Christmas gifts for 3 y/o girl?

[Mrs. Charming]

I'm hoping to get a jump on my Christmas shopping, and I need help. I have *no* idea what to get DD for Christmas. She'll be 3 1/2 when Christmas rolls around. The only thought I have is a Dinosaur Train toy (she loves dinosaurs, it's her thing). She's also into pretend play food, and Little People, and well.. shoes. I think she's a little too little for the Squinkies, maybe I'm wrong.

What are you getting your little girl/niece/granddaughter?

 

[NVDisMom]

Dress up was a big deal with my girls at that age. I think that was the year we got our eldest a wooden chest full of dress up items. We stuffed it with dresses, shoes, fairy wings, jewelery and even some stuff more geared towards boys because her BF at the time was a little boy. We scoured the clearance racks after Halloween! It was a lot of fun and definitely a favorite of hers and her friends for years. Youngest DD got one around the same age too. And it was a hit!

 

[zoemurr]

a big box of art supplies? Pipe cleaners, pom poms, glue sticks, markers, etc.

Or you can go to Target after Halloween and get tons of dress-ups for a discount and make a big box.

An educational video game like a Leapster

My DD always loved books and puzzles

a kids cookbook and an apron and measuring cups with ingredients to make something simple after Christmas. We received chocolate molds and candies one year which was a big hit.

a building toy: lego, lincoln logs, K'nex

does she have a play kitchen?
Bitty baby doll and clothes
sleeping bag
marble run (big hit in my preschool classroom)
dollhouse
puppets

 

[KellyWasHere]

Does she have a play kitchen? That is far and away my girls' favorite toy.

What other things? Doll house, play food (Melissa and Doug make some excellent ones), puzzles. My girls are hugely into puzzles. For Christmas we are buying my oldest, who just turned 4, a MobiGo and some Dinosaur Train toys, she loves that show as well!

 

[Fantasmic23]

Dress-up clothes! My niece would play for hours, changing from one costume to the next.

Play kitchens are a hit, too. Along the same vein, tea sets and pretend food. Those toy plastic shopping carts are fun, too. When DD was little, I would give her the empty graham cracker boxes and empty Ronzoni boxes and she would add them to her cart.

I was a big fan of dollhouses at that age (I still am!). The Fisher-Price and Little People stuff are always great.

Last but certainly never least, you can't go wrong with anything that has a Disney Princess (or two or three) on it!!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Looks like I'm just going to have to get her more Princess dresses. Oh darn. I have to admit I live vicariously through her dress-up. I always wanted fancy dress up dresses as a little girl! I'm definitely going to keep an eye out after Halloween. Some of them are even reasonable now, maybe I might pick one or two up. I think I'm going to stock up more on the accessories.

A play kitchen... that's a good idea. I almost bought her one last year, I think DH vetoed it., but this year I think I'm going to overturn that ruling! She has the Rose Petal Cottage but I think the novelty has worn off in the past 2 years. Maybe we'll spice it up with a renovated kitchen! I have play food for her that I bought on etsy last year, that's still a hit. I *highly* recommend felt play food! ITA on the Melissa and Doug food, especially the velcro ones that they 'cut' in half. Super cute.

She has a dollhouse, but she just plays with the furniture and the dolls. The house itself just collects dust, haha.

I like the art supply idea. I could put a cute box together, and use ACMoore and Michaels coupons once a week or two. Awesome. She needs new markers, they're all drying out. She's artsy fartsy like me so this will be a hit.

I have no experience with Leapsters. Kids really like them? I've only seen them in stores. I was thinking maybe we could get her a used DS cheap only because I'm more familiar with them than Leapsters. I'm going to check them out, and let her try out the sample one they have in Target. I'm going to check out the MobiGo too. I'd never heard of those!

I know DH is dying to get DD into Legos but with the new baby, I'm a little afraid that they're either going to be fed to him or eaten by him..

We're all on the same page and you've got great ideas, keep 'em coming!!

 

[Madison'smommy]

,
I have no experience with Leapsters. Kids really like them? I've only seen them in stores. I was thinking maybe we could get her a used DS cheap only because I'm more familiar with them than Leapsters. I'm going to check them out, and let her try out the sample one they have in Target. I'm going to check out the MobiGo too. I'd never heard of those!

I know DH is dying to get DD into Legos but with the new baby, I'm a little afraid that they're either going to be fed to him or eaten by him..

We're all on the same page and you've got great ideas, keep 'em coming!!

My DD loved her Leapster! She got it at about 3, and is nearly 5.5 right now, and still uses it. I think we may get a DS for her for Christmas

 

[zoemurr]

they have lots of fun stuff at the Dollar Tree too in the craft aisle.

pipe cleaners
popsicle sticks
stickers
foamies
etc.

 

[LuLuO]

DD3 loves to help make cookies and cakes and such so one of her gifts will be Minnie Mouse cookie mix that comes with a small wooden spoon, two Mickey pot holders and some regualr sugar sprinkles. She'd be just as happy with those items if some of them weren't Mickey/Minnie-themed but we were at WDW and they were too cute to pass up.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I didn't think of Dollar Tree for craft supplies. Awesome!

I just got an email from Zulily for all sorts of Princess dress up stuff. It's not Disney princess, but there's all sorts of stuff, and it's cheap!! Just a heads up for anyone else looking for dress up stuff.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

DD3 loves to help make cookies and cakes and such so one of her gifts will be Minnie Mouse cookie mix that comes with a small wooden spoon, two Mickey pot holders and some regualr sugar sprinkles. She'd be just as happy with those items if some of them weren't Mickey/Minnie-themed but we were at WDW and they were too cute to pass up.

We're going before Christmas, I'm going to look for those!

 

[labdogs42]

Toy shopping cart, toy doll stroller, toy kitchen. Or how about a Power Wheels Barbie car or Jeep? Those are fun at that age. Pricey, but fun! Scooters and tricycles are good at that age, too.

 

[happydisneyfamily]

When my daughter was 3 years old, we got her a Playskool Dreamtown Rose Petal Cottage. She loved it so much. We only got rid of it this year when we moved.

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[hffmnheidi]

I have a 3 year old niece and it's all about princess dress-up, play kitchen, and babies. So doll clothes/accessories are always a good buy. Melissa and Doug brand play foods are fabulous. They now sell them at our Michaels and with all the percent off coupons, you can save a bundle.

 

[DisneyBrooke81]

DD got her DS when she turned 4. I would actually recommend that over the Leapster. We had both, and she liked the DS better. The Nick Jr games are great and educational.

And like others, we bought a lot of dress up clothes when Target went down to 90% off!!! DD still plays with all of that.