Around age 3, the gift-giving game changes. Many 3-year-olds know what they want — trains! unicorns! ice cream! Bluey! — and often have both opinions and language to express their excitement. But that doesn’t negate the thrill of a good surprise, especially during the holidays.Three-year-olds are ready for toys that foster lots of imaginative play, so open-ended playthings that inspire storytelling and creative engagement are better than one-trick ponies. Toys and costumes that allow for role-playing and board games that encourage group interaction will nurture 3-year-olds’ developing social skills. And many kids at this age are ready for speedier, sleeker movement toys — like scooters and trikes — that reward their growing physical confidence and can be used for years to come.Eighteen moms (with 36 kids among us) collaborated to compile this list of toys and games that thrilled our kids as 3-year-olds, and, in many cases, kept delivering on fun for years to come.Wirecutter contributor Jessica Bernhard tested new Duplo and Magnatile sets with her two kids in Washington. Baby and Kid editor Kalee Thompson compared offbeat art supplies and plush puppets from her home in Portland, Maine. Editor Ingela Amundson filled her Connecticut bathtub with 50 bath toys (leaving just enough room for her preschooler). And I (Cait) counted chickens, nudged bug-faced blocks, and chased board-game squirrels with my 3-year-old daughter from my home in Austin, Texas; several years later I’m playing those same long-loved games with my son.As parents, we know that the best toys are rarely for just one age, but grow with a child. You can find even more gift suggestions that might be just right for your curious three year old in our guides to the best gifts for two-year-olds, the best gifts for four-year-olds, and the best dolls. Or see all our kid gift ideas here.