To buy my 3 year old what she wants for Christmas?

A mixture is fine but I also think some of her asks are a bit older than the average 3 year old. I absolutely hated lol dolls. Lots of them look like hookers and they’re really poorly made. I wouldn’t get them for a 3 year old. My girls knew I would hate them but were very excited when Santa got them some for stockings. I would get some nice dolls or accessories though. Those have had years of longevity. Barbies are also good especially for the bath. Mine have had lots of play out of those. I’ve also found polly pockets to be a bit of a waste of time. The pieces are small and get lost and the people are more delicate than they used to be when I loved them.

Seeing as I spent an hour coaxing my 3 year old out of hiding at her preschool settling in session with Barbie’s at her preschool, where there was a huge box and a Barbie house, I can confirm Yeah they’re at preschools. This is a ofsted outstanding preschool with loads of amazing facilities and forest school. They’re also at playgroups and I always see little girls ranging from 2-4 playing with them. And you know what? They’re happy.

I got DD a dentist Barbie and it’s really helped make her less scared of going.

I don’t know what a LOL is so I can’t comment on that

Eitherway, there’s way too much shaming what toys kids like going on in this thread (not this comment) Every kid is different. Every family is different. Let’s not be shaming each other over something so trivial.

I agree vinted is a good idea

This

I'm still sore i never got the lemondrop my little pony,complete with stable and spike the dragon

(Thank God for ebay as I held a grudge for so long about this,I found the whole lot there and it graces my spare room)

I'd go half and half-some bits she wants and some educational

Agree on all the sanctimonious BS...ffs 🙄

Christmas is about magic and excitement! And agree with others about educational toys not being limited to the things these sanctimonious idiots are suggesting - it feels like that's a lot more about parental virtu-signalling...

Like others, Father Christmas always got what they really, really wanted and put on their list - often tat. Over the years we bought the worthy educational wooden toys, bikes, iPads while Father Christmas brought My Little Pony Princess Twilights Magic Kingdom, Heelies, a barking and jumping puppy, a dolphin with sounds, ginormous stuffed Thomas the Tank Engine the elves had to have shipped in from USA... 😂

Father Christmas is the best. And their little faces on Christmas morning were priceless. Enjoy this special time.

based.

If she’s playing then she’s learning, regardless of the perceived educational quality of the toys. Imaginary play develops her creative skills and lets her practice language; manipulating tiny objects supports fine motor development; spending ages engaged with toys develops concentration and attention etc. Plus it brings joy to her life and finding joy in simple things is a skill well learnt.

There really are some sanctimonious pricks in the world.

She’s 3 - buy her the fun stuff.

My daughter loved those things when she was younger and is a well-adjusted, bright lovely thing despite “being exposed” to lol dolls and Barbies 😱😱

Surprised you've not seen Barbie at a nursery. Im not sure what about them makes them tat though? Is that just for anything plastic? Most people that actually work in education know that open ended imaginative play, like Barbies or dress up, is far better for development that games and toys labelling themselves 'educational'.

For many types of toys, the idea that they are educational is just marketing, not reality. Play is educational, and this can be done with a lot of different toys.
However, I would aim for some variety because if she changes her style of play she may not have things to play with. At 3 I think you’d be wanting to give at least one toy with good longevity potentially.

We must live in quite different worlds as my nearly six year old DD has never heard of these things and she’s been in FT nursery since 6 months old so ole ty of other kids to mingle with day in day out!

also it’s September and there has been no conversation about Christmas at all.

FWIW last year she got a plastic tat Ukulele, a screaming singing scorpion that has batteries which won’t ever die, a humongous laughing dinosaur also with batteries that won’t ever die and a giant Iggle Piggle she sleeps with.

I swear there are more people who were disappointed not to get Mr Frosty (me included) than those who did. And those who did were disappointed that he was a just a heap of plastic crap that didn't really work.
Mr Frosty pleased nobody, and his legacy of disillusionment lives on in all 40-somethings.

At 3 my DC were Lego masters! My DH spent hours and hours with them building Lego/Duplo. They loved helping and following instructions to get to the finished piece.

As adults they are still into Lego. Millennium Falcon is the project for Christmas 2025.

Very expensive plastic Lego sets now!

I hate Lego 😂

I would buy it but try and get it second hand or free second hand and give it a good clean. Plastic tat is so bad for the environment.

I do know what PPs mean. Fair enough my DS is a simple creature at 3, but even with older siblings his concept of Christmas is very much still developing, he certainly wouldn’t be listing a bunch of branded toys he wanted, and I’d find it slightly jarring if he did.

I also have never once seen Barbies/LOLs at playgroups or any nursery over the 10 years mine have attended. I’m not a toy snob, my dd had a short but v enjoyable barbie phase and her fair share of plastic tat, but LOLs at 3?

Personally I’d try and find some Vinted bargains for the plastic tat, there must be so much Barbie stuff on there already in existence, then maybe get her to choose one or two favourite things a bit closer to Christmas if she really wants to choose, or if it’s something that can’t be found second hand.

How unspeakably smug

what a weird reply

not very Christmassy of you

Oh how I miss the days of getting my kid plastic tat for Christmas! Milk it for as long as you can, you’ve years ahead for the expensive stuff she will eventually want.

Definitely get them!
My two girls never really took any interest in educational or toddler toys and have always loved Barbie, lol, shopkins! They’ve been played with every day for nearly ten years, they’ve been loved so so much! I’ll be very sad when they are outgrown as we have lovely collections now.

My parents would buy me the “better” stuff as a kid. I remember trying to be grateful but wishing I had the stuff I asked for. As an adult I realise that the stuff they bought me was actually more expensive and better quality but a child’s mind doesn’t work like that! Contrary to what a pp has said, I’d have Santa bring the educational stuff and have you give the stuff she wants. I read somewhere that you shouldn’t reserve the best presents for Santa to bring - why should he get all the credit after all!

Get her what she wants OP. She will really enjoy it and Santa fades out after only a short while. They have their whole lives for educational things, introduce them gradually into birthdays and Christmas gifts. Santa is magical for kids and Christmas is so much fun for them.
I can't believe it's time to think about Christmas already!

All the other mums must look at you and admire what a great parent you are because your kids are playing with wood and not plastic. And you must be so proud when your kids go to school and gloat about their satsuma and wooden top! What a sense of satisfaction you must get!

Mine knew from shops, stop trying to be superior and judgemental.

Barbie in particular is great for a whole range of imaginative play, which frankly is something missing for a lot of primary children these days. No idea why that would be considered tat. Tat to me is stuff made for one use, like for stocking fillers, whereas I still have some Barbies from my own childhood.

All of those are great for imaginative play, which leads to learning anyway. A lot of the so called 'educational' toys are too guided.

Get her what she wants

I love Polly Pocket, but it is probably too small for a child that age