This post was in partnership with Melissa & Doug but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Welcome to the threenage years. If you haven’t already noticed, 3-year-olds have opinions—and lots of them. They aren’t afraid to tell you what they want, and in many instances, what they don’t want.
The development between ages 2 and 3 is substantial, and for many of our little ones, it includes milestones like moving to a big kid bed and potty training. Over this past year, I felt like I blinked and suddenly my son was going from a toddler to something more like a little boy. And while he still has some time left in toddlerhood, every now and then, I get an unmistakable glimpse of what our future holds.
When he’s not running and climbing and jumping off anything and everything, he’s spending longer and longer amounts of time playing with his toys, including more creative and imaginary play.
Whether your little one has a third birthday coming up, or you’re just in the market for some new activities, we’ve rounded up some of the best gifts for 3-year-olds below.
In this article
Gifts for 3 Year Olds Under $50
Melissa & Doug
Encourage real life inspired play with this 25-piece dentist set. This set is also helpful if your little one is anxious about visiting the dentist so they become familiar with the tools.
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Etsy | LoveBackDesigns
A personalized shirt to celebrate their big day is sure to be a favorite well beyond their birthday.
Melissa & Doug
Animal lovers will go crazy over this vet play set! This toy was recognized by toy experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute for how it helps kids develop empathy.
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Target
Perfect for plenty of sensory and creative play, kinetic sand acts like wet sand, but only sticks to itself and never dries out or hardens.
Amazon
Batter up! This plastic T-Ball and bat set comes with six oversized balls for little players to practice their hand-eye coordination inside or outside!
Melissa & Doug
This creative and hands-on makeshift barber shop is not only a ton of fun, but also encourages creative play and promotes fine motor development.
Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
Beaty and Roberts' rhythmic storytelling and unique illustrations make these some of our favorite books to read aloud. Parents and kids will find lessons within the pages of STEM-themed Ada Twist, Scientist.
Melissa & Doug
This set is a sweet accessory to add to your little's play kitchen. It includes 12 cookies, 12 toppings, knife, spatula, cookie sheet, and kitchen mitt.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Amazon
Turn your phone into a screen projector for story time! This set comes with five Frozen-themed stories. Other stories are available for your collection, too.
Melissa & Doug
Press levers and watch ice and juice drop into cups to encourage imaginative play and helps kids develop fine motor skills!
Target
The hero of Disney's runaway hit Encanto, this Mirabel doll comes with her signature green glasses, blue earrings, and beautiful dress!
Etsy | Decor Fab
Bedtime can get a little easier with the help of a night light, like this sweet, personalized version from Etsy.
Melissa & Doug
This simple preschool counting game will keep kids engaged while helping them with cognitive skills. It's a great way to help them learn while they play!
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Amazon
This set of 12 droplets bath bombs will add fizzy, moisturizing fun to bath time.
100% natural, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and made in the USA.
Melissa & Doug
Your little can make their own pretend birthday cupcakes with this bake and decorate play set! It includes a baking sheet, mitt, birthday candles, and more.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
This race car carrier is sure to have the tiny racer in your life fully engaged. With six colorful race cars, there are unlimited play possibilities.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Having their very own makeup station will *hopefully* keep them out of mom's. This wooden set comes with an empty foundation pump bottle, compacts for blush and powder, pretend glitter, play lip gloss, two play lipsticks, and much more.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Gifts for 3 Year Olds Over $50
Amazon
Magna-Tiles keep kids entertained for hours with open-ended building and creating. Plus, they're a gift they will use for years to come.
KIDO
Sold by one of our favorite Black-owned businesses, this educator-approved and award-winning toy comes with access to the Loog app plus flashcards to help little ones learn to play.
Melissa & Doug
Kids can serve up delicious treats to the whole family with this ice cream counter. It includes 28-pieces with various flavors of ice cream.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Plus up your kid's play space with this wooden grocery store activity center. It's great for imaginative play and can be stocked with tons of pretend food and other products.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Woom Bikes
Editor-favorite Woom bikes are not your average kids' bikes; they're designed specifically to fit just right and grow with your little one—and a bonus for parents: very little assembly is required!
Melissa & Doug
Equipped with six latches and four farm animals, this beautifully designed wooden barn is great for fine motor development and color and animal recognition skills.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Order, create, and serve cool pretend play frozen treats with this ice cream shop counter featuring a soft serve dispenser, write-on ordering and payment tablet, menu board, and display area!
Melissa & Doug
Your kiddo will be able to run their own sandwich shop with this 52-piece sandwich counter that includes deli-fresh pretend play food and a slicer for wooden meat and cheese pieces. This is a great one for encouraging story telling and social skills!
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
This post was in partnership with Melissa & Doug® but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
