Awesome Toys for 3 Year Olds (for Kids who Have It All!)

Let’s be honest – we didn’t want to give a tablet to our toddler, but we faced the reality.

Quite often it was a choice of dealing with him yelling and screaming wanting to run around or sitting quietly playing with his tablet. Especially on long-haul flights, the choice was simple.

Tablets don’t have to mean endless hours watching Cocomelon. Your kids can learn to write, read or count on the iPad.

In fact, he’s playing an educational game on his iPad while I’m putting together this post.

Kids want to be like their parents. My son has been trying to steal and operate our camera ever since he could walk.

We gifted him this one so he can use it himself without having to worry he’ll accidentally drop or destroy our fancy DSLRs.

Some parents prefer Vtech cameras that looks more like a toy, but it’s extremely durable. It’s a good camera alternative – but my son prefers things that adults would use as well.

It might happen that at this age, your toddler already shows specific interest in some type of activity or subject.

Suppose the stars, planets, and astronauts are something that your kid is excited about.

In that case, a small telescope or a pair of binoculars could introduce them to a different dimension of this world other than what they see in books.

Even if it’s not their primary interest, it would definitely spur curiosity and help them grasp more complex information about the earth.

A child needs to know how to use scissors. They can use kids’ scissors as early as 2 years old (I got a pair for mine when he was a bit above two and he got hooked instantly).

It can teach them patience and fine motor skills like Montessori toys do, and occupy them for extended periods of time.

Djeco has a great selection of memory games that usually consist of a set of cards or different objects that your toddler has to match or remember as they’re turned face down.

Picture dominos also turn out to be very appealing to toddlers. You can choose a theme that you know the child is passionate about, such as animals or firefighters. 

Through logic and memory games, toddlers enhance their observation skills, deductive reasoning, cooperation, and concentration abilities. 

A piggy bank can teach your child the concept of saving money.

You can get a simple rubber piggy bank, or something more fun that lights up when you insert a bill or coin. The possibilities are endless.

The idea is as simple as it gets – a backpack. Literally, any you can find, but you might want to get a cute design that matches the child’s interests (eg. I got mine a bugs pattern).

A preschooler wants independence. He or she can load their own toys and belongings into the backpack and carry it around on trips, to the park, or even around the house – mine does it.

Toddlers and preschoolers love babies.

Dolls introduce them to the world of realistic playing and teach them social and emotional skills. They also keep them occupied for hours on end acting out scenarios from real life even up to ages a lot older.

Wooden rainbow is one of the most popular toys in the Montessori education community, even though it’s not a Montessori toy at all.

It offers amazing possibilities as it teaches children patience, imagination, and creativity.

You don’t need to buy an expensive Grimms Rainbow unless you want to and have funds for it.

A piano mat is a great toy to get the energy out of the toddler. You need to jump on it to play.

You can roll it up and take it with you anywhere. At home, on a road trip, airports, it packs so small I can roll it and store in the closet when we’re not using it.

Balance scooter encourages balance and fine motor skills. It can also help you keep your little one entertained on walks, as it’s way more fun than sitting in the stroller.

The 2 front wheels provide a clear kick-path, making this the ideal first toddler scooter.

Which child doesn’t love to play with tools? It’s a great gift for boys and girls.

It makes a wonderful gift idea for little toddlers who enjoy hanging out with mommy or daddy in the garage or around the house, while also giving them life-skills.

A battery-powered drill that works like a real drill is the hit.

Tonies have been around Europe for a while, but are still very unknown in the US.

The Toniebox is an imagination-building, screen-free digital listening experience that plays stories, songs, and more.

The figurine on top tells a story when put on top of the box. There are so many of them available, even in different languages, that your kids won’t get bored.