educational toys for 3 year olds girl

40 Best Toys and Gifts for 3-Year-Old Girls

From dollhouses to cooking sets to educational toys, shop fun and unique options that any preschooler (and their parents) will love.

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It helps to know what toys will meet them where they're at developmentally. At 3, kids are just beginning to share and can perform simple play sequences on their own, like playing kitchen or pretending to be an astronaut. "Dress-up accessories can add some zing to their pretend play," said Rebecca Parlakian , M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three . "Think of a construction worker helmet and set of toy tools, and how they give children a chance not just to take on this role but also explore how these objects work."

Immersive toys that foster this kind of pretend play also help nurture their motor, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adds Gayle Kligman , M.Ed., the executive chairman of Family of Kidz. Many of the toys below will help them develop skills across a wide range of categories, including science and math to hand-eye coordination and strategy. With these criteria in mind, the Good Housekeeping Institute toy experts have selected these as the best toys and gifts for 3-year-old girls in 2023.

• Alma, Head to Toe/Alma, de pies a cabeza board book , $9 at amazon.com
• Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets , $23 at amazon.com
• Ravensburger Colorama Board Game , $26 at walmart.com
• Cry Babies Crawling Jenna , $27 at amazon.com
• Disney Princess Dress-Up Trunk , $35 at amazon.com
• Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Mighty Skye Role Play Pack , $46 at amazon.com
• LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart , $55 at amazon.com

These toys have been selected because they meet the Good Housekeeping Institute's standards for safety and durability — and also have kid testers' approval when it comes to the fun factor. Some are new or past Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, and others are editor's favorites or best-sellers. This year, we've found family board games , fun collectibles, color-changing toys and sensory toys are big hits with 3-year-olds.

Looking for more great gifts ? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:

Best Gifts for 3-Year-Olds | Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers | Best Gifts for 3-Year-Old Boys

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Mighty Skye Role Play Pack

Looking for a great gift for a 3-year-old girl? For this mission you'll need ... Skye! This set lets her become her favorite Mighty Pup with a backpack with fold-out wings, a mask, cuffs, a pup pad and patches. It's great for sparking imaginative adventures, and Good Housekeeping Institute testers said their kids love putting on all the gear and pretending to fly. Ages 3+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart

She'll love pretending to serve and sell up delicious ice cream cones from this cart so much, she won't even know she's practicing math (by counting the scoops) or learning sequencing (by following the directions on the order cards). She can reinforce those math concepts with the play money that's also included. Ages 2+

Jellycat Candy Cane Stuffed Plush

If you're looking for a gift with a festive twist or something that'll look cute sticking out of their stockings, what could be better than a smiling candy cane? It's part of Jellycat's "Amuseables" line, which are designed to put a smile on your face, and you can also get a Christmas tree , a star , a holiday popper or a poinsettia plant . Ages 0+

Cry Babies Crawling Jenna

Good Housekeeping testers were entranced by Jenna's lifelike reactions: She really cries wet tears if you put water in her, and she stops if you give her a pacifier to suck on. She'll also kick her legs and laugh if you pretend to tickle her. Ages 18 months+

Disney Princess Dress-Up Trunk

Get her role-playing as one of her favorite Disney princesses with this one-stop royal wardrobe. It comes with four full outfits, plus necklaces, headbands, stickers and even a soft tiara. This trunk features outfits themed to Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora and Belle, but there's as second version with outfits for Tiana, Ariel, Jasmine and Rapunzel. The clothes fit sizes up to 6x. Ages 3+

Alma, Head to Toe/Alma, de pies a cabeza

Good Housekeeping Institute experts and testers were both charmed by this bilingual book, which names the parts of the body in both English and Spanish. “It was easy for my child to distinguish the English and Spanish text because they are in different colors,” said one reviewer. Ages 2 – 5

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards

Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Arctic Snow Explorer

Good Housekeeping and kid testers alike have long been wowed by Crayola's Scribble Scrubbie pets, which lets kids color designs onto the flocked fur, wash them off and color again. These arctic friends add an extra dimension of fun: They have color-changing effects, turning white in warm water, and blue in cold water . The set comes with three pets, markers, two tubs and an arctic vehicle that doubles as storage. Ages 3+

LEGO DUPLO My First Organic Garden Brick Box

Kisd will love mixing up the pieces of this LEGO set's various plants (a carrot, a watermelon, and a tomato) and animal (bee, snail and ladybug). Along the way, they might learn a thing or two about how plants grow, because it also has pieces related to water and sunshine. Good Housekeeping Institute testers liked how this wasn't too challenging for the little builders to use on their own. Ages 18 months+

Toniebox Audio Player Starter Set

One of the first in a growing trend of audio players designed for children , Toniebox is a soft, squeezable cube without the complicated mess of wires and controls. Pair it with Tonies figurines for hours of stories and songs straight from its kid-friendly audio library. She can sing along to Disney favorites from The Lion King , Frozen and beyond. Each mini figure holds up to 90 minutes of personalized messages, songs and stories. Ages 3 +

Sing-Along Numberblock Five

Good Housekeeping Institute testers gave this one high-fives all around. The body is soft, but it also has a light-up hand that activates 12 songs and phrases about the number five. "This toy accompanies us on car rides and to appointments, and is a popular daily toy," one parent tester reported. Ages 3+

Splash Park Double-Sided Puzzle

You get two puzzles in one with this set, with a beautiful illustration of a splash park on one side and a counting grid on the reverse. At 24 pieces, it's the perfect amount of challenge for this age, and the pieces are the right size and sturdiness for preschoolers. Ages 3+

LullaBaby Doll Nursery Accessories Bundle

Kids will get into pretend role play with this doll set, which includes a high chair for feeding, a play yard for naps and a stroller for walks. “It’s a fantastic gift for a toddler who plays with dolls or toy animals," one parent tester said. Ages 2+

Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set

Get her practicing that gross motor coordination with this hoop, which is adjustable, and comes with three balls. Users loved how sturdy it is, and report that parents love playing with it alongside their kids. It comes in other colors, and you can also get the T-ball setup , too. Ages 18 months+

Colorama Board Game

This fun board game helps children develop their basic color and shape skills . She has to roll the die, which tell her to find the matching piece and place it on the game board. The game ends when each piece is placed and all colorful shapes are revealed. Ages 3+

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Wooden Cookie Set

You can almost smell these cookies baking in the pretend oven. Kids really get to play out lots of parts to the cookie-baking process: They can "slice" the dough with the pretend spatula, arrange them on the cookie sheet (with velcro), put them in the oven (wearing the oven mitt, of course) and then decorate with toppings and sprinkles (which also attach with velcro). When they're done, the cookies can be stored in a tube. Ages 3+

Brio Disney Princess Castle Set

What's better than a toy train set? One that winds through a castle and can carry Disney princesses as their passengers! This wooden train set comes with 18 pieces, including figures of Aurora, Belle and Cinderella. It also comes with nine pieces of wooden track and a castle, in addition to other accessories. Ages 3+

Breakfast time in that pretend kitchen just got a huge upgrade! Spark her imaginative play with this cute food set, which comes with a waffle maker, waffle, syrup, strawberries and bananas for the topping plus other accessories. You'll all leave the table pretend stuffed. Ages 2+

Glitter Girls Gia & Gypsy

Testers were impress with how much you get for the money with this doll set, which comes with a 14" Gia doll and her horse, Gypsy, along with matching accessories like the cowboy boots, hat, saddle and harness. Kids loved braiding, brushing and styling their rainbow hair, too, and one parent tester reported that it made her daughter feel like a "big kid." Ages 3+

Magformers Tileblox Inspire 42-Piece Set

She'll love building towers, rockets, castles and anything else she can imagine with these magnetic tiles, which come in cool pink, purple and blue hues. She'll learn to explore early STEM concepts like engineering and magnetism in the process. In addition to looking cool, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute found these sturdy and easy to grasp. Ages 3+

The Original Doodle Bear

This stuffed animal is a revamped version of the original one from the '90s. It comes with three washable markers (the bear itself is machine washable) so your 3-year-old girl can draw fun shapes and designs. If you download the Doodle Bear Studio app on your kid's tablet , they can snap a picture and watch their bear come to life with stickers and a voice recording. You can also get more markers and stencils to go with it. Ages 3+

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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The 14 Best Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds & 7 Factors To Help You Choose

What Kind Of Toys Should A 3-Year-Old Have?

Plenty of 3-year-olds love to socialize and play with new friends, but don’t be surprised if your little one prefers to play on their own. Kids develop at different rates and have varied personalities.

According to child development experts, preschoolers (3-4-year-olds) begin to develop their social skills at this age. When they notice other children playing, most are likely to readily join these other kids even if they don’t know them. (1)(2)

Toys for this age group are ideally those that can be shared and played with other children, such as jumbo building toys for little hands, simple board games, interactive toys for pretend play, and age-appropriate learning activities.

You might also notice that many developmentally friendly toys for 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds are still great for 3-year-olds.

These toys can grow with your child, and you might be surprised that they’ll find new ways to play with these old toys. Older kids (5-7-year-olds) might even find these toys interesting, especially educational toys that continue to challenge their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Why Should You Choose Learning Toys For 3-Year-Olds?

Your child is getting ready for preschool or might already be in school at three years old. One way of encouraging them to learn is to make the experience fun.

The best learning toys can be used to develop their cognitive skills and learn basic math, science, and language concepts.

That’s why STEM toys (science, technology, engineering, and math) are among the best learning resources and toys you can pick for your child.

These will introduce them to the basic concepts and let them develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills as they prepare for preschool.

Our Top 14 Picks For The Best Educational Toys For Three-Year-Olds

You can find our top 14 recommendations for the best learning toys for three-year-olds and other young children, grouped based on:

• STEM & Montessori -inspired toys
• Educational building sets & blocks
• Words, ABCs, numbers, & colors
• Puzzles & matching toys
• Imaginative play & role play
• Musical toys
• Toys for learning life skills
• Creative & sensory toys for learning new skills

Continue reading to learn more about each toy below.

STEM & Montessori-inspired Toys

Melissa & doug my first daily magnetic calendar.

• Pros & best features: Magnetic calendar with 80 magnetic pieces to teach kids the basic concepts of date, weeks, months, special events, and weather
• Materials: Not disclosed on the company product page
• Type of toy: Learning materials
• Educational value: Basic math and time concepts,
• Recommended age range: 3+ years (still ideal for up to 8-year-olds or even older)
• Extra features: Fabric-hinged (sturdy cord), dry-erase boards (for the calendar template and magnet storage
• Certification: FSC, US, and EU (European Union) conformity certificates
• Product recall: None
• Cons: Some complaints on Amazon about the magnets being too weak and the pieces easily falling off the board

Skillmatics Educational Game: Search & Find

• Pros & best features: Set of learning materials (write and wipe activity mats) for different learning concepts
• Product safety: Passed US child safety tests
• Materials: Certified child-safe
• Educational value: Reflective thinking, problem-solving , reading and comprehension, writing skills, focus, and attention
• Recommended age range: 3-6 years
• Extra features: Includes duster cloth and pens
• Certification: ASTM and CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act)
• Cons: Some complaints over the product being too pricey 

Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit + Early Math Adventure

• Pros & best features: Introduces core kindergarten subjects (including shapes, counting, early literacy, language, and communication) with fun games for kids
• Materials: Silicone, plastic
• Type of toy: Learning material set designed for use with a compatible device (iPad or Fire)
• Educational value: Fine motor skills, cognitive development, social-emotional skills, and early literacy
• Recommended age range: 3-5-year-olds
• Extra features: Learn 300+ words
• Cons: The set can be pricey and requires a compatible electronic device.

Educational Building Sets & Blocks

Dado fat cube toys.

• Pros & best features: Hollow building blocks that can be connected using slits along the sides
• Materials: BPA-free plastic
• Type of toy: Building blocks set
• Educational value: Planning, engineering, visual-spatial skills, fine motor skills, creativity, experimentation, and self-esteem
• Recommended age range: 3+ years old
• Extra features: Deluxe pieces that add a twist to the classic building blocks
• Cons: Some complaints about sharp edges. It’s made of plastic.

Soyee Magnetic Blocks (100pcs)

• Pros & best features: 100 magnetic block pieces with different shapes, number blocks, and alphabet blocks
• Materials: ABS plastic
• Educational value: Architecture, STEM toys, hand-eye coordination, and physics spatial reasoning
• Recommended age range: 3-6 year-olds or even older kids
• Extra features: Ferris wheel components
• Cons: Some complaints about weak magnets and missing pieces. It’s made of plastic.

Gigi Bloks 100 XXL Building Blocks

• Pros & best features: Jumbo building blocks to create child-sized forts, castles, etc.
• Materials: Strong, durable, and finished cardboard made of unbleached softwood pulp
• Educational value: Imaginative play, architecture, engineering, gross motor skills, and spatial awareness
• Extra features: Paper-based materials that your child can draw or paint on Certification: Certified food-safe
• Cons: The blocks need adult assembly

Words, ABCs, Numbers, & Colors

Lego duplo my first alphabet truck.

• Pros & best features: Building blocks set with 36 block pieces, a toy truck, and small people
• Materials: ABS plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
• Educational value: Role play, cognitive skills, and learning ABCs
• Recommended age range: 1½ years old and over
• Extra features: Small people and a bear are included in the set
• Certification: US and EU standards
• Cons: Some complaints about duplicates or missing letters. It’s made of plastic.

Inchimals by Fat Brain Toys

• Pros & best features: Blocks with 12 pieces that have exact inch segments and cute prints for the representative animals
• Materials: Wood
• Type of toy: Wooden blocks and STEM toys
• Educational value: Math and pre-algebra skills
• Extra features: Comes with a write-on-wipe-off puzzle book with 100 puzzles
• Cons: Some complaints about the wooden blocks arriving with some paint already chipping

Puzzles & Matching Toys

Thames & kosmos robot engineer (level 1) by kids first.

• Pros & best features: Multi-award toy set with 53 pieces designed for STEM learning by making non-motorized but movable robots (with a matching storybook)
• Product safety: With safety warning for choking hazards for kids under three years old
• Materials: Plastic
• Type of toy: Building set
• Educational value: Fine motor skills, visual-spatial skills, science and math skills, and reasoning and concept development skills
• Recommended age range: 3+ years old (can also be ideal for 6-year-olds or older children)
• Extra features: Storybook
• Cons: Some complaints about the pieces not staying together like they’re supposed to. It’s made of plastic.

Educational Insights Design & Drill Take-Along Toolkit

• Pros & best features: 60 big, colorful bolt pieces with three screwdriver bits to create different patterns on the board
• Product safety: With safety warning as a choking hazard for children under three years old
• Type of toy: STEM toy
• Educational value: Fine motor skills and creativity
• Extra features: The screwdriver bits have different designs (flat head, Phillips, and socket)
• Cons: The screwdriver piece requires batteries, but some parents complain on Amazon about the toy not working even with fresh batteries. It’s made of plastic.

Imaginative Play & Role Play Toys

Lovevery the storyteller play kit.

• Pros & best features: Montessori-based materials to introduce different learning concepts
• Materials: Sustainably harvested FSC-certified wood, water-based paint, and finishes
• Educational value: Engineering, problem-solving skills, imaginative play, and real-life skills
• Recommended age range: 40-42 months
• Extra features: Puppet theater set and child-sized squeeze & spray mop
• Certification: FSC
• Cons: It can be pricey.

Musical Toys

Hape learn with lights electronic ukulele.

• Pros & best features: Playable ukulele with flashing lights as a guide to teach your child how to play music
• Product safety: Passed all toy safety tests (sharp point, bite force, tensile, small parts, drop, and chemical tests)
• Materials: Solid wood, plastic toy finishes are non-toxic according to the brand’s product page
• Type of toy: Musical toy
• Educational value: Pretend play and musical learning
• Extra features: With instruction sticker, booklet, and handle for easy carrying
• Certification: ASTM
• Cons: Requires batteries

Toys For Learning Life Skills

The big dig sandbox digger excavator crane.

• Pros & best features: Working crane designed for little hands to shovel and move dirt, sand, snow, etc.
• Materials: Metal, base with capped ends
• Type of toy: Pretend play
• Educational value: Logical thinking, reasoning, imaginative play, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills
• Extra features: Seat for your little worker
• Cons: Some complaints about the metal being too soft and easily bending

Creative & Sensory Toys For Learning New Skills

Step2 flip and doodle desk with stool & easel.

• Pros & best features: Activity center with medium and large-sized bins for art supplies
• Product safety: Free from heavy metals and phthalates
• Materials: Polypropylene and/or polyethylene plastics
• Educational value: Fine motor skills, creativity and visualization, self-expression, and coordination
• Recommended age range: 2+ years but also ideal for 3-6-year-olds
• Extra features: Easel flips down to turn into a desk
• Cons: Requires assembly, made of plastic

How To Choose The Right Educational Toys For Three-Year-Olds?

Here are seven factors to consider in choosing your little one’s toys:

Recommended Age: What Does A 3-Year-Old Need?

Although kids develop at different rates, most toys tend to be ideal for different ages. Three-year-olds (or around the same age) need education toys and learning materials to introduce them to basic learning concepts while they’re having fun.

Child development experts acknowledge that kids can learn a lot through play. Your child can develop any or a combination of the following: (3)

• Social skills
• New vocabulary
• Cognitive skills
• Literacy skills
• Physical abilities

Learning Ability, Interests, & Skills

It’s good to pick toys that fit their developmental milestones, learning abilities, skills, and interests.

Developmental milestones for 3-year-olds include the following: (1)(2)

• Running and jumping easily
• Stacking 10+ blocks
• Walking upstairs unassisted
• Easily drawing straight lines or copying circles
• Concentrates on tasks for 8-9 minutes
• Say around 500-900 words
• Makes two or three-word sentences
• Names colors
• Knows some numbers and letters
• Joins other kids in play

Kids also have different interests, sometimes depending on their gender. For example, some toys for 3-year-old girls might not seem interesting to boys of the same age.

Skills Development & Benefits

Kids this age might already recognize colors, shapes, numbers, and letters more quickly than younger ones. These new skills can make them more interested in educational toys.

Note that many educational toys for 2-year-olds can still be a great option for 3-year-olds and older kids.

Safe To Play

Although most toys with small parts have warnings that indicate they’re unsafe for children under three, avoid choosing them if your child still loves to put things in their mouth even at 3+.

Choosing toys made of child-safe materials free from toxic chemicals like lead and other heavy metals, phthalates, and BPA is also good.

Engagement & Fun

It’s tempting to give “advanced” toys to help your kids learn more. However, toys that offer too much information or have many different things going on might seem too complex for your child.

They could lose interest if they don’t grasp the essential elements of a certain activity. 

Sometimes, it’s best to pick a fun and engaging toys that are simple and fit for their age but let them use their imagination.

Educational Value

Consider offering your child toys with different educational values so they can develop various learning aspects and find new ways to have fun.

Building toys, musical instruments, crafting kits, and other learning materials can let them learn without sacrificing entertainment.

Value For Your Money

Will your kids outgrow the toys after just a few months? Thankfully, that might be true for some toys for 1-year-olds , but many educational toys for older children might still be interesting as they grow older.

It’s also good to check for the toy’s quality because some toys might be cheaper but can be unsafe or easily break and get damaged.

What Can I Buy My 3-Year-Old Daughter?

Dolls and toys for imaginative play are popular for 3-year-old girls, but you can also pick building blocks, musical instruments, learning sets, cooking sets, and other unisex toys.

If unsure, you can always ask them to pick the ones they like before you checkout.

What’s The Best Gift For A 3-Year-Old Baby Girl?

The answer will usually depend on the child’s interests. But because kids this age are getting ready for preschool, you can never go wrong with picking educational toys.

Is A 3-Year-Old A Toddler Or Preschooler?

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 3-year-olds are preschoolers. Toddlers are kids starting from 1-year-old until they turn three. (4)

Can 3-Year-Olds Write?

Although some can already write a few letters or numbers, most 3-year-olds can’t do that yet. However, many might show interest in holding a pencil or any writing material to create lines. (5)

How Far Should A 3-Year-Old Count?

Most 3-year-olds can count up to four objects, while some can reach up to 10. (2)

What Should A 3-Year-Old Draw?

Kids this age can draw straight lines and copy circles. (2)

How Do Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds Differ From Those For 2-Year-Olds?

Many learning toys for 3-year-olds can have more numbers, letters, or features than educational toys for 2-year-olds .

Toymakers might also design these toys for sharing and socialization because 3-year-olds are developmentally ready to improve their social skills by sharing and playing with others. (1)(2)

Other Learning Toys For Different Age Groups

• Best educational toys
• DIY Montessori toys
• Educational toys
• Educational baby toys
• Educational toys for toddlers
• Educational toys for 2-year-olds
• Educational toys for 4-year-olds
• Educational toys for 5-year-olds
• Educational toys for 6-year-olds
• Educational toys for 7- year-olds
• Educational toys for 8-year-olds
• Montessori baby toys
• Montessori climbing toys
• Montessori toys
• Montessori toys for toddlers
• Montessori toys for 1-year-olds
• Montessori toys for 3-year-olds
• Montessori toys for 4-year-olds
• Montessori wooden toys
• Outdoor toys for 1-year-olds
• Toys for 1-year-olds
• Toys for 2-year-olds
• Toys for 6-year-old boys
• Wooden educational toys

Toy Recalls To Monitor

• Calico Critters recall (2023)
• Kids Preferred recall (2023)
• Target Toy recall (2022)
• Haba recall (2022)
• Kidoozie Play Tent recall (2022)
• Monti Kids recall (2022)

REFERENCES:

(1) https://www.understood.org/en/articles/developmental-milestones-for-typical-3-year-olds

(2) https://www.choc.org/primary-care/ages-stages/3-years/

(3) https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/UNICEF-Lego-Foundation-Learning-through-Play.pdf

(4) https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/preschoolers.html

(5) https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow/age-3/literacy/writing

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The 41 Best Toys For 3-Year-Olds That Engage And Entertain

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The best toys for 3-year-olds keep them entertained while also helping them develop their burgeoning cognitive, motor and social skills. Plus, 3-year-olds are at an age when they’re less likely to put things in their mouths, opening up a whole new suite of appropriate toys. Our parenting editors relied on their years of experience covering kids’ toys, as well as insights from parents and guidance from child development experts, to assemble this list of the best toys and gifts for 3-year-olds. These include open-ended play toys like a versatile dress-up trunk , wooden animal puzzles that promote cognitive learning, colorful foam “stepping stones” that test their coordination and balance and a Play-Doh activity set that indulges their creativity.

The best toys and gifts for 3-year-olds foster their imaginations and encourage pretend play.

“It’s really important to provide toys that promote imaginative play, as this encourages interacting or playing beside their peers and will help them develop their language skills, problem solving, and social and emotional skills,” says Emma Hubbard, pediatric occupational therapist and founder of Brightest Beginning . Ahead, find our curated list of the 41 best toys for 3-year-olds in several categories, from arts and crafts to educational playthings.

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• Best Toys For 3-Year-Olds For Pretend Play: Toiijoy Dress-Up Trunk , Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set , Hape Master Workbench
• Best Arts And Crafts Toys For 3-Year-Olds: Play-Doh Play ‘N Store Kids Play Table , Ooly Lil’ Pods Watercolor Set , Pom Pom Pictures
• Best Building Toys For 3-Year-Olds: Magna-Tiles Safari Animals Set , Educational Insights Design And Drill Toolkit , Lego Duplo Town Truck And Tracked Excavator
• Best Active Toys For 3-Year-Olds: National Geographic Stepping Stones , Foamnasium Play Couch , Melissa & Doug K's Bowling Friends Play Set , Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper
• Best Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds: Montessori Mama Wooden Toddler Puzzles , “Mix It Up” Interactive Book , Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock

Best Toys For 3-Year-Olds For Pretend Play

A trunk full of fun accessories, toiijoy dress-up trunk.

For kids who constantly change their minds about what they want to dress up as, this Toiijoy Dress-Up Trunk is full of options. It includes 22 pieces, including outfits and accessories to dress as a mermaid, princess, fairy or ballerina (or something completely made up). This versatile kit allows them to pick and choose how they want to pair pieces and lets them add these fun accessories to otherwise practical outfits, so you both win.

Sliceable Fruit With Their Own Knife

Melissa & doug cutting fruit set.

Pretend food is a hot commodity for toddlers, and this Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set takes it to the next level by handing them their own faux knife. I bet you’ve probably started to hear a lot of: “I can do it myself!” Well, this set lets them act out those “do it myself” food prep scenarios. It includes sliced pieces of fruit held together with self-stick tabs, as well as a wooden tray and knife. Kids can use the knife to “cut” the wooden fruit into pieces, something that helps with motor skills and introduces the concepts of part, whole and fractions.

A Realistic-Looking Workbench

Hape master workbench.

This award-winning pretend workbench lets your little builder get super hands-on. It comes with 35 pieces, including realistic looking fake tools, such as a hammer, screwdriver and wrench. The height-adjustable workbench grows with your little one and makes an adorable gift for a 3-year-old’s playroom.

A Vet Play Set With Stuffed Animals

Melissa & doug examine and treat pet vet play set.

This Melissa & Doug Vet Play Set is a favorite among kids and parents alike for its attention to detail and commitment to pretend play. The 24-piece set includes a stuffed cat and dog and vet accessories to treat any injury or illness imaginable. A small bag is a good place to store all the items and the stuffed animals will quickly become new bedtime friends.

Dress-Up Clothes To Make Them Feel Like A Hero

Great pretenders firefighter set.

This is often the age when kids suddenly become very interested in playing dress-up, pulling on all sorts of costumes, masks, wings and dresses. This Great Pretenders Firefighter Set lets them pretend to be the ultimate hero, a firefighter. We suspect your tot might want to wear this jacket daily. It comes with all of the right accessories for a day of firefighting heroics.

An Ice Cream Cart They Can Actually Push Around

Leapfrog scoop and learn ice cream cart.

What 3-year-old doesn’t love ice cream? This LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart is not only adorable to look at, but it also provides hours of pretend play. There’s plenty of fake ice cream, cones and toppings, and a magic scooper to develop fine motor skills. It has wheels, so it's easy to push around the house or playroom.

A Pretend Play Set That Encourages Them To Clean

Melissa & doug let's play house play set.

Toddlers love to be part of family activities, and they also often want to do everything they see their parents and caretakers do, including cleaning the house. We may find it a tedious task, but tots really just want to join in, and this Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House set is just their size. It includes a mini dustbin, broom and a mop to engage in as much pretend play as they want. It easily tucks into a corner and out of the way when not in use. I bought this set many years ago, and my three kids still use it almost daily to sweep and tidy up around the house.

Soft Food For Their Mini Kitchen

Soft pasta set.

This soft pasta set is so cute for the aspiring chef-to-be. It comes with a metal pan, colander, utensils and soft, colorful pasta shapes. It’s great for pretending to cook or using in their mini kitchen. The pot and colander have other pretend play uses as well, making this a versatile set they’ll use often.

A Small Sink For Controlled Water Play

Cute stone color changing kitchen sink.

The automatic water cycle system in this mini sink allows it to function as an actual sink, making it perfect for toddlers who love water play, which can be a soothing sensory activity. It comes with dishes and utensils that turn white if the water is too hot and a little dish rack for drying. This is cute for indoor or outdoor play.

A Camping Set That Can Be Taken Anywhere

Learning resources new sprouts camp out my very own camping set.

Camping at home has never been easier with this adorable set. Kids can set up their own campground whether they’re in a homemade tent in their bedroom or outside in the yard. The bag it comes with makes this easy to tote around and the lantern glows in the dark.

Comes With A Matching Crown For Kids

Purpose toys littlelistas baby doll.

With curly C3 textured hair, this doll helps many little kids truly feel seen and represented in their toys. She even comes with an extra crown for your 3-year-old to wear. Dolls can help kids practice activities of daily living like getting dressed or brushing teeth, and they also often serve as a comfort object.

Best Arts And Crafts Toys For 3-Year-Olds

A play-doh table for storing and playing, play-doh play 'n store kids play table.

Play-Doh is a classic for a reason: It keeps kids occupied without making too much of a mess (usually). This play table set makes it easier to store all the Play-Doh and accessories while also offering a pop-up crafting table, so you can keep the sticky dough off your better furniture and rugs. It also comes with a lot of fun molds and shapes they’ll love.

Washable Paint In A Wide Variety Of Colors

Ooly lil' watercolor paint pods.

Painting finally starts to get a bit fun around 3 years old. This watercolor set from Ooly comes with 36 beautiful colors, so they’ll have plenty of options to find the perfect shade for their creations. Bonus: This paint is completely washable, so there won’t be too much worrying about clothes, the table or the walls.

A Standing Easel For Painting And Coloring

Melissa & doug deluxe standing art easel.

With a dry erase board, chalkboard and room for a paper roller, this easel has it all. There are clips to hold the paper in place, spots to store crayons, paint and paint brushes, and enough room for more than one toddler to play at a time. It’s sturdy and folds nearly flat for storage. Plus, working on a vertical surface can help strengthen muscles and improve motor skills.

A Mess-Free, Portable Drawing Tablet

Sgile magnetic drawing board.

A magnetic doodle board might seem too simple to engage a busy toddler, but I’ve found it to be an impressive distraction on car rides, at restaurants and in the airport. Given that it’s all magnetic (no glitter or melty crayons here), it also keeps things pretty mess-free. The slide eraser is easy enough for kids to use.

This Craft Kit Is Great For Sensory Play

Pom pom pictures.

For parents who would rather not clean up the inevitable mess of crayons and paint, this fun arts and crafts kit is the perfect pick. Kids can insert pom-poms into pre-punched felt to create cool designs, from dinosaurs to rainbows. It’s an easy craft to master, won’t create much mess and is something they can do on their own, so it’s a win all around.

All The Art Supplies In One Box

Kid made modern my first arts and crafts library kit.

Have your toddler take a break from coloring and painting to make some crafts. This kit comes with everything they need to get creative, like fuzzy sticks, paper straws, foam stickers, googly eyes and so much more. This could lead to hours of creative, independent play. There’s no wrong way to create with this kit, so feel free to step back and let them go to town.

Mess-Free Coloring Books

Crayola nickelodeon color wonder bundle (3-pack).

Eliminate the frustrating and inevitable mess of coloring with this bundle of coloring pages. The markers included only color on the pages of these books, so you don’t have to worry about your curious toddler coloring on your furniture or themselves. These are also great to take on the go in the car, at the restaurant or on a plane.

Tiny Toys They Can Color On

Crayola scribble scrubbie peculiar pets.

Introduce 3D coloring to tots with this Crayola kit. It comes with three small figures that kids can decorate with the included markers and wash off in the little tub, so they’re ready to start again the next day. (It comes with a little brush for them to do it themselves.)

A Mess-Free And Reusable Toy

Melissa & doug go water wow.

These Water Wow books are my go-to toy whenever my toddler will need to sit for an extended period of time, like while traveling or during an older sibling’s sporting event. Once you fill the pen with water, they can use it to color the pages. After the pages dry, they can do it all over again, so one book can last for a long time.

A Play World They’ll Immerse Themselves In

Young + Wild and Friedman

Under the Sea Sensory Kit

Sensory kits are the ultimate open-ended toy that kids tend to play with endlessly when they get in the zone. To us, it might seem like a box of trinkets, but to our kids, it’s an engaging new world, calling them to immerse themselves into it. This Under the Sea kit comes with animals, shells, dough and more.

Best Building Toys For 3-Year-Olds

Friendly magnetic tiles that encourage creative play, magna-tiles safari animals set.

Magna-Tiles is a magnetic building toy that has recently exploded in popularity—age 3 is when these blocks suddenly become safe for playtime. The concept is simple: Kids can build 3D structures with various geometric shapes that snap together thanks to the magnetic sides. It leads to tons of open-ended play as kids add on sets and characters. This animal-themed set is the perfect Magna-Tiles introduction for little ones.

A Toolkit And Power Drill That’s Safe For Tots

Educational insights design and drill take-along toolkit.

One thing 3-year-olds love is taking part in all those mundane adult chores—at least for a few minutes. Let them practice their fix-it skills with this mini drill kit. It comes with 60 colorful bolts and a kid-friendly power drill. Kids can put the bolts into the grid any way they want, creating their own fun designs. They’ll love using the electronic screwdriver, though.

They’re Just The Right Age For Duplo

Lego duplo construction truck and tracked excavator.

This 20-piece Duplo set is just right for beginning builders with minimal parts and a fun theme. Kids will be thrilled to play with the two trucks and figures after building the set. The blocks are compatible with other Duplo sets, too, if this is a hit and you decide to add to the collection.

Let Them Build An Indoor Garden

Cenove flower garden building toy.

This 130-piece kit includes everything your toddler needs to create a colorful garden in their own home. Not only is this a way to stretch their fine motor skills by putting pieces together correctly to build a flower, it’s also a great way to learn more about plants. As a bonus, everything comes packaged in a handy bucket for easy cleanup and storage. My daughter received this toy as a gift, and I was surprised to find that my twin boys play with it just as much as she does.

Their First Robot

Learning Resources

Learning Resources 1-2-3 Build It! Robot Factory

This toddler friendly STEM toy lets them try out building a robot for the first time. They can mix and match the pieces, snapping the parts in to design their perfect model—or take it apart and start over. No batteries required—and the pieces are chunky enough for small hands.

Wooden Dress-Up Dolls For 3D Fun

Melissa & doug julia magnetic dress-up wooden doll pretend play set.

These magnetic dress-up dolls are wooden, so they feel sturdy and durable. The larger pieces aren’t likely to get lost and everything can stay in the box it comes in when not in use. Melissa & Doug also sells so many different versions of this, from Disney characters to police officers, so they’re fun to collect and mix and match.

A Puzzle To Build Frustration Tolerance

Mudpuppy dinosaur park 25-piece floor puzzle.

Floor puzzles are a favorite for 3-year-olds. These oversize but chunky-piece puzzles make it easier for them to see the design, for example, and they’re just a bit different and special compared to the usual jigsaw. This dinosaur puzzle has 25 pieces, including some that are shaped like dinosaurs. The pieces are nice and thick, and it always holds up to my kids stomping on the puzzle after it’s complete.

Best Active Toys For 3-Year-Olds

A portable balancing game, national geographic stepping stones.

These soft, foam stepping stones are simple but entertaining. Kids can use them to create mini obstacle courses indoors or outdoors. They’re great for practicing balancing and working on jumping and hopping, and they’re portable and easy to store.

A Mini Bowling Set For Indoor Play

Melissa & doug k's bowling friends play set.

Three-year-olds might still be a little young for the actual bowling alley, but this Melissa & Doug set can prepare them at home. The lightweight pins are easy for them to knock down, and the carrying case makes storage simple and convenient. It’s the perfect rainy day boredom buster at home—and it makes a cute gift.

A Way To Get All Of Their Energy Out

Flybar my first foam pogo jumper.

This is the perfect budget-friendly toy if you feel like your 3-year-old never stops moving. The soft, toddler version of a pogo stick allows them to bounce around as much as they want while practicing their balance. Use it indoors or outdoors whenever they need to burn off a little extra energy.

A Modular Play Couch That’s Just For Them

Pottery Barn Kids

Foamnasium And Pottery Barn Kids Blocksy Couch

Kids can easily manipulate the pieces of this play couch to create a fort, tent or other play area. Of course, it also works as a reading or lounge spot, too. It’s Greenguard Gold certified for cleaner air and made in the USA. Spot clean only but the cover is made from a performance fabric.

A Toddler-Sized Bounce House For Outdoor Fun

Little tikes jump 'n slide inflatable bouncer.

For a big ticket item, you can’t go wrong with this Little Tikes Jump ‘n Slide Inflatable Bouncer for younger kids. It will make your backyard (or basement) feel more like a carnival. Kids will love the slide sized just right for toddlers with a lower profile, making it easier to climb in and out. It includes the heavy duty blower that you’ll need to make it work and inflate in just a minute.

A Mini Motorcycle To Start Riding Early

Fisher-price harley-davidson tricycle.

Some 3-year-olds aren’t quite ready for a big kid bike, but this Harley-Davidson trike might make them feel just as cool as their older siblings. The large pedals and easy-grip handlebars make navigating easier, while the cool biker theme might just encourage them to hop on. A handy secret compartment is perfect for stowing toys.

A Climbing Tower For Little Adventurers

Eezy peezy monkey bars climbing tower.

My toddler is willing to climb anything and everything. This Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower is great for keeping them off your couch, at least for a little bit. It's easy to assemble and surprisingly lightweight, so if you have the space, you can move it indoors for the winter. Kids can climb to their heart’s content, and it allows them to explore their limits.

An Extra-Large Swing

Swing-a-ring.

This oversize swing is a draw for kids of all ages. It’s comfortable enough for lounging and easily fits several kids at once. Worth noting: With a weight capacity of 220 pounds, many adults can get in on the action, too.

A Kid-Friendly Gardening Set

Kinderific gardening set.

Toddlers often naturally love to garden and play in the dirt outside, and this sweet gardening set might help to keep them organized. It comes with kid-friendly tools, so they can dig and plant all they want. The adorable case comes in a variety of colors. I’m sure they’ll love watching everything they planted grow as the months go on.

Best Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds

Colorful wooden puzzles to solve, montessori mama wooden toddler puzzles (4-pack).

These sweet wooden puzzles are just challenging enough for a new puzzler with chunky pieces that are easy for little hands to grip. They’re made of eco-friendly wood in colorful primary colors and come in fun animal themes to intrigue your little one. Each one is small, but the four pack provides enough variety to keep them busy.

An Interactive Book That Teaches Color Play

This darling interactive book from artist Hervé Tullet sneakily teaches kids their colors while they’re having a blast pretending to smear, press and mix the paint color on the pages. Tullet also wrote another of my favorite books for this age group: Press Here .

A Colorful Puzzle To Introduce The Concept Of Time

Melissa & doug shape sorting clock.

This Shape Sorting Clock is excellent for teaching little ones more about time, clocks and numbers—and it’s also just a lot of fun for them. It’s like a puzzle with number pieces that fit into recessed wells. Kids can move the hour and minute hand to show different times. Let them play with this on their own or use it as part of a larger lesson.

Fun Activity Mats To Help Them Learn New Skills

Skillmatics search and find reusable activity mats.

This educational tool is disguised as a game to keep little ones busy. They have to find specific items and circle them on the page, and these are all on dry erase boards, so they can easily wipe them clean to play with again later. It’s perfect for dinner at the restaurant or on the tray table on the airplane.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

• Forbes Vetted’s kids and baby gear section includes extensive reporting on everything from parenting must-haves to toy and book guides for kids of all ages.
• Many of us also have firsthand experience as parents. I started writing this story when I was parenting a 3-year-old, and deputy editor Rose Gordon Sala , who oversees this story and all subsequent updates, has three young children.
• We prioritize safety in our coverage of baby and kids gear , taking into consideration any recalls, health and federal guidelines, and potential hazards before recommending an item.
• We consulted two experts in the field of child development: Emma Hubbard , pediatric occupational therapist and founder of Brightest Beginning, and Dr. Jody LeVos , early childhood development expert and chief learning officer of Begin.
• We frequently review and revise this article. It was last updated by kids and baby gear writer Fran Sales in March 2024.

What Do 3-Year-Olds Like To Play With?

At this age, toddlers are getting more into imaginative play and are learning how to play with their peers instead of alongside them. “Three-year-olds often display what is known as ‘deep conceptual interests’ that go beyond a casual interest in things like dinosaurs and princesses,” explains Dr. LeVos. “That is, many children in this age range express a very strong interest and fascination with specific topics, such as trains, garbage trucks or ponies, and this will drive a lot of their play and toy preferences.”

They also love acting out things that happen throughout their day, like shopping or putting a baby to bed. “Between 3 and 3-and-a-half, their play themes expand to include events which happen beyond personal experience, like pretending to be a fireman/woman or a police officer,” Hubbard says.

What Kinds Of Toys Should 3-Year-Olds Have?

Toys that encourage imaginative play and creativity and that help with the development of motor skills are ideal for 3-year-olds. Hubbard recommends toys like blocks, magnetic tiles, play dough or train sets to help further the development of fine motor skills and problem solving tactics. Boost creativity with craft sets that encourage them to paint and draw. She recommends imaginative toys like toy kitchens, doctor kits, dress-up clothes and baby dolls to promote imaginative play to develop fine motor, cognitive and social skills. For gross motor skills, she likes active toys like scooters, bikes and balls.

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28 of the best toys for 3-year-olds, from a mess-free painting set to an indoor basketball hoop

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• The best toys for 3-year-olds encourage their development while being fun and engaging.
• We spoke to toy experts and a psychologist to round up some of the best toys to gift 3-year-olds.
• Still looking for a gift? Check out our list of the  All-Time Best products we've ever tested .

At 3 years old, children enter a new world of imaginative and pretend play, and the selection of toys to inspire their play is virtually endless. If you're shopping for a holiday gift for a 3-year-old, consider this list of toys that we narrowed down after talking to two toy experts and a developmental psychologist.

All of our experts emphasized the importance of considering a 3-year-old's interests when buying them a toy, whether that's their favorite activity, TV show, or animal. If there's a hot toy that you know they'll love, we recommend buying it now to avoid potential price increases and stock shortages due to supply chain issues .

With our experts' advice in mind and our own research and testing, we've compiled our favorite toys for 3-year-olds. From active toys to art projects and everything in between, we found something that's bound to delight the child on your shopping list.

Here are 28 of the best toys for 3-year-olds that are educational and fun:

A simple and open-ended dollhouse.

Haba Little Friends Dollhouse, $99.99, available at Amazon

Some of the best toys for kids are open-ended and require them to use their imagination. Three-year-olds will be encouraged to create their own play world when they open this furnished dollhouse. My 3-year-old often reenacts parts of her day in this house. Note that you'll need to purchase dolls separately.

Recommended ages: 3 to 8 years old

Magical sand that easily molds

Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz Playset, $13.49, available at Amazon

As opposed to typical dry sand that falls apart, kinetic sand keeps its molded form, providing an excellent sensory experience. Charlton said that open-ended toys engage the imaginations and critical thinking skills of 3-year-olds. When they're given this kit with 2 pounds of sand and 6 shapeshifters, kids will have no choice but to imagine and create their own play world.

Recommended ages: 3 to 12 years old

A basketball hoop just their size

Little Tikes Easy Score Toy Basketball Hoop, $23.97, available at Walmart

Most 3-year-olds are ready to refine their throwing and catching skills — there's no better time than now to get them a basketball hoop. You can adjust this hoop from 2.5 to 4 feet, so it can grow with them and always stay at an ideal height. Perfect for indoors or outdoors, this gift will help them channel some of their seemingly never-ending energy.

Recommended ages:  18 months to 5 years old

A dinosaur set for creative play

Melissa & Doug Play, Draw, Create Reusable Drawing and Magnet Kit, from $12.50, available at Amazon , Target , and Macy's

Three-year-olds who love dinosaur toys will grow their creativity and fine motor skills with this activity set they can revisit over and over. It comes with magnets, dry-erase markers, and an erasable drawing board and activity book with facts about dinosaurs, drawing games, and more.

Recommended ages:  3 years and up

A sensory bin for space exploration

Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin: Outerspace, $15.97, available at Amazon

Kids are always exploring their environments. With this sensory bin, they can explore outer space through sight, touch, and hearing. The set comes with outer space rocks (instead of typical sand), glowing stars, an astronaut, a squishy alien, tongs, and a scoop.

A set of aquatic pets made for coloring

Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Ocean Pets Lagoon Playset, from $19.99, available at Amazon and Michaels

These four aquatic pets are perfect for 3-year-olds to color. Kids can decorate them with the included markers, wash them off when they're ready to make a new design, and then start all over. "Kids can go on imaginative adventures with their pets based on their looks and get to totally customize their experience," said Maddie Michalik , senior editor of The Toy Insider. This set comes with shark, octopus, whale, and clown fish figures, six markers, and a scrubbie tub.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up

A beloved TV show combined with a classic building toy

CreateOn Magna-Tiles Sesame Street Cookie Monster's Shapes, $44.95, available at Amazon

Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar, and of course, Cookie Monster all make an appearance in this 17-piece Magna-Tiles set. Bronwyn Charlton, PhD, developmental psychologist and cofounder of Seedlingsgroup , recommends Magna-Tiles as a toy that can be used in a variety of ways, and this one can be combined with other CreateOn Magna-Tiles sets.

A Paw Patrol set for rescue by land and air

Paw Patrol, Chase's 5-in-1 Ultimate Cruiser, from $68.99, available at Amazon and Target

Kids who love "Paw Patrol" will delight in taking Chase on rescue missions by truck, helicopter, and motorcycle. The most exciting part of this toy is the dual-launching motorcycles. Just press a button on the cruiser and the bikes pop out the sides.

A doll that encourages handwashing

Doc McStuffins Wash Your Hands Doll, $19.01, available at Walmart

Doc McStuffins is a toddler favorite, making this doll an accessible way to encourage kids to wash their hands and wear their mask. The doll comes with an interactive stethoscope, face mask, doctor's bag, thermometer, and otoscope. As part of the doll's launch, Disney and Just Play donated funds for two million meals to Feeding America.

A climbing tower to channel their energy

Toy Bars Eezy Peezy Monkey Bars Climbing Tower, $149.99, available at Amazon

If you know a 3-year-old who can't help but climb furniture, this tower will give them an appropriate and safe place to get their climbing fix. Charlton recommends the Monkey Bars Climbing Tower to get kids moving, even in a small space. This durable tower can withstand up to 150 pounds, so multiple kids can play together.

Recommended ages: 3 to 6 years

The ultimate PJ Masks toy

PJ Masks Transforming 2-in-1 Mobile HQ, $67.99, available at Amazon

Jim Silver , CEO of TTPM (Toys, Tots, Pets & More), said that the PJ Masks HQ is the ultimate toy for fans of the show, and it's easy to see why. In HQ mode, the toy is 3 feet tall and has five levels, and in Seeker mode, it's ready to roll to take Catboy on a mission. The toy comes with Catboy and one Cat-Car as well as a compartment to trap villains.

A monthly activity box for 3-year-olds

KiwiCo Panda Crate, from $15.95/month, available at KiwiCo

This subscription activity box brings a new adventure for curious kids every month. Each box has themed educational activities and games that allow kids to explore topics like ocean life and visiting the doctor's office. The items are chosen by developmental psychologists to keep kids interested and learning long after opening the box.

Recommended ages: 2 to 4 years

A watercolor set with minimal mess

Melissa & Doug Paint With Water, $18.29, available at Amazon

These watercolor books are an excellent introduction to painting for 3-year-olds. They can wet the included paintbrush and use it to activate the colors on the paint palette at the top of each page. Learning to use a paintbrush helps hone fine motor skills. Charlton recommends toys such as this that strengthen finger dexterity, a precursor to writing.

A bike for beginners

Little Tikes My First Balance, $69.99, available at Target

This balance bike skips training wheels, as kids learn to balance with their feet on the ground before learning to pedal. "Prioritize toys that encourage your child to be active," Charlton said. Once toddlers get the hang out it, this will be a go-to toy for getting energy out. The seat and handlebars are adjustable to grow with the child, and the tires are made of foam that won't go flat.

Recommended ages: 2 to 5 years

A set of jigsaw puzzles

Melissa & Doug Vehicles 4-in-1 Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles, $9.16, available at Amazon and Walmart

This set includes four wooden jigsaw puzzles: a firetruck, a train, a school bus, and a race car. The sturdy wooden pieces and included storage box minimize the risk of pieces getting destroyed or going AWOL. Charlton recommends puzzles for 3-year-olds because they encourage exploration and problem-solving.

A tree house play set

Timber Tots Tree House, $57.49, available on Amazon

The Timber Tots Tree House packs a lot of play into a small package. The set comes with two Timber Tots, a tree house that closes up for easy carrying, a working elevator, three rooms, a swing, a hideaway, a car, and nine pieces of furniture. It's an ideal set for 3-year-olds who are beginning to explore pretend play.

Recommended ages: 2 years and up

A sweatshirt that turns into a stuffed animal

Cubcoats Hoodies, from $20, available at Amazon and Macy's

Cubcoats can be transformed from a sweatshirt to a stuffed animal in less than a minute. Choose from popular characters from their favorite TV shows and movies, like "Paw Patrol" and "Star Wars," as well as animals like a puppy, cat, sloth, and panda. The quality of the fabric and the hoodie's easy layering are convincing enough , but the stuffed animal transformation makes this a truly special purchase.

Available sizes: 2T to 10

A game about emotions

Janod Emotions Magnetic Game, $29.99, available at Amazon

Learning to identify and regulate emotions is difficult for toddlers, but this game makes it easier. Recommended by Charlton, the Emotions Magnetic Game helps kids build social-emotional skills. It encourages them to identify 10 feelings by matching them with situations from everyday life and even includes a mirror to practice emotional faces.

A kids' book that explores different cultures

"A World Together," from $10.28, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

This new book was written by Sonia Manzano of "Sesame Street" to spread the message that although all of our lives look different, we're really all the same. This message is beautifully illustrated through real photographs of people around the world. The pictures are sure to spark conversation about different cultures with curious kids.

Recommended ages: preschool to grade 2

A play appliance just their size

Little Tikes First Appliances, from $19.77, available at Amazon and Target

Surprise a kid with a miniature version of a major appliance. Michalik said that an ideal gift for a 3-year-old is one that centers around role-play. Kids get to pretend they're using real appliances with these toys that have interactive features, including as a washer that spins, a sink with a working faucet , a stove with play food and burners that light up, and a fridge that dispenses plastic ice cubes.

Jungle animal figurines

Learning Resources Jungle Animal Counters, $24.99, available at Amazon  and Walmart

This collection is an ideal springboard for creative pretend play. Kids will find 60 figurines from across 12 animal species, including giraffes, lions, elephants, tigers, and zebras. These toys help teach early learning concepts like counting, sorting, compare and contrast, addition and subtraction, and pattern recognition.

A vacuum that picks up 'dusties'

Leapfrog Pickup and Count Vacuum, from $24.96, available at Walmart and Target

Three-year-olds can help around the house with this vacuum that comes with "dusties" for them to pick up. A conveyor belt in the vacuum sucks them up, and the talking toy challenges kids to pick up specific colors or to suck them all up as quickly as possible. Toddlers will enjoy engaging in the challenges while "helping" with chores. 

An environmentally friendly version of an old classic

Mr. Potato Head Goes Green, $6.99, available at Amazon

Mr. Potato Head has gone green in this new iteration made from plant-based plastic. Kids will love mixing and matching his body parts to create silly face combinations. It comes with 14 accessories, including some new additions like a worm, flowerpot, and plant sprout.

A baby that grows into a big kid

Baby Alive Baby Grows Up, from $47.99, available at Macy's and Target

When kids open the box, they'll find a surprise newborn baby that will grow into a big kid with lots of love and care. Michalik said toys that develop social and emotional skills are of the utmost importance for toddlers. Kids will get to feed the baby her first bottle, hear her first word, and help her stand for the first time.

A Baby Yoda doll to snuggle

The Child Plush, $9.99, available at Target

The only thing more adorable than Baby Yoda is a 3-year-old cuddling Baby Yoda. Officially named The Child, this 8-inch plush version is just the right size for a toddler. It has a weighted bottom so it can stand upright, yet the entire toy is soft and huggable.

A classic game with a twist

Don't Break the Ice, Disney Frozen II Edition, $19.99, available at Amazon

"Frozen" fans will enjoy this new twist on a classic game as they try not to break Elsa's ice. In addition to being a fun family game, it will challenge 3-year-olds to practice patience and motor planning. They'll also feel a sense of accomplishment as their ice-tapping skills improve.

A 3-story Lego Duplo house

Lego Duplo Modular Playhouse, $59.99, available at Amazon

Playing with Lego bricks helps 3-year-olds develop their fine motor skills and inspires creativity. "Toddlers love to take apart, put back together, pull out, put in, add on, and build up," said Charlton. This 129-piece set includes extra building ideas so kids can create their own unique houses. Some of the pieces include a fridge that opens, a guitar, a rocking horse, and a pet dog.

Sensory dough they can help make themselves

The Dough Project DIY Mix, $12, available at The Dough Project

This DIY kit includes ingredients and simple instructions to make a batch of play dough. Kids can help combine the dry mix with water and oil before it's cooked on the stove. The dough is a breeze to make and surprisingly not messy. One package makes a generous 15 ounces of dough and is available in red, yellow, or blue.

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Home » Recommendations » Toys » 9 Best Educational Toys for 3-year-olds to Promote Development

9 Best Educational Toys for 3-year-olds to Promote Development

Preschool-aged children learn through discovery and exploration in their daily surroundings. Providing access to educational toys for 3-year-olds crates a natural teaching environment. This fosters developmentally appropriate situations where children encounter learning and discovery that promotes the development of cognitive, motor, social and emotional skills.

1. Bath Letters and Numbers by Munchkin

Turn bath time into learning time with Bath Letters and Numbers by Munchkin . Incorporate learning into your 3-year-old’s bath routine with colorful foam letters and numbers.

These foam toys float in the bath and cling to tub walls when wet. Then they come off easily when dry and leave no residue. With 26 letters and 10 numerals in six fun colors, there is plenty of opportunities for children to learn names of the colors, letters, and numbers.

Why We Recommend:

• 36 colorful, floating letters and numbers
• Sticks to bathtub walls when wet
• Made of soft, durable, non-toxic foam
• Introduce colors, letters, and numbers
• Incorporates learning into daily activity

2. Dado Cube by Fat Brain Toys

These educational toys for 3-year-olds and up are an exciting twist on classic building blocks. Dado Cubes are a set of 10 cubes scaled from 1 inch to 5 inches that nest, stack, and connect along slits in their edges. These unique blocks teach kids proportion, balance, structure, and color in a naturalistic teaching environment. Young imaginations engage with the slits in each block that interlock to create 3-dimensional structures.

You can construct vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or nest them together. Dado Cubes promote visual-spacial awareness and problem-solving skills through experimentation and play. These innovative blocks inspire art and STEM as kids explore architectural principals.

• Great STEM toy for preschool classrooms and home
• Open-ended play for individual or cooperative learning
• Improves fine motor skills, hand strength, finger dexterity, and coordination
• Encourages visual-spatial skills, creativity, experimentation, planning, self-esteem
• Nests for easy storage
• Made of durable, BPA-free plastic
• Developed, manufactured, and assembled in the U.S.A.

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3. MightyMind by LeisureLearning

The innovation of Mighty Mind makes it a singularly amazing toy for 3-year-olds at home or school. This toy promotes the development of essential skills such as creativity, spacial awareness, logic, problem-solving, fine motor, and self-confidence.

Children can learn to solve these mind boosting puzzles before they ever learn to read. The brightly colored shapes can fit onto the shape card in various ways. These educational toys for 3-year-olds and up has received many awards, including Parents Choice Honor Toy, Teachers Choice Award, Dr Toys Best Vacation Toy, and more.

The sequence of numbered patterns gets increasingly difficult as children manipulate 32 geometric shapes and build pictures. The first 20 puzzles provide prompt and clues in the picture to assist a child in selecting the correct shapes, but the last 10 are without clues and are the most challenging of them all. Children can also get creative with their own designs using the 32 vibrant Mighty Mind colored shape tiles.

• Teaches kids how to build and solve puzzles.
• Unique program designed to build a child’s confidence
• No reading or language required
• Distributed worldwide in 26 countries
• Develops essential critical analytical thinking skills
• Structured or open-play for individual or cooperative learning

4. Inchimals by Fat Brain Toys

Inchimals by Fat Brain Toys take children on a mathematical safari adventure. These precisely-sized animal blocks help with learning math concepts such as measurement, numbers, addition, subtraction, and pre-algebra. These 12 beautifully crafted wooden blocks range from 1 to 12 inches in hight. Each features a different animal, inch line segments, written numerals, and representative dots corresponding to the actual hight of the block.

These fun, colorful blocks allow for measurement exploration and visual representations of addition and subtraction. The set comes with a write-on, wipe-off puzzle book to introduce pre-algebra concepts and balancing equations. Great for use in schools or at home for early math education.

• Multiple ways to learn and explore – structured and open-play
• Introduce vocabulary – shorter, taller, hight, length, distance
• Teaches addition and subtraction concepts
• Stacking blocks promotes motor control
• Encourages creative thinking, spacial reasoning, and dramatic play
• 12 animal blocks and a write-on, wipe-off puzzle book
• Use in home or classrooms

5.Robot Engineer (Level 1) by Kids First

Level 1 Robot Engineer Kit by Kids First includes a storybook and 51 large, colorful plastic building pieces that are easy for small hands to manipulate. Children can construct robots with arms that spin while they learn about simple machines. Kids can have a blast constructing the simple, non-motorized robot models based on the robots in the included storybook.

Little Engineers can follow along with Ty and Karlie in the silly storybook as they build and repair robots and solve problems in a candy factory. The book and construction kit are a fun way to introduce simple engineering concepts to 3-year-olds.

• Introduces simple machines and gears
• Develops STEM-related skills – science, math, visual-spacial, reasoning, and problem-solving
• Engages children with simple engineering concepts
• 53-piece building set
• Durable Storage Case
• 32-page storybook

6. Rhyming Words Match & Learn Puzzle

This box set of Rhyming Words Match & Learn Puzzles make great educational toys for 3-year-olds. The self-correcting puzzles have real-life pictures with the associated word underneath. Flip the pieces over and the associated word only is on the back for more advanced gameplay for 2 games in one.

The rhyming part of each word pair is highlighted in matching colors to help early learners identify correct rhymes. Children improve fine motor skills through manipulating the puzzle pieces. Pieces are large enough for little hands to grip and manipulate.

• Introduces rhyming words
• Self-correcting puzzles
• Fine motor skills
• Real-life pictures and associated words
• 2-in-1 game

7. 2-in-1 LeapTop Touch by LeapFrog

The 2-in-1 LeapTop Touch by LeapFrog is a touch-screen learning toy for preschoolers that transforms from a laptop-style device to a tablet. The screen flips to convert from keyboard to tablet mode. This computerized toy comes loaded with 26 fun animals that teach letter recognition and letter sounds. Five learning modes include ABCs, numbers, games, music, and messages.

Children can also have a blast pretending to be mom or dad sending emails on the computer. The 2-in-1 LeapTop Touch introduces basic computer literacy skills to young children in an age-appropriate and entertaining way. Children role-play typing on a laptop and tapping on a tablet to play fun games and activities that teach letter sounds, counting, and animals.

• Teaches Letters and Numbers
• Encourages Social Skills
• Makes learning fun with music and rhyme
• Boosts basic computer literacy
• Dramatic play and role-playing

8. Wooden Latches Board by Melissa and Doug

Keep your 3-year-old busy and entertained with the Wooden Latches Board for Melissa and Doug. Children can undo locks and latches to swing open the numbered doors. Fun pictures hide behind each door. Build fine motor skills while learning colors, numbers, animals and more with this educational toy.

• Promotes fine motor development
• Introduces colors and numbers
• Encourages problem-solving
• Learning to open latches promotes self-help and daily living skills
• Promotes independence and self-confidence

9. My Magnetic Daily Calendar by Melissa and Doug

Maintaining their own calendar gives children a greater sense of independence, self-reliance, responsibility, and control. Each day your 3-year-old can help post on My Magnetic Daily Calendar by Melissa and Doug. This calendar provides a visual facilitation to talk to your child daily about the day of the week, date, weather, and special events.

There’s even a space to post their moon which encourages open communication and emotional awareness. Preprinted magnets make updating the calendar simple and fun. There are even two dry-erase magnets to make your own custom tiles.

• Promotes independence and responsibility
• Teaches calendar skills — days, dates, months
• Teaches weather, seasons, and holidays
• Promotes social-emotional wellness
• Practice fine motor skills daily by moving the calendar pieces
• Solid wood construction

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Best Toys 4 Toddlers

Playing is Serious Business.

Top 10 Educational Toys for 3 Year Olds

How do you choose a toy for your child? I always like to pick open-ended toys which will grow with kids and toys which have a learning element are always on the top of the list! After putting together a list of our favorite toys for 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds , we grew a little and now we are ready for best educational toys for 3-year-olds !

Check our list of the best learning toys for 3 year old kids ! All the toys we picked are gender neutral and they will be the perfect birthday or Christmas gifts for little girls and boys! Plus, all of these educational toys for 3 year olds are either toys we tried and tested or they are on our shopping list!

#1 –  Educational Insights Design & Drill Take-Along Toolkit 

Power up your child’s imagination with this Design & Drill Toolkit from Educational Insights. This award-winning activity toy for your 3-year-olds come with all the equipment needed to build on your child’s co-ordination, fine motor and creative thinking skills, all in a fun and engaging manner. Snap on one of the 3 different drill bits to the reversible power drill or screwdriver, grab a handful of the brightly colored bolts and off you go. Your child can start off by following one of the 20 activity cards, which include designs of trains, boats, flowers, fish and many more. Then when they are comfortable with the equipment, they can have even more fun creating their own designs. As a bonus, this toy comes with a handy suitcase and kids can take it with them when you travel! Only downside is that you will need to buy separately batteries for drill. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom

#2 – Lauri Tall-Stacker Pegs Building Set

The Lauri Tall-Stacker Pegs Building Set makes for an ideal first construction toy for your 3-year-old. Your child will be too busy having fun with the set to realize that they are actually learning and building on so many important skills, as they build up their tall 3-D structures. Manipulating the small pegs into the different shaped and colored peg boards, provides an excellent workout for their fine motor skills and is great for working on their hand-eye coordination. They will need to put their logical thinking skills and creative problem-solving skills to good use, as they work out how to make their tower stay up. This set will grow up with your child and the will enjoy creating more elaborate structures as they get older. Set comes with 100 pegs (20 in each color), rubber pegboard with 100 holes, 17 tower pegboards and activity guide. Available for purchase here: United States

#3 – 3D Feel & Find By Guide Craft 

This wooden shape and tile matching game is an excellent sensory shape game, which works on reinforcing your child’s cognitive development skills. Wooden puzzles are such a good investment, as they can be enjoyed by lots of children over many years. Load up the wooden shapes into the canvas drawstring (this is very handy for storage after you have finished playing as well) and place one of the 20 tiles in front of your child. Ask them to put their hand into the bag and feel around the different shapes until they find the one which matches their tile. Once they have completed this, then move on to the next tile until they are all completed. You can also use wooden elements in variety of sensory bins or open ended play with building or pretend play. Available for purchase here: United States

#4 – LEGO DUPLO 10572 Creative Play All-in-One-Box-of-Fun

As one of the all-time classic educational toys for 3 year olds and older kids, playing and learning with LEGO DUPLO will never go out of fashion and is a must-have building toy for every 3-year-old. This sets comes in a handy LEGO brick-shaped storage box making it easy to store. It includes a wagon base, 2 window elements and a dog as well as a wide selection of other DUPLO bricks for your child to build and create with. There is also an added educational element to some of the bricks inside this set. The set includes numbered bricks, which can be connected up with their matching corresponding pictured bricks. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada |  United Kingdom

#5 – Wikki Stix Numbers and Counting Fun Cards for Learning

Mess-free teaching tool is a fun manipulative to work on letter and number formation with your child. Wikki Stix are colorful, non-toxic wax and yarn strings can easily be stuck onto the individual letter and number cards using just the pressure of your child’s fingertips. They can also be removed and replaced many times over, as your child develops in confidence forming the different letters and numbers. As your child gets bigger, the cards then be used together to spell out small words, as they begin to develop early reading skills. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada |  United Kingdom

#6 – Wooden Magnetic Dress-Up Dolls

How adorable are these Wooden Magnetic Dress-Up Dolls ! There are hours of imaginative pretend play fun to be had for your little one here, as they dress up the dolls with the many different magnetic outfit pieces, including daytime and nap time outfits. It is an ideal toy to bring out and about when you are going to a restaurant or a friends house, as it comes neatly packaged in it’s own clear carry bag with secure snap closure pockets. Available for purchase here: United States | United Kingdom | Canada

#7 – Hape – Eggspressions – Game of Feeling

Help your child to explore and express their feelings on a role-play “egg-ventrue”! Kids will enjoy playing with 6 toy wooden eggs, matching egg cups and storybook in this Eggspressions – Game of Feelings . Role-play is an excellent way to encourage your child to talk about and then understand their feelings. They can find it hard to distinguish when they are afraid, angry, excited, happy, sad or shy, which can lead to anger and frustrations. This light-hearted story of Humpty Dumpty and his cousins is a gentle way to introduce and talk about these different emotions with your child. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom

#8 –  HABA Number Maze Magnetic Game

Using HABA Number Maze Magnetic Game   provides a great way to explore numbers with your child. Using the magnetic wand to move the colorful balls around the sturdy hardwood maze into their spots helps to give your child’s fine motor skills a boost. Whilst they play they are also working on number recognition, counting and basic sorting skills. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada (similar) | United Kingdom

#9 – Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

Using this Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards set provides a fun and engaging way to work on shape recognition and spatial relations with your child. It comes with 10 simple colorful patterns for your child to follow, with over 100 pattern blocks, which come in 6 different shapes and colors. They can they work away at designing their very own patterns as they get older and more confident. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada |  United Kingdom

#10 – Melissa & Doug My First Daily Magnetic Calendar

Another great educational toy for 3 year olds comes from Melissa & Doug. My First Daily Magnetic Calendar provides an excellent way to introduce the concept of days of the week and the date.  It comes with 80 magnets including years, months, numerals for dates, days of the week, holidays, emotions and special events. It is also a useful tool to encourage communication with your child. It can be used in the lead up to special events such as birthdays and trips. Available for purchase here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom

Other toys we recommend for 3-year-old boys and girls

Your child can develop many skills using different toys. Some toys aim to promote fine motor skill development . Other toys help them to burn out an extra amount of energy and are awesome toys for active kids . Most 3 year olds enjoy sensory play so you can opt-in to gift them a sensory toy for their birthday! We have a wide range of additional toy gift ideas for 3 year old boys and girls to choose from. Happy playing!

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FindYourMomTribe » Mom picks » For kids

45 Best Educational And Fun Toys For 3 Year Olds Of 2022

By Author Ivana Davies

Posted on Last updated: January 26, 2022

Buying a toy for a 3 year old is definitely much easier than getting one for a 1 year old.

Children at this age are more open and can express their wishes, emotions, and thoughts about various things and situations.

Essentially, the best toys for 3 year old boys and girls are the ones your toddler chooses herself and talks to you about in great detail until you finally buy it for her.

Her interests at this age include musical instruments, bikes, board games, books, and building sets, etc.

However, if you still don’t know which toy your toddler wants, don’t worry!

I have taken the time to present you with the best entertaining and educational toys with this list, so check it out!

Best Toys For 3 Year Old Girls And Boys

For all of you busy moms, here’s a quick list of our top picks.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

1. My ABC Busy Box

• Smarts and crafts
• Follow step by step instructions to craft letters into fun objects
• Great party or preschool rainy-day activity

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Arts and crafts are a very important part of a child’s physical and mental development.

Every kid loves to draw and make new shapes and objects from their imagination.

This creative set is a great gift idea for toddlers who like to make new artwork every day.

It includes:

• Letters

• Finger crayons

• Sticks

• Glue stick

• Flowers

• Googly eyes

• Cupcake wrappers

• Stickers, etc.

This is one of the best educational toys for 3 year olds who may become future artists!

2. Teepee Tent for Kids with Lights

• With this cutest kids teepee play tent, you really get a PEACE OF MIND, that your child plays in the most comfortable tipee. 100% NATURAL COTTON, EXTRA window, and BONUS: sturdiest design to keep the kids play tent STAND SOLID for safest play of your little one
• Your children will discover the whole new world of adventures with this tipee tent for girls and boys. Along with fun and imagination, playing in this kids tent will boost creativity and self-esteem within your adventurers

This is one of my all-time favorite tents! It’s very cute, comfortable, and made of 100% cotton!

Tents are an important part of every childhood for imaginative play.

Your little one feels like she is on a different adventure every time she goes into the tent, and she’ll want to stay in there for hours (I couldn’t get mine out of there).

This play tent can be placed both inside and outside.

It comes with two windows, pine poles, a stabilizer device, and adorable fairy lights!

Your kiddo will use this tent for years as it can grow with her until she’s 12!

3. Black + Decker Workshop

• Comes with 75 tools & accessory pieces
• Realistic action, lights and sounds
• Learn motor skills, imaginative play and safety lessons
• Black and Decker Junior pretend tools look just like the tools dad uses
• Recommended for ages 3 plus

If you have a little craftsman at home, he will definitely need these tools for his work! Black + Decker has created a perfect workbench for little artisans ready to fix and make new things!

This large set includes more than 70 tools, including:

• Storage trays

• Vice

• Screwdriver

• Hammer

• Miter saw

• 22 nuts

• 15 screws

• 5 nails

• Flashlight

• Wrench

• Phone drill press

• Toolbox

• Hand saw

• Accessory bin

Your little one will also love the lights and sounds it produces, which improve the development of pretend play and motor skills.

4. Jungle Gym Play Tent

• LOADS OF FUN: This bright vibrant pop up ball pit playhouse obstacle course playset will keep children entertained for hours! Super cool TARGET WALL game (4 dart balls included) takes the FUN to a whole new level, and is enjoyable for the kids and parents!!

I always recommend these types of tents as toys for 3-5 year olds as there are many parts that can be quite dangerous for toddlers younger than that.

These tents are very fun and exciting for toddlers and preschoolers. They can be used indoors and outdoors and for even more fun at birthday parties!

Even though it’s really big, it can be completely folded into a carry case the size of a tennis rack.

This tent includes a teepee-like tent, two tunnels, a square tent, and a ball pit with a basketball hoop.

Just make sure to get enough balls for the ball pit, which would be somewhere between 400 and 600 balls.

5. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel

• KIDS WOODEN STANDING ART EASEL: This art easel provides a creative, screen-free play option for children and includes dry-erase board, chalkboard, locking paper-roll holder, child-safe paper cutter, 4 easy-clip grips and 2 large plastic trays.
• HELPS BUILD FINE MOTOR SKILLS: The dry erase board and chalkboard are perfect for building kids fine motor skills and proper pencil grip.

Children’s art easels are always a great gift idea and a good way to prevent new artwork from appearing on your walls!

This art easel comes with:

• Dry-erase board and chalkboard

• Paper holder

• 2 plastic trays

• 4 easy grips

• Child-safe paper cutter

It’s very beneficial for the development of fine motor skills and a correct pencil grip.

It also stimulates creativity and imaginative play, which is very important at this age.

The wooden art easel is very sturdy and completely safe for your artsy little girl or boy.

6. Folkmanis Snowy Owl Hand Puppet

• Made using the highest quality materials
• Award winning design
• Great fun for toddlers and children
• Easily animate the antics of this engaging Snowy Owl plush hand puppet

Every child goes through the phase of having an imaginary friend or treating her toys as living beings, which helps her develop creativity and imagination.

This snowy owl will certainly become your kiddo’s favorite toy, as she can use it for story-telling, puppet theater (very popular during this age), role-playing, and lots of other fun activities.

Parents can use it as well, so you can teach your little one in a fun way by using this hand puppet!

7. 1-2-3 Build It! Robot Building Set

• CRAFT your own imaginative robot creations with this build-it-yourself toy!
• BUILD early engineering, critical thinking, and other STEM skills!
• EASY-TO-HANDLE pieces help little hands build fine motor skills!

This is one of the best toys for a future engineer or a scientist! Your child can improve her fine motor skills with this toy .

Not to mention that her hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and other STEM skills will improve too.

Engineering has never been more fun, and now your three-year-old will be able to build her first-ever robot!

I love that almost all the pieces are interchangeable, so there is no frustration in the building process.

This is one of the best STEM toys for 3 year old problem-solvers!

8. Shape Sorting Cupcakes

• This set includes 8 cupcakes and a cupcake tray. Its suitable for 2 year olds as well, but a 5 year old might not be very interested in it.

These are the cutest non-edible cupcakes I have ever seen, and the perfect way to keep your little munchkin entertained while you cook!

She can make her own delicious treats by matching the frosting shapes with the correct cupcakes, and serve them in the cupcake pan.

This set includes 8 cupcakes and a cupcake tray.

Toddlers who are 2 years old will enjoy this toy as well, but a 5 year old might not be very interested in it.

9. Boogie Board Writing Tablet

• MAGIC SKETCH is a reusable drawing pad and activity kit that comes with a semi-transparent, colorful drawing board and 18 templates for sketching, practicing letters or playing games.
• DOODLE & TRACE IN COLOR: The semi-transparent, drawing board features the revolutionary ColorBurst display that lets kids create and trace in vivid rainbow colors.

Even though I’m not a big fan of LCD screens, this drawing pad is very practical and greatly benefits both children and parents.

You won’t have to buy tons of markers and crayons as this tablet includes the ColorBurst display, which contains very vivid rainbow colors.

It includes a colorful drawing board that has 18 different templates for letters, games, or sketching.

The doodle board is semi-transparent, durable, and is easily cleaned by the push of a button, which is my favorite part.

10. ​Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar

• Early coding and problem-solving toy for preschoolers ages 3-6 years
• 1 motorized head and 5 permanently attached segments
• Each segment has a dial for kids to turn to program a path for Code-a-pillar Twist

Fisher-Price has come up with an amazing toy for problem-solving and coding from an early age!

I bought this toy for a friend’s 4 year old daughter, and she’s just obsessed with it!

This Amazon Exclusive toy consists of a motorized head and five non-removable pieces, over a thousand combinations, lights, fun sounds, and volume control.

Your child can twist the dial on each piece to program a path for Code-a-pillar and give your child a great start on her coding journey!

This will be the ultimate Easter basket stuffer for your 3 year old as caterpillars and spring always go together!

11. ​Stoie’s International Wooden Music Set

• Inspire Budding Musicians: Featuring 1 tambourine, 1 castanet, 1 hand drum, 2 hand bells, 1 maracas, 1 flute, 1 wooden block with stick, 1 wood sounder with stick and 1 chime bar with stick, our toy instruments are a fun, hands-on way to introduce kids to music!
• Explore Different Cultures: With 9 wooden instruments from across the globe, our set takes kids on a trip around the world!

This is one of the best educational toys for 3 year olds for teaching your kiddo about different cultures, ecology, and geography from a young age!

It’s a great introduction to kids’ musical instruments , as it includes nine different instruments from all around the world, such as:

• Tambourine

• Flute

• Hand drum

• Chime bar with a stick

• Castanet

• Maracas

• Wooden block with a stick

• Handbells

• Wood sounder with a stick

Your little one will become open-minded from an early age and develop critical thinking with this set.

All the instruments are made out of kid-friendly wood and safe materials, including the cotton storage bag for easier storage and transport.

12. ​IQ Builder Toy Set

• IQ BUILDER has created a brand new and unique set of educational toys with a strong emphasis on STEM LEARNING to help children build a solid foundation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
• IQ BUILDER was inspired by a group of teachers and our toys have been applied in classrooms to assist in demonstrating concepts of geometry, physics and mathematics to students ranging from elementary school children to adults attending graduate degree programs.

This 164 piece playset will keep your toddler occupied for hours, but it might also attract the attention of 6 and 7 year olds, and even older kids like 10 year olds!

The playset is easy to clean and completely safe for toddlers as well. It includes three ebook instructions for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels!

This is one of the most entertaining STEM learning toys for 3 year olds and parents (I caught my husband building a helicopter, haha).

13. ​Mudpuppy Puzzle Sticks

• UNIQUE PUZZLE: Rather than a jigsaw style of puzzle, this puzzle uses double-sided flat sticks that kids ages 3-6 can arrange to reveal a transportation-themed image including a train engine, rocket ship, fire truck, dump truck, boat and hot air balloon.
• SIX, 8-PIECE PUZZLES: The Transportation Puzzle Sticks set includes 24 double-sided stick pieces that create six different 8-piece puzzle images.

Puzzles are always welcome for toddlers, and this puzzle set is perfect for little hands and brains who might become frustrated if something doesn’t go their way.

To keep frustration at bay, this puzzle consists of double-sided flat sticks that need to be arranged in the correct order, instead of a classic jigsaw-style puzzle.

This set includes 24 double-sided sticks that reveal fun images, such as a fire truck, boat, dump truck, and more.

Younger toddlers can also use background colors for easier sorting.

14. ​Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Dollhouse

• PORTABLE MINI WOODEN DOLLHOUSE: The Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Mini Dollhouse is a portable wooden dollhouse that features working doors and includes 11 pieces of wooden furniture and two flexible wooden play figures.
• STURDY CARRYING HANDLES: Our Melissa & Doug Fold & Go dollhouse for kids has sturdy handles that allow kids and parents to bring the toy along for portable play.
• EASY TO PLAY: This portable wooden dollhouse is designed to open fully, giving kids easier access for a more enjoyable playing experience.

This dollhouse is one of the best gifts any toddler could wish for.

It’s portable, lightweight, and includes two cute dolls.

The playset includes 11 pieces of furniture, functional doors, and other fun accessories!

It encourages role play during playtime, as well as social skills and imaginative play.

This is a great gift for 3 year old girls and boys and is very durable, so it will stay with them for a long time.

15. ​Fisher-Price Think & Learn Rocktopus​​​

• 15 musical Instruments, 5 musical styles, 3 ways to Play : 1 rocking toy
• 3 Play modes: math, music, and game
• Rock top us responds to every musical instrument as kids insert or tap them, helping guide them through game play

Fisher-Price has been one of the leading toy brands for a long time, and for good reason.

This brand makes high-quality educational toys for all ages.

This learning Rocktopus includes more than a dozen musical instruments, as well as different styles, and various ways to play, including math, games, and music.

Your kiddo can create her own music and control the tempo of the music.

It’s a great learning resource that will keep your little bundle of joy occupied for a long time!

16. ​”Every Little Letter”

It has very colorful and adorable illustrations and a powerful message that teaches your little one about open-mindedness, friendship, and tolerance from a young age.

This heartwarming story about letters, created by New York Times author Deborah Underwood, will become your toddler’s favorite learning story.

You can get the Kindle version for an iPad or a hardcover, even though I always prefer the latter to encourage more screen-free time.

This is a great affordable Christmas present idea for a toddler , as she doesn’t have to leave the house to have fun.

Cozying up under a blanket and reading a story is all we need during the long winter nights.

17. ​Welcome to Jazz

• Are you ready to swing? Discover the wonders of jazz: How to get in the groove, what it means to play a solo, and the joy of singing along in a call-and-response.

This is an amazing interactive book that includes 12 different sounds, like the rhythm section, the leads, and a singer who improvises sounds with nonsense syllables.

It promotes diversity, jazz music, and musical instruments!

I’d recommend this for children of all ages, especially those who haven’t had the chance to learn about jazz music before.

It is one of the best multicultural books for children about music.

18. ​Colorforms Picture Play Set

• CLASSIC COLORFORMS PLAY - Colorforms have inspired creative expression and fun for over 60 years!
• COLORFORMS STICK LIKE MAGIC! No cutting, no glue, no mess. Peel & stick pieces let you play over and over again, a new adventure every time!
• PRODUCT DESCRIPTION - Play and learn with the Colorforms Pets Picture Play Set! Mix and match the adorable pieces to take care of, dress up, and play with your own Colorforms pets!

Colorforms playsets are great toys for 3 year olds who like arts and crafts.

These playsets come in various themes, but toddlers mostly prefer the Pets Picture Play Set.

This set includes 145 adorable mix and match pieces that can be reused, and 2 backgrounds to stick them on.

I like this set as it doesn’t involve cutting, gluing or any other kind of a mess.

All your child needs to do is peel the sticker from the paper and find the right spot for it.

This set boosts fine motor skill development, imagination, and creativity.

19. ​Kiko+ Kaleidoscope Wooden Camera

• Capture magical moments with kiko+ wooden toy camera, hand-crafted from 100% beech-wood
• Detachable magnetic pink lens and turning kaleidoscope lens
• Point, shoot and push the cute star button to snap your pics

Your toddler’s first camera will keep her entertained for hours, and she might even be inspired to pursue a career as a photographer or filmmaker!

You can choose between the yellow and pink detachable lenses to color her world with.

It even has the adorable star button she can push for shooting a photo, making it even more realistic and interesting for your little one.

20. ​Melissa & Doug Block Set

• 200-Piece wooden block set
• Assorted colors: red, yellow, blue, and green
• 9 different shapes. This product ships in its own special e-commerce packaging intended to reduce waste.
• Sort them, stack them, knock them down!

Melissa & Doug is fast becoming one of the most popular toy brands in the US, mainly because parents are buying more educational toys to improve their children’s physical, emotional, and mental development.

Building blocks help with the development of counting and sorting, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and color and shape recognition.

The set consists of 200 blocks in different shapes and sizes, which will keep your child occupied for a long time.

21. ​Play-Doh Kids Play Table

• Fun to play, easy to store – this activity table is full of Play-Doh fun for kids ages 3 and up! Have a blast getting creative, then easily store all the pieces When the fun is done for the day.
• Lots of cool tools to share – with more than 25 Play-Doh tools, kids can create basic shapes, fun animals, Play-Doh ice cream, or almost anything else they can imagine!

This Play ‘N Store play table is amazing! Most children love playing with playdough, but as we all know, it usually gets everywhere.

However, this play table is awesome as it has a storage place where your child can easily store all the pieces after she’s done playing with it.

It comes with a set of Play-Doh tools and 8 colors for hours of fun!

Play-Doh is one of the best toys for 3 year olds with autism.

Playdough is known as a great tool for various sensory activities important for toddlers and for children with special needs, especially with autism.

Play-Doh is a brand I really trust when it comes to the safety of their products.

22. ​Click N’ Play Keyboard Play Mat

• Jumbo Size! 70 x 29 inches - 24 keys. Made of heavy duty vinyl material
• 4 modes to select - Play, Record, Playback and Demo
• 8 selectable musical instrument sounds - Guitar, Piano, Clarinet, Trumpet, Saxophone, Violin, Banjo, and Xylophone

Talk about gigantic! I didn’t check the size when I ordered this keyboard mat, and we had such a laugh when they delivered it, but my kids love it even though they’re technically not toddlers anymore.

The size is 70×29 inches and it has 24 keys made of durable vinyl.

There are four options: play, record, demo, and playback, as well as eight instruments:

• Saxophone

• Guitar

• Piano

• Xylophone

• Violin

• Clarinet

• Banjo

• Trumpet

There are volume control and “power off” buttons as well.

This is a great toy for spacious rooms as the manufacturer doesn’t recommend folding it, as this increases the risk of it breaking, which is a definite con.

23. ​Toymany North American Forest Animals

• FORSET ANIMALS BIG PARTY - TOYMANY 12PCS North American Animal Playset includes 1 Moose, 1 Reindeer, 1 Pronghorn, 1 Black Bear, 1 Brown Bear, 1 Muskox, 1 Wolf, 1 Eagle, 1 Lynx, 1 Raccoon, 1 Squirrel, 1 Skunk.
• REALISTIC EMULATIONAL DETAILS - This Forest animal figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid.

Toymany has great sets of toys for 3-4 year old explorers and animal lovers.

This North American Forest Animals set is a great way to educate children about the different species that can be found in nature.

This 12pcs set includes:

• Moose

• Reindeer

• Brown Bear

• Pronghorn

• Black Bear

• Squirrel

• Lynx

• Wolf

• Raccoon

• Skunk

• Muskox

• Eagle

Each of the animals is hand-painted and made with delicate details for a more realistic appearance.

They are an excellent choice for creative play and story-telling and can improve the bond between parents and children as the parents can tell stories about each of the animals and their habitats.

24. ​Thomas & Friends Adventure Set

• Thomas & Friends wood toy train set includes nia engine, Isla plane, multiple destinations around the world, poseable figures (2 people and 5 animals), accessory pieces, and track pieces
• Made with sustainably-sourced wood

No list of toys for a toddler can be complete without at least one train set.

If you have a Thomas & Friends fan at home, this will be the ultimate gift for her.

There are 7 figures (2 people and 5 animals), a buildable track, plane, nia engine, and several other accessories included in the set.

It’s made out of sustainably sourced wood and is very easy to build, so you don’t have to build it yourself – make it a family activity instead!

25. ​Lego Classic Large Box

• Engage your kids in pretend play by letting them build their own play toys, such as creating a toy house or toy scooter. This classic creative kit of LEGO bricks comes with 33 different colored bricks
• This brick box includes 8 different types of toy windows and toy doors, 2 green baseplates and 6 toy tires and toy wheel rims to create hours of creativity for kids; plus the LEGO inspired packaging serves as toy storage

Lego is a classic toy for children, teens, parents, and even grandparents (some of them like to play with Lego too!).

They have a large selection of different building sets, including famous cartoons and movies like characters from Disney, Marvel superheroes, DC, Friends, and others.

However, I have chosen this Lego classic big box with lots of bricks and different animals and backgrounds, so your child can create her own figures and make her own unique stories.

If you already own Lego, this set is compatible with it, which is what I love the most about Lego – you just add more bricks to increase the fun!

26. ​VTech Switch & Go Dino

• Fun transforming toy switches from helicopter to toy dinosaur
• Launches a toy rocket in helicopter mode
• Plays real flying sounds as your child moves Blister in the air
• Press buttons spin the propeller or shine the searchlight

Blister The Velociraptor will probably become the favorite toy of your 3 year old boy, who will be thrilled with this dinosaur that turns into a helicopter.

This Dino includes more than 70 different sounds and expressions that will teach your little one lots of awesome dinosaur facts.

Parents say their 6 year olds also like to play with it and that it’s very durable, so it seems like a very good investment.

27. ​Bundle Placemat + Conversation Cards

• Manners&Co. is founded by a Mom of two/Masters-level Teacher/and Etiquette Expert, Sunita Padda
• Manners&Co. was created to Make Manners Fun in an interactive way! All products are designed in Canada
• TableMAT - Is a food-grade high-quality silicone table mat that makes learning table manners easy!

Teach your child manners from an early age with this interesting playmat and conversation cards, created by etiquette expert and mom of two, Sunita Padda.

It might seem a bit too serious for toddlers, but it’s actually a great way for 3 year olds to start learning about basic manners (momma learned a thing or two as well!).

The table mat and the TableTALK conversation cards are made of food-grade silicone.

Both are decorated with the branded monsters that help your little one learn etiquette in a fun way!

The cards are divided into seven different categories:

• Self

• Philanthropy

• School

• Community

• Friendship

• Family

• World

This is a great stocking stuffer as well, which will teach your child proper manners in time for Christmas lunch!

28. ​Green Toys Ferry Boat & Car Carrier

• Made in USA
• 100% Recycled plastic
• Makes a great gift
• Encourages creative, imaginative play

This is one of my favorite toy brands that makes great eco-friendly toys for children. All of their toys are produced from 100% recycled plastic and are completely safe for children.

This ferry boat and car carrier truck will be the best toys for 3 year old vehicle lovers.

You can use the ferry boat as a completely safe bath toy that doesn’t leech any toxic chemicals into the water.

The set also includes five mini-cars, two for the ferry boat and three for the truck.

29. ​Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit

• OSMO IS MAGIC: Award-winning learning games let your child interact with tangible educational toys and an iPad, bringing their actions to life. A hands-on learning adventure awaits your little genius (No WiFi necessary for game play).
• TEACHING: Little Genius Starter Kit includes fun preschool learning toys that will transform how your child learns.

Again, I am really not a fan of any screens or devices for children, but I must admit there are some gadgets that are quite useful.

This Osmo starter kit is one of them for sure! It seems like a simple toy, but it helps any little toddlers who still don’t know how to hold a pencil express themselves and learn letters!

There are four different types of learning through play, including:

• Learning letters

• Improving problem-solving skills with “Stories”

• Experimenting with clothes during dress-up games

• Developing pre-drawing skills with “Squiggle Magic”

You put the iPad in the base, add the reflector over the camera so your child can follow directions from the tablet, and watch her results on the screen!

It’s a really cool toy, and very educational for children as young as 3.

I wouldn’t recommend it for younger ages though, mainly because of the choking hazard.

30. ​Hape Workbench

• REAL LIFE SIMULATION: This kids tool bench is a little builders dream come true. Kids can build, fix and rebuild for hours on end
• TOY TOOLS: The master workbench contains 35 pieces including a hammer, saw, screwdriver, wrench, vice, angle, screws, nuts, bolts, gears, links and more creative parts for building

This is the simpler, and more sustainable, version of the workbench we discussed earlier, but it also has fewer pieces.

This Hape workshop is very cute, colorful, and bright, and it also includes lots of tools, with 35 pieces in total.

It is made from kid-friendly wood, which I always prefer over plastic, even if it’s BPA-free.

I would definitely recommend this workbench for younger toddlers as it’s not as overwhelming as the previous one.

31. ​Little Tikes Spray and Rescue Fire Truck

• Full sized fire truck comes in a small package
• Foot-to-floor ride-on has a friendly smiling face that children adore
• Pressurized water tank and hose assembly really squirts water
• Water tank is easily removed for easy filling

There is something with children and fire trucks, a kind of special connection I don’t quite understand, but I assume stems from the bright red color and the siren.

This fire truck will take your child on new, and totally safe, adventures. It’s made with durable and eco-friendly plastic.

This toy is also a great way to teach your child to be responsible by using the water tank and the hose for watering flowers or a garden.

Your child will enjoy the firefighter pretend play by driving her truck on new missions!

32. ​Sarah’s Silks Play Scarves

• Bundle: This set includes all 5 of our Enchanted Playsilks; Rainbow, Starry Night, Blossom, Fire and Sea. The perfect party pack!
• Open Ended: These Waldorf and Montessori inspired toys are designed to spark your childs creativity for endless hours of imaginative play

These silk scarves are the softest things you’ve ever touched!

Even though a silk scarf might seem like an unusual choice of “toy” it is actually a great source of fun and will benefit your little girl greatly.

She can use it during pretend play as a cape, water, fire, a scarf, a decorative background, curtain, a tent fabric, or whatever else comes to her clever little mind.

The 100% silk is hand-dyed in vivid colors representing:

• “Starry Night”

• “Rainbow”

• “Blossom”

• “Sea”

• “Fire”

This play silk set is inspired by Montessori toys for 3 year olds.

It also has great benefits for children with special needs as it provides them with movement-oriented and sensory play.

33. ​Slumberkins Slumber Sloth Snuggler & Book

• TEACH YOUR CHILD SELF RELAXATION: After all the excitement of the day, it can be hard for children to relax and wind down for bed. Slumber Sloths Story uses progressive muscle relaxation techniques to teach children through a soothing routine, helping them calm their body and mind after a busy day.
• THERAPIST CREATED: Created by a therapist and educator, Slumberkins stories use therapeutic techniques to help children master social emotional skills.

Even though most of us consider kids in this age group to be big toddlers, your kiddo is still a little one who needs cuddles.

The Slumber Sloth can be a great replacement if you are not around.

It’s also a great alternative to a pacifier for younger children.

The toy comes together with a story for bedtime or naptime, and it relaxes your child’s muscles after a long day.

The soft sloth helps your munchkin improve her emotional and social skills as well.

34. ​Magna-Tiles Clear Colors Set

• The original 3D magnetic building sets that engage young minds by fusing together math, science and creativity
• 100 translucent, colorful shapes including squares (4 large, 50 small) and triangles (20 equilateral, 11 right, 15 Isosceles)
• Sparks hours of imaginative free play in children. Anything they can dream, they can create!

This is not your regular building blocks set, that’s for sure!

These translucent tiles come in various shapes and sizes and will definitely make your child super excited!

Each tile connects with a magnet, which makes it easier to build whatever comes to your kiddo’s mind!

This colorful set provides great fun, but it’s also educational and beneficial for the development of various skills, such as: learning patterns, color recognition, social skills like teamwork, spatial awareness, and other important factors for healthy development.

35. ​Strider Balance Bike

• JOIN THE STRIDER FAMILY - Meet the bike that set the world on fire and revolutionized the way kids learn to ride. Children as young as one are experiencing the thrill of riding without training wheels before they’re out of diapers.
• GROWS WITH YOUR CHILD - The seat and handlebar heights adjust to accommodate ages 18 months to 5 years, or a 12– 20 in. inseam (no tools required).

I would always recommend a balance bike over a scooter, tricycle, or even a skateboard for toddlers .

Even though children have to learn how to balance on scooters as well as bicycles, it seems to me there is not enough activity and movement for little ones.

Balance bikes are quite stable and can go well on uneven surfaces as well because your kiddo already has her feet on the ground.

Also, the transition from a balance bike to the real thing is much easier than with a tricycle, as children rely on additional training wheels on the side.

The Strider bike is very comfortable and durable, which means your little rider won’t outgrow it in a short period of time.

36. ​VTech Write and Learn Tablet

• Learn to write toy is a fun and easy way for your toddler to learn writing skills; pre-K toy is an interactive tablet offering a progressive approach to writing
• Early learning center brings letters to life with 6 learning activities and 19 animated stories that build language skills and encourage kids to draw

Nowadays, everything is about technology and screens, so toy brands such as VTech are following the trends and creating new toys for toddlers and preschoolers!

This learning tablet will keep your child entertained and help her learn how to write, draw, and build her vocabulary.

It also promotes proper pencil grip and is a great alternative to real screens.

If you’re looking for a simple and fun gadget for your toddler, this one will be perfect!

37. ​VTech Deluxe Activity Desk Expansion Pack​​​

• Add to the fun and learning of the Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe; expansion cards for the Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe
• When I Grow Up Expansion Pack includes a cartridge and four double-sided pages; intended for ages 3 to 5 years

If you own the VTech Touch And Learn Deluxe , you don’t have to put it away if your kiddo is not interested in playing with it anymore.

What you can do instead, is get this expansion pack with eight different interactive pages recommended for kids the age of 3 to 5!

Your child can now learn even more about occupations, culture, geography, responsibilities, community, and acquire more vocabulary in general.

However, this expansion pack only works with the Deluxe version, not the original Touch and Learn Desk, so be sure to keep that in mind.

38. ​My First Game: Bears in Pairs

• NO READING REQUIRED! Hide and seek takes an adorable twist with this hands-on memory match game for toddlers! Simple, three-step instructions with no reading required
• HOW TO PLAY: Hide an animal in each compartment and take turns opening a door to find a match. Make a match and you win the game. Designed for two players, with three ways to play

This is a very cute game with adorable figures your little toddler will be sure to love! It doesn’t require any reading and still teaches your child valuable lessons.

This memory and match game will improve your child’s focus and concentration on tasks with three different ways to play (it comes with a parent guide).

The main point is to hide one of the animal pairs in different compartments and the first one who finds a match wins.

This game is suitable for two players and teaches your little one how to be competitive in a fair-play game.

39. ​Hasbro Hi Ho! Cherry-O

• CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing the Hi Ho! Cherry-O game when you were a child? Introduce new generations to the classic gameplay of this kids board game for boys and girls ages 3 and up
• FUN COUNTING BOARD GAME: Kids ages 3 and up can have a blast picking pretend fruit from the trees on the game board, and filling their buckets.

Hasbro has decided to take parents back to their childhoods! This classic board game is an excellent choice for new generations that are learning how to count.

The spinner tells the number of cherries your child can take and put into a bucket or return, depending on the move.

Children love to pick fruit from trees, which is why this game became so popular in the first place.

This family-friendly game can be played by up to four people, which provides even more fun and better improvement of social skills.

40. ​Kid O A to Z Magnatab

• A magnetic stylus is the pen, the bead board the paper, your finger the eraser; the pull of the magnet engages sense memory in early writing lessons
• Explore creativity and learning with sensory-reinforced play; the stylus pulls the beads to the surface with a solid click revealing your creation

This Magnatab is very simple, educational, and important for the development of different skills and knowledge.

It consists of a bead table and a stylus that attracts beaded parts. Clean up is quick and simple, you only need to run your finger over it!

It’s a great way to learn upper and lower-case letters!

41. ​Musicube Kids Accordion

• About Accordion: The accordion is a keyboard instrument that can be played both solo and accompaniment. The ingenious combination of fingers and bellows can play a variety of different styles of music, which is unmatched by many instruments.
• Safe for Kids: The accordion has been certified by TUV and meets the standard of ASTM F963. All the materials are high quality and non-toxic which is safe for little kids.

If you’re prepared to listen to the accordion for at least a few hours every day, then there is no reason to delay buying this musical instrument for your little one!

The accordion improves motor skill development, hand-eye coordination, and increases her love for music!

Each piece of the accordion is produced carefully and is completely non-toxic and safe for your little bundle of joy.

42. ​Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

• EDUCATIONAL WOODEN BLOCK SET: The Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy is a set of 120 wooden blocks in various shapes and colors, inspiring kids to assemble colorful patterns on 5 boards
• CLASSIC LEARNING ACTIVITY: Our Pattern Blocks and Boards set lets kids enjoy a classic math manipulative and learning activity. It’s great for spatial awareness, color recognition, hand eye coordination, and problem solving

This brand brings us another modern spin of a classic toy for toddlers and preschoolers which greatly improves spatial awareness, logical thinking, color recognition, and problem-solving skills.

This classic toy set has over 100 wooden blocks of different shapes and colors that can be put together in countless ways.

There is a cute puzzle that introduces letters to toddlers as well!

This ABC game is a great way to teach your little one letters in a fun way.

The point of the puzzle is to match the first letter with the labeled image on the other side.

This set will be a great addition to your little one’s collection of entertaining and educational toys.

43. ​Glowing Animals Bathtub Toys

• Bath Toys, 12 pack different style Floating rubber animal toys, Perfect size(about 2.4inch size per one) thats fits to babies little hands, and kids loves to catch the floating toy in the tub. it helps improve coordination imaginative skills!
• Bathtub Toy, can light up automatically and changing brightly colorful light when touch in the water. the bathroom toys easily attract kids attention, your children will definitely enjoy their fun fun bath time!

A glowing mermaid and 11 animals are all your toddler needs for the best bath time ever!

Each of them lights up when they go into the water, but they can work outside as well.

These toys really help a lot with children who aren’t fans of taking baths!

All the animals and the mermaid are completely sealed so there is no fear of mold or mildew.

The only thing I’m not a fan of is that the batteries can’t be replaced, and the battery life is only around 3 months.

44. ​Toniebox Pink Starter Set

• What is it: Our Toniebox is a new and innovative audio player for kids, great for bedtime stories or as a kids music box. Its screen-free and so easy to use that even the youngest can operate it
• How does it work: Placing tonies audio characters on the toniebox starts the playback automatically and taking them off stops it.

Toniebox has come up with a great audio player for music and storytelling, which reminds me of the 2000’s so much that I can’t help but love it!

Basically, all you need to do is put each Disney character on the top and it will play songs and tell stories!

You can adjust the volume by pressing the ears (this part is quite funny, actually).

You can include personalized stories, audiobooks, songs, or whatever else comes to your mind!

This is a great gadget for parents too, as it doesn’t involve any screens.

45. ​Fat Brain Toys Squigz Starter Set

• Starter = 24 pieces
• Deluxe = 50 pieces

Last, but not least, suction cups are always a hit with toddlers.

Even though suction cups can be a bit overwhelming for parents, as they always end up everywhere.

Suction cups can even be used in the water, which makes them perfect bait for kids to enter the bathtub (I’ve had to do this several times)! This starter set includes 24 pieces, but if you want more you can get the Deluxe pack as well!

The Bottom Line

As you can see, buying a toy for a toddler is not a simple process, and it requires more than simply going to Walmart and picking out some random plaything.

At this age, your child is already able to develop her own opinion and express her wishes.

Therefore, you should listen to your kiddo to find out about her interests, and use that as a gift guide for finding the best toy for her.

I always prefer educational toys, and try to fit my children’s wishes with my requirements.

This list of toys is a perfect guide for everyone who wants to provide their child with playthings that will keep her entertained and well-educated at the same time!

READ NEXT: 33 Best Educational And Fun Toys For 1 Year Olds

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Simon Hill Gear Team

28 Smart STEM Toys for the Techie Kids in Your Life

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Colorful Construction Clixo Rainbow Pack Read more

Marble-Powered Computer Turing Tumble Read more

Coding Car QUBS Cody Block Read more

Lego Robots Lego Spike Prime Robot Read more

Anyone who has ever watched a toddler methodically take apart a Tupperware drawer should know that many children are natural-born engineers. Your only job as a parent is to nurture their creativity … and clean up the mess afterward. Between us—product reviewer Scott Gilbertson, editor Adrienne So, and I—we have seven kids. This, honestly, is the most fun part of my job—calling in STEM toys for my kids and I to test together and recommend to you. It hardly feels like work at all.

Wrap up a few of these STEM toys (also called STEAM toys; we love you too, Arts!) and books for your future scientist to blow up, burn up, or dismantle. Hopefully, they'll thank you for the early encouragement when they're older. Be sure to check out our many other buying guides , including Our Favorite Subscription Boxes for Kids and How to Build the Lego Collection of Your Dreams .

Updated November 2023: We added Clixo Kits and Kanoodle Pyramid, and updated prices throughout.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off) . This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com , full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

Colorful Construction

Construction kits are compelling no matter your age, and my entire family found Clixo’s colorful, versatile, snap-together magnetic pieces irresistible. You can build three-dimensional shapes from these flexible pieces by connecting the magnetic ends and bending them the way you want (my youngest made a cat, my teen made a crown). These durable and washable pieces stack neatly to pack away. We love that you don’t need a flat surface to build because it means you can play with these kits anywhere. If you prefer a themed pack, we also liked the Mars Rover Pack ($45) and the Ocean Creatures Pack ($45) , and both sets feature glow-in-the-dark pieces. The kits are recommended for kids aged 4 and up. —Simon Hill

Marble-Powered Computer

Turing Tumble is a wonderful way to teach kids coding fundamentals. It combines the simple pleasure of marble runs with a beautifully illustrated sci-fi comic book packed with challenging puzzles. The board resembles a pachinko game, and you have to slot in different pieces to divert the blue and red balls and get the required pattern at the bottom. My 9-year-old spent hours working through the puzzles, reconfiguring this marble-powered computer. As the challenges grew tougher, the whole family joined in to find solutions. Well-designed, satisfying, and rewarding, this is a good pick for kids 8 and up. —Simon Hill

Teaching basic coding concepts to young kids is a challenge. To do it without a screen is even tougher. But QUBS has come up with an elegant solution. These beech wood blocks look like buildings, but each has a symbol relating to a command (turn left, turn right, U-turn, repeat the last command, stop, record path, play path). When kids put the magnetic top on the red car, it begins to drive. Using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, the car reads the commands on the blocks. There’s a lovely guidebook that includes stories and activities, but the best thing about this Montessori-inspired wooden toy is that kids can dive in and learn how it works through play. —Simon Hill

Lego Robots

Lego Education's Spike Prime building set is a complete DIY robot-building classroom in a box. Literally. Prior to the abrupt rise in distance learning several years ago, Lego marketed this primarily to schools. It comes with its own lesson plans, but don't let the seriousness fool you—my kids love this set and went from never having used it to programming their own robots (using the drag-and-drop Scratch programming language) in a couple of afternoons.

Lego keeps updating Spike Prime too. Recently it released a new series of plans for bots that track exercise and help kids learn about motion and energy transfer. —Scott Gilbertson

Reece Rogers

Boone Ashworth

Parker Hall

Adrienne So

Make Music From Colors

Sphero acquired STEAM toy company LittleBits in 2019. Sphero's toys are always so cute, I want to eat them whole; I particularly liked the Sphero RVR ($279) . But for sheer aesthetic pleasure, it's hard to compete with the Specdrums.

These tiny, pocketable rings turn all the colored surfaces around you into a potential musical instrument, and turn anyone into an amateur DJ. Use the app to assign sounds to colors or vice versa. When you tap on different colors, you can hear the different tones. Anyone from toddlers on up can play with these and find them vastly entertaining. You can also buy a one-ring set for $25 . —Adrienne So

Coding Ball

The Sphero Edu app is packed with computer science lessons and activities for different age groups. Bolt has an 8 x 8 LED board on top, various sensors inside (compass, light sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer), and supports infrared communication. My wife is a teacher and uses this in the classroom to teach basic coding skills, giving students (9 year old and up) challenges like navigating a maze. She says many kids grasp the concepts much faster than they might with a book or screen, because they can see the Bolt moving in physical space. —Simon Hill

Endless Building Fun

The return on investment with Magna-Tiles staggers me. It's been years , and at 6 and 8 years old, my children can still occupy themselves with these for hours. Translucent Magna-Tiles click together to form both two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. Younger kids can make a house with a backyard and fences, or ice cream cones. With an older kid, the sky is the limit—or, rather, your credit card is, since there are wheelbarrows full of expansion sets you can buy. My daughter can currently build a full village in an afternoon for her stuffed animals.

If these are too pricey, there are alternatives that work just as well, like Picasso Tiles, which are $20 for 60 pieces . —Adrienne So

Tacto uses physical pieces to turn your iPad, Android, or Fire tablet into a game board. Tacto Chess teaches the basics, from how the pieces move to strategies for victory. The animated app boasts friendly voice acting and stories to draw kids in. There are also chess puzzles to solve and a move predictor, and your child can play against AI or another person. Both my kids (9 and 12) have enjoyed some time with this, so it works well for different ages and abilities, but it was a little fiddly to get pieces to register on the iPad Mini, so a larger tablet is advisable. Other Tacto packs cover dinosaurs , classic board games , coding , lasers , and electronics . —Simon Hill

Underwater Vistas

Chronicle Books' gorgeous picture book tells the story of Ken Nedimyer, an environmental scientist, live rock farmer, and fish collector who founded the Coral Restoration Foundation .

The book weaves together details of Nedimyer's biography with facts about coral reefs—I did not know that corals spawn like fish do—and luminous underwater landscapes and depictions of scuba diving. It makes environmental preservation and following your passions look both doable and fun. —Adrienne So

Table Tiles

The Osmo tablet accessory and gaming platform for kids merges the physical and digital worlds in a way few toys manage. Your kids can tackle solving puzzles and playing word games with blocks and tiles you move around on the table in front of them. The Osmo hardware captures what they're doing and translates it into actions on the screen.

Osmo recently launched several new titles, including a math-related dragon game that's been a hit in our house. Give the hardware requirements a close look to be sure your iPad or Fire tablet is compatible. —Scott Gilbertson

Construction Capers

My entire household found this magnetic construction set irresistible, and there has been a new 3D structure on the coffee table every morning. The kit comprises glow-in-the-dark magnetic rods (crafted from recycled plastic), steel spheres, and plastic bases in different shapes. You also get storage boxes to put everything away in. There’s a guide in the box with a few suggested structures, but creating your own is a big part of the appeal. There are sets of various sizes suitable for kids 3 and up. —Simon Hill

Women in STEM

These beautifully illustrated cards depict legendary women who made significant contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. There’s a focus on Black and Indigenous women of color, because they are woefully underrepresented in most STEM discussions. Stylized portraits are combined with interesting brief biographies that recount their journeys and highlight their achievements. There are also thoughtful questions to provoke conversation and debate, which makes the deck a useful teaching resource for teens. But it is on the pricey side.

The makers, the Represented Collective, also offer puzzles for younger kids. We tried Nakira’s World Nature Hike ($24) , a jigsaw with two pairs of decoder glasses and a puzzle book. Youngsters will enjoy examining the nature scene, and the booklet has links to culturally relevant reading and offers an introduction to Ojibwe vocabulary. —Simon Hill

Color Chemistry

Everyone who has come across a Crayola crayon has probably melted one, whether accidentally or on purpose. Crayola's Color Chemistry set includes enough brightly colored Crayola ingredients for 16 activities out of the box, and up to 50 with common household ingredients. Exploding volcanoes and colorful quicksand are just a few of the eye-catching experiments that you can look forward to trying. —Adrienne So

Remote-Controlled Robot

This super-cute robot looks like it rolled straight out of a Pixar movie. With a big, expressive eye atop three balls, it zips around with real personality, which helps it successfully combine play and learning in a way that every STEM toy aims for but many fall short of. Dash has lived with us for several years now. It’s a durable toy that works on a simple level like a remote-controlled car, but it also ties in with various apps to play games, solve puzzles, and create programs. Lego connectors for Dash’s head add to the creative possibilities. Wonder Workshop also offers some optional accessories. —Simon Hill

A Twist on a Classic

No one needs a Bluetooth-enabled Rubik's Cube, but once you get your hands on a GoCube you probably won't be able to put it down. Smart sensors inside the beautiful, glowing cube connect to a companion app on your phone and sense where each block is positioned. You can learn algorithms and strategies that will help you get your solve-time down. And if you give everyone you know a GoCube, you can also stage live competitions with friends and family! —Adrienne So

Sand Castles

My kids love this moldable sand and have happily spent countless hours over the years making tabletop structures. It behaves like wet sand and never dries out, so you can shape it with your hands or use tools and molds to make castles. It comes in many colors and clumps together easily but doesn’t stick to your hands or surfaces. While it’s generally easy to clean up, it’s a good idea to confine play to a tray or table and supervise your kids, or you may end up picking tiny bits of pink sand out of your carpet. —Simon Hill

Unlimited Books

No parent has ever complained that their child was reading too much. You might think that Amazon's Kindle Kids a regular Kindle Paperwhite , but it includes a year's subscription to Amazon Kids+ (formerly FreeTime Unlimited), a two-year replacement guarantee, and, yes, a cute cover.

Not only does Amazon Kids+ give your child access to more than a thousand kid-friendly books in both English and Spanish, as well as Audible titles, I found it easy to whitelist even more free titles (free books!) from my local library using Amazon's parent dashboard. You can also highlight or look up difficult words, or add them to a Vocabulary Builder tool. Testing this Kindle is the first time I've gotten my 5-year-old interested in longer chapter books, so I'd give it a ringing endorsement based on that alone. —Adrienne So

Real Coding

Many STEM toys dumb down programming tasks, and that can limit their usefulness. The kits from Let’s Start Coding reject that approach, offering hands-on time with electronic components and challenging kids to dive straight in and create programs in C++. The Ultimate Kit includes 23 separate parts, including an LCD screen, speaker, LED strip, various sensors, and more. There are more than 100 projects to embark on, with example code that kids can tweak and helpful, if somewhat dry, walkthrough videos.

My kids required some encouragement and supervision with this, and I think the suggested age of 8 years and up is low. Perhaps more important than age is a genuine interest in hardware and coding. But there’s satisfaction in successfully controlling hardware components. A Windows, Mac, or Chromebook desktop or laptop is required to use the free software. Younger kids may be better starting with a smaller, more focused kit like Code Rocket ($70) . —Simon Hill

Unlock the Rocks

The best toys are the ones that aren't toys at all. This year, my children became extremely interested in fossils and geology. We've been taking walks in the woods or at the beach, putting promising specimens in our pockets. We often keep the rock tumbler running for weeks (outside, because it's a little noisy), changing out the grit and watching as rough rubble eventually reveals itself as sparkly quartz or agate. If you're feeling ambitious, you can also throw in a rock guide and plan a rock-hunting trip. —Adrienne So

Colorful Clay

Part of exploring the world is feeling the world, digging in the dirt as it were, but if you don't have a yard or live near a park, you can bring some of that same spirit of exploration inside with polymer clay.

This is the mold-and-bake clay you might have used growing up. It just has a fancy new name. The things your kids create might not always hold up, but that too is a learning process—after her doll's table fell apart several times, my daughter asked if I could reinforce the legs with wire.

Other fun sculpting options include modeling clay ($10) and good old-fashioned Play-Doh ($21) . —Scott Gilbertson

Odds and Ends

Most kids love construction kits, and the OffBits combine special components with standard hardware bits you might have lying around the house, like nuts and screws. Each kit boasts a special assembly tool and a robot, creature, or vehicle to build. My daughter enjoyed putting the UnicornBit together, and kids are encouraged to get creative in their approach and adapt designs to suit them. The only roadblock we ran into was that some pieces were tough to connect, requiring some adult muscle, and others felt loose, but the end result was charming. OffBits offers various kits (mostly for kids ages 6 and up), but with small pieces and tricky assembly, we advise adult supervision. —Simon Hill

Fantastic Stickers

I know what you're thinking: Painting with stickers sounds kind of lame. But trust me, kids love these books. There's something about the balance of fun and meticulous concentration that draws children in. These are also a fun and mess-free activity for traveling with younger children. If your child isn't a dinosaur fan, there are plenty of other options, including unicorns , undersea animals , bugs , and more. —Adrienne So

Creative Cardboard

If you already have a Nintendo Switch, you must try Nintendo Labo ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ). These clever kits composed of corrugated cardboard sheets and stickers must be assembled so you can play related games with your creations on the Switch console. Beyond the challenges and mini-games, you can dip into the software and learn how each kit works. You can even set up your own rules, reprogramming your creations in the Toy-Con Garage by dragging and dropping blocks to create simple inputs and outputs. We like the Vehicle Kit best, but there are several alternatives. —Simon Hill

Yeasty Goodness

We've tested many gift subscription kits , but my 5-year-old declared this baking kit to be the most fun of all. We've talked about yeast, watched carbon dioxide fill up balloons ("We're eating fungi farts!"), talked about the different states of matter while making butter, kneaded dough, and finally, had cinnamon toast for a snack. It requires a lot of parental supervision over a lengthy period of time, but I also liked that she now has her own separate measuring cups and tools and can quit stealing mine. —Adrienne So

Tetris-Style Teaser

Can you fit these Tetris-pieces into a three-dimensional puzzle board? My 11-year-old loved this logic puzzle, though she found the 2D puzzles too easy. Luckily, there are 100 3D puzzles that require spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills to beat. They get tougher as you progress, but never too hard. This puzzle kit is recommended for kids aged 8 and up, but some younger kids could have fun with it, too. Kanoodle does also offer a bunch of other brain teasing puzzles specifically for younger kids. —Simon Hill

A Crayon Replacement

Tempera paint sticks are like oversized crayons, but instead of wax, your kids smear tempera paint around. Don't worry, it dries quickly (in about a minute and a half), and it's easy to clean off most surfaces. It's all the fun of painting, but there are no brushes or other mess to clean when your kids are done. There are sets of all sizes. We started with this 12-piece set but have since expanded to a 32-color set ($28) . —Scott Gilbertson

World of Learning

Budding adventurers can learn about countries around the world with this interactive globe. Using a companion app on a tablet, your child can scan the included globe and get augmented reality pop-ups that trigger fact files on famous monuments, animals, cuisines, and more. My 9-year-old had some fun with this but felt the goofy voices were more suitable for younger kids. (PlayShifu recommends it for ages 4 to 10.) The globe feels cheap, and the AR pop-ups tend to clip through it, but this is a novel way to learn more about the world. Shifu offers two alternative globes covering dinosaurs and the planet Mars . —Simon Hill

Coding Cutie

It’s amazing how bleeps and bloops, colored LEDs, and cute animations lend personality to a tiny robot. The Ozobot Evo is like a mini R2D2 your kids can control. There are a couple of ways to program the Ozobot Evo. It follows black lines drawn on paper and changes the color of its lights to match the colors drawn. Blocks of varied colors also act as codes to trigger animations, change speed, or perform another action (a workbook explains). Ozobot is an easy, screen-free introduction to coding principles for younger kids. Older kids can try Ozobot Blockly, a typical drag-and-drop coding language that lets them build simple programs quickly.

My 10-year-old enjoyed playing with this for a while, but I agree with  our original review that the Ozobot Evo would work best in the classroom. Ozobot offers handy teaching resources, and the Evo makes for an engaging problem-solving activity for small groups. —Simon Hill

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• Gifts for babies and kids

The 33 Best Gifts for 3-Year-Olds

When kids reach the age of 3, the gift-giving game changes. Many children in this age group are likely to know what they want. Lots of them will have more interests, opinions, and language to express their excitement than they had in the past. But that doesn’t negate the thrill of a good surprise. “Often the idea of receiving a gift is what’s exciting for them, not necessarily what the gift is,” said Heather Singh, director of educational programs at the Thinkery , a children’s museum in Austin, Texas, at the time of our interview.

Three-year-olds are ready for toys that foster lots of imaginative play, Singh said. So open-ended playthings that inspire storytelling and creative engagement are better than one-trick ponies. Toys and costumes that allow for role-playing and board games that encourage group interaction will nurture 3-year-olds’ developing social skills. And many kids at this age are ready for speedier, sleeker movement toys—like scooters and trikes—that reward their growing physical confidence.

We’ve included toy suggestions from Singh and other educators. And members of our staff added the kind of memory-making gifts that have gone over best with the 3-year-olds in their lives. If you’re looking for more gift ideas for kids, check out our guides to the best gifts for 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 , as well as wonderful stocking stuffers for kids . (We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens .) Since kids vary widely in their personalities, interests, and development, we advise that you take these age recommendations with a grain of salt. And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.

Cooperative counting games

Count Your Chickens Board Game

In this beginner board game, all of the baby chicks need to be returned to the coop.

Buying Options

The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game

Players work together to help a hungry squirrel collect acorns.

Cooperative board games—where players work toward a common goal, instead of competing against one another—are ideal for 3-year-olds who are learning to follow directions, take turns, and work as a group. The Count Your Chickens Board Game  is a hit with preschoolers and parents at Toybrary Austin , our local toy-lending library in Texas. In this game, players team up to bring a mother hen’s chicks back to the coop. It’s simple and, just as importantly, fast (perfect for a 3-year-old’s attention span). Once you’ve all mastered the art of chicken reunions, check out The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game , another great cooperative board game for beginners. (We offer more ideas in our guide to the best board games for kids .)

—Caitlin Giddings

Dotty art supplies

Do-A-Dot Art Rainbow Dot Markers

These oversize markers create a fun trail of big, vibrant dots.

It’s hard to go wrong with a gift of novel art supplies. My son got a set of Do-A-Dot Art Rainbow Dot Markers when he was 3 (and just embarking on a now-years-long obsession with rainbows). The sticks are easy for little hands to grip, and the colors are vibrant enough to look bright both on cardboard boxes and on regular paper. I like that they have the special feel of paints but with less mess and effort. You may want to pair them with a ream of paper or some add-on art supplies, like scissors and a glue stick.

—Kalee Thompson

A-to-Z sports

B Is for Baller: The Ultimate Basketball Alphabet

This hoops-themed alphabet book features an all-star NBA lineup.

S is for Slugger: The Ultimate Baseball Alphabet

“O” is for “October” in this baseball-themed alphabet book.

I’m not sure which my son learned first—what the alphabet is or who the NBA greats are. B Is for Baller: The Ultimate Basketball Alphabet is an ode to pro basketball. Each letter of the alphabet presents an opportunity to explore the mythology of a current or former NBA star. For example, “T is for Three” depicts the Golden State Warriors’ sharp-shooter Steph Curry firing a three-pointer from one side of the Golden Gate Bridge to the other. Since this book came out, in 2018, two more have been added to the series. G Is for Golazo: The Ultimate Soccer Alphabet features athletes from the pitch, including Brazil’s Marta Vieira da Silva. S Is for Slugger: The Ultimate Baseball Alphabet highlights Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, among other baseball figures; in this book, “P” stands for “Pioneer” because Johnson was the first woman to pitch in the Negro Leagues .

—Lara Rabinovitch

A sturdy puzzle

Melissa & Doug 100-Piece Safari Floor Puzzle

The jumbo-size pieces of this floor puzzle easily fit together to create a 4-foot long safari scene.

May be out of stock

As a preschooler, my son loved the challenge—and reward—of a good puzzle, and the Melissa & Doug 100-Piece Safari Floor Puzzle was one of his favorites. The large, durable pieces were easy for him to manipulate on his own (and hard to lose), and the result was a grand masterpiece that stretched across the floor. My son loves wild animals, so this particular theme—with giraffes, an elephant, and a rhinoceros in the savanna—appealed to him. If a 100-piece puzzle feels too intimidating, start with one of Melissa & Doug’s 48-piece floor puzzles, instead ( dinosaurs and the solar system are two options).

Guessing game

Petit Collage What Am I? Game

In this fun take on the game 20 Questions, each player wears paper glasses holding a mystery card. Then players take turns guessing the objects on their cards.

The concept of Petit Collage’s What Am I? Game is simple: Each player dons a pair of paper glasses and takes a turn tucking a card into the slotted nose bridge, making sure they don’t look at the illustration on the card. The bespectacled person then asks a series of questions to help them guess what’s on their card—there are 50 options in all, ranging from an ice cream cone to a sailboat to a turtle. My pre-reader daughter, who got the game as a gift for her third birthday, was able to play it right out of the box. And back then, we didn’t worry ourselves over leading questions or a little peeking. (Petit Collage recommends this game for kids ages 4 to 8. But younger children can enjoy a looser version, sans timer and maybe with a few extra hints.) Now my daughter is 5, and we still play. When I’ve given this game to a few of her peers, it’s gotten rave reviews. The quality of the game itself is also high, with thoughtful touches like a sturdy wooden timer and glasses sized for adults and children. There’s just something about seeing one another in floppy paper spectacles that brings connection and fun to even our punkiest moments.

—Hannah Morrill

Clever cupcakes

Learning Resources Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes

These cupcakes aren’t just pretend treats—they also come apart and double as a shape-matching puzzle.

Toys that pull double duty are my favorite for my two kids, and these Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes deliver learning and fun in equal measure. Each confection pulls apart to reveal a different shape, with the tops matching the bottoms and the bottoms matching corresponding divots in the pan. My younger son enjoys the challenge of sorting shapes and identifying colors; my preschooler works these pastries into pretend baking games, picnic scenarios, imaginative shopping trips, and more. The set is nearly indestructible, and I find myself retrieving it during room cleanup every night—a surefire sign that it’s in the rotation for good.

—Ingrid Skjong

A musical book

Welcome to Jazz: A Swing-Along Celebration of America’s Music

This interactive book introduces young readers to jazz music, including the sounds of such instruments as the tuba, drums, and clarinet.

I can do without children’s books that blare sounds, but I make an exception for Welcome to Jazz: A Swing-Along Celebration of America’s Music , by Carolyn Sloan. Although I initially thought my 2-year-old might be a tad young for a jazz primer, he took to this book immediately—from the vivid illustrations featuring a trio of cats learning the genesis of jazz to the 12 buttons that, when pressed, play the different musical parts of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” (A 3-year-old might be in an even better position to enjoy it.) My son loves hearing the deep double bass, the jangly rhythm section, the free-spirited scatting—and he’s learning the names of jazz legends like Billie Holiday and King Oliver. This is a musical introduction we can all get behind.

Superior sand

Mad Mattr Modeling Dough

This soft dough can be molded, kneaded, and stretched. And it doesn’t dry out if it’s left out of its container.

Someone gave us a pack of Mad Mattr Modeling Dough , which has several advantages over Play-Doh for both kids and caretakers. It’s moldable like a dough and compresses into hard shapes, but it stretches out into a kind of soft sand. It’s not sticky, it doesn’t stain or get everywhere, and it doesn’t dry out, though it’s also less ductile than Play-Doh.

— Nathan Edwards

Sticky adventures

Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad: Jungle and Savanna

These reusable stickers—depicting animals including a kangaroo and a rhinoceros—can be placed in scenic habitats like the Australian Outback.

When my toddler began showing an interest in stickers, I was delighted. What’s not to like about an activity that’s nostalgic, cheap, and doesn’t hog floor space? But when she began surreptitiously applying the stickers to random surfaces throughout our home—you can still see traces on our butcher block—I was less thrilled. Our solution: Melissa & Doug’s jungle-and-savanna-themed Reusable Sticker Pad . The oversize, 11-by-14-inch pad comes with 175 durable, cling-style reusable stickers that can be arranged and rearranged on five glossy scenic backdrops, as well as on your fridge, windows, or dishwasher—consequence-free. The stickers come in varying sizes, and my daughter usually needs a little help freeing them from their tightly arranged contact sheets (older kids may not have this problem). If animals aren’t your jam, Melissa & Doug makes these pads in lots of other themes, too, like this Make-a-Meal version.

— Ingela Ratledge Amundson

Petit Collage Ocean Life Floor Puzzle

In this colorful, 18-by-24-inch floor puzzle, 24 sturdy pieces click together easily. This one is great for beginners.

It may seem as if most puzzles are created equal, but some of them stand out from the rest. Petit Collage’s Ocean Life Puzzle has 24 thicker-than-normal pieces that are easy for small fingers to grasp; the pieces also provide a bit of tactile feedback ( click !) when pressed into place. Then, when it’s destruction time, they separate cleanly, without sticking together. Perhaps best of all, every Petit Collage puzzle comes in a vibrant and sturdy box complete with a rope handle for carrying (other 24-piece designs include a world map and wild rainforest ). Crocodile Creek makes similar high-quality puzzles in stackable boxes that won’t rip or flatten; they were the hottest picks (and the first to disappear) during our neighborhood puzzle swaps.

A robo-bug brigade

Hexbug Nano Nitro 5 Pack

These delightfully creepy robotic bugs scamper around on their own, but they require button cell batteries.

These thumb-sized, multi-legged robots are equal parts endearing and frenetic. Propelled by the sheer force of their (amusing) vibrations, they skitter around corners, scale small obstacles, and right themselves. They move surprisingly quickly. So if—like us—you live somewhere with actual big bugs that race across your floor (hello from Texas!), you might want to warn your family before you let a Hexbug loose. Once they’re in play, they’re a blast. For cats, the challenge is to chase them around. (Just use caution around pets who aren’t discriminating about what they swallow.) For kids, the fun is in creating obstacle courses and elaborate containment chambers out of anything you can find, like train tracks, shoes, and boxes. (Adults get to just sit back and watch the cats and kids entertain each other.) The only downside is that each critter in this Hexbug Nano Nitro 5 Pack requires an AG13/LR44 button cell battery . The first one is included, but it will need to be replaced fairly quickly if your household enjoys robot bugs as much as mine does.

A groovy board game

Pete the Cat The Missing Cupcakes Game

Featuring characters from the popular Pete the Cat series, this game challenges players to sing, act, or perform so they can collect cupcakes for Pete’s birthday party.

If your child is a fan of this cool cat , then there might be some added excitement when you break out the Pete the Cat The Missing Cupcakes Game . But you don’t have to be familiar with the groovy feline and his friends (featured in this book and more) to understand or enjoy this cooperative board game. The object: Players try to collect 14 plastic cupcakes for Pete’s birthday party by working together on preschool-level challenges. Depending on where they land on the board, they may have to sing, perform an activity, or act out a word, à la charades. But if anybody lands on the dreaded Grumpy Toad space, a cupcake must be removed from the board. Eventually, all of the cupcakes are accounted for, everyone “wins” (there’s no way to lose), and the game ends with the whole group singing “Happy Birthday” to Pete. In our experience, the challenges are varied enough to keep the players engaged—when prompted, my son especially loves belting out his favorite songs. And the game tests memory skills (since you can’t repeat another player’s choices) and helps young kids associate images with words (reading is not required). More importantly, it encourages silliness.

— Barbara Kimberly Seigel

Alphabet in disguise

Lakeshore Learning Alpha-Bots

These 2-inch letters can transform into individual robots.

Letters that are robots in disguise? Meet Alpha-Bots , a set of educational transformers from Lakeshore Learning. With these 26 colorful plastic letters, kids can twist, turn, flip, and lift the moveable parts to create robots, and then maneuver them back into their letter forms. Some robots may at first take more trial and error to manipulate, but that can ultimately help a kid develop spatial and fine motor skills—and it simply adds to the fun. Each robot can be looked at as a tiny individual puzzle, though collectively the robots might inspire creative play, too. My little one got a kick out of making the robots look like they were holding hands.

Pattern play

Fat Brain Toys Bugzzle

This puzzle challenges young minds to fit colorful pieces inside a bug-shaped frame, following a series of increasingly difficult patterns.

Bugzzle is essentially a tangram (a puzzle made up of geometric pieces that can be arranged in different shapes) for toddlers. An early STEM toy that provides a soft, visual introduction to fractions, Bugzzle includes one sturdy bug frame, 18 semicircular plastic puzzle pieces, and 40 cards with increasingly difficult patterns to re-create inside the bug. Many 3-year-olds can become adept at remaking the patterns using the problem-solving skills and spatial reasoning that Bugzzle is designed to foster. For a more-traditional format, the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toy encourages the same critical-thinking skills as Bugzzle, using colorful wooden shapes.

Fun by the yard

Little Tikes Gas ’N Go Mower

This toy lawn mower makes an entertaining popping sound when it’s pushed.

When my then-2-year-old son got his Little Tikes Gas ’N Go Mower —long before we had a yard of our own—I don’t think he knew about actual lawnmowers, but that’s beside the point. He loved to run through the corridors of our home, pushing it and delighting in its pop-pop-popping sound. Later, his younger sister, then 3, inherited the lawnmower, and the mysterious appeal of this toy proved to be enduring. I still don’t fully understand why kids feel compelled to mimic mowing a lawn—a task many adults actively avoid. But I love this piece of plastic because there are no batteries, assembly requires no tools, and it has provided years of imaginative play for my kids. We now live in a house that has a real lawn, and my daughter will spend hours on end “grooming” it.

— Lara Rabinovitch

A tower of buggy blocks

Lakeshore Learning Don’t Let the Bugs Fall! Game

In this stacking game, players take turns removing bug-eyed blocks until the tower comes crashing down.

At age 3, my daughter loved every part of the Don’t Let the Bugs Fall! Game (a Jenga-style stacking game for kids): the die-rolling and calling out of the color rolled, the cautious removal of each block, and the dramatic collapse that signals triumph or defeat. She even loved to exhaustively rebuild the tower setup, which is objectively the worst part of actual Jenga. Admittedly, it can be difficult to play according to the exact instructions—you’re supposed to dislodge each bug-faced block one-handed, which is no easy feat. But after you develop some loose and forgiving house rules, the game is fun, fast-paced, and engaging for all ages.

Magnetic letters

Magnatab A to Z Uppercase

This magnetic writing board encourages kids to trace the letters of the alphabet, with a stylus that pulls and clicks tiny beaded magnets into place.

At age 3, some kids begin showing interest in gripping a pencil and trying to form letters or numbers. The Magnatab A to Z Uppercase magnetic writing board is an early handwriting tool that’s fun, tactile, and even semi-addictive. Kids use the thick magnetic stylus to trace letters, pulling the tiny metal beads into place. The beads are encased, so they can’t fall out or get lost. Directional arrows help budding writers visualize where to start and end each letter. There is also a Magnatab for practicing numbers and shapes . For free-form magnetic drawing and writing, try this simple slate . (And you can purchase a replacement stylus , if yours goes missing.)

Iron chef junior

Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House! Stainless Steel Pots & Pans Play Set

This sturdy set of kitchenware provides the necessary tools to prepare a make-believe culinary feast.

My kids use this eight-piece play cooking set to make chicken soup with chocolate, grape spaghetti, and countless other pretend concoctions. Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House! Stainless Steel Pots & Pans Play Set works well as a standalone gift. But it’s also a useful addition to a toy kitchen, like the IKEA Duktig Play Kitchen (featured in our guide to the best gifts for 2-year-olds ). This play cooking set includes a colander, two wooden utensils, and its own vertical storage rack; since the pots and pans are made of stainless steel, they’ve lasted through my kids’ vigorous culinary sessions. (They’re even dishwasher-safe, but you can’t use them for actual cooking.) My son and daughter especially love that this cookware comes with a lid—once their pretend bibimbap or boeuf bourguignon is ready, they can surprise diners by removing it with a dramatic flourish.

A little big top

IKEA Cirkustält

This circus-themed play tent creates a cozy space for kids to imagine, play, or snuggle.

IKEA’s colorful polyester Cirkustält offers long-lasting fun for a low price. The littlest kids may enjoy playing hide-and-seek inside or peekaboo from behind the curtains. Three-year-olds might like loading it up with mounds of stuffed animals, using it as a private place to play or rest, or turning the tent into a rocket ship. I can attest to this tent’s durability: We had one that lasted for at least five years, and there were many catastrophic rocket crashes during that time. IKEA’s Dvärgmås Play Tunnel , which we recommend in our guide to the best gifts for 2-year-olds , pairs nicely with the circus tent and was another hit with my kids. Availability at IKEA stores varies by location.

Costume kits

Melissa & Doug Fire Chief Role Play Costume Set

Melissa & Doug’s costume sets offer an outfit and accessories for kids to fully embody their role as firefighter, construction worker, or doctor.

Kids Costumes Superhero Capes Set

When they don these satin capes and matching masks, kids can easily transform into superheros and save the day.

My child’s peer group absolutely loves dramatic play and dress-up. One minute they’re doctors, the next minute they’re firefighters, and at some point they all splinter off into different versions of Spider-Man on a group mission to destroy the house. The costume sets from Melissa & Doug—like this Fire Chief Role Play Costume Set —don’t include caped-superhero options. But they do let kids take on lots of heroic, real-world career roles , like veterinarian or pediatric nurse. Each costume comes with accessories—hard hat, hammer, and saw for the construction worker; fedora, sunglasses, and decoder lens for the spy—that help set the scene for freewheeling imaginative play. If your kid is, in fact, particularly obsessed with playing a superhero, they may also love the five-piece Kids Superhero Capes Set , with Velcro closures and matching felt masks. And if they’re more inclined toward imitating royalty, consider these sumptuous velour ones .

A creativity station

Melissa & Doug Double-Sided Tabletop Easel

This compact easel doubles as a chalkboard and a magnetic dry-erase board, and it can be folded up for easy storage.

Melissa & Doug’s Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel gives toddlers dozens of creative options for when they’re seated at the table or on the floor. On one side, there’s a chalkboard; flip the whole thing over and you’ll find a magnetic dry-erase board. The sturdy set includes a 50-foot roll of paper for painting and drawing, five sticks of colored chalk, a dry-erase marker and felt eraser, and 36 letter and number magnets that can be stored in the wooden base tray. It all packs down easily, so you can stow it anywhere or take it on a trip. (My toddler loves to sit outside on the ground with it and paint.) If you’re looking for a full-size easel, we like the KidKraft Storage Easel or the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Standing Art Easel , both of which we recommend in our guide to the best gifts for 4-year-olds .

Plush puppets

Folkmanis Snowy Owl Hand Puppet

Folkmanis puppets, including this snowy owl, are soft and well made, and they inspire endless storytelling and imaginative play.

Puppets can be a great outlet for preschoolers to explore storytelling. When they were younger, my kids had a dedicated puppet basket, as well as this puppet theater . Yet I found that the individual puppets got way more use than the theater itself—my kids were more interested in private, imaginative play than in performing for an audience. Folkmanis makes a range of plush animal puppets: We were given a tiny praying mantis and a scaly three-headed dragon. But I think the Snowy Owl Hand Puppet was the most special one in our bin. It’s extra-soft and structured, with a head you can rotate using a plastic knob inside. After my older son got dive-bombed by a nesting owl—for real, and he was fine—we were able to embark on some extra-dramatic play with this thing.

Instructive instruments

Eastar Kids Accordion

This kid-size accordion includes enough working buttons to play tunes like “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

Liza Wilson, owner of the Toybrary Austin lending library in Texas, said that playing musical instruments—or even just playing with them—will help preschoolers explore sensory input in a way that’s creative and self-directed. The resulting sounds may be chaotic, but 3-year-olds can learn much more from real instruments than from simply pushing buttons or tapping screens to play pre-recorded songs. For 3-year-olds, small pianos and drums might be good choices. But Wilson said Toybrary’s Eastar Kids Accordion gets the most play. Kids love pulling on the bellows and pushing the vocal keys and buttons for harmony and bass. It’s a toy that can grow with a child as they progress from making creative sounds to learning actual songs—and, heck, even adults can have some fun fiddling with it.

We scream for ice cream

Melissa & Doug Scoop & Stack Ice Cream Cone Playset

Built-in magnets make it easy to scoop and serve these pretend ice cream cones.

According to the International Dairy Foods Association , the average American devours 20 pounds of ice cream a year. Love for the stuff starts early, as illustrated by Melissa & Doug’s Scoop & Stack Ice Cream Cone Playset . Kids can spoon and serve with two magnetized scoopers, which have a satisfyingly realistic feel when you are doling out one of the four scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip) to top off the two wooden cones. The flavors may be well edited, but the playful possibilities are nearly endless.

Bath-time builders

Lakeshore Learning Design & Build Water Blocks

This bath-time set comes with 30 foam blocks of multiple shapes, sizes, and colors. And they easily stick together in water to create a floating city.

Move over, rubber ducky. These sturdy foam Design & Build Water Blocks cling together and float in water, so kids can build imaginative cityscapes in the tub, pool, or water table. The 30-piece set comes with a 7½-inch-square floating platform that provides a stable base for play. (Also included: a drawstring bag for storage between uses.) My 3½-year-old loves to create a town out of the blocks, position her favorite plastic figurines atop the foam towers, and then introduce a storm surge to the bathtub to see who and what can survive her relentless tsunami. She’ll stay in there constructing and reconstructing this scenario until the water grows cold—not too shabby for a kid who claims to hate bathing.

Creepy-crawly competition

Snug as a Bug in a Rug!

Players practice counting and identifying shapes and colors as they work together to help all the bugs hide from three stink bugs.

This cooperative board game was my kiddo’s favorite at 3½, since it paired her two most beloved elements of play—matching and talking about stinky things. The object of the game is always the same: Help an assortment of bright, friendly faced bugs get tucked safely beneath the rug (the game board) before they’re encroached upon by three invading stink bugs. Snug as a Bug in a Rug! has three levels of play to choose from, with escalating degrees of difficulty (we usually played the middle version), so it can grow with the player. The whole game takes only about 15 minutes to complete, unless (as we did) you feel compelled to lovingly tuck each bug in with gentle words of reassurance about how safe and protected they’ll now be under the rug. We also liked to feign outsize horror in response to the stink bugs’ hideousness and odor ... which takes some of the sting out of the fact that we lost to them so often.

A doll for all

Miniland Dolls

These award-winning dolls come in several skin and hair colors, as well as with inclusive features, such as a hearing aid.

For preschoolers, dolls can be an important tool for early social and emotional learning. The right doll can also help children build self-esteem and empathy by mirroring identity differences back to them in a positive light. Miniland (an award-winning toy and doll maker based in Spain, and a favorite among preschool educators) has made inclusivity a priority, and its dolls are a pick in our guide to the best dolls . The collection includes infant and toddler dolls with a range of skin colors and features, including dolls with glasses , with a hearing aid , and an award-winning doll with facial features common in children with Down syndrome . My preschooler loves this Miniland doll , which has Asian features; with a bob and blunt bangs, the doll even resembles her.

The anatomically correct dolls come dressed in simple one- or two-piece white cotton undies. To add to their wardrobe, you can choose from accessories including shoes, sweaters and overalls.

Pedal bike perfection

Woom 2 Pedal Bike 14"

This lightweight pedal bike is proportioned just right for new, young bike riders.

After mastering the art of gliding on a Woom 1 balance bike (the upgrade pick in our guide to the best balance bikes , and a recommendation in our gift guide for 1-year-olds ), my 3½-year-old leveled up to this model—a real bike with pedals! It was the perfect entryway. Like all of the Austin, Texas–based company’s bikes, the Woom 2 Pedal Bike is thoughtfully designed for the needs of the youngest riders. This bike has a low standover height and weighs just over 12 pounds, so a small human can easily mount and operate it. The BMX -style riser handlebar puts kids in a comfortable upright position, so they can look around while cruising the neighborhood streets. Two hand brakes are suitably sized for little fingers. When my daughter was first getting started on the Woom 2, we removed the pedals and let her continue to push off with her feet and glide on the bike until she got used to steering and braking. Then we raised the quick-release adjustable saddle an inch or so and added the pedals. She soon had the basics down. It’s cool to see what kids can do when they have a bike that’s designed for them.

Note: In July 2023, Woom bikes announced a recall following 77 incidents of handlebar stems malfunctioning, causing cuts, bruising, and abrasions. New Woom bikes, and those made after 2021, are not affected. Do not use an older bike until you’ve checked to see whether it was part of the recall. If so, it can be repaired with a free kit provided by Woom.

Tools for toddlers

Black+Decker Junior Power Tool Workshop

This kid-size workbench introduces children to the joy of power tools, including a hand saw.

Play kitchens are all the rage due to their encouragement of imaginative play and social-development skills. (See our guide to the best gifts for 2-year-olds for our favorite one.) But play workbenches deserve the same amount of love. A friend has the Black+Decker Junior Power Tool Workshop , and my daughter can’t get enough of it. She collects all of the small accessories, such as nuts, screws, and bolts, and loads them into the toolbox. But the coolest part is the attention to detail on the power tools: In addition to a working vise, the workshop comes with a miter saw and a drill, which function realistically and emit battery-powered sounds. The entire thing has more than 50 parts, including a flashlight, a phone, and everything else a kid needs to fall in love with home repair.

A modern dollhouse

Hape All Seasons Kids Wooden Dollhouse

This modern-looking, multilevel dollhouse has six rooms and plenty of space for imaginary play.

Hape’s three-story All Seasons Kids Wooden Dollhouse is bright, gender-neutral, and open on all sides. My daughter loved that she could reach into any room from almost any spot to adjust the furniture and play with the wooden people (sold separately). I liked the extra furniture sets and accessories we could buy (including these pets ). This was a staple toy during her toddler and preschool years—until we got a puppy, who eventually devoured everything in the dollhouse, including the two families who lived there. (Note: The price of this dollhouse can jump as high as $200; you may want to look on Facebook Marketplace or in a local online parents’ group to see whether anyone in your area is selling a lightly used, pre-owned dollhouse.)

—Jackie Reeve

The swiftest scooter

Micro Kickboard Micro Mini Deluxe

This introductory scooter provides a stable, smooth ride, and it has an adjustable-height handlebar so it can grow with a child.

When she was 3, my second daughter received Micro Kickboard’s Micro Mini Deluxe  for Hanukkah. It’s Wirecutter’s pick for the best scooter for kids under 5 . And any doubts I had about giving such a pricey scooter to a preschooler were blown away once I saw how my daughter handled this one, compared with the cheaper models she’d borrowed from friends at the park. Other scooters were wobbly, clanky, difficult to steer, and laborious to propel. On this scooter, my daughter could zip and glide around with ease, deftly navigating turns by shifting her weight, and using the foot brake on the back wheel to slow down and stop. It comfortably fits kids up to age 5, so multiple kids can use it. (Tip: Extending the scooter’s handlebar to full height makes it convenient for an adult towing a tuckered-out kid home.) When the time does come to graduate to the next size up, we recommend the Micro Maxi Deluxe , as described in this ode .

—Courtney Schley

A classic red trike

Schwinn Roadster Tricycle 12-Inch

This low-to-the-ground tricycle has air-filled tires that make it fast and fun to ride.

The Schwinn Roadster Tricycle , Wirecutter’s recommendation for the best low-rider tricycle , is built for confident pedalers who are ready to tear up some ground. Unlike other trikes’ plastic or foam tires, the Roadster Tricycle’s tires are air-filled, like a bicycle’s, making this a grippier and faster ride. The heftier build and low center of gravity (a riff on the classic Big Wheel ) give this tricycle the stability needed to handle faster, tighter turns, so it’s a thrilling ride for a 3-year-old. And with its shiny metal body, tassels on the handlebars, a bell, and a wooden deck in back (where a friend can hitch a ride), the Roadster Tricycle cannot be beaten for style.

—Kate Gammon

Adoptable animals

World Wildlife Fund Symbolic Species Adoptions

Through a donation to the World Wildlife Fund, you can “adopt” one of 135 animals, from an orangutan to a hippopotamus. The adoption kit includes a soft, plush stuffed animal.

Like many kids, my second daughter developed a full-blown fascination with animals at around age 3. In her case, it was monkeys, monkeys, and more monkeys. After amassing a sizable collection of monkey stuffed animals, a monkey necklace, and other monkey swag, she informed me that she was ready for a real, live one. Instead, with a $60 sponsorship, we “adopted” a squirrel monkey named Chestnut at our local zoo in Philadelphia . We printed and framed the accompanying adoption certificate, which states that my daughter is now Chestnut’s “zoo parent.” And we paired it with a stuffed squirrel monkey from Wild Republic , which offers dozens of stuffed creatures in both small and extra-large sizes. (It also has these beautiful birds , which make authentic bird calls and were produced in partnership with the National Audubon Society.) If you don’t have a similar program at your local zoo, the World Wildlife Fund’s Symbolic Species Adoptions kit provides adoptions for more than a hundred species. So it’s likely you’ll find whatever animal your kid adores, whether it’s a three-toed sloth or a pangolin . Each adoption comes with a stuffed animal, an adoption certificate, a photo, an information card about the species, and a reusable WWF tote bag.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend .

Additional reporting by Julie Kim. This article was edited by Ellen Lee and Kalee Thompson.

Meet your guides

Caitlin Giddings

Caitlin Giddings is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Her work has appeared in Bicycling, Runner’s World, Lonely Planet, Outside magazine, and more.

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• We spent 20 hours researching nearly 50 board games for kids. Read on to find out our favorite games for preschoolers, elementary-school kids, and families. Board Games We Love for Kids and Families  
• For some children, a doll will be the most treasured toy they own. We tested 25 dolls to help you find one that feels just right for the kid in your life. The Best Dolls  
• We subjected a fleet of balance bikes to cadres of kids and found the best bikes for different budgets and ages. The Best Balance Bikes  
• We’ve compared 16 kids scooters over the past five years, and we are confident that the popular Micro Maxi Deluxe is a worthwhile investment in longtime fun. The Best Kids Scooters  
• The Micro Maxi Deluxe provides a smoother, faster, and more satisfying ride than any other kids scooter. The Micro Maxi Deluxe Scooter is More Than a Toy. It’s Smooth, Efficient Transportation for Kids.  
• Over the past six years, we’ve enlisted dozens of kids to try out 21 three-wheelers, and we have four top trikes to recommend. The Best Tricycles  

Further reading

The 100 Most Popular Wirecutter-Approved Gifts for Kids

by Wirecutter Staff

Here are the most-purchased Wirecutter-recommended gifts for kids so far this year.

The 30 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

by Kelly Glass, Caitlin Giddings, and Wirecutter Staff

Toys that encourage building, puzzling, role-playing, and creating will engage curious 4-year-olds.

The 28 Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds

by Caitlin Giddings and Wirecutter Staff

Some of the best gifts for 1-year-olds are those that engage kids’ rapidly developing motor skills, sensory exploration, and boundless curiosity.

The 32 Best Gifts for 6-Year-Olds

by Kelly Glass and Wirecutter Staff

DIY kits, craft activities, and board games make great gifts for 6-year-olds who are ready to tackle projects and follow more-complicated instructions.

25 of the Best Toys for 2-Year-Olds

W hen it comes to selecting toys for 2-year-olds, you might find yourself wondering what will keep a kiddo who is in the prime of their toddlerhood engaged and interested. Narrowing down the best of the best toys for ever-curious, constantly-growing tiny humans can be daunting. Especially when those little humans tend to be interested in anything and everything. To simplify your search, we’re sharing 25 of our favorite toys for 2-year-olds. We think these are some of the best toddler toys out there.

5 Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Montessori toys are designed with open-ended, independent play in mind. They’re an excellent tool for encouraging 2-year-olds to build real-life skills while promoting creative thinking and problem-solving. Here are our favorite Montessori toys for 2-year-olds.

1. Lovevery Block Set

This beautiful, high-quality block set has everything your 2-year-old could need to build, sort, and thread, among other possibilities. Featuring a solid wood design and vibrant rainbow colors, it comes with 70 blocks plus additional tools, a storage bag and storage box, and an activity guide. Perfect for building spatial, language, and problem-solving skills .

2. Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! Toy Cleaning Set

There’s no doubt that 2-year-olds love to help and be involved in important tasks. This realistic pretend play cleaning set includes a wooden broom, mop, and duster, as well as a dustpan, brush, and organizing stand. It’ll build toddlers’ confidence and sense of responsibility as they practice coordination, fine motor skills, and everyday chores .

3. Wobble/Balance Board

A wobble balance board is an irresistible, multipurpose toy for 2-year-olds. It stimulates the vestibular system, promotes balance and coordination, and can be used for wobbling, lounging, climbing, etc. This one is made from heirloom quality wood and supports up to 480 pounds, making it possible for everyone in the family to enjoy the fun.

4. Ramp Race Track

A car ramp racer allows kiddos to explore motion, direction, and cause and effect while practicing focusing and enjoying imaginative play . This ramp racer features five levels and comes with four wooden cars and two balls in primary colors. It’s made from durable, child-friendly wood, so it’s practical and aesthetically pleasing.

5. Hape Counting Stacker

This counting stacker allows children to practice counting to 10, basic color recognition, and fine motor development through stacking. It includes red, yellow, orange, blue, and green wooden stacking blocks and a stacking stand — all made from child-safe, non-toxic materials. An excellent activity for your 2-year-old’s playroom or the kitchen table.

4 Climbing Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Toddlers are busy people. They’re constantly on the go, exploring their surroundings and testing physical limits and boundaries. If you have a 2-year-old at home, you’ll want to invest in safe, toddler-approved climbing toys made to support gross motor development and foster independence . Here are some of our favorites.

1. Lily & River Little Climber XL

This top-rated Pikler Triangle is built for ages 2-8. It’s perfect for strengthening your little climber’s self-confidence, balance, gross motor skills, muscle growth, and creative /strategy play. This climber is made from natural birch and premium bamboo, durable enough for years. For added climbing fun, you can choose to add on a reversible ladder/slide or reversible rockwall/slide.

2. Lily & River Little Dome

Another beautifully-made toy from Lily & River, this climbing dome allows kiddos to climb, hang, and play to their heart’s desire. With a bit of imagination , it can become a mountain, cave, or monkey bar set. Choose from natural, white-sealed, rainbow-sealed, or other bold color finishes. For additional peace of mind, you can add on beautiful safety mat sets.

3. Avenlur Magnolia Indoor Playground

If you really want to take your playroom up a notch for your 2-year-old, an indoor playground is the way to go. Avenlur’s Magnolia Indoor Playground is a seven-in-one jungle gym featuring a slide, a climbing wall, a rope wall climber, monkey bars, a swing, and ladder climbers. It will provide hours of fun while seamlessly supporting gross motor development.

4. The Original Nugget Play Couch

A fan favorite for many reasons! The Nugget consists of four foam pieces (a base, a cushion, and two triangles) and can be set up in many configurations. The options for play, climbing, crashing, and lounging are endless here. It comes in various appealing colors and fabrics, including microsuede, double-brushed, and corduroy, and it is Greenguard Gold Certified to ensure all materials are child-safe. We think it’s worth the investment over competing play couches.

5 Outdoor Toys for 2-Year-Olds

What 2-year-old doesn’t love being outside ? When given the choice, we’re willing to bet most toddlers would gladly choose the outdoors over being cooped up inside. Sometimes, you just need a toddler-approved outdoor toy or two to make backyard playtime favorable for everyone in the family. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table

A little bit of water play can reset almost any toddler’s day. That’s why a water table is a must for every 2-year-old. This one boasts 13 fun accessories, including maze-like spinners, ramps, and buckets, as well as a waterfall tray for a fun rainfall effect. Age-appropriate STEM play has never been easier to come by.

2. Little Tikes Easy Score Soccer Set

Group sports like soccer are an excellent way to build social skills , cooperation, and focus. Not to mention gross motor skills. Whether or not your tiny tot is on a team, this soccer set will quickly become a family favorite. It includes an easy-to-assemble kid-sized net, ball, and air pump.

3. Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set

Another must-have Little Tikes outdoor (or indoor) toy, this basketball set includes an adjustable basketball hoop and stand and three small soft basketballs. It features an oversized rim for simpler scoring (and increased confidence). Plus, you can choose from six heights — so it’ll grow with your kiddo.

4. Little Tikes First Slide

A go-to beginner’s slide! This one is suitable for use inside or out, folds up for easy storage, and doesn’t require any tools for setup. It promotes balance, fitness, and coordination — not to mention fun for your 2-year-old (or any child up to 60 pounds).

5. Step2 Naturally Playful Sand Table

Digging in sand (and dirt) is a rite of passage for toddlers, right? With a solid sand table, your kiddo can enjoy hours of structured sensory play — without all the mess. This one is raised to a height just right for standing and can hold up to 80 pounds of sand, soil, or any other sensory material. It comes with five accessories. It also features molded-in roadways on the lid, which can be used as a race track when covered.

3 Ride-On Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Being a toddler means constantly being on the move. In particular, 2-year-olds never seem to slow down. Because of this, ride-on toys are a must at this age. Here are some we think your child will love to take a spin on.

1. Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster Toy for Kids

This kid’s roller coaster will bring the action into your home (or yard) with its 9-foot track and ATV-inspired car. It features a high back, a handrail, and footrests for maximum comfort and easily comes apart for convenient storage. While the included steps are helpful for the youngest riders, the coaster holds children up to 50 pounds.

2. Disney My First Minnie Plane

This ride-on plane is for toddlers 1-3 years old, so it’s just right for 2-year-olds. It features rotating propellers with alternating light-up patterns, 360-degree steering ability, realistic lift-off and landing sounds, and a steering wheel and honking horn. It doesn’t get much more adorable.

3. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Ice Cream Truck

A reimagined take on the iconic Little Tikes Cozy Coupe! Mom or Dad can push this ice cream truck ride-on car, or your toddler can do it themselves with its detachable floorboard. It comes loaded with fun accessories and specs, including play ice cream cones, a credit card reader, and even an ice cream cone speaker that plays modern ice cream truck music.

5 Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Toddler toys come in all forms. When they’re intended to be equal parts fun and educational, you can’t lose. Check out our favorite learning-inspired toys for 2-year-olds.

1. Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set

This 30-piece color sorting set aims to develop color recognition and sorting skills. It offers realistic-looking red, orange, yellow, purple, and green fruits and vegetables, as well as five sorting baskets with labels and an activity guide. It’s an excellent toy for pretend play, language development , and vocabulary acquisition .

2. VTech Alphabet Apple

This learning toy introduces not only the alphabet but phonics, words, time concepts, music, and more — so it’ll easily grow with your child as they develop new skills. Apart from featuring the obvious (all 26 letters and sounds), it boasts 29 songs and melodies. We also love this pick’s carry handle.

3. Melissa & Doug Shapes Wooden Chunky Puzzle

Melissa & Doug offers a wide choice of wooden puzzles for toddlers. When it comes to learning shapes, this one is a must. With its eight chunky, easy-to-manipulate pieces (circle, square, diamond, rectangle, triangle, heart, star, and oval) and bright colors, your kiddo won’t even realize they’re learning.

4. Melissa & Doug Rainbow Caterpillar Gear Toy

Color recognition is an important skill for children to work toward in toddlerhood. This gear toy offers plenty of opportunities for color learning and reinforcement. It also promotes hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It’s a simple pick to occupy and engage your 2-year-old.

5. Learning Resources Primary Science Sensory Tubes

These sensory tubes are highly versatile and made to encourage science exploration, curiosity, and development of the senses. The four durable tubes have dual openings with two solid lids for each, and you can fill and refill them with your choice of objects. The kit includes four vented lids for exploring smells.

3 Other Toys for 2-Year-Olds

Whether you’re shopping for toys for toddler boys or girls, we could go on and on with exceptional options for 2-year-olds. Here are a few more of our favorite picks for this age. You won’t want to miss out on any of them.

1. Turtle Balance Stepping Stones

Honing coordination and balance is an important everyday task for 2-year-olds. These bright-colored, non-slip stepping stones are an incredible tool for doing just that. They’re durable (supporting up to 265 pounds each), stackable for quick storage, and perfect for creating endless obstacle courses. Plus, your toddler can use them indoors or outside. These will be an instant hit for your kiddo.

2. Hape Play Kitchen

A play kitchen is a wonderful addition to any child’s room. This one will surely promote creative thinking , imagination , and real-life skills practice all at once. It features a realistic-looking sink, stove, oven, cabinet, and spice shelf, as well as clickable, turnable knobs.

3. Green Toys Construction Trucks

This set of three toddler-sized construction trucks is an excellent pick for any car-, truck-, or construction-loving 2-year-old. The trucks are made from 100% recycled plastic and meet all international safety standards. You can’t go wrong with anything from Green Toys, as these items are ideal for indoor or outdoor use and can help develop imagination, motor skills, pretend play, language, and cause-and-effect reasoning. They’re even dishwasher-safe.

Toddlers aren’t always picky with their toys, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be. If you’re not selective, toddler toys can end up taking up a lot of space and sitting idle. Quality and longevity are essential when shopping for toys for a 2-year-old. We think you’ll love the items we’ve recommended here!

This article may contain affiliate links that Microsoft and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

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• Guide to Russia
• Experience Russia

Fun Things for Kids in Moscow

Photo by  victoria_borodinova  from  Pixabay  

What are the best things to do with children in Moscow?

• Summer: Futuristic parks, river boats and ice caves are perfect attractions for when the temperatures rise above 30.
• Museums: Russians are very proud of their history, which means that their museums are kept to a world-class standard. Both parents and children alike will be sure to learn something new at one of the many, often unique museums in Moscow.
• Culture: From the world’s oldest puppet theatre to UNESCO-listed whimsical, wooden palaces there’ll be plenty to treat your little prince or princess to.
• Winter: New Year is arguably the most magical time to visit Moscow, especially for children. The ice rinks throughout the city, Christmas markets and the magnificent ice-sculpture festival truly make Moscow a winter wonderland. 

Moscow truly is a mega-metropolis like no other. Its non-stop energy and sheer unorthodoxy is sure to enthuse any child with its rebellious, east-meets-west spirit. Just walking down Old Arabat Street— where ancient wooden storehouses are squashed against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by blingy high-rises— is sure to appeal to the childish disdain of all things orderly and conventional. Apart from the main sites, there’s a whole host of family-friendly activities in Moscow from the very traditional to the uber, high-tech that will keep your kids entertained.

For Summer Scorchers:

Photo by  Jamie Taylor  on  Unsplash

VDNKh  is Russia’s version of Disneyland and, to be honest, we think it trumps that tacky theme park by a mile. First things first is its size. At almost 600 acres, this Soviet park has everything; from space museums to soviet shopping outlets to equestrian centers to beaches. In fact, there’s so much to do that there really is no way to cover it all in one day. Our favorite attractions include the ROBO station, the super-cool playgrounds near the aquarium and the world’s biggest ice rink in winter. Better rent out scooters or bikes as well if you plan on seeing at least a fraction of this green gem.

Address: Prospekt Mira, 119 Nearest metro station: VDNKh

Unlike VDNKh, you won’t have to travel far from the centre to seek the lovely lush lawns of  Gorky Park . Come early so that you can grab a beanbag or hammock for yourself while your children have some fun on the colorful playground rides or play ping-pong under the trees. At teatime, head over to the traditional Russian tea house for a brew from a giant samovar. It’s worth staying on for the whole day until dusk when the roof of the park’s planetarium slides open to reveal the wonders of the sky. 

Address: Krymsky Val, 9 Nearest metro station:   Park Kultury

Zaradye Park

Moscow’s brand-new  Zaradye Park  couldn’t be more different from the stern, red brick of the Kremlin that towers over it. Whichever way you look, you’ll be rubbing your eyes to make sure that this other-worldly landscape of floating glass bridges, underground ancient walkways, Siberian tundra and ice caves really does exist. For children, this wild-urban project is the perfect place for them to let some steam off during a day of sightseeing. Thanks to the unbelievable glass-paneled roof that keeps warm air in and the rain out, the lawns are perfect for lounging on all year round. 

Address: Varvarka street, 6 Nearest metro station:  Kitay-gorod

There’s a never-ending stream of tour boats bobbing up and down the Moskva River to hop on to when those little legs have had enough of walking. But for those who’d like something a little special, nothing beats the Radisson yacht. Champagne, on-board dining and floor to ceiling windows make it the most stylish way to cruise round Moscow. 

Address: Naberezhnaya Tarasa Shevchenko, Moscow (next to teh Radisson Blue hotel) Nearest metro station:  Studencheskaya

For Little Einsteins:

Photo by  Robo Wunderkind  on  Unsplash

Museum of Cosmonauts

This is THE museum to go to if you happen to have a Star Wars fan with you. Unlike in countless planetariums around the world where gimmicky models of the solar system and dramatic movies make for a hollow experience, here you get the real thing. There’s a life-size model of the Russian space station, chunks of the moon, a space toilet, the actual Sputnik, heck, even Belka & Strelka, the space dogs, are there standing next to the very space shuttle they flew into space with  (never fear, they were stuffed only after they died of old age).  *For extreme fanatics, it’s worth noting you can arrange a tour to Star City, the astronaut training centre that is still in use outside of Moscow.

Address: Prospekt Mira, 111 Nearest metro station:   VDNKh, Vystavochny tsentr

Darwin Museum

The first museum in the world devoted to explaining the most important concept of biology definitely deserves a visit. Its menagerie of nearly half a million stuffed animals illustrate the steady process of evolution and the many now extinct animals it boasts like the Dodo serve as a warning bell for what the age of mass-industrialization might bring. Despite its name, the  Darwin museum isn’t at all quaint or old-fashioned with plenty of interactive displays and microscopes for children to engage with.

Address: Ulitsa Vavilova, 57 Nearest metro station:   Akademicheskaya

Orlov Museum of Paleontology

This museum could easily compete with the famed Natural History Museum in London. In fact, its extensive exhibit of ginormous skeletons from all sorts of beasts from sloths to diplodocuses might even be more impressive than London’s. After all, Russia is an awful lot bigger than England and probably has lot more giants slumbering away in the depths of its forests just waiting to be dug up!

Address: Ulitsa Profsoyuznaya, 123 Nearest metro station: Kon'kovo

The Experimentanium

There’s lots of fun to be had at this fully hands-on science museum. It’s absolutely perfect for little toddlers and mischievous boys alike because nothing’s off bounds—the whole place is a playground (with a lot of science snuck in!). And don’t worry, most of the descriptions are in English so they’ll definitely learn something along the way.

Address: Leningradsky prospekt, 80/11 Nearest metro station:   Sokol

For Boisterous Boys & Girls:

Photo by  Alexandr Popadin  on  Unsplash

Moscow City

The second tallest, the third tallest, the fourth tallest and the sixth and seventh tallest buildings in Europe can all be found within a few meters of each other in the financial district, Moscow city. Apart from breaking their necks trying to gape at all the quirky high-rises, your kids can get a thrill by going up to the 54th floor of Ostankino TV Tower to its awe-inspiring panoramic viewing platform with a drop-down, glass floor! 

Address:   Presnenskaya Naberezhnaya Nearest metro station:   Delovoy tsentr, Mezhdunarodnaya, Vystavochnaya

A trip down to this veritable villain’s lair is certainly worth it with children, not least because it’s 18 stories underground…. AND the only way back up is by the stairs making it the perfect recipe for a peaceful afternoon. Apart from tiring out children, Bunker 42 has the distinction of being a genuine nuclear bunker. It was intended to be the hide-away of the USSR’s top dogs in the case of nuclear war and the staff here do such an excellent job of recreating the tense atmosphere that we hazard against taking softer children here. Everything, from the actual computer with the big red button which would have been used to start WW3 to the KGB’s rooms, have been preserved exactly as they were at the height of the cold war.

*Entrance only with group tours which can be arranged in English.

Address: 5th Kotel'nicheskiy Pereulok, 11 Nearest metro station:  Taganskaya

Central Armed Forces Museum

Though there isn’t much English in this museum dedicated to all things sickle and hammer (i.e. the Red Army), the genuine American U2 spy plane it has on show and the opportunity to hold real (but thankfully, not loaded!) guns make it a real treasure trove for army-mad kids. 

Address: Ulitsa Sovetskoy Armii, 2 Nearest metro station:  Dostoevskaya

Victory Museum

You don’t actually need to step a foot in this museum dedicated entirely to WW2 to please your wannabe soldiers. Just sit down on a bench as your kids jump on and off the airplanes, tanks, armored vehicles and every other killing machine imaginable that are free to explore outside this museum. 

Address: Ploshchad' Pobedy, 3 Nearest metro station:   Park Pobedy

Armory Chamber

Part of the Kremlin complex, the Armory Chamber’s incredibly diverse displays—spanning folk art to silverware to coronation dresses— cover almost every era of Russia’s royal history. The wedding carriages and ceremonial arms are particularly well-loved by children. 

Address: The Moscow Kremlin Nearest metro station:  Biblioteka imeni Lenina

For Little Princes & Princesses: 

Photo by  Ralph Lindner  from  Pixabay  

Moscow State Puppet Theatre

The oldest puppet theatre in Moscow is also the largest in the world. Its wide-ranging repertoire has shows for tiny tots up to adult-only shows. Its fairytale clock, from which mythical creatures spring out, will be the cherry on top of a magical visit to this dear theatre. 

Address: Pestovskiy Pereulok, 2/1 Nearest metro station:   Marksistskaya

Central Kids Store on Lubyanka

This seven-story department store devoted entirely to little people boasts the biggest Hamleys in the world, the biggest time keeping mechanism and one of the best viewing platforms in Moscow. In other words, it’s kiddy heaven. The building itself is also rather noteworthy, dating back to 1953. Its stained murals and colorful tiles give it an old-world (soviet) charm. 

Address: Teatral'nyy Proyezd, 5 Nearest metro station:   Lubyanka, Kuznetsky Most

Izmailovsky Park

This is possibly the world’s only Slavic theme park. Just joking, but just be warned this recreated Russian village with mini-museums, bakeries and a market is a teensy bit kitsch. If your children are artsy, then why not let them make their own matryoshka at a masterclass instead of buying one at the market. And while the kiddies busy themselves with the business of covering every square inch of their clothes in paint, there’s plenty for parents to peruse; like the vodka museum or the pleasantly, rolling park land. 

Address: Alleya Bol'shogo Kruga, 7 Nearest metro station:  Sokolinaya gora

Kolomenskoye Park

Ivan the Terrible’s summer retreat isn’t at all as gloomy as you’d expect, indeed some might say it’s actually a bit too colorful. In our opinion, its postcard-perfect; with petite trains chugging through the acres of apple orchards, a pearl-white 16th century, UNESCO-listed church and a magnificently vibrant, 300 year old wooden palace. Take your children on a trip back in time, they’ll be delighted - we promise.  

Address: Andropova Ave, 39 Nearest metro station:  Kolomenskaya

For Petrol Heads: 

Photo by  Dimitris Vetsikas  from  Pixabay  

Moscow Rizhsky Railway Station

If you don’t have time to take your children on the Trans-Siberian, then a ride on a Soviet steam train is a superb alternative. The beauty of chugging through the outskirts of Moscow on a train with a red star on its gleaming, coal-black engine will definitely make Harry Potter fans squeal with excitement. Adults will appreciate the cups of tea served in old-style soviet mugs specifically made for train journeys. If you’d like to explore the rail museum after the trip (we highly recommend it), be prepared for the weather as the whole exhibition is uncovered.

Address:  Rizhskaya Ploshad, 1 Nearest metro station:  Rizhskaya

Moscow Metro Museum

After taking your children on the Moscow metro (which you simply must!), chances are they’ll bombard you with all sorts of questions a parent isn’t equipped to answer; like “How fast do the trains go?” and “Who drives them?”. Never fear, Moscow’s metro actually has a free museum which will answer all these questions, as well as even allowing kids to take a seat in the driver’s seat for a virtual ride down the tunnels. 

Address: Presnenskaya Naberezhnaya, 2 Nearest metro station:   Vystavochnaya

For White Winter Days:

Photo by  Mihály Köles  on  Unsplash

Moscow Ice Festival

Each winter in Park Pobedy, blocks of ice are towed in from Russia’s great lakes to be chiseled away into masterpieces. Children will be delighted to find that they can even clamber upon some of these unbelievably big artworks. But the favorite by far, are super slippery ice slides. 

*Just beware of wet bums— waterproofs are a must.

Learn more about winter activities is Moscow .

Address: Park Pobedy on Poklonnaya Hill Nearest metro station:   Park Pobedy

Ice-skating

There are almost 1500 ice-skating rinks in Moscow alone. It’s almost as if every open plot of land has water poured over it; even Red Square is transformed into a mega rink! The park VDNKh boasts the biggest in the world, but there’s also an awesome rooftop ice rink at ArtPlay. Wherever you take your children, you can’t go wrong with a bit of skating.

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People & blogs about Moscow

Impressions of an expat.

This blog written in the form of fascinating novel-in-progress. Marco North immerses the readers into particular situations expats can face daily but in literary processed version. The blog is widely popular and even is called as «the work of a modern Chekhov».

Site: http://impressionsofanexpat.blogspot.com

Kidding Herself

Kidding Herself is written from the point of view of a five year old girl and is a child’s guide to going out in Moscow. Herself moved to Moscow from London in 2015 with her British Mama, her Russian Papa and her AngloRusski Big Brother. Find out what she thinks about the Kremlin, Red Square, the zoo, more art galleries than she thinks are strictly necessary and the giant Central Children’s Store.

Site: http://kiddingherself.com

FunnyNotesBlog

Mostly the funny notes of Iva coping with Russian life and culture!

Site: https://funnynotesblog.blogspot.ru

Potty diares

This is a blog of an expat mother of two sons, living in Moscow. The author shares her experience on bringing up kids in Moscow, some useful tips and impressions of the city.

Site: http://potty-diaries.blogspot.co.uk

Arty Generation

This is a site about artists and creative people in Moscow.

Site: https://www.artygeneration.com

If you have a great blog about Moscow to add, send us a link at  [email protected]

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51 Facts About Moscow Russia That You Definitely Didn't Know Before!

How old is Moscow?

Underground river in moscow, moscow metro, parks and landmarks.

As per the 2010 Census report, Moscow's population was 11,503,501!

Compared to many other cities in the world, Moscow metro trains run more regularly. The interval between two trains is one and a half minutes at peak hours.

Moscow is the capital city of Russia and also the largest city in the country. Located in Central Russia, Moscow stands on the Moskva River (Black River).

There are more than 20 million citizens in the metropolitan region, more than 17 million citizens in the urban region, and 12.4 million citizens within the city limits.

Moskow is Europe's largest metropolitan region, Europe's largest urban area, and Europe's most populous city, making it one of the world's largest cities. Moscow's urban region is around 2,275 sq mi (5,89 sp km), the metropolitan area is over 10,000 sq mi (26,000 sp km), while the city is 970 sp mi (2,511 sq km).

The name of the city is believed to be a derivation of the name of the Moskva River. However, the widely accepted derivation is of the Proto-Balto-Slavic origin 'muzg-' and Proto-Indo-European origin 'meu-' meaning wet.

There are many other theories about the origin of this city's name, with a few of them rejected by linguists. Moscow has 1,696 high schools, 91 colleges, and 222 higher education institutes.

The first evidence of human occupation in the Moscow region dates back to the Neolithic period. Other pieces of evidence of ancient human settlements around the city were collected from Sparrow Hills, Setun River, and Kremlin.

Moscow was a prosperous city during the rule of Daniel in 1303. The city also accepted many refugees from all around Russia. The climate of Moscow is a humid continental climate with long winters that start from mid-November and end in March.

If you enjoy reading these facts about Moscow, Russia, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about Japan and the Russian tortoise here at Kidadl .

Moscow city was first documented around 1147. Moscow city grew to become powerful and prosperous and was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

Even after this evolved into the Tsardom of Russia, Moscow remained the economic and political center. The Tsardom later became the Russian Empire, and the capital was moved to Saint Petersburg.

However, after the October Revolution, Moscow once again became the capital city. The city became the political center of both the Russian SFSR and the former Soviet Union. Moscow region remained the capital of the new Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

For over 600 years, the spiritual center of the Russian people has been the Russian Orthodox Church. People with permanent residency are counted among the official population of Moscow.

Although the entirety of Moscow was destroyed by fire, the city continued to modernize and develop. Also, after the 1812 fire, Garden Rind and Boulevard Ring roads replaced the city ramparts. Moscow's population grew to over a million from around just 250,000 in the 19th century, and in the 20th century, the population grew up to 10 million.

The most popular underground river in Moscow is Neglinnaya. Other underground rivers include the Chura, Likhoborka, Presnya, Tarakanovka, and Chertoriy.

Neglinnaya is an underground river located in the Moscow city center and is 4.6 mi (7.5 km) long. The river flows under Alexander Garden, Neglinnaya street, Zaryadye, Samotechnaya Street, and Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

Moscow's longest underground river is called the Likhoborka, being 11.1 mi (18 km) long. There are two originating points of this name.

The river's name might have been derived from two villages that were located close by: Malye Likhobory and Bolshye Likhobory. The other origin might have been the forests, previously called 'Likhoy Bor' or 'Daring wood', surrounding the Dmitrovskoye Highway.

Chura is a small old river of Moscow, and in the 19th century, it was moved underground. This tunnel's oldest part, constructed in 1906, still stands strong today.

Chertoriy is a brook about 1.2 mi (2 km) long, and it meets the Moskva river in the southeast. Presnya is an old river, also called Sinichka.

The Presnya river is 2.7 mi (4.5 km) in length and starts in the northwest of Moscow, close to Dinamo stadium. The Tarakanovka river is 3.1 mi (5 km) in length.

Starting at Moscow's northwest part in Voykovsky, Tarakanovka joins the Moskva River in the southwest. The Tarakanovka river brought polluted water into the Moskva River, and it can also flood the surrounding area after heavy rains.

Moscow metro was the first underground metro of the Soviet Union and opened in 1935.

Moscow metro opened in the year 1935 and was the first underground railway system in the former Soviet Union. Moscow metro serves the entire city of Moscow and its neighboring cities of Reutov, Kotelniki, Lyubertsy, and Krasnogorsk.

Its previous 6.8 mi (11 km) line has been extended up to 256.1 mi (412.1 km) as of 2021.

This metro line is the longest outside of China and is the fifth-longest metro line in the world. The deepest section is at the Park Pobedy station at 243 ft (74 m), which is among the deepest underground stations.

Vasily Titov, an engineer, first presented the Moscow metro system in 1872. Many other plans were also presented; however, due to financial restrictions, none of these were approved. After the war, the construction of the metro started in 1931.

The first line was red and was called 'Kirovsko-Frunzensky'. Consequently, a green line and a blue line were also constructed. Every station of the Moscow metro is unique for its architecture and theme, making it a tourist spot.

During World War II, many citizens hid in these stations to hide from bombings. They were also able to open seven more stations during the war.

There are currently 81 types of trains. Moscow is still expanding to include many lines. Moscow only closed once in 1941.

The Russian government had made all preparations to destroy the metro if Moscow fell into the hands of the Nazis. The first stages of action for destroying the system started when the Germans approached the city on October 15, and the metro was closed the next day. However, this situation did not escalate.

Parks and landmarks in Moscow include Gorky Park, Museon art park, Moscow Kremlin, State Tretyakov Gallery, Victory Park, Armory chamber, Old Arbat Street, Saint Basil's Cathedral , and Red Square.

Gorky Park was named after Maxim Gorky and is the Central Park of culture. Moscow Kremlin or Kremlin is a protected complex at the center of Moscow with the Moskva River on the south, Alexander Garden on the west, and Red Square and Saint Basil's Cathedral on the east.

Moscow Kremlin encloses the Kremlin towers, the Kremlin wall, and the Grand Kremlin Palace. The remains of the first man who visited space, Yuri Gagarin are buried at the Kremlin Wall.

Lenin's tomb contains the well-preserved corpse of Vladimir Lenin, a popular Russian politician and revolutionary. Russia has been maintaining his body (without organs) since his death in 1924. This is located in the Mausoleum in Red Square of Moscow.

Cable cars are connected from Kosygin Street and Sparrow Hills to Luzhniki. In 1990, the first McDonald's was opened at the Pushkin square, and on its first day, 30,000 people were served.

Though temporarily closed due to coronavirus, the restaurant is running successfully. The Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences in Moscow is the largest in Europe. Before World War II came to an end, the garden was established in 1945.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for the 'Facts about Moscow, Russia' then why not take a look at ' Christmas in Russia facts ' or 'Facts about Israel'?

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Bachelor of Engineering specializing in Aeronautical/Aerospace Technology, Master of Business Administration specializing in Management

Arpitha Rajendra Bachelor of Engineering specializing in Aeronautical/Aerospace Technology, Master of Business Administration specializing in Management

With a background in Aeronautical Engineering and practical experience in various technical areas, Arpitha is a valuable member of the Kidadl content writing team. She did her Bachelor's degree in Engineering, specializing in Aeronautical Engineering, at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology in 2020. Arpitha has honed her skills through her work with leading companies in Bangalore, where she contributed to several noteworthy projects, including the development of high-performance aircraft using morphing technology and the analysis of crack propagation using Abaqus XFEM.

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Talking Flash Cards for Toddlers 224 Sight Words, Learning Toys for Toddler 1-3, Educational Sensory Speech Therapy Montessori Toys for Ages 2-4, Toys for 1 2 3 Year Old Boy and Girl Gift

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• [ Montessori Learning Toys ] - This talking flash card educational toy reader which attracts children's interests and 112 double sided flash cards covering 12 subjects like animals, vehicles, letters, numbers, foods, fruits, vegetables, building, colors, jobs, marine animal and daily necessities. learning toy for 2 year olds and up to learn sight words, enhance cognitive ability, exercise hearing and build vocabulary and interests.
• [ Easy to Use ] - Long press the power on button, after power on put the card into the card slot, the card reader will pronounce the words. When an animal card or transport card is inserted the card reader will play real animal or transport’s sound. Press the repeat button to repeat the pronunciation and sound effect, no need to insert the card again, adjustable volume levels.
• [Rechargeable and Durable ] - The toddler toy comes with built-in rechargeable battery and can be used for up to 4.5 hours, no need to charge frequently. The card reader weights 62g and dimension is 4.9*3*0.8 inch, easy for kids to hold. equipped with 112Pcs Children’s double sided cards 224 sight words for toddlers.
• [ Learning Educational Toys ] - This toddler toys can be used by parents and teachers to teach kids learning talking, expand vocabulary and reinforce sight words in a much more interesting way, The no screen design reduces the toddler time to touch the screen and cares for toddler eyesight. Keep them away from mobile phone and tablets, reduce screen time effectively. especially helpful for autistic kids to develop speech capability.
• [ Perfect Gifts for Boys and Girls ] - This learning toy is a great gift for birthday, Christmas and other holidays for girls and boys ages 2 3 4 5 6 years old. It is nice to provide a preschool learning toy for your toddler, which is educational while allowing some imagination, play it with kids together to have some great family time.

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Toddler Learning Toys

This talking flash card educational toy reader which attracts children's interests and 112 double sided flash cards covering 12 subjects like animals, vehicles, letters, numbers, foods, fruits, vegetables, building, colors, jobs, marine animal and daily necessities. learning toy for 2 year olds and up to learn sight words, enhance cognitive ability, exercise hearing and build vocabulary and interests.

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Perfect Gifts for Boys and Girls

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