The Best Birthday Gifts for 3-Year-Olds in 2024

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.

“We used this dentist play set to prep my son for his first dentist appointment, and I genuinely believe it contributed to him having zero anxiety when we went. We used the 25-piece set to explain what each tool is, and how they worked, then role-played how the dentist would use them. He even recognized all of them during his first appointment!”

– Steph Alleva Cornell, Branded Content Editor

A personalized shirt to celebrate their big day is sure to be a favorite well beyond their birthday. We love this Barbie-inspired option, as well as a super cool personalized construction option.

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.

“As a kid who swore I’d be a vet when I grew up (until I realized how hard biology is), I was almost as excited as my kids to play with this vet play set. They love ‘treating’ all their stuffies with these pretend medical tools while I enjoy watching them practice empathy.”

– Steph Alleva Cornell, Branded Content Editor

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.

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!

“My boys loved learning about tee-ball with this easy-to-use set. It was a great way for them to practice their hand-eye coordination and develop the basic skills of the game. The set includes 9 balls which is great so you don’t have to retrieve them constantly.”

– Ally Pagar-Wolf, Chief of Sales & Marketing

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.

Have a little one who loves to help out in the kitchen? Get them their very own apron so they’re always ready to make a delicious mess. The best part is that it can be personalized with your little chef’s name. Make it a set my grabbing this chef’s coat and hat, too!

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.

No little one will ever turn down the excitement of a train set, and this one is sure to withstand the test of time and offer hours of entertainment.

The hero of Disney’s runaway hit Encanto, this Mirabel doll comes with her signature green glasses, blue earrings, and beautiful dress!

Bedtime can get a little easier with the help of a night light, like this sweet, personalized version from Etsy.

Not only is this seat tons of fun since it feels like a swing, but parents also love it as a soothing space for their little ones to calm down. Talk about a win-win!

This set of 12 Droplets bath bombs will add fizzy, moisturizing fun to bath time. They’re 100 percent natural, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and made in the USA.

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.

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.

“Magna tiles are STILL the toy of choice in my house. Both of my sons love using their imagination to create everything from cities to zoos, to garages and more. Magna Tiles are bar none the most used toy in our home and one our whole family enjoys playing with. The ability to truly create anything and add more specialty sets makes these a great toy to collect and grow with.”

– Ally Pagar-Wolf, Chief of Sales & Marketing

This educator-approved and award-winning toy comes with access to the Loog app plus flashcards to help little ones learn to play. It also comes in six colors to suit your child’s personality.

If your little one’s ready to work on their golf game with dad, get them set up right with their very own mini golf set. They’ll be going pro before you know it.

This adorable tea party set is one they’re sure to cherish long after they outgrow tea parties.

Editor-favorite Woom bikes are not your average kids’ bikes; they’re designed specifically to fit just right and grow with your LO—and a bonus for parents: very little assembly is required!

7 colors available

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!

“This ice cream shop counter play set is one of my daughter’s most-used toys. Every day she writes our orders on the payment tablet, creates a variety of delicious frozen treats, and proudly presents each of them with the biggest smile. It’s absolutely adorable watching her imagination flourish each time uses the soft serve dispenser, stacks ice cream scoops, or adds “toppings” to her latest creations.”

– Steph Alleva Cornell, Branded Content Editor

An heirloom style dollhouse is one of those gifts they won’t only cherish now, but will hang onto for years to come. This may even be one of those items they pass onto their own kids one day.

Pretend play is always a good idea, and this set brings the excitement of a picnic indoors even on the rainiest of days.

The possibilities are endless with this foam playset. Let your little ones safely get creative by using it as an obstacle course, a lounge chair, balance bean, and more.

Let your 3-year-old in on the joys of a scooter with this adorable option. Pretty soon they’ll be racing down the driveway with the biggest smile on their face.