Making friends is an important part of childhood development, but it’s perfectly normal for some 3-year-olds to prefer playing alone. Each child is unique and develops at their own pace, so don’t be concerned if your child is more introverted than their peers (1).
3-year-olds are less likely to put objects in their mouths, which gives them access to a wider variety of new toys. This advantage helps them explore their environment and learn new things.
When it comes to educational toys for 3-year-olds, there are a lot of great options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a toy that emphasizes fine motor skill development or promotes problem-solving, there’s definitely something out there for your little one.
To help you choose the best toy for your child, we’ve investigated and evaluated the best educational toys for 3-year-olds, weighing factors like educational value, level of involvement, and durability.
Our Top Picks
- Best Magnetic Toy: Melissa & Doug My First Daily Magnetic Calendar
- Best For Emotional Skill: Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game
- Best Peg Building Set: Lauri Tall-Stackers
- Best Wooden Blocks: Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set
- Best Math Toy: Osmo-Little Genius Starter Kit
- Best Stacking Toy: Fat Brain Toys Squigz Starter Set
- Best Dinosaur Toy: FREE TO FLY Take Apart Dinosaur Toys
- Best Robot Toy: Thames & Kosmos Kids First Robot Engineer Kit
- Best LEGO Set: LEGO DUPLO All-in-One-Box-of-Fun Building Kit
- Best Montessori Book Toy: Huijing Montessori Busy Book
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds Picks
Melissa & Doug My First Daily Magnetic Calendar – Best Magnetic Toy
- Sturdy construction
- Lightweight for hanging on the wall
- Thin and easily folds for storage
- Includes some magnets to let you write your own activities
- There is only one blank tile, which limits the customization of activities
With 80 magnets included, covering years, months, days of the week, holidays, emotions, and more, this calendar has everything you need to keep your child engaged and learning. Plus, there’s even a spot for them to express how they’re feeling, which is perfect for starting open conversations about emotions.
Updating the information is a breeze. Simply remove a magnet from the lower magnetic board with pre-printed information and add it to the calendar. You can even create a personalized magnet by writing on one of the two dry-erase magnet tiles.
Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game – Best For Emotional Skill
- Helps Improve fine motor skills
- Educational
- Very easy to set up and not overly complicated
- It’s fun to match colors, fit the acorns in the logs, and spin the spinner
- The wooden stumps are made of a sturdy thick paper material but would bend easily if a little child accidentally stepped on it
In this exciting game, you must match the color of your acorn to your log, spin the spinner, and use your trusty squirrel squeezer to pick up the acorn. The goal is to fill up your log with yummy acorns before anyone else!
But watch out – the spinner might land on “choose an acorn,” “take an acorn,” or “lose an acorn,” so you’ll need to use your smarts to stay ahead of the competition. The game includes a gameboard, four logs, a game spinner, 20 colorful acorns, and a cute squirrel squeezer.
Not only is this game super fun for boys and girls, but it’s also a fantastic tool for teaching them about colors, shapes, and numbers, as well as important skills like taking turns, making decisions, and following rules.
Lauri Tall-Stackers – Best Peg Building Set
- They are very durable
- Various configurations
- Their large size fits nicely into any hand size
- The large foam pegboard makes the base thick and sturdy
- The floors are fairly bendable
As your 3-year-old slot these vibrant pegs into the Lauri crepe rubber pegboard, they’ll have a blast while also building essential fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. And that’s not all – they’ll also be introduced to basic arithmetic concepts like counting, adding, and subtracting as they work on their construction projects.
Thanks to the durable, colorful, plush, and latex-free Lauri crepe rubber, these pegs are machine-washable and built to last. Plus, as your children decide where to place pegs to construct their next platform, they’ll develop important perspective and creative thinking skills.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set – Best Wooden Blocks
- Made of wood
- Bright colors
- Good quality
- Varied pieces
- Sturdy enough for building but small enough to where it’s a bit painful when you step on them
This set of vintage wooden blocks consists of 100 solid wood blocks painted in bright colors like red, blue, yellow, and green.
Building towers, castles, and towns is just the beginning of what your child can do with this set. They can also boost their fine motor skills and learn about physics as they experiment with balance and gravity.
They are lightweight yet made of solid wood, ensuring safe playtime for your child. These blocks have smooth surfaces and rounded edges, preventing splinters and keeping your child safe.
Osmo-Little Genius Starter Kit – Best Math Toy
- Easy to set up and use, both for kids and adults
- Fun and engaging characters that kids like
- Sturdy pieces and storage containers
- Good variety of activities, both in terms of fun and from an educational standpoint
- A bit expensive
The Little Genius Starter Kit for Fire Tablet + Early Math Adventure is the perfect entry point for preschoolers into the world of Osmo. With six games that combine hands-on learning and digital fun, your child will be engaged and entertained for hours!
Each game is designed to get your child moving and learning at the same time. They’ll learn about shapes, counting, pre-reading, and problem-solving, all while having fun and using their creativity.
And with over 300 words, your child can practice letter formation and phonics while drawing pictures in five different playgrounds that come to life on the screen.
Fat Brain Toys Squigz Starter Set – Best Stacking Toy
- The squarish one makes a decent “chase ball” for little ones working on their cognitive skills
- This can also be used as a matching game to stick together the same colors
- It is soft and rubbery and big enough to prevent choking
- Good for 3-year-olds
- Packaging could be a little better for storing and portability
With Squigz, the possibilities are endless. Kids can create all sorts of cool designs and objects, like jewelry, cars, pillows for their pets, rockets, and even giant squids! And the best part is that Squigz can stick to any flat, non-porous surface, so the fun can go beyond just stacking.
Whether you’re on a long road trip or in the bathtub, Squigz is the perfect toy to keep your little ones entertained. The set comes with a reusable plastic carrying case to keep all the parts organized, and because Squigz is made of BPA and latex-free silicone, they won’t leave any residue or markings on your surfaces.
FREE TO FLY Take Apart Dinosaur Toys – Best Dinosaur Toy
- Very good quality toy
- The drill is easy to use without much effort
- Easy to take apart
- Age-appropriate
- They can be a bit challenging but too difficult
Kids love dinosaurs! That’s a given. That’s why we believe this is one of the top educational toys for three-year-olds. This toy blends a child’s interests with education. To make a dinosaur toy, your child must assemble the small pieces of these STEM toys.
The set comes with three different dinosaurs, each with a lifelike feel, as your little one can move their hands, head, and feet. If your child gets bored with the same old dinos, no worries! They can always create a new one since all the parts are interchangeable.
Thames & Kosmos Kids First Robot Engineer Kit – Best Robot Toy
- The Storybook is fun and keeps kids engaged
- Build robots as you read about them
- There are some gears and other interesting pieces to try and put together
- Grows with child
- You cannot build many robots (you have to destroy robots to build other robots)
Prepare to embark on a thrilling adventure with the 53-piece science kit, where you and your little ones will build and learn about ten unique robots featured in the accompanying storybook. Using large, colorful plastic building blocks, even the smallest of hands can assemble the models with ease.
Through the story, children construct robots with all sorts of capabilities, from rotating and turning arms to wheeled robots that race across the factory floor. They’ll even create a drone that flies through the workplace to sprinkle candy with sprinkles.
LEGO DUPLO All-in-One-Box-of-Fun Building Kit – Best LEGO Set
- Lets kids learn how to put stuff together
- They are Lego – so you know they are well made
- Quality is great; they stick together and they pull apart
- This set provided lots of imaginative play
- Can’t really build too many cool things simultaneously
This ultimate building kit features a plethora of DUPLO bricks that your little one can use to create all sorts of fantastic designs and constructions.
The star of the show is a wagon foundation that your child can assemble with ease, thanks to the set’s rounded corners and fully functioning wheels. But that’s just the beginning of the excitement! With two opening window components, a cute little doggy figurine, and numbered bricks that correspond to painted bricks, your child will enjoy a delightful introduction to counting and problem-solving.
And let’s not forget about the DUPLO boy figurine, who’s ready to join in on all the building adventures! From houses to cars to railroads, your child’s imagination will run wild as they explore the limitless possibilities of this amazing building set.
Huijing Montessori Busy Book – Best Montessori Book Toy
- The pages are thick and sturdy
- The pages are easily cleaned
- It comes with all the velcro for everything to apply
- Great for learning
- You have to place all of the Velcro dots on the pages and the pieces. While it’s a simple task, it was a little time consuming
There are 15 exciting themes covered in this educational book, from the alphabet and food to rainbows, animals, and planets. Each theme offers a unique opportunity for your child to expand their knowledge and learn something new. Plus, with a 14-page drawing and writing sheet and 8 different colored pens included, your child can express their creativity in a variety of ways.
How To Choose The Best Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds?
- Age-Appropriate: Toys that are too small or have small parts can pose a choking hazard for young children (2). It is also important to avoid toys with sharp edges or corners. Additionally, it is important to select age-appropriate toys.
- Educational Value: Many toys for kids this age are designed to be both fun and educational. Building toys, art kits, and musical instruments are all great examples of toys that can help your child to learn new skills while still having fun. When purchasing toys, keep in mind their educational potential in order to get the most value for your money.
- Active Learning: The best toys for 3-year-olds are those that can keep them entertained for extended periods of time. This is because they can quickly become bored with a toy if they are able to solve it too easily or exhaust all of its functions.
- Developmentally Appropriate: Toys that are too easy or too difficult can be frustrating for the child. It is also important to choose toys that match the child’s learning style. Some children learn best through visual aids, while others learn best through hands-on activities.
What Kind Of Toys Should A 3-Year-Old Have?
For 3-year-olds, the best toys are those that promote creative play, creativity, and the growth of motor skills. Some examples include toy cars, dolls, building blocks, and simple puzzles. It is important to choose toys that are appropriate for your child’s developmental level. Toys that are too difficult will be frustrating, and toys that are too easy will be boring. Choose toys that will foster your child’s imagination and encourage them to explore their world. Plus, child development experts recognize that play is a powerful tool for learning and development in children (3).
Why Should You Choose Educational Toys For 3-Year-Olds?
There are a few reasons why educational toys are a good choice for 3-year-olds. First, they can help promote learning and development. Educational toys are designed to help children learn new things and develop new skills. They can also help to improve problem-solving skills and memory. Additionally, educational toys can be a great way to keep 3-year-olds occupied and engaged. They can provide a fun and stimulating environment for them to play in, which can help to prevent boredom and restlessness.
Is It Normal For A 3-Year-Old To Not Play With Toys?
It is not uncommon for some 3-year-olds to have a limited interest in playing with toys, especially if they are highly active and prefer physical activities. However, it is important to consider other factors such as developmental delays, sensory issues, or attention difficulties that may be affecting their ability to engage in play. If you have concerns, it is recommended to discuss them with your child’s pediatrician or a child development specialist (4).
What’s The Most Popular Toy For A 3-Year-Old Boy?
The most popular toys for three-year-old boys vary, but some of the top choices are usually building sets, toy cars and trucks, action figures, puzzles, and outdoor toys such as ride-on vehicles or sports equipment.
