[dilgra]

Tati's 3rd birthday is coming up in a couple of months and we have no idea what to get her. I think it is time to clear out the baby/toddler toys and get her some "age appropriate" toys but what? She has a play kitchen and the stuff goes with that. She has dolls, a cradle and stroller but doesn't spend much time playing with them. Her favorite baby is her lovey "bug" which she brought with her from Guatemala. She spends most of her time playing with bug. She has a trunk of dress up clothes that someone gave her but refuses to even try them on (not into princess things). She likes bugs, books & blocks and plays with things that aren't really even toys. She loves to collect little things like, buttons, beads, plastic easter eggs, pony tail holders with balls on them, just funny little things like that. She collects them in little containers and carries them around the house with her. I am starting to think that I am just not providing the right kind of toys but don't know what she should be playing with right now. Maybe I am just too old and don't spend enough time with "young moms" so maybe I am missing something? Is she old enough for a doll house or train set? Any suggestions? What are some of your childs favorite toys?

Here she is doing her favorite thing, reading to "bug"

[shelbydog]

Doll house definitely! A tea set. If she likes beads, we just got a friend a little bead set - it was a kit with drawers in it, string and lots of beads. It was a Hannah Montana one but they had others.

I love Dot Paints too - kids love them, no mess.

[Theslaws]

My girls are almost 4 and 2. I second the doll house! My little one can spend an hour playing with her doll house (literally). We have the Fisher Price Loving Family one. Tea set is a great idea too! My girls also love their "craft box" that has tons of crafty things. Scissors, glue, construction paper, googly eyes to glue on, foam stickers, crayons, markers (This obviously requires supervision ) How about puzzles and simple games? She is old enough to start with really simple games.

Happy shopping!

[adoptnky]

Alex has a train set that he loves (and he got another one for his birthday this weekend). He also has a couple of games - Elefun and CandyLand. I was surprised at how well he played Candyland this weekend.

Kim

[gwenrenee007]

Well Mia has tons of toys and she still loves coins in small bag and just to carry things around!

Some toys she does love is her little MP3 player. It comes with 20 children's song and then you can add songs on too. Mia loves hers. It is a blue hat brand. Very easy to use for me and her!

She has a little pop up tent that she likes too. I got it at target for $25.

How about a purse or something like that filled with things like play phones, play money, fake credit cards, wallets and such.

If she likes to read how about a little lead pad, Mia really likes to "read" with hers.

Have fun!

[Mommy K]

Our daughter loves:
shopping cart w/play groceries
blackboard & white board
Her play shoe set
Sewing cards (cardboard dolls with holes to lace yarn through)
Chalk for outside
Bubbles
skates
tricycle/littletykes car

[052001]

My daughter received a doll house for her 2nd birthday. She is almost 8 and still plays with it.

My 3 year old loves her play kitchen, shopping cart, & play food.

[HenrysMom401]

Sounds like she might like crafty-things....beaded jewelry sets that she can make, and take apart, make another, etc. Maybe a doll she can groom with play makeup or curlers (feminism, anyone?!)

a doll house is always a great idea. I spent hours sitting at mine, making up all kinds of stories for the people who lived there...

what about a camera? she might like to record her world as she sees it.

[dac_cincy]

bike- without pedals and training wheels for learning balance.
Bug would go outside eveyday over playing inside

Also, swing set

[kirbystarcat]

We got DD a soccer goal and ball for her 3rd birthday. It was a big hit.
I might also suggest a little tykes or step 2 type playhouse. Both of my kids spend a lot of time playing in there.

[angieandstever]

Santa brought Gabbie a dollhouse for last Christmas. Sometimes she plays with it non stop and then sometimes she ignores it for weeks! It is still a great choice. Gabbie loves her playhouse which is outside. She loves it and when her friends come over they love it too! She also loves her tricycle, basketball hoop, easel with a chalkboard on one side and magnetic board for letters on the other side, tea set, puzzles, playdough, purses with combs, fake makeup, etc in it (she is super girly though and into purses and princesses), and books galore! We are considering a big wheel for Gabbie's 3rd birthday in September or a motorized car. We also thought about a trampoline but fear of broken bones got the best of us so I think we are passing on that one.

Good luck!

[ej-momtobe]

What about Tinker Toys? This was DS's favorite 3rd birthday present. I think he loves them so much, because mom and dad are really into tinker toys too and love to help him make things with them.

[linda512]

My son loves his easel. He got a bunch of games for his 3rd birthday and likes to play those- candyland, memery, zingo (even though it says 4 and up- easy and fast to play). He has trains he likes and duplo, although at 3 you can also get lego.

[ana-mom]

I'm glad you asked this - Ana's 3rd bday is just 4 days before Tati's.

So far we have accumulated the Elmo 'Fiesta' dvd, lacing cards, and a new game for her Leapfrog clickstart. We have a dollhouse handed down from her older cousin so she will be getting some furniture, etc for that.

Since Ana is such an outdoor girl, we are also getting her skates and some gardening tools.

Bubbles and sidewalk chalk are great ideas, Ana also loves stickers so I keep my eyes opened for those all the time.

Anything she gets she willingly shares with J so I need to be very careful in what she receives.

[Casey677]

My oldest is about to be 4. Her favorite toys this past year have been her dollhouse (also the fisher Price Loving Family one), GeoTraxx trainset, bicycle w/ training wheels, roller skates - the training kind that fit over your shoe, and since Christmas, she loves her Leapster. She also loves just about any kind of age appropriate board game Good luck! I thought 3 was such an awesome birthday.