Your Gift Guide (3 - 4 years old)
Covering gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and cognitive and social development, here are the toys that will have a lasting impact.
Great for fine motor skills and cognitive development...
If your toddler has loved their basic sensory popping toy but as they are getting older are looking for a little more stimulation, then this is perfect.
This toy is fantastic for:
- Further development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Cognitive development, through playing pre-programmed games
- Relieving stress
Great for gross motor development...
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Stepping Stones
This set of 10 stepping stones are a fantastic way to build on your child's gross motor skills. As simple as the concept sounds, these are a huge hit in any home I visit - kids just absolutely LOVE anything they can balance on.
They specifically help to develop:
- Coordination
- Balance
- Lower limb strengthening
- Problem-solving skills
These particular ones are fantastic because their non-slip nature means that they could safely be used indoors if you had limited space outside.
Great for fine motor and cognitive development...
Now I know these are on the pricey side (see below for less expensive alternatives) and I wasn't totally convinced last Christmas when I purchased these tiles for our daughter. The thing that got me over the line at the time, was how much people RAVED about these tiles. Now 12 months down the line, I wholeheartedly agree. I'm no exaggerating when I say that every morning my 3-year-old wakes up and plays with her Connetix set. It is the best money we have spent.
I have included some less pricey alternatives below, however, if you want something that will stand the test of time then I cant recommend Connetix enough.
The set will specifically help to develop your child's:
- Imagination
- Creativity
- Story-telling skills
- Spacial awareness
- Hand-eye coordination
- Social development (through turn-taking and working alongside siblings or friends while constructing)
For a less expensive alternative check out:
MEGAGON Magnetic Tiles RRP $100
STEAM STUDIO Magnetic Tiles RRP $79
Great for problem-solving, social and fine motor development...
Bluey meets brain development. What a win.
There was a curious thing that happened just after my oldest daughter turned 3...she went from being completely disinterested in puzzles, to absolutely LOVING them!
Puzzles are a fantastic way to help your child develop their:
- Social skills, as they communicate with a caregiver, friend or sibling while they are trying to solve the puzzle.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Fine motor skills.
Great for cognitive development...
MONSTER JAM Remote Control Truck
This remote control truck is great for:
- Fine motor development
- Spacial awareness and hand-eye coordination
I also love that this car can be charged with a USB (the remote is battery-operated), is water resistant (could even be used in the pool) and on a variety of different terrains.
Great for social development...
CASDON Dyson Supersonic Hair Styling Set for Kids
This is an amazing opportunity for your child to work on their pro-social skills. Through role-play, your child will practice a huge variety of communication and social skills:
- Pretend you are booking a haircut, so they can practice answering the phone, asking for the details of who has called etc.
- They will be able to practice interactions where they need to seek information (ie. 'what haircut would you like today'?) while anticipating the other persons needs (this will develop closer to 4 years of age).
- They can use this set while you are getting ready, mimicking and learning from you.
- This set is also great for developing hand-grip and hand-eye coordination.
After we have had so much success with our Casdon Dyson Vacuum for Kids, this is a no-brainer for Christmas this year. Role play is such an important aspect of development at this age and with our hair-obsessed almost 4-year-old, this is at the top of our purchase list!
Great for some quiet time...
Is your child's day sleep a distant memory? Are they struggling to make it through the day (and in turn, are you struggling to get through witching hour), when you know they need a nap but they stubbornly refuse?
This play tent is the perfect way to create a 'quiet space' or a place that they can call their own, away from the chaos of the rest of the house. Add some books and it evolves into a book nook, for you to spend some time with reading a book before bedtime.
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