWow books, above, but easier (and cheaper) to refill. Each one comes with a paintbrush-like pen that you fill with water to magically “paint” colors onto each page; as pages dry, the colors disappear, so kids can paint them all over again. Sarah Gregory, a mom of twin boys and a girl, explains that as they play with the books, kids learn to feel a mastery over them, which 3-year-olds hardly ever feel with anything else in their life. Perhaps more important, she adds, there is “instant quiet in our house when they get going on them.” The books are easily portable and almost always on sale on Black Friday.
Mega Bloks are designed to be extra-chunky for toddlers with smaller hands and still-developing fine motor skills, not to mention a lingering desire to put things in their mouths. This set comes recommended by Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief of Toy Insider, for its focus on recycling and ocean cleanup. It comes with 70 pieces, including three figures, a boat, and a recycling truck, all of which are made of recycled plastic.
Golinkoff says encouraging imaginative play and social interaction is a fabulous way to nurture any 3-year-old. Parents should ask their children what they want to pretend to be, she says, whether it’s a doctor, a princess, a fire-breathing dragon, or even a creative combo of all three. We featured these silk butterfly wings from parent favorite Sarah’s Silks in our guide to the best dress-up clothing for kids. The wings aren’t cheap, but their quality and open-ended nature mean they will last for years.
Super Smalls is another brand that was mentioned multiple times by the parents and educators we talked to for our guide to the best dress-up clothing. The realistic-looking play jewels are among Backdrop cofounder Natalie Ebel’s (and her daughter’s) favorite pieces. These over-the-top toddler heels make getting into character easy and a lot of fun. Plus the clomping sound they make when a 3-year-old walks in them is hilariously cute.
You don’t need to shell out for a coding robot to gift a STEM toy. This simple wooden bug hotel, which is home to 13 realistically painted insects, teaches kids about science, math, and spelling. Kids can match the bugs to their silhouettes on the shelf, learn about where each bug can be found outdoors, and start to recognize their names written on the undersides. Plus each bug can be added to a tower of blocks or a bin of kinetic sand as toddlers imagine a day in the life of the snail, worm, or bumblebee.
A classic Tonka Truck is an excellent year-round toy both indoors and out. Jennifer Lynch, content developer at the Toy Association, loves this commemorative version because its metal construction is durable, and the extra-large wheels are rugged enough to roll over sand, icy snow, and shag carpet. Its nostalgic design will encourage parents and grandparents to play, too.
“My kids loved Transformers,” says Golinkoff, and while the action figures of our 1980s dreams still hold up in their own right, this VTech version modernizes the concept a bit. Pictured as a velociraptor that chomps and roars, it transforms into a rocket-launching rescue helicopter with a spinning propeller, searchlight, and LCD screen.
Or, since this year is the 40th anniversary of the original cartoon, you could buy one of the adorably retro Transformers toys that’s been released to commemorate the milestone. This remote-control Optimus Prime is designed to be easy for little kids to use with a simple chunky controller. It can walk forward and backward, spin from side to side, or roll back and forth on its wheels.
For 3-year-olds who prefer Gabby and her cat friends, this four-story rainbow dollhouse is an equally exciting gift. The house comes with a Gabby figure, dollhouse furniture, and ten accessories including a kitty-themed toilet and a piano/DJ table; there’s also an elevator and a secret attic. Kids can close up the house when they’re not playing by shutting the hinged front walls, and for even more fun, you can purchase additional figures and rooms that snap onto the house.
Under $100
I have been enamored with the wooden play sets from Target’s Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection since Strategist senior editor (and mom of two) Jen Trolio, as well as my sister-in-law, Angela Silva of home goods shop Joinery, introduced them to me. I’m mostly a fan of the subdued color-schemes and vintage aesthetics that won’t add visual chaos to an already cluttered Brooklyn apartment. But I also love the attention to detail and clever moving parts. At age 3, my niece loved to play with the one-room schoolhouse when she was getting ready to start at a new preschool. While the schoolhouse is now sold out, this barn with toy animals and hay bails is still in stock and offers a more complete play experience out of the box. The set also works well with the collection’s corresponding peg people and other small dolls and figurines.
PlasmaCars promote plenty of outdoor fun, getting kids excited and keeping them moving — without any batteries or even pedals needed. They are great for exercise and help youngsters burn off energy for easier evenings and bedtimes. Former toy-store owner Holly Magelof says they always sell well and are durable enough to make great hand-me-downs.
Natalie Martins, the owner of the kids’-bike review site Two Wheeling Tots, recommends the Retrospec Cub balance bike to families on a budget. She says it offers great geometry and has easy-to-use quick-release clamps on the seat and handlebars that make them especially simple to adjust. Or, if you’re able to spend a little more, the Cub Plus “adds cushioning air tires and a hand brake,” says Martins.
Gregory likes the way that this Clixo set (yet another of our favorite open-ended building toys) combines magnets, origami, and building blocks to let kids “get creative by turning the pieces into creatures or using them to play games, like seeing how many different ways they can stack or shape them.” Because they are magnetized, Gregory notes the pieces can conveniently “live on a fridge, so kids can just pass by and fiddle with them.” She says they’re “a good sit-in-the-kitchen-and-make-something-cool-while-I-cook toy,” noting that “they don’t look terrible on the fridge and don’t take up much space.” In addition to this basic rainbow starter pack, Clixo makes themed designs including a Mars rover pack, a marine animals pack, a jewelry pack, and a tropical birds pack.
When toy historians look back at this moment in time, Magna-Tiles (and their many competitors) will surely rank among the ten or 20 best toys of the era, and they’ll probably still be popular even in a hundred years. The magnetic shapes improve fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, planning, and, when a structure collapses, resilience. Once toddlers are hooked on Magna-Tiles, they can continue to add to their collection with a variety of expansion packs like a pastel castle, a construction site, a spaceship, and a set of racetracks — making the imaginative possibilities endless. Also, they’re just great entertainment, even for adults. Maybe especially for adults.
$100 and up
If you’re looking for the ultimate big-ticket gift, this EV tricycle is it. The Droyd Romper looks like a traditional big-wheel trike, but instead of pedal power it uses a rechargeable battery to cruise around the neighborhood and light up its LED front wheel. “Droyd started out making e-bikes, and this is the first time we’ve seen that technology go into a tricycle of any kind,” Zahn says. It has a slow-start function for added safety and max speeds of either 3 or 6 mph, depending on how you set the parental controls. Of course, a helmet is still a must-have.
Nugget modular play couches come in lots of bright colors and provide ample cushion for active 3-year-olds, whether they’re jumping up and down, wrestling a sibling, or trying out gymnastics for the first time. Newell-Hanson says the Nugget helps her kids with spatial skills and imaginative play — they do lots of fort-building — while supporting their crash landings too. The brand’s newer Chunk play ottoman adds new shapes to the Nugget universe and serves a lot of the same play purpose as the original play couch but can also be used as a makeshift tunnel or a table and two seats for little kids. It makes for a comfy bucket-shaped seat for adults as well. (Note that if you’re starting your holiday shopping, Nugget is offering a 10 percent discount on the combined purchase of a Nugget and a Chunk until December 2.)
Parents and kids alike adore the Toniebox, an audio-only entertainment system that keeps little ones occupied without screens. It’s a smart speaker that plays stories and songs when you place a magnetized figurine, or Tonie, on top, and there are dozens of characters to choose from, including Blue’s Clues, Encanto, Miffy, Paw Patrol, as well as a recently launched set of four chapter books (Captain Underpants, Ramona Quimby, Big Nate, and The Questioneers) that will help keep older kids engaged for longer.
You can also get blank “Creative-Tonies” that you can program with any MP3 file, which Vulture writer Kathryn VanArendonk used with her two kids, or record yourself, family members, and friends reading and telling stories. “People talk about life-changing toys, and this one really helped my younger child self-regulate when she needed to cool down but had dropped a nap, and both my kids loved it for bedtime,” says VanArendonk. A note: You have to buy the speaker (Toniebox) and Tonies ($12 to $18 each) separately, but this starter kit includes a figurine that’s preloaded with a compilation of popular children’s songs. You can also buy bundles that come with two, three, or five Tonies and save a few bucks that way.
The train sets in preschool classrooms and children’s libraries are often the most popular toys among 3-year-olds. Unlike so many STEM or STEM-adjacent toys, BRIO’s Smart Tech line really is age-appropriate for 3-year-olds; they can figure out how to play with this smart engine in a matter of minutes and might be inclined to integrate it with their other train sets. What stands out more than its educational value, though, is the sheer entertainment kids get out of setting up a train track where the engine will complete a route, turn around, and stop at the child’s prearranged transmitter arches. This set has the added value of a fire-rescue theme that is sure to delight most toddlers.
“This bounce house is a near-permanent fixture in our backyard,” says Jamie Banks, a North Shore–based mother of three. The giant toy is perfect for getting pre-bedtime wiggles out and big enough to host group toddler hangs. It can even be used indoors, if you have a large-enough space.
You can certainly buy specific dress-up costumes to help your 3-year-old channel the characters from their favorite books and movies or reuse old clothing instead of throwing it away, says Golinkoff. But if you’re looking for a gift with more wow factor, this dress-up closet will delight them while also keeping everything organized. It has a garment rod, four shelf compartments, and a built-in shatterproof safety mirror so they can practice lasso tricks, spell casting, princess waving, or robot dance moves.
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