23 of the best toys and presents for 3 year olds for 2024
Our pick of the most exciting, educational and entertaining toys designed for boys and girls aged 36 months and up
Finding the right toy for your 3 year old can be tricky. According to Helen Brown, author or Parenting for Dummies: "Your 3 year old is now able to reason logically (though he or she may not always choose to do so!), which means there's a new appeal in toys that require a sequence of sorting or fitting together."
She continues: "Your child's improved dexterity also means they are also able to do much more fiddly-stuff: this is the age when fine-finger-control toys and kits that involve playdough, puzzles and (sprawly, splashy) painting and drawing come into their own."
However, Helen adds that the biggest winners at this age are toys that set the scene for imaginary play – "Especially if it involves acting out roles (doctor, cook, train driver, pirate). Your 3 year old is fast becoming a proper drama king or queen!"
So, to help you find the best toy to fit your little one, we’ve chosen and tested the best toys across a range of budgets. We've divided them up depending on which of our criteria they met – educational, imaginative, character, transport themed and outdoor play. But across the board, they're great for stimulating brain and body development, problem-solving, practising social skills – and having lots of fun.
Best toys for 3 year olds at a glance
Best educational toys for 3 year olds
- Great for developing language skills: Tonies Toniebox, £79.95
- Great for problem solving: Connetix 212-piece Rainbow Mega Pack, £180
- Great for matching and sorting skills: Woody Treasures Cookie Time!, £15.99
- Great for sorting and categorising skills: Jacques of London Noah’s Ark, £29.99
Best imaginative play toys for 3 year olds
- Great for wannabe chefs: Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Busy Chef's Restaurant Playset, £16.99
- Great for imaginative play with a difference: Melissa & Doug Barber Shop Playset, £34.99
- Great for household role play: My 1st Years Personalised Kitchen and Washing Machine, £150
- Great for learning about where food comes from: Great Little Trading Company Play & Store Wooden Toy Farm, £75
- Great for playing shop: LeapFrog Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart, £59.99
- Great for repeat reveals: Little Live Pets – Mama Surprise, £50
- Great for food prep role play: Le Toy Van Blender and Wooden Toy Fruit Set, £34.75
- Great for cooking role play: Bee Smart My Baking Cookie Set with Glove, £27.92
- Great for problem-solving role play: Learning Resources Pretend & Play Doctor’s Kit, £34.99
Best character toys for 3 year olds
- Great for wow factor: Imaginext DC Super Friends Ultimate HQ Playset, £109.99
- Great for lights and action: Paw Patrol The Mighty Movie Skye’s Magic Movie Jet, £49.99
- Great for TV show role play: Peppa Pig’s Wooden Playhouse, £39.99
- Great for hugging close: Moose Toys Bluey Jumbo Plush, £19.99
Best transport toys for 3 year olds
- Great for fine motor skills: Le Toy Van construction cars, £29.95
- Great for imagination: The Adventures of Paddington Campervan, £29.99
- Great for train-based imaginative play: Thomas & Friends Talking Cranky Delivery Train Set, £44.99
- Great budget buy: Paw Patrol racers, from £6.60
Best outdoor toys for 3 year olds
- Great for balance skills: Hornit AIRO, £139
- Great for hand-eye co-ordination: Early Fun All-Surface Swingball, £22.99
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- Best educational toys for 3 year olds
- Best imaginative play toys for 3 year olds
- Best character toys for 3 year olds
- Best transport toys for 3 year olds
- Best outdoor toys for 3 year olds
What are the best toys for 3 year olds?
Additional writing and product selection by Gill Crawshaw
Best educational toys for 3 year olds
1. Tonies Toniebox, £79.95
– Great for developing language skills
Available at: Tonie, John Lewis and Argos
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L12cm x W12cm x H12cm | Batteries: Rechargeable, up to 7 hours of battery life | Awards: Gold – Best Tech Toy or Gadget, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
In the world of kids’ audio players, Tonies’ fantastic Toniebox is one of the best around. The screen-free speaker is perfect for both education and entertainment, with a range of features including volume limits and sleep timers available to give parents peace of mind.
The Toniebox is designed to be easy to use, with a soft casing around all the external components, and fun, if somewhat fiddly, controls that involve tapping and tiling the speaker. The standout feature though has to be the magnetic Tonies figures that provide the audio. With a library of audio from big brands like Disney and Horrible Histories, there is a Tonie for a wide range of interests. The fact that they are impressively detailed figures increases the play potential, giving them a life beyond the Toniesbox itself.
My daughter has only recently turned 3 so her language is still developing but she has been very excited about this toy and enjoys singing with the songs. She would also play with the little figurines and talk to them in her own language. It's definitely a toy that keeps giving in terms of entertainment and engagement.
2. Connetix 212-piece Rainbow Mega Pack, £180
– Great for problem solving
Available at: Connetix, Amazon and The Kid Collective
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L41cm x W31cm x H9cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Gold – Best educational/learning toy over £40, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Though they are expensive, these colourful construction tiles are an innovative and exciting way to play. The pieces come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes allowing for complex constructions while offering children great educational value for a range of ages by engaging problem solving and spatial awareness.
From counting the pieces and learning colours to finding the right piece for the particular build, there are an array of ways for children to improve their logical reasoning using the Connetix Rainbow pack. The strong magnets that connect each of the pieces allow for some impressive builds including towers and castles and, as an added bonus, the magnets make cleaning up easy and fun as the pieces stack up neatly.
3. Woody Treasures Cookie Time!, £15.99
– Great for matching and sorting skills
Available at: Amazon and Woody Treasures
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L14cm x W18cm x H5cm | Batteries: None
This brightly coloured wooden opens up to reveal cookies include 2 gingerbread men, wafers and heart-shaped jammy dodgers. It’s a nicely designed, durable toy that presents all sorts of play cooking and tea party possibilities.
I love these cookies. My teddies think they are amazing!
4. Jaques of London Noah's Ark, £29.99
– Great for sorting and categorising skills
Available at: Amazon and Jaques of London
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L16cm x W16cm x H25cm | Batteries: None
This wooden ark has 2 decks, portholes, a removable deck-and-roof and a fold-out ramp. It comes with figures of Noah, his wife and 7 pairs (of course) of animals. There are shape-sorter slots for 3 of the animals on one side of the boat and for the birds in the roof windows. It's a gorgeous take on a traditional toy (and it arrives beautifully packaged and hand-tied with ribbon). Made with 100% FSC-certified wood and painted with non-toxic paint.
Taran squealed in delight when he saw this. He instantly started singing The Animals Went in Two by Two and walking the animals over the drawbridge. He enjoyed putting the animals in pairs inside the ark and asked questions like, 'Why do the lions look different?', which sparked a good learning conversation.
Best imaginative play toys for 3 year olds
5. Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Busy Chef's Restaurant Playset, £16.99
— Great for wannabe chefs
Available at: Very and Smyths Toys
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for: 3+ | Size: L32cm x W34cm x H12cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Editor’s Choice, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Let your child's imagination run wild with this brilliant pretend-play kitchen. You use moulds, play-doh and imagination to create a feast of pretend food such as pizza, burgers, pasta and more. There are some really impressive interactive features too: the griddle automatically slides, and you can use the spatula to put food in the oven. Each piece is carefully designed to save on space (and plastic) but this small set still offers great play potential.
My daughter was able to be really creative, making up a whole plate of food, experimenting with different parts of the kitchen and really getting engrossed in her play.
6. Melissa & Doug Barber Shop Playset, £34.99
– Great for imaginative play with a difference
Available at: John Lewis and Smyths Toys
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: H13.05cm x W10.05cm x D2.75cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Silver – Best toy for role play/pretend play, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Anyone in need of a haircut? Step into the role of a barber or customer with this fun barber shop accessory playset, which even comes with a wearable fake beard. This is a great set for pre-schoolers who accompany parents for hair cut or beard trim, or those who like to role play real-life scenarios. It also caught the eye of retailer John Lewis, which tipped it as one of the top toys for Christmas 2023.
The set includes accessories for interactive play, including a soft-bristled brush, play scissors, textured pomade in a tub as well as a wearable beard with adjustable straps. The set has two pretend shaving options: traditional with squishy shaving cream and brush, or the more modern method with pump shaving cream can and vibrating trimmers.
The barbershop set is really fun to play with! I can cut my hair just like my daddy does!
7. My 1st Years Personalised Kitchen and Washing Machine, £150
– Great for household role play
Available at: My 1st Years
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: L90cm x W31.5cm x H74.5cm x | Batteries: None | Awards: Gold – Best Wooden Toy, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Make laundry day and dinner time a breeze with this pastel pink wooden toy kitchen, designed to encourage imaginative play. It features a hob and oven with removable shelf and clicking dials, also a trendy Belfast sink with mock tap and plug hole, and utensil shelves. To add to play, there is a washing machine with a see-though door with soap bubble details, plus utensils including a spatula, salt and pepper shakers and a pastel-design pan set. There is also a clock with moveable hands to help with time-telling. The kitchen can be personalised with a name or phrase.
She started to mimic the actions she has seen mummy do in the kitchen, such as cooking on the hob, popping pans in the oven, putting vests and bibs in the washing machine. The quality of the wood is excellent, very well crafted, and it looks expensive too.
8. Great Little Trading Company Play & Store Wooden Toy Farm, £75
– Great for learning about where food comes from
Available at: Great Little Trading Company
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: L27.4cm x W87.1cm x H35cm; when closed L27.4cm x W24.5cm x H24.5cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Silver – Best Wooden Toy, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
This wooden animal-themed toy set comes in a clever self-contained carry set. The hand-painted set is designed as a traditional farmhouse with a roof you can lift to take animals in and out. There is a working winch on which children can move hay bales up and down, along with a chicken coop, duck pond, pig sty and a cow barn with doors that can open and close. There is also a fruit and veg market stall.
The small world play potential is wonderful. A bonus for parents is that it all packs away easily and you can store everything inside the barn. It's a beautiful product and will certainly be pride of place on our toy shelf.
9. LeapFrog Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart, £59.99
– Great for playing shop
Available at: Amazon and The Entertainer
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: L22.4cm x W54.7cm x H67.6cm | Batteries: 3 x AA (included) | Awards: Gold – Best toy for role play/pretend play, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
This pizza cart has more than 30 pizza-themed pieces included. Keen chefs can play by taking hungry customer’s orders and then follow instructions to create customised slices of pizza with their chosen toppings. There is even an interactive spatula that recognises the pizza slice by name, colour, and shape. Once the food is constructed, it can be baked in the oven, placed in a takeaway pizza box, and then it's up to you to collect the money from the customer. The playset also plays fun sounds and songs, combining pretend play with preschool skills by teaching counting, vocabulary, and Italian phrases.
I like playing with it with grown ups and with my friends, it helps me learn new words and helps with my counting.
10. Little Live Pets – Mama Surprise, £64.99
– Great for repeat reveals
Available at: Argos and Amazon
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L20cm x W30cm x H29cm | Batteries: 6 xAAA (not included)
The bestselling Little Live Pets range has included many different sorts of interactive animal over the years but this little hamster is, in our view, one of their best yet. If you take her from her hutch and groom and stroke her and feed her (pretend) celery, she'll respond with cute noises. But there’s more – carry on with your hamster cuddling and a heart will start to glow on her chest to show that she is ready to have a baby. Then, you pop her back in the hutch, shut the doors and wait – for the first of 3 little arrivals, each with their own little 'care pack' of accessories.
The wait for the birth may be a little long for some children but, if you can't spin the 'There’ll be a baby in the morning' message, there is a 'faster birth' button that shortens the wait to about 10 minutes. And once all the babies are born, you can repeat the whole process again.
I like this toy – yes! She sings to me and she's very soft.
11. Le Toy Van Blender & Wooden Toy Fruit Set, £39.95
- Great for food pre role play
Available at: Le Toy Van and John Lewis
Age suitability: 2+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L11cm x 14cm x H21cm (blender) | Batteries: None
This little almost totally wooden set includes 6 sliceable pieces of fruit (2 bananas, 2 strawberries, an orange and a kiwi), a knife and 2 tumblers with removable toppings, as well as the pretend blender and lid. Your child can use the knife to slice down the fruits’ Velcro centres before putting them into the blender and pressing the button.
This is a perfect pretend play toy and I love it that it doesn't need lights, noise or any other electric component to be hugely enjoyable: it kept Freddie and his older sister busy for ages!
12. Bee Smart My Baking Cookie Set with Glove, £27.92
– Great for cooking role play
Available at: Amazon and Bee Smart
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L28cm x W35cm x H5cm | Batteries: None
This is a lovely-looking, well-thought-out wooden pretend-baking set – it even has a pastry brush! There are 20 pieces in total, including a mixing bowl, rolling pin, spatula, whisk, 3 cookie cutters, 5 cookies, 2 'breakable' eggs and an oven glove.
Evie-Rae and her older sister have spent ages baking each other cookies, It's keeping them so well occupied. I'm very pleased with this toy!
13. Learning Resources Pretend & Play Doctor's Kit, £34.99
– Great for problem-solving role play
Available at: Amazon and Learning Resources
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L37cm x W3cm x H23cm | Batteries: 2 x AAA for toy phone (not included)
This good-sized, sturdy doctor's kit is stuffed with 19 (plastic) medical 'instruments', including a stethoscope, syringe, blood-pressure cuff, tweezers, phone and a fetching blue pair of doctor's specs. It is pricey, to be sure, but it's also best set of ‘instruments’ we’ve seen. We love the interactive stethoscope that you press to hear a beating heart, and the blood pressure cuff with a red dial that moves. This is a great kit to encourage role play that's all about identifying and then solving (imaginary) problems.
Best character toys for 3 year olds
14. Imaginext DC Super Friends Ultimate HQ Playset, £109.99
– Great for wow factor
Age suitability: 3-8 years | Best for age: 3-8 years | Size: L40.64 x W18.88cm x H61.72cm | Batteries: 3 x AA (included) | Awards: Silver – Best playset over £70, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
This vibrant and colourful playset is perfect for DC superhero fans with its array of fun interactive play features. There are lights and sounds that activate depending on where the figures are positioned, as well as multiple included vehicles for Batman. The Batwing is a particular standout.
The handle at the back of the set can be used move the Batwing and activate the disc shooter. What really stood out during our testing was the scale of the set. It includes 4 floors, stands at an impressive 61cm tall and even includes a lift to move figures between the floors. However, we must note the baffling omission of Wonder Woman, a key member of the DC Justice League.
This is a big and impressive toy that definitely has an instant wow factor. Taran screeched with excitement when he first saw it! The Batwing was a big hit, as was the projectile launcher. It appears solid and well made.
15. Paw Patrol The Mighty Movie Skye’s Magic Movie Jet, £49.99
– Great for lights and action
Available at: Amazon, The Entertainer and Argos
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L45.72cm x W12.07cm x H35.56cm | Batteries: 3 AAA (included) | Awards: Silver – Best Toy Vehicle, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Zoom Skye around on rescue missions with Skye's Magic Movie Jet straight from Paw Patrol The Mighty Movie. This toy 360-degree rotating wings, two projectile launchers with projectiles, sound effects, movie music and synchronised flashing lights for playtime plane fun. Also included is a Skye figure and helmet with translucent sections, and if you click the character into the jet the paws will light up. The jet also opens, to allow for imaginative play with the Skye character.
I like when the bullets launch with the buttons. Skye's paws light up and I like the lights and sounds. I play with it lots and make it spin round and round and round!
16. Peppa Pig Wooden Playhouse, £79.99
– Great for TV show role play
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L25cm x W50cm x H65cm | Batteries: 5 x AG13/LR44 (included)
Made from FSC-certified wood, this open-fronted wooden house has 7 painted rooms and a hallway, all themed around the home of every small child's favourite cartoon pig. It comes with wooden Peppa and George figures and a selection of accessories and furniture including a bath, a light-up cooker and a bedside table that plays lullabies.
This is such a fantastic toy – well worth the money.
17. Moose Toys Bluey Jumbo Plush, £19.99
– Great for hugging close
Available at: Amazon and Argos
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L18cm x W21m x H46cm | Batteries: None
This big soft toy is made in velboa faux fur, in the shape of the popular CBeebies character Bluey. She's a great size for hugging, nicely stuffed and super-soft – ideal for snuggles with any little Bluey fan. She's a bit of an old school soft toy – no buttons to press or noises – but our child testers were all in raptures.
Bluey comes with us on most of our trips now. Arlo has her doing lots of different activities: playing in the garden, going for walks, even brushing her teeth. He also loves watching the show with her on his lap.
Best transport toys for 3 year olds
18. Le Toy Van construction cars, £29.95
– Great for fine motor skills
Available at: Amazon and Le Toy Van
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: L30.51cm x W21.69cm x H3.71cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Gold – Best Wooden Toy, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Is there a budding builder in your house? The Le Toy Van Construction Cars, a set of five wooden construction vehicles with fully functioning parts, will add hours of interactive fun to imaginative playtime. The colourful and traditionally designed plastic-free set includes five wheeled construction vehicles as well as three traffic cones and a road sign. The vehicles have moving parts including a lifting, extendable crane, scoop, roller, digger arm, and tip-up truck. Crafted from eco-friendly materials, this is a durable set designed for longevity.
We already have a few Le Toy Van items and the construction set did not disappoint. Beautifully designed and the construction toys are small enough to be easy to grip but chunky and weighty enough to know they’re good quality. The price is well worth what you receive.
19. The Adventures of Paddington Campervan, £29.99
– Great for imagination
Available at: Argos and Amazon
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: H13.8cm x W20cm x D11.2cm | Batteries: 2 AAA (not included) | Awards: Bronze – Best playset under £70, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Marmalade sandwich, anyone? This playset contains a Paddington figure and Bessie the Campervan, as seen in the Adventures of Paddington TV series. The campervan has a removable roof that allows for play inside the camper, and you can also fold the roof into a canopy for rainier days. The set comes with Paddington’s suitcase that contains a picnic cloth, toy cup of tea and marmalade sandwich. Bessie also plays two different sounds in Paddington's voice, as well as music from the TV show.
I like taking him on adventures in his campervan. He has little food which is nice for him to eat. I want to play with him all day.
20. Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Talking Cranky Delivery Train Set, £59.99
– Great for train-based imaginative play
Available at: Very, Amazon and John Lewis
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: 69.3cm x 132.7cm x 50.5cm | Batteries: None| Awards: Gold – Best Interactive Toy £40 and Over, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023
Bring Brendam Docks to life with this Thomas & Friends motorized train and track set that includes songs, railway sounds, and real character phrases from the Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! series. The set features three familiar characters from the show, including Cranky the Crane, a motorized Thomas engine and a Troublesome Truck. The set includes 14.5 feet of track, three pieces of cargo, as well as a child-powered hopper. In a move that will delight all fans of the show, the characters recognise and talk to each other on the tracks. There are also 325+ songs, sounds and phrases to soundtrack kids’ imaginative play.
My favourite part is Cranky, because he can pick up things with his claw. I want to keep playing with it and get another train track to make it bigger. I want to collect all the trains. It's my favourite toy.
21. Paw Patrol racers, from £6.60
– Great budget buy
Available at: Argos
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3 | Size: H19.05cm x W21.59cm x D9.53cm. | Batteries: None
Join the Paw Patrol on their latest mission with these mini racers. There are a huge range of characters available including Zuma, Rubble, Rocky, Marshall, Chase and Skye, each with their own iconic vehicle. The vehicles come with moving wheels, authentic detailing and moveable parts. Simply pick your child's favourite pup and away they roll.
He was very excited to see the characters. He started to call out their known phrases and tell me their colours. He began to race them but soon wanted to carry them around and put them in his garage
Best outdoor toys for 3 year olds
22. Hornit AIRO, £139
– Great for balance skills
Available at: Hornit and Amazon
Age suitability: 18 months to 5 years | Best for age: 3+ | Weight: 2.95kg | Max child weight: 30kg | Batteries: None
With its height-adjustable saddle and super-lightweight magnesium alloy frame, this sleek-looking balance bike with straight, grippy handlebars and air-filled tyres is smooth to ride and will last your child a good couple of years and hone their balancing and steering skills well before the big step up to a bike with pedals. It's not cheap but it's built to last (and hand down to siblings) and has some top-notch features, including a padded stem, grip-taped footrests and a lifetime warranty on the frame and forks.
The tyres are a good width and make the ride nice and smooth. Effie didn't seem to bounce around much at all when she went over bumps.
23. Early Fun All Surface Swingball, £22.99
– Great for hand-eye co-ordination
Available at: John Lewis, Argos and Amazon
Age suitability: 3+ | Best for age: 3+ | Size: L31cm x W39cm x H125cm | Batteries: None | Awards: Bronze, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2022
Yes, it's swingball for smaller people! The ball is bigger and softer (foam) and much easier to hit, and the bats are smaller and have nice grippy handles. We like the redesigned base, with balancing feet, which allows you to play on any surface, outdoors or in, and which also converts into a carry case to store the game in or take it with you. And the spinner really is as tangle-free as the packaging blurb promises.
You have to chase the ball and it's really funny! I love playing with it with all my family and it doesn't hurt Daddy when it bonks him on his head.
How to choose toys safely
- Look for the CE symbol as this is used by manufacturers to show the toy meets all the relevant regulatory requirements
- Also keep an eye out for the British Toy and Hobby Association's (BTHA) 'Lion Mark' – although this is a voluntary scheme, it means that the toy with this mark has met the BTHA's safety requirements
- Pay attention to the age suitability of the toy
- Avoid toys with loose fabric, hair that sheds easily or small parts that detach easily as these can be a choking hazard
- Check toys over time for sharp points or edges or signs of wear that are potentially dangerous
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