Looking for the best toys for preschoolers (ages 3-5)? You’ve found the right list of 50+ toys carefully tested by actual children for this gift guide. These toys have been field-tested to determine what are the best preschool toys that will still be played with into the big kid years.
What are the best toys for preschoolers?
The best toys for preschoolers are the ones that spark imagination and inspire play.
Play is the foundation of childhood – it’s how kids learn and grow (cliché, but true). If play is the “work” of childhood, then toys are the tools that make this work possible.
Toys aren’t just “stuff” for kids to have. They’re tools that support development, curiosity, and creativity. Choosing the right ones can make a big difference in fostering independent play. The goal isn’t about owning the most or the most expensive toys; it’s about having the tools that best suit your child.
It is our job to be selective and critical with toy purchases and what toys come into our homes. Toys are not just “stuff” for kids to have. Toys, say it with me, are tools.
It’s important to remember that the price of a toy does not dictate it’s value. The best toy for your child is not necessarily or always the most expensive.
Are there “right toys” for preschoolers?
Yes, but the “right toys” might not be what you expect. Finding the “right toy” isn’t about having the biggest, flashiest, or most expensive options.
“Right toys” are the ones that truly support your child’s play and meet them where they are at. These are the toys that offer endless ways to play, encouraging kids to come back again and again, growing a relationship with the child. And it’s often simpler, classic, timeless toys that achieve this lofty longevity goal.
Flashy, trendy, of-the-moment toys might grab attention initially, but they often don’t hold it for long. And that’s typically by design to keep the need for a new toy high…
That said, every child is different. Sometimes, a seemingly trendy toy may turn out to be exactly what your child needs. If it sparks their imagination or helps them build new skills, then the toy is the “right toy” – because, in the end, toys are tools, and it’s all about finding the right ones for your child.
How to choose the best toys for 3-5 year olds
Preschoolers need access to a variety of toys as they start to navigate personal interests, develop a play personality, and form their deep passions.
It’s not about having a lot of toys – it’s about having the right mix to keep their creativity flowing. Here are five key toy categories I recommend for preschoolers:
- Toys That Move: Cars, trucks, anything that can be pushed or pulled
- Toys That Roll: Balls of all sizes and types
- Toys for Caregiving: Dolls, stuffed animals, plastic animal figures
- Toys for Imaginative Play: Play food, dress-up clothes, scarves
- Toys for Practicing Real-Life Scenes: Dollhouses, play kitchens, garages
When choosing a toy, consider the longevity: Will your child still enjoy it next month? Next year? Think about the size: Can it fit comfortably in your play space or will it take up all the room for play? Finally, think about its versatility: Can the toy be used in different ways during play or is it “one and done?”
How to find the best toys for preschoolers
My previous gift guides, like “Best Toys for Toddlers” or “Best Toys for One-Year-Olds,” also feature toys loved by my family for years. Don’t be fooled by age labels – these toys have broad ranges and can be enjoyed by preschoolers, toddlers, and big kids.
Toy lists are like board game boxes. A box of Monopoly says “for ages 8+.” This doesn’t mean only eight-year-olds like Monopoly.
Remember – Toys don’t have a gender
This list of preschool toys is gender-neutral, just like all toys are. Boys and girls alike can benefit from every toy here. Don’t let stereotypes limit your child’s play. Give them the opportunity to explore, imagine, and learn with every type of toy that interests them.
Find toys to fit the child.
JUMP – The best toys for preschoolers
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Race Track Toy
Don’t sleep on this toy – you have to at least see it. It’s an interactive system of levers and cars, and it just makes sense to kids. It is engaging and intricate. We bought this a few years ago – it has never left my fire place. The most honored spot for a toy in our house. Toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, middle-schoolers: everyone loves it.
Horse Stable
Eight little horses in a stable and it is just simple fun. This toy has been beloved at our house for the last 7 years. These horses are in use constantly and in all sorts of play, then put away easily in their stable holder.
Gifts to pair with the horse stable:
Calming Tubes
Absolutely love these calm down sensory tubes (each does something different). There are four so you can spread them out or keep them all together. These are amazing for kids – we have loved owning this set.
Wooden Rocket
Do not skip over this. I love a toy kids can gather around and center play, and this is it. So much play comes from this large rocket (it’s tall!) – and even my 10-year-old is still in on the action.
Gifts to pair with the rocket ship:
Clixo
I can’t believe this toy is new to me. I will live with that regret for year but at least we have it now. These are magnetic, plastic-y feeling strips that bend, mold, and curve in a way that no other block or tile does. It holds shapes (crowns, cards, bridges) and then packs up flat. All my kids (7-11 years old) love this – and it was recommended by a friend with a preschooler.
Wooden Crane
We got this crane Christmas 2015. It is still a day-to-day toy in our home. Kids gravitate to this toy and it’s a joy. I see animals, firetrucks, dolls, and blocks all being lifted and moved by this treasured crane.
Gifts to pair with the wooden crane:
Marble Run Game
THIS TOY RIGHT HERE: If pinball, mouse trap, and a marble run combined, this would be it. And it’s so freaking awesome. The absolute joy that my kids and their friends (ages 4-13) have with this cannot be understated. It’s absolutely worth a look.
Rainbow Streamer
Anyone else love watching rhythmic gymnastics? I think that’s probably the reason I bought this for my kids, but nonetheless, it’s been a delight to add to their imaginary play bin.
Gifts to pair with a ribbon wand:
- Silk dress-up wings
- Silk crown (reversible, lots of colors available on the Sarah’s Silks website)
Magnetic Board
This double sided board is really fun. Use a magnetic wand to lift the enclosed beads up (and easily back down). It’s mesmerizing. On one side, it’s a free work space. On the other side, a fun way to trace letters (even fun for almost 40 year olds…).
Construction Trucks
Whether it’s indoor construction or real outdoor digging, a simple set of construction trucks – no batteries needed – make for some sweet play time. We’ve had this set since my oldest son’s first birthday. Nine years later, they still get the play job done.
Story Time Chess
Okay, this is just about the coolest way to teach children something so complicated – and yes, it is geared at preschoolers (but also fantastic for early elementary). Using storybook characters and a picture book, this is an award winning toy for a reason.
Dominoes
This set is AWESOME!!! A chance for kids to build domino course – so much cause and effect, so much spatial awareness. The plain-colored blocks also double as a great “loose parts” toy.
Brio Garage
Our favorite garage!! This works with cars AND hooks into a wooden train set which is fantastic for multi-toy play. We’ve owned this for years and the longevity is there.
Toy Chain Links
Please trust me on this one. This is the most treasured, favorite, used toy in my house and has been since my kids were preschoolers (so about 7 years). They use these as: leashes, boundaries, hooks, handcuffs, bungee cords for stuffies, obstacle courses… I could never explain in a short paragraph the magic and joy of this toy. This is a toy adults may not understand, but kids do. They get it immediately.
Magnetic Dress-Up Dolls
Never under estimate the power of a dress up doll. This wooden/magnetic set is fantastic for imaginary and quiet time play. From preschool to big kids, this one stands the test of time.
Farmer’s Marker
This is just about the sweetest set for kids who love a social story/dramatic play set. The pieces fit into the farmer’s market, and it works so well with other toys to already own (like cars, people, and animals). It’s a winner.
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic tiles are the “next step” after wooden blocks (although don’t discount wooden blocks from the preschool game – they are still very much loved and needed). This is the set we’ve owned since 2019 and it is compatible with other brands. These are a great “grandparent” gift because there are many expansion packs to pair with it for future gifts (see below).
Expansion packs for magnetic tiles:
Magnetic Tile Road
If your kids are deep into magnetic tiles, these roads fit right on top of any brand and change everything. They’re magnetic themselves and are the coolest add-on to a magnetic tiles collection!
Classic Red Wagon
This was my sister and my favorite toy as a kids. We used our classic red wagon well into middle school. I bought this for my son’s 8th birthday… dang I wish we’d had it years ago, but at least we can have it now.
Mailbox
There just is nothing cuter than little kid mail. I am a big fan of kids having mail boxes for sending and receiving pretend letters. The mailbox my kids have loved since 2015 is discontinued, so we tested this one for this gift guide and it’s wonderful. 10/10 review from my kids.
Puzzle with Wind-up Cars
This is so unique and has been a total hit with my big kids – even though it’s very much for the preschool crowd. It’s a floor puzzle that creates a car track (it comes with two wind-up cars). That winning combination has kids hooked. It’s a great addition to a puzzle collection, especially for car-loving kids.
People Play Figures
This is an award-winning toy and for good reason: it is an open-ended dream. There are limitless possibilities for families to be created and social situations to play out. This toy is special (it’s also filled with math learning, too) and perfect if your child needs generic play people for their games. Trust me on this one.
Magnetic Maze
This magnetic maze was a favorite of preschooler. He could sit with this for longer than I could ever have imagined, quietly working on using the magnetic bird to move the balls through the maze. I’ve kept it because the preschoolers who visit my house gravitate to it as well. It’s a simple toy – but effective a promoting concentration and motor skills.
Tub of Animals
We are big fans of small animal toys, and my daughter (the expert) says this is the best brand of them. She’d know: she’s the one who is 9 years old and playing with them daily. We even travel with a bag of these.
Gifts to pair with a tub of animals
Magnetic Building Cubes
We are crushing hard for this toy. These are magnetic cubes and they have a very 8-bit, Minecraft vibe when building with them. This toy has taken my kids and neighbor kids (ages 2-10) by storm.
Air Fort
This is a giant tent that inflates with a box fan (the fan is sold separately). It is a super hero on rainy days and just so cozy. My kids LOVE setting this up – fits adults too. It’s a great size and a lot less work than traditional kid forts.
Easel
There are so many benefits to working on a vertical surface, but easels often take up so much room. I never had room for one and then I found this. This one collapses, will fit under a couch or bed, or slide against the wall. It’s also double sided with a dry erase board and a chalk board, along with a paper roll and alphabet magnets.
Little Red Riding Hood Logic Puzzle
Such a great single-player logic toy and yes, it’s meant for preschoolers (but that hasn’t stopped my big kids from loving it). This is a terrific critical thinking game and fantastic for quiet, solo play.
More brain game logic puzzles
- Smart Farmer (4+)
- Rush Hour Junior (5+)
- Dinosaurs (Mystic Islands Game) (5+)
Maze Tower
We love maze games at my house and this multi-sided hexagon tower is awesome. It’s great for preschoolers and older, and a wonderful introduction to this style of toy.
Stacking Stones
These small, rock/gem-like wooden stones are a pretend play dream. They can be food. They can be currency. They can be hidden treasure. They have endless possibilities and have been a joy to own.
Vet Kit
Dramatic play is one of the treasures of childhood, and it takes on a vibrant life in the preschool years. This vet kit is the full meal deal – and provides hours/days/weeks/years of play. My family is going on 6 years with this kit. Still love it.
Gifts that pair well with a vet kit:
- Doctor dress-up costume
- My First Big Book of Animals (a favorite at our house!)
Alphabet Puzzle
You don’t need to flashcard to teach them the alphabet – kids can learn letters through play. Having a few toys they can play with is a great way to get them familiar in a play-based, hands-on, organic way and this puzzle is tops (we got this in late 2016, still love it).
Other alphabet toys
- Foam bath letters
- ABC Magnets (if safe for your child)
- The classic ABC blocks
Sword and Shield
This has been my go-to gift for 4 and 5 year olds for a long time now (boys and girls). We love this set (it’s a hard foam but lighter than plastic). The sword and shield have been imaginary play heroes.
Looking for a softer sword? This is a soft foam sword covered in silk. That one is also a huge hit here.
Play Silks
This is a set of 2 play silks and they are lovely. There are many colors and prints available – and they can be bought as singles or in multi-packs. Silks are an incredible toy. They can be a cape, a table cloth, a parachute, a doll blanket… the possibilities are endless. This is a lovely small business. Check out their website for more styles.
Puppet Theater
Do you have a child who loves to put on shows? This theater is perfect! It’s a tension rod design so it stores compact and sets up easily (adults do this part) in a door frame. We have loved owning this.
Gifts that pair well with the puppet theater:
Blue Race Track
I love that these have had a viral resurgence this year! We’ve had ours since 2018 – it’s magical even though the picture isn’t great. This is a 15-foot long rubber track that can be taken with anywhere – and takes up very little room (compared to other products for little race cars). We love it so much that we have one dedicated for inside play and one in the backyard.
Cooties
Who remembers these? They are just as amazing and hysterical as they were in our childhood. My kids still love these (in fact, I found them packed in my 8 year old’s backpack recently).
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles (in a frame, like this one) are the next step in puzzle building after knob puzzles and chunky puzzles. This is the puzzle step that comes before floor puzzles or free form puzzles.
Floor Puzzles
Some preschoolers may be ready for “free form” puzzles. Large floor puzzles are the next “progression” in the puzzle development. Look for puzzles around 48-60 pieces for this age group.
More puzzles: I have a great toy list dedicated to puzzles. If puzzles are on your list, hop over to my best puzzles for kids gift guide.
Tea Set
This tea set is perfection. Use it in the bathtub, at a snack table, on a picnic blanket, or outside. The sky is the limit. It cleans great in the dishwashers – total 10/10 toy.
Unicorn Glitterluck
Can you call a preschool game an absolute banger because if so: meet Unicorn Glitterluck. This game is fantastic, it’s fun, it has cool pieces, it’s just great. Especially if you have a preschooler into unicorns, rainbow, or sparkly gems – this is a massive win.
Castle Play Set
Do you have a little one who loves fantasy? Dragons, castles, kings, queens, and knights? I do. And this is a slam dunk with all 3 of them.
City Building Blocks
This set could be: an additional set for an expert block builder OR a stand alone set for a block-building novice. It’s a great size, stores in a canvas bag that comes with it, and has loads of play options. It also comes with some building ideas and instructions for those who like to follow directions.
My 9 year old would like me to note that while she adores this set still, the puzzle road it comes with is not good and she recycled it ASAP.
Paper Dolls
I got these last year, would toss them in my bag if I was out with multiple ages of kids, like 3-12 years old, and these were consistent hit. They aren’t paper. They’re reusable and just as fun as I remembered.
Superhero Capes
Dress up is so much fun for this age and these superhero capes are the best. We have two sets, we love them that much. Here is another style of the superhero set (we have both).
Mosaic Cube Puzzle
Super cool mosaic puzzle for kids that comes with 20 template cards for inspiration or kids can just use the blocks to make their own patterns and designs. This is something my big kids still gravitate towards and often use it while I’m reading chapter books aloud. It’s a great toy and I’m shocked more people don’t know about it.
Hoot Owl Hoot
We love a Peaceable Kingdom cooperative play game and this one is fabulous for preschoolers (but older siblings will still want to play it with them). Get all the baby owls back to the next before the sun comes up – it’s such a perfectly sweet game.
LEGO Bricks
When you first start out buying LEGO bricks, start with a box like this one with a little bit of everything. Get your kids going on free building before introducing kits and directions. LEGO bricks are essentially the OG of STEM toys – don’t overlook them!
Carry Around Animal Town
This may be one of the most perfect toys ever invented (and yes, it’s a giant version of a 90s toy many of us loved.
There is a robot version of this toy, too! We obviously own it as well and it is also a joy to have.
Large Trucks
This fire truck is special: it actually shoots water. My kids have been going nuts for it for years. It’s big – so note the measurements before you commit (wink), but it really is a unique take on the traditional rescue toy.
Other large trucks:
Waterfuls
Just go with me on this: it’s calming, it’s addictive, it’s satisfying. We love this toy so much and so do so many kids who visit our house. It’s just water being moved by air and yet… it’s perfect. It comes with different backgrounds to change up the play. Trust me on this toy.
Fort Builder Kit
Quick story: there are knock off brands out there, but this is the best one and it is not available on Amazon. My parents had a knock off set and threw it away after playing with the actual fort builder kit. It’s just so easy to use!
Set of Stamps
Was there anything better as a kid than a set of stamps? The possibilities seemed endless. Kids still feel this way about stamps – it’s a fun, simple, and often overlooked art supply to gift kids (especially in the preschool years).
Magna Doodle
Remember these? They’re still amazing and just as addicting as they were when we were kids. Love this “retro” version that looks like mine from the 1980s.
Take Apart Vehicles
I’m such a HUGE fan of this collection of toys – it’s almost in the same category as a puzzle. It takes a lot of problem solving for kids to put this toy together, take it apart, and build it again.
First Orchard
One of the absolute all-stars in the “my first games” category: First Orchard is a knock out. Counting skills, turn taking, fine motor skills… this is a classic that’s sold millions of copies for a reason.
Magnetic Book
This is such a great toy – and a great one to travel with. It looks like a book but it’s a tin that holds magnetic dinosaur body parts. Create the “real” dino or one from your imagination. There are style options to choose from: animals, construction vehicles, fairy tale characters, faces with emotions, and princess costumes.
Walkie Talkies
A toy with a battery! I KNOW! But Walkie Talkies get a special exemptions for how awesome they are. We’ve had this set for years in our neighborhood and the range is incredible – almost a mile!
Outdoor Excavator
No matter the child’s gender – an outdoor excavator is the best! We got this in 2014 and it’s still going strong in our background (withstanding the rain of a decade in Seattle!).
Frequently Asked Questions
That’s going to vary kid to kid. Each child has different tastes in toys, similar to having different tastes in food. In general, I’d make sure to have at least one toy in each of the following categories: toys for building, toys for creating, toys for empathy (doll), toys for imaginary play (costume, kitchen, doll house, wand), toys that are animals and toys that are vehicles.
Toys are a lot like food. Our kids’ job is to ask for what they want; our job is to moderate and make best decisions with all the information we have at hand. If your child asks for candy at breakfast, it’s most likely a no. Candy at breakfast won’t work for our family.
Toys are the same. “That toy looks awesome – it’s not going to work for our family or in our home.” The toy may be too big, too loud, too expensive, too cheaply made, too likely to not be a toy the child grows with.
There are many reasons why a toy won’t work for your family/home. You do not need to buy your child every toy they ask for or be beholden to all their wishes. Some wishes and dream toys just won’t work. Same as having candy for every meal.
That’s personal to the family. Rather than follow any preset guideline, work within a budget and within what the child will find enjoyable to open and not overwhelming. I find preset guidelines for holidays limiting and prefer to use my gut rather than someone else’s poem.
Kids learn through play so literally all toys are education and learning toys. Ironically, toys that call out their “learning” features often support far less learning than (for example) a set of wooden blocks. Terms like “educational” and “learning” are more of a marketing ploy than a legitimate category.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.4 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie has written two home learning curricula, Playing Preschool and Branches. Her parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.
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Erika says
This list is awesome!!!! My 4 yr old twins would love (or have already and DO love) all these. Thank you for putting this together.
Kalitsa T. Collis says
Do you like the Melissa and Doug Vet Clinic better than the ones from Lakeshore Learning?
busytoddler says
I have the Melissa and Doug which is why it’s on the list. I try to only put toys on my lists that we own and have tested. I LOVE the Lakeshore one and always wanted it for Kate, but my aunt bought the Melissa and Doug version instead (and we’ve adored it).