Best Educational Toys For 3 Year Olds: Buying Guide & Reviews

Congratulations on surviving the first and second year of your child’s toddler years, also known as the “tantrum ones” and “terrible twos.” In the last phase of their toddler years, you will be needing to hang on tight and gather all your energy left because you are about to witness your 3-year-old preschooler getting more active and more curious. In this year, your toddler will partly listen to the things you want, and you don’t want him to do while the other part of him wants to follow his imaginations and go with the wilds.

You can expect your 3-year-old toddler to continue to grow and develop in this milestone. Just do note that every child achieves a particular development at different times. Your child will be able to say his name and can speak 250 to 500 words.

Trust me, he’s going to ask a lot of questions like “why the sky is blue?” and “why the eggs have a yellow color in the center?”. He will be able to speak clearly and can tell stories. It’s going to be an exciting parenting year. You might be thinking of what are the best educational toys that a 3-year-old needs. To save your effort and brain energy, we have a holiday list that you can check out.

Below is the list of best educational toys for 3 year olds

Here is the list of the top 10 toys that will not only entertain your 3 year old toddler but educate them at the same time.

1. Magnet Building Tiles – Best Educational Toys For 3 Year Olds

The PicassoTiles is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to the perfect toys for toddlers. They specifically target to instill useful engineering and building skills for younger learners. These building tiles that comes with 100 pieces allow your 3-year-old toddler to think freely and highly imaginative on what he wants to build. Just like the thousands of toddlers around the world, your toddler will be able to enjoy building blocks with a 3D look waiting for him as the end game. At their “trouble trio” year, your preschooler will want to play with something that encourages creativity and exploration play.

Just like other 3-year-old kids, they don’t want to restricted with rules on what they can and what they can’t build. Your 3-year-old toddler wants to follow what’s in his head, and this is what building sets are for. There no limitations or rules in the game, which pretty much allows your toddler to add as many pieces as he desires and follows his blueprint to finishing his masterpiece. This promotes creativity and exploration play, which is extremely important for young learners to learn.

What we like about it

We like the fact that your toddlers are free to create whatever they want. With 100 pieces available, your toddlers can’t go wrong; they can build houses and castles. It’s pretty much boring to build something that is super predictable. The forms are in 3D, which further entertains your 3-year-old toddler of what he has built. It’s super entertaining and at the same time, introduces the basics of architectural designs to your toddler at an early age.

2. Drill Activity Center

If your kids into matching and patterning stuff, this design, and drill activity center will take him by surprise. Kids naturally enjoy building things that they have in mind. In this activity center, your 3-year-old toddler will be able to design and use a drilling machine toy to keep them in place. It’s fun to perform, which pretty much occupies your toddler’s time. It does not only let them have fun but also educated them at the same time. It enhances their fine motor skills as they set and design and pieces.

Your toddler has to pick a design to follow out of the 20 activity cards; then, he will have to place the kid-sized bolts on sturdy activity cardboard. After that, they are going to drill it. This improves their hand-eye coordination at the same time since they have to match the tip of the drill to the bolt. It’s engaging and entertaining to play with. Your 3-year-old toddler will introduced to new engineering and building skills that they can use shortly.

What we like about it

We like the fact that this activity center power up the imagination and coordination skills of young toddlers. They will need to learn these skills as they continue to develop. It also promotes creativity skills to your 3-year-old toddler as they try to design and match the little parts before drilling it. There will be 120 chunky plastic bolts that come in different colors and screwdrivers. There will be activity cards that are very well-read and easy to follow. Your 3-year-old toddler will enjoy matching and pattern the plastic bolts.

3. Magnetic Wooden Block Set

The Tegu 42 magnetic block set allows your toddler to build whatever he may wish. There are no activity cards included that he must follow just for the sake of building something; he will have to let his imaginations go wild and become creative. It made of wood; you will rest assured that your 3-year-old toddler is playing with safe materials since there’s no lead or any small parts included in this building set. Every piece made with durable materials, which means that you can keep this set for generations. There are 9 unique shapes included that lets your toddler build whatever he wishes.

What we like about it

We like the fact that this promotes both creative and exploration play, which are extremely important skills for your toddler to learn. It can also enhance the fine motor skills of your toddler through play. Some toys entertain kids, and there are educational toys that allow young learners to acquire a bit of skill point while having fun. These made with attractive designs that attract your toddler to play with it a little longer. This set also promotes imaginative play and storytelling; they can discuss with their playmates what they’re trying the build.

4. Nano Micro Robotic

The HexBug Nano has 5 random Nanos (the other one is glow in the dark), allows you, 3-year-old toddler, to pick a color he loves, and has more extra to play with, in case he lost the other one. These made with durable materials, which puts you at ease if you have experience buying flimsy products before. It powered with tiny motors that can zoom forward, bounce, and even flip. This encourages your toddler to engage and to practice his motor skills by following the HexBug Nano. It goes to any directions, so you might as well want to supervise your toddler while he’s playing with it.

What we like about it

In the last year of your child being a toddler, he will continue to undergo a lot of physical development in the future milestones he will have. What’s amazing about this item is that it helps your toddler to exercise and engage various movements while following the HexBug. By moving a lot, your toddler will be able to build stronger bones. There is a glow in the dark HexBug that allows your toddler to play with it at night.

5.Super Building Set

Well, this isn’t called the “learning gears” for nothing; this allows your toddler to build anything with the parts included. The parts are interchangeable, which freely lets your 3-year-old toddler construct anything he wishes. At the age of 3, your toddler will naturally attract to building blocks and sets. With this item, there will be 95 hard plastic pieces that included, and as aforementioned, they are all interchangeable. It takes some trial and experience before your toddler can start making interesting combinations, which is very fun.

What we like about it

It reminds us of legas, quercetin tubes, and maga blocks– just combined! It’s super fun and cool to play with, and it comes in colorful items, which attracts young constructors to play with it for longer times. The end game is that your toddler must be able to move the gears round and round, it’s challenging, and there’s no definitive activity card your young builder must follow. It’ll take some trial and error, which makes it quite challenging and interesting to play.

6. Magnetic Building Tiles

The Deluxe Set allows young builders to learn about the different types of structures and how shapes can fit and go together. Just like the thousands of satisfied customers of this product, your toddler will be able to set up a car, door frame, and castles. Your 3-year-old toddler is free to build anything he has in mind. There are 48 pieces available in the set, which allows him to build both cool and hot stuff. Since every piece comes in different structures, it allows your toddler to learn about the different shapes and colors while having a lot of fun at play.

What we like about it

We like the fact that this set allows young builders to build dog houses, cars, hole-punched triangles, houses, castles, and much more. It triggers your toddler’s imaginary skills and lets him think outside the box. He would have fun building an office or any indoor design for fun. This introduces both the basic architectural and engineering skills at a very young age. Since your toddler is now a preschooler, he shall be able to make use of these skills in no time. It’s an awesome product, and I’m quite sure your toddler would enjoy playing with it for hours.

7. Pounding Bench Toy

Young learners are always up for the best “cause & effect” toys available in the market. They love exploring what will happen when they hit a particular thing with the use of the hammer. With the Melissa & Doug, Personalized Deluxe Pounding Toy with Mallet, your 3-year-old toddler will be able to identify or recognize colors with more precision. The toys that will hit comes in a variety of colors. At the age of 3, your toddler shall be able to recognize and is familiar with the basic colors available.

As a parent, you can support and guide her with this toy with a mallet set. There will be familiar colors available such as yellow, orange, pink, blue, etc. You can instruct your toddler to hit, “Mr. Blue Worm” and watch how he performs. It’s enjoyable and engaging to do.

What we like about it

We like the fact that this toy with a mallet can be customized. You can put your toddler’s name on the wooden front of the toy set. Just be cautious though on when your toddler is going with the hammer. The mallet can break other things like an aquarium, vase, and other fragile materials around the house. The toy and mallet set is perfect when you are trying to teach your kids about different colors, and it also promotes creativity and exploration play. So, it’s a total win-win!

8. Calculator Cash Registe

Young toddlers always want imaginary and pretend plays; it sets them from rules they have to follow and have their mind to rule the game. If your toddler is not playing a role in star wars, he might want to play as a cashier and have a “grocery store” as the setting. It allows young toddlers to learn about simple and basic mathematical skills first-hand. They have fake paper bills, coins, a calculator, and credit cards to play with. The “cha-ching!” sound it makes adds to making all the experience seem very realistic.

The buttons are purposely made to be in larger sizes, so it will be much easier for your toddler to press it. This will be much fun to play when your toddler has playmates to play with. This set encourages pretend-play, which promotes both the creative and imaginary skills of your toddler.

What we like about it

We like the fact that it teaches your toddler the basic mathematical concepts first-hand. They experience it themselves, which is a good thing. When your toddler partakes or the one who does a particular task, the learning is more intense, and there’s a greater chance for him to remember it.

9. Think and Learn Code

Are you looking for something exciting and cool to gift your 3-year-old toddler? The Fisher-Price Code-a-Pillar might be the exact thing that you have been looking for. It lets you attach and detach parts of it while the pillar travels, which introduces basic of coding technology to your young learner at the same time. It’s super fun to play with and challenging, as well. According to the reviews and surveys we have conducted, even adults and parents are intrigued to play with this wonderful toy. There are many learning nuggets one can get out of this gaming toy.

The Code-a-Pillar is easy to set-up, and you don’t even need instructions to do it, which means your 3-year-old toddler can play with right off the bat. Since the pillar can go from any course you have set it up; it allows you to teach and guide your toddler to learn the difference between the left and right directions.

What we like about it

We like the fact that you can set up a course or a pattern to which the pillar can travel. It’s fun and challenging to play with. It does take a lot of space since the code-a-pillar travels, to make it even more difficult. You can set up obstacles on the course, so it’ll be more challenging for your toddler to code in which way the pillar should go. This teaches your toddler about directions and pushes his cognitive skills to a higher level.

10. Drill Flower Studio

The Design and Drill Flower Power activity center is a perfect gift for a female 3-year-old toddler. It has a very princessy/fairy design. It encourages both creative and exploration play in which your toddler is allowed to create any beautiful design and patterning on the sturdy board and drill it after to make it stay put as it is. The bright colors the bolts have helped her to create wonderful and attractive patterns. It encourages your toddler to build something creative, and the parts are just perfect in size for your toddler’s little hands to work on. And the result can be easily stored in the drilling board.

What we like about it

We like the fact that practices and enhances the fine motor abilities of your toddler and at the same time, teaches her about patterning and designing of colors. It pushes her imagination to create something she could come into her mind. The drilling toy’s tip should perfectly hit/match the bolt’s head so that it can push underneath; this practices your child’s hand-eye coordination. It allows your 3-year-old daughter to learn a lot of useful skills, aside from having fun with it.

How did we pick our top 10 best educational toys for 3 year olds?

We have made sure that it could target various skills, such as exploration and creative play. Your 3-year-old toddler will be focusing on doing the things he imagines. So, toys that promote pretend play will surprise your 3-year-old toddler. Every child can indeed develop different skills, both basic and advance, through play. This is one of the reasons why parents buy them a toy when they can. We have included toys that they might have seen and adored on TV to awesome little pieces of technology that he can play.

What other skills can my 3 year old toddler learn?

Aside from the possible skills we have aforementioned, your toddler will be able to answer simple questions and can tell stories. He is ready to explore things with the help of their senses and be able to sit and play with a toy for hours. He will be going under a lot of both cognitive and movement development this year. You will be bombarded with questions, especially when you take him outside.

Questions like, “Why is that lady fat?”. They are not trying to be rude, but they are curious. If your toddler insists you to answer the question, you better do because he might throw a tantrum. Give him an answer he could learn something from. You can start by saying, “Honey, every human is different from one another. Some are tall; some are short. Also, some are fat, and some are thin.” Your son will be able to get his curiosity answered, and you are teaching him the different physical appearances a person could have.

It will come to the point that he will question everything, and you’ll start to feel annoyed, but know that it’s normal and part of their cognitive-developmental milestone, aside from asking “why?” on almost everything. Your 3-year-old toddler will be able to pretend play and fantasize about events creatively. He will be able to correct the name of familiar colors. Showing him things in different colors would help. He will be able to follow commands and remember pieces or parts of the story you just told him.

He will understand the basic and simple concept of counting. Knowing and sorting the different shapes and colors will be much easier for him to perform. Completing the puzzle intended for his age is something that he would enjoy doing, and he can recognize common animals and objects show in pictures.

What are the physical activities my 3-year-old toddler can develop this coming year?

Toddlers will always be full of energy; he continues to be on the move and loves to celebrate what he can do with his body. He will be able to climb well without falling, and he will love kicking and throwing balls. Walking up and down the stairs will be part of the physical activities he will enjoy doing. You will witness a lot of bending and hopping from your active 3-year-old toddler this coming month.

The last year of your angel, being a toddler, is also known as the “trouble trio.” He will start to become obedient to your tasks, but at the same time, performs what he has in mind anyway. There are times he will go to sleep past his bedtime, especially when he’s hooked with a particular activity or toy. Pretend, and creative play will be one of his favorite activities, he might start picking up fights against playmates, also known as “children fight.” We all go through this pace, and it’s officially normal.

As a parent, you can always supervise your 3-year-old toddler while playing, so you can make sure that they’re safe. As you can tell, it’s going to be an exciting year for your toddler, and of course, you can say the same. It is one of the most exciting parts of parenting, raising the troubled trio. Your preschooler will start to introduced basic and simple learning subjects in school. Giving them education toys as a present allows them to hone and further enhance what they learn in the classroom.