If you know a toddler who is about to turn 3 years old, you probably want to get him or her the best birthday present you can find, but at a reasonable price. Three years old is a fun age, full of exploration, learning and wonder. You are going to want to find a gift that reflects all of these things – but that is fun to use as well.

One of the secrets of buying for a youngster of this age is to know how to please not only the young person, but their parents as well. In fact, the younger a child is, the more that the gift you buy has to pass the parent test in order to be well-received.

For 3-Year Olds, the Rule for Gifts Is: Simple and Safe

When you are buying for a friend, neighbor, or family member who will soon turn 3, one of your motivations is likely that of seeing his or her face light up as they accept your gift. After all, it is a great pleasure to make a little person happy with a well-chosen gift!

At the same time, however, when it comes to choosing a gift, simplicity and safety should be your main guide. Many gifts for young people have age recommendations posted clearly on the label, which is indeed helpful. But, this information is not always enough, and you need to use common sense.

Make Sure the Gift Pleases Mom and Dad, Too!

The gift you buy needs to make mom and dad happy. For example, it is not wise to buy a gift that is particularly noisy, has lots of tiny parts that could get lost, or seems like it would be time-consuming to assemble. At this age, you are buying not only for the child, but with the parents in mind, too.

Birthday Gift Ideas for 3-Year Olds: 3 Tips for Choosing Wisely

All of that said, here are 3 tips for buying a birthday gift for a 3-year old:

1. Look for gifts from reputable manufacturers: As mentioned above, you will want to buy a gift that is child-safe, will not create a big mess, and is low-maintenance for the parents. Most toys made by major manufacturers satisfy all of these criteria. So, while major brands are not the only way to go, buying a major brand serves as an important guidepost that you are headed in the right direction.

2. Keep it simple (most kids play with the box more than the toy): As any parent will tell you, it is often the case that a child will spend more time with the box a toy came in than the toy itself. This is fact remains a perennial mystery to parents and toy makers alike, but the take-away message is: keep it simple. The toy with all of the bells and whistles is not necessarily the one that will impress a toddler.

3. Do not buy the featured product at the store or online: Finally, if you will be attending a birthday party for this child, your gift will of course be given along with many others. That is why you will want to avoid the toy you see online or at the toy store that is the most prominently featured. Why? Chances are, 2-3 other people will be buying the same gift; this means that the parent will be heading back to the store with gift receipts to exchange some of the duplicates after the party. Help the parents avoid this hassle by digging a bit deeper into the store or website for the right gift.

Follow these 3 tips for choosing the right birthday gift for a 3 year old.

Author Bio: Get more unique gift ideas for 3-year olds at: Unique Toddler Gift Ideas.

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