Three-year-olds are on the cusp of their school lives. They benefit immensely from toys that teach them things they’ll use in school such as fine motor skills and creative thinking. In this article, we’ll outline several toys for your 3-year-old that will help keep them both entertained and intellectually active as they progress through this important developmental phase.
A lot of kids enjoy their bath time. This is a great time to incorporate both fun and learning by teaching hand-eye coordination, cause-and-effect, as well as several other skills. Munchkin’s “Fishin’ Bath Toy” accomplishes all of the above and will keep your child entertained for countless bathing sessions.
Pros:
Helps your child practice hand-eye coordination
Includes fishing rod and 3 bobbing characters
Characters feature magnets on the top for easy attachment to fishing rod
Kids often enjoy helping with things around the house like cleaning or cooking. Having this toy handy will ensure your child has the tools they need to practice crucial skills they will use later in life.
Pros:
Six-piece set includes a kid-sized broom, mop, duster, brush, dustpan, and storage stand
Made from natural wood
Strong cords to hang tools when not in use
Encourages kids to help with chores and be responsible
This toy encourages children to learn about jobs and responsibility. This Melissa & Doug set promotes imagination and lets your child get their first look at what it’s like to run a business. Utilizing this set can teach various skills such as counting, interacting, and multi-tasking.
Pros:
A 28-piece pretend ice cream counter that comes with a menu and play money
Allows kids to practice customer interactions such as greetings and handling money
Lets imaginations run freely with numerous ice cream and topping combinations
Cons:
Ice cream may be hard to get in and out of the scoop
Children at this age are developing their handwriting before school begins. The Alpha SlideWriter is an excellent way for them to practice in a mess-free setting where they’re free to write as much as they please. This set has several features that will aid your child in constructing words and can be extremely beneficial to their reading and writing progress.
Pros:
Provides mess-free writing
Features moveable letters so kids can practice spelling different words
Has a specially designed pen that is easy for kids to grasp
Screen features writing guidelines and an eraser for continuous practice
Cons:
Moving letters around the board may be difficult and tedious
It is always sensible to teach your child about animals. Children usually love to learn about them, which makes it a fun avenue to provide an educational environment for them. Using this Fisher-Price Learning Zoo, your child will learn to associate animal names with the corresponding animals. They’ll also learn more about letters and word formation.
Pros:
Each letter that your child learns corresponds to an animal whose name begins with that letter
Letters are spoken when their button is pressed or the animal is shaken
At this age, your child might already be a fan of Play-Doh. This toy combines their love for Play-Doh with their love for making unique crafts. The shape cutters are double-sided and ready to create crisp shapes for your child to learn.
Pros:
Encourages creative thinking and develops fine motor skills
Comes with 8 shape cutters, 8 small tubs of Play-Doh, and 2 double-sided playmats
Includes a Together Time Guide
Cons:
Shape cutters require a sizeable amount of Play-Doh to create a shape
Creating music can be a very healthy hobby for your child to have when they are older. This toy definitely encourages kids to learn about music and explore their creative sides. Playing instruments can also turn into something really fun for a lot of kids. This toy also encourages kids to try new instruments to discover cool sounds.
Pros:
Features 20 classic children’s songs
Guitar design includes a strap and realistic strings
Has a colorful and unique design that your child will love
This toy promotes kind and caring behaviors towards animals. It teaches kids about all the ways you can take care of your animals. It shows them that having animals means you must be willing to devote time to keeping them healthy and happy. In addition, 10% of all Our Generation purchases go towards Free the Children’s Power of a Girl initiative
Pros:
Perfectly sized for Our Generation dolls and horses (fits dolls up to 18 inches tall)
Features stalls for three horses
Barn features 2 stall doors to prevent horses from leaving
This musical playmat is great for one or more players. It lets kids work together to create unique tunes and encourages kids to be active through dancing and jumping. The musical mat is a great way to encourage interaction with other children in a way that can provide educational value.
Pros:
Over 4 feet wide
Features over 50 songs and phrases
Teaches your child about counting, animals, and instruments
This truck is kid-sized and ready to roll. It teaches kids important responsibilities, like safe driving habits and awareness for their passengers. Create some safe driving courses to let your child practice different driving maneuvers. Ensure your child practices driving with a passenger, and that they share the driving responsibilities in equal turns. When the fun comes to an end, emphasize the importance of parking your vehicle in a safe place and taking your keys and belongings with you.
Pros:
Works in various road conditions such as mud, wet grass, and rough terrain
Features Power Lock brakes and a real FM radio and MP3 jack
Drives both forwards and backwards with maximum speeds of 2.5 and 5 mph
Kids often play sports for energetic release, as well as to have fun while working with others. Sports are a great way for kids to remain active and healthy. This toy will help your child discover the world of basketball while improving their hand-eye coordination. It includes both a basket and a 6-inch basketball.
Pros:
The height of the basket can be adjusted to 6 different settings, between 2.5 feet and 4 feet
Wide rim and large backboard allow for easy scoring
Base of the stand may be filled with sand for added stability
Can be used indoors or outdoors
Promotes team cooperation as well as friendly competition
Cons:
Rim may be crooked, causing it to fall off easily
Stand is very easily tipped over
Three-year-olds are open-minded and are always looking for new ways to have fun. Toys like these can provide several ways to teach them skills they’ll need as they grow as well as encouraging interaction with other children.
