What was the best thing you purchased for your three year old daughter’s birthday?

[user2466]

Hi,

DD turns three soon and I’ve started looking at what to buy her for her birthday. I got her a pretend kitchen last year but she hardly plays with it. Same with some of the other toys I got for her.

What’s something you’ve purchased for your DD that they’ve loved?

TIA

A rocking horse

A balance bike if she doesn’t already have one.
A dolly and a pram.
Wellies that have flashing lights when you stamp on the ground!

Tonie box.
Leapfrog ice cream cart.

Ironically mine refused to entertain the balance bike, We got them a proper bike with pedals and stabilisers for their third birthday.

A decent scooter?

Magnatiles! And they’re still played with now by my DC aged 6.5 and nearly 9.

Balance bike and scooter
dolls house

they go through phases of playing with stuff and then not playing for ages

Without doubt the Melissa and Doug wooden ice cream set, it was played with so much and visiting children always, always made a beeline for it. Even with my DC being 11 and 8 it was still used in the summer by them. Completely recommend and it doesn't take up too much space on a shelf.

Yoto player, light up wellies, Fisher Price singing teapot set!

Strider or Frog balance bike then get a pedal bike for 4th birthday (Isla or Frog). Get all second hand though as kids don’t know or care!

secondly: bulk load of duplo 2nd hand. Magnet tiles. Magnet stick/balls.

My granddaughter had a pizza making cart. She loved it but maybe if she wasn’t keen on her kitchen it might not suit?

A water table that she still plays with a year later

A small bouncy castle!

Frozen Castle (foldable) was played with for years

Wobble board was also very popular long term

Kids notice and care. My dad became paralysed when I was young and stopped working. My aunts gave us second hand games it was horrible I still remember the feeling. On the other hand his workmates bought me and my sister hair brush sets I loved them and felt valued and special

Not at 3 or 4 years old. At this age they don’t know it isn’t new if is cleaned up and a bow on top. I too had a family situation where my dad lost his job and was out of work for a significant time, but I was 10 years old and remember this.

also from experience I know that buying quality second hand brands is better for bikes than cheap new bikes - the premium brands last well and are lighter so easier to learn to ride. Plus they get used for such a short time.

I don’t buy my kids second hand everything but bikes and Lego are definitely in the category of they don’t care at a young age.

I got my DD a wooden dolls house which she loves. Yoto players are also a good suggestion.

Those little drawing boards that have a pen and sort of light up when you draw on them. Perfect for practising writing when older and just for drawing on at any age. I feel like she likes the fact that it completely disappears when she presses the button so mistakes are gone forever! Board games that are age appropriate. We got a tonne of orchard games ones and the gruffalo game. Roll a monster was good too.

Mine loved the wooden melissa and doug ice cream shop. Really effective, great for different stages of learning, maths and imaginary play and really cheap. She also loved her balance bike and her dolls at this age and when she was slightly older she got an absolutely huge doll's house from smyths (I think it's called Lily's doll house). She still loves this at age 8

Magnetic tiles! She has literally played with them every day since and she is 4.5 now.

The present she was most excited about on the day was an umbrella

An easel with a whiteboard on one side and blackboard on the other, she absolutely loves it, just turned 4 and still plays with it so much. Also the wooden ice cream shop - I think Melissa & Doug do one. She plays with that all the time.

giant cardboard space rocket that you colour outside and a 3 year old can fit inside.