Discover the Best Toys for a 3-Year-Old...

Best Developmental Toys for a Three Year Old

At 3 years old, your child is now capable of increasingly complex gross and fine motor activities.

They’re also able to follow multi-step directions so you can now offer a variety of activities that require more patience and concentration.

The Best Toys and Activities for Three Year Olds

The toys below are recommended based on the general interests of children at 3 years old.

When choosing the best toys, consider the child's interests, skills they seem to be developing (i.e. fine motor, gross motor, vocabulary) and developmental stage.

At 3, many children love to be involved in the kitchen so it's a wonderful time to do more cooking and baking together. A Learning Tower is great for this. We also have some great kitchen tools for toddlers to make it easier for them to participate in food prep.
You can also begin to offer jigsaw puzzles with more pieces, as well as simple board games. Our Peaceable Kingdom board games are very popular for this age group.
Musical instruments, especially those with multiple notes, allow children to begin to explore simple music composition.
Simple but high quality art supplies make a wonderful gift for this age group. A few quality art items provide a more satisfying experience for toddlers than a big box of crayons, which can be easily overwhelming and not that easy to use.
This is also an age where children like to explore their physical limits so it's beneficial to provide plenty of sensory experiences and climbing toys. Climbing toys like the large Pikler Triangle + ramp, Waldorf Rocker, and balance board are all well-loved items that help develop balance, coordination, and general gross motor skills in 3 year olds.
At 3 years old, their interest in imaginative play is also quickly growing. Check out our collection of imaginative play toys here.
When in doubt, check out our best seller list for great gift ideas! These are the most popular toys across all age groups.