What can make a little girl of three happy? Well, first of all she needs to feel safe and protected, and it can also work miracles if you sparkle her imagination.

Little girls will love to play with clothes. Give them a length of cloth and they’ll pretend being Donna Karan or Armani, or whatever. These clothes will keep them busy for hours at an end, for sure. One of my little nieces loves to wrap up her favorite doll in bits and pieces which her mother gives her. Sometimes the doll becomes Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella or Goldilocks.

This brings us to the next best thing to give to a little girl: dolls. And not just whatever doll, but the type that resembles a princess. They will take their princess doll around and will want to show her off. Baby dolls and little animals might work too, but it really depends on the girl. Said niece got a baby doll from another aunt, looked at it, and then gave it a kick so that it landed under the cupboard!

Little girls of three like to prepare for their role as mother and caretaker. So you won’t go amiss when you present them with a little kitchen or a tea set. Nowadays the toy factories produce the nicest kitchen sets for children. Only yesterday, I saw a kitchen with stainless steel oven, microwave, fridge and faucet, along with the cooking pans etc. I wanted to be a kid again!

Sparkling items (rings, necklaces, glitter, make-up, stickers,…) have a big impact on little girls as well. If you find it hard to choose something for her, take that piecesthat shines the most and your little girl will love it. Here the creativity of the child can find ways to express itself and you’ll be surprised of what she can do already.

An animated movie might also be a good present. Most kids of three will understand what happens, especially if a grown-up is with them to explain where necessary. We watch Disney movies with our little niece, and she understands the story, even though it’s in English (and our language is Flemish).

Electronic toys, like dogs that walk and bark, might work for a present, but you’ll find out that these capture their interest much less than a flashy princess doll or another fairy accessory. Little girls like to believe they too are a princess, so anything that flashes or talks or sings will be ok.

Things that can better be avoided as a present are books, games, puzzles and art supplies. Some kids may like them, others won’t. They’ll thank you with a polite ‘thank you’ but will never look at your present anymore. Here it is best to inquire with the parents what their daughter likes. If she loves to read, a book is a good gift – as for myself, it was about the best gift I could ever get and I still have hundreds of books around the house.