The best toys for three-year-olds

Key skill: Problem-solvingRecognising colour, shape and size, and sorting objects into groups are the "building blocks" of beginning math skills. What better way to explore these important concepts than with boldly coloured wooden blocks and frame! The durable wooden frame invites shape-fitting trial and error. The blocks promote colour and shape recognition and problem-solving skills whilst helping children differentiate between sizes and shapes.

Key skill: Problem-solvingTwo number activity jigsaws in one box. After piecing together both the puzzles, children can use them together by matching the items shown on both to aid counting from 1-10, with a chunky piece for each number. This activity also helps to develop matching, discussion and observational skills, with collaboration between parent/adult and child. Children will love piecing together the colourful scene in this fun jigsaw puzzle, which helps make counting fun!This won Gold in the 2019 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Toddler Toy category.Tested by mum Jaspreet for the 2019 M&B Awards: "This toy is brightly coloured, visually attractive and wipe-clean. It's educational, it has two puzzles which encourage counting, manual dexterity by putting puzzles together and identifying animals and objects. The puzzle is compact, so it is transportable and easy to take with you."

Key skills: Role-play and imaginationMeet a cast of six hungry characters by inserting activity cards to explore colours, counting, flavours and numbers and play a creativity and stacking game. Your little one can follow the animals' instructions and test sequencing, memory and matching skills to build their orders. They can press the bell when the order is ready and pay at the magic till.This won Bronze in the 2019 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Toddler Toy category.Tested by mum Danielle for the 2019 M&B Awards: "Both of my children were thrilled with this toy. It is brightly coloured and is very interactive. If the batteries run out, you can still use all the features. Being a busy mum, battery changing is low on my list of priorities."

Key skills: Role-play and imaginationThis excellent kit from The Den Kit Company provides everything you need to make a den in your garden for budding pirates. In the kit you get a sturdy canvas satchel, filled with pirate bunting, a 100% cotton calico tarpaulin, a groundsheet, a wooden mallet, and other essentials for building a brilliant den. Sophie Knight, mum to Eli (3), says: "I was gifted this for my little boy and it's just wonderful - it's really captured his imagination, and he has as much fun setting the den up as he does playing once he's inside. I've walked the plank many times since we got this kit. It's all of a really high quality and will last a long time - past when he's interested in pirates to when he just wants to escape his parents with his own space in the garden."

Key skill: CreativityExplore open-ended creativity and make amazing creations with this Play-Doh variety pack. With four different Play-Doh colours to squish and mold, kids can create all sorts of wonderful 'crafterpieces'. This type of hands-on fun helps power imaginations. Just make sure it doesn't get stuck in your carpet.

Key skills: Musical and visualTime to get creative. With the Giant Floor Piano they can create their own music to dance to. There are 14 demo songs and six animal sounds for them to listen to as they are inspired to create their own musical masterpieces.

Key skill: PhysicalIf you're tight on storage this foldable trike is a must-have! Set over a wide, three wheel geometry, for extra stability and support, the Zycom Folding Z-Trike has large EVA treaded tyres. This will provide a smooth roll allowing your child to develop their co-ordination and judgment skills.Zycom have added a 'freewheel switch' to the front wheel. This allows the pedals to be locked into position so as the child can rest their feet on the pedals or power themselves along. When your child is ready, you can release the freewheel switch to allow the pedals to turn and your child to pedal themselves.

Key skill: InteractivityCode-a-pillar inspires little learners to be big thinkers by encouraging pre-schoolers to arrange (and rearrange) the easy-to-connect segments in endless combinations, sending Code-a-pillar on his path. This learning toy encourages experimentation while developing important skills like planning, sequencing and critical thinking. There's no end to the combinations kids can make - mix up the segments and put them back together to send Code-a-pillar in a different direction every time.

Key skill: SensoryI love Love Monster. He seems to suffer from a bit of social anxiety, which I have an affinity with; there's a lot of empathy and friendship discussed in what looks like a simple cartoon show. Playing with this plushy light-up toy will boost your child's imagination, bringing the cartoon to life once you turn the telly off. His little heart lights up, and he plays sounds and music (you might want to accidentally lose the batteries on Boxing Day, mind you).

Key skill: SensorySuitable from birth, Living Nature's range of gorgeous eco-friendly plush toys will help you to find your little one's favourite wildlife companion. As they grow, you can teach them about the importance of looking after our planet, and the many animals that inhabit it. Choose from a red panda, sloth, orangutan, toucan and many, many more.