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.
Gifts for 3 Year Olds Under $50
Super Smile Dentist Play Set
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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Personalized Construction Birthday Shirt
A personalized shirt to celebrate their big day is sure to be a favorite well beyond their birthday.
Examine & Treat Pet Vet Play Set
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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Kinetic Sand Folding Sandbox
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.
T-Ball Set
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!
Dust! Sweep! Mop!
Ideal for the kiddos who love cleaning supplies and are always snagging mom and dad's broom. This wooden set is sturdy and made to last for years to come.
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Ada Twist, Scientist Book
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.
Slice and Bake Cookie Set
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.
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Storybook Projector for Smartphones
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.
Fill & Roll Grocery Basket Play Set
Load up on kitchen and grocery essentials with this rolling grocery basket. It even includes a grocery list so your toddler can pretend to cross off items as they shop.
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Disney's Encanto Mirabel Madrigal Doll
The hero of Disney's runaway hit Encanto, this Mirabel doll comes with her signature green glasses, blue earrings, and beautiful dress!
Personalized Star Night Light
Bedtime can get a little easier with the help of a night light, like this sweet, personalized version from Etsy.
Catch & Count Magnetic Fishing Rod Set
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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Dabble & Dollop Bath Bombs for Kids
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.
Bake & Decorate Cupcake Set
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.
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Mega Race-Car Carrier
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.
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LOVE YOUR LOOK - Makeup Kit Play Set
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.
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Magna-Tiles 100-Piece Set
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.
Gifts for 3 Year Olds Over $50
Loog Guitar
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.
Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter
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.
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Fresh Mart Grocery Store
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 1 Plus Balance Bike
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!
Latches Barn
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.
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Wooden Railway Set
Another big-ticket favorite for toddlers: a wooden railway set! We love how this version fits well on play tables and has more than 100 wooden track sections. It includes multiple train pieces to play with too!
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Slice & Stack Sandwich Counter
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.
