The 25 Best Toys for 3-Year-Olds, According to Parents

This wooden Melissa & Doug Salad Set comes with everything your budding chef needs to make a fresh, yummy salad. After taking orders on the reusable menu, they can “chop” ingredients on the cutting board, toss everything together and serve it up. My oldest daughter has this and has loved playing with it for three years now – both of my kids have been huge fans of the knife they can use to “cut” the veggies. While it’s easy to lose some of the small pieces of this, which we have definitely done, they can still play with each one individually in a play kitchen. I appreciate the versatility, the amount of detail (it looks like salad dressing is actually coming out of the bottles) and how durable each item is.

We’re guessing you remember something like Play22’s wooden train set from your own childhood and the toy is still a favorite for little hands today. This set includes engines, coaches, a cargo car, a tanker car and more train calls that all connect to one another via magnets. We especially like that the train set comes in a stylish wooden display and storage box to use after playtime is over.

Puzzles help toddlers enhance problem-solving skills — and they’re perfect for pulling out on a cold or rainy day. At 3, kids are able to handle puzzles with actual pieces that fit together, so long as you stick to ones with fewer than 25 large pieces. This ocean-themed puzzle fits the bill, and you can start to teach him to sort by pieces that have a straight edge or not and by the colorful or plain side.

As your tot turns 3, his block-building creations will become bigger, taller and more intricate. This big box of Duplos comes with 85 colorful bricks, a car with moving wheels, a roof, a window, flowers, a swingset and Duplo people for endless possibilities of castles, trains, fortresses and more. You’ll also love that it includes a durable box to store everything in.

Balance bikes are a smart way to teach your tot how to ride on two wheels — with no pedals, they can focus on the balance part as they use their feet to go and stop. This Radio Flyer balance bike features lightweight air tires that are meant to offer a smooth ride on any terrain and a classic, vintage-inspired look that is very charming.  

There are also some features that make it more fun and easier to ride, like grip tape on the frame to give toddlers a place to put their feet as they glide. There’s also an adjustable seat so the bike 0can grow with them a bit. The working ringing bell is something they’ll also love using as they ride.

Dr. Seuss is always a good idea, but a 3-year-old will really start to appreciate the rhymes, fantastical tales and illustrations of the beloved childhood author. This set includes Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop and Fox in Socks. Get ready to have your tongue twisted.

Can’t resist Baby Shark? This dancing shark DJ has technology that senses when your little one is moving — and starts to dance with him. The toy plays seven popular songs (including, of course, "Baby Shark") and three different games. All of these components work together to teach your toddler letters and counting and encourage him to use his imagination.

Fake food is easy for little hands to manipulate and offers endless play possibilities. I’m personally a big fan of wooden play food for my kids, as I find it to be very durable, and this Fisher-Price Picnic Basket in particular has a high-quality feel that I love. It comes with 17 pieces of different foods, including fruit, cheese and bread, as well as some pieces that kids can “cut” with the included utensils, which helps with hand-eye coordination. It also comes with a blanket, tray, beverage bottle, cups, plates, utensils and a picnic basket. Everything can fit inside for a quick clean-up, which is a nice bonus. 

You might remember playing with these classic reusable sticker setswhen you were a kid, and they’re just as much fun today. Your 3-year-old can peel and stick the pieces to the play scenes in endless configurations for hours of engrossing fun. My older daughter got these when she turned 3 and still enjoys creating with them even now that she’s 5-years-old. And since the whole setup is compact, lightweight and easy to store, it’s perfect for bringing along on a trip.

Unique and engaging, Glo Pals are water-activated cubes that light up and glow a specific color when in the bath, then turn off automatically when they’re dry. They’re a favorite in my household for how mesmerizing they are. While the cubes can be used on their own, they also come in these packs as a character (there are several different characters, including favorites like Elmo), with flexible arms and legs that make them fun to play with. They help support sensory development and help toddlers learn more about cause and effect and color recognition as well. Plus, I’m constantly on the hunt for bath toys that don’t have hidden crevices where mold can sneak in, and these deliver.

Bouncy horses allow energetic toddlers to burn off energy indoors without taking up a lot of space. Your little one will love bopping up and down as they strengthen their balance and coordination skills — it's easy to see why this popular, Italian-made horse is a favorite with pediatric occupational therapists. Both of my daughters have similar bouncy toys and I find that they’re great for indoor play when they need to get some of their energy out. They don’t damage the floors and my kids love using them for races. You’ll also love that the horse comes with an easy-to-use air pump and the latex-free vinyl is free of chemicals like phthalates.

At 3 years old, toddlers are a great age to start learning board games, which can help teach patience, develop social skills and learn how to follow instructions. This eeBoo Tea Party Spinner Game was one of the first board games I ever bought for my oldest daughter, and it’s one we still play with together two years later – I’ve also purchased it as a gift for many friends’ kids as well. The goal of the game is to collect one item from each category to create the perfect tea party plate (my kids love using the teapot spinner on their turn). All of the pieces are made of surprisingly sturdy cardboard and it comes with a little tablecloth to really set the mood. I love that it’s not overly stimulating and that it’s such an easy concept for kids to grasp, and I also love that it’s adorable to look at.

Blocks are an excellent toy for 3-year-olds who are really working on their fine motor skills and starting to become more interested in putting together towers. There are lots of options out there, but one of our favorites are the Blockaroo Mega Foam Building Blocks. Made of soft foam, they’re comfortable to hold, rotate around 360 degrees for flexibility, don’t have any sharp edges and are water-safe, so they can be used in the bath as well. I particularly like the magnets that make these click together easily, which I think makes them a great choice for little ones just starting to build and play with blocks. This set comes in its own cute storage case for easy clean-up and you can buy other sets to go with it, like a castle theme. 

Since 3-year-olds are learning how to think more independently and solve problems on their own, it’s good to give them educational games that encourage them to do that. My daughter who just turned 3 has been loving this Skillmatics Search and Find Game. The set comes with six double-sided activity mats, markers, a duster cloth to clean the pads and achievement certificates for fun. Kids can use the markers to circle the objects they’re supposed to be finding, and you can wipe away the markings when they’re done so they can play with it again later on. These offer just enough of a challenge without being frustrating.

You may notice your toddler is more ready to play with a dollhouse, and this Calico Critters Red Roof Country Home is a good place to start. My youngest daughter started becoming more interested in her sister’s Calico Critters around the time of her third birthday – she started actually playing with them in their home. This set is great for encouraging imaginative play and getting your little one to play out real life scenarios using cute mice. I especially love this house because it’s expandable to make it larger but can close up to be a bit more compact and storage friendly. It also comes with a lot of furniture and figures, as well as interactive features like lights that really work.

Magnetic tiles are almost always a hit with this age group (and beyond). My family has tried several different brands and Connetix is the winner for us. The tiles have a bevel design that makes them really beautiful to look at and just makes them feel a bit more elevated. They come in vibrant colors and are offered in a variety of different packs (we personally love the shades of the pastels) and the magnets are strong and offer a great hold. While these are on the pricier side, I’ve found them only to get better and more exciting as my kids get older – my 5-year-old plays with them constantly. They assist in hand-eye coordination, developing fine motor skills and problem solving abilities.

Help promote hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while teaching your kids the alphabet and colors with the Battat Alphabet Fishing Set. The set comes with a plastic fishing “pond,” wooden fish with magnets, two magnetic fishing poles and little game cards. Each wooden fish features a color and a letter and the tray underneath the pond features different spots with colors and letters as well. Kids are encouraged to use the fishing poles to “fish,” then place the fish back in their coordinating spot. 

The game cards add another level of fun: one side features a color and a letter, the other features words, offering more of a challenge to your children as they get older. WMy kids play with it in so many different ways,e and I love how durable and well-made it feels. I also love that everything can be stored in the little for easy and efficient clean-up.

Many kids’ train sets are large and intricate, but the Melissa & Doug Take Along Railroad is the opposite and truly created with toddlers in mind. Made of sturdy wood, this set includes four wooden vehicles and a few accessories (like a bridge and trees), all packaged inside a wooden box that, when open and laid out flat, becomes the tracks and playing surface. It’s a fun and age-appropriate way to introduce little ones to the joy of toy trains and the handle on the box, with the simple storage, makes it easy to clean up and great for taking on the go.

I love handing over these Do-A-Dot paint markers whenever my youngest wants to paint. They offer a much easier cleanup, don’t require water and they’re something she’s able to control on her own. I also appreciate that they’re washable, with vibrant colors that always look great. They can use them to create a whole bunch of dots, which my daughter loves to do sometimes, but they can also be used as a crayon or marker for coloring. 

This LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart has been a staple in my house for more than three years. Both of my daughters play with it on an almost daily basis, and it’s one of the first toys their friends go to whenever we host a playdate. The cart itself is small enough to be toddler-friendly, with wheels that allow them to push it around the house. It plays music while also introducing numbers, colors and new phrases, making it a surprisingly educational option. The cart comes with an array of play food to create multiple ice cream cones, with little storage pockets on either side. It’s great for gross and fine motor skills and helps with memory and sequence skills. Even when the battery is dead and it doesn't make sound, my kids still adore this.

Parker highly recommends the Move2Play Red Light, Green Light game for little ones because of its versatility. “This game provides a great opportunity to build your child’s listening skills, engage them for hours and incorporates additional challenges with a ‘freeze dance-type feature.’ It will even get parents moving,” she says. This is three games in one, with challenges that get kids on their feet and moving around, helping to get some energy out while they have fun. It’s great for rainy days when they’re stuck inside and should be easy enough to travel with as well.

When my oldest daughter turned 3, she suddenly became obsessed with dressing up – she wore a different princess dress, tutu skirt or random old Halloween costume every single day for over a year. Imaginative play is huge at this age, and an easy way to encourage it is with dress-up clothes like this Born Toys Kids Costume Set. It comes with six different outfits big enough for 3-year-olds to wear into, all of which mimic real-life professions: there’s a chef, firefighter, doctor, gardener, police officer and park ranger. Some fun accessories are included as well. Your child will love putting these on to make a pretend scenario feel even more real.

I love the Little Tikes Creative Chefs Pizza Kit for a different take on sensory play that keeps kids engaged and interested while also being educational. Its comes with 22 accessories and everything your child needs to make their own pizza, including moldable play sand that can be shaped into anything they want – in this case, a pizza. I think the super realistic details and thoughtful features, like a working oven light, detailed recipe cards and the foldable play table, take play food to a whole new level.

At 3 years old, kids are able to learn how to use scissors, which is an important and exciting skill that  you can encourage with the Skillmatics Snip Snip kit. The kit comes with two safety scissors, a glue stick and a book that provides 25 different cutting activities to complete, starting with Level 1 (just learning to use scissors) and going to Level 3 (much more comfortable with them). My oldest daughter loves playing with this because she feels like she’s creating something, and I love that she’s practicing a skill at the same time. It makes using scissors way more fun than you ever thought it could be.  

Kids who love cars will be very into thisTonka Retro Mighty Dump Truck. Made with cold rolled steel for extra durability and an old-school feel, this dump truck is large and sturdy. It was inspired by the 1972 version of this toy, making it a classic and a collector’s item. Aside from that, it’s also really fun, with realistic details, a bed they can really move to dump things and a size that will get them moving to play with it. I bought this for my nephew and love the high-quality look and feel – it seems like it will last for years.