The 20 Best Birthday and Christmas Presents for 3 Year Old Boys

Sometimes finding presents for 3 year old boys is hard. What do they like to play with at this age? This post can give you some ideas for gifts for young boys.

Presents for 3 Year Old Boys

Do you ever get invited to a birthday party and you have no idea what to take? Especially if that child is not the same age as your child. I mean, you know what you would get for someone just slightly younger or just slightly older, but not that particular age. And for whatever reason, you can’t seem to remember what your child played with at that age. The ages start to all run together as they get older. Or do you ever need to buy a Christmas present for a niece or nephew, but aren’t quite sure what to get them?

I have been in these predicaments a couple times before, which is why I decided to start doing a series of present ideas for kids as my kids grow up. My son is currently three and this is what he is interested in and loves right now. I also have two other nephews who are 3, so here is the combined list of things that they love. I’m sure another three year old boy would love it too!

Or, maybe you need a gift idea for your own child because it seems like their taste in everything changes everyday! (*Pointing to my children*)

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Best Birthday and Christmas Presents for 3 Year Old Boys

Potty training book

This is a little extra gift you can sneak in alongside what you’ve already gotten them. Chances are, they’re right in the middle of learning to go potty! There are so many fun potty training books featuring favorite characters that make the process a lot more enjoyable. Here are a few of our favorites:

Elmo
Daniel Tiger
Thomas the Train
Potty

Potty

You could also get them their very own little potty! There are lots of fun character options — we got my son a 3-in-1 Paw Patrol toilet, and he absolutely loved it. (Something like this.) It even makes flushing sounds! Just be sure to double-check with the parents first. This makes a great gift idea for close family members. (Side note: If you’re looking for good Potty Training tips or Guide this is a good resource.)

Cars/Vehicles

My son is obsessed with cars. And no matter how many he has, he loves each new one he gets with just as much passion as the last. We thought about getting him other things for Christmas, but than decided that he just loves cars, so why get anything else. Plus, there are tons of different cars that you can get. A few car ideas are:

Character Cars: Cars from the movie Cars, The vehicles used in Paw Patrol, a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse car, or PJ Masks vehicles. Pick their favorite show, and I’m sure they have a car that goes along with it.
Planes
Dump Trucks (big or small)
Fire Trucks
Ambulances
Police Cars
Crane
4-Wheeler
Tractor
Boats

There are so many cars out there that they may not have.

Car Map

The first thing my son reaches for in the morning is his car play mat. There are so many fun options to choose from! The one he has isn’t available anymore, but it’s very similar to this one.

Bug Catching Kit

A bug catching kit is what my nephew got for a gift last year and he loved it. They can be relatively cheap too. It just depends on what you’re looking for. This is a decent one, but you can also sometimes find them at the dollar store if you want to just add a little something to your gift.

Car tracks

Hot wheels and other companies make all kinds of racing tracks for cars. My son loves tracks. You can get this type of track that sticks to almost any surface, making it easy to create a fun raceway anywhere.

Flexible Tracks

There is also a toy out there that you can create tracks with and they are super flexible. We had one for a while that both my kids loved, and it’s easy to put together. The one we had came with a dinosaur car that was battery operated and drove on its own.

Trains

Trains could almost fit under the car category, but there are just so many fun train options out there! You can go big with a train table or keep it simple with a smaller set. We have a wooden train set, and we absolutely love it — my son does too! It’s easy for him to build on his own and super durable, unlike the plastic ones that tend to fall apart easily.

We also like those wooden trains with the magnet attachments. Those work really well, and are super durable. You can buy them separately, and they fit most wooden tracks.

You can’t forget Thomas the Train. My son loves it. It must be a boy thing because my daughter is so not into it, but my little son is mesmerized by it. It’s how we got him potty trained. You could buy any character train from the show, or you can even buy a DVD of the show. They have a ton.

Sticker books

Three is when my son started getting interested in sticker books. They have some great educational sticker books and car sticker books. This is another great add on, and can be found at the dollar store.

Bath toys

My son is really into bath toys. Some of the things we love:

Boats
Those things that stick to the wall
Bath Bombs
Bubble Foam
Bath Pipes

It makes bath time a little easier, and the parents will thank you! Add in a little bubble bath for fun!

Balls

Not all boys love balls, but my son does. He got a football for his birthday from a family member, and he loved it. I think a good bouncy ball, or kickball is always nice to have on hand for park days or for spending time outside.

Baseball Set

Baseball is a fun sport for the whole family, and an easy one for a toddler to learn. We play it often. You can buy a baseball set which includes the ball, bat, sometimes a glove, and a baseball tee.

Hockey or Golf Set

Another great set to buy would be Hockey or Golf. My son just loves to hit balls with things, so I’m sure any other three year old would too. (It’s possible)

Tools Set

If your child is always banging on things around the house, they might enjoy a tool set. These are super fun, and my son loves to hammer.

Board Games

The fish game, is very popular at my house, including my three year old son. We also like Hungry Hippos and Break the Ice.

Camping Set

Camping sets include binoculars and flashlights, which are both hits with three year old’s.

Interactive Books

Don’t underestimate books for a three year old, unless you aren’t buying the right ones. My son loves to sit down with a good book if it interest him. The ones he likes are:

Books with Buttons that Make Noise
Look and Find Books (the Easy kind)
Books that Sing
Lift the Flap Books
Any book about Cars. Our favorite is The Mixed Up Truck

Blocks

Blocks are hit or miss. My son doesn’t like to build if it’s complicated. He loves the big blocks. We have never had Magnet Tiles, but I also heard those are great!

Bike with Training Wheels or Balance Bike

A good big gift is a bike with training wheels. This is about the age my daughter and son became interested in bikes and wanted to learn to ride one. OR a balance bike. My nephew has one of these, and my son rides it all the time, and can’t get enough.

Dollar Store

Don’t underestimate the power of the dollar store. There are so many awesome things to buy there, especially for a three year old. Go and look around and you’ll find a lot of the things mentioned above there.

And there you have it. 20 of the best presents for 3 year old boys. Hopefully something here helped you with your next gift!

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