When children enter their preschool years, typically around age three, this is a time of enormous social, emotional, and cognitive growth. At this age, children can typically communicate their wants and needs more effectively, practice their independence more willingly, and begin to step into their own identity.
With more than 50 years of experience in early childhood education, Kaplan understands the impact play has on a child's growth and development, especially during the preschool years. Our belief that play is a catalyst for learning fuels our commitment to deliver durable, safe, and developmentally appropriate toys to classrooms and homes throughout the United States. We know that with age-appropriate materials, play prompts, and guidance, there is no limit to what children can learn.
If you are searching for gift ideas that will be a lasting favorite well beyond the holiday season, keep reading. This article highlights our top 10 educational gifts for children ages three to four.
Woodland Trail Treehouse and Accessory Set
Ages: 3 years and up.
Turn playtime into a multilayered forest adventure with the Woodland Trail Treehouse. Using their imagination and creativity, children can move the accompanying wooden bird, squirrel, hedgehog, and owl pieces around the tree play structure. A built-in nest, lookout post, and treetop platforms offer plenty of space for the wooden characters to interact and play. This treehouse does require some adult assembly using the provided instruction manual.
Skills Taught: Children will improve their fine motor skills by grasping and moving the wooden characters and accessories around the treehouse. This toy also prompts storytelling and imaginative play that helps children build their early literacy and creative thinking skills.
Gift Companions: You can gift the Woodland Trail Treehouse as it is or pair it with the Woodland Trail Accessory Set or any of Kaplan's realistic people and animal block sets.
Lemonade Stand Set
Ages: 3 years and up.
Inspire fresh-squeezed entertainment with this Lemonade Stand Set. The storage crate doubles as a display table that children can use inside or outside for hours of solo or collaborative pretend play. The set includes a pitcher, pretend ice cubes, three plastic glasses, pretend lemon slices that fit onto each glass, stir sticks, a wooden knife, two wooden lemon halves, a chalkboard, and pretend money.
Skills Taught: Whether they play alone or with friends, children will build early math, communication, and cooperation skills with the help of this lemonade stand. As they cut the lemon, "squeeze" it to make lemonade and pour it into cups, children will practice their sequencing skills and ability to follow simple instructions. Math skills such as counting, adding, and subtracting will come into play once customers arrive to purchase a thirst-quenching glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.
Gift Companions: A glass of lemonade always pairs nicely with a snack from the Cheese and Charcuterie Board Pretend Play Set.
Colorful Magnetic Tiles Transport Pack
Ages: 3 years and up.
The Colorful Magnetic Tiles Transport Pack transports children to a world of on-the-go fun. Featuring 50 pieces, such as pastel magnetic tiles, real rubber wheels, and three transport bases, children can create trains, planes, multi-terrain automobiles, and anything else their imagination can dream up. The tile pieces are made using non-toxic ABS plastic that is BPA, lead, and phthalate-free.
Skills Taught: More than a set of magnetic blocks, this transport pack will encourage children to think critically and creatively as they build durable vehicles that can move around the room and carry small items such as pebbles or plastic toy animals. This set is also a great way to introduce children to shapes, colors, and the scientific concept of magnetism.
Gift Companions: Enrich the lives of builders and critical thinkers by pairing this gift with a Connetix Magnetic Tiles Set or any of these compatible magnetic builders.
Home on the Range Camping Set
Ages: 3 years and up.
Go camping without leaving the playroom with the Home on the Range Camping Set. Children can use the wooden axe to chop and split the wooden logs into pieces small enough to start a fire. When it is time for a meal, children can hang the cooking pot over the fire and add the wooden corn cobs, hot dogs, and fish filets for slow roasting.
Skills Taught: By splitting the wooden logs into pieces, children will strengthen their gross motor skills and dexterity. This set inspires imaginative play that helps children act out real-life scenarios and learn about the importance of fire safety. Adults can join in the fun to further encourage these skills and lessons.
Gift Companions: No camping trip is complete without a place to sleep and camping tools such as a compass and lantern.
Warmies® Microwavable Plush 13" Capybara
Ages: Birth and up.
Huggable, lovable, and with a relaxing lavender scent, the Warmies Plush Capybara will be a favorite of every stuffed animal lover on your list. You can place this plush capybara in a 1000W microwave for 60 seconds to relieve tummy troubles, anxiety, and sleepy time stresses. The inside is filled with all-natural grain and dried lavender, surrounded by a furry plush exterior.
Skills Taught: Adults can use the plush capybara during nightly story time to enhance early literacy skills. They can also warm it up and offer it to children needing extra comfort throughout the day. Children can also use this plush friend to play pretend while gaining compassion, empathy, and caretaking skills.
Gift Companions: A fun-loving capybara will fit perfectly in the My First Toy Pet Stroller or as a friend to any of our other plush toys for children.
Doll with Vitiligo
Ages: 10 months and up.
Celebrate the diversity of life by gifting inclusive toys that help all children feel understood and accepted. The Doll with Vitiligo features a lightly vanilla-scented body made of high-quality soft vinyl. This doll's head, arms, and legs move so children can pose the doll during realistic play experiences like bathing, feeding, and sitting up for storytime. Clothing is not included.
Skills Taught: Children will develop empathy, self-confidence, and tolerance as they nurture, dress, and care for this doll. Whether playing alone or with others, children can also practice early social skills as they communicate with the doll, read the doll stories, and sing lullabies to help the doll drift off to sleep.
Gift Companions: When gifting this doll to the young children on your list, consider combining it with a child-sized changing bag, doll wheelchair, or any of our other dolls and doll accessories.
Bouncy Board
Ages: 3 years and up.
Indoors or out, the Bouncy Board is an excellent way for young children to jump out their jitters, release excess energy, and stay physically active. This board is versatile, lightweight, and stackable for spaces with limited storage. The rubber feet on the bottom of the board grip hard on carpeted surfaces, keeping the board in place as children bounce and play. Clean using a damp sponge, warm water, and mild soap.
Skills Taught: Jumping and balancing on the Bouncy Board improves the development of gross motor movements, coordination, and strength. This type of physical activity can also improve a child's ability to focus, especially those children who struggle to decompress and relax, including those with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing challenges.
Gift Companions: The Bouncy Board makes a great companion gift for a challenging obstacle course or any number of Kaplan's active play toys.
Special Delivery Mail Set
Ages: 3 years and up.
Deliver hours of fun this holiday season with the Special Delivery Mail Set. Children can add stamps to their letters and packages, place them in the mailbox for pickup, and step into the role of USPS worker by delivering packages to their intended recipient. This set includes one mailbox, five letters, two packages, 10 stamps, a mailbag, a scale, and a service counter. Made using durable, solid wood, each piece of this set can withstand playroom playtime.
Skills Taught: There are so many ways children can play and learn with this Special Delivery Mail Set. The scale will help children understand math concepts such as weight, greater than, less than, and counting. While putting packages in the mailbox, children will develop their spatial awareness and critical thinking skills. This is also a great gift that can teach early literacy, reading, and writing skills.
Gift Companions: Make their playroom the place to be by pairing this Special Delivery Mail Set with a cash register or one of Kaplan's other pretend play products.
Garden Buddies Plush Set
Ages: 2 years and up.
Are you shopping for the lover of all things creepy crawly this holiday season? The Garden Buddies Plush Set is sure to be a favorite. This set includes three cute and cuddly critters: Inchy the Inchworm, Vinnie the Banana Slug, and Lavern the Slug. Each Garden Buddy features 100% recycled stuffing and soft plush fabric. Spot clean to remove any stains.
Skills Taught: The plush Garden Buddies encourage imaginative play that involves storytelling, role-playing, and building insect habitats. These loveable critters may also spark curiosity about the natural world, the bugs in your backyard, and insect characteristics.
Gift Companions: When gifting a set of Garden Buddies to the young children on your list, consider pairing them with a children's book for a cozy reading experience.
Story Island Creative Playset
Ages: 2 years and up.
Imaginations will run wild when children unwrap the Story Island Creative Playset. This set includes three island pieces, mountains, bridges, trees, gender-neutral people, houses, cars, a boat, and a train. Children can draw on the chalkboard surface of each island to add roads, ponds, shops, animals, and more to their world. The cars, trains, and boats can travel between the three islands to drop off passengers, host city-view tours, and go on fishing excursions. The islands, mountains, and trees are made from FSC® Certified Polywood. All other pieces are made from FSC® Certified Beech Wood.
Skills Taught: Creativity and communication will flourish when children play with this Story Island Playset. Whether they play alone, with friends, or with a caregiver, children must use their creative thinking skills to act out scenarios and create fun island communities. They will use their critical thinking skills as they work out how to connect the islands and transport the people-shaped pieces from one community to another.
Gift Companions: Children will love creating an entire wooden world when you combine this Story Island Playset with additional blocks and people sets.
Are you searching for more gift ideas?
Visit the Kaplan Toys That Teach Holiday Gift List to find inspiration and ideas that will delight every child on your list. Start shopping today!
