Toys for 3yo

OK, I need to buy DD some new toys. She currently doesn't have that many and DD2 is waking up every 40 mins ATM so I feel like I'm going from pillar to post between the two of them. She currently has blackboard and chalk, bus, some Lego, blocks, usual crayons, paints and colouring books.

She doesn't have anything 'big' and I just need some things to tide her over until we get her some fancy shmancy outside play equipment.

She's not v girly so would be more interested in trucks and stuff like that.

What occupies your kids?

Hmmm... ok well Aricyn is about 7 months older than your DD... and he likes things like dominoes... um his marbles... little figurines (loves his transformer), um farm animals and dinosaurs that come with a plastic mat setting, so he sets up all the fences and stuff himself... stickers - cannot get enough of stickers this boy so he loves doing the ones where you have to match up the sticker to the right spot... um he likes doing things like drawing letters and numbers...

and other than that - he watches tv and movies!

Harrison loves puzzles. He will sit there for ages sorting through the pieces & putting it all together. He also loves dress ups and his current favourite is being a vet. He is also pretty crazy for stickers & drawing/colouring in.

RICE.

Get a big packet (dye it different colours if you are feeling groovy), give her a heap of different plastic containers, measuring spoons/bowls and she will stuff around with it for AGES.

I sit my two on a sheet outside or inside. Bath, clamshell or whatever.

Kitchen play stuff, indoors and out. Outside we have heaps of op shop stuff that they make mud and sand pies with, metal saucepans etc and bits of wood for the kitchen. Doesn't have to be fancy.
Craft stuff - our dining table is now a craft station, I have one of those 8 hole file things with paper, glitter, glue scissors, magazines, stickers, ribbons, pom poms all sorts of stuff and she can sit there for ages making stuff. I collect all boxes for that reason too for painting etc.
Roll of paper (ours is from Ikea) that I just roll out on the floor - can be used for loads of stuff like tracing around bodies and decorating or just general drawing.
Rolls of contact - they can be stuck on windows with sticky side facing out and you can stick cellophane, dirt, leaves, etc on it - no glue needed.
Role play - Iz is happy to make "beds" all over the floor like they do at creche and she puts all her dolls to bed, strollers as well.
Books.
CDs with kids songs - we love Justine Clarke and Jay here, happy music that we put on and they dance around while playing.
Train tracks and trains. We have tonnes and instead of making tracks on the train table now they do it on the floor and all around the house.
Building blocks plastic and wooden.
Mr Potato Head - classic and mix him with Play Doh and you have yourself an hour of fun making new creatures!
Craft related to books we are reading - for eg. a few weeks ago it was rainbow fish so I cut some out and lots of coloured circles with foil and kinder squares. Add goggle eyes.
Painting on foil instead of paper - looks great and is a novelty.
Puffy painting - S/R flour, a bit of salt, food dye and some water to make a paste - paint onto cardboard and then microwave for around 30 secs - voila puffy paint!
Um that's all I can think of for now - can you tell it's been a loonnnnggg cold snotty winter in Melbourne :rofl:

Great idea Lulu!

Check this out sal - Unperfect Life: Keeping Betty Boo busy on a hot day...

I usually do it when I need to keep the kids inside on a really hot day.

wow branded toys are great and perfectly safe once bub is on the move

or wooden puzzles melissa and doug are a great brand