Gift ideas for 3yr old girl

[k23m]

We are trying to finish our Christmas shopping tomorrow and I still have no idea what to get our (almost) 3yr old girl as her "main" gift. I've got her a bit of clothes and some books, and a couple stocking stuffers, but nothing else. Not even a toy! LOL

I know my mom has got her the little people princess castle, and I am going to try and find some extra princesses for that.
My in-laws got her a toy shopping cart with a special place for a doll to ride.

My only idea is a leapfrog tag jr reader. But it sort of seems like more books? Oi!

My dilema is that I also have a 5 yr old girl, so we have everything already!! They are both girly girls - strawberry shortcake, barbie, babies, ponies...etc.

Any brilliant ideas out there?? HELP!
Christmas should not be this stressful! :P

[jacinda]

Playdough and playdough equipment. Every 3 yr old I know loves playdough.

[rach3975]

My almost-4 year old was our first girl, so we didn't have the problem of already having everything. That makes it tough! I don't know if you have many dress up clothes, but for one of DD's birthdays we bought a nice bin and filled it with princess dresses, toddler dress up shoes, and jewelry.

My kids have loved their Leapster products. We're outgrowing that stage now, but if I were buying for a child your DD's age I'd look into the LeapPad or the Leapster Explorer. (To clarify, my youngest isn't outgrowing those yet, but our family already has all the cartridges for an earlier Leapster product and it isn't worth us starting over with the newer hardware that isn't compatible with our older cartridges.)

Other ideas are an easel or art desk with lots of supplies or a kids' camera. Good luck finding something!

ETA: Jacinda's right, playdoh is a big hit here. My 6 year old DS and 3 year old DD have the ice cream shop, pizza maker, cake making set, Cinderella, and lots of random tools and cutters. My 3 year old still needs help working some of the more structured sets (all the foodelated ones); someone didn't test well to be sure that a young child's strength was sufficient to open and manipulate some of the parts. She loves them, but I need to be available to help load the playdoh or snap things into place every few minutes.

[hollyxann]

Do you have a play kitchen? That's Kennedy's main gift this year.

[emmasmommy]

this is what our 4 yr olds 'big' gift is.

[emmasmommy]

whoa. sorry about the GINORMOUS photo

[YepBrook]

I think 3 is kind of tricky! I've been paying attention to Grace's wants & needs and this is what I have for her already:
Gotta agree with Jacinda... Playdoh (she circled pretty much everything PlayDoh in the toy catalog I gave her). They have these cute cupcake playdoh sets, so I grabbed one for her stocking.

Puppy! This was her biggest wish. She wanted this annoying yappy bouncy thing but after *almost* buying it 3 times I just couldn't do it! LOL! Thankfully, I noticed this Barbie vet puppy. It's nose turns red and it comes with vet tools to help heal the puppy. She is going to go bonkers over it!!! She is into her doctor kit thanks to Doc Mc. Stuffins so this is going to be a hit.

She also wants princess stuff... plastic jewelry sets, Brave, and a Pocahontas doll. I'm getting her this book to go with the puppy, and a few dresses from Naartjie and I think that's it.

[NatalieKW]

My 3 year old is so easy to buy for, but she is the oldest. I think that makes a big difference cause I struggle with my about to be 2-year-old twin girls. Mine loves anything princess. She has almost all the figure play sets of the princesses. All three of my girls play with those daily. She also loves art, puzzles, dress up clothes, play doh, ballerina anything and super heroes. I could pick out presents for her all day...if only I could pay for it, right?

[rach3975]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

Thankfully, I noticed this Barbie vet puppy. It's nose turns red and it comes with vet tools to help heal the puppy. She is going to go bonkers over it!!! She is into her doctor kit thanks to Doc Mc. Stuffins so this is going to be a hit.

My DD would love that, too! (And ditto on the Doc Mc. Stuffins influence, LOL.) I'm already done buying for her, but if anyone asks what she'd like I may have to pass that link on. Thanks!

Originally Posted by NatalieKW

My 3 year old is so easy to buy for, but she is the oldest. I think that makes a big difference cause I struggle with my about to be 2-year-old twin girls.

My 3-year old DD is the easiest, too, but that's because my older 2 are boys. Buying for my 2nd boy was definitely harder than for my first, but at least they had some interests that didn't overlap.

[YepBrook]

Oh, yes! Puzzles! Definitely puzzles, and games. I also got her the Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game, it looks really cute.

[YepBrook]

Originally Posted by NatalieKW

My 3 year old is so easy to buy for, but she is the oldest. I think that makes a big difference cause I struggle with my about to be 2-year-old twin girls. Mine loves anything princess. She has almost all the figure play sets of the princesses. All three of my girls play with those daily. She also loves art, puzzles, dress up clothes, play doh, ballerina anything and super heroes. I could pick out presents for her all day...if only I could pay for it, right?

LOL... Natalie. Grace was just playing with these today. Belle was confusing Pocahontas for a prince. Oh dear!!!

[kelley]

When my youngest daughter was 3, I got her a Leapster. She loved it, and the kids still use it. I am very tempted to pick up a Leap Pad now. Maybe a really nice baby doll and some accessories? My girls were always into that too.

[jessica31876]

One gift I bought my niece and daughter at that age was a huge chalkboard ( like 48 inch wide) and colored chalk. That was something they played with constantly. And most little girls I know love baby dolls. Or Build-A-Bears. The experience of making on is a lot of the fun. Disney has a lot of cute Disney Princess dolls too. So cute. Oh and does she by any chance like Squinkies? They come in all kinds of characters now. They even have a line that is geared towards boys which I think is so stinkin cute.

[farrijc]

Originally Posted by YepBrook

Puppy! This was her biggest wish. She wanted this annoying yappy bouncy thing but after *almost* buying it 3 times I just couldn't do it! LOL!

That's so funny because my daughter always says "Bouncy" when asked what she wants... and I think it's super cute! Of course, I may change my tune after owning it for a while. It does have an off switch at least

[winipeg1]

I have a 3 year old and I have had to stop myself buying more stuff for her. (but she is our only child- so there is alot she hasnt got from siblings)

Her favourite things at the moment are- trampoline, bike, scooter. arty things, she also wants a really puppy so I'm going to get her an interactive one. She also like playing board type games
Hope this gives you a few ideas

[julifish]

A mini trampoline would probably be a huge hit.

To go with the shopping cart what about plastic food? My kids loved having "real" plastic plates, cups, sliverware, bowls, and then mixing spoons, wisk, etc. They could really play kitchen that way. My girls are 3.5 years apart and when they were younger they'd get out the plastic play stuff and play for hours (up until my oldest hit 5th grade).

If you think your 3 yo could play an electronic game this is a great age for Leapster or Leap Pad. It gives her something to occupy herself when you need to have your attention elsewhere (driving, shopping, scrapping - lol).

[YepBrook]

Originally Posted by farrijc

That's so funny because my daughter always says "Bouncy" when asked what she wants... and I think it's super cute! Of course, I may change my tune after owning it for a while. It does have an off switch at least

LOL... well, I have to admit that it's a very cute puppy! It's head is so cute when it jumps and barks. Although, the barking is what got me. I just know it will drive me nuts... I was thinking the puppy might need to stay in off-mode most of the time, but it's not really a cuddly toy because it has a motorized body under the fur.

The Barbie dog does make some noises... including a bark But it's less high-pitched & yappy.

[Milmomma]

Mines biggy is Lalaloopsy doll.

[LeeAndra]

We bought our 3yo DD an indoor/outdoor play tent to put in her room like this:

[k23m]

thanks for the ideas ladies! I had thought of playdough too and we might get her a set of that. To make it even trickier, her birthday is mid-January. So we will need another idea then! LOL

We have a kitchen (that was their big gift last year) and all the accessories. And a play tent (my mom made them one!). She's got babies coming out of her ears LOL, and my older girl has a scooter and bike that will be handed down to her in the summer, so I dont want to get her new ones.

Never heard of sqinkies! And we dont get doc mcstuffins on tv here (at least I've never seen it) - but every time you all talk about it I want to watch it! LOL

now the kareoke machine...both my girls would FREAK over!! hmmmm

[xboxmom]

My daughter loves these

[Jengerbread88]

What about a tea set? Tea parties are freakin' sweet... there are so many different kinds of tea sets, too-- tons of different varieties, including some that are food-safe for real "tea" (or juice/milk/water).

[k23m]

ack Kim! Those things are sort of creepy cute! LOL Sort of like littlest pet shop-esque?

Both girls have play tea sets, and "real" ones in their closets!

[kim21673]

I have all boys but....they have "girly" toys too.

We have a diner, kitchen, tons of playdoh, every Little People thing imaginable....one of our boys got an easy bake oven when he was 4...used it ALL the time. We have squinkies, tea sets, Melissa and Doug easel with chalk, paint, etc...... We have all three of the original Leap Pads (baby, my first and the regular one)...puzzles, books, art supplies.....