Grandaughter's 3rd birthday coming. I need a toy idea please.

[faith]

We have 5 grandchildren and Emily is the only girl. Does your little one have a favorite toy from Christmas etc that she loves? No ideas from my daughter etc. I need help. Thanks.

 

[Piglet]

My DD is now 6, but at age 3 I can remember her liking the doll house play sets (Fisher Price has Sweet Street Sets with school, hotel, beach house, etc.), she also liked legos, dolls and loved toys for out side. They have a cute playset at Toys R Us that is a tree house for Caiou from PBS.

Does she have a favorite cartoon? They have a lot of new videos out with Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues and Clifford.

Hope this helps a little.

Melinda

 

[cgcw]

Depending on what you want to spend, a 3 year old might enjoy a vanity to fix her hair, put jewelry on, play dress up and the ever popular make-up. Little Tykes makes a nice looking one.

Have fun whatever you decide to do!

 

[faith]

Thanks Melinda! I may give ToysRus a try. I would love to buy her another doll, but she has a favorite that goes everywhere with her since she was born. She definitely likes Dora, and the treehouse set with Caiou sounds cute.

 

[faith]

Thanks for the additional ideas CGCW!

 

[sha_lyn]

Anything by fisherprice is usually a good idea. IMHO I think the Sweet Street stuff is still a little small for a 3yr old. DD is 5 and has a lot of FP little People sets and the FP camper and doll house. She received a Sweet Streets set for X-mas and the dolls are a lot smaller than the regular FP stuff.
I've seen several Disney Princess dolls out now that are geared toward preschool age girls. Some sets are called my first princess I believe.

 

[shep]

The FP little people sounds like a good idea...
Cassie--2 1/2 also likes Care Bears(you can get them a stuffed animal with a video at Wal-mart & Toys R Us)

Mandy liked watching 'Wiggles' tapes or anything Barney at that age..

 

[aprincessmom]

I concur with the dollhouse. Books on tape are great -- she can follow along with the storybook. DD loved that when she was 2 and 3 years old. Kept her amused and engaged more than videos...she just couldn't sit still long enough for the videos.

How about musical instruments like drums, a mini keyboard, a tamborine or a triangle. DD loved music makers at that age and would march around the house playing the music, having parades.

Puppets were also a favorite. We spent hours playing with puppets, having them act out stories we knew, making up new ones, just being silly.

DD also got her first real babydoll then -- not just cloth but molded plastic. She spent hours being a mommy, feeding her baby, giving her baths, etc.

Pots and pans and plastic food were also big. She got a kitchen set that year and we spent lots of time playing restaurant and house using those things.

 

[Piglet]

Sha-lyn, You are right about the Sweet Streets. Some of that stuff is a little small for a three year old. I think I was thinking of the FP Doll House. My DD loved the Mini Van, Camper and the baby set that came with that.

Also another idea, might be a tricycle. She also loved the baby nursery set that has the changing table and high chair. I also agree with aprincessmom about the kitchen set. My DD still plays with it sometimes. She is always working in a restaurant and taking orders.

Melinda

 

[Karel]

I would look for something that would keep her active and busy. To me videos for three year olds are a real turn off. Also, you should check with your daughter before buying makeup type stuff, nail polish etc. Some parents aren't ready for their daughters to get into that yet. (In many ways, including making a mess)

Defintely check the recommend ages on the packaging.

How would your daughter feel about playdough? There are some great set to play with, and my kids always loved them, but I have friends who wouldn't let their children play with it because of the mess factor.

Also, a kitchen set at this age is great. Pretend play is important and you can make up little menus with pictures to go with it. All my kids loved our kitchen set. I have pictures of my son inside of it, working on it with his tool set.

 

[sha_lyn]

How could I forget about a kitchen set or the baby center that are sitting right behind me. DD received both at 3 (one was Bday the other that X mas).
Both of my kids could ride a "big wheel" better than a tricycle. DD was a little purple one that she received for easter not long before she turned 3.

 

[sha_lyn]

I forgot the Pooh Duplo blocks (larger version of Legos). DD loved hers at around 3yrs.

 

[zulaya]

Sit N Spin
Strawberry Shortcake Dolls - yes, they are back.

 

[aprincessmom]

The tricycle is a great idea...DD rides a two-wheeler but still keeps her trike around. Just hates the thought of giving it up.

Trying to think back on other favorite things...DD got an easel at 3 and had a ball with that. You can use one side for painting, the other for chalk drawing. She still uses that. Fingerpaints are great for that age as well.

Sidewalk chalk, a kickball, kites, little golf clubs. All things DD loved at that age. Also memory games a la concentration. She had a Teletubbies one that kept her engaged for hours. We'd play over and over and over. The matching pictures and remember where things were really tickled her.

 

[believe]

As Shep said, our 2.5yr old loves Care Bears. She also loves to dress up (wigs, crowns, outfits, shoes). There is a vanity that talks to you and she loves that, when I put the batteries in
She plays a lot on her sit n spin, the musical one. She also enjoys her Disney wand that she received on Valentine's day.
She does play a lot with the kitchen set.

It really depends on the child. DD#1 preferred art items and really didn't get into dressing up till she was 4.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

My 3 and 5 yo dds love "MY GIRLFRIENDS STYLE HOME" by Mega Bloks. Its a lego type toy that you build into a house. It comes with little dolls and two of them have built in recorders that you can talk into. The girls really play with this for hours and I always send one of the dolls in dd#1 lunch for school with a little message from home.

 

[faith]

Thanks to you all for some wonderful ideas! I was going out today to shop, but it is SO cold here in Michigan. Tomorrow should be better, a heat wave of 34 degrees expected.
If anyone else posts, this is a thank you in advance, I always feel guilty when I bump my threads up.