The best toys for 3 year olds
Little ones are constantly growing, evolving and learning. It is important to assist kids with their development in fun and engaging ways that they will love. Toys are the perfect way to make learning and developing key skills super fun. However, there are so many various development toys to choose from it can be difficult to decide what’s best for your child. To help you with this decision, we have created a list of the best toys for 3 year olds covering a range of different skills that kids can develop.
Numeracy skills
The best toys for 3 year olds develop core skills needed later on in life. One of these core skills is numeracy. It is vital for 3 year olds to start understanding basic maths and developing their knowledge so that they can start to independently add, subtract and times.
One of the best development toys for numeracy skills is the Mathlink Cubes Numberblocks 1-10 Activity Set. This set brings learning to life as children can visually see how numbers really work and master vital early-maths skills through hands-on discovery and play. Kids can make the Numberblocks characters 1-10 in various ways shown in the series! Children can further develop their maths knowledge by learning more from the character cards and using the write-and-wipe activity cards to follow 30 fun maths activities related to episodes from series 1-3.
Another great toy to develop kids numeracy is the Learning Resources Coins & Notes Starter Pack. Create realistic learning for children with these fake coins and notes that look just like real money. This set aids kids with coin recognition and understanding the value of coins and notes. It is also ideal for promoting financial awareness that children can continue to develop as they grow.
Recognition/cognitive skills
At the age of 3, kids are beginning to properly build their recognition and cognitive skills through play. Toys are the perfect way to help them develop these vital skills and there’s plenty of options to choose from.
A great option is the Galt Farm Giant Floor Puzzle. This puzzle contains 30 pieces including 8 template pieces in the shape of various farm animals. Kids can use this puzzle to recognise types of farmyard animals as they piece the puzzle together. Not only do children need to use their cognitive skills to piece it correctly, but the puzzle can also encourage the development of matching and sorting. It can also stimulate discussion and language when solving the puzzle with others!
You could opt for the Paw Patrol Giant Floor Puzzle that depicts the beloved characters from Paw Patrol! This puzzle is great for further developing kids recognition and cognitive skills beyond piecing the puzzle together. Children can complete a quiz using the electronic pen to recognise shapes and colours. This puzzle set also stimulates logical and observation abilities, creativity and knowledge and comprehension of the world.
Creativity skills
Creativity begins to flourish in 3 year olds and constantly develops. Toys are perfect with aiding kids with their creativity skills as they use creativity whilst playing. There are so many toys that children can continually develop as they play time and time again. Creativity is a key skill for kids as it helps them to think about new ways to solve problems and have fresh ideas. Plus, being creative is enjoyable and exciting.
Art & craft toys are the best toys for 3 year olds to develop creativity, such as the Spirograph Junior. Even the youngest budding artist can make amazing creative designs with the Spirograph Junior set. It encourages kids to unleash their creativity, creating their own unique designs using the gears to assist them. The set is easy for little hands too and has a transportable drawing tablet that doubles as a workstation.
Mobility/coordination skills
Development toys can also aid kids with their mobility and coordination skills. This is key for 3 year olds as they need to strengthen their muscles. Many ride-on toys are perfect for developing these key skills.
A trike is the best way to introduce children to cycling whilst strengthening their mobility and coordination skills. They can ride around and have some outdoor fun! Trikes provide little ones with low impact exercise so they don’t strain themselves and can have hours of fun. Also, having three wheels helps kids with balance while making it easier to keep the trike straight.
Understanding emotions
It is important for 3 year olds to start understanding emotions so that they can deal with them and also communicate effectively how they are feeling. This can constantly be developed and toys are a great way for kids to grasp the difference between emotions.
The perfect toy to help children differentiate between emotions and express them is the Learning Resources Express Your Feelings Sensory Bottles. These offer kids a quiet, self-directed and tangible way to identify how they are feeling and express it to others. Each bottle features a unique emotion with an interactive element to show kids what the emotion can feel like. Little ones can swirl, shake and rotate the bottles to see the motion. This can offer children some quiet reflective time or calm down time, as well as a way to start a conversation with someone about how they are feeling. The set also comes with an activity guide that encourages discussion about responding to emotions in positive proactive ways.
Speech/teamwork skills
Little ones are constantly evolving their language and learning communication through speech. It is a vital skill to develop as kids can grasp communicating clearly as well as building friendships and understanding teamwork. There are lots of toys that help children develop their speech alongside teamwork.
A perfect option for building these skills is walkie-talkies. Little ones can work together on a task or through imaginative play while improving their speech as they talk to each other. Walkie-talkies are specially designed for little hands and a great way for friends to talk to each other from long distances. These can be used on nature walks, for games of hide and seek with clues or just for play in the garden!
Boosting confidence
The best toys for 3 year olds don’t only teach little ones important skills but also aids them with their confidence. Many kids can be scared or uncomfortable in certain situations, such as talking to strangers and socialising with big groups. Boost your little ones confidence through toys that promotes them to step outside their comfort zone.
Sing along boombox’s are the best way to boost confidence for kids. They can be care-free as they hear popular songs they know and sing to their hearts content. With flashing lights children can have lots of fun dancing, singing and having their own little disco. Little ones won’t even notice if there’s a crowd and if they do, they can ease their worries by sharing the microphone with a friend to feel comfortable.
Building senses
At 3 years old, kids become more in touch with their senses and begin to understand them. Due to this, it is vital that little ones are encouraged to build their senses through sensory play. There’s endless toys that provide kids with a sensory experience that develops touch, increases concentration, reduces anxiety and develops fine motor skills.
The Kinetic Sands Scented Ice Cream Treats Set is an ideal sensory toy for little ones. They can serve up their very own scented ice cream using the kinetic sand, tools and moulds. Kids can get creative making ice creams, ice cream sundaes, waffles and ice cream cookie sandwiches while developing their senses and motor skills!
Use our list of the best toys for 3 year olds to develop a range of critical skills, from core skills like numeracy to boosting confidence. Little ones can continue to develop skills by using these toys over and over again. There’s so much for 3 year olds to learn to help with growth and using development toys encourages kids to learn as they enjoy playing. Try out some of these toys and aid your 3 year old with key development.
