If you’re reading this, chances are you have a 3-year-old girl in your life, and boy, are you super lucky: Three is an absolutely magical age. What else would you call a tiny human, seemingly overnight, becoming a child who can hold full conversations with you? From their interests to their vocabularies and the new ways to play, there’s no doubt about it: They’re not babies anymore. They’re kids. So, we’ve gathered a list of our favorite gifts for 3-year-old girls because a whole new world of play is available to them now.
At this age, your newly minted preschooler becomes more adept at, well, being a person! This is the age where all kinds of different play become possible: A 3-year-old likely has a better appreciation for educational toys, better gross motor skills, and an absolutely wild imagination. (You may just find this is the age where their dolls’ adventures get really intricate and may start to look like a soap opera or a G-rated Game of Thrones.) Encourage their imaginations, motor skills, and minds with these fun and educational gifts.
In choosing these gifts, we wanted to select a variety of toys, books, and games that encourage developmentally appropriate learning for a 3-year-old. We also made sure to take a look around our circles to see what the toddlers in our lives are getting the most use out of (and made sure to skip anything buried at the bottom of their toy boxes).
Encourage your girl’s imagination, motor skills, and mind with these fun and educational gifts.
Playing dress-up is a rite of passage in childhood. With this five-costume set, your 3-year-old can be a princess, a bumble bee, a ladybug, and a few different fairies. The set comes complete with magic wands and accessories, so your little one will have ample options for pretend play.
With seven activities that introduce letter names, sounds, writing, and reading, early literacy has never been so much fun. Best of all, it really is a backpack, which equals portable and which means car rides and going to restaurants just got a whole lot easier. (So, really, this is a gift for parents, too.)
While most building sets revolve around buildings or vehicles, this unique toy allows your 3-year-old girl to build her own flower garden. It’s a perfect way to feel connected with nature on cold or rainy days when you can’t get outside.
3-year-olds are very good at “decorating” things they shouldn’t with markers. Walls, toys, siblings … but with this Scribble Scrubbie playset, they can channel that instinct for good, creatively adorning adorable little pets with washable markers. Want to change up the look? Just rinse the toy.
If your little one can’t stop moving around, this wiggle car is the perfect gift for her. This wiggle car is so simple and has no pedals or batteries. All she has to do is twist and turn on a smooth surface and the wheels will take her wherever she chooses to go.
This 22-piece wooden train set, complete with tracks, will last your 3-year-old girl (and any younger siblings, cousins, or neighbors) for years. This is a good thing, since we’re confident she’ll be playing with this one for a long time to come.
OK: does your 3-year-old already have a lot of stuffed animals? Probably yes. But does she have a gremlin stuffed animal? An adorable gremlin stuffed animal? We’re guessing not. She’s going to love this cuddly little ghoul.
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For Burgeoning Book Worms
Hyperion Books for Children It’s a Busload of Pigeon Books!
Mo Willems’ hilarious books and memorable characters are teaching this generation of little ones how to love reading (and laugh out loud with their parents), and The Pigeon is his most iconic creation. This set of three classics is a must for 3-year-old girls.
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For the Pokémaster
H&M Pikachu Jumpsuit
$35 at H&M
A perfect costume/pajama/run-out-on-errands outfit for your 3-year-old girl. Especially if that girl is a Pokémaster in training. Also, just imagine your kiddo running around the house gleefully shouting “Piiikaaachuuuuuu!” at the top of her little voice.
As a rule, giving shoes as a gift isn’t exciting for 3-year-old girls, but there’s absolutely an exception to that rule when you’re talking about getting her very own ruby slippers! Just like Dorothy! And these aren’t costume shoes; she can wear them anywhere.
This easel is the perfect gift for a 3-year-old girl for a few reasons: It’s just her size, it’s magnetic (and includes number and letter magnets), and since it has two different surfaces (chalk and dry-erase boards), it offers a variety of options for creating her masterpieces.
Whether she’s watched you put on makeup or simply has an artistic streak you want to nurture, this set of pretend makeup (aka no messes required) is great for encouraging imaginative play.
Don’t let the term “handyMAN” fool you: This is a perfect gift for 3-year-old girls. Not only will she have hours of fun playing, but it might also just plant the seeds of interest in carpentry! Comes with more than 30 tools and materials accessories.
Ciao, bella! She may not be old enough to understand the romantic Mediterranean appeal of a scooter like this, but she will one day, and she’ll look back on all the fun times she had on her very first ride. Appropriate for indoor and outdoor play.
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For The Magical Girl
Zuru Sparkle Girls Fairy Princess
$17 at Walmart
Who among us doesn’t love a fairy? They’re charming and magical, and, if you get in their good graces, they’ll grant you wishes (or so I’ve heard). Your 3-year-old girl will love having this one as her new bestie.
OK, we know she has a lot of stuffed animals, but we just can’t resist the impossibly softness and adorable face of this little guy. And since he’s basically a pillow, he makes a perfect nap buddy.
Perfect for the 3-year-old girl who needs to get her twirl on and wiggles out. She’ll have a ball dancing to the cues on this soft plastic mat, decorated with all things frilly and princess-like, or simply bopping around in freestyle mode.
Garbage collection day is the entertainment highlight for Bluey and Bingo (your own kid might get excited watching the big truck, too) and with this fun toy she can re-enact this special event whenever she wants. Also who doesn’t love a big new truck?!
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For The Artist
Mycaron Magna Doodle Board
Now 11% Off
$14 at Walmart
Magna Doodle Board is the toy that never went out of style or got any less fun than it was when it came out in 1974. Your 3-year-old girl will have a blast making drawings with the magnetic stylus and stamps over and over. Perfect for at home or on the go.
This classic memory game has been a favorite for decades, but the gorgeous illustrations of princesses, ballerinas, animals, and flowers make this one stand out. The perfect game to learn turn-taking, hand-eye coordination and develop short-term memory skills!