Hip hip hooray!
Hip hip hooray, … is already three years old!
Three years? Yes, three years. Time flies by as if it’s nothing, and you might be wondering what you’ve done over the past three years. In any case, the little boy is not so little anymore, and you can see that he understands more and more. He has now (partially) passed his toddler phase and in a a few year will already be considered a preschooler. Although we do wonder if he knows what that means. Anyway, in this blog, you can find what you can actually give him for his birthday. After you’ve read why these are such good gifts, of course!
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Developmental stage of a 3-year-old boy
The developmental stage of a 3-year-old toddler is an exciting time full of growth and discoveries in social, emotional, cognitive, and physical areas. Socially and emotionally, toddlers at this age start to show more interest in interacting with others. They develop friendships and begin to understand how to behave in groups. However, there is still an ‘ego phase,’ so expect more ‘parallel play’ than ‘cooperative play.’ During play or other times, it’s still normal for them to have occasional tantrums. Emotions are not yet fully controlled. As difficult as it may be, it’s important to be patient and empathetic during this phase. It helps them tremendously.
Cognitively, toddlers make huge leaps in their development. They can solve simple puzzles, begin to recognize letters and numbers, and show curiosity about the world around them. Their language skills also improve rapidly, and they can form simple sentences and have conversations. To stimulate curiosity and spark creativity, it’s wise to read many books and answer their questions.
Physically, 3-year-old toddlers further develop their motor skills. They can run, jump, and maybe even ride simple bikes. Their fine motor skills improve, allowing them to draw, color, and do puzzles better. To ensure these developments continue positively, you want to encourage physical activity. Play outside, play games, and work on fine motor skills together. Given the high frustration level, intentionally creating success experiences is also part of this.
By feeding the curiosity of 3-year-old boys and showing them love and understanding, you lay a solid foundation for their further development and growth. Remember, no 3-year-old is the same, so he might not yet be able to do some things or be very good at others.
Dont’s (types of gifts you shouldn’t buy for a 3-year-old boy)
As you might have read in other blogs, we’re pretty good at showing you what gifts to buy for children of a certain age. However, we also point out what you’d better not buy for, in this case, a 3-year-old boy. So, we would recommend buying something he can ‘grow into.’ Not necessarily something educational that only frustrates him, but for example, a football if he likes it and can start playing next year. Don’t look at what he can already do, but look ahead and think about what you’d like to teach him.
What is an appropriate budget for this age?
Talking about money remains something quite tricky. Especially when it comes to amounts, discussions often arise. Because, when is someone too generous, and when do you secretly think someone is a cheapskate? Anyway, we would recommend not thinking too much about the budget for a 3-year-old boy’s gift. He doesn’t either. In fact, sometimes children are happiest with the cheapest gifts.
- Parents: £30.00 to …
- Close family members (uncle & aunt, grandparents): £10.00 to £50.00
- Neighbors/acquaintances: £5.00 – £20.00
We hope these amounts are helpful.
Additional tips
When choosing a gift for a 3-year-old toddler, there are a few important considerations. Choose durable and high-quality toys that last long and are suitable for active play. Think about their favorite characters or themes, but avoid overly gender-stereotyped toys. Especially in today’s inclusive world, this is important. Consider consulting the parents for suggestions and ensure the gift matches their interests and developmental needs. A thoughtful gift will make both the child and the parents happy.
1. Building blocks
Depending on his skill level and preferences, there are many types of building blocks available today. These range from (colored) wooden blocks to Duplo or soft, foam blocks. Essentially, it doesn’t really matter what you choose as long as you keep in mind that he’s in the middle of his development. You want to stimulate this as best as possible, so think about it consciously. For example, choose blocks of different sizes to explain the concepts of ‘small’ and ‘big.’ Choose a specific number of blocks so he can start practicing counting. In other words, it’s never too early to start working on these skills. But remember, he’s not in school yet, so if he just wants to play, that’s perfectly fine too.
2. Cars and trucks
With this option, you can choose from a variety of vehicles, such as small toy cars, trucks with movable parts, or even a remote-controlled car. By playing with these vehicles, he can explore his fantasy world, invent stories, and develop social skills by sharing and playing with other children. It’s a gift that will provide him with hours of fun and foster his development. And about that playing together, it won’t be his favorite activity. In fact, it might lead to a lot of frustration and tears. So, limit playing together and instead opt for parallel play. This means playing ‘next to each other’ while each doing their own thing.
3. Toy tools
Perhaps mom or dad is busy with a little renovation. For holding a real drill, the little 3-year-old boy is indeed still a bit too young. But fixing the ‘I want to too’ problem is quickly done. For his birthday, give the boy toy tools. His own plastic hammer, a drill that actually works, and pliers to pull nails out of the wall, it sounds perfect, right? Encourage him to work with his hands. You might discover a hidden talent, and he could be the upcoming success keeping the craftsmanship of a carpenter alive. That’s super cool! Why does everyone have to have a desk job when something like this is so valuable?
4. Toy train set
The fun part about a toy train set is that you can keep expanding it. You start with a small train and some tracks and move on to a set of trains, including a station and tracks that can cover the whole floor. Three years old is a great age to start with these kinds of activities. Why? Well, the child might not have so many toys that he’s overwhelmed, making it the perfect test to see if he likes it. If not, you know you need to choose something else next year, and if he does, you’re set for the coming years. You could even let him help choose new parts for his set. Super fun, right?
5. Balance bike
As a psysical person, you can’t start cycling early enough. It has been, and will remain for a long time, the means of transportation that gives you your first taste of freedom. A child can eventually go to school independently and feel responsible. As long as you don’t have a car, you don’t want to be dependent on walking. And well, we understand that cycling might be a bit too much for a three-year-old, so a balance bike is a great start. He can practice his gross motor skills, balance, and eye-leg coordination. Because indeed, walking and steering at the same time is harder than you think.
6. Children’s books
A storybook for a 3-year-old boy can cover all sorts of fun topics, such as animals in the forest having adventures, colorful picture books about friendship and playing together, funny stories about everyday situations like going to bed or going to the playground, fairy-tale stories about princes and princesses, or educational books introducing him to numbers, letters, and shapes in a playful way. Phew, that’s quite a mouthful! Anyway, it’s important that the stories match his world and spark an interest in reading. In school, he’ll be read to a lot, and eventually, he’ll read himself. To interest him in books in a healthy way, it’s wise to start early.
7. Sandbox toy set
Perhaps there’s a playground near the boy’s home, including a sandbox. In such a place, it’s great to have your own sandbox toy set. If not, you can still use it at the beach or in the backyard. A three-year-old with a shovel isn’t likely to destroy your lawn, but you give him the opportunity to engage in role play. Role play? Yes, how about pretending to be the gardener? That’s super cool if you ask us!
8. Children’s backpack
A children’s backpack is an essential accessory for the young explorer. It not only provides a handy way to carry things but also a sense of independence and responsibility. You want to bring your water bottle to the supermarket? Fine, but you have to carry it yourself. Choose a backpack with cheerful colors and a fun design. It will appeal to his imagination and look nice too. You’ll see that he’s super proud of what he’s carrying and wants to show it to everyone. There’s nothing wrong with that because in the next years he’ll have to carry that backpack every day. To school, to be precise. And yes, we know he’s probably already done preschool and/or daycare, but you get the point, right?
9. Sand and water table
Wow! Your own sand and water table. We would have loved it if we were three again and had seen one in our big brother/sister’s kindergarten class. Because, what cool castles can you build in it, or let boats float in the summer. A sand and water table is a table that you typically fill alternately with sand and water. It’s educational and entertaining, can be used both indoors and outdoors, and provides a fun and educational play experience that will spark his imagination. By the way, if we may give you a tip, set the table outside. It prevents a lot of mess that we know who will have to clean up later. We mean, he can help, but he won’t really clean it properly.
10. Children’s flashlight
With a children’s flashlight, the little one can go on adventures in the dark! He can play ‘ghost,’ discover shadows, and imagine he’s wandering through an enchanted forest. The flashlight lets him explore mysterious corners and gives a sense of excitement and fun. Either way, an item like this is a great way to stimulate imagination and spark his adventurous side. It might also help him dare to sleep in the dark. If something’s wrong, he just needs to grab the flashlight from his bedside table and see that there’s nothin
