46 Best Toys and Gifts for 3-Year-Old Boys of 2025

This set comes with five playable records in different musical styles, and the songs on them cover topics like counting, wordplay and following directions. In Good Housekeeping Institute tests, though, what kids really loved most was the process of taking a record, removing it from the sleeve, putting it on the turntable and putting the “needle” on it to make it play, just like adults do! Batteries are included. Ages 3+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

Blockables are interlocking blocks with connector pieces that let kids build up and also horizontally, giving them another dimension of play. The farm set comes with pieces that will let them build a tractor, trailer, cow, sheep, pig, horse, chicken, and hay that they can play with — or kids can get really silly and mix them all up to make their own creations. The box serves as a backdrop. Ages 2 to 5

This toy is so silly, which is why we (and 3-year-olds) love it. He drives the color-changing Hot Wheels car, included, into the mouth of the shark, then lifts and tips the shark so the car can ride through the shark’s insides. It pops out at the car wash, changing colors along the way. “My child loved the fact that this toy combined two of his top interests, sharks and Hot Wheels,” a mom told us. No batteries required! Ages 3+

RELATED: Best Car Toys for Every Age

Whether they want to pretend to be the chef, the customer or the home cook, this fake food set will have them taking part in an imaginative play worthy of Taco Tuesday. It comes with chips, taco shells, nacho baskets, a taco holder, tongs, a hot sauce bottle and even a takeout bag. Or, if they’re not into nachos, you can get Pretendables sets for baking cinnamon rolls, packing a picnic, running a lemonade stand and many more. Ages 3+

The PAW Patrol is on a roll, thanks to one intrepid driver! This play steering wheel mimics details of a true dashboard. Its series of signal, horn and siren sounds, playback voice messages and gear shift handles offer a completely immersive toy that caters to their audio and motor skills. Three AA batteries required. Ages 3 to 5

No, not that baby shark — but a good one for ocean fans nonetheless. Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved this one because, in addition to a cute story, it has many seek-and-find elements. Ages 2–5

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Book Awards

Kids can get creative making their own LEGO people, using different wigs, bodies and facial expressions, which will get them used to naming and identifying emotions. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say their kids liked being able to create their own characters, as opposed to the other DUPLO figures whose looks remain fixed. Ages 3+

Kids can make new designs by layering colored shapes on this light-up creation board. When little artists use and combine shape clings, they learn more about basic shape recognition and color mixing. The board includes easy storage in the back for its washable markers, making cleanup simpler and easier. Three AA batteries required. Ages 3+

As the name suggest, these plush have their arms open wide so they’re always ready for a hug. And, when it’s Bluey doing the offering, what kid could refuse? In addition to Bluey, you can get characters like Bingo, JJ from Cocomelon or Spider-Man, among others. Ages 3+

RELATED: Gifts for Kids Who Love Bluey

If he’s the type of kid that loves construction vehicles and love digging in sand, this toy combines the two in one convenient bin that you can slap the lid on when he’s done. He’ll have a sensory experience digging through moldable sand, using the roller and driving with the construction trucks. There are also themed bins available, including a race track with a pebble roadway or a dinosaur dig with toy bones. Ages 3+

Parent testers reported this toy had a huge replay value — their kids sending the cars and boulders down this ramp over and over again. And with so many things to do, we can see why: Kids can drive the dump truck over the “SmartPoints” spots to activate different sounds and phrases, or use the crane to lift, the backhoe to scoop or the drawbridge to drive over. It comes with demo batteries that you should replace with two AAA batteries. Ages 18 months+

This takes shadow puppets to the next level! Set up the canvas screen and light projector and let kids make shadows with their hands and acrylic pieces. They’ll learn about light and shadows while they do. Ages 3+

Preschoolers will have an easy time flipping this set of Transformers from vehicles to robots and back again — they’re designed to transform in one easy step. The four included: a fire truck, police vehicle, helicopter and a construction truck. Ages 3+

No matter what they feel like playing today, this sports set will have them covered. It has a basketball hoop with a scoreboard, a soccer net, bowling pins and assorted balls to go with them. Plus, it plays songs, sounds and phrases to keep them engaged — for example, the bowling pins make animal noises when they’re knocked down. Three AA batteries required. Ages 1+

We named this the best scooter for toddlers and preschoolers because it has a stable ride and lean-to-steer capabilities that make it easy for a 3-year-old to learn how to ride, keeping them outside and active longer. It’s also part of Micro Kickboard’s Eco Collection, which means some components were made from recycled ocean plastic — something parents can feel good about. Ages 2 to 5

Our tester kids went wild for this 32-piece magnetic construction set, as did parents who noted that all the pieces can store in the space shuttle’s cargo hold. “The fact it works with existing Magna-Tiles really expands the possibilities,” one parent said. Ages 3+

RELATED: Best Magnetic Toys for Kids’ Learning and Development

This bright lamp comes with four disks filled with stories, songs, jokes and other fun read-alouds. But the real magic happens when kids put one in the base of the lamp — its face becomes animated as it tells the tales, which has a big “wow” factor. Good Housekeeping Institute testers were also pleased that Sunny can be used as both an alarm clock and a nightlight. You’ll want to replace the demo batteries with six AA batteries Ages 3+

Who says you can’t color in the bath. The illustrations in this book start out black-and-white, but the colors reveal themselves when they get wet. While he’s filling in the pages, you can scrub behind his ears. Ages 0+

Dog lovers will fall for Wilbur, the adorable French bulldog with a poseable, six-inch body. But he isn’t just cute, he’s a canvas for art: Kids can color him in with whatever design they like, wash it off, and do it all over again. If they like it, there are smaller Scribble Scrubbie sets, too. Ages 3+

Towering at nearly three feet tall, this set allows toy trains to zoom around multi-level tracks. Your little one can even control the action by switching the directions of the engines with the handles. Parents of our tester kids appreciated the quality of this set and loved that traps added a bit of a challenge. Two AAA batteries required. Ages 3+