18 best gifts and toys for three-year-old girls and boys

If there’s one thing three-year-olds go crazy for, it’s ice cream, and the geniuses at Leapfrog have created the ultimate sweet treat with its toy ice cream cart. What this toy lacks in cool wooden Scandi aesthetics, it makes up for in colourful likeability, with more than 200 funny sounds, melodies and phrases, which had our tester hooked.

The ‘magic’ ice cream scoop recognised the colours and flavours being picked up and enabled our tester to serve up all sorts of combinations. With a variety of ‘flavours’ in different colours, little ones can also add sprinkles, sauce, whipped cream and syrups.

We love the discreet learning elements, as children will develop colour recognition, numbers, patterns and matching as they follow order cards to build ice cream combinations for six animal customers.

It’s worth noting you’ll need 3 AA batteries, which aren’t included.

Made from FSC-certified wood, this imaginative and educational toy will keep young ones occupied for hours on end. This garage has everything motor fans could need, built using a multi-level with two spiral ramps made from composite wood and a working lift set which transports the vehicles through the three levels. There’s also a petrol pump to refuel the included car and helicopter, and helipad for necessary landings.

We love how this set encourages little ones’ imaginations, alongside developing skills such as dexterity and fine motor skills. But what impressed us the most is the quality, crafted using durable wood from sustainable sources and decorated using child-safe paint, it’s sure to stand the test of time… if our tester is ever willing to share it with anyone else.

This activity toy from EDX Education is certainly unique. Promoting healthy active play both indoors and out, it’s effectively a park roundabout to be used at home. A sturdy base with swivelling platform, our active three-year-old took no persuading to hop on the whizzy dizzy. By pushing and pulling the rotating steering wheel our little tester spun around much to her delight. Not only does it provide an upper body workout, it develops hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills, too.

Our young tester soon took control of the steering, speeding up and slowing down as she played, and looking rather chuffed with her efforts. Brilliantly sturdy, it encourages independent play and will certainly keep active young ones coming back for more. Handling up to 45kg, we see it getting years of use and being a go-to garden toy.

If you’re trying to steer your young ones away from screen time but want a gadget that’s going to be deemed worthy of your three-year-old’s attention, we believe we’ve found the answer with Tonies. The toniebox device is a child-friendly audio player that is geared towards independent play for pre-school children.

In the starter set you’ll get a toniebox, a creative-tonie, which has 90 minutes of space for you to upload online audiobooks, music or even recordings of your own stories and messages, and a charging dock. Encouraging a love of audio learning and reading, our tester enjoyed adjusting the volume using the rubber ears, swapping stories by placing the Tonie figurines on top of the cube, but most of all she just loved listening to Chase’s adventures (of Paw Patrol fame) with four different tales to listen to.

If you’re looking to encourage sleep (and who’s not), the brand just launched its sleepy sheep night light Tonie (£34.99, Tonies.com), which operates in the same way as any other Tonie character, but produces a warm glow plus 90 minutes of sweet melodies, plus you can record and play a personalised goodnight message.

We were impressed by the vast offering of stories to choose from, including the hugely popular Peppa Pig and The Gruffalo, and even Disney classics. But at £14.99 a pop, we’d suggest going for their favourite character to garner the most interest. It’s also worth bearing in mind, though, that you will need to connect to wifi initially, but once you’ve placed on the tonie, the story is downloaded and ready for story-time action.

Before the big birthday arrives, we’d suggest planning ahead and assembling this toy kitchen, as it took us an hour to put everything together, but it was worth it to see our tester interact with it. A toy kitchen has almost become a house essential when there’s a pre-schooler inhabitant, as it is the pinnacle imaginative role-play toy.

This charming option has got everything budding chefs could wish for and more, complete with three clicking rotating oven knobs – a favourite feature for our tester – two hobs, a Butler-style sink with taps, and some cooking utensils. In fact, we found this toy kitchen went the extra mile, providing plates, a kettle, a tea towel, and even a baguette and baking tray to pop in the oven.

We love the sustainable materials used, which go towards meriting the price tag, as it’s made from rubber wood and plywood, which shows in the quality of this product. While this toy kitchen can hold its own against heavy-handed mini chefs, we’re dubious about the longevity of use, because it’s rather dinky, measuring just 65cm tall, meaning our chef spent a lot of time kneeling on the floor instead.

You can always rely on Smart Games – which has been creating educational toys for more than 25 years – to come up trumps on some fun, independent learning. Turning three is a great time to put little minds to the test, and our little reviewer loved getting creative and making her own colourful crazy robot combinations. New from the brand is the genius extendable flexible bar pieces, magnetic at each end, simply stretch out and connect to make weird and wonderful arms, bendy bodies, or extensions for googly eyes.

Develop fine motor skills and colour and shape recognition, as mini builders work their way through the included poster, which provides robot designs to copy. This 12-piece set can be combined with all other SmartMax sets, so that’s the next present sorted too.

Kids can channel their inner hairdresser with this creative set from French toymaker Djeco. The concept is super simple, and somewhat addictive in its therapeutic nature, as you push the dough through the holes at the top of the figures’ heads to mimic hair. Our stylist enjoyed creating various hair styles, with a penchant for chopping at her peril.

You’ll get two pots of dough (one yellow, one orange), two head figurines and matching pushers, and a pair of child-friendly scissors. A fun, yet creative way to develop fine motor skills… while a future career path may be questionable, the enjoyment is undeniable.

Playing this with our three-year-old tester felt pleasingly nostalgic as the magnetic rod caught its next object. While this may be a classic game, it’s safe to say it’s had a makeover since our day, and this version from Nordic brand Liewood is a lovely example.

Beautifully presented and made from 100 per cent beechwood, this set comes with eight animal faces, in a variety of pink and brown hues, all tactile to the touch. The magnetism was magical for our little tester, and while incredibly straightforward it’s entertaining and a classic toy you’ll want to pass down the generations.

From Ladybird’s best-selling bedtime series, Ten Minutes To Bed Where’s Little Unicorn, is a gift for both three year olds and their parents as it helps with the taxing bedtime routine. A magical lift-the-flap book, our little bookworm loved discovering what character was hiding under the flap. At the end of the story, they reach a magical rainbow where readers will find Twinkle the unicorn tucked up ready for bed, which should encourage readers to follow suit. While we can’t promise a full night’s sleep, we’re sure it’ll be a bedtime favourite.

Bluey has become a household name across the globe. But perhaps unlike most animations, the series is not only loved by kids but parents, too. Our Bluey fanatic was over the moon to be dancing along with her favourite character.

Known for her awesome moves, little one’s can wiggle along as she hops on one leg, dances, and waves her arms in the air. There are over 50 phrases, which keeps it exciting, and four songs, plus there are three of her favourite games to play ­– statues, dance mode and copycat, which all kept our mini tester occupied. Batteries are included, so you play can start straightaway – a real bonus.

A one-stop-online accessories shop for girls, Stych is full of shiny and bright wonderment, with some fabulous gift finds. If you’re looking to gift a practical present but want it to leave a lasting impression, say hello to the pointelle pink smile pyjamas gift bag.

Beyond your run-of-the-mill kids’ pyjamas, these have been lovingly crafted using an organic cotton blend – we love the pastel pink with neon cuffs, and our little tester took no convincing to don the super soft teddy-ear towelling headband. Presented in a reusable cotton gift bag, it makes a practical yet pretty present.

Inspiring imaginative play, the Lilliputiens Little Red Riding Hood Magnetic Theatre is such a sweet and well-thought-out creation. If your enthusiastic pre-schooler loves “putting on a show”, this is just the ticket. Kids can create their own theatre production of Little Red Riding Hood, using the four characters included: Little Red Riding Hood, Grandmother, the wolf and the hunter.

The compact box magically transforms into a theatre, as the characters come to life on the podium with the help of the two magnetic wooden sticks, which are poked through the back of the stage.

Our tester loved gliding the characters along the stage, and making her own (somewhat convoluted) adaptation. There are reversible scenes to assist the storyline, and the beautifully illustrated scenery, means this looks lovely out on display.

Baby and children’s brand Mori has pulled at our heart strings, with an adorable new collaboration with the much-loved world of Peter Rabbit.

While gifting a toddler a pair of pyjamas may seem a lacklustre present, our tester loved spotting the mischievous rabbit, who blends beautifully with an enchanting all-over botanical print.

The pyjamas have been crafted using Mori’s signature super-soft blend of organic cotton, and our tester took no convincing when it was time to get ready for bed.

While 1,000-piece puzzles may be a way off yet, curious toddlers love making sense of objects and thrive off problem solving, making the humble puzzle a fabulous gift idea. And they don’t get much better than this example from Danish family interiors brand Oyoy Living.

With large pieces, this sweet jigsaw illustrates the whole world, and its many wonderful wild animal inhabitants. Parents will appreciate the calming muted colours, too. Our tester loved that it forms a circle, and it comes in a handy decorative storage box with a handle, which makes the clean-up a game in itself.

Not only will a tepee become a standout feature of a child’s bedroom or playroom, it will also enable young imaginations to run wild, and we’re here for that. At just shy of £100, this is a considered gift for a three-year-old but, given the hours of play generated, we think it’s worth the wonga.

The design of this tepee is understated, coming in grey or cream colourways, with a stylish scalloped entrance. This means it’s unlikely to be out of date in six months’ time when your child no longer likes spaceships or unicorns, for example. The five wooden poles provide a sturdy structure, and allow for plenty of playing room inside for a few small children.

Our little tester loves nothing more than gathering all of her soft toys for a tepee party, but equally it makes for a serene space for bedtime reading. We also love how easy it is to assemble and take down, and it comes with a handy cotton travel bag.

Another great option from one-stop online accessories shop Stych is this rainbow heritage-print hair gift set, which is not only useful but utterly adorable, too.

Created using Stych’s in-house-designed print, the bow headband makes for great partywear (perfect if you’re facing a deluge of third-birthday parties), while the matching bow scrunchie will get plenty of use. Presented in a reusable cotton gift bag, it makes a practical yet pretty present.

A sweet take on the classic stilt, this gift will provide plenty of giggles. Our tester took no time in making herself taller and clowning around the house – simple, old-fashioned fun. The stilts are made from FSC-certified wood, and the bottom of the feet (or paws) feature anti-slip pads, which are great for solid surfaces.

The bear faces are adorable, but we also love that the stilts grow with your child, thanks to adjustable rope handles, so you’ll certainly get a few years of use out of them. Plus, the sweet wooden design looks nice on the shelf when playtime’s over.

Turning three often means little ones are on the move much more, and many parents might be looking at purchasing their child’s first scooter.

We just love the detailing of this three-wheeled option from Banwood. Coming with a gorgeous wicker basket, it provides all the childhood nostalgic feels, but it’s also a pleasure to ride.

As this is a lean-and-steer scooter, it’s a natural process for little ones when learning the ropes. When scooting commences, it’s comforting to know our pre-schooler is honing in on her coordination, balance, and fine motor skills while getting from A to B.

Sturdy and stylish, the scooter’s handlebar can be adjusted to three different levels as your little one grows (up to 80cm), so there’s longevity in the design, too. We also found the rubber grips provided a firm hold, while the wide anti-slip foot deck with footbrake helped build our tester’s confidence.

Not quite sold on this design? Check out our full round-up of kids scooters