Toys are not merely for entertainment purposes; with the right selection, they can also help children develop and learn. At about three years of age, children become more inquisitive and more active. They ask more questions, move around more, and love to explore. A very good time to have supporting learning toys is at this age. Here, in this guide, we will try to list the best educational toys for the very young toddlers who have turned 3 years old.
Why Are Educational Toys So Important at Age 3?
In toddlers, the simultaneous acquisition of several things is occurring. They speak with more clarity, think more clearly, and have fairly good coordination in their hands. They also initiate the activity of playing with others soon after. Educational toys can help enhance skills in a fun manner.
- These toys, among many others, help kids:
- Learn new words
- Know numbers and shapes
- Improve memory and focus
- Learn to improve the purposeful placement of hands and fingers
- Learn to work with others and share.
Top Toy Categories for 3-Year-Olds
- Toys That Teach Science, Math, and Logic (STEM Toys)
STEM toys teach children science, mathematics, and mechanics.
Some of the best toys for STEM for 3-year-old kids are:
- Magnetic Blocks– Magnetic blocks are great for kids to build shapes, learn about balance, and enhance their manual dexterity.
- Counting The toys come with cups and little bears. They teach colors, counting, and sorting.
- Basic Circuit Toys kits teach the kids about turning on and off. They learn cause from effect.
- Toys That Build Language and Reading Skills
At the age of three, kids gain lots of words daily. Language toys are the best and quite beneficial.
Some of the good language toys include:
- Talking Books: These are books that are read out aloud to the child. These children press buttons and hear sounds and stories.
- Alphabet Boards: Children match letters and learn how they sound.
- Word Games and Flashcards: These help kids sharpen their vocabulary and learn what words mean.
- Toys That Help Small Hand Movements (Fine Motor Skills)
Fine motor skills are used in all children’s activities such as writing, eating, or tying shoelaces. The best toys at this age indeed aim at developing these skills.
Best fine motor toys:
- Lacing Beads: A very simple activity wherein children learn how to thread beads on a string or shoe laces. This, too, develops finger strength and focus.
- Play-Dough Sets: Further in the aspect of creating funky things out of this malleable play-dough, these sets help to strengthen the hands.
- Peg Boards: Kids placing pegs into holes improve their control and coordination.
- Toys That Make Kids Think (Problem Solving & Memory)
Toys are helping kids to solve problems and develop memory skills, logic, and thinking skills.
Fun thinking toys include:
- Shape Sorters: Shaped toys would ask the children to match the shapes and think about where they go.
- Memory Cards: Cards will be turned over to look for matches. This helps them recall and focus.
- Simple Board Games: These are games that teach the rules, waiting, and thinking ahead.
- Toys That Let Kids Be Creative (Imaginative Play)
Pretend play allows kids to show feelings and experiment with new ideas. These toys permit children to be imaginative and create stories.
The best creativity toys are:
- Dress-Up Kits: Children can pretend to be doctors, chefs, or superheroes.
- Art Sets: Drawing or painting, or coloring builds up creativity.
- Instruments: Simple drums or xylophones teach rhythm and sound.
- Toys That Help With Big Movements (Gross Motor Skills)
There are benefits to moving as a young, active child. Therefore, it is necessary to have toys that are appropriate to help build an arm that can do heavy lifting and a muscular leg. Gross Motor Toys Include:
- Ride-On Bikes: Available for children to learn the idea of balance and motor control.
- Mini Trampolines: They allow kids to be able to jump around safely indoors.
- Hop Mats: Kids jump on numbers and learn counting at the same time.
Top 10 Educational Toys for 3-Year-Olds
- A List of some great toys for learning and playing:
- Melissa and Doug Building Blocks- Aids in building, thinking, and developing fine motor skills.
- LeapFrog Scribble and Write-Fun sounds accompany kids as they learn letters and writing.
- Fat Brain Squigz suction toys encourage kids to build and think in different ways.
- V-Tech Activity Desk- Kids can learn letters, numbers, and songs from this talking desk.
- Hot Dots Jr.- Kids answer questions using a pen that makes sound feedback.
- Osmo Little Genius Kit teaches drawing, shapes, and stories with an iPad.
- The Fisher-Price Code-a-Pillar toy teaches kids about patterns and simple coding concepts.
- Green Toys Shape Sorter- Made from safe materials. Teaches shapes and matching.
- Play-Doh Fun Factory- Encourages creativity and builds strength in fingers.
- Brio Railway Starter Set- Kids learn to make connections between tracks and imagine all sorts of journeys.
Tips to Choose the Best Toy for Your Child
Some of the few things to look at when buying toys are:
- Check the age label: Is it suitable for three-year-olds?
- Safe materials: Look for BPA-free and non-toxic toys.
- Avoid small parts: That is a choking hazard.
- Toys that grow with your child: Some toys can be played with for years.
What to Avoid in Educational Toys
- Toys that look fun sometimes turn out to be unsuitable for learning.
- Avoid toys that have shiny lights without carrying actual learning value, toy gadgets that solely use a screen without any parental interaction, toys that are too difficult for a 3-year-old to enjoy, and toys that either break easily or do not suit the needs of young kids.
How Parents Can Help Kids Learn Through Play
Toys are good, but children learn best when parents play with them too. A few pointers are below.
- Sit down with your child and play. Talk about what you are doing together.
- Use open-ended questions. Questions like “What are you building?” or “What happens next?” will elicit many responses.
- Let your child lead. Follow their interest or ideas in play.
- Praise effort, not just achievement. This builds confidence and aptitude in learning.
Conclusion
Three-year-olds are bundles of energy who are ready to take on anything! The right toys can create an avenue for learning at playtime. The educational toys help develop the little ones to be smarter, stronger, and more creative. They teach them such important skills for life and do so while having fun! By selecting toys that suit your child’s age and interests, you help advance an excellent gift for life!
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