3 Yo BOY Gift Idea?

Updated on August 26, 2011
L.K. asks from Boise, ID
17 answers

I have to go shopping today for a birthday gift for a little boy who will be 3. I know he's into Thomas the Train but other than that, no ideas. He already has a lot of stuff.....any ideas on what to look for so I'm not stuck like a deer in the headlights at the toy store? I'd like to keep it $40.00ish.

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K.P.

answers from New York on

LEGO sets- the Duplo ones for preschoolers. My son got the Rock Quarry one for his birthday and it was hands-down his favorite gift (he's 3). He's also recently into boardgames (Candyland, Chutes and Ladders and Memory) and books that have real story lines. Definitely hit the LEGO aisle and see what they have- include a gift receipt and have fun!

3 moms found this helpful

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T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

They have awesome lego sets at Target, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us that are for the new Cars 2 movie.

4 moms found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

How about a fun craft kit? Like paper, watercolors, finger paint, an artists smock. Building blocks or the big leggos.

Or some books, or dress up clothes like a superhero cape set.

2 moms found this helpful
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P.S.

answers from Houston on

Books or a gift card to a bookstore that doesn't sell toys.

2 moms found this helpful

L.G.

answers from Eugene on

If he loves Thomas buy a bridge for the train set. He'll be using it for another five years at least. I bought Brio for our family and the set has had many other users over the last 14 years.

1 mom found this helpful

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

TRAINS!!!! With out a doubt. My son liked the Thomas Trains that stuck together with magnets. You could probably get 3 of those for $40.

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J.N.

answers from Seattle on

Leapfrog toys, dvds, games are great and educational. My 3 year old also loved getting a scooter (Target has some great age appropriate ones) and a bike.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.D.

answers from New York on

My son just had his 3rd bday party last weekend. By far, what he liked the most was a playmobile school bus (with little figures). He hasn't even opened the rest of his presents yet as this thing ovccupies him so
Much!

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

My son just turned 2 and my SIL bought him him a motorcycle (says ages 3 and older) that does wheelies and makes music. It's easy enough my 2 year old can do it but probably would hold the interest of a 3 year old. My son LOVES it!

For his birthday he also got a Thomas the Train Flashlight / Whistle - which might be a neat idea.

My son also got rainboots...if you are spending $40 you could probably get both the boots and jacket.

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K.T.

answers from Minneapolis on

Rocket balloons!!! You don't have to worry if he already has them because they could always use more, they are cheap, and he will love them!

Books- especially with flaps to lift, things to slide, pop-up books, books with buttons on the side for sounds, etc. Also something they can always use more of.

I suggest going to a hobby center instead of a toy store. Tons of cool stuff, and your gift will be unique.

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S.B.

answers from Provo on

I say you can never go wrong with books. My almost 3 year old son loves anything with dinosaurs or pirates.

If I were to buy another gift for my son's birthday next week, it would probably be something Melissa and Doug, probably a wooden food set like this one http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3335458.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 4yo son loved anything to do with cars - matchbox, hot wheels, Disney Cars (Lightning McQueen, etc), or big trucks. He also really liked board games for his 3rd birthday, especially Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, and Sequence for Kids.

Also, I sell Discovery Toys, a home-based company not available in stores. We have some amazing products for three year olds that are not only fun, but also educational (though the kids don't realize it!!) and they all come with a lifetime warranty! A couple of my favorite products are perfect for preschool-aged boys - and I can honestly say my son and his friends all love them (as do the other boys I've sold them to).

You can view all the products at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao If you order today, you'll have them by the end of next week. A few of my favorites:

MotorWorks - the company's # 1 selling toy! Children use a battery-powered screwdriver to build a car, motorcycle, and an airplane. They can take them apart and put them together over and over.

MarbleWorks is also great, though it does use regular sized marbles, so it's not good for a kid who still puts things in his mouth. Connect colorful tubes, chutes, ramps and bases in different ways to create an infinite number of racetracks.

Block It - a set of 40 wooden blocks with different shapes, colors and textures, perfect for building castles or anything else his imagination comes up with

PlayTown Series - choose from either a restaurant, a pet hospital, or a school. Each wooden playset comes with two characters and about a dozen accessories for pretend play and a chance to re-enact real life situations

Zingo - a fun bingo-style game to build picture and word recognition skills (adults really enjoy playing this one too, so it's a great family game)

ABSeas - another letter recognition game, this one uses magnetic fishing poles and can later be used for basic spelling too

I hope you find something you love. Please consider these toys - they really are high quality, fun, and with the lifetime warranty, they are better than anything you can get at Toys R Us.

K.

M.C.

answers from Pocatello on

well, for my daughters third birthday we will be getting her a baking set and cooking tools. Kids love to get involved in projects at this age, and baking and cooking is great on many levels for kids that age. They can help them learn skills (cutting, rolling, kneading, mixing), they can learn shapes with cooky cutters, and they can learn numbers (2 cups please!) Also, with things like decorating cookies kids can be creative and artistic! The thing I hate about most "craft" kits is that if kids get into them there is often a huge mess! Cooking can be messy, but you get it out, cook and clean up and the mess is over with!

If he is into "Thomas the train", I bet he'll get several "Thomas" gifts- which might be duplicated.

this is the cooking set we are getting for our daughter:
amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-22269-Kinderkitchen-Set/dp/B002Q4TWW0/ref=gl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3BGJUK37J048D&colid=2U9Y5HYWXLLJT

it is about $40.00- $45.00 depending on where you buy it

-M.

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

My son at that age loved his little toy guitar and keyboard. LOVED them!

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E.M.

answers from Chicago on

You must get him this:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4048063

It is a Thomas train with a lantern. The kid lights up the lantern, which creates a red beam wherever it is pointed and the Thomas train follows it around. So cool and right in your price range.

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K.H.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My son isn't quite 3 yet but he loves the wooden puzzles you can get they are pretty easy for him to put into a shape or animal. He likes the cars, balls. My mom has this track for the cars he absolutely loves or a train track. Good luck.

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