Finding presents for a toddler can be an expensive business, there is so much on offer out there and it can be really difficult to stick to a budget when you’re thinking about buying the perfect gifts for that special toddler in your life. Cheap toys for 3 year old boys can be super hard to find, because I don’t know about you, but it just seems so much easier to buy for girls. Maybe I’m being gender stereotypical but play make up, hair stuff and cute girly clothes don’t seem to cost the earth, yet there doesn’t seem to be an alternative for little boys.
With my little boy turning three next year, I’ve made it my mission to have a good hunt now for the best cheap toys for 3 year olds. I’ll still be on maternity leave when Dexter turns three years old, so finding budget toys to gift him for his special birthday is going to be more important than ever.
Best Budget Toys £10 and under
Die Cast Cars 8 Pack £1.00
A pack of cars is right up Dexter’s street and as well as these cars, there TONS of other toys on the Toys for a Pound website which would make an amazing gift for a three year old.
Peterkin Medical Carrycase £5.99
Toddlers love a bit of role play and playing doctors and nurses is a complete rite of passage when you’re a little ‘un.
Fireman Sam Jupiter Vehicle £7.98
Dexter is obsessed with vehicles, especially fire trucks. This budget fire engine would make an amazing gift for the 3 year old in your life.
Play-Doh Doctor Drill n Fill Set £9.99
Another cute way of getting your 3 year old to role play with the added bonus of play-doh (what toddler doesn’t love play-doh?!) and a chance to talk about looking after teeth and trips to the dentist.
Toys of Wood Oxford Wooden Shape Sorting Clock £8.99
I love a good educational toy and at the age of 3, your toddler should be learning all about clocks and how to tell the time. This fab budget toy will help with all of that while being fun to play with at the same time, after all, isn’t that what learning should be all about at this age?
Stickle Bricks Little Builder Set £10.00
Stickle Bricks are that budget toy that simply transcends generations. The perfect gift to keep little hands busy while working on those all important fine motor skills.
Best Budget Toys £20 and under
Mr Pop Game £13.99
This was one of my favourite toys as a child and I can’t wait to introduce Dexter to it. It’s a simple premise, you add different features to Mr Pop’s face (again, a great way to learn the names of facial features) until suddenly he goes POP!
Kinetic Sand Beach Sand Kingdom Playset £14.99
Another budget toy that Dex already owns after it was recommended by Little Pickle’s Mom. Again, a wonderful way to learn through play and encourage the development of fine motor skills. I also highly recommend getting a tuff tray to play with this on!
Peppa Pig Laugh and Learn Laptop £14.99
Little laptops are a hit in this household, probably because he sees his blogging Mummy attached to hers quite often! I think you’re starting to see the theme here of budget toys that stimulate learning and development and this budget toy offers just that.
V-Tech Playtime Bus Playset £15.99
Dexter actually already has this bus which was a lovely present from his Grandma last Christmas. For the first year he just used it as a simple bus toy, but now he’s getting older and closer to 3 years old, he is taking advantage of the phonics aspect of the bus. Another cracking budget toy that helps your toddler learn through play.
Mr Frosty The Crunchy Ice Maker £15.99
I was desperate for one of these toys when I was a little girl and it’s easy to see why. Like most toddlers Dex loves getting involved in the kitchen and he would love to use this Mr Frosty toy to create some yummy ice shapes that he could devour afterwards. Always thinking with his stomach that kid.
Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set £16.34
I love Melissa & Doug who create stimulating and engaging toys to encourage learning through play. Although Dex is great with cutlery, he does still struggle with using a knife, although he loves to give it a good go. This toy would be perfect to help him understand how to cut safely and effectively.
Leapfrog Count Along Till £16.48
Another fantastic role playing toy, Dex loves pretending to play shop and a till is a definite requirement for this particular role play. Once more, this budget toy will help your toddler to learn through play, about money and perhaps a bit of simple maths. Learning toys are so much fun!
Upgrow Walkie Talkies £17.99
Dexter loves pretending to talk on the phone and when I spotted these walkie talkies I thought they’d make an amazing present for us to play with around the house. I can imagine Dex outside in the summer with one handset, and me in the lounge feeding the baby and we can communicate and play even though I might be slightly tied up with the other little one. Walkie talkies are just so much fun, and again, a fantastic way to encourage imaginative play!
Casdon Dyson Ball Vacuum Cleaner £17.99
This is another toy Dex already owns and absolutely adores, simply due to his love of role playing. Toddlers love to act out what they see Mummy and Daddy doing, even if that means cleaning! If only they could keep up the cleaning habit throughout their teenage years eh?
Best Budget Toys £30 and under
V-Tech Toot Drivers Garage £29.99
Garages are great toys for vehicle mad 3 year olds and this one comes with lots of features to make it engaging and fun. Dex could spend hours driving his emergency vehicles around the garage and it helps me to be able to sit down and have a cup of tea for ten minutes before he insists I join him on the floor to play too.
John Deere Build A Johnny Tractor £26.66
Dexter loves nothing more than to ‘fix it’ so I love the idea of this tractor which comes apart and can be fixed with the little tools that come with it. Another great budget toy that encourages learning and helps develop gross motor skills.
