The little child is growing like crazy and the developmental journey continues to take the child on playful little adventures. Children at the age of 3 start to grow up and often manage a lot on their own. They wash their hands, brush their hair and can even get dressed all by themselves. Singing and dancing are starting to become part of everyday life, and if you're lucky, they'll be more than happy to put on a small concert!
Toys for children who are 3 years old
As the child develops, so does the game. That's why it's important that the toys do too! Toys for children who are 3 years old can have many uses and it becomes important not to limit play. The child uses play as a tool in his development. Through it, they can create understanding and learn new things about themselves and their surroundings.
We differentiate between physical development, cognitive development, language and social & emotional development. Different toys have different uses!
Physical development when the child is 3 years old
Physical development is an important part of a child's life. Through play and movement, the child's physical abilities develop right up to adulthood. There are also a lot of toys and playful exercises for 3-year-old children that train their physical development and motor skills.
A 3-year-old child develops his gross motor skills by practicing a combination of physical movements. It can be riding a tricycle, dressing and undressing your doll, kicking and catching a ball. If the child is feeling extra brave, they can even try a somersault! Good toys for 3-year-olds practicing gross motor skills are dolls and doll clothes, baby walkers and tricycles.
At 3 years, the child's fine motor development is mostly about refining the movement of the hands. Crafts and coloring books where they can draw, fill in and cut are perfect exercises for children aged 3. We have downloadable pictures that the child can color and tinker with. Wooden toys where they get to feel and touch the material while keeping their hands in motion also practice the child's fine motor skills. Micki has many good wooden toys where the child's hands can work diligently.
Cognitive development at age 3
The child's memory develops as the child gets older. Personal events contribute to the child being happy to play with things that they have experienced and learned. They recognize everyday sounds and imitate them. The fact that memory becomes stronger in 3-year-old children means that they can tackle more difficult problems. Toys for 3-year-old children that train their memory are, for example, memory games where they have to remember where the picture that is the same is located.
Another important part of 3-year-olds' cognitive development is their logical thinking. They begin to understand numbers and numbers better. The child likes to decide and make plans for things to be done. They want to control the game and can build things according to a drawing or plan.
Examples of toys for children aged 3 that help the child's cognitive development are blocks and magnets with numbers and letters. It can also be good to play with a simpler play world that has places and characters that the child recognizes.
Language development for children who are 3 years old
Children's language is unique and you will certainly hear progress with each passing day. As I said, 3-year-olds are at a curious and questioning age and they constantly wonder why things are a certain way. The child can make up little stories, games and words. They can also learn to write certain letters and can recognize their own name in text.
Good toys for 3-year-olds who practice language are things that encourage the child to talk, tell and repeat. It can be a toy kitchen, play worlds, games or books.
Social and emotional development for 3-year-old children
3-year-old children can relate to others. They learn to differentiate between different ages, adults and children, different genders, body parts and what different people are capable of doing. The child builds up different roles in his play and explores different emotions and characteristics of dolls, figurines and other toys. They are more empathetic than before and it becomes easier for the child to get used to how other people see things. Children at the age of 3 begin to show consideration and understand what is considered right or wrong.
Dress-up clothes, play worlds and dolls are examples of toys for 3-year-old children that support their emotional development.
How Micki develops toys for children aged 3 years old
As a product developer, there is a lot to think about when developing new toys for children who are 3 years old. For us, it is important that the toys we develop are fun to play with, but also that they support the child's developmental phases.
What should the child feel when they play? What experiences should they have? Our Design Manager Anne Avgrim explains more:
- Making products that strive to be with and support the child in the natural stages of development but that also challenge the child's curiosity has long been our focus. If we can also make the child want to play longer and to discover new things with the product the further they get in their development, that would be fantastic! says Anne and continues:
- Working more focused on this particular theme has strengthened our products so that they can support and guide the child in their development even more, which felt important but also fun and playful!