Best Gifts for 3 Year Old Girls | Little Actor Threes

Do you need some ideas for perfect gifts for 3 year old girls or boys?  We have some great gift ideas for you.
Three year olds are little actors and love role playing.  They can pretend to be a teacher, a doctor, an astronaut, or even a mommy.  They love to dress-up and wear funny hats.  They like to pretend and use their imagination.  They are more in control of their bodies now.  Some are shy and do not talk much and some are constant chatterboxes.  Three year olds like doing simple crafts and doing new things.

Here are some ideal gifts for 3 year olds that they will love:

Play sets

Three-year-olds love to pretend, and a playset is perfect for their imagination.  Farm sets come with a barn, animals, and a toy farmer.  Firehouse sets have fire engines, firemen, and even a Dalmatian dog.  Automobile garage sets have toy cars, mechanics, ramps to drive around and a lift to raise the car up. Sit down on the floor and join her in her playtime.

Doll Houses

A doll house is a great gift for your 3-year-old.  Some doll houses are very fancy and expensive, but a toddler will do best with a simpler doll house with unbreakable furniture and a miniature family of dolls.  She will spend hours rearranging the furniture, making the dolls walk up the stairs, and putting them all to bed.

Art kits

All a beginning artist needs is some art supplies and some encouragement.  Art kits are wonderful gifts for 3-year-olds.  Choose one that includes markers and crayons (washable are best), small paintbrushes, watercolors, finger paints, blunt-edged scissors, glue, and construction paper. Or make your own kit by filling a plastic lunchbox with the art supplies.  Give her some old magazines, newspapers, or Christmas cards.  She can cut out and paste the pictures onto her artwork.  Or let her try macaroni art, gluing dry macaroni onto construction paper to make colorful placemats.

Construction toys

Blocks of natural wood are the old favorites.  Shiny plastic blocks add a spark of color. 3 year olds are ready for pieces that fit together.  Try a set of large Legos, Duplo blocks or Lincoln logs.  Let them build whatever they can imagine.
Some three year olds will enjoy a tool set with a plastic hammer, wrench, and measuring tape.  Or give them a wooden pounding bench and let them pound the pegs through the holes with a wooden mallet.

Dress-up box

Little girls and boys will love a dress-up box.  Fill it with fancy outfits, old shoes, and hats. You can buy dress- up kits pre-assembled, but it is more fun to use Mom’s old prom dresses and Dad’s old ties.  Go to the thrift store or garage sales and buy some funny old clothes. Get some big funny glasses.  Throw in some sparkly shoes, but don’t get heels too high.  Let the kids put on a fashion show for you.  They will love the attention.

Books

Encourage your child’s love of books.  Take her to the book store and let her pick out a book to buy.  My children always looked forward to these trips and were extra well behaved anticipating their next book purchase.  A person can never have too many books and a love of reading will help them do better when they go to school.  Some good books for 3 year olds are “Clifford, the Big Red Dog! “  by Norman Bridwell, the “Madeline” series by Ludwig Bemelmans, and “Bunnicula” by Deborah and James Howe.

Doctor’s kits

A 3-year-old has been to the doctor several times by now and will love pretending to be the doctor or nurse.  Doctor’s kits usually come with a black case filled with a toy stethoscope, thermometer, a fake syringe, and candy pills.  Make sure to keep your real prescriptions locked in the medicine cabinet.  They are not for play.  Playing doctor will be even more fun if you volunteer to be the patient.

Memory, counting, and matching games

Memory, counting, and matching games will stimulate your 3-year-old’s brainpower.  Try games such as “I Never Forget a Face” (a memory game) or “The Ladybug Game” (a counting game).  Other funs games for 3 year olds include the old favorites “Candy Land”, “Chutes and Ladders”, and “Cootie”.

Puzzles

Puzzles encourage skills in problem solving and abstract thinking. Choose easy puzzles with a few big, colorful pieces with pictures of animals, or cartoon characters.  Wooden puzzles last longer than the cardboard kind.  Watch her fill with pride when she completes the puzzle all by herself.

Beauty set

Little girls are fascinated watching Mommy fix her hair or put on makeup.  Give her a set with lipstick, blush, hair rollers, comb, and brush.  Children love to watch themselves in the mirror.  Give her a big hand-held mirror and she will feel like a big girl.

Dress-up dolls

3 year olds love to dress and undress their dolls and themselves.  Give her a doll that teaches zippers, buttons, snaps, and ties.  Show her how to tie her doll’s shoes.  Soon she will be able to tie her own shoes, although that will take a lot of practice and patience.

Playground toys

The perfect outdoor gifts for 3 year olds are playground sets.  What fun to play on the swings, slide, monkey bars, and teeter-totter and they are getting exercise too.  The swing will be her favorite, especially if you give her a push.   Playground sets will be a source of fun for her and her friends for years to come.

Musical Toys

At this age, you might consider getting your child a CD player of her own.  Child-proof players come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.  She will feel like a big girl with Music of her own.
Or get a play microphone and she can pretend to be a rock star.  Let your children put on musical shows on a make-believe stage.  You will be surprised by how talented and inventive your child can be.