What did you get your 3 year old DS for his birthday?

[Holymoly321]

I ask because DSis coming up to his third birthday. He's into lots of diff things, Cars (Disney), dinosaurs, creating havoc etc! He's not into scooters or bikes (he has a trike in the garage that he has never shown any interest in) and he has lots of 'bitty' toys, small cars, plastic animals, bob builder character toys etc. DH would like to get him something 'big' for his birthday - a proper playset that he "can spend hours playing with whilst you're dealing with 9mth old DS2" (yeah right!). Anyway, just wondered if anyone had any suggestions. He already has a ELC garage that he got couple of years ago that he's bored with... attention span of a gnat!

Does he like pirates? We recently bought ds a pirate Ship and castle set with characters (sailors, canon etc) which he loves playing with. Another idea is a astle/knight/dragon set. - My ds would love that.

I don't have any but a lot of threads I've seen say that playmobil is good and you can get good larger sets for that.

Hmm.. he's been watching Space Pirates recently so that may be a goer LC. Where did you get it from?

I would wait another year before getting playmobil, what about a wooden train set?

The one we bought was just from Woolworths but tbh I let ds choose it himself (within a set price rang) and I'm not sure I'd have chosen it as the castle makes creaking and laughing sounds and is a bit spooky as I say though DS loves it and plays with it a lot.

I can't remember what is is called but I'll have a look tonight and see if I can give a link to it.

Otherwise Playmobile have pirate stuff www.spmodels.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Pirates_394.html

Hmm, 3rd birthday was only a couple of months ago so I should know this..!

What we bought him (nothing "big" in your DH's sense but may give you ideas):

tool box - he loves having his own drill, screwdriver etc
duplo - just the box with all bits, not a set that builds anything in particular.
baby mechano - his very own screwdriver again and a set that makes 3 different odd looking creatures.
Puzzles - he has recently really got into jigsaws
and something else which I cannot for the life of me recall!

What I would have considered for him if we wanted to get something bigger...
work bench - more tools and stuff
kitchen - he loves this at nursery, but at home he's perfectly happy adapting whatever he has in the environment to be his ktchen so I didn't see the need.

In fact, the most time he has EVER spent playing completely by himself was sat on the sofa with 2 bits of plastic (gear sticks) and a crayon box (battery) playing cars. So I don't think they need very much really!!

My 3 years old DS had a wooden train set and has no interest in it at all. I'm hoping he will like it more when he is older.

Mind you I have just noticed that smiling's ds is just turning 3. Beansmum is right about the age, DS is 3.8 and really has only in the last few months started playing so much with characters and those sorts of toys.

When he was 2 (turning 3) I'd say he didn't play with very much at all for very long.

Even now he only plays with the things he likes for 20 mins or so max without wanting me to join in.

we got our lo a didi car for his 2nd birthday and all my 3 boys love it. Its easy to operate and hopefully will last for years.

My DS (recently 3) has the sort of toys mentioned on this thread. He doesn't do really do decent chunks of playing by himself either, at least not consistently. Apart from the telly, the only things that absorb him for long periods are the CBeebies website, and Mario Kart on the Wii. Probably not what you were after!

massive thomas the tank train set - total value for money he plays with it for hours

A bike, which he learned to ride without stabilisers 3 weeks later and mean't we could go on proper family rides

bTM - ooh - could he teach my DS please? We tried giving him his bike without stabilisers or pedals, so he could get used to balancing... and he wouldn't go near it because it was too wobbly!

Wooden train set.

Duplo and Thomas trains and track are the things my boys will play with for hours. I'd recommend a construction yard duplo set, there's lots of imaginary play they can do with it.

One of the best things we ever bought was one of those rugs with a town print and roads on it for playing cars, also a multi storey garage. Great for any car mad boy

Buzz Lightyear and Woody, and some Playmobil.

It's so hard isn'nt it? Our DS is also coming up to 3 and DH suggested playmobil pirate ship - but there are lots of tiny bits and they're for older children aren't they?

We gave DS a bike for his 3rd birthday.

Not sure if you'd get much mileage out of it now, but my mum and dad got him Aquaplay which was a huge hit.

Vote for the Thomas train set. We had the Tomy one with the blue track. Engines are good presents for future birthdays/christmasses.

A bike, but one of those ones without pedals, called a scoot. DS isn't into pedalling, doesn't really get it yet, but he loves the scoot and it's a good way to learn to ride a bike as it has no stabilisers either, they just learn to balance as they whizz along. Another brand of them is called like-a-bike, I think.

He also got his first proper lego, from other people, and although he hasn't mastered it yet he loves playing with it.

Doctor's Kit
Fireman's Kit
Dress up Sportacus Outfit. last one was a total hit and he wears it ALL the time. He is nearly 4 now...

DS got a bike for his 3rd birthday.