I absolutely love any excuse to buy gifts (it is totally my love language!) so there is no forgetting Valentine’s Day. And while I will gift my hubby something thoughtful, I love including my toddler in gift giving.
Growing up, my parents always gave me a box of chocolate and another small gift. I want to always show my love to Jericho, but without sweets. We are a sugar-free family, after all!
Last year’s gift guide was a big hit-including in our house! This year I wanted to share some of our current top favorite gifts that would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift for your 3-year-old. I’ve broken it down my category just for you, mama!
Independent Play
Dinosaur Take Apart Toys
Jericho has loved playing with these so much! They are a fantastic STEM activity that develops coordination and problem solving, as well as patience (and couldn’t all our toddlers hone in on that skill?!). Kiddos can take the dinosaur parts apart with the included tools, as well as mix and match pieces to put back together. Gives us hours of fun!
Color Matching Mosaic Pegboard Toy
This is one of my favorite toys….and Jericho’s too! I purchased this for him when he was 2 and he has loved it ever since. Now, at 3, he still plays with this at least once a week. It offers great creative play and he loves counting the pieces and coordinating the colors. It is the perfect gift for both boys and girls!
Learning Resources Pretend Play Doctor Kit
Mommy-and-Me or Family Time
Count Your Chickens Cooperative Game
Okay, so I don’t come from the school-of-thought that all kids deserve a “participation award,” but I do love the idea of a cooperative game! Have you ever played a game with your toddler and won, only to feel super guilty? Happens all the time with Candy Land <insert side cracking up emoji here>. So when Eddie and I discovered this game I knew it would be a hit! We all win together, hence cooperative. It also encourages Jericho to count and use his brain in a super fun way, all while having a fun family game night.
Brain Quest for Threes
I picked this up as a stocking stuffer over Christmas and Jericho has really enjoyed it! It gives us some calm play time (rare with an active boy) and really helps him use his brain. This engaging activity is fun for both of us and I know he values the undivided attention with me or dad!
Craft Time
Melissa & Doug Scissor Skills and Tape Activity Books Set
Washable Dot Markers 8 Pack With 121 Activity Sheets For Kids
Have you tried the dot markers yet? These are a huge hit with Jericho, so this entire activity set is perfect! It is educational and fun for creative play.
Just Because I Love You
5-Minute Winnie the Pooh Stories
We are big fans of Winnie the Pooh around these parts. It brings back fond memories for my husband and I (my first stuffed toy was Pooh, before I was born!) and we love that Jericho is now a big fan. We keep screen time to a minimum so when we allowed him to watch one of the Pooh movies he was hooked! I could include a million books that he currently loves, but this is our whole family’s ultimate favorite. It is worth the read (and the buy!).
LumiPets Cute Animal Silicone Night Light
We entered this territory in the fall. Our once never-scared kiddo just needed this very nightlight to feel better. What he especially loves about it (ahem, and me too!!!) is that he can use it to “read” in his crib before bedtime and he turns it off himself. It is soft and safe, so a total win for us!
NurturMe Yum-A-Roo’s Organic Toddler Snacks, Banana + Apple + Broccoli
Because food really is the key to the heart, how could I not include one option?! We have these on our subscribe and save because Jericho is a huge fan, and I love that he gets in some greens with this snack! We make our own trail mix, which usually includes these Yum-A-Roo’s and some mixed nuts.
So there you have it! Ten thoughtfully planned gifts that your 3-year-old will love this Valentine’s Day. Do you do gifts for your kiddos on Vday?
If you’d like to see some of these in action, plus two bonus gifts not on this list, be sure to check out my Facebook Live for all the details!
