Third Birthday Guide
The first birthday is where your baby became a toddler, the second birthday you feel like they’re a little kid, and by the third birthday - they feel like they are all grown up! They are learning and developing new skills every day, and developing more independence! We put together this awesome Third Birthday Guide so there is something for every toddler to learn and play with as they grow! Check it out!
Lalo Booster: My favorite for at home, and it’s easy to take on the go too! My favorite part is the ease of cleaning! Not a lot of places that food can hide, and it’s extremely durable. “EATPLAYSAY” saves 10%
Olababy 9 oz Straw Cup: You all know this is my all time favorite cup! But did you know it comes in a 9 oz version for toddlers?! I love that it’s made from silicone, has a straw stopper so your little one can’t pull the straw out, has a weighted bottom so it’s harder to knock over, is a great size for little hands, and doubles as an open cup. These are great for offering smoothies because there are only 3 pieces to the cup, so super easy to clean!
Munchkin Utensils: This stainless steel utensil set is perfect for little hands. They wash well, and are a great transition set when your little one is ready to move off of silicone utensils! I recommend using 18 months and older.
Elk & Friends Stainless Straw Cup: Older toddler calls for a wider straw! Around the first birthday, baby was learning how to drink, so a skinnier straw was preferable. Now as a seasoned drinker and toddler, a thicker straw for milk, smoothies, and water is good! These stainless steel cups are easy to clean and also come with sealable lids- so you can use them as storage, or as an on-the-go container!
Weesprout Stainless Bento Box: No plastic, no problem! The interior stainless steel on these traveling boxes are great! The outer silicone makes them easy to hold, so these are perfect for daycare, a picnic, or even just for eating at home!
Klean Kanteen Cup: My new favorite stainless steel and silicone cup for older toddlers! The cap twists to close making it spill proof and the design is easy to clean. It requires some good fine motor skills for littles to open and close by themselves so it’s best for about 2.5 years and older. It’s also 12 ounces so a good cup for toddlers and preschoolers who drink lots of water throughout the day! Sometimes the smaller bottles just aren’t enough.
Elk & Friends Stainless Utensils: Silicone and stainless steel, these utensils are great quality and come in so many fun color combinations.
Owala Straw Cup: I tested this cup out and it passes my test for age 2+! It’s stainless steel and insulated, travels well (read: spill-proof straw), and comes in fun, bright colors!
Spinning Snack Dispenser: This one is so much fun for travel and even for daily use! It’s a great way to offer choices for your toddler and take foods on the go. If your little one is in a food rut, try to spice it up with a snack spinner- a little change can really help!
Elk & Friends Porcelain Plates: I love this brand for making tableware that is safe for kids! These plates are porcelain so no leaching and easy to clean, but they come with a silicone backing for extra protection (and to help grip to the table!) There are 2 sizes of plates to choose from and many color combos!
Lalo Big Bites Kit: This kit has everything you need. Made with food-grade silicone and stainless steel, you get the mealtime cup, plate, bowl, fork, spoon, placemat, and a set of chopsticks! Paul still uses this set and Jenna’s son has one, too! I love the new honey color! Code “EATPLAYSAY” saves 10%.
Shovels: What toddler doesn’t love to dig? They can dig until their heart’s content with these wooden, kid-sized shovels in the most aesthetically pleasing colors!
Sidewalk Chalk: Embrace your child’s creative side with this ultimate chalk collection, which includes special colors and glitter chalk! Design outdoor games, draw your favorite characters, or even practice writing numbers and letters.
T-Ball Set: Heyyy batter batter! This toy is a great introduction to baseball! Model words like swing, hit, strike, ball and of course, home run! Take turns batting and catching with your toddler to show them both roles.
Bubble Leaf Blower: Laura’s boys have this and love it! Your toddler can pretend to blow leaves and grass all while blowing bubbles.
Reusable Water Balloons: These water balloons are so much fun, plus there’s no mess and they’re not harmful to the environment! Work in concepts as you play such as, “who can throw it higher?” and “I’m going to make the biggest splat!”
Gardening Tools: Little ones love to help, so encourage them to get dirty in the planting beds with their own set of gardening tools. Talk about what each tool is used for and model action words related to gardening (e.g., “scoop,” “dig,” “rake”).
Little Tikes Cozy Pumper: The must-have accessory with any outdoor car or bike! Now your little one can pretend to pump gas, complete with buttons and realistic sounds. Talk through the steps of pumping gas to work on a sequential narrative.
Little Tikes Basketball Hoop: Fulfill your 3 year-old’s inner hoop dreams with this durable, adjustable basketball hoop! Use indoors or out to practice those 3-pointers, dunks, and lay-ups, all while teaching new vocabulary and developing gross motor skills.
Kite: This kite is easy to fly and perfect for beginners! Break it out on those extra windy days and talk about how kites fly because they catch the wind!
Sand & Water Table: This is the perfect outdoor table because it has separate parts for sand, water, kinetic sand, beans, soil, or anything else! The umbrella provides extra shade for those super sunny days. Sensory activities are perfect for open-ended play and provide hours of fun!
John Deere Weed Trimmer: Just like grown-ups! Mow the grass and then don’t forget to trim the edges. The pretend plastic blade spins and it makes realistic start-up sounds.
Construction Paper: A must have for any craft closet! Use it to make cards, puppets, paper chains, or anything else your preschooler can dream up.
Aqua Art: This paint with water reusable book would be perfect to throw into a bag for traveling, restaurants, doctor visits, or a plane ride! Use the included brush to reveal the image with just water! Leave the book open to dry so that you can use it again and again.
Do-a-Dot Ice Cream Set: There’s something about scented markers that just makes art that much more fun! These dot markers smell like ice cream. Take turns asking what each marker smells like, brainstorm different ice cream toppings, and create your favorite ice cream sundae out of dots!
Training Scissors: By the time a child is 3, they are learning how to hold scissors properly, move them up and down, and snip paper. These training scissors have an easy to grip handle and a special spring to help preschoolers learn how to cut. They are sharp enough but not too sharp since they have a blunt tip.
Mess-Free Fingerprint Activity Book: This is a NO MESS activity, which means you can sip your coffee while your preschooler does it without worrying about paint ending up in places it shouldn’t be. Plus, your child’s picture will have their little fingerprints on it, so it makes a great keepsake once they’re finished!
Scribble Scrubbies: This is Laura’s go-to 3 year-old birthday gift. Everyone loves these felt animals that you color on with the markers. “Wash” off the animals in the bathtub and shower sprayer to make them clean again!
Stamp Set: Take stamping to the next level with this deluxe stamp set. Work on categorizing the animals based on where they live (e.g., the ocean, zoo, farm) as you create your picture!
My First Pencil: These first pencils are a triangular shape to encourage a more natural grip and a shorter size for smaller hands. Practice holding a pencil the correct way and pencil control by drawing shapes and tracing lines at this age.
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Coloring Books: Melissa & Doug makes the best coloring pads! The pads themselves are large and filled with dark-outlined pictures to color. It may be just as fun for you as it is for your child!
Paint a Birdhouse: Comes fully assembled, so you don’t have to worry about using tools and making it yourself. Your toddler can decorate using included paint, and help to find a special spot outside to welcome a bird family!
Chunkies Paint Sticks: These paint sticks color super smooth and are so vibrant. The thicker barrels make it easy for your preschooler to hold onto them. Experiment with mixing colors and talk about what new color you’ll make!
Truck Builder Kit: Laura’s boys love this toy! You can take the parts off and put them back on. It has lights and real engine sounds! You can pretend to check the oil, beep the horn, shift gears, etc.
Melissa & Doug Vehicles & Traffic Signs: These little wooden vehicles and traffic signs fit perfectly with train tracks or any other road pieces that you may have. Your preschooler can work on fine motor skills as they maneuver cars along the track. Talk about what each traffic sign means, as well as the shape and color of it!
Police SUV: Is it loud? Yes. Is it obnoxious? Maybe. But kids love it! This police car has lights, makes sounds, and is motorized so that it can catch up to the speediest of cars!
Magnetic Vehicles Set: These vehicles are so much fun and encourage creativity! Laura’s boys have three sets of them and love to make crazy vehicles. The pieces are magnetic and are easy to snap together and take apart.
Build-a-Tractor Toy: If your toddler loves tools and tractors, this one is for them! This take-apart tractor has a working drill and several bolts for your preschooler to screw in. Laura’s boys have this and both used it around 3 years old and could do it fairly independently!
Road Tape: Short on space for one million pieces of road or car tracks? Try road tape! It is easily removable and you can create all sorts of roads, highways, and racetracks.
Wooden Ice Cream Truck: Serve up some tasty treats with this wooden ice cream truck. The ice cream cones have magnetic pieces so that you can mix-and-match to make the perfect combination. Role-play selling ice cream and see if your 3-year old can remember your order.
DUPLO Cars: Inspired by the movie Cars, your preschooler will love building Lightning McQueen and Mater and then playing car wash! DUPLOS are a great first introduction to Legos at this age.
Play-Doh Tow Truck: Use the included molds to make a police car or a race car! Hook up the cars to the tow truck and tow them to the shop to make repairs. Squishing play-doh is a great way to work on strengthening little hands and fingers.
DUPLO Construction Set: This one’s for all the digger lovers! Build your own dump truck and toy excavator that can crack into a boulder that actually opens up! DUPLOS work on building skills, following directions and fine motor.
Recycling Truck: What toddler isn’t obsessed with garbage and recycling trucks? Now they can practice collecting their own recycling and driving it to the recycling center with this sturdy truck. Pair it with a book about garbage trucks and your gift is complete!
Wooden Fire House: This is such a fun toy that encourages hours of pretend play! It comes with bendable firemen, furniture, a fire truck and an emergency helicopter. The doors to the station open and your toddler can ring the bell at the top when there’s a fire!
Little Tikes Self Checkout: This toy is so versatile! Set up a pretend grocery store, clothing store, or hardware store using items you have around the house. The cash register makes realistic beeping sounds and what child doesn’t love using a scanner!
Laundry Basket Set: Doing the laundry is such a great way to practice language, and now your toddler has their own set to use! Find a few boxes and make your own washer and dryer! Talk about the steps of doing laundry (e.g., “First, we wash the clothes in the washer. Next, we put them in the dryer.”) and why we do each part.
Diner Food Play Set: Order up breakfast, lunch or dinner with this high-quality and reversible wooden food set! It comes with a menu, an apron, and even a working bell to get your server’s attention. See if your child can take your order and then fill it accurately!
Role Play Construction Outfit: Everything your digger-obsessed child needs to do their own roadwork or construction! Talk about what tools a construction worker uses and the function of each as you add them to the vest! Extend this activity further by “building” something out of cardboard boxes, pretend cardboard bricks, or even real wood!
Slice & Stack Sandwich Maker: Would you like lettuce or tomato? This sandwich making counter is perfect for following directions, asking questions, and practicing ordering!
Melissa & Doug Barber Shop Set: Set up your own barber shop and take turns being the customer and the barber! This toy would be great if your child is also hesitant about getting his or her hair cut, since you’d be able to role play what will happen before you go to help calm any fears.
Makeup Toy Set: Channel your child’s inner-diva with this wooden hair and makeup set! Set up a pretend salon and enjoy some pampering from your three year-old stylist.
Role Play Doctor Outfit: This set is perfect for any child who is hesitant about doctor visits. Practicing what will happen at the doctor before going helps to calm any fears!
Pretend Play Fishing Set: Every little angler needs their own tackle box and fishing vest! This fishing kit comes with pretend worms and three sizes of fish that are magnetic, so it’s perfect for talking about size comparisons. See who can catch the biggest fish!
Work From Home Play Set: Now your child can pretend to work from home just like you! This set comes with a clickable keyboard, pop-it calculator, and of course your favorite hot beverage!
My Own Mailbox: Sending cards and letters is quickly becoming a thing of the past - but it doesn’t have to be! Teach your child all about letter-writing with their very own mailbox. Show them where the stamp would go, practice reciting your address, and then write a real letter and put it in the mailbox!
Garden Cart: This adorable little garden cart is both a planter and a wheelbarrow in one! Talk about how flowers grow by planting your own seeds in the removable tray. Don’t forget to add water and plenty of sunshine!
Pouch Puzzle: This puzzle comes in a handy pouch, which makes it great for travel. Practice labeling the zoo animals while developing visual-spatial and fine motor skills!
DUPLO Animal Farm: DUPLOs are great for working on fine motor skills and following directions! You can talk about and re-enact what farmers do on the farm: feeding horses, milking cows, and even cleaning up poop!
Jumbo Ocean Animals: Large and realistic ocean animals will be a favorite for any child and encourage open-ended play. Combine with a set of Magna-Tiles or building blocks to “build your own” coral reef or aquarium. Teach simple facts about these animals using the included activity booklet!
Magna-Tiles Arctic Animals: Go on a frozen adventure with this set from the arctic! Pretend that penguins are waddling on the ice, spot whales swimming offshore, and have a polar bear catch a fish!
Melissa & Doug Horse Trailer: This wooden horse trailer and velvety soft horses are perfect for any horse-lover! Pretend to take your horses to a horse show or riding lessons by loading them into the trailer and driving them around.
Melissa & Doug Folding Barn: The perfect toy to pair with your trips to the farm! This barn opens for play with the included farm animals and closes for easy storage. It also has a handle, which makes it extra portable!
Safari Animal Set: These high-quality and realistic looking wild animals would be perfect for setting up a safari, building a zoo, or wild animal park. Combine with another set of animals to sort into categories (e.g., wild versus ocean animals) or play a game where you describe the features of the animals to see if your child can guess which one you’re talking about!
Melissa & Doug Pet Vet Set: This pretend play vet set teaches your child to care for animals! Use the included doctor tools to give your pet a check-up, bandage any boo-boos, and it even includes a cone to prevent licking!
Critter Clinic: This adorable hospital “on-the-go” encourages hours of pretend veterinarian play. Kids will love using the keys to unlock each door, plus it works on color/shape recognition and fine motor skills!
Vet Center Hospital Play Set: Oh no, kitty hurt her paw! This vet center does it all and is perfect for storytelling since it has multiple features like a scale and x-ray machine.
Magna-Tiles Farm Animal Set: Build your own farm from Magna-tiles! This set would be a perfect addition to any larger Magna-tiles set and comes with magnetic farm animals, fences, and food.
Fine Motor Tool Set: These tweezers and scoopers are perfect for any sensory table! Work on hand strength while picking up pretend bugs, beans, cotton balls, or anything else!
Busy Board: Practice tying knots, zippers, buttons, and more with this busy board. Teaching these skills increases independence with dressing from an early age!
Wooden Geoboard: Work on fine motor skills while making pictures out of colored rubber bands! Use the included photos, form letters, or make a picture of your own!
Scissor Skills: Such a fun book for little ones learning how to use scissors! Laura’s boys have this and love the pages where you make cuts to give people crazy hair or follow the lines made by a car.
Crocodile Chopsticks: These fun chopsticks not only work on hand strength and coordination, but make mealtime more exciting! Great for picky eaters since it adds an element of novelty to the meal and you can also pretend to feed the crocodile!
Triangular Crayons: The perfect shaped crayon for little hands! The triangular shape encourages a proper grip and won’t roll off the table!
Melissa & Doug Lacing Beads: Lacing is another way to develop hand muscles and more precise finger movements. Work on lacing beads into patterns or make a fun necklace!
Montessori Vehicle Locks: Kids love keys! Your little one will have fun developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills by using keys to unlock these colorful cars.
Doodle Board: Doodle boards are portable and mess-free, which makes them perfect to take in the car, to restaurants, or to appointments. Children can draw pictures or practice printing and then erase with the press of a button!
Folding Brush & Comb: This is a great age to keep practicing independence with dressing and grooming. This dinosaur shaped comb makes getting ready in the morning FUN!
Under the Sea Wooden Puzzle: Puzzles are great for working on fine motor and hand-eye coordination. Talk your child through the steps of working a puzzle, teach them persistence if they don’t find the right piece on the first try, and foster problem-solving skills!
Learning Resources Counting Surprise Party: There’s something about presents that makes them SO fun to open! Your kiddo will love working on counting, sorting, and describing as they open these mini presents to reveal a tiny toy inside!
Ride-On SUV: Your little one will love pretending to drive in this ride-on truck! The play opportunities are endless: pretend to drive to the grocery store or to Target, be a police officer, or draw a road and stoplight with sidewalk chalk and practice driving on the road!
Tonie Box: The perfect “no screen” option for little ones, Tonie boxes play your child’s favorite stories in an easy-to-operate audio player. Listening to stories read aloud strengthens your child’s attention, listening and comprehension skills! All the EPS team’s toddlers have Tonie boxes and LOVE them.
Melissa & Doug Star Diner: Laura’s boys LOVE this diner and play with it all the time! It is two-sided with a kitchen on one side and the dining area on the other, which makes role play even more fun!
Little Tikes Backyard Car Wash: Beat the heat of the summer with an inflatable “kid” car wash! Make it a real car wash by bringing outdoor cars and trucks inside with a little dish soap to make real bubbles!
Plasma Car: This car moves by turning the steering wheel and helps to develop your child’s coordination, balance, and gross motor skills! This car is a favorite on Laura’s court!
Safari Truck Climber: The ultimate backyard climber! It will get the wiggles out while also being a vehicle for pretend play…watch out for that elephant!
LED Mini Scooter: Hands down the best scooter for toddlers. Laura has two of these and you can’t beat the smoothness and quality of them!
Mini Acoustic Guitar: Any budding musician will love this mini, but fully operational guitar! With only three strings, your child can learn how to strum and play notes. It is the perfect introduction to guitar-playing, and Laura’s oldest son has been interested in guitar ever since getting this.
Hape Dollhouse: Paul has this and loves it! It’s awesome for imaginative play and comes fully furnished!
Strider Bike: Practice balancing and steering to get the feel of riding a bike, which makes transitioning to a pedal bike easier. Laura’s boys both learned how to ride a two-wheeler using this bike - no training wheels necessary!
Play ‘n’ Store Table: This table has two separate areas for building, plus included storage bins underneath! It also comes with 200 bricks to let your little one’s imagination run wild.
MAGNA-TILES: Magna-tiles inspire hours of creative building fun since you can make anything you can dream up! They are a most-played-with toy at Laura’s house and are always being built into garages, homes, aquariums…the list goes on!
Animal Sticker Book: You know I love a good sticker book that keeps hands busy (especially in places like a restaurant, church, or doctor’s office!) This book comes with over 150 stickers for hours of fun.
I’m a Dirty Dinosaur: This is a traditional book with pages, but they have a coating on them that makes it almost impossible to rip! So, for littles who are transitioning to paper books, this is a great one to start with! Imitate the movements and repetitive nature of the book for a lot of fun!
Time to Brush: Love this reusable sticker book (just wet the pieces if they stop sticking and let them dry- they will stick great again!) And I love that it talks about a routine that littles might not love, so it can help teethbrushing go much better!
It’s Time To…Fix It!: This super cute book has sliders, flaps, and more! Your little one will fix items that are broken with some simple lifts and slides. Paul got this for Christmas (2.5 years) and he is obsessed! The Bake It version is also a fan fave!
Beast Feast: Littles who are ready to transition to a book with paper pages instead of a board book can make the jump with Beast Feast. It still has flaps to open and fun pictures, and the story is really cute!
My First Tag Puzzle - Farm: A puzzle and a book all in one! This book will motivate littles to find the matching puzzle piece and put it in! Read this and then play with farm animals as a way to make a thematic play scheme.
Scaredy Cat: Big emotions happen in toddlerhood and this book explains feeling scared and how it’s ok! Each page breaks down why the cat is scared and how he can feel better.
Shine-a-light - On the Space Station: Grab a flashlight! Shine it on the pages of the book to see things you can’t see without it! It’s a cool book that brings a toy-like feel to it! There a several other in the series that you can grab!
First Pen Control: If your little one is into arts and crafts, this book is for you! Use the pen in the book and just wipe it clean to start all over!
Lift and Look - Construction Sites: A bigger book with more intricate flaps, this is perfect for a toddler obsessed with construction vehicles. They will grow into this book as it provides a lot of specific information about different construction vehicles! This book is apart of a larger series (Space, Ocean) for littles with other interests, too!
Lift and Look Spiky Dinosaur: This fun lift-the-flap book lets your little one on an adventure with the spiky dinosaur! It has fun textures and cut outs too to keep your little one motivated to see what’s next!
Picnic Day - Sort & Play: These felt piece books are my favorite! The felt pieces make this book interactive and more like a game - make your own picnic scenes and talk about what’s to “eat.”
We hope you enjoyed these fun and functional toy recommendations (and ways to play!) for 3-year olds! Check out my Amazon Storefront for all kinds of recommendations for you and your little one, all organized by age!
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