OT: What to get 3yr old DD for Christmas?

[seeking pixie dust]

My daughter's birthday is today - she's 5!!! She got the Leapster. I'm not sure she would have been happy with it at 3 (unless she had an older sibling). Her favorties for the past few years have been her wooden kitchen - (lots of Melissa and Doug Food items), her sand table, grocery cart and Pottery Barn vacuum.

She still likes the snap n style dolls...her American Girl Doll (yours might like the Bitty Babies now), and her plush disney princess dolls. She has the fisher price loving family dollhouse and a princess vanity that she likes, too. But again, the kitchen remains the best buy ever!

Good luck...it's a hard decision to make.

 

[cerberus]

Some great ideas, thanks for helping to get me started!

 

[reginaastralis]

My daughter who turned three the week after Christmas loved her bike. Whichever the smallest one is (around 20", I don't know, my parents bought it for me) ... she is really good at it too! She's nearly ready for the training wheels to come off.

This year her big ticket item is a HUGE kitchen set (more than I wanted, but my mom paid half, and who am I to say no) and an easel. I am pondering the same thing about leapster and vsmile for her birthday gift. I think it would be something she would like, but I don't know. We gave her my sister's old gameboy, but the game is to hard for her. She likes to play it, but can't figure out how to. She's almost four, and really beyond her years (she thinks she's ten, like my sister) so maybe that is part of it.

My daughter would be happy with some markers and some legos, so maybe I should just back off a bit though, lol

 

[reginaastralis]

How about Magna Tiles? http://www.magnatiles.com/

My kids LOVE them. They received them when they were 4 and almost 2, and still play with them daily one year later at 5 and almost 3. The kids spend so much time playing independently with them--I highly recommend them. We have the 100 piece clear set and Santa is bringing another set this xmas!

Wow! Thanks for posting this. I had never heard of these, but they are so completely up my daughter's alley ... I know she will them. You just made me one happy momma.

 

[KandiB47]

Wow! Thanks for posting this. I had never heard of these, but they are so completely up my daughter's alley ... I know she will them. You just made me one happy momma.

I agree. Those look cool. Thank you.

 

[cerberus]

My DD3 got Magneatos for christmas last year and is just starting to play with them and loves them...they are a similar concept to the magnatiles and have several different types, here is what we have
http://guidecraft.com/product/135251/G8102/_/MAGNEATOS_144_pcs

 

[1hero2princesses]

My DS got a vsmile when he was 3. He just turned 5 in september and still plays it. Regularly at least 4 or 5 times a week. Last Christmas his Aunt gave him a leapster. He plays that every once in a while - maybe once every few weeks when he has to wait for his sister in dance class. In fact I think it has kept him from wanting other systems that are less educational. His best friend has a DS and he has not asked for one. His sister is 3 and she doesn't really understand yet how to play it though so I think it depends on the kid.

 

[GabbyMom]

I bought DD a plasma car http://www.plasmacar.com/store/customer/index.php for her 3rd birthday it was $50 at target. It has a weight limit of 250 lb so even I have ridden it.

She also got a clickstart http://www.leapfrog.com/en/families/clickstart/learning_systems/cs_clickstart.htmlfor christmas last year. She still plays with it. we give her a new game every once in a while and it's like a new toy again.

 

[cerberus]

I bought DD a plasma car http://www.plasmacar.com/store/customer/index.php for her 3rd birthday it was $50 at target. It has a weight limit of 250 lb so even I have ridden it.

Those look fun, but darn we have a gravel driveway!

 

[mom2princessj]

My DD will be 3 in Feb. I was having a hard time for the big ticket item, as well. I think we are going to do the new sleeping beauty vanity.

DD will be 3 in January. Santa is getting her a costume trunk for Christmas (I spent a huge amount of time on ebay before Halloween buying costumes and I'm waiting for costumes at the Disney store to drop even more in price now). For her birthday, we're getting her a puppet theatre and puppets.

What about a bitty baby?

All of those ideas are great! My dd is 5 and she received all of these types of items for her 3rd birthday/Christmas. She is still VERY into dress up, we just actually got rid of her 'magic mirror' vanity to make room for an art table, and she still plays with her bitty baby although she's had that awhile and has since graduated to the big dolls.
Good luck. I was having kind of a time buying for my 3 yo son so I understand how you feel. 3 is kind of a tough buying age...sometimes they are too 'mature' for the 3 year old toys but too 'immature' for the 4-5 year old toys. Fisher price has come out with Imaginext and its great for boys like my son. I did alot of research and going through toy aisles with him before stumbling upon this. Maybe you'll have to start taking your dd through toy aisles to see what she and you like.

 

[MNFootballMommy]

My DD3 is getting an art desk this year (Step 2)--she will have the freedom to make her pictures and 'mail' whenever she wants and I can reclaim my kitchen table!

Last year she got a jumper--this one:
http://www.target.com/Kid-Riffic-Ju...0?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k:trampoline&page=1

It is fabulous if you have the space for it--it has games and songs on it. It is also a good way to burn energy during the winter months!

 

[r4blessings]

Do you really like the jumper? I would love to get one for my ds3 but I know my dd4 would also be on it, and some of the reviews are bad, although others are awesome!

 

[avamadison]

Our girls are 2 and 1/2 and we got them the Sleep Beauty Vanity and the Leap Frog Tag Reading pen/book/case. Love both!!!!

 

[bas71873]

I'm getting my DD3 a desk/easel as the "big ticket" item. Hope that helps!

This is what we got DD for her Pre-K graduation....it's from Step 2 and has all kinds of compartments for her crayons, stickers, books, etc....BEST gift we ever bought....hope you like yours as much!!!!

 

[An_Island_Girl]

When my DD was 3 she got one of the Liberty Spring Horses for christmas from my sister. She realy wanted the big "Butterscotch" horse, but we figured that this one doesn't use batteries and my DD can really make it move!

 

[MNFootballMommy]

Do you really like the jumper? I would love to get one for my ds3 but I know my dd4 would also be on it, and some of the reviews are bad, although others are awesome!

We really, really like it! (I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't--promise! )

It was a pain in the patoot to put together--definitely a 2 person job. Give yourself some extra time if possible--maybe put it together before C-mas eve, if you have a place to hide it. You basically have a bungee cord that you have to lace around the frame to hold the jumper 'floor' in place--it takes time, strength and patience, plus the instructions are not the greatest. We put it together incorrectly the first time and had to redo it. However, once you get it put together the right way, it's great and totally worth it!

Watch the weight limits--it definitely can't take two kids at once and if they are too heavy it will break. As long as your DD is within the weight limits and the kids go one at a time, you should be fine.

Good luck with whatever you decide!