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101 Best Toys for 3 Year Old Boys: Your Ultimate List

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Finding the right toys for youngsters isn’t easy, especially when they’re super young. That’s why we’ve scoured the internet to find 101 of the very best toys for 3 year old boys. Thankfully, you won’t need to worry about spending hours searching for the right present. We’ve got just about everything you could need for the ideal gift right here.

Also Check Out: The Imaginext Super Surround Batcave

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Our expert gift guides don't just end with the above reviews. If you're looking for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions online, we're here to help get you all the info you need. 

Best Toys for Toddlers

Every child is different, but generally speaking, anything that's bright and aids their development is sure to go down a treat. 

Action figures and playsets help with their motor control, learning toys develop speech, number, and letter understanding, while simple puzzles aid their problem-solving skills. 

Just keep in mind it's worth sticking to the recommended ages. Although six-inch Marvel toys are great, not only would they pose a safety risk, kids may not be able to move them as easily or attach accessories, which in turn has a negative effect on their development. 

Always stick to the label. 

Best Learning Tablets for Toddlers

This is where careful selection is key. 

Some of the tablets I'd recommend are the LeapFrog LeapPad, which comes with over $100 worth of learning apps, the LeapFrog My First Tablet for younger kids, or the V-Tech My Little Tablet. 

There are cheaper tablets around, but there's a tendency to brand-up harder to use tablets with recognizable tv characters.

So if you're looking to pick up a tablet for toddlers, you're always best sticking with the well-known brands like V-Tech and LeapFrog.

They're the most popular for a reason. 

Amazon Fire Kids Tablet

Should you pick up the Amazon Fire Kids tablet for a 3-year-old?

No. Don't. 

The Amazon Fire Kids Tablet is brilliant, and it's super affordable. However, you're going to need to set up parental controls, research which apps to pick up, and your child is going to have to navigate around all the Amazon apps that come pre-installed as they search for their apps. 

It's an extra level of complexity that a 3-year-old doesn't need when they're getting to grips with new tech. 

That said, if your child has an older sibling, say six and up, I'd absolutely recommend the Amazon Fire Kids Tablet for them. 

Best Toys for a 3 Year Old Boy with Autism

Have you heard of Fat Brain Toys? Basically, it's a toy manufacturer that specializes in toys for kids with special needs. 

Whenever I recommend toys for kids with autism, I always break them down into two categories: Fidget or Sensory. 

For fidget, I'd suggest the Ladybug's Garden Game or the Poke-a-Dot book. Both of those will help with their memory development and have things they can fiddle with (or poke in the book's case) when they become distressed. 

For sensory, that'd be the Rainbow Music Desk Bell and the TwissBits Wagon. 

The wagon is great for when they want to distract themselves at home, while the Desk Bells are an option for when you're out and they become overwhelmed. 

Toys For 3 Year Old Boy with Down Syndrome

Again, I'm going to have to go with Fat Brain for toys. Although autism and down syndrome isn't the same thing, Fat Brain makes toys for all kids. 

The Rainbow Music Desk Bells are being used by occupational therapists, Squigz is great for physical therapy, and more unique gifts like a personalized nameplate helps with spelling their name and giving them a sense of ownership over an area.  

Most Popular Gifts for Christmas

This is a question I get a lot and it's really difficult to answer. For a start, every child is different, so what works for one child won't work for another. 

For boys, you can't go wrong with Imaginext. I went with Imaginext for my youngest during the early years and they fell in love with it. 

Not only does Imaginext cover several different brands, so there's sure to be something they recognize, the easy to use nature of the playsets means they aren't too difficult for the target age. 

Case-in-point: I love the Marvel Legends toys, but because of all the movement options and having to place thin weapons into curled-up hands, those kind of action figures and their ilk don't work for youngsters. In fact, I'd suggest steering clear of most action figures purely because of how difficult they are to use.  

That's why Imaginext rocks, there's only a handful of moving joints, and playing with suitable action figures promotes social skills. If they're talking through the figures, they're constantly learning without even knowing. 

(Side Note: The PlaySkool Transformers range on this list was a close runner up)

If your child's a little past the toddler stage, I'd definitely recommend getting them into Ben 10 Toys. 

For 3-year-old girls, first I'd suggest checking out our pick of the best toys for 3-year-old girls. It's another of my gift guides so I know there's a lot of choice in there. 

Broadly speaking, however, you won't go wrong with the Kindi Kids range. Although if you've got an older kid, Descendants 3 Dolls is where it's at. 

With Kindi Kids, these dolls are designed for younger kids. Their big heads and easy to move arms and legs are perfect for little hands. 

Not only that, they're really adorable. It's the big glittery eyes that do it. 

They also come with really cool interactive accessories. One of them is a spoon with some food on, but when it hits the doll's mouth, it vanishes as though they've eaten it. 

It's a cool idea, and kids of that age group, who haven't had magic ruined for them yet, are sure to find it really fun. 

TL;DR: Imaginext for boys, Kindi Kids for girls. 

Top Toy Safety Tips

When buying toys for toddlers you absolutely want to be extra careful. Below you'll find our top tips you need to consider prior to every purchase. 

Is It UL Certified

Buying something with an electrical component? Make sure it's UL certified. Basically, if it's UL certified, that means it's been tested fully to ensure it's as safe as it can be. You shouldn't just stop thinking when you see the UL logo, of course, but it is a good start. 

Go with Trusted Brands

Never heard of the brand you're considering buying a toy from? Give them a quick Google or better yet, check the reviews from other customers.

If something has issues, customers will give them 1 Star and leave feedback. Parents look out for other parents like that, and who better is there to trust than fellow parents?

Is the Toy Larger than their Mouth?

This may sound obvious, but if a toy is larger than a child's mouth, they won't be able to fit said toy in there and choke. 

Conversely, avoid toys with small bits that come off. Even if something is too large to be swallowed, it's best to play it safe and avoid it just in case. 

Read the Label

Believe me, I know how boring reading labels is. That said, there are times when there's something useful in there. You'll also get a good idea of the types of materials used to make the toy, which can be important if your child has any allergies. 

Check the Batteries!

This is the most important tip: Always check where the batteries are in the toy. Especially if you're going for Electric Ride-on Cars.

Is the latch secure? Could rough play cause the batteries to pop out? Do the batteries on the inside have a coating to make them taste awful? 

It's the little things like that many of us often forget but could mean the difference. 

Help! I Need Even More Ideas!

Don't panic, we're here to help. Over on our toys channel, we've got gift guides broken down by different ages as well as recaps of all the best toys to come out this year. 

Our toy channel really does have something for everyone.

Looking for the best gifts for 3 year old boys? We’ve got everything you could need for the ideal gift right here.