Essential Toys For Three Year Olds

Isn’t it amazing how many toys your child has accumulated over a short span of three years? I’m sure you’ve learned some tricks to keep everything tidy—crates, boxes, drawers, and a rotation system.  You might save a few bucks if you buy cheap toys, but in the long run, it is better to save up and buy sturdier and safer toys than be sorry. The best toys, in fact, are often not costly at all, but it will take extra research to find out which they are. Whether your child is a boy or a girl, see to it that you provide access to some of the following toys:

1. Wooden blocks – Brightly colored wooden blocks are an old-time favorite. I remember the time we bought our set: it was our eldest daughter’s first birthday and my husband and I ended up building towers and castles, eventually fighting over the last piece. She was so elated to have both her parents on the floor with her that she didn’t pay the blocks much heed. In the meantime, the same set of blocks was passed on to our children and cousin’s hands and is still a firm family favorite.
2. A tea set – Every household needs at least one child-sized tea set and every parent should have the privilege of being served tea by their preschooler at least once. Put real tea, sugar and milk into the canisters and add in some cupcakes too!
3. Miniature house set – I have seen the therapeutic value of having a miniature house set with different family members over and over again. Children make sense of their world through play and by providing a house set for your child, he or she can reenact any event in the past, letting him or her process it more thoroughly.
4. Puzzles – Three-year-olds are old enough to start building simple puzzles. Choose puzzles with four to 10 pieces to start with. Make sure that you get puzzles about a subject that your child is passionate about.
5. Picture books – The single most educational thing you can do with your child is to read aloud to him or her. It encourages listening skills, language development, creative thinking, art appreciation and knowledge of the world and how it works. Make time everyday for at least one story.                                                                                                                                                

When all the toys are back in the storage, what really matters is that you connect with your child on a daily basis. He or she needs nothing more than being with you. Time with parents comes first, and toys come second.