Contents
- Editor’s Choice
- Top 10 best educational toys for kids aged 3+ in 2022 according to KP
- How to choose educational toys for children from 3 years old
- Popular questions and answers
- How to choose educational toys for a child aged 3 years?
- What educational toys does a child need?
- At what age do boys and girls need to buy different toys?
- Are educational musical toys suitable for all children?
- How to use interactive educational games?
- Are educational computer games suitable for three years old?
- Is it possible to make an educational toy for a child with your own hands?
At the age of three, children begin to develop imagination and logical thinking. The child continues to form the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, increase mindfulness and endurance. The kid is becoming more and more independent, he wants to explore the world, to discover something new. He asks a lot of questions and learns to analyze the received knowledge. Toys help him in this. Thanks to them, logic, fantasy, memory, motor skills, creative and individual inclinations develop. Plots appear in the game, different roles are used. When solving a problem, the child tries to think about his actions.
Psychologists believe that preference should be given to toys that involve the imagination. It is best if the child can invent stories and change them.
The editors of the KP have compiled a rating of the best educational toys for children from 3 years old. At the same time, the opinion of the expert, customer reviews and the price-quality ratio were taken into account.
Editor’s Choice
Play doh «Cookie Shop»
Modeling helps the child develop finger strength and promotes the development of fine motor skills, imagination and concentration. The mass is easy to clean and little dirty, its consistency is soft for children’s hands. In addition to motor skills, perseverance, accuracy and purposefulness develop. Thanks to various tools in the kit, the child will be able not only to sculpt figures, but also to use all his imagination.
You can play role-playing games where the baby will be the cook, and the parents 一 “tasters”. The mass for modeling quickly hardens in the air, so after playing it must be put into jars or allowed to harden and play, as with full-fledged toys created by one’s own hands.
The editors consider the toy the best in the ranking. It is suitable for any child, develops the necessary skills. Also made figures can be played in the future, which saves the family budget.
Key Features:
| A type | mass for modeling |
| hardening | Yes |
| Number of colors | 5 |
| The weight | 280 g |
| Equipment | 5 plasticine jars, injection mold, spatula, mold tray, 4 individual molds, patterned rolling pin and saucer, illustrated instructions |
Advantages and disadvantages
Top 10 best educational toys for kids aged 3+ in 2022 according to KP
1. Azbukvarik «Teddy bear storyteller “
The developing toy is made of environmentally friendly materials. The bright color and pleasant to the touch material will surely attract the baby. The bear tells fairy tales and poems, sings songs, plays melodies. To select, you need to click on the paws of the toy. Also, the teddy bear will help to put the child to bed, performing lullabies. The built-in program facilitates the study of the alphabet, colors and numbers. The toy cannot be washed, as water will adversely affect the battery.
Key Features:
| Interactive functions | speaks, sings |
| Material | textile |
| Developmental functions | logic and thinking, speech and reading, ear for music and sense of rhythm, counting and mathematics, motor skills and dexterity, learning colors |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 14×16.50×20 cm |
| Food | from batteries |
Advantages and disadvantages
2. Toy base «Cube maze 7 in 1″
On each side of the cube there are exciting games and puzzles that develop various useful skills in a child – from fine motor skills to logic and attentiveness. Almost all elements are made of natural wood and painted with special materials, which do not contain harmful substances.
A large selection of toys and puzzles will capture the attention of the child for a long time and free up parents time to do their own thing. The cube is equipped with a toy clock and an abacus, which can be strung with five multi-colored wooden beads. Thanks to these toys, the child will be able to develop the basics of counting and tell the time correctly.
The walking board game will help to occupy the time of several kids at the same time, helping them develop logic and other useful skills.
Key Features:
| Material | metal, wood |
| functions | learning colors |
| Included | chips for the board game-walker, geometric three-dimensional figures |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. Geoboard «Magic square”
Educational toy made of wood and quality materials with safe dyes. Designed for children from 3 to 7 years old. Develops the perception of form, eye, figurative thinking, imagination and motor skills.
Helps in the formation of mathematical representations, thanks to the ability to divide the whole into parts. Drawing up various figures contributes to the development of the child’s thinking. In addition, with the help of the game, the kid will be able to learn or fix the names of geometric shapes.
Key Features:
| Material | дерево |
| Developmental functions | the study of geometric shapes, logic and thinking, motor skills and dexterity |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 14h14h2,5 see |
| The weight | 0.262 kg |
Advantages and disadvantages
4. «Strawberry paths»
Board educational game to introduce children to numbers, the basics of mathematics and counting skills. From two to four kids can participate, which provides them with fun and exciting leisure time, turning the learning process into a pleasant experience. The rules are simple: you need to open cards with bears and string the required number of berry beads (according to the image on the card) onto a string.
This develops fine motor skills of hands, attention and counting skills. Other images on the cards (bear with berries looking left or right) encourage the child to give the right amount of berries to the neighbor on the right or left, developing communication skills, logic and teaching the simplest mathematical functions – addition, subtraction. The game is made of environmentally friendly materials: cardboard, textiles, wood. This ensures the safe use of the kit.
Key Features:
| A type | table game |
| Number of Players | 2 – 4 |
| Party time | 30 minutes |
| Тематика | animals and birds |
| Material | paper, wood, cardboard, textiles |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. Woodland Balancer Jungle
Educational toy for children from 3 years old is designed for the child to learn to feel his body. To play, you need to put the balancer on the floor and, holding the baby by the hands, help him stand on the image of the steps. The main task is to guide the ball through the maze with the help of the legs. The game can be diversified with light exercises: at the same time maintain balance on the balance bar and raise your hands in front of you, up, to the sides, catch and discard the ball, sit down.
Balance is the basis for the harmonious development of the child. The benefits of exercise with a balancer are not only for the body, but also for the brain. Physical activity aimed at developing coordination, accuracy of movements, dexterity and the vestibular apparatus turns into an exciting game. Bright design and colorful design of the balancer gives positive emotions.
Key Features:
| Material | metal, wood |
| Developmental functions | coordination and balance |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 43x31x5.60 cm |
| The weight | 1.6 kg |
| Equipment | wooden structure – 1 pc, metal ball – 1 pc |
Advantages and disadvantages
6. «Interactive puppy»
A small puppy will be a great toy for a child. At «pet “movable paws and tongue. If you stroke him on the back, music and funny sounds will sound. When feeding from a bottle, the puppy will joyfully stick out his tongue and make sounds. Also, the pet’s eyes glow. The set includes a basket where the toy can be planted and carried with you. Thanks to the toy, a sense of responsibility and love for animals develops. Of the minuses, it can be noted that the toy cannot be washed, as this will harm the electronics.
Key Features:
| A type | interactive toy |
| Effects | light |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 12x9x13 cm |
| Equipment | toy, basket, bottle |
| Food | from batteries |
Advantages and disadvantages
7. Digiart interactive tablet «Draw on lights”
An educational toy for developing creative drawing skills, motor skills, learning to play independently. The interactive tablet recognizes the stencils included in the kit, and while having fun communicating with the child, makes drawing tips – highlighting the lines and areas for coloring with lights, as well as accompanying the creative game with funny phrases.
The child will be able to learn to draw and color fascinating drawings. During the game, children will learn colors, shapes, animals and much more. The toy contributes to the development of creativity, motor skills and observation.
Key Features:
| A type | interactive toy, |
| functions | voice prompts, backlight |
| Developmental functions | teaching drawing, development of motor skills and observation, |
| Material | plastic |
| Food | from batteries |
Advantages and disadvantages
8. «Music steering wheel»
The developing steering wheel toy will make the kid feel like a real driver. All actions are accompanied by sound effects: 3 signals, a starting engine, a gear change, and three funny melodies will not let you get bored on the road. The rear view mirror is rotatable and the steering wheel angle 一 is adjustable. The steering wheel is attached to any surface with a suction cup. The sound cannot be adjusted, which is inconvenient for some parents.
Key Features:
| functions | light, sound |
| Developmental functions | on a sucker, an adjustable tilt angle, a gear change, the starting engine |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 15x20x20cm cm |
| The weight | 0.7 kg |
| Food | from batteries |
Advantages and disadvantages
9. «Umka Bear cub-storyteller»
A bright, cheerful storyteller bear is made of durable plastic, painted brown, with big eyes, a nose and a wide smile on its muzzle. On the belly of the bear cub there are 8 buttons, by pressing which the child will hear 8 poems by K.I. “Confusion”, “Twisted Song”. 2 more buttons are for volume control. The toy is equipped with a light module, so multi-colored bulbs light up during the sound. Thanks to it, memory, speech, fantasy and ear for music develop, the horizons expand.
Key Features:
| A type | interactive toy |
| functions | says |
| Effects | sound, light |
| Material | plastic |
| Food | from batteries |
Advantages and disadvantages
10 «Musical cats»
Soft and pleasant to the touch musical seals. The toy will teach the child responsibility for animals, a sense of rhythm and will contribute to the development of musical ear. Seals are a kind of piano, where each of them has a certain tonality, therefore, to study musical literacy, it is recommended to purchase several pieces. Batteries are easy to pull out, which can be dangerous for a child. Changes in the operating mode are also imperceptible, and the songs are not always clear. In addition, buyers complain that the size of the toy is too small.
Key Features:
| A type | interactive toy |
| Effects | sound |
| Developmental functions | musical ear and sense of rhythm |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 8x6x4 cm |
| Material | silicone |
| Additionally | 2 modes: single meow or melody meow |
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose educational toys for children from 3 years old
When choosing educational toys for children from 3 years old, it is important to consider certain criteria:
- Aesthetic appeal. The toy should evoke positive emotions, bring up good feelings. It is advisable to choose bright and rich colors.
- Benefit. A toy can promote physical development, help broaden one’s horizons, or improve fine motor skills. When choosing, it is important to consider the benefits that the toy will bring to the child.
- Ease. Do not buy multifunctional toys that will be difficult for a child to understand. It seems to adults that this way the child will develop faster, but this opinion is erroneous. It is better to purchase several separate and understandable toys for the baby.
- Security. Do not choose toys with small parts that a child can swallow. Also, the product should not have sharp corners.
- Quality. Toys must have special marks: PCT 一 standard or EAC 一 security mark of the Eurasian Economic Union. These icons indicate the environmental friendliness of the product. Therefore, the risk of allergic reactions is reduced.
Popular questions and answers
The editors of the KP asked to answer the most frequent questions of parents Anna Teplova, Leading Researcher, Institute for the Study of Childhood, Family and Education, Academy of Education, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences и Alexey Kozlovsky, head of the Lifestyle category at Avito
How to choose educational toys for a child aged 3 years?
Therefore, Anna Teplova believes that, firstly, parents need to understand the specifics of the child’s age and take into account the developmental features of their baby. Most often, parents, like manufacturers, are in a hurry, which does not lead to a good result.
Secondly, we need to understand what exactly we want to develop in a child. Most often, parents want to develop intellectual abilities in the child, to prepare the baby for school. And what develops, for example, a doll? She is not perceived as an educational toy. And she develops both emotions and social representations, and prepares the baby to love and care.
Or nesting doll – a real educational toy. In the game with the matryoshka, the concept of more-less is developed, the skills of opening and closing the nesting doll, building the correct order, counting, speech development. According to Alexey Kozlovsky, at the age of 3, children still “taste” objects, so the toys should contain only hypoallergenic and safe materials.
It is better to give preference to goods without sharp corners and many small details. For outdoor games, you can expand the child’s arsenal and buy a jump rope or a bicycle. For the formation of new skills, thematic sets, constructors and simple board games are the best helpers.
What educational toys does a child need?
This is called the hyper-setting of the toy, when it is not the child who plays the toy, but the toy requires from the child the interaction algorithms set by it. As a result, the child simply has nowhere to show initiative and independence – everything is ready for consumption and use, says Anna Teplova. Today’s children need the development of fine and gross motor skills. Therefore, they need mosaics, constructors, hand cubes, and balls, balancers, balance bikes to develop ideas about their own body and its relationship with space. According to Alexei Kozlovsky, in order for the child to move more, rocking chairs and wheelchairs are needed. Interactive tables and pyramids are suitable for the development of fine motor skills, mindfulness and memory.
With the help of tables, children learn letters, numbers, songs and rhymes, and pyramids will help to learn animals. For a child of this age, the expert says, thematic cards with professions, plants, vegetables and fruits will also be useful. Educational musical toys – guitars, drums, xylophones – are necessary for the development of musical ear and rhythm. For older children, you can buy a bicycle or a scooter, as well as young chemist kits, Lego or Zoob constructors.
At what age do boys and girls need to buy different toys?
Are educational musical toys suitable for all children?
Therefore, Anna Teplova recommends that when choosing a musical toy for a child, pay attention to the possibility of improvisation, independent music-making by the child. And, of course, the purity of sound and intonation. Alexey Kozlovsky believes that musical toys are suitable for all children, but when choosing, you should take into account the age of the child. At 4 years old, children are interested in playing pipes, whistles, drums and a children’s piano. In order to teach a child to read, parents can also purchase music books. Such an item is more interesting than the traditional paper version.
How to use interactive educational games?
In this case, the adult is replaced by a toy that addresses the child in a strange, artificial voice, unfamiliar to the child, which is essential for his development. It should be especially noted that such toys are claimed to teach the child words and speech. Mastering speech occurs in live, direct communication, when the baby not only listens to other people’s words, but answers to another person when he himself is included in the dialogue. Moreover, he is turned on not only by hearing and articulation, but by all his actions, thoughts and emotions. But speech emanating from an electronic device, in this case from a toy, does not become “one’s own”, says Anna Teplova.
Speech sounds that are not addressed to the child personally and do not imply an answer do not affect the child, do not prompt action and remain “an empty sound”. Toys try to teach children something that has no meaning and personal significance for them. As a result, an attempt to accelerate intellectual development slows down, and sometimes blocks the formation of the child’s personality. It is known that knowledge and skills that are not included in the interests and practical fabric of children’s lives remain alienated, not assimilated and do not lead to the mental development of the child.
According to Anna Teplovaya, any activity with a toy in an interactive mode requires the presence of an adult and a time limit. Therefore, when choosing such a toy for their child, parents should understand that, leaving the child alone with it for a long time, they do not develop him, but tire him and scatter his attention.
Are educational computer games suitable for three years old?
Anna Teplova is sure that in the electronic version of the game the child is extremely limited in showing his initiative and independence, his motive is the “reaction of the program” – the encouragement or reprimand coming from it. This does not contribute to the development of the personality and activities of children. However, digital games are increasingly replacing traditional children’s activities.
Is it possible to make an educational toy for a child with your own hands?
Parents add household items to the playing field: locks, sockets, light bulbs and switches. Children not only play, but also develop motor skills, mindfulness and everyday awareness. Such a board can be created taking into account the interests of the child. The business board is designed as a car repair shop or a spaceship, as well as a fairyland with fairies or a house for animals, says Alexei Kozlovsky.