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Level up your 3-year-old’s ABCs and 123s with 48 gifts that take playtime to the next level

These gift ideas are perfect for the little one who's in their "I'll do it myself" phase.
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/ Source: TODAY

The best gifts for 3-year-olds provide plenty of opportunities to explore as toddlers grow and develop into more imaginative play.

Finally out of the "terrible twos," many are entering school for the first time and interacting with friends. They’re becoming increasingly verbal and able to answer questions and follow directions. (Or not: There’s a reason people call them “threenagers.”)

What should I look for in a gift for 3-year-olds?

“Three-year-olds are getting to be more social and have ideas of their own,” said Tovah Klein, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive.” According to Klein, “Open-ended toys such as blocks and building toys allow them to explore, discover and carry out their ideas."

They are deep in the “I’ll do it myself” phase, so they enjoy things that help them master the fine motor skills that might help them dress themselves, said Marie Conti, head of The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, and a board member of the American Montessori Society.

From stuffed animals and dolls to books and educational toys, we found tons of giftable options for 3-year-olds. To quickly jump to the category you're looking for, click on the links below or keep scrolling to see all 48.

Educational toys | Arts and crafts and music toys | Pretend play toys | Stuffed animals, dolls and figures | Cars, trains and vehicles | Play sets | Books | Meet the experts

Shop TODAY Snapshot

Bestselling gifts for 3-year-olds

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

The options are endless when it comes to the patterns and designs your child could make with these vibrant geometric blocks, but they can also build the patterns that are already included with the set. Their problem-solving skills and natural curiosity will also be tested by shapes like hexagons, trapezoids, rhombuses and more.

Kinetic Sand Deluxe Beach Castle Playset

“The sandbox is one of the most popular activities on our playground, for all ages,” Conti said. This magic sand is a perfect indoor version. It’s sensory play at its best.

Montessori Mama Wooden Toddler Puzzles for Kids Ages 3-5

Between the vibrant colors and cute animals (dinosaurs, dolphins, rabbits and bears, oh my!), these puzzles will keep your toddler entertained for hours. Not to mention, they will help them count numbers and refine hand-eye coordination while they play, according to the brand.

Educational Insights Design & Drill Patterns & Shapes


They'll develop fine motor skills alongside shape and pattern recognition with this toy drill board. Each set comes with five reversible board cards that they can follow, or they can use their imagination to get creative.

Kid O A to Z Magnatab

With a magnetic stylus, reinforcing the ABCs and their handwriting becomes an easy task. It’s perfect for the young learner who is still practicing their penmanship.

Magna-Tiles Downhill Duo


Landing on The Toy Insider's STEM 10 list this year, budding speedsters can design their own magnetic race track using the kit's translucent pieces, all while exploring development logic skills.

Best building blocks and toys for 3-year-olds

Melissa & Doug 100-Piece Wood Blocks Set


With 100 pieces, this wooden block building set is meant for fun and play. They'll get to use the colorful blocks and shapes to build their own architectural creations.

Byserten Flower Garden Building Set

Watch their imagination bloom as they create their own garden with Byserten’s flower building set. Reviewers on Amazon say this toy is engaging and practical, but make sure to have a bag to keep up with the pieces.

“The 98 pieces allow for endless imaginative creations, and my son loves playing with it too. It’s a fantastic blend of arts, crafts, and building, making it an ideal gift for little ones with budding creativity,” one Amazon verified reviewer said.

Learning Resources Building Toy Gear Set


Encourage early STEM development and fine motor skills with this interactive gear set that really works. According to the brand, this set will help them start learning about sorting, grouping, counting — and even putting physics into play with the spinning gears!

Magna-Tiles Clear Colors 32-Piece Set


These magnetic tiles allow kids to create their own masterpieces and will captivate them for years to come. “Kids will play with those for hours,” Conti said.

Best arts and crafts and music toys for 3-year-olds

Crayola My First Crayola Double Doodle Board Drawing Tablet

Enjoy the fun of finger painting — without the mess of real paint — with this reusable doodle board. It's double-sided, so your little one can draw with washable crayons too.

Play-Doh Fun Factory Deluxe Set


Little ones are unleashing their inner artist at this age, and this set lets them explore through touch and feel.

Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar


Prepare for hours of music play with this mini guitar that's just right for little fingers. “Musical toys can form a big part of a 3-year-old’s day,” said educational toy expert Lauren Leisk.

KiwiCo Marble Run and Art Easel


The marble run behind this kid-friendly easel will let children create different paths for cascading marbles, while the easel can be used as a chalkboard or a white board, with built-in paint cups and a tray for art supplies. With this easel, the brand aims to help your child explore both engineering and art!

Best pretend play toys for 3-year-olds

Melissa & Doug Let’s Explore Light & Sound Camping Lantern Play Set

This toy was designed to inspire hours of screen-free fun. They can change the color of the light in the lantern. Plus, it plays soothing noises like bird chirps, campfire sounds, ocean waves and more to help them feel like they’re on a real adventure.

Melissa & Doug Sushi Slicing Set

If Japanese fare is more your child chef’s speed, they can now “cut” sushi and then pick them up using (helpfully velcroed) chopsticks, thanks to this sushi “slicing” set.

3 Bees & Me Dinosaur Toy Set


If they're into dinosaurs, they'll love this set that will help them play out all of the Jurassic-style scenarios living in their heads. This set includes 12 realistic dinosaurs of all kinds, as well as their names and fun facts about each, to keep your little archeologist immersed for hours.

Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Set

Whether your three-year-old wants to run the house or help you around the house, this cleaning tools set is the perfect set. With a broom, mop, duster, dustpan and hand brush, the set has all the tools to keep an (imaginative!) house clean and your toddler running around.

Cadson Miniature Dyson Ball


Get them loving chores while they're still young. With a working suction and twisting and turning capabilities, this mini Dyson vacuum replica works just like Mom's and Dad's!

Melissa & Doug Super Smile Dentist Kit

Kids may hate going to the dentist, but they won’t mind playing dentist! Landing on Walmart’s Top Toys list this year, the Melissa & Doug pretend play set comes with plenty of accessories to teach them about good oral hygiene.

Skip Hop Zoo Bark-Ista Coffee Set


Why should tea sets get all the fun? Baby can make their first "cappuccino" with this coffee set. With its 20 play pieces that include a "fill and drop" filter, as well as signal lights and realistic coffeeshop sounds, your tyke will have fun playing barista while potentially developing their fine motor skills. The drawer below opens to reveal doughnuts and other treats.

Best stuffed animals, dolls and figures for 3-year-olds

Gund Magic Draw and Glow Panda


Make bedtime just a little more exciting by letting little ones draw in glow-in-the-dark ink. In the daytime, this whimsical bear has soft white and yellow fur with shimmering purple details. Your tyke can choose to cuddle or, using the included LED pen, draw all manner of fantastical shapes right on the bear. This activates the fur's glow effect, which, in the dark, illuminates your child's drawings. (Not to worry: They fade away after two minutes, the brand says.)

PAW Patrol Plush Stuffed Animal Toys

If your little one was a fan of the new “Paw Patrol” movie, they’ll love having Marshall, Chase, Rubble and Skye to hang out with at home. They’re all in uniform and ready for their next rescue adventure!

Mini Squishable Comfort Avocado


Is the avocado your tyke's latest obsession? Take a gander at this one, which will never brown. This avocado is part of Squishable’s “comfort food” line, an unusual addition to the usual stuffed animal menagerie. It's also the smaller version of the full-size Comfort Food Avocado Squishable, which means that, at 7 inches, it's the perfect size for 3-year-olds to cuddle and play with. "This is an A+++ squish," said one reviewer.

Manhattan Toy Playdate Friends Harper

This doll is huggable, machine-washable and dryer-safe, and comes with its own pet for extra fun. Harper, the little playdate friend featured here, not only includes a white built-in onesie and adorable bow, but she also sports a cute removable dress and shoes!

Jellycat Beckett Fox Medium Plush

This smooshable fox is ready to comfort and play with your preschooler. (In fact, these are made suitable for newborns and up.) You can choose between a 10-inch small or a 12-inch medium fox, whichever your tyke prefers for maximum cuddles.

Sesame Street Elmo Slide Plush

Elmo has been a staple for youngsters for as long as we can remember. (Who can forget the Tickle Me Elmo craze of the '90s?!) Appearing on The Toy Insider's annual list of the hottest toys this season is this dancing plush that encourages kids to be active.

Slumberkins Alpaca Snuggler


As they start school, toddlers may become more interested in cozy friends who give comfort. These therapist-designed snugglers come with a story to help with stress management. According to Slumberkins, "Alpaca teaches children to articulate their feelings, manage their anxiety and share their worries with others."

Best cars, trains and vehicles for 3-year-olds

Candylab Police Car

The mod wooden cars made by Candylab, like this handcrafted, wooden police car, are eye-catching and just right for little hands to scoot around. You can pair this with the wooden ambulance from the same Candycar collection for the perfect gift set for your little one to play pretend.

Green Toys Car Carrier


This bestselling car carrier helps with fine motor skills and imaginative play.

Lego Duplo Disney Mickey & Minnie Mouse Birthday Train

Let their favorite characters celebrate alongside them this year with this Lego Duplo set. This birthday train set includes a 3-part train, birthday cake, number bricks and accessories.

iPlay iLearn Fire Truck Play Set


The trunk that holds these fire trucks opens up and turns into a building ripe for rescue. Different types of trucks will please the most truck-obsessed preschooler.

John Deere Big Farm Tractor


This John Deere tractor might not help much on the farm, but it will do just about anything a child could want, with lights and sounds for extra appeal.

Hape Super Cityscape Transport Bucket


Is your 3-year-old enamored with all forms of transportation? It’s trains, planes and automobiles all in one in this 80-piece set, which also features construction trucks and toys, a fire station and more. We also like that the two-piece storage bucket turns into part of the landscape. Plus, all the pieces can go back in the bucket when you’re done.

Best bath toys for 3-year-olds

Munchkin Fishin' Bath Toy


The mini magnetic fishing rod can "catch" the set's three magnetic bobbing characters for endless "catch and release" fun.

Crayola Scribble Scrubbies Bath Set


For a more artsy bath experience, your 3-year-old can color in these little pets, then wash them off and start all over again.

Spin 'N' Sprinkle Water Lab Bath Toy


Every three-year-old has a little scientist in them. Allow them to channel their scientific urges with this water lab bath toy that creates double-chain reactions and effects.

CoComelon Splish Splash JJ Doll


If your little one is obsessed with the hit show "CoComelon," they'll love having this JJ doll as their new bathtime companion. He comes with an inflatable floatie, swim trunks and a shark bath squirter, so he's ready for a dip in the tub!

Best play sets for 3-year-olds

Colorforms Restickable Play Set


“They can fit easily in your tote bag the same way an iPad could,” Conti said of this restickable set. The play set includes 350 vivid reusable pieces, a design guide and a play board. Your 3-year-old will have a blast finding endless combinations, sticking the pieces to the board, any glossy surface or each other!

Bluey Hammerbarn Shopping Playset


"Bluey is everyone's favorite show, from preschoolers to grade schoolers to parents," The Toy Insider's editor-in-chief Marissa Silva says about this popular TV show about the titular Australian Blue Heeler and their equally beloved family. This four-story Hammerbarn shopping center allows the characters (and kids) to explore the environment and curb their curiosity.

Lego Build Me Emotions Set


This Lego set is said to help kids identify emotions and practice collaboration for social emotional development, something many parents are concerned about at this stage in their children's lives. How? The bricks not only come in a variety of colors and shapes, but each also has its own facial expression. The set also comes with a teaching activity card that guides parents, as well as eight double-sided character templates.

Haba Little Friends Townhouse Villa


A dollhouse gives toddlers room for creative play, as well as a space to work through issues around separation as they head to school. This one has an open design that lets kids play on all sides, so there’s no elbowing for a spot.

Best books for 3-year-olds

“The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster,” by Mo Willems

The pigeon first tried to ride the bus nearly 20 years ago. Now he’s ready for a roller coaster and can barely stand the excitement.

“Go Back to Sleep,” by Zoe Foster Blake and Mike Jacobsen

Finn’s parents just won’t stay in bed at night, so he’ll have to enforce their bedtime routine in this funny role reversal.

“Brown Is Warm, Black Is Bright,” by Sarah L. Thomson and Keith Mallett

Brown is the color of leaves and black a dark puddle in this lyrical exploration of positive associations of black and brown.

“Counting to Bananas,” by Carrie Tillotson and Estrela Lourenço

Banana is waiting for his turn in this (mostly) rhyming fruit-counting book that keeps counting animals instead. This fun counting book will make little ones giggle.

“The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer,” by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead


As farm animals wait for the sun to rise, it seems to take a little too long. So they set off on a journey to the edge of the world to summon the sunrise. If your little one loves animals great and small, they'll love this tale, which, according to Publisher's Weekly, "appreciates creatures’ gentle ways and offers a quiet reminder about perceptions’ ability to mislead."

“Sylvie,” by Jean Reidy and Lucy Ruth Cummins


Sylvie the spider watches over the tenants where she lives beneath a fire escape. Not since “Charlotte’s Web” has a spider been such a kind friend.

Meet the experts

  • Marie Conti is Director of Regional Community Relations for American Montessori Society. She was the former head of The Wetherill School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. Conti is based in Greater Philadelphia.
  • Tovah P. Klein, Ph.D., is Director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development in New York, as well as the author of “How Toddlers Thrive." She focuses on young children's social and emotional development, as well as parents' experiences raising them. Klein is also an adjunct associate professor and teaches a year-long course on toddler development.

​​Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present for every kid on your list including babies, 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds.