Old-Fashioned Wooden and Education Toys
Traditional toys are making a come-back, thanks to Waldorf and Montessori schools of education theory that promote using toddler play time as learning opportunities. These old-fashioned toys are designed to be manipulative and to encourage a three-year-old preschooler to use reasoning skills, logic and imagination.
Wooden Jigsaw and Board Puzzles
Three-year-olds are at an age where developmental skills like cause and effect, shape recognition and size comparison are being solidified. Puzzles are a great presents because they encourage your toddler to continue developing those skills. A three-year-old must remember a certain piece's shape, size and design and match that with the empty space in the puzzle that best fits that piece. So many skills, both mental and physical go into the decisions your toddler makes as he fits the pieces in place it is a great gift for parents to give to reinforce those new developments.
Try finding a puzzle that has pictures of items the toddler enjoys such as planes, horses, trucks or whatever is his current favorite. There are also several puzzles for boys that include items they can manipulate such as locks, latches, zippers, buttons, or laces and these make excellent gifts for encouraging your toddler to develop physical dexterity.
Tool Box, Tool Set or Workshop Station
Most three-year-old boys love to bang, chop, hammer and play with tools like the ones they see being used. Handy Manny is a popular cartoon for toddlers and his tools talk – no wonder toddler's love tools! Tool sets can be simple wooden tools with wooden screws and nuts that toddlers can manipulate. Some toddler tools sets are larger items with tool boxes, realistic looking tools that actually move and make noise and these are great gifts for a toddler who would prefer the realism. If you want an even larger gift item for an active three-year-old, there are realistic workshop stations that mimic those you find “big boys” have their garage.
Books for Toddlers and Educational Literature
Books for a three-year-old boy? Absolutely! All toddlers should have frequent exposure to good children's literature so high-quality books make a great gift for three-year-olds. As with giving puzzles as presents, try finding toddler's books related to the child's specific interests: bugs, vehicles, farm animals and sports are all topics many three-year old boys find exciting. Children's books can be a great present for helping introduce a child to the joy of reading, developing his vocabulary and early language skills.
Three-year-old boys are learning so fast and playing so hard – give them with gifts and presents that will help them grow as they develop new skills.
