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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

What did your 3 year old LOVE??

50 replies

whatevenwasthat · 22/09/2025 14:02

3 year old boy who loves things with wheels and his toolbox.

I plan to get him a new and improved tool box/work bench and one of those cars that have screws in for you to build, but he's got tons of cars, etc so I'm a bit stuck for other things. His birthday his in December too so I have two lots of gifts to sort.

Would love recommendations at what has been a huge hit for your 3 year old - absolutely any type of gift, I'd be happy to broaden his horizons a little.

OP posts:
BarnacleBeasley · 22/09/2025 14:19

When mine was 3 we asked him what he wanted and it turned out the main thing was a giant inflatable crocodile, so that was a cheap Christmas. So you could just ask him to help make a list.

But if you want a 'big' present, my DS is 4 now and has had a MODU set for a couple of years and still plays with it loads, probably more than when he first got it. He builds ride on cars and rides them all through our long, thin house, pretending to be a delivery truck: https://modutoy.com/pages/shop?title=Building%20Sets

MODU — Shop

Shop life-size building toys for kids aged 1-6. MODU sets contain foam building blocks, connector pegs and wheels which, thanks to an innovative construction system, can be interconnected for hours of active play.

https://modutoy.com/pages/shop?title=Building+Sets

Reginalda · 22/09/2025 14:29

Magnet tiles
Lego
An indoor swing we screwed into a ceiling beam! It hooks on and off.

OMGitsnotgood · 22/09/2025 17:33

The garage was a big hit with ours at that age. They are adults now so cannot point you at exact one, but specifically it was the lift which you put a car on and wind it to lift it up, then a ramp to push it down. Amused them for ages.

DarlingHoldMyHand · 22/09/2025 17:34

Transformers Rescue Bots

They are non-violent and easy to transform for little hands

tinyspiny · 22/09/2025 17:43

When ours were small they loved the Brio train set

CountFucula · 22/09/2025 17:55

Magnet tiles
playmobil dinosaurs

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 23/09/2025 05:05

Toy fire station
Fleece onesie

coravantexel · 23/09/2025 06:47

Balance bike or scooter

carparkwars · 23/09/2025 07:43

DD (4) loves her train set and plays with it daily, ditto her toy kitchen and food - she's got a cash register and money to go with it now too so we can play shops constantly. Could look at a yoto player - we got dd hers for her 3rd birthday and it took her a while to get into it but loved it from about 3 1/2.

There's also loads of 'busy books' around which have s playmat and characters- we have a few of those which she likes playing with.

cloudjumper · 23/09/2025 08:36

A torch. Such a simple idea, and I never thought of it. DB gave DS one as a present at the age, and it was the best present ever!

whatevenwasthat · 23/09/2025 17:12

Thanks for all the replies! He's already got quite a few of the things mentioned but there's some other things I'd probably never have thought of.

Whilst I'm here - any recs for books?

OP posts:
GettingFestiveNow · 23/09/2025 17:14

Indoor mini trampoline. Nearly 6 now and still goes on it every day.

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 23/09/2025 17:42

A sprinkler for the garden. We didn’t have any grass at the one, but that’s what she asked Father Christmas for, so that’s what she got!

Maxorias · 23/09/2025 17:45

The toy that got the most mileage with mine was the hape wooden trains and tracks. They're now losing interest at 5 and nearly 7 but that was played with almost everyday.

clinellwipe · 23/09/2025 17:51

Hot wheels garage , the huge one that is about 5 floors. Got it from fb marketplace

DollyMixers · 23/09/2025 17:52

ds3 loves his leapfrog ice cream cart (as well as other things mentioned like a car garage etc)

throwawayusrname · 23/09/2025 17:52

Bruder toys truck. Either the flatbed Man truck or the huge crane

carparkwars · 23/09/2025 20:30

whatevenwasthat · 23/09/2025 17:12

Thanks for all the replies! He's already got quite a few of the things mentioned but there's some other things I'd probably never have thought of.

Whilst I'm here - any recs for books?

DD (and I) love the 'there's a X in your book' books by Tom Fletcher and anything by Julia Donaldson.

To add to my other suggestions, if you have a garden, my daughter also has a mini canal where you can move boats around, has a lock etc. She loved playing with that over the summer.

SugarCookieMonster · 23/09/2025 21:28

DS loved the John Deere tractor that you use a drill to take apart and put together.

Happyland Pirate ship was a huge hit as it had little wheels so he could sail it around the floor.

Pop up tent play house things. We bought a Police one from Amazon and he got loads of play out of it and they you can flatten it and put it behind/ under the sofa.

Leapfrog Taco Truck was another favourite as it has plenty of scope for imaginative play.

Cuwins · 23/09/2025 21:30

My daughter is 3.5 and the biggest hit in the last year has been these https://amzn.eu/d/60iPyMG completely random but they have been used in everything as people but also as toppings on a pizza, money, for sorting etc.
After those it has been magnetic tiles and sylvanian families

Learning Resources All about Me Family Counters, Set of 72, Ages 3+, SEL, Sensory Skills,Color Recognition : Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games

Learning Resources All about Me Family Counters, Set of 72, Ages 3+, SEL, Sensory Skills,Color Recognition : Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games

https://amzn.eu/d/60iPyMG?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-christmas-5415086-what-did-your-3-year-old-love

BeMellowAquaSquid · 23/09/2025 21:31

Iggle Piggle

evtheria · 23/09/2025 21:32

Books:
All Kinds of Cars (there is also All Kinds of Planes)
Dinosaurs in the Supermarket
You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus!
What do Grownups Do All Day?
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
This Is Not My Hat
The Diggers are Coming!