To not be able to think of what to get son for 3rd birthday?

[roundligament]

He has everything he needs
He loves books. so I can get some more of those. I normally buy them in the charity shop but there are a few I know of that we haven't got that we would enjoy reading with him. However are they a present or a rite of passage ?

What shall I get him? Is it rubbish to give him a card some baloons and some books? He honestly has toys. He has a bike a scooter and a balance bike. He has a tipee thing which he may now be too old for. He has a train set. He has colouring gear. He has cars which is one of his favourites at the minute and a mat to drive them on.
What else does he possibly need?
Isn't a day out a better choice?

What about something like a paddling pool?
Aibu to not buy him gifts ?

I would make a day out vouchers for somewhere and a small soft toy/theme toy relevant to it. E.g binoculars for a trip to the safari park etc.

How about a day out. We went to Thomas Land for my sons 3rd birthday. Alton Towers (Cbeebies Land) or similar.

How about a marble run?

If he likes reading (YAY!) - a personalised book with his and all his family names in it?

Or failing that, as he's three...
A massive cardboard box and a set of pens/paints/chalks that he can sit inside and go wild with?
A roll of lining paper for same?
A large box of (charity shop/cheap) cars and trucks (I once got my adult nephew a HUGE jar completely filled with sweets after he jokingly said that's what he wanted - took him most of the year to eat!)
A "special" day out at a local activity/water/similar park with a party-food picnic.

I'm liking the suggestions for a day out I think that's fair and a good present.
I'll find a related accessory for the day out, great shout.
Same with the picnic party food x

duplos, playmobils, cars, soft toys, puzzles, imaginext...
the list for mine was endless, I always find it hard not to buy too much! Kids can't have too many toys, surely.

A yearly membership to your nearest playpark or farm is a good present too - it works out really cheap if you go often, and if you chose one with a big play area, soft play and so on, you can go a few times a month without the kids being bored!

If he has everything material that he needs or wants, then definitely a family day out.

DH’s godson loves trains, so instead of more toys to add to his already huge pile, DH took him on a children’s steam train fun day for Christmas.

I think your idea of a paddling pool is a great one - he will get lots of fun out of it over the summer.

Don't do what I did - buy an enormous fire-engine shaped one, and no pump to inflate it. I did manage to blow it up myself, but it took me hours, and I kept having to stop when I got light headed. By the time I finished, all I wanted to do was to stab it repeatedly with the carving knife, and bin it. I was such an idiot.

At 3 he probably won't notice not getting much as he won't have a huge expectation for his birthday. You could stick some money in a savings account for him, and get him a couple of bits to unwrap.

Good 3yo presents if you are after ideas:

Outdoor toys - paddling pool is good, also pop up tunnel (Argos have some) is fantastic.
I do think books are fine for birthdays - especially if you make them a bit different e.g. buying new where you usually get second hand, or a specific book which is next in a series, or a big book of illustrated fairy tales, or something. (But normal, second hand books are fine too).
Bath toys - something more complicated than a rubber duck or floating boat.
Dressing up clothes - lots of children are starting to get more into imaginative role play at this age.
By the same token - some kind of "big" role-play set - e.g. doctor's kit, play kitchen, tool set, "cleaning" stuff, cops and robbers accessory kit, tea set, play shop/till.
Sports sets - basic ones which will last - e.g. cricket set, football and pop up goal, velcro tennis/catch.
Board games - Orchard Toys ones are great, or basic Snakes and Ladders type things.
Easel for drawing at.
Character related stuff he likes - a bedding set, plate and cup, pyjamas, hoodie, t-shirt, socks, pants. Obviously you buy them clothes whenever, but I tend to allocate a bit of a bigger budget for birthday clothes and get something nicer than usual.

if you go for paddling pool, check the water content too. It gets boring if takes ages to fill in, even longer to warm up and you have to start all over again the following day when a smaller one would be enough for a young child!

I think a day out would be lovely, but I would try and get him at least one classic toy that will last him well for years.

I've been a nanny for 14 years and I've yet to find a child who doesn't love a marble run. If you get a decent set they're expensive, but an investment, as he'll play with it for the rest of his childhood. He'll need supervising with it for the next couple of years but that shouldn't be a problem as a toy that you put away and get out on set occasions is always going to have novelty value, and that can be a lifesaver when they (or you!) are ill, or when you're trying to save a disastrous play date.

Over the last few years my daughter has had a Trunki and overnight trip to paultons Park (6) (where they have Peppa Pig world), and a day trip to London and open top bus (she was desperate to visit London). Thus year she will be 8 and we are doing the overnight stay with tickets to Legoland. (with some clothes, small Lego kit to open in the day).
From family she sometimes has vouchers for entry to local attractions.

A paddling pool is great fun and a giant inflatable ball (pounfland used to sell them)

A 3 my kids loved the Thomas Day Out on the Watercress Line. This one is in Hampshire but I am sure it must be in other parts of the country too. Such fun. We did it for the Twins (boy and girl) 3rd birthday. I remember telling my DH I had booked.it for all of us and the groaning and look if horror but even he loved the steam trains.

A musical instrument? Thinking more along the lines of a small guitar or keyboard than a drum kit or a harmonica.

Trunki
Games! My 3 year old is currently obsessed with a worm stacking jenga type game, and a fishing game. Failing that lego!

"A musical instrument? Thinking more along the lines of a small guitar or keyboard than a drum kit or a harmonica."

Harsh, @Bloocy - what's the OP ever done to you??!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius it’s good preparation for when they bring a trumpet home in year 3!

If I don’t like someone I always buy their kids moon sand 🤣

Does he already have a nice set of wooden blocks? My children loved them and played with them for years. A high quality set is something that can be passed down to their children.

I got my train mad 3 year old some new train sets/wooden trains for his birthday.. along with an electric ride on car that he loves!

For Christmas (2 weeks before his birthday ) i got him a portable wooden train set.. its like a suitcase and.opens up to be a train track. Its brilliant and so handy to take places esp when eating out or going on holiday! Was.only 12.99 from the studio too!

Board games that the whole family can play?

A day out, board games, craft stuff - play doh, paints, colouring books, jigsaws, character toys of his favourite program, bedding, scooter/bike, outdoor toys - golf, balls, bubbles, happy hopper, balance bike, wooden train set/car garage, play kitchen, roller skates. Even if you don’t think of much get him at least one token gift and a gift card for him to buy something he likes himself, would be a shame for him to miss out just because you don’t know what to buy.

My almost 3yo is obsessed with his Bin truck. It has a mechanism to tip the bin up and empty the rubbish inside. Fire engine also gets near constant play v

Honestly, there is no point simply buying him things for the sake of it, or to appease your guilt. He's 3, he has no idea what a cheap or expensive present looks like, and it sounds like you have loads and loads of things for him anyway.

The things you suggest are fine - books and balloons. Also a trip to the petting zoo, to get an ice cream or even a ride on a coin operated car thing would be a nice treat.

Make the most of it at this age - you can always put money in savings for him to use when he's older. What do you think will be a better use of the money you could spend on him - presents that he doesn't need and won't remember or notice that he has or not, or money in an account to go towards house deposit/driving lessons etc.

@Bloocy behave yourself!!
My MIL bought him a keyboard. I said "amazing toy for at nanny's" and it lives there. It's a proper, big , keyboard. I hate it!

Yes I think paddling pool and a day out is loads. We did the blue bell railway a few weeks ago and had a brilliant time but it was hours in the car.
Possibly peppa pig world but it's a schlepp for one day and I'm now 7 months pregnant with some pretty bad ass health problems.
Love the marble drop idea as well but with a new born on the way I can't think of anything more terrifying then marbles potentially under the sofa that rolled away which could go in their mouth. We are tidy ish but life is more for enjoying in this house and if I missed a marble I would never forgive myself and so I could wait until this baby is 3 ish then buy one for them to do together.

Also, @Bloocy what is Moonsand ? You sound like a devil  @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius I am glad I am not the only one who thought omg not an instrument. My son will never play the trumpet. Even if he begged 😳

My parents said they would buy him a rabbit 😳 he loves them but seriously we have two cats a baby on the way and I can't imagine anything more crazy for a three year old.

Sorry I don't know why this is in bold