We Found the Cutest Gifts and Toys That Are Perfect For 3-Year-Olds

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No internship or degree fully prepares you for having to buy thoughtful, practical, super-fun-yet-not-too-overstimulating gifts for your friends’ baby as a person who Doesn’t Know Anything About Kids™️. It’s practically a recreational sport for literally everyone in their twenties and thirties. Like, when it comes to gifts for three-year-olds, you can’t just chuck a couple of candles and a regifted bottle of wine into a pretty bag and call it a day, unforch.

The diapers in a vaguely cake-shaped blob doesn’t work the way it would for a newborn, either, because a three-year-old is well on their way to becoming a full person with preferences (are they fixating on dinosaurs, airplanes, or Bluey?) and personality quirks. They love things like dress-up and playing pretend, are learning how to share with friends, and might even be headed off to preschool, which means they’ll need a backpack and a cute first day ‘fit.

All that to say, the best gifts for toddlers are ones that allow them to use their imagination (like this doctor dress-up kit), get creative (like these funky dot markers), and work on developing their motor skills while playing with siblings and friends (this Little Tikes car is a great option) while still being safe and parent-approved. Luckily, I found plenty of options that check off those boxes and put them in the ultimate list of gifts for three-year-olds, below.

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Doctor Playset Medical Kit

Help soothe any (normal and valid) fears that your little one might have around going to the doctor with this adorable medical set complete with tools like a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.

Disney Minnie Mouse Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll Pretend Play Set

A three-year-old might not have the hand-eye coordination required to put teeny shoes on a Barbie doll, but they can definitely play with these wooden magnetic pieces.

Wooden Pizza Play Food Set With 36 Toppings

As someone who grew up with this exact pizza set, I can personally vouch for how fun it is. The stick-on pepperoni pieces were a huge hit in our household.

Toddler Fox Backpack

This backpack comes with mesh pockets for a water bottle, padded straps for little shoulders, and an internal name tag (in case there are *multiple* fuzzy fox backpacks at preschool).

HD Digital Video Cameras for Toddler

Who doesn’t want to see the world through a three-year-old’s eyes? The video footage is sure to be absolutely precious—and hilarious.

LCD Writing Tablet 10 Inch Doodle Board

This reusable doodle tablet encourages creativity, helps them develop pen-gripping skills, and most importantly, isn’t an iPad.

Carrier Truck Toy with Music

This is a pink truck that carries other tiny little trucks. I repeat, this is a PINK TRUCK THAT CARRIES OTHER TINY LITTLE TRUCKS.

Montessori Screwdriver Board Set

If they get comfortable with a wrench at three years old, maybe they won’t have to FaceTime their parents for every single home repair question in 20 years’ time.

Safari 3rd Birthday T-Shirt

People love asking toddlers how old they are. Now they’ll just have to point to their shirt.

Dance and Play 14" Animated Plush

Three-year-olds are at the age where they start having favorite animals and characters. A Bluey plushie (you might recognize part of the Bluey theme song from a trending TikTok sound) is a guaranteed hit.

Wooden Play Food Sets for Toddlers

This is the perfect gift for the toddler who loves to insist “I help” in the kitchen, but isn’t quite ready to handle a chef’s knife just yet.

Scribble Scrubbie Pet Coloring Playset

Now they can channel their I-must-draw-on-the-living-room-wall energy towards scribbling on these adorable animals that can be easily scrubbed clean for endless fun.

Confetti Tutu

Parents buy practical clothes, and your parents’ cool friends (that’s you!) buy the sparkle tutus. That’s just how the world works.

Cashier Toy Cash Register

Did anyone else aspire to be a cashier when they grew up? No? Just me?

Hi-Pile Fleece Jacket

Do they make these fluffy sherpas with animal ears in adult sizes? Just asking for a friend.

36 PCS Wooden Sorting Stacking Rocks Stones

Some adult Amazon reviewers said they found themselves playing with the stackable toy as a mindless activity while watching TV. Try asking your toddler to sort and stack these pretty rocks by color or by size.

Welcome to the Symphony: A Musical Exploration of the Orchestra Using Beethoven's Symphony No. 5

This is, IMO, the perfect way to create early recognition around classical music for lil babies that might just be future maestros in the making.

8 Color Crazy Dots Childrens Dot Markers

These thick markers with sponge tips are perfect for mess-free drawing and dotting. Think of all the art just waiting to be created.

12 Pairs Toddler Non Skid Socks with Grips

This one is more of a gift for their parents, who are constantly losing those tiny little socks in the dryer (trust me on this one).

Take Apart Construction Toys with Electric Drill

One thing about toddlers is they loooooove construction toys (both the toy versions and the real thing) for some reason.

My First Baby Doll Stroller

Nothing makes a three-year-old feel more grown-up than getting to push around a doll or stuffed animal in the type of stroller that they usually get pushed around in.

I Love You to the Moon and Back Book

Because a reminder never hurts.

Little People Big Yellow School Bus With Lights

A toddler who sees their older siblings board a yellow school bus every day will love getting to play with a toy version of their own.

Domino Train Toy

This aesthetically-pleasing train spits out pretty plastic dominos in perfect lines that are just waiting to be toppled by little toddler hands.

Cozy Coupe

Beep beep, coming through! Have your favorite three-year-old cruising around the cul-de-sac in this classic whip in no time.

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