3yo, little space and lots of hand-me-downs

[Sprogonthetyne]

My 3yo DD has no major interest, she's generally happy to play with anything but there's nothing she get especially into or always go's back to. She also has a small bedroom, so no room for anything massive especially if its not played with often. To make it harder, she has a brother 3 years older, so already got most of the big ticket items like bikes & scooter handed down, so I'm really struggling for anything to buy her that won't seem underwhelming.

Dose anyone have any suggestions? I usually buy 1 bigger thing (£30-50), then around 6 little bits (under £10). But that's not set in stone.

How about some little craft sets - something for you and her to do together. Quality time worth alot more especially if you guys have alot already?
Taking her to somewhere like build a Bear, getting the experience of picking her own teddy plus it's an item she takes away?

Things which are used up, bath foam, bath crayons, magic colour change bubble bath.

My 3 year old loves balloons so I’m going to wrap up a box of balloons.

A paint easel or chalk board that can be kept outside ? Anything she needs for her room? tbh at 3 you don’t need a big gift

Sylvanian families. They're small, and something new for her as I'm guessing her older brother didn't have any. They were the first real toy DD got that was her own and she played for hours. I had to remove some of the smaller items at first.

Does she have a favourite character you could get things linked to so maybe a towel or fleece blanket with character on, drinks bottle, cutlery (I've ordered bluey cutlery for my dd3s stocking), cushion for her bed etc (or squisihimal of her favourite animal)

Otherwise add to a set you already have e.g. Duplo, brio, Sylvanian families etc whatever you already have

She probably doesn't 'need' much, but her brother has asked for things that he will love, and I don't want her to have noticeablely less. I'm not bothered about it costing the same, but don't want it to look like less.

She already has a chalk bord outside as part of her mud kitchen (that was her birthday). She would love a box of balloons, but her brother has autism and would spend the whole day freaking out that she was going to pop one.

Clothes?

There's no need to give her things she doesn't want or need for the sake of it.

Firstly, clear out old things they are broken, forgotten about, too young for her.

Also consider buying less for your son.

At 3 mine loved a fold up kitchen we had from ELC. It was like this, and fit under the bed when folded up! fold up kitchen

Also my busy books of their favourite characters. It's a book with 12 figures, and playmat, usually around £6.

Shopkins, and the shoppie girl dolls. We had a plane and some little sets they used loads.

Enchantimals dolls and cave club girl dolls. They are smaller in size than barbie etc and mine liked they were more like girls. My youngest liked the barbie Chelsea range campervan. It's small and again the Chelsea range are girls not women.

Those big magnetic drawing pad things.

Cheap echo microphone and a cheap CD player/boom box. We had lots of kids cds and story cds too which we enjoyed.

Pop up tent brought hours of entertainment, we have the circus style one from IKEA, it folds flat so we used to store it behind the bunk bed or behind the sofa and the poles in a bag. (My youngest is 10 and she still asks for it out, we got it when she was 2!)

She really enjoys building blanket dens, so pop up tent might be popular. I could also maybe set it up the night before so her pile looks bigger.

She also loves music, so possibly the cd player, but I already play her music through my phone or the TV, so not sure if it will just feel like more of the same?

Is there anything instrument-ish that's more then a tambourine but within the capability of a 3oy? She's desperate to get her hands on her brother's cello. Would a toy keyboard be any good?

If you're willing to invest in decent earplugs, get this. Was a firm favourite for a good 6 years 😫

A toy keyboard would be good not one on legs or anything . My niece lives her dollhouse and it's not a big one think it's the small one from asda. Also lego and magnatiles she loves plus her baby Annabelle

A ukulele perhaps, although i wouldn't expect much tuneful. A decent xylophone, one aimed at slightly older children, not a toddler. We have one from Jacques of London that wasn't expensive but has lasted well and came with some colour-coded song sheets. A term of lessons at a local 3-5 music class?

A dance mat?

www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/fashion-and-dolls/barbie/barbie-vanity-table/p/152307?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces_across_google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5ebp3Zqk-gIV4IBQBh0megsNEAQYCCABEgLDsvD_BwE

I have 3 girls so lots of hand me downs. For my youngest id get her things like new snack box’s, bath toys, colouring books. I’d also look for things in the charity shops.

Keyboard is a great idea, my dds loved theirs.

Things like schleich animals are a nice gift, and don't take up much space. My dds got a lot of use from these too.

Bath toys often need replacing for a younger sibling (mine always got grotty, anyway). We have a bath ice cream maker and a Playmobil 123 noahs ark that lived in the bathroom and were well played with there.

The year we got the tent I put it up, got some battery operated fairy lights (poundland) and put the stockings inside with some blown up balloons! They also got a new fleece blanket each (primark/asda £6 and loads of characters/animal/patterns) and a cuddly toy. But you can get squishmallows which are like pillows but teddies, they are pretty popular with all age children right now!

It went down so well, they spent most of the day in there, I even had to read their bedtime stories inside too! 🤣 this is the one we have and i can vouch for it fitting 1 adult, 2 small children and many soft toys for stories!! ikea tent

Sorry I didnt know how to multi quote! We quite liked the CD player as they then had the freedom to play what they liked when they liked! We now have an amazon alexa in their rooms as the CD stopped working but seriously considering going back as they don't listen very well 🙄

In the preschool I work at the most popular instruments with our 3 Yr olds are the bongo style drums, jingly bells, xylophone, keyboard, the triangle and maracas. We also had someone bring in some steel pans which they loved having a go at! My daughter loves her ukulele (£6 in tiger so not a proper one!) But she was a bit older when we got it. And one year santa brought harmonicas, the girls loved them but after a month they magically got lost for a while and my headache disappeared 🤣

What about a Yoto or Toniebox. They take up very little room

Bargain uke

My 3 year old loves Crayola Washimals. Spends ages with them.

If she loves music, how about something like this

https://btoys.co.uk/products/symphony-in-b-bx1977?pos=2&&sid=00f8c4f3a&ss=r

Or

https://btoys.co.uk/products/woofer-bx1206?pos=1&&sid=00f8c4f3a&ss=r

My three year old dd has the guitar and loves it.

My dd also loves putting a blanket over a couple of chairs to make a fort and I have this on her list.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/construction-fort-kit-5-yrs-/p/hbp22532442?intid=mobileappppdpshare

And if she loves stories and reading, how about this to make bedtime a bit special?

https://scoutandcokids.com/products/moulin-roty-storybook-torch-apres-la-pluie?pos=5&&sid=cb2a26cf3&ss=r

Tickets to a kids show as the main present? We took DS (3 at the time) to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea in February. They’ve recently had In the Night Garden on and a Justin Fletcher show too. Something to look forward to and doesn’t take up space in the house!