What are 3-year-olds into? Bluey, snacks, and saying no—often with more gusto than a diva refusing to perform. As a mother of six (yes, you read that right!), I’ve been through the toy trenches more times than I’d like to count. I’ve witnessed the best, the worst, and the utterly baffling in the world of toddler toys. So, if you’re on the hunt for the next best thing to captivate your little one, or simply something that won’t end up as junk in a week, read on! Because, let’s face it, the only thing tougher than a 3-year-old’s negotiating skills is their discerning toy taste.
Finding the best toys for 3 year olds can be overwhelming because of the vast amount of choices out there, so we have narrowed it down for you. The following are 20 of the best toys to keep your little one entertained and help them develop new skills!
You will find the list is divided into my top picks, the best educational toys, and the best creative toys. Here are my favorites in every category for easy shopping!
| Why We Love It | Top Picks |
| For Interactive Play | Bluey Plush |
| For Developing Motor Skills | Wallbars Nets Indoor Playground |
| For Creative Play | KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set |
| For Bathtime Fun | Crayola Color Bath Dropz |
| For Sensory Play | Kinetic Sand Kit |
If you’re looking for gift ideas in other age groups, we have guides for 1 year olds, 2 year olds, 4 year olds, 5 year olds, and more straight from mamas who have been there and done that!
Best Toys for 3-Year-Olds – My Picks!
Indoor Wall Playground
This indoor playground is tons of fun and will entertain your little ones for years to come.
When our toddler started to climb on everything in the house, we knew we needed to come up with a safe solution ASAP. We added one of these climbing play gyms to our playroom so that every time she wants to climb we can direct her to the play gym where it is safe.
There are many different options, we just prefer this style as it does not take up too much space in a room.
Find the perfect indoor playground for your space!
Talking Bluey Plush Toy
Ever catch yourself watching Bluey even after your toddler has moved on to doing something else? Yeah, me too! I guess you could say we both have a lot of love for the show. I was excited to see this new plush toy come out and I think it is going to be one of the hottest toys this year.
Bluey recites one of 9 memorable phrases from the series when you press her belly. She will also invite your little one to sing along to her signature theme song. On top of that, this plush is perfectly cuddly.
Kinetic Sand Kit
We probably already lost you when you saw that the first thing we are recommending is a Sand Kit. But hold on for a second. This is not your ordinary sand. Kinetic Sand does not make a mess like regular sand, in fact, it clumps nicely together.
This is one of the best toys for sensory development and for fine motor strengthening. Plus, it is surprisingly good fun for us adults too, so you can enjoy playing this with your little toddler.
Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Learning Bot
The Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Learning Bot is the ultimate sidekick for kids. It’s not just a toy – it’s a whole adventure. This thing grows with your kid, which is pretty cool. First, it’s all about colors and textures, helping babies figure out the world. Then, it gets into counting and numbers – early math whiz, here we come!
But wait, there’s more! Next up, it’s all about letters and words. Who knew learning ABCs could be so much fun? And guess what? This bot isn’t just brainy; it’s a problem-solving guru too. It’s like having a buddy to play interactive games that sneakily make you smarter. Plus, it’s got lights, sounds, and textures to keep your baby’s senses engaged.
Crayola Color and Erase Mat
The Crayola Color and Erase Mat is a Toy of the Year Awards 2022 winner! It is basically a giant, reusable drawing space that allows your little one’s creativity to blossom. When your artist is done with their masterpiece, you simply wipe the mat down with a wet cloth and it will once again be a blank slate. It actually wipes all the way down and doesn’t leave smudges like some of the other doodle mats we’ve tried out.
The set comes with a 32″x 23″ Reusable Drawing Mat, 6 Washable Markers, and 1 Wipe Cloth. Best of all, the mat rolls up easily and has a spot for each marker making it easy to store or take on the go.
Balance Bike
Training your little one to ride a bike can be a harrowing adventure. After several kids, I can say this with absolute confidence. All my kids who had a balance bike first learned to ride a bike much easier. It’s a metal-framed balance bike without pedals so your little one can scoot with his feet and then balance as they ride.
Balanced bikes are one of the perfect toys for little ones who are adventurous, who are active, and ready to feel a tiny bit more independent. This toy is a significant hit with children and parents simply because it teaches them coordination and kids absolutely love it.
Personalized Name Crayons
You’ve probably seen the personalized name puzzles, but have you seen these personalized crayon name sets yet? This year, they are all the rage and make for a vibrant stocking stuffer! Because of their oversized shape, they are perfect for little hands. Best of all, they come in a box with the name printed on the front and a yarn bow so this is one gift you won’t have to wrap.
This Etsy shop is the original creator of crayon name sets and quality is of utmost importance to them. They have been featured in Forbes, Buzzfeed, and they were an Etsy Design Awards Finalist in the Kids Category.
Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster Ride On
This is another toy my nephew has that we all love and think is super cool! It is quite literally their own little roller coaster. It is 10 ft long with a little car on top. The car stays in place while your little one climbs onto it, which is great for safety!
Once the track is set up, it is completely safe and easy for your 3-year-old to play without needing extra help.
Toy Vacuum- Dyson Ball Vacuum With Real Suction and Sounds
Despite your little one demanding independence, they still love it when they can act just like mom or dad. This mini Dyson Vacuum lets them do just that. It’s a scaled-down replica of the Dyson Ball Cleaner with sound effects. The sucking and cyclone action makes the beads inside it SPIN. And, it twists and turns motions like the real thing. There is also a removal dustbin at the back to clear debris – yes, it vacuums actually! It stands 63cm tall and works on 4C batteries.
Sure it doesn’t do any actual vacuuming, but it does let your 3-year-old suck things up. It also has a removable bin and offers real fun. It might even someday convince them that real-life chores are actually fun (we can dream, right?). For once, we can only live in hope.
Best Educational and Developmental Toys for 3 Year Olds
Let’s keep it real here. 3-year-olds can be exhausting at times. As much as they bring so much joy to your life, their endless energy can drain us parents. Here are our favorite toys to keep a 3-year-old busy.
Lovevery Play Kits
During the holiday season, our kids often end up with a whole slew of random toys that they will hardly touch. Finding really good toys is hard, which is why I have fallen in love with Lovevery Play Kits. They take all the guesswork out and deliver a box of toys perfect for your child’s developmental stage.
Skip Hop Zoo Crew Toddler Memory Game
Crafted especially for little hands, these large, sturdy cards showcase 24 endearing Skip Hop Zoo characters. This game is made for 1 to 4 players. It invites kids to pair up colorful critters, honing their memory, matching, and turn-taking skills in the process. Memory games are so great at this age!
With 48 vivid and durable cards to shuffle and match, children not only enhance their memory and hand-eye coordination but also delight in the fun of discovering their favorite Zoo characters.
Magnetic Blocks
Magnetic Blocks are one of my absolute favorite toys for my 3-year-old. I love it because not only does it entertain the little guy for quite a while, all my kids enjoy playing with them. Even I find myself sitting down with my little one for a long time playing with these magnetic blocks. You can check out our full review here!
They are a ton of fun. In addition, it is a great way to teach your little one about shapes and colors.
Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Building Blocks
Looking for a fun, cutting-edge STEM gift for your little one? These new magnetic foam blocks are quite popular. Stacking them is simple because of the way they click together. I swear it is almost magical! With these blocks, your child will be able to construct magnificent structures while also learning about shapes and colors.
Are you ready for the best part of all? They can be used as bath toys also!
Pinkfong Baby Shark Melody Pad
Sorry parents, but Baby Shark is not going anywhere and we just have to accept it. Kids love this song and this toy will be taken everywhere by your little one. It is lightweight and ours has been used extensively. Your child will truly love this toy.
Wiwiurka Climbing Foldable Triangle– Rookie Mom Tested by Karissa!
This Foldable Climbing Triangle from Wiwiurka is perfect for your curious little explorer. Not only is it fun, but it promotes gross motor development and purposeful play. It is a great way to help get your little one’s energy out, and when we tested it out these boys could not get enough! They got hours of playtime out of their triangle.
It is also super easy to assemble, so once it arrives you will be playing in no time.
Count Your Chickens Board Game
Dive into a feathery adventure where players unite to help the mother hen round up her runaway chicks and return them to the safety of the coop. As you spin and move, you’ll count spaces and gather the corresponding number of chicks—a delightful way for kids to hone their counting skills!
But here’s the twist: In “Count Your Chickens!”, everyone works together. There’s no competition; instead, the goal is collective success. By collecting all the chicks as a team, players win together, promoting a sense of cooperation and shared achievement.
Beyond counting, children learn the invaluable lesson of cooperation which is why I love this game. so much.
Leapfrog My Own Laptop
Leapfrog is one of my favorite brands because they make teaching my kiddos the basics like letters and numbers. With all the buttons and different noises this little play laptop can make, your child will have so much fun. In fact, they won’t even realize they are actually learning something. They also get excited thinking they are getting a “laptop,” just like mom and dad.
Mad Matt-R
This is one of my little girl’s favorite toys! It’s like Play-Doh’s crazy cousin; stretchy, squishy, and oh-so-moldable. You can twist, shape, and sculpt this magical dough into all sorts of crazy creations.
It is much better than Kinetic sand and NEVER DRIES OUT. This is a great sensory toy and our kids absolutely love it.
Rainbow Counting Bears and Sorting Cups
3-year-olds don’t actually need something too extravagant to keep them entertained. This bears and sorting cup set will keep them busy for a while and will help to teach them basic math and sorting skills.
Rookie Mom Tip: Keep them around because they will come in handy again for elementary school math homework. Giving kids something to physically hold is super helpful for their addition and subtraction skills.
Best Creative and Artistic Toys for 3 Year Olds
KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set
If there is one toy that gets used over and over and over by toddlers, it’s a play kitchen. All of our boys and girls have loved playing kitchen in the house. Serving us fake pizza, apples, or even coffee. Toddlers simply love this toy and will use it for a few years without fail.
This KidKraft model is definitely one of the better models out there and is simply adorable (I mean check out the kitchen backsplash)! Here is a list of some other great play kitchens!
Barbie Dreamhouse
I can think of no better gift, it is the year of Barbie after all! With this house, your little one’s imagination will have their Barbies diving into pool parties, flying down the slide, hosting magical sleepovers – you name it. With over 75 accessories, kids can endlessly customize and interact, ensuring the narrative is fresh with every play.
I especially love that it has tons of pet features and even comes with a puppy! Plus, with inclusive features like a wheelchair-accessible elevator, it subtly instills values of inclusivity.
This ultimate Barbie Dreamhouse is made for ages 3+.
LCD Writing Tablet 10 Inch Doodle Board
If you need a toy to entertain your little one while traveling, dining in a restaurant, or just to give Mama a break for a minute, this LCD Writing Tablet Doodle Board is a great option. It looks like an iPad, but rather than your child going from app to app or watching loud Youtube videos this toy will encourage them to exercise their creativity. It’s a whole lot easier to take on the go than paper and crayons and markers as well!
If you take a quick glance at the reviews you will see that parents absolutely love this thing! Tons of them claim their child uses it way more than they ever could have imagined.
Play-Doh Kitchen Creations
You can’t really go wrong with Play-Doh. The Play-Doh ‘baking’ toy set comes with a cake stand, cutters, stampers, plates, cutlery, and a special icing tool.
Why we love it? You can roll out crazy treats with the mini rolling pin, and use the molds to create tiny Play-Doh cookies and other sweet stuff. It’s like being a master chef but with squishy, colorful ingredients. And guess what? No baking required! Just a sprinkle of imagination and a whole lot of Play-Doh fun.
Kaloo Rouge Rabbit Plush, Pink, Large
Let’s not forget baby dolls and stuffed animals, which kids love because they can use their imagination with them. Pretend play is important for our children’s development. When they play, pretend they’re putting themselves into someone else’s shoes, mommy or daddy or anything.
What an incredible thing for a child to imagine an alternate reality! This means they are no longer locked to the here and now. And, this also means that they can come to understand abstract ideas. Plus, they are just soooo cute.
Rookie Mom Tip:
No matter what you choose for your 3-year-old the most important thing to remember is to sit down and enjoy playing these toys with them. So, make sure to take some time out of your day and have fun with the little one.
Are you planning your next trip? Before you go, we want you to take a look at this ultimate list of travel toys you can carry on your next journey to keep your kids engaged and happy. Anything to keep your kiddo entertained on that long journey, wherever you are going!
STEP2 ADVENTURE CAMPER PLAYHOUSE
The Step2 Adventure Camper is so much fun! My two and four-year-old children like using their very own grill to prepare loaded hotdogs and hamburgers.
Step 2 really gets the little touches right, from the skylight to the food with all the toppings. There is even a functional doorbell!
Additionally, like all the Step2 products we have used in my home, it is made of high-quality materials so your children can play with it nonstop without it showing any signs of wear.
Crayola Color Bath Dropz
It is hard to believe that something as fun as a bath bomb actually contributes to STEM learning! Yes, you heard us right. Watching these color drops dissolve into the water teaches your little one about science.
These actually turn the bath really bright colors, which is helpful in catching a 3-year-old’s attention. Not to mention, these just make bathtime a whole lot more fun.
Melissa & Doug’s Catch and Count Wooden Fishing Game
My little nephew has these and they are his absolute favorite. For starters, he feels so proud of himself when he is able to magnetically hook one of the fish. They have also helped out with his vocabulary of sea creatures and colors.
Along with all that, this game is great for fine motor skill development and hand-eye coordination. This game can be played solo, but is also really fun to play as a duo.
Water Drawing Mat
It’s okay to let your kiddo make a big old mess on occasion in the name of expressing themselves, but sometimes you might just not want to deal with that. This is when a water drawing mat comes in clutch. You just place the soft mat on the ground and fill the pen with water.
The marks take 3-10 minutes to appear so it’s like creating a fun surprise! It also comes with stencils and cutouts making it easy to create even for little ones.
Remember, while the world of toddler toys might seem infinite, with the right pointers, you can find those treasures that won’t just end up in the back of a closet.
Be it for education, creativity, or sheer fun, these top picks are bound to hold the interest of even the pickiest 3 year old. After all, as a mom of six, I’ve seen it all—and these toys have passed the ultimate toddler test!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best toys for a 3 year old boy?
Wallbars Nets Indoor Playground
KidKraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set
Kinetic Sand Kit
Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster Ride On
Lovevery Play Kits
What to buy a 3 year old boy who has everything?
Here are some unique options for 3 years olds who seem to have everything!
1. Wallbars Nets Indoor Playground
2. Kidkraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen Set
3. Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster Ride On
What is the best gift for 3 years old girl?
1. Melissa & Doug Take-Along Show-Horse Stable Play Set
2. Doll Puppy Set and Accessories
3. Crate & Kids Treehouse Play Set
About the Author
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Pin for Later -The Best Toys for 3-Year-Olds – Top Picks for 2023
We meticulously curate our toy lists and include the items we’d tell our own friends about. If you choose to buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- The Best Toys for 3 Year Olds – 27 Spectacular Picks for 2023 - August 17, 2023
