15 Perfect Gifts For Three-Year-Olds

The three-year-old, all the fury of the two-year-old, only smarter. They can do more, understand more, and tell better jokes this year. Here are 15 perfect gifts that will feed into their innate sense of discovery and fun.

| Posted: 04 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

1-15 of 15

• Design and Drill

  

  Gets them a head start on dismantling the coffee table.

  $37 at Amazon | Buy

  

  | Posted 04 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Wooden Stencils Kit

  

  They won’t believe they can draw a house, and it looks like a house.

  $13 at Hearthsong | Buy

  

  | Posted 04 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Wooden Pretend Tool Box

  

  You’re raising a smart kid, a kid who can fix things.

  $29 at Land of Nod | Buy

  

  | Posted 03 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Animal Memo Matching Game

  

  Your kid will beat you every time, and you won’t be letting him. Your brain is getting old.

  $24 at giggle | Buy

  

  | Posted 03 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Wood Sword and Shield

  

  Dress up a little guy can get behind.

  $15 at Warm Biscuit Bedding Co. | Buy

  

  | Posted 03 Nov, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Rocket Playhouse

  

  In this fickle stage of potty training, maybe don’t mention astronauts wear diapers in space.

  $78 at giggle | Buy

  

  | Posted 31 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Wood Play Car Garage

  

  They can drive their little cars around looking for a place to park and curse the guy who parked his Hummer on an angle.

  $80 at Moolka Toys | Buy

  

  | Posted 31 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• SAMi 4 Face Puzzle

  

  $20 at FAO Schwartz | Buy

  

  | Posted 30 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Hydraulic Excavator

  

  So detailed, they’ll be able to imagine themselves digging up the yard.

  $17 at Amazon | Buy

  

  | Posted 30 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Kid’s Wheelbarrow

  

  Harness the energy and put them to work in the garden.

  $30 at Amazon | Buy

  

  | Posted 30 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Activity School Bus

  

  Lets them role play what it will be like in Kindergarten. I can’t wait to see how he tackles physics.

  $38 at MOMA Store | Buy

  

  | Posted 29 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Wooden Walker

  

  The kind of mind-blowing thing that will enthrall your kid and all her friends.

  $35 at Romp | Buy

  

  | Posted 29 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Fun Stacker

  

  $20 at Moolka Toys | Buy

  

  | Posted 28 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Cash Register

  

  Credit or debit? They’ll marvel at this thing we call “Cash”.

  $46 at Romp | Buy

  

  | Posted 28 Oct, 2008 by Melissa Summers

• Zingo

  

  After too many hours of prolonged board games, Zingo is a refreshing fast-paced alternative. It’s a lot like bingo. Watch the tiles for a match on your playing card, and call it out. Once you have all your images matched, yell “Zingo!”. Best of all, kids who can read can still play with kids who don’t.

  $15 at Amazon | Buy

  

  | Posted 23 Jan, 2008 by Melissa Summers