33-Month-Old Toddler: Your Little Playmate
And birthday presents for 3 year olds!
By
Your little playmate
As they get older, your little one will grow to play more & more independently (& you'll get longer stretches of time for yourself). But for now: a realistic amount of time for 2-year-olds to entertain themselves is just around 4 minutes. On her podcast, clinical psychologist Dr. Becky discusses how to encourage your child to play alone—& feel less guilty about not wanting to join in. To help you get started, we've also rounded up our favorite toys for independent play.
Birthday planning!
If you’re planning a party for your almost-three-year-old, here’s how to use Babylist to create a birthday wish list. And if you’re already working on the invitations, this viral example is inspiring→
How to create a reading nook
If you're interested in carving out a space for them to curl up with their favorite books, start here. (It could be the best birthday present ever?)
Editors' picks:
Affordable gifts
Speaking of birthdays, these under-$30 finds are a ton of fun.
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/92fb1ce613eb5ecdc9a070db92b4a6863fc665b9093728a60fbc8a0f405a3083/492ab140193db8d88adbaa47ac91aa73/92fb1ce613eb5ecdc9a070db92b4a6863fc665b9093728a60fbc8a0f405a3083.png?fl=progressive&fm=jpg&bg=rgb:fafafa&w=620&h=620","price":16.87,"product_id":1478458,"title":"Melissa & Doug GO TOTs Roll & Ride Bus Wooden Pull Toy","url":"https://www.target.com/p/-/A-84799900","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}
![Add to Babylist](javascript: bl.addToRegistry({"images":"https://images.ctfassets.net/50gzycvace50/1jLtKvHlvnlWqfLkernxiR/9b6dd4c93a6644af1784698d83f8c87c/81ve_SRC_TL._AC_SX679_.jpg?fit=pad&fl=progressive&fm=jpg&w=620&h=620","price":"19.89","title":"DUKVSG Mini Golf Set","url":"https://www.amazon.com/DUKVSG-Kids-Golf-Set-Educational/dp/B0BVQQ6T1X","source":"hello_baby"});){kind=link}