Advertisement

  • Gifts for babies and kids

The 33 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

Kelly Glass

By Kelly Glass , Caitlin Giddings and Wirecutter Staff

Many 4-year-olds are learning to master their environments, and they’re starting to negotiate boundaries, push limits, and question everything. Some of the best gifts for 4-year-olds engage their endless curiosity, rapidly developing physical skills, and desire to understand everything around them.

Early STEM toys —those that help kids develop skills related to science, technology, engineering, and math—allow preschoolers to experiment with the strength, size, and shape of objects, and to explore cause and effect. In particular, building toys that feature magnets, gears, curves, and wheels allow 4-year-olds to problem-solve independently.

Jena Olson, who was president of the STEM educational nonprofit Kid Spark Education at the time of our interview, emphasizes other, lesser-known skills that STEM toys can help preschoolers develop. “Children learn language and cooperation,” she said. “They refine their physical skills, including fine motor skills, as they push and pull pieces apart.” Gifts that encourage art and creativity—as well as games and movement toys that allow for silly and energetic play—are also great choices for kids of this age.

To identify memorable and engaging gifts for 4-year-olds, we relied on the advice of experts, as well as input from parents and other caregivers on our staff. We also offer more gift ideas for kids here .

Dino rescue

Two children playing the Dinosaur Escape Game, with a cardboard volcano, game pieces, and dinosaur figurines.

Dinosaur Escape Game

In this beginner board game, kids band together to move their dinosaurs to safety.

Buying Options

Around the age of 4, many kids can really listen to, understand, and follow simple game instructions, said Keewa Nurullah, owner of Chicago children’s shop Kido . To play the Dinosaur Escape Game , players roll the die to reveal either a number or a volcano. The former moves the player’s dinosaur in any direction on the board, and the latter adds one piece to the five-piece volcano at the board’s center. As young dinosaur experts know, volcanoes are bad news for dinos. The object of the game is to get the dinosaurs to safety without completing the volcano—or being run back to the start by a T. rex token.

—Kelly Glass

An approachable intro to coding

A photo of the front of the Coding Critters Go Pets Dipper the Narwhal box.

Learning Resources Coding Critters Go-Pets Dipper The Narwhal

This toy introduces young kids to the concepts of coding as they make a track for a robotic narwhal to follow.

Calling Coding Critters Go-Pets Dipper the Narwhal a “coding toy” feels like a bit of a stretch—it’s essentially a jigsaw puzzle that forms a track that a cute, battery-operated narwhal automatically follows. However, the toy does encourage preschoolers to plan, count, and problem-solve in sequential order, as they reconfigure the pieces of the track to send the narwhal on simple missions (which match the story from a short activity book). My preschooler enjoyed those exercises only briefly and then moved on to the real fun: building and rebuilding the track to send the poor, persistent narwhal on an endless, tangled loop.

—Caitlin Giddings

Dollhouse staging

A room of a Hape Dollhouse with a bed, toys, and table from the Children's Room Furniture set.

Hape Children’s Room Dollhouse Furniture

This miniature furniture set includes a bunk bed and toys for the dolls to play with.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Hape Wooden Dollhouse Patio Set

This patio furniture set comes with tiny potted plants, a watering can, grill, and mini shish kebabs.

If you already own a dollhouse (such as Hape’s All Seasons Kids Wooden Dollhouse , from our guide to the best gifts for 3-year-olds ), check out Hape’s furniture sets and accessories. My daughter especially loves the Children’s Room and the Baby’s Room sets (which do not come with the furnished Hape dollhouse). There’s also a very cute patio set  and even a car (for when your child’s wooden family cares to venture “outdoors”).

—Rachel Hurn

Cold comfort

A Play-Doh Kitchen Creations playset

Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Drizzy Ice Cream Playset

With its gooey fake chocolate syrup, play toppings, and a machine that pumps out pretend ice cream swirls, this Play-Doh set can create a kid’s fantasy ice cream treat.

My aunt is an elementary school teacher, and she always manages to find the gifts that delight my children the most, including the Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Drizzy Ice Cream Playset . This pretend ice cream maker lets my kids live out their sundae fantasies—from lemon ice cream with gummy worms to a rainbow unicorn concoction with sprinkles. They push the Play-Doh through a lever to create creamy swirls, while the 31 molds on the contraption’s side produce faux candies, sprinkles, cherries, gummy bears, and other toppings. It’s especially fun to squirt the alarmingly realistic strawberry and chocolate drizzle—pretend syrup goo—from the squeeze bottles (don’t worry—it’s all washable). Tulip-shaped serving cups are included, along with two spoons and a pair of recipe cards. The set also comes with six containers of Play-Doh, but the ice cream maker has gotten so much use that we’ve had to purchase replacements (any Play-Doh will do, but we’ve noticed that the fresher stuff works best). I’ll admit that this machine is a little clunky—it’s about the size of my forearm—so I stash it (along with all the accouterments) in a bin between sessions. Yet considering what a crowd-pleaser this gift has been, it more than earns its keep.

—Lara Rabinovitch

Sticky fingers

The Fashion Angels 1000+ Stickers for Kids book, shown upright in front of a pink and blue background.

Fashion Angels 1000+ Stickers for Kids

This 40-page sticker book supplies kids with adorable stickers for every occasion.

When I presented this book to my 4-year-old daughter, she acted like she had won the sticker lottery. Full of easy-to-peel stickers, Fashion Angels 1000+ Stickers for Kids is a compact album that delivers on its promise—it includes everything from large, cartoonish emoji stickers to pastel rainbow letters to cats wearing glasses and fake mustaches. About the size of a thin paperback novel, the book fits in my purse for when we need a fun activity on the go, and my daughter can easily tote it around whenever an occasion arises. While waiting at a doctor’s office last week, she won over all of the nurses by handing out stickers of doughnuts and rainbows.

A bouncy seat

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Waliki Hopper Ball

This durable, bouncy ball lets kids get their wiggles out, and it can also double as a place for them to sit.

The Wailiki Hopper offers joyful bouncing for kids who have energy to spare—and it doubles as a comfy seat for those who like or need to wiggle and rock, even when they’re sitting still. For my oldest son, who has autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder, the Waliki Hopper served as a sensory-friendly seat for story time and more, allowing him to rock and bounce to stay alert and focused well into his middle-school years. Constructed of thick rubber, the Hopper is more durable than yoga balls (which are typically made from vinyl); our Hopper has withstood years of indoor and outdoor use. (A hand pump is included.) The Hopper comes in multiple colors as well as plush-covered versions , and there are four sizes (the 18-inch Hopper is best for 4-year-olds).

A family act

A photo of the Pressman Charades for Kids game set.

Pressman Charades for Kids

This traditional game of charades includes 450 prompts, some of which are pictures and don’t require reading.

When you need to entertain people in a wide range of ages, nothing beats a good old-fashioned round of charades. Granted, to play this long-popular game, you don’t need anything more than your imagination (and a willing audience), but Pressman Charades for Kids definitely helps get it going. The set comes with an hourglass timer, an optional die (for selecting which clue to act out), and 150 cards. Each card has three levels of clues to choose from: The easiest is represented by just an image (like a cat or a bee), so there’s no reading required, and the other two get increasingly difficult (eating spaghetti, hanging a picture).

A better board game for beginners

A photo of the opened My First Castle Panic board game.

My First Castle Panic

In this beginner role-playing board game, no reading is needed.

As a huge board-game geek, I spent years impatiently waiting for my child to age into games that involve even a modicum of strategy—as opposed to, say, feverishly smashing a lever to make a hippo eat marbles. My First Castle Panic is the first game we played together that gave me hope. The concept is fairly basic: You simply draw and trade cards with shapes on them (no reading required), and then you use them to stop the monsters from encroaching on the castle. This game involves communication, cooperation, planning, and even some fantasy role-playing. Compared with other games we’ve tried that are aimed at kids under age 5, this one is much more engaging and re-playable for all ages. Perhaps we’ll launch that family D&D campaign together sooner than I thought.

Classics for reading aloud and learning to read

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Frog and Toad Storybook Favorites

This classic collection features the lovable, if sometimes insufferable, Toad and his best friend, the level-headed, even-keeled Frog.

Arnold Lobel’s books featuring Frog and Toad have amused generations of early readers—and their parents—with the silly and profound nature of their enduring friendship. You can find all four of the original Frog and Toad stories, with Lobel’s beautifully expressive illustrations, in Frog and Toad Storybook Favorites . We can all recognize a little of ourselves in the anxious, innocent, and tantrum-prone Toad or the patient, cheerful, and always-reasonable Frog (or both!). Although the stories offer some useful life lessons, they are never didactic: Their appeal lies in the joy these two opposites find in simple acts such as gardening, sledding, and doing kind things for each other—as well as in the ridiculous things that Toad does all on his own. The Lobel-narrated Frog and Toad Audio Collection is as beloved in our household as the books. And someday I’ll find the time to knit absolutely perfect, little stuffed versions of my favorite amphibian friends, with the help of the Frog & Cast Frog and Toad Pattern Download .

—Winnie Yang

A scratch and sketch infinity pad from our gifts for 4-year-olds guide.

Scratch and Sketch Infinity Pad

When you draw on this compact black clipboard, the lines come out in rainbow colors. Then press a button, and everything disappears so you can start over.

I like to think of the Scratch and Sketch Infinity Pad as magic paper. It resembles a plain black clipboard, but when you draw on this LCD doodling board, multicolor art magically appears. My daughter is dazzled by how the screen transforms from darkness into a neon riot. The kid-size stylus (included) helps her create precise lines, but she uses just her fingers, too. When she’s ready to start fresh, she presses a button at the base of the screen, and her work is erased and replaced with a blank canvas. It does require a coin-shaped battery, but this portable, shatterproof toy is less an electronic device than it is an Etch-a-Sketch for the 21st century. Only instead of bulky knobs and a monochrome palette, my daughter has the whole rainbow at her fingertips.

Matchy-matchy fun

Mudpuppy Dinosaur Dominoes arranged in matching pairs.

Mudpuppy Dinosaur Dominoes

This set of 28 large cardboard dominoes encourages kids to make pairs, practice counting, or play a simple game.

Simple, inexpensive, and endlessly replayable, this set of Mudpuppy Dinosaur Dominoes is a welcome take on the classic matching game, designed specifically for toddlers and preschoolers. The dominoes themselves are made of cardstock—so you can’t set them up and knock ’em down or craft the beginnings of a Rube Goldberg device. But the dominoes are big and sturdy enough to be gripped by little hands. And playing with them doesn’t require any reading: On one side of each card, there are varying numbers of dots, so kids can practice their counting; on the other side, there are just pictures that can easily be paired up. The themes also include unicorns, wildlife, and outer space. We’re a dino family.

Bingo with a zing

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

ThinkFun Zingo!

This Bingo-inspired game for preschoolers helps them learn to recognize simple words.

My son begged me to get Zingo after he played several fun-filled rounds of it at his preschool. As with its predecessor, Bingo, the object of Zingo is to be the first player to fill your row or board—only in this game, the victor shrieks “Zingo!” with competitive zeal. Instead of numbers, the boxes on the laminated boards feature illustrations, like a tree, a cake, or a heart, along with the corresponding word in a bold, easy-to-read font. (My son’s preschool teachers loved how Zingo helped build vocabulary and focus, along with a whirlwind of excitement.) Three years later, this game is still in rotation in our home, with my daughter, 4, joining in the fun. She and her brother, now 7, take turns pulling chips from the dispenser and calling out the images. My husband and I often play too, because it’s tough to resist the high drama and thrill of winning.

Magnetic make-believe

Petit Collage Make Believe Magnetic Dress Up dolls, a fox dressed as an aviator and a bear in an astronaut costume, in front of their wardrobe box.

Petit Collage Make Believe Magnetic Dress Up

These adorable magnetic bear and fox figures can be dressed up in pirate, princess, and other costumes.

Like a sturdier version of paper dolls, the magnetic animals in Petit Collage’s Make Believe Magnetic Dress Up come with over 35 mix-and-match costume changes. Young kids can use their imaginations to invent new jobs and identities for the included bear and fox. It’s a particularly convenient toy for long car rides, thanks to the magnetic box, which pulls double duty as a backdrop for the dress-up fun and a container for all of the small pieces. Once dressed, each animal can be displayed on a wooden stand to fully flaunt their new looks. Petit Collage also offers a selection of detailed play scenes, including outer space and a tree-house shindig .

Curvy creations

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

ZOOB BuilderZ ZOOB Bot (54 pieces)

This set includes 50 ZOOB pieces along with extra parts and instructions for building robots. It's compatible with all other ZOOB kits.

The ZOOB BuilderZ ZOOB Bot kit is a building toy that features connectable pieces with ball joints that kids can snap into U-shaped brackets to build their own robot. (We recommend Zoob sets in our guide to learning toys and STEM toys we love .) Instead of building static structures with traditional blocks or Duplo kits, 4-year-olds can use this set to experiment with hinges and joints, building open-ended creations with curves and bends that they can move, flex, and spin. The company recommends the Zoob kit for kids ages 6 and up, though we’ve seen younger kids gravitate to it the most. The pieces fall between Duplo and Lego in size, and they require some manual dexterity and strength to snap together.

—Courtney Schley

A child playing with plastic egg, milkshake, utensils and more from the Melissa & Doug Star Diner Restaurant Play Set.

Melissa & Doug Star Diner Restaurant Play Set

With 41 pieces, including a menu, utensils, and wooden food, kids can take turns being the customer, waiter, or chef.

While my children don’t love going to restaurants, they definitely like playing it. The Melissa & Doug Diner Restaurant Play Set includes props for a waiter (apron, menu, guest check, fake money), chef (frying pan, spatula), and customer (plate, utensils, breakfast and lunch items, beverages), setting kids up for imaginative play. My kids especially love to take orders and prepare meals when we have guests visit. If only this set helped them be open to sampling more real food.

—Amy Miller Kravetz

Packing for adventure

A side view of a child wearing the Tarn 12 hiking backpack with their hands in their pockets.

REI Co-op Tarn 12

This fun, functional kids backpack is made for outdoor excursions, with an ergonomic fit, lots of pockets, and even a built-in emergency whistle.

I’ve been comparing kids hiking backpacks for Wirecutter since my just-turned-teenager was in pre-K. In all that time, I’ve yet to find a pack that offers more features for the price than the REI Co-op Tarn 12 . This bag is everything you’d want a high-quality hiking pack to be: It’s rugged and comfortable, with nicely padded shoulder straps and an adjustable chest strap and waist belt. There are two stretchy but secure water-bottle pockets, and there’s a slot for a water bladder inside the bag (a bladder is not included). There’s no need to limit the pack to hiking. My kids also used this bag to lug toys and books to the playground and onto airplanes, as well as to preschool and playdates. It makes a practical gift for a 4-year-old because they’ll likely get several years of use out of it before it starts to feel small—and is ready to be passed down to a younger sibling or friend.

— Kalee Thompson

To the moon

Two young children wearing the Born Toys Astronaut Costume.

Born Toys Deluxe Astronaut Set

This machine-washable NASA costume fits most preschoolers, and it has adjustable, elastic ankles to accommodate different sizes.

If your 4-year-old is into dress-up, make-believe, and all things space, they’ll likely be over the moon for the  Born Toys Deluxe Astronaut Set . The simple yet sturdy suit is made of hefty material and has a front zipper and an adjustable belt buckle. Festooned with official-looking stickers, it comes with its own accessories, namely a NASA cap and a little backpack (which can store the costume when it’s time to return to planet Earth). The best part? It’s durable. Several members of the Wirecutter staff can attest that the suit will survive years of space-themed playtime.

—Caira Blackwell

For eagle-eyed kiddos

A photo of the Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye Found It! box and board game.

Richard Scarry’s Busytown Eye Found It!

This board game encourages kids to work together and spot hidden objects in Richard Scarry’s timelessly silly, elaborate world.

The world of legendary children’s illustrator Richard Scarry is crammed with industrious animal characters attending to the many particulars of their busy lives. So it’s the perfect setting for a gamified version of Where’s Waldo? To play Busytown Eye Found It! , players work together to move their characters though Busytown, searching for images in Scarry’s signature elaborate pastiches. The goal is to reach the blanket at the other end of the board before pigs swoop in and consume the picnic spread. (All participants must reach safety as a group, so you win or lose together as a team—which helps foster camaraderie and minimize meltdowns.) You’ll notice right away that the board itself is huge—6 feet long, once unfurled from its box. The jumbo size is great for toddlers crawling around to hunt for pictures, but it can be arduous for grownups when the board is on the floor. I’ve found this game is particularly joyful for kids ages 2 to 5 to play. And it introduces them to all of the basic skills and concepts of playing board games: flicking a spinner, counting spaces, drawing cards, watching a timer, making decisions, working together, and, yes, sometimes even losing to a horde of hungry pigs. (Note: While kids as young as 2 can handle the action, the small game pieces can be a choking hazard.)

Tea for four

Two children sit outside for a tea party with the Green Toys Tea Set.

Green Toys Tea Set

This 17-piece, pastel-colored tea set is made with a sturdy, food-safe plastic.

My daughter loves a good tea party (humans and stuffed animals are all invited). But when she started drinking out of the cheap, paint-chipped plastic set my sweet mother-in-law bought at a garage sale, I had to step in with an upgrade. The Green Toys Tea Set —made in the US from recycled plastic—meets FDA food-contact standards. So you can feel comfortable putting cake on the plates and sipping from the adorable cups. The service for four comes in two color schemes and is dishwasher-safe, though I just give everything a quick hand-wash after use. In our house, a tea party is really just an excuse to drink sugar dissolved in water. The sugar bowl, oddly enough, has holes in the bottom that let the saccharine crystals fall onto the table. We quick-fixed that by adding a napkin liner before filling the bowl (and our bellies) with the sweet stuff.

—Annemarie Conte

Bath buddies

A Moluk Oogi Family set, one of our picks for best suction bath toys, in front of a blue background.

Oogi Family by Moluk

These stretchy silicone characters stick to the wall of your shower or tub.

The Oogi Family by Moluk made their debut in our tub when I was looking to revamp my daughter’s bath toy collection. This silicone brood, a favorite in our guide to the best bath toys , has featureless heads, comically long arms, and squat, arched legs. Their suction-cup appendages cling to flat, slick surfaces and to one another—when you try to pull them apart, the Oogis stretch and then emit an entertaining “pop!” as they release.

—Ingela Ratledge Amundson

Rainbows in their room

The Kikkerland Solar-Powered Rainbow Maker, shown attached to a window.

Kikkerland Solar-Powered Rainbow Maker

Powered by the sun, this crystal prism rotates, so that it catches sunlight and sends rainbow beams into your room.

Many 4-year-olds are mesmerized by the magic of rainbows. And the Kikkerland Solar-Powered Rainbow Maker is a happy little contraption that uses a solar panel to power a colorful geared motor, which rotates a hanging Swarovski crystal and sends rainbows swooping across the room. Simply attach the Rainbow Maker to a window that gets some direct sunlight (it affixes via suction cup, so there’s no sticky residue), and then wait for the optics to begin. This thing is particularly fun when you forget it’s there—until the sun reaches just the right angle and sets it into motion. My niece calls this “rainbow time,” and she enjoys chasing the colors across the room and seeing them slide over different objects.

—Erin Price

Great gears

A child playing with the Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! building toy.

Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Deluxe Building Set

The 100 colorful gears, axels, and other plastic pieces click together to build spinning towers and other three-dimensional contraptions.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Lakeshore Turn & Learn Magnetic Gears

These gears stick to the fridge or another magnetic surface, and they can be connected so that they turn together.

May be out of stock

The Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Building Set is basically what you’d imagine: a big box of colored gears that snap together with axles and extenders to create complex, movable structures. The challenge is figuring out how to align and order the gears so they’ll all turn in unison and not get jammed up. As preschoolers experiment with building spinning, whirring, gear-driven structures, they’re actually starting to understand the basics of complex machines. These gears have long been a pick in our guide to learning toys and STEM toys we love , and they’re a favorite with the kids of several parents on our staff.

The Lakeshore Turn & Learn Magnetic Gears set includes magnetized gears that you can attach to the fridge. You can’t build complex structures like you can with Gears! Gears! Gears!, but this set is still an engaging way for little kids to experiment with mechanics (the pieces are also a bit larger, so some kids may find them easier to handle). My preschooler loves to align the colorful, interlocking pieces on our refrigerator and figure out how he can make them all spin. A bonus: The magnets themselves are really strong and will keep all of your child’s refrigerator-worthy artworks firmly in place.

Balancing act

A child wearing a gymnast outfit balancing on top of the Zelus 8-Foot Gymnastics Balance Beam, in a living room setting.

Zelus 8-Foot Gymnastics Balance Beam

This sturdy yet soft balance beam is ideal for little feet, and it folds up for easy storage.

If you have a budding Simone Biles at home, the Zelus 8-Foot Gymnastics Balance Beam is a great piece of equipment for practicing balance and coordination. The beam, which folds in half for easy storage, is 4 inches wide (the same width as a traditional balance beam) and about 2½ inches high. At 11 pounds, it’s a little heavier than two other folding options we considered, but that’s due to the metal hinge holding the halves together (instead of Velcro) and the wood core (which makes this one feel sturdier). The beam is covered in a soft suede fabric and has a non-slip bottom, though it can be a bit wobbly on a mat or carpet because it sits on little feet. For now, my preschooler is happy to simply walk forward and backward on the beam. If she continues with gymnastics, I can see her practicing more-advanced moves in the future.

A squiggly seat

A child sitting on a blue KidsErgo stool

KidsErgo Ergonomic Stool

This slightly bouncy stool encourages kids to focus and sit without slouching—otherwise, they’ll topple over.

When a child is sitting on a KidsErgo Ergonomic Stool , it’s probably safe to say they’re not thinking about the importance of good ergonomics or trying to build their core strength. They’re too busy wiggling around on this squat, accordion-like seat to realize that doing so actually requires work and concentration—at least if they want to remain upright. (This seat provides a similar experience to using an exercise ball in place of a desk chair.) The 15-inch-tall stools are made from a thick, durable plastic with a high-quality look and feel—and they are priced accordingly, like proper furniture. Yet they’re still lightweight and easy to move around. My family has a pair of them that we keep in the kitchen, and I’m convinced they look totally chic and non-kiddie in a geometric, Brancusi sculpture kind of way . (They come in a range of colors, including blue, yellow, pink, and green.) The KidsErgo stool is designed to hold up to 170 pounds; it’s available in scaled-up adult sizes, too.

A monthly craft-box subscription

Two children assembling a craft from the KiwiCo Koala Crate.

KiwiCo Koala Crate

KiwiCo’s craft boxes come with all of the supplies you need to create fun, age-appropriate projects.

The KiwiCo Koala Crate is our favorite subscription box for preschool-age kids. We tested a number of such subscriptions for this age group, and we liked this one the best for its thoughtful design, appealing themes, and fun, unique, age-appropriate projects. KiwiCo, the company that makes Koala Crate, develops its projects with input from educators and child-development experts. Although children’s individual skills vary, many 4-year-olds will be able to complete some or all of each month’s projects independently, giving them a sense of accomplishment—and providing a reliable arsenal of rainy-day activities. Each box comes with instructions (including directions for the “grown-up assistant”), as well as all of the materials to make two or three different craft projects. These projects challenge kids to explore skills like stitching, gluing, and arranging pieces. I tested these subscriptions when my daughter was 4, and she loved the projects we tried: dyeing a tote bag with tissue paper and water, sewing and stuffing a felt rainbow, and making a tissue-paper campfire. Every project is organized around a theme, such as reptiles, ocean animals, or doctor visits.

—Jackie Reeve

A wild ride

The Radio Flyer Cyclone Ride-on, shown outside.

Radio Flyer Cyclone

Kids use their arms to spin two 16-inch wheels and maneuver this ride-on toy.

I was extremely skeptical about this unusual-looking contraption after my son received it as a gift when he was about 4. But over several years of use, the Cyclone —which you “pedal” with your arms, somewhat like you would a racing wheelchair—became one of my kids’ favorite outdoor toys, and it held up well to miles of rough rolling. From age 4 or 5, my older son was an ace on the Cyclone, speeding it down the sidewalk to a local park and performing spins and skids for smaller kids once there. They tended to line up to give it a whirl, and I found that some kids as young as 3 can learn to maneuver the Cyclone in the dizzying circles that no doubt inspired its name.

—Kalee Thompson

Marble madness

The Marble Genius Marble Run Extreme Set, shown assembled into a complex track structure.

Marble Genius Marble Run Extreme Set

Nearly 200 rainbow-colored, see-through tunnels, tracks, and other building pieces snap together to make an elaborate marble maze. The set also comes with about 100 marbles.

Marble runs, such as the Marble Genius Marble Run Extreme Set , introduce new energy to a childhood classic. This 300-piece set includes funnels, spinning wheels, and tubes that snap together easily on three large bases. It also has parts that are translucent, so kids can see the marbles move from the top to the bottom and through all of the spins and twists. In addition to giving kids the creative challenge of constructing a track—and the fun of watching the marbles spin and clatter through the turns—marble runs let kids observe the effects of gravity, speed, and direction. Some 4-year-olds may need adult help getting the hang of building the marble run, but it’s pretty irresistible even for grownups. (Note: The marbles in this set could pose a choking hazard for younger children and pets.)

An excellent easel

The KidKraft Storage Easel, showing a drawing of a car on the easel surface.

KidKraft Storage Easel

This stand-up easel gives kids a special place to make art, as well as to stash all of their supplies.

When he was 4, my son received the KidKraft Storage Easel from his grandparents for Christmas. He’s serious about his artwork, and he would be happy to paint every day. But setting up—and cleaning up after—a painting session on the kitchen table can be a bit of a project. I like that the KidKraft easel comes with an attached roll of art paper and built-in storage bins underneath (these can be used to hold paints, brushes, and other supplies; three paint cups are also included). Though this easel requires assembly, it’s sturdier and has more features than less-expensive easels we’ve used in the past. Wirecutter kids have also created countless masterpieces with simpler wooden easels made by Melissa & Doug and IKEA . The cheap rolls of craft paper you can buy at IKEA or local art-supply stores should work with any of them. And if your kid goes through a ton of paint, you’ll save money in the long run by stocking up on bigger bottles of washable tempera, rather than buying tiny individual cups of paint from Crayola and the like.

Magnificent magnets

Magna-Tiles, shown assembled into a castle-like structure.

Magna-Tiles Classic 100-Piece Set

These sturdy, rainbow-colored 2D shapes have built-in magnets, so they stick together to create towers, rockets, and an open-ended array of constructions.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Magna-Qubix 29-Piece Set

These similarly colorful magnetic building pieces come in 3D shapes, including cubes and pyramids.

Wirecutter kids love Magna-Tiles , and the experts agree: “If there is one constant of what preschool-age children are interested in, it may be magnets,” said John Dimit III, owner of the toy-and-game store Dr. G’s BrainWorks in Champaign, Illinois. A pick in our guide to learning toys and STEM toys we love , the Magna-Tiles Classic 100-Piece Set includes a variety of basic shapes. Colorful Magna-Tiles combine the mesmerizing snap-together magic of magnets with open-ended block play. When my son was 4, castles were his go-to. By age 5, he was coming up with new creations, such as a robot or an oven to bake his toy cupcakes in. We also like the Magna-Qubix 29-Piece Set , which includes three-dimensional pyramids, prisms, and cubes. My son uses the Magna-Qubix pieces to add more detail to his structures, and he’s working on making dinosaurs using the small pyramids and cube shapes.

A family membership to a zoo or a nature center

An adult leading children on a walk through the Swam Lakes Natural Science Center.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

A membership to a zoo or a nature center encourages kids to explore and learn about animals and their habitats.

A family membership to a zoo or a nature center is a great gift for families with preschool-age kids. Like many kids, my younger son was obsessed with animals when he was about 4. When we lived in Los Angeles, we had a membership to the Los Angeles Zoo (and we once made a pilgrimage to the famous San Diego Zoo). When we moved to rural New Hampshire, we discovered a very different type of animal experience at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center , where a lovely wooded footpath winds through exhibits housing local native animals (many of them rescued after an injury). I like how smaller, local nature centers like this one can give kids a deeper knowledge of the creatures and ecosystems they encounter every day near their own homes. And similar to many of the best zoos, animal parks, and nature centers, Squam Lakes also has plenty of room—including fun outdoor play areas—for kids to run and use up energy.

Additional reporting by Julie Kim. This article was edited by Ellen Lee and Kalee Thompson.

Meet your guides

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Kelly Glass

Kelly Glass is a writer and editor whose interests focus on the intersections of parenting and health. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, HelloGiggles, What to Expect, Livestrong, and more.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Caitlin Giddings

Caitlin Giddings is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. Her work has appeared in Bicycling, Runner’s World, Lonely Planet, Outside magazine, and more.

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

  • We spent more than 30 hours trying 35 recommendations from experts, educators, and parents to pick the best learning and STEM toys. Here’s what we found. Learning Toys and STEM Toys We Love  
  • A great outdoor pack should be comfortable to carry, durable, and designed to offer easy access to hydration. Here are five backpacks we think kids will love. The Best Kids Hiking Backpacks  
  • A top-notch bath toy is engaging, easy to keep clean, and doesn’t surrender quickly to mold. We offer 15 options to keep your kids entertained in the tub. The Best Bath Toys  
  • We spent 17 hours researching and testing 14 craft subscription boxes with the help of nine kid testers. Here's what we recommend. The Best Kids Craft Subscription Boxes  
  • Magna-Tiles have been a favorite among Wirecutter staff parents and kids for years. Why Wirecutter Parents and Kids Love Magna-Tiles  

Further reading

An illustration with the words: the most popular gifts for kids

The 100 Most Popular Wirecutter-Approved Gifts for Kids

by Wirecutter Staff

Here are the most-purchased Wirecutter-recommended gifts for kids so far this year.

A pair of Puro children's over-ear headphones, on a pink background.

The 32 Best Gifts for 8-Year-Olds

by Ellen Lee and Wirecutter Staff

Many 8-year-olds are starting to discover their passions, from sports to STEM activities to the arts.

A Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar, shown on a blue paper background.

The 31 Best Gifts for 5-Year-Olds

by Kelly Glass, Caitlin Giddings, and Wirecutter Staff

Gifts that tap into art, science, sports, or construction are often great choices for 5-year-olds, since many of them are developing personal interests.

A selection of our favorite stocking stuffers for kids, including an orange, lip balm, chalk, a headlamp, and the SushiGo! card game, arranged on a blue background.

The 30 Best Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

by Ingrid Skjong and Wirecutter Staff

Stocking stuffers can be small but meaningful presents. Whether they’re traditional, whimsical, or practical, they add a final touch to gift giving.

Trending Post : Books Made Into Movies

Imagination Soup

50 Best Gifts and Toys for 4 Year Old Boys (That They’ll Love)

This post may contain affiliate links.

If you’re a parent, grandparent, or friend looking for amazing toys and gifts for 4-year-old boys that will get them thinking, moving, inventing, building, exploring, and playing, you’ll find plenty of great ideas on this curated list.

You Might Also Like:

Best Books for 4-and 5-Year Olds

The Best Educational Games for Preschoolers

Activity Books for Preschoolers Ages 3 – 5

best gifts and toys for 4 year old boys

Gifts and Toys for 4 Year Old Boys

Gifts for 4 Year Old Boys

Jumbo Dinosaurs Set Go back in time with these five jumbo dinosaurs! (Apatosaurus, Spinosaurus, Pteranodon, Ankylosaurus, and Parasaurolophus.)

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Silly Science Sorting Set Count, sort, and match the gems in this science activity set that includes tweezers to help increase hand strength and fine motor skills.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Doodle Board ages 3+ No radiation, glare, or blue light, this is a a pressure-sensitive screen for drawing and writing.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Light-Up Learning Garage Play with your cars in this garage that lights up, has an elevator and a ramp, and comes with two characters.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Transformers Matching Game Get your Transformer fans to practice visual discrimination with this fun matching game.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Play-Doh Activity Table Use the flat side and the playmats or the 3D side with a pretend river and other features. This includes 15 accessories and 6 colors. When you want to clean up, simply place everything inside the table and put on the lid. My kids would have loved this table!

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Bluey Aqua Art Do your kids think these are magical? Mine did! Add water to your water pen and color the images. Watch as the colors appear! Once it dries, the colors disappear and you can do it again.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

LEGO DUPLO Use your imagination and 65 bricks that include a car, wheels, a window, and flowers.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Cool Scoops Ice Creamery (Melissa & Doug) Serve up scoops of ice cream with this wooden ice cream shop filled with fun accessories — scoops, waffle cone, cup, straw, toppings, and more. Great for sorting, counting, and storytelling.

Hot Wheels Bomber Monster Truck

Melissa & Doug ABC 123 Wild Animals Dot-to-Dot Coloring Pad Follow the letters or numbers to complete the scenes. This does double duty — it’s both fun and educational!

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Letter Blocks As you identify and label the letters, build towers and structures with the letter blocks.

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Stocking Stuffers for Kids and Teens

Best Books for 3 Year Olds

Best Books for 4 Year Olds

Toys for 3 Year Olds Toys for 4 Year Old Girls Toys for 4 Year Old Boys Toys for 5 Year Old Girls Toys for 5 Year Old Boys

Avatar photo

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

Similar Posts

14 Riveting Picture Books About Reptiles and Amphibians

14 Riveting Picture Books About Reptiles and Amphibians

Easily Write Found Poetry with Kids

Easily Write Found Poetry with Kids

Weekday Breakfast Tips #QuakerUp

Weekday Breakfast Tips #QuakerUp

Back to School Clothes Shopping at Target

Back to School Clothes Shopping at Target

Write a Christmas Play

Write a Christmas Play

Gift Ideas: Games for Kids Gift Guide 2023

Gift Ideas: Games for Kids Gift Guide 2023

The 30 Best Gifts to Give 4-Year-Olds Who Have Everything

Yep, you know the one.

stuffed dog and magnetic connecting tiles in pastel colors

Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

Four-year-olds are past all the simple shape-sorting toys of toddlerhood but they're not quite ready for complex stuff like slime-building kits. They crave toys that will test their problem-solving skills, give them a sense of comfort, or allow they to create something new. Companies like Fisher-Price, Melissa & Doug, and Crayola reign supreme when it comes to this age range. From plastic drills to art easels to sets of glitter pens, they know what kids like. Also in right now? Throwback toys like Lite Brite, Lincoln Logs, and beginners board games like Chutes and Ladders.

Whether you're looking for a birthday gift, a Christmas present, or just something that says "I love you," we have indoor and outdoor toys for four-year-olds at every price point. Don't be that person that gives a kid a pair of shoes — unless, of course, they're really cool shoes — when there are so many great toys, games, and stuffed animals in the world. And the best news of all? These are all available on Amazon, meaning they can probably ship overnight. (Looking at you, procrastinators.)

Magnetic Tiles

Magnetic Tiles

These neat magnetic tiles snap into place with each other to build shapes and objects. They're a perfect fit for kids who are just beginning to build complex structures.

Race Track Toy

Race Track Toy

This cause-and-effect race track is so popular with my own four-year-old and her friends that we had to buy a second one. It's by far the most popular toy when people come visit — even parents think it's cool.

Toyk Water Doodle Mat

Water Doodle Mat

By age four, most kids aren't writing on walls and spilling paint on the carpet, but it's still good to have an art toy that eliminates the risk of stains. This water doodle mat features a white mat that changes color when it gets wet, so there's no ink involved.

Bubble Leaf Blower

Bubble Leaf Blower

Kids. Love. Bubbles. It's a universal truth! And with this bubble blower, they can be in charge of spraying bubbles all over the yard.

Rindol Kids Camera

Kids Camera

Remember when digital cameras were hundreds of dollars? Now you can get one built just for kids for under $30! This one is easy to use and won't break (or even crack) when it falls on the ground.

Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone

Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone

If you also listened to the original Kidz Bop compilation album back in 2001, you might be surprised to hear that the brand is still thriving. Amazon reviewers love the official microphone, which comes in three colors.

Animal Bean Bag Toss

Animal Bean Bag Toss

This fold-out game is ideal for outdoor parties, but it's also a fun way to play inside on a rainy day.

Light-Up Unicorn Terrarium Kit

Light-Up Unicorn Terrarium Kit

There's nothing four-year-old girls love more than a unicorn! This terrarium kit doubles as a nightlight.

Flower Garden Building Toy

Flower Garden Building Toy

Sharpen their gardening skills (even in the winter) with this buildable flower kit. There are endless combinations and speaking from experience, it's one toy that's actually really pretty to leave up around the house.

Island Genius 3-in-1 Sports Center for Kids

3-in-1 Sports Center for Kids

Get them outside with this introduction to sports! This multifunctional center includes equipment for soccer, hockey, and basketball.

Simplay3 Fast Track Downhill Raceway

Fast Track Downhill Raceway

You might be shocked at how long kids can be entertained by two cars going down a slide. This raceway is lightweight, easy to assemble, and can be used with the cars included or basically any other small car.

Lite Brite Ultimate Classic

Ultimate Classic

Lite Brite is still a thing! Four-year-olds may not grasp how to recreate the advanced designs on the box yet, but they'll still have fun placing the pieces and turning the light on.

MindSprout Pogo-Saurus

Pogo-Saurus

Pogo-Saurus is more than a bouncy toy; it's a bouncy dinosaur . Amazon reviewers praise the toy's ability to improve their child's balance.

National Geographic Natural Sand with Castle Molds

Natural Sand with Castle Molds

Slime is so yesterday; 2023 is all about sand. This STEM-approved play sand kit comes with three colors and several molds. It never dries out, so kids can use it year after year.

Crayola Washable Glitter Glue

Washable Glitter Glue

You can't miss with glitter glue, one of the most coveted items in any four-year-old's art supply area. Crayola's easy-squeeze glue is washable, which is key.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel

Deluxe Standing Art Easel

Melissa & Doug's easel for kids is one of the most durable on the market and comes equipped with both a whiteboard and a chalkboard. It's more of an investment, but it's worth the money.

Hasbro Gaming Chutes and Ladders Board Game

Chutes and Ladders Board Game

At age four, kids are just beginning to understand concepts like rules and turn-taking. Chutes and Ladders is a classic board game that will teach them causes and effects.

MGA's Miniverse Make It Mini Food

Make It Mini Food

Tiny food is endlessly entertaining for small kids — as long as they know it's not edible. These orbs from MGA's Miniverse contain all the pieces to create a miniature dessert for his or her stuffed animals to "eat."

Corolle 12" Baby Doll

12" Baby Doll

If they're all about dolls, Corolle's baby doll sets the standard. The 12-inch version comes in six different styles, including a ballerina. You might notice they give off a slight vanilla scent, which is a welcome difference from a real baby.

Mr. Potato Head Create Your Potato Head Family

Create Your Potato Head Family

Mr. Potato Head remains one of the best toys for toddlers and small kids. With removable parts, children can create silly faces all day long.

Headshot of Maggie Panos

After over a decade as a digital editor, Maggie Panos is navigating freelance writing and full-time parenting. She covered entertainment for POPSUGAR from New York and San Francisco before setting down roots in tree-covered Portland and focusing on local journalism. A self-proclaimed "okay baker", Maggie is interested in all things lifestyle — especially if those things involve Bravolebrities. 

preview for Country Living US Section - All Sections & Videos

.css-1shyvki:before{background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:contain;background-size:contain;content:'';height:0.819rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-right:-0.9375rem;width:3.125rem;}.loaded .css-1shyvki:before{background-image:url('/_assets/design-tokens/countryliving/static/images/arrow.svg');}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1shyvki:before{display:none;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1shyvki:before{display:inline-block;}} Kids .css-unxkmx:before{background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:contain;background-size:contain;content:'';height:0.819rem;margin:0.7rem auto 0.9375rem;width:3.125rem;}.loaded .css-unxkmx:before{background-image:url('/_assets/design-tokens/countryliving/static/images/arrow.svg');}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-unxkmx:before{display:block;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-unxkmx:before{display:none;}}

woman's hand holding seed bomb

These Daisy Napkin Rings Are Cute as a Button

a mason jar painted to look like a baseball filled with popcorn

This Baseball Mason Jar Is a Crafting Home Run

tie dyed bandanas tied into a bunting hung on a white wall

How to Create Tie Dye Bunting

bookmark made from the spine of a vintage book

This Crafty Bookmark Makes for a Perfect Gift

flowers made from cardboard and seeds in small terra cotta pots set on a table outside

These Cute DIY Flowers are Made from Beans!

white noted cards with celery root impressions printed on them

Make DIY Stamped Stationery Using...Celery?!

bandana covered pots

How to Craft a Bandana Pot

cropped hands of boy holding glass jar with firefly on grassy field

The Proper Way to Catch Fireflies

a soda crate filled with soda bottles and mason jar rings around their necks

How to DIY a Backyard Ring Toss Game

boy in overalls eating large slice of watermelon, spitting out seeds

How to Win a Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest

family time capsule in a glass jar

Make a Family Time Capsule

42 Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys to Encourage Their Imagination

With these games, toys, stories, and costumes, the possibilities are endless.

4 year old boy playing with building toys

If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

If you’ve ever met a 4-year-old boy, you’ve probably noticed his favorite word is also a question: “Why?” or “How?” or “When/where/what/who?” Their curiosity and desire to learn and understand are some of the best things about them. Sure, all those “Why? Why? Why?”s get annoying at bedtime. (Please just go to sleep, kid.) But when you’re playing the long game, curiosity is a virtue.

From dress-up to board games to running his very own dinosaurs-and-car park (hey, it could happen… though Jurassic Park has shown us it might not go super well), he’ll have such a good time, he won’t even know he’s learning and growing. They’re only 4 for a little while, but the things they learn when they’re 4 will last a lifetime.

Radio Flyer Cyclone for Kids Cart

Cyclone for Kids Cart

This arm-powered vehicle comes complete with 360 degrees of fun. Your boy can zoom forward, backward, and all around in circles with this ride-on toy. Not going to lie here: We wish it came in grown-up sizes.

Toyk Dinosaur World Racetrack Playset

Dinosaur World Racetrack Playset

Welcome to Dinosaur World! Your boy can configure the sturdy, interlocking, and easy-to-assemble tracks however he wants, then zip the battery-powered dino-cars along them.

The set comes with two dinosaurs, two dinosaur cars, four trees, a gate, and a bridge. (Batteries not included, but each car only takes one AA.)

More: Essential Toys Every Kid Will Want This Year

Seckton Kids Selfie Camera

Kids Selfie Camera

If you have a 4-year-old in your life, your phone is almost certainly full of weird selfies and pictures they’ve taken. Reclaim your storage space by getting them their own camera.

It’s equipped with autofocus, a burly shell, video capability, and a dual-camera configuration (perfect for those up-the-nose selfies). Your child will love it.

Kinetic Sand Construction Site Folding Sandbox Playset

Construction Site Folding Sandbox Playset

Is there anything more fun for little boys than digging in the dirt? When that’s not possible (or you just cleaned either your home or your kid), this construction set from Kinetic Sand is just the thing.

It comes with 2 pounds of sand, a dump truck, a crane with a wrecking ball, a brick mold, and a platform for the bricks. Our favorite feature? It all stores in the carrying case it comes in.

Hongid Dinosaur Projector

Dinosaur Projector

A great way to help kids not be scared of the dark is to make their nightlight fun. This one really gets preschool boys by making projections of neon dinosaurs.

It can hold them in place or rotate, and there are 16 different color and dimness choices for maximum comfort and fun.

Skillmatics Found It! Card Game

Found It! Card Game

Is your 4-year-old boy whining that he’s bored? Well, with this game, he’ll discover a whole new world in the house.

Each card prompts fun indoor scavenger hunt missions — can your kid find something with a pattern? Something smaller than his palm? The first person to find seven objects (and shout “Found It!”) wins.

Brickyard Building Blocks Educational Building Blocks

Educational Building Blocks

With this set of blocks, wrenches, wheels, nuts, and bolts, your child can make whatever he wants. If he needs some ideas, the guide of 42 designs for any level of engineer should inspire him. And with 163 pieces, there’s plenty to share with friends — all the best inventions were made by teams, after all.

Ipidipi Toys Classic Fishing Game

Classic Fishing Game

Parents and other adults will probably remember playing this game as a kid and, yes, it’s just as fun as you remember. Perfect for solo play or competition, the goal is always the same: “Hook” as many of the 21 colorful, biting, spinning fishies as you can.

Chiyr Wooden Robots Stacking Balancing Block Puzzle Game

Wooden Robots Stacking Balancing Block Puzzle Game

You’ve never seen your 4-year-old boy concentrate as hard as they will trying to get these robots to stack on top of one another. Yes, they’ll fail over and over, but eventually, they’ll figure out tons of configurations for stacking the robots. And it will just be a matter of determining the coolest way to do it.

Lego Brick Box

Brick Box

This set of almost 500 Lego bricks is the perfect foundation (heh) for your child’s career as a master builder. With the traditional pieces in 35 different colors, as well as eyes, windows, wheels, and more, your boy can spend hours creating, innovating, and playing.

H&M Spider-Man Hooded Windbreaker

Spider-Man Hooded Windbreaker

Everyone wins with this windbreaker: you get to give him a gift he’ll actually use, and he’ll get to run around the playground pretending to be Spider-Man. (Plus, it’s safe for the washing machine — though not the dryer — after he inevitably gets it dirty.)

Meland Play Camping Set

Play Camping Set

He may not be quite ready for camping in the woods on his own yet. But this set comes with everything he needs to have a grand outdoor adventure… in his backyard or living room.

Uncommon Goods Balance Rock & Wobble Board

Balance Rock & Wobble Board

This board is perfect for playing, resting, practicing balance, and gaining core strength. In other words, he’ll have a whole bunch of ways to play with this beautifully crafted heirloom toy.

Melissa & Doug Grocery Story & Lemonade Stand

Grocery Story & Lemonade Stand

This simple but beautifully crafted toy is perfect for the 4-year-old boy who’s always dreamed of having his own lemonade stand, or who really loves imaginative play. It has a reversible awning, storage containers for everything he needs, and a counter for all the business he’ll get.

LeapFrog Learn To Read 10-Book Mega Pack & Stylus

Learn To Read 10-Book Mega Pack & Stylus

Whether he wants to learn how to read or you want him to gain confidence while having fun, this is the gift for your 4-year-old boy. Using the stylus, which will play an audio version of the book aloud, he can follow along and read through each story

Kellytoy Axolotl Squishmallow

Axolotl Squishmallow

Some kid fads we don’t get, but we definitely get Squishmallows. They’re so cute and soft and, well, squishy! And of the Squishmallows, axolotls tend to be among the most popular. We love that “Tinley” is so colorful.

Huffy 16-Inch Bike

16-Inch Bike

You’ve put it off for as long as possible, but there’s no more denying it: He’s outgrown his toddler bike . The shiny red frame and 16-inch wheels on this Huffy make it the ideal gift for 4-year-old boys.

Jodudlr Car Carrier Truck

Car Carrier Truck

Are you tired of picking up miniature cars everywhere you step? (Often after tripping on them or coming close?) The solution is simple: Make putting cars away as much fun as playing with them. This carrier is shaped like a truck and even has wheels of its own — the storage is as enjoyable as the toys it holds.

BestKid Ball Arcade Basketball Hoop

Arcade Basketball Hoop

Bring the fun of shooting hoops inside (if you dare) with this arcade style hoop. It’s good for practice and fun, and helps develop hand-eye coordination. The easy-to-assemble set even comes with two basketballs sized for little hands.

Uncommon Goods Little Patient Doll

Little Patient Doll

This unique toy sparks curiosity and learning. Unzip the doll to find six anatomically distinct organs — lungs, heart, intestines, liver, spleen, and kidneys. It’s a great way to help them learn about the body and pique their interest in biology.

preview for HDM All sections playlist - Best Products

Gift Ideas for 2024

history huh shirt, weighted rainbow blanket, bisexual pride super plush blanket, trans pride noodle love enamel pin, kuromi iridescent plastic cup

Creative Gifts for Dad That Show You Know Him Best

chocolates, sun dial, flower bouquet, pearl charm necklace, lenox serving platter, anniversary book

The 21 Best Anniversary Gifts for Her

outdoor firepit, bonus dad hat

35 Best Stepdad Gifts That Show How Much Love Him

someone reading an amazon kindle, smokehouse rubs on meat and veggies,

Shop These 25 Gifts for Grandpa for Father’s Day

bonsai starter kit, set of 3 pans

23 Unique Father’s Day Gifts

the dad hoodie, olevs classic brown leather watch

39 First Father’s Day Gifts for the New Dad

cactus coasters, mask besties, herschels wallet, honey sheet face mask, golf in a tin set

51 Best Cheap Gift Ideas for $60 and Under

aerogarden harvest elite 360 indoor garden hydroponic system, masterbuilt analog electric smoker

60 Best Father’s Day Gifts to Impress Dad

amazon echo pop, cuisinart 3 piece pizza grilling set

30 Father’s Day Gifts Under $50

warby parker gift card, stitch subscription gift card

The Best Last-Minute Father's Day Gifts

personalized journal, coasters, dog bag, beauty bags, and frame

25 Best Personalized Picks for Anyone

Empowered Parents

A Teacher’s Guide to 10 Must-Have Educational Toys for 4-Year-Olds

By: Author Tanja McIlroy

Posted on Last updated: 5 June 2024

Categories Learning Through Play

Are you searching for ideas for educational toys for your 4-year-old?

It can be a little overwhelming sifting through what is basically just lots of catalogues from online toy stores. 

Are these items really educational or just bestsellers?  

This is not that kind of article. I have written this for parents, with the purpose of explaining what kinds of toys a typical 4-year-old will really benefit from and learn from. Some of these toys don’t even need to be bought – you can make them or improvise with other items.

How have I defined an educational toy? 

It must develop a specific skill or multiple skills. The kinds I am talking about are:

  • Motor skills
  • Concentration
  • Problem-solving
  • Language and vocabulary
  • Thinking 
  • Early mathematical skills
  • Pre-reading skills

I have also chosen toys you will find in a typical preschool classroom. If it isn’t usually found in a classroom, it’s probably not really that educational. 

This means far less gimmicky items; less flashing lights and batteries; less computer ‘learning’ programs; less developmentally inappropriate learning aids and less pre-planned crafts-in-a-box.

It also means more regular, old-fashioned toys that children still learn from.

So, here goes…

This post contains affiliate links for educational products that I personally recommend. If you purchase through one of them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the terms and conditions for more details.

What are the Best Educational Toys for 4-Year-Olds?

Here are some of the best learning resources for 4-year-olds: 

1. Wooden Blocks

One of the best investments you can make is to buy a good set of wooden blocks that your children will use for years. 

Child building with wooden blocks

They should be large blocks in various shapes, with flat and round edges. Here is a good set:

Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Solid-Wood Building Blocks With Wooden Storage Tray (60 pcs)...

  • BUILDING BLOCKS FOR CHILDREN: The Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Solid-Wood Building Blocks are comprised of 60...
  • MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS: Our blocks for imaginative play are ideal for introducing early math...

Little alphabet blocks or small foam or plastic blocks can also be fun but will never provide the same educational value as a proper set of blocks. Your children are never going to learn the alphabet from blocks!

Blocks are great for so many reasons:

  • Children build cognitive skills as they progress through the stages of block play .
  • Blocks build fine and gross motor skills as they require a combination of using the small muscles as well as using large muscles for bigger constructions .
  • Block play leads to fantasy play (building a castle can lead to acting out related scenes, especially if you add props such as figurines or a dragon) .
  • Spending time becoming engrossed in construction builds concentration span over time .
  • Building develops creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills .
  • Playing with blocks develops pre-mathematical concepts. A simple activity such as building towers develops skills such as learning the value of a number, comparing numbers (more, less), sizes, lengths, etc. 

Puzzles are another kind of activity that builds multiple skills. Every young child absolutely must have exposure to them at home.

Child building a puzzle

Puzzles develop fine motor skills and sharpen hand-eye coordination. Large floor puzzles work on gross motor skills, including crossing the midline – crossing over to the left side of the body with the right arm and vice versa.

They teach children to concentrate and persevere on a task until it is complete.

They also encourage thinking and problem solving as they are challenging and, by their nature, need to be solved to be completed.

My favourite benefit your children will derive from building them is that they are excellent for developing visual perception – a vital pre-reading skill.

As with blocks, the best kinds of puzzles are wooden and sturdy. These come with a handy wooden box:

Melissa & Doug Pets 4-in-1 Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles in a Storage Box (48 pcs) - FSC Certified

  • Four wooden jigsaw puzzles: a fish, a dog, a cat, and a bird
  • 12-piece puzzles

Older preschoolers may prefer 24-piece puzzles:

Melissa & Doug Under the Sea Ocean Animals Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle With Storage Tray (24 pcs)

  • OCEAN-THEMED JIGSAW PUZZLES: The Melissa & Doug Under the Sea Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle features 24 durable wooden...
  • STURDY WOODEN STORAGE TRAY: Our ocean floor puzzle comes with a sturdy wooden storage tray made of...

Here’s some info on why puzzles are important for development .

3. Pegboards

Pegboards are one of the best activities to target fine motor skills. You can buy bigger pegs for toddlers but 4-year-olds should be able to handle the standard small pegs.

Peg Board with pegs in it

Placing pegs into the holes is an intricate exercise that requires a lot of focus and will exercise and teach the finger muscles to control an object – which will later help to control a pencil when writing. It also develops hand-eye coordination .

Children love playing with pegboards as they are a different kind of creative expression. Instead of drawing, they are able to create images with the pegs.

Most pegboard sets also come with pattern cards which children must follow to recreate the pattern. This is another way of developing visual perception.

4. Threading and Lacing Toys

Threading and lacing are activities that are encouraged regularly in preschool. They require a lot of fine motor control and are therefore a good pre-writing activity .

Beads threaded onto a string

If you’d like to teach your children to write, the only way to start is with these kinds of activities. Children must do regular fine motor activities during preschool to develop the control to write.

What is the difference between the two? Threading requires stringing beads or other objects with a hollow centre onto a string or thread, but you lace by weaving the string or thread into and out of holes (as you would a shoelace).

Here are some fun zoo lacing cards and a set of beads for threading:

Stephen Joseph Lacing Cards, Zoo Small

  • IMAGINATIVE DESIGNS: Creative characters and unique designs make these interactive cards extra fun for kids....
  • SPECIAL FEATURES: Five double sided lacing cards and coordinating laces give your child everything they need...

Melissa & Doug Primary Lacing Beads - Educational Toy With 30 Wooden Beads and 2 Laces -...

  • BRIGHTLY COLORED WOODEN BEADS: The Melissa and Doug Primary Lacing Beads set is composed of 30 brightly...
  • EASY TO ASSEMBLE: Our wooden bead play set includes beads in five distinct shapes that are easy for little...

Here are two simple ways to do this at home:

  • Threading – make a macaroni necklace .
  • Lacing – weave a string around a paper plate with holes punched in it .

Here are some excellent fine motor skills toys you probably already have at home and don’t need to buy.

5. Memory Card Games

Memory card games are one of my favourite activities. If you don’t have a set of cards at home, this is a game you can make by printing or drawing small pairs of pictures on small cards (each picture must have an exact copy).

You can also get your own set of printable memory card games here!

Here’s a sneak preview of some of the cards in this pack:

Fruit pictures from memory card game.

This is how you play:

  • It is best played with two players, but more is also ok .
  • Shuffle both sets of pictures and lay them all face down on the table .
  • Take turns choosing two cards each and turn them face up .
  • If the cards match, you keep them .
  • If they don’t match, you turn them both face down .
  • Continue turning two at a time until all the cards have been matched .
  • The winner is the person who has accumulated the most matching sets .

Aside from building memory, this kind of game also develops other skills.

Games build a child’s social skills and ability to cooperate and follow set rules. They develop a child’s decision-making skills . And any game that has a child sitting for a period of time has a positive effect on their attention span.

6. Dress-up Clothes and Props

These are the kinds of toys you can end up spending a lot of money on, unnecessarily. Imaginative play – also called fantasy, symbolic, dress-up or pretend play – is essential for a child’s development and should be encouraged by providing dress-up items and props.

Child playing doctor

Children learn about their world and express themselves when engaging in symbolic play. It is also when they build their language and vocabulary.

There are many great props available, such as kitchen sets, dollhouses, dress-up sets, etc. These are certainly educational, however, take it a step further and provide your children with props that will spark their imagination and get them to think and be creative, using the materials they have.

True symbolic play is actually when a child uses an item to represent another and is a more advanced form of play than playing with a toy that has a clear purpose.

An example is using a block to represent a phone, instead of playing with a toy phone , or making a doll’s house out of a cardboard box.

You can encourage this play by offering a variety of props such as a scarf, rain boots, an interesting hat, a wand (or a regular stick), etc.

Ideally, it would be great to have an area in a bedroom or house, especially for dress-up props, that your children will often revisit. Separate areas can create a positive learning environment at home .

7. Construction Toys

Aside from having a good set of blocks, children should also have other kinds of construction toys at home. 

Things that link, stack, fit together, hook together, or are magnetic are all types of construction toys. 

Girl playing with magnetic construction toys

These toys develop:

  • Early technology skills
  • Creativity and imagination
  • Problem solving
  • Fine motor control
  • Hand-eye coordination
  • Gross motor control
  • Attention span
  • Thinking skills
  • Visual perception

Regular Lego is one of the best kinds :

LEGO Classic Creative Bricks 10692 Building Blocks, Learning Toy (221 Pieces)

  • Features a wide range of bricks in 29 different colors, Special pieces include 2 different sets of eyes,...
  • Special pieces encourage imaginative building with endless possibilities

8. Musical Instruments

Children learn through musical activities and should be encouraged to play with instruments regularly.

Xylophone and sticks

These can be bought but can also be made during creative art activities. Simple instruments like shakers or bells can easily be made.

Some can also be improvised – such as using pot lids as cymbals or using a bowl and wooden spoon as a drum.

Musical activities teach children about rhyme, rhythm, syllables and sounds. They develop a child’s auditory perception – one of the most important pre-reading skills. 

Here are some music games to play with your children.

The more children play with technology-based toys, the less they seem to have exposure to regular games. 

Box of puzzles

Games that you find in a box – board games , sequencing cards, matching games, etc – are so important and educational for young children.

(Get your own set of printable sequencing cards, memory games and lotto games here!)

As you can see from most of the toys listed in this article, they develop a multitude of skills, and games are no different. In fact, the best kinds of toys work on motor, social and cognitive skills at the same time.

Emotional development is important too. Playing with a game can be very stress-releasing, not to mention rewarding when completed, which leads to a child’s overall feelings of success and competence.

10. Active Outdoor Toys

Outdoor toys do not have to be complicated or expensive.

Children playing in sandpit

There is huge value in anything that gets your kids outdoors such as wooden wagons, carts, balls, bats, beanbags, tricycles, balancing beams, containers or buckets for water and sand play , gardening tools, skipping ropes and hula hoops, etc.

Little Gardener Tool Set with Garden Tools Bag for Kids Gardening - Kit Includes Watering...

  • #1 EDUCATIONAL GARDENING SET: This set is great for children who LOVE GARDENING or to TEACH CHILDREN about...
  • SPECIALIZED FOR CHILDREN: The tote bag is LIGHTWEIGHT and convenient for children to carry with themselves...

Active play is the most important thing a 4-year-old should be spending their time on. 

The more active your children are, the more they will learn.

And that’s it. Your 4-year-olds are not yet ready for formal learning but are also old enough now to play with some really stimulating items. 

There is still a place for technology-based toys – we live in that world after all – but don’t throw out all the regular ones as they are vital too.

I hope this list has shown the value of some of the most simple and traditional toys.

Are you a preschool teacher or working in Early Childhood Education? Would you like to receive regular emails with useful tips and play-based activity ideas to try with your children? Sign up for the newsletter!

Pin - 10 educational toys every 4-year-old should have

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Friday 2nd of June 2023

My granddaughter doesn't like to build blocks or do puzzles. How can I motivate her

Tanja Mcilroy

Tuesday 6th of June 2023

Hi! This is normal as children usually have varied interests. My 4-year-old never liked puzzles, now she does them all day, but she refuses to draw! The best thing you can do is to make puzzles and blocks accessible, and maybe play with them yourself sometimes because she might join in. Try not to ask her repeatedly or she will avoid them even more. It depends on her age also. If she is 5 and won't do a puzzle, perhaps she is struggling. Start with very basic puzzles and let her achieve success many times before you introduce more challenging ones. Unless there is an underlying problem (Is she struggling in multiple areas?), you will probably find that she will start doing them when she's ready, as well as building with blocks. Some kids just have preferences and will always veer more towards one type of activity than another.

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

Hello, a good site for the development of children. My kids love it and are always interested.

Monday 6th of March 2023

Thanks, Kami!

Rams Mohlamonyane

Saturday 4th of June 2022

Please sent me complete catalogs for all ten categories. I need them asap.

Monday 6th of June 2022

Hi there, if you click on the links in the article it will take you to the Amazon website to show you an example of each product. I am only able to link to one website so have chosen Amazon as the most number of people around the world will have access to it but you may want to find similar items on a local website or Amazon in another country. Regards, Tanja

Wednesday 16th of March 2022

Toys for 5 year olds

This website really helps I love it

12 Gifts For 4-Year-Olds Who Are Making Our Nice List in 2023

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

The ages of 3 to 5 are sometimes called the "magic years," and the age of 4 is smack dab in the middle. At 4, children are becoming more independent, using their mobility to exude a natural sense of wonder and desire to discover. Preschoolers are also more apt to share, making it the perfect age for playdates.

So what can 4-year-olds play with during said playdates ( or independently )? Fortunately, there are tons of toys for 4-year-olds that can encourage their imagination and help fine-tune motor skills through carefree, unstructured playtime.

To help parents and gift givers who are making holiday lists and checking them twice, we scoured popular big-box retailers for top toys. We narrowed it down by looking at reviews — only products with 4.5 stars and above made the nice list. From big-ticket classics like cars and Legos to STEM toys that make at-home learning a blast, these are the best toys and gifts for 4-year-olds this year.

Best Toy For Indoor Playtime

Best Toy For Indoor Playtime

Fat Brain Teeter Popper ($45)

Banish cabin fever with a Teeter Popper. One of the most popular Fat Brain toys for 4-year-olds, the Teeter Popper allows kids to wiggle, sit, stand, tilt, spin, and wobble, helping them build strength, stability, balance, and gross motor skills along the way. Bonus: it lets kids get their energy out even when it's too cold (or hot) to even think about opening the door. The Teeter Popper comes in three colors (blue, green, and pink), so you can match the playroom's aesthetic.

What reviewers say: " My 4-yr old granddaughter loves her new teeter popper as do her 2 older sisters. It makes a satisfying popping noise and offers active indoor play."

Some previous buyers noted the suction cups came off, so be sure to monitor children.

Main Image

Best STEM Toy For 4-Year-Olds

Fat Brain Inchimals ($40)

Math is way more fun when it's a safari adventure. Inchimals's math blocks provide opportunities to learn about measurement, addition and subtraction, and even pre-algebra with bright, illustrated animals along the sides. Fat Brain buyers rate age 4 as the best age for Inchimals, and the toy has a 4.7-star rating.

What reviewers say: " I bought this for my 4 yo grandson and he loves it. He is interested in measuring things and has a fun time figuring out the combinations which add up to the taller blocks."

Main Image

Best Construction Gift For 4-Year-Olds

Magna-Tiles Classic 32-Piece Magnetic Construction Set ($50)

If your 4-year-old has attended day care, preschool, or even a library program, chances are they raved about Magna-Tiles . The magnetic blocks allow for endless builds — an opportunity to lay a foundation for imaginative play and STEAM skills. There are tons of themed sets out there, but the classic construction serves as a blank canvas and the perfect starter kit for your kid's soon-to-be-budding Magna-Tiles collection.

What reviewers say: " These toys are just the best of the best! They are a favorite in my household. They are so good for hand-eye coordination, as well as imagination and thinking skills. My son can spend hours playing with these and never gets bored. They are a great price for how long they hold up and how much fun kiddos have while playing with them. This is a must have gift for any child in your life!"

Main Image

Best Career-Related Pretend Play Gift For 4-Year-Olds

Melissa & Doug Examine and Treat Pet Vet Play Set ($38)

There's no need to rush a 4-year-old to choose a future career. But this popular Melissa & Doug set will allow them to be a vet for a day, any day. The 24-piece set comes with pretend medical equipment like medication containers and topical creams. It even comes with an adorable plush cat and dog (complete with post-surgical cones of shame). The set opens opportunities for lessons on empathy, caring for someone else, and hours of fun. Bonus for parents: the medical bag doubles as an easy storage option.

What reviewers say: "I bought this first for my son and then bought as a gift for a friend. Kids are always playing with this at my house and it keeps them entertained for hours. All of the pieces are so cute and easy for kids little and big to play with."

Main Image

Best Addition to a 4-Year-Old's Play Kitchen

Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter ($35, originally $40)

Ice cream is always in season with this classic Melissa & Doug Ice Cream Counter set. The toy, with a 4.9-star rating based on more than 16K Amazon reviews, has all the ingredients for a trip to the ice cream store that doesn't involve leaving your home: a scooper, ice creams like vanilla and mint chocolate chip, toppings, cones, and a bowl. There's even money for kids to pay — a sneaky-sweet math lesson.

What reviewers say: "This is a premium toy! So durable and cute! The ice cream scoops too! It comes with a plastic menu and money to buy whatever you want 1,2,or 3 scoops, cones or dish and toppings too! It's so much fun for my grandson."

Main Image

Best Lego Set For 4-Year-Olds

Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box Building Toy Set ($23, originally $25)

Technology advances, and toy trends come and go. But Legos? They're mainstays. This set comes with 484 pieces that will engage kids from 4 to 99 (so, little ones and their caregivers) for days. In addition to the classic bricks in 35 colors, the set comes with blocks that can be used to build trains, tigers, and windmills (oh my). No one likes to step on a Lego after putting the kids to bed, and the included storage box makes that less likely. More than 45K Amazon reviewers have given this set 4.9 stars out of five, hailing its age appropriateness (five stars) and durability (4.8 stars).

What reviewers say: "The name Legos says it all. Purchased this set for my 3 1/2 year old grand daughter. Loves, loves to play with these. The container that holds this set is large enough that I was able to include a smaller set of legos to store all together."

Main Image

Best Barbie For 4-Year-Olds

Chelsea Doll & Unicorn Toy Car ($14, originally $7)

Barbie is likely to be a popular pick for gifts in 2023. Her little sister, Chelsea, is ideal for the younger crowd. This specific Chelsea comes with many of a 4-year-old's favorite things: a puppy, a unicorn-themed car, stickers, accessories like pink sunnies, and a removable tie-dye skirt for imaginative styling. The Chelsea Doll boasts 4.8 stars on Amazon, with happy customers praising its ease of assembly, giftability, and durability (4.8 stars).

What reviewers say : "Very cute toy and great for the price. My daughters have a lot of fun with this doll and car."

Main Image

Best Car Toy For 4-Year-Olds

Hot Wheels Gift Set of Nine Toy Cars ($21)

The age of 4 is a perfect time to rev up a little one's love for classic brand Hot Wheels. The toys are appropriate for preschool-age children starting at age 3, and this nine-piece set can kick-start their collection.

What reviewers say: "My grandson went crazy over this gift! He LOVES anything Hot Wheels and this selection of different cars did NOT disappoint! There was 1 car in the set that he already had but his old one was missing a tire so it worked out great."

Main Image

Best Mess-Free Art Gift For 4-Year-Olds

Water Doodle Mat ($26, originally $38)

The words "water" and "art" don't typically go with "mess-free," at least not when a 4-year-old is involved. But this super-popular Water Doodle Mat bucks that notion. Fill a pen with water, let your kids draw to their hearts' content, and watch the creation disappear in three to 10 minutes. Then rinse, wash, and repeat (literally!).

The Water Doodle Mat can be used indoors and out, at home or on the road. It's 40 x 28 inches, but it folds into a compact mat that travels well. More than 26K fans have given the mat a 4.5-star Amazon rating. Some customers noted it didn't dry well and that sometimes, pictures don't completely disappear. But most raved about the Water Doodle Mat, calling it a glitter-free win for kids and parents alike.

What reviewers say: "We got this for my son so he can color without getting pen marks on the furniture. Easy to use and quickly dries. He loves it. We try to pull it out every night to do something with him. It comes with stencils and foam pads."

Main Image

Best Music Toy For 4-Year-Olds

Move2Play Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone ($27, originally $30)

Some parents may attempt to enforce a "no musical toys" rule for their own sake; those kid bangers can get stuck in your head, and not in the best way. But consider making a teeny, tiny exception for this smash hit with preschoolers. The Kidz Bop microphone turns your living room into something rivaling the Eras tour. It connects to your phone or tablet, so you can play DJ for your kid and tee up a song from your Spotify. Have fun with voice effects like high-pitched chipmunks that'll bring you back to your glory days watching "Alvin and the Chipmunks."

What reviewers say: "My niece loves to perform and this gave her a way to do so. Connects easily to phone to play music off the phone and the voice changer gave kids and adults a laugh. Most sung song on it was happy birthday as each kid took a turn giving their rendition to the bday girl. It was Hilarious and well received."

Main Image

Best Rainy-Day Toy For 4-Year-Olds

Flower Garden Building Toys ($27, originally $33)

April showers may bring May flowers, but rainy days (or blizzards) can be a bummer for kids who want to go outside. Bring the outdoors in with the Amazon-favorite Flower Garden Building Toys. The set comes with nontoxic, durable plastic buds and stems in multiple colors. The toy builds on hand-eye coordination skills and provides boundless opportunities to showcase creativity, even if the weather has you homebound. Nearly 5K Amazon reviewers have given the toy a 4.8-star rating.

What reviewers say: "I bought this set for my 4 yr old granddaughter. She loves gardening, flowers and crafts. This gift is a hit! Very well made and the plastic box for storage is perfect. She can make individual bouquets in sets of 3 or connect all of the green bases together for an entire garden. Super cute idea. Hours of fun and creativity in her future. Highly recommend!"

Main Image

Best Book Gift For 4-Year-Olds

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why ($12, originally $15)

Four-year-olds are naturally inquisitive, and "National Geographic's Little Kids First Big Book of Why" will entertain all of their curiosities. The No. 1 bestseller on Amazon for "children's almanacs" has a 4.8-star rating based on more than 18K reviews. It's playful, educational, and full of vibrant imagery and answers to questions that will even have grown-up readers learning a thing or two, like how escalators work.

What reviewers say: "Purchased this book for my nieces 4th birthday and she loved it. It's educational and simple to read. If your looking for a book to explain all the WHYS then this is the book for you!"

Main Image

  • Gifts For Kids
  • Little Kids
  • Kid Shopping
  • Holiday Living
  • Holiday For Kids

BrightMinds UK

Science Toys

  • All Science Toys
  • Chemistry Sets
  • Crystal Kits
  • Electricity Kits
  • Electronics
  • Engineering Toys
  • Science Kits
  • Light and Illusions

Kids Gadgets

  • All Gadgets
  • Coding for kids
  • Electronic Gadgets
  • Lamps & Lights
  • Remote Control Toys
  • Science Gadgets

Construction Toys

  • All Construction Toys
  • Building Toys
  • Marble Run Toys
  • Construction Sets
  • Binoculars for Children
  • Earth and Solar System
  • Gardening for kids
  • Geography and History
  • Globes for Children
  • Metal Detectors
  • Microscopes for Kids
  • Nature Toys
  • Prehistoric World
  • Space Science
  • Telescopes for Kids
  • World Geography

Best Sellers »

New Gifts »

New Books »

Disco Bath Light turned on and surrounded by multi coloured spots

Disco Bath Lights (Set of 2)

Badge

GeoSafari Jnr Kidnoculars

  • All Kids Art
  • Art Essentials
  • Art Gift Sets
  • Colouring Books & Pens
  • Drawing for Kids
  • Kids Art Easels
  • Kids Painting
  • Sand, Glitter and Sequin Art

Crafts for Kids

  • All Crafts for Kids
  • Felt Toys and Crafts
  • Hair and Nails for Kids
  • Jewellery Making
  • Kids Crafts
  • Kids Fashion Design
  • Mosaic Kits
  • Papercraft and Origami Kits
  • Sewing and Knitting
  • Stamps and Stencils
  • All Kids Music

The Amazing Flower Kit - Happy Puzzle Company

The Amazing Flower Kit

Tabletop Magic Magnetic Whiteboard Easel A3 with 8 pens & eraser - 5060182800855

Tabletop Magic Magnetic Whiteboard Easel, A3 with 8 pens & eraser

English learning.

  • All English Learning
  • Learning to Read
  • Spelling Punctuation & Grammar
  • Story Telling
  • Foreign Languages
  • Handwriting for Children

Maths Learning

  • Add and Subtract
  • Maths Games
  • Tell the time
  • Timestables

Revision Guides

  • KS1 English
  • KS1 Science
  • KS2 English
  • KS2 Science
  • KS3 English
  • KS3 Science
  • Home Learning

Magnetic Dart board - Tobar 5038728130247

Magnetic Dartboard

Traditional toys.

  • All Traditional Toys
  • Children's Dolls
  • Dressing Up Costumes
  • Eco-Friendly Toys
  • Plastic Free Toys
  • Play Kitchens
  • Play Cars & Vehicles
  • Pretend Play Food
  • Puppets and Theatres
  • Rag Dolls & Soft Dolls
  • Tools and Tool Sets
  • Toy Garages

Wooden Toys

  • ALL Wooden Toys
  • Wooden Baby Toys
  • Wooden Puzzles
  • Wooden Toy Garages
  • Wooden Dolls Houses
  • Dolls House Accessories
  • Wooden Kitchens
  • Wooden Train Sets
  • Wooden Trains
  • Wooden Tracks & Accessories

Educational Games

  • All Educational Games
  • Board Games for kids
  • Early Learning Games
  • Electronic Games for Kids
  • Number Games
  • Travel Games & Toys

Kids Puzzles

  • All Puzzles for Kids
  • Brainteaser Puzzles
  • Jigsaw Puzzles
  • Logical Puzzles
  • Magnetic Puzzles
  • Strategy Games for Kids

Outdoor Toys

  • Traditional Garden Games
  • Garden Games
  • Garden Play
  • Outdoor PlayHouses

Early Learning Toys

  • Colour and Shape
  • Counting and Sorting
  • Developmental Toys
  • Early Numbers

Badge

Djeco Topanifarm Stacking Cubes for infants

£14.99 £16.99 save 12%, gifts by age.

  • All Kids GIFTS
  • Toys for 1 year olds
  • Toys for 2 year olds
  • Toys for 3 year olds

Toys for 4 year olds

  • Toys for 5 year olds
  • Toys for 6 year olds
  • Toys for 7 year olds
  • Toys for 8 year olds
  • Toys for 9 year olds
  • Toys for 10 year olds
  • Gifts for 11 year olds
  • Gifts for 12 year olds

by Interests

  • Christmas Books
  • Fairy Gifts
  • Halloween for Kids
  • Rainbow Toys

by Groupings

  • Best Sellers
  • Gifts for teenagers
  • Presents for Older Kids
  • Toddler Toys
  • Toys for Boys
  • Toys for Girls
  • Sensory Toys
  • Gift Voucher

Toys for 4 year olds

Learning and Educational Toys for 4 Year Olds

With over 20 years in the industry, BrightMinds offers an extensive collection of educational toys for 4 year olds.

F ind the best toys and gifts and enjoy free UK delivery when you spend £50 or more.

< For Younger or For Older >

Second Part

Growing, curious minds need plenty of stimulation, and you’ll find something to suit every interest level, from science toys and nature toys , through to wooden toys , traditional toys , and much more.

The Importance of Educational Toys for 4 Year Olds

Children of this age group are starting to learn more about the world around them, and creative and imaginative play stimulates their curiosity further.

Toys like this Melissa and Doug See & Spell or the Melissa and Doug Farm Cube Puzzle set are a great way to combine learning and fun.

Spending some time to look for the best learning toys for 4 year olds is important as it allows them to develop cognitive, social, and communication skills.

Finding the Best Toys for 4 Year Olds

At this stage in life, a child has developed their own little personality and is quite the individual, so the toys they play with have to reflect this.

Choosing the best toys for 4 year olds isn’t just about finding something to keep them busy, but to allow them to learn in a way that piques their interest in what they’re learning about.

Showing them learning can be fun with the right approach — usually through free play — is something that can make a big difference for a child, especially as they approach school age.

Goodies and Gifts for 4 Year Olds Galore

4 year olds especially will already have a good understanding of what they like and don’t like. So finding the best educational toys for them won’t be as challenging as with younger age groups.

At BrightMinds, we carry a huge range of toys and gifts for 4 year olds that will suit every personality and interest level, like this Djeco Vehicles Tap Tap Art set , so why not take a look through our online store today and see what you can find?

Whether you’re buying for a little creative mind who loves to get their hands messy or a budding scientist who loves to explore the wonders of the world around them, you’re not going to find yourself stuck for choice.

Some Of Our Popular Toy Collections:

Our best selling toy brands:, browse toys by age:.

Click here for more of our toy collections categorised by age: 1 year olds  | 2 year olds | 3 year olds | 4 year olds | 5 year olds | 6 year olds | 7 year olds | 8 year olds | 9 year olds | 10 year olds | 11 year olds | 12 year olds

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

By continuing to browse you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage and assist in our tailored marketing efforts. I agree that I am over 18 years old.

Social Butterflies: Top 39 Toys for 4-Year-Olds

Before you hit the shops, read our curated list of the best toys for 4-year-olds in Australia to help get you started in your search.

Four-year-olds are lively and social and kinder will help them on their way to becoming school-ready. Pre-schoolers are bursting to learn and develop. They’re curious about the world, they love ‘helping’ and they are keen to learn new concepts. Constructing marble runs or giant jigsaws is super fun!

Here are our top picks of toys for 4 year old boys and girls.

What they’re doing

  • Imaginative Pretend Play
  • Creative And Artistic Play
  • Helping With Cooking And Gardening
  • Drawing People And Shapes
  • Cutting And Pasting
  • Talking (A Lot!)

Gifts they’ll love

  • Marble Runs
  • Doll & Dolls Clothes
  • Art And Craft Kits
  • Early Science Toys
  • Jigsaws & Floor Puzzles
  • Garden Tools
  • Matching Games
  • Toolboxes and kits
  • Construction Sets
  • Hair Accessories

OUR PICK OF THE CROP 39 gifts and toys for 4 year olds

With over 15 years of experience and a community boasting over 100,000 Australian mums, we’re committed to helping you find the perfect toy for your four-year-old.

Below, you’ll find 39 of our favourite picks presented in no particular order. Some are newcomers to the scene, while others are tried-and-true favourites. Rest assured, each recommendation has either crossed our path, found a place in our own experiences, or been enthusiastically vouched for by our Grapeviner community.

What-a-comfort

The whatsie play couch ($499).

More than just a play couch, the Whatsie is proud to be a place to learn and harness old-fashioned fun. With years of open-ended play ahead of them, not only do we love their stain-resistant fabric but also their creative design and fun pieces.

Twirl ‘n tasty

Gobe snack spinner ($79.95).

Brand new to Australia and already incredibly popular! The GoBe Snack Spinner is making mealtimes a fun and enjoyable experience, kids will love their snacks moving around and space for all their options. It’s also available in 5 different colours.

Silver Cross Ranger Doll Pram ($99)

Just like the real thing, this SilverCross Ranger Pram is perfect for on-the-go play. It’s light, easy to fold and perfect for travel. With a mesh storage basket, foldable hood, removable apron and height adjustable handle, this pram will nurture role play and imagination for years.

Scribble ‘n scrub

Reusable scribble mats ($35).

The solution we all needed for the toys on the go, Scribble Mat is a reusable colouring mat with four dry-erase markers (the perfect amount to not leave one behind), that wipes clean with a damp cloth ready to start all over again.

To the rescue

George’s fire & rescue garage ($213.95).

George’s Fire and Rescue Garage is just the open-ended, imaginative play that kids love. They’ll be ready for any emergency with this fire station, with its working bell, lift, doors and ramps, they’ll love pretending to be their communities’ heroes.

Good Morning, My Deer ($19.99)

Illustrated by superstar Sophie Beer and with brilliantly fun words by debut author Mel Amon. This book is perfect for ages 3-7! Enjoy a colourful picture book that plays with puns and homophones to create a delightfully absurd day out.

Kindy party

Penny scallan kindy pack ($184.95).

Whether starting a day of learning at Kinder or just embarking on a different adventure, this pack has everything your tot needs for a smooth sailing day. With a large backpack, drink bottle, hat, bento box and lunch bag all in matching bright and colourful designs.

Trido Magnetic Art (from $95)

Meet Trido – the building blocks of boundless creativity! Craft artistic shapes and creatures with these magnetic, triangle and diamond-shaped wonders. High-end and gorgeously packaged, Trido turns playtime into a vibrant journey of colourful possibilities.

Ready for takeoff

Flexa wooden airport ($99.95).

Prepare for takeoff with the Flexa Wooden Airport. Crafted for mini aviators, it’s a runway to the imagination with a wooden plane, control tower and a runway – endless adventures await. Buckle up for playtime liftoff!

Housten …

Fabelab little astronaut costume ($85.95).

Blast off into fun with the Fabelab Little Astronaut Costume. Soft, cozy and perfect for intergalactic adventures, your little one will transform into a space explorer, sparking dreams that reach for the stars. Ready for lift-off, Captain Cutie!

Petite pirouettes

Flo dancewear ballet dresses & tutus (from $44.95).

A little girl’s dream! These tutus will delight any little dancer. With the softest of pinks and stretchy leotard fit, these comfy designs will have your little ones dancing for joy with delicate-looking tulle tutu skirts and dresses and adorable appliques.

Palette play

Tikktokk little boss 4-in-1 easel ($112.99).

A state-of-the-art upgrade on the classic easel we all adore, children will love to draw, write and paint with ease using the Little Boss 4-in-1 Easel. The magnetic chalkboard, whiteboard and clipboard mean there are endless choices for budding little artists.

Petite Maison Table Tents ($199)

Create a world of wonders with Petite Maison Table Tents when you transform any space into the Aussie Bush, a cozy shop front or home, or even a roaring fire truck. Super easy to set up, these tents transform ordinary furniture into extraordinary adventures – let the storytelling begin!

LeapFrog LeapPad Academy ($249)

A learning tablet that turns playtime into an educational adventure, the LeapFrog LeapPad Academy is packed with games, activities, and a dash of magic. It’s the perfect companion for little scholars who are growing on their learning journey.

Lubulona Town Sets (from $59)

Say hello to Lubu Town Sets—a playful, educational construction set for little builders. With stackable houses, cars and roofs, each set sparks creativity in their vibrant colours. Let the building adventures and imaginative play begin!

Hippity hoppity

Oyoy rabbit hopscotch rug ($344.95).

Hop, skip and play with the OYOY Rabbit Hopscotch Rug, a whimsical world underfoot, inviting little ones to jump for joy. Soft and stylish this rug might just be perfect in any playroom for any adventure.

Ice ice baby

Sunnylife ice cream van inflatable cubby ($129.99).

Your little one will have the coolest play spot on the block with this Inflatable Ice Cream Van. Where inflatable fun meets sweet imagination, the van can be used indoors and outdoors, creating the ultimate summertime paradise.

Cozy friends

Sage + clare cushions ($99).

A cuddly companion that adds whimsy to any space, Joey Carrot, Judie Bear and CeeCee Strawberry are ready for snuggle time. With their playful designs and pops of colour, Joey, Judie and Ceecee give the most perfect cuddles for little dreamers.

Part of their world

The neon mermaid straight ponytails ($35.95).

The Neon Mermaid Straight Ponytail will have your little mermaid diving into the sea with dazzling hair of shimmer and colour. Easy to tie in and reuse again and again, these ponytails will be sure to give a splash of magic.

Let the pony tales begin

Maileg design pony and unicorn soft toys (from $63.95).

Saddle up with the Maileg Design Pony or Unicorn Soft Toy. While the Unicorn comes with a leash so she doesn’t fly away, the Pony is made from a beautiful corduroy with a saddle on its back. These huggable friends are crafted with love and ready for imaginative play.

Curious Columbus Fabric Activity Books (from $34.95)

Unwrap the world of learning with Curious Columbus Fabric Activity Books. Bursting with ten soft, interactive pages and more accessories, these best-selling books are perfect for tiny hands and curious minds. Let the adventures in reading begin!

Buzzing beauty

Honeysticks ultimate activity pack ($99.99).

Lovingly made in New Zealand using 100% natural, food-grade ingredients, this exciting pack includes crayons, bath drops, watercolours and a colouring book. Crayons are easy to grip and difficult to snap, and everything is easily cleaned too.

Puzzle parade

Journey of something 24-piece puzzle ($25).

Cuteness meets the Aussie bush in the May Gibbs x Kasey Rainbow collab. With 24 pieces of pure kid delight, it’s a nostalgic Aussie treat in a sweet magnetic box. Unbox the charm and let the cuteness unfold!

Flexi track

Waytoplay flexi car track (from $19.50).

Perfect for little rev-heads, Waytoplay offers a whole world of imaginative play. Kids can build their own roads, highways, streets and intersections with this flexible (and waterproof!) rubber road that consists of super easy-to-connect road parts.

Mechanic in the making

Plan toys motor mechanic playset ($ 319 ).

A fantastic toy for developing those all-important motor skills (pardon the pun), this spectacular wooden set has all the bells and whistles you’d expect on any ‘normal’ car. There’s a steering wheel, adjustable side mirrors, car keys, lights and more. Plus tiny mechanics are given all the tools to tinker with too.

Snazzy scenes

Janod magnetibooks ($42.95).

Kids can create all sorts of faces using these magnetic book sets from Janod. They come with 30 magnetic pieces and 10 instruction cards but they can mix and match to create their own designs. Storage and playset in one, this makes a great travel toy.

Know a toy suitable for a 4 year old we should add to our list? Contact us  and let us know, we’ve been curating Australia’s best baby products into helpful lists for over 15 years and we’re always happy to support new brands and businesses.

Find more great gifts for kids!

We’ve collected a treasure trove of amazing gift ideas, from the latest baby toys from leading brands to quirky boutique finds. There’s something for every little Ava, Issac and Sophie.

Gifts for kids are based on play and development, not gender.

  • Toys for 3 month-olds
  • Toys for 6-12 month-olds
  • Toys for 1 year olds
  • Toys for 18 month olds
  • Toys for 2 year olds
  • Toys for 3 year olds
  • Toys for 5 year olds
  • Toys for 6+ year olds

Become a Grapeviner mum by joining one of our private Facebook Kids Groups and meet thousands of other Australian mums with kids the same age as yours all recommending their favourite products and unearthing hidden children’s shops. And you can too!

We want you to know

At Mum’s Grapevine, we’re a team of passionate mums (with 19 kids!) and over 15 years of experience researching and writing about all things baby and parenting. Our reviews of recommended products, like the ones in this post, may include paid inclusions, but we promise to only feature products that we truly believe in and have used or seen ourselves. We want to ensure that you, our Grapeviner mums have access to the latest and greatest products in the parenting world, and we’re committed to maintaining our high standards of quality and honesty. See our Disclosure Policy .

Thank you for trusting us to be your go-to source for all things baby-related.

Related Posts

Bubble buddies: 10 bath dolls mums recommend, smart sparks: top 26 toys for 5-year-olds, little humans: top 28 toys for 6+ year olds, 16 money boxes mums are recommending.

35 Best Gifts for 9-Year-Olds

They'll love these educational, outdoorsy and fun toys!

uncommon goods' light up tees and the lego creator pirate ship are two good housekeeping picks for best gifts for 9 year olds

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

It's not just board games that work well as gifts for 9-year-old girls or gifts for 9-year-old boys . The Good Housekeeping Institute surveys the opinions of kids each year, calling in the newest and hottest toys and sending them out to real families to be tested. The experts simultaneously evaluate the same items to ensure safety and quality. After everyone's opinions were factored in, these rose to the top as the best toys and gifts for 9-year-olds in 2024.

LEGO Minecraft Axolotl House

Minecraft Axolotl House

LEGO, Minecraft, axolotls — this is all 9-year-olds' favorite things rolled into one gift. The set is less than 300 pieces, so it isn't too much of a challenge, and it comes with a bunch of figures, including an underwater explorer, a drowned zombie, a dolphin, a puffer fish and, of course, multiple axolotls. Ages 7+

Adopt Me! Surprise Plush

Adopt Me! Surprise Plush

You'll never know what type of five-inch, plush animal you'll find inside these Adopt Me! eggs, and there are 12 to collect in all. And, even better for Roblox fans, each one comes with a digital code that unlocks a virtual item in the Roblox universe. Ages 6+

Make It Real Mini Pottery Studio

Mini Pottery Studio

Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the little mini pieces of decor they could make with this kit. It helps kids progress through their skills: First they use a dome over the wheel and use template to make their designs, and as they get better they can remove the dome and do their own creations freestyle. Ages 8+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

Kanoodle 3D

Kanoodle 3D

Everyone — from elementary schoolers to teens and college kids to even parents and grandparents — can find themselves obsessing over the puzzles in Kanoodle 3D. So it's no wonder that the game is a TikTok sensation, with lots of players posting their #KanoodleChallenge. To play, challenge cards will start a 2D pattern or a 3D shape, and kids have to figure out how to fit in the rest of their pieces using their logic and spatial reasoning. Ages 7+

DIY Squishies

DIY Squishies

What's better than getting a pack of new squishies? Getting to color in the squishies yourself! This comes with 10 cream-scented squishies that can be colored in and painted in however they like (though the paint and brushes are not included). They can make a one-of-a-kind creation! Ages 4+

'What I Love about Being Your Mom' Journal

'What I Love about Being Your Mom' Journal

Sometimes, it's hard to put into words just how much you love your 9-year-old. This journal makes it easy, with fill-in-the-blank prompts that say things like, "Every year on your birthday, I think about ______." When you finish, they'll have a one-of-a-kind gift that'll make them feel special. No age recommendation given

Force1 Scoot Hand-Operated Drone

Scoot Hand-Operated Drone

There's no remote for this drone — it's all done by hand controls. She just has to toss it in the air and it'll hover above her hands. Soon, she'll be able to master tricks and flips. Ages 8+

RELATED: The Best Drones for Kids

'LOL 101: A Kid's Guide to Writing Jokes' Book

'LOL 101: A Kid's Guide to Writing Jokes' Book

We all know kids love telling a good joke , now it's time to get them to start writing some jokes of their own. This book leads them through different ways to come up with a joke — like seeing what happens when you replace "crack" with "quack" in words like "nuctracker" and "firecracker" — and gets them thinking about things like puns and joke structures. There's even tips about performing. “My daughter would read the book, then tell me jokes from it and we would work on our own together using the prompts," one Good Housekeeping Institute parent reviewer said. Ages 7+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

GlowCity Light-Up Soccer Ball

Light-Up Soccer Ball

Now they can practice their penalty kicks even after the sun goes down. LEDs keep this soccer ball illuminated so it's easy to see at night, and if soccer isn't their sport, you can get a football , basketball , tetherball or volleyball , among others. No age recommendation given

Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera

Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera

Let them have a hand in capturing family memories with this camera, which instantly produces 2" by 2.5" photos. This set comes with extra film (which is great because each one only offers 10 exposures), plus a carrying case, but you can get just the camera for less money. No age recommendation given

Piranha Plant Slippers

Piranha Plant Slippers

Any Super Mario Bros. fan will instantly recognize the Piranha Plant design of these plushes — but that's not all they are. Pull them out of the "pipe," and they turn into a pair of fluffy slippers — a power-up if we've ever seen one! (Note: They run a little large.) No age recommendation given

RELATED: The Best Gifts for Gamers

Butterfly Craze Floor Pillow Bed Lounger

Floor Pillow Bed Lounger

Whether they want a comfy place to read or are thinking of heading out to a sleepover, this just needs to be stuffed with regular bed pillows to transform into a comfy lounger. It comes in lots of patterns, including polka dots of all colors, navy stars , black-and-white checks and an outer space pattern . No age recommendation given

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Bowser with Fire Breathing Effects

Bowser with Fire Breathing Effects

If they are still flying high from the Super Mario Bros. movie, surprise them with this action figure that, when activated, has smoke coming out of his mouth! No wonder this walked away with a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award. Ages 3+

What Do You Meme? Family Edition Game

What Do You Meme? Family Edition Game

The contest is on to see who can create the funniest meme by combining photos and caption cards. Rotating judges award points to the players, so it also helps if you know what makes your family laugh! Ages 8+

Capture the Flag Redux

 Capture the Flag Redux

Take the classic, camp game and give it a techie twist that lets them play after dark. Now, the "flags" are replaced with glowing orbs in team colors, and teams are identified with light-up bracelets. There are enough bracelets for eight players, but you can add more with an expansion set . Ages 8+

The Challenging Riddle Book For Kids

The Challenging Riddle Book For Kids

Kids need to use their problem-solving abilities and creative-thinking skills to get through these 200 riddles . The book includes new puzzles along with famed historical ones, like the Riddle of the Sphinx, and if kids get stuck there are hints to help them. Ages 9+

Pokémon Twilight Masquerade Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon Twilight Masquerade Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet players will be excited to open a card that has their favorite character from The Teal Mask, Ogerpon, in the form of a full-art foil promo card. In addition, kids who actually play the trading card game will appreciate the card sleeves, energy cards, damage-counter dice and condition markers this set comes with. Ages 6+

RELATED: The Best Pokémon Gifts for Fans of All Ages

ThinkFun Freefall

Freefall

Take a marble run, a maze and a 3D puzzle, mix them all together, and you have Freefall. Cups are attached to a standing frame to start the maze, and players have to figure out how to flip and move the cups so the marble drops into the target. It takes lots of critical thinking skills and logic to sort it out! Ages 8+

Sleeping Kirby Plush

Sleeping Kirby Plush

Even non-Nintendo fans can see that this Kirby plush is just super adorable. (And might inspire them to actually get a good night's sleep?) There's also a Heart Kirby , a Warp Star Kirby and, of course, a Waddle Dee if they want to start a collection. Ages 3+

Moon Lamp

This night light isn't just a cool lighting effect — it's 3D printed to look like the surface of the moon , giving their rooms spacey vibes . It also lights up in 16 different colors and comes in four different sizes. No age recommendation given

Headshot of Marisa LaScala

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Children's Items & Toys

best beach wagons

The Best Baby Foods

best gifts and toys for 10 year old boys, including a giant soccer ball and spirograph doodle pages

The Best Toys and Gifts for 10-Year-Old Boys

the diy mochi ice cream kit and the taco cat goat cheese pizza card game are two good housekeeping picks for best gifts for 10 year old girls

The Best Toys and Gifts for 10-Year-Old Girls

the hanging pod chair and the elenco snap circuits are two good housekeeping picks for best gifts for 10 year olds

The Best Gifts for 10-Year-Olds in 2024

air hogs zero gravity laser racer and brainbolt

The Best Toys and Gifts for 9-Year-Old Boys

text

The Best Toys & Gifts for 9-Year-Old Girls in 2024

toys for 8 year old boys

The Best Toys and Gifts for 8-Year-Old Boys

3d printed toys and mini brands foods

The Best Gifts and Toys for 8-Year-Old Girls

workman's reverse coloring book and thinkfun's gravity maze are two good housekeeping picks for best gifts for 12 year olds

The Best Gifts for 12-Year-Olds

best baby bassinets

The Best Baby Bassinets

snap circuits and hanna andersson spider man hoodies are two good housekeeping picks for best toys and gifts for 8 year olds

The Best Toys and Gifts for 8-Year-Olds

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  • Toys & Games
  • Baby & Toddler Toys

Amazon prime logo

Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

  • Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
  • Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
  • Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
  • A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
  • Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
  • Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important:  Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Return this item for free

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

  • Go to your orders and start the return
  • Select your preferred free shipping option
  • Drop off and leave!

black leaf

This item has been tested to certify it can ship safely in its original box or bag to avoid unnecessary packaging. Since 2015, we have reduced the weight of outbound packaging per shipment by 41% on average, that’s over 2 million tons of packaging material.

Add other items:

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Image Unavailable

Fill N&#39; Splash Submarine Bath Toy - Bath Toys for Toddlers 1-3 - 4 - 5 Years Old Bath Tub Toys for Boys &amp; Girls - Toddler Bath Toys - Bathtub Toys - Baby Bath Toys - Perfect for Toddler Bath

  • To view this video download Flash Player

Fill N' Splash Submarine Bath Toy - Bath Toys for Toddlers 1-3 - 4 - 5 Years Old Bath Tub Toys for Boys & Girls - Toddler Bath Toys - Bathtub Toys - Baby Bath Toys - Perfect for Toddler Bath

Purchase options and add-ons.

  • Fun Kids Bath Toy: Kids 1-5 will love this awesome submarine toy. Using yellow cup, fill toy submarine with water, add floating balls, & push the orange button to flush into the tub.
  • Fun Bath Toy: Stimulating bathtime fun for kids 1-5. Hours of engaging, interactive, & educational delight. Encourages independent play, experimentation, hand-eye coordination, teaches cause and effect, & more!
  • Works Anywhere: Perfect for most tubs and showers. Easy to clean and dry. Mold free bath toys from Inspiration Play.
  • Award-Winning Mom-Invented Toy: Perfect bath time toys for ages 18 months to 5 years old. No assembly or batteries required. Fill N' Splash Submarine has both a utility and design patent..
  • Perfect Gift: Makes a great holiday or birthday gift for the baby, toddler, or preschooler in your life. Colorful, compact, & durable design.

Additional Details

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Similar item to consider

Amazon Basics Ferry Boat with 2 Mini Cars Bathtub Toy for Kids Ages 2 and Up, Blue, Small

Frequently bought together

Fill N' Splash Submarine Bath Toy - Bath Toys for Toddlers 1-3 - 4 - 5 Years Old Bath Tub Toys for Boys & Girls - Toddler Bat

Discover similar items

Material type free, top brands in toys & games.

Fill N' Splash Submarine Bath Toy - Bath Toys for Toddlers 1-3 - 4 - 5 Years Old Bath Tub Toys for Boys & Girls - Toddler Bath Toys - Bathtub Toys - Baby Bath Toys - Perfect for Toddler Bath

Top rated similar items

HITOP Kids Sprinklers for Outside, Splash Pad for Toddlers & Baby Pool 3-in-1 60" Water Toys Gifts for 1 2 3 4 5 Year Old Boy

Product information

Warranty & support, important information.

Fill the submarine with water using the included yellow cup, add some floating balls, ensure the submarine is at least half filled with water, and then push the orange button to flush it into the tub.

From the brand

games, mom-invented toys

Product Description

toddler bath toys

GIFT SHOPPING? Buy 2 of Our HOT Toys & Games and SAVE 10%! Use Code GIFTSPLAY10.

Videos for this product.

Video Widget Card

Click to play video

Video Widget Video Title Section

Customer Review: Brilliant! Makes bath time fun and educational

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Why this makes a great gift for a toddler

Fab Mama Finds I Mom of 2 ✅

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Customer Review: Mama doesn't have to rush in the shower now!

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Best bath toy!? Independent bath play-mom of 4 review&demo

Brandi Lynn Carr

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Watch before you buy!

Reviews by Laura

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Looking for specific info?

Customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the entertainment value and motor skills of the bath toy. They say it's a cute, fun toy that makes bath time fun and helps children learn fine motor skills and gross motor skills. They also like the ease of use, and appearance. However, some customers have reported issues with the button not working. Opinions are mixed on quality and suction.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the bath toy fun and interactive. They say it makes bath time fun and helps kids learn fine motor skills. Some customers also mention that the toy is simple enough but entertaining. Overall, most are satisfied with the entertainment value of the product.

"...No batteries needed. Doesn’t collect mold. Easy to maintain and fun to use for kids . . Good case and effect toy...." Read more

"Overall this toy is a fun/entertaining toy , but it definitely molds after a couple of months even with proper cleaning...." Read more

"Purchased this for our 3 yr old grandson. He LOVES it! Makes bath time fun !" Read more

"...Will update if anything else occurs!Worth the price and keeps them occupied rather then trying to climb out or have a dance party in the tub..." Read more

Customers like the motor skills of the toy. They say it helps them learn fine motor skills, gross motor skills and coordination. They also say it's an amazing way to keep their child engaged and having fun during bath time. Customers also mention that the idea of the product is wonderful and it teaches him steps to perform to get to the end result. They appreciate the concept and say it a great way to teach patience and perseverance.

"...He would spend hours in the tub if I would let him! It is a clever toy and boys and girls alike would love it...." Read more

"My 3 year old loves this bath toy! & momma loves it too bc it keeps my daughter occupied and she stays in the bath longer!..." Read more

" Great concept . My kid still loves it but the button doesn’t work. This is the second one with the same problem." Read more

"...Has helped her learn to pour water , and it is a good past time." Read more

Customers find the bath toy easy to use. They say it's simple, user friendly, and easy to clean and put together. Some say the concept is great for the little ones imagination. Overall, most recommend the product as a great gift.

"... It’s simple , yet requires thinking skills and is so cool to watch him figure it out...." Read more

"...It's a simple yet genius idea . Highly recommended." Read more

"This is such a cool, deceptively simple toy ! My toddler lives this...." Read more

"...It’s great quality and the simplicity is great for the little ones imagination...." Read more

Customers find the bath toy cute, well-designed, and simple. They also say it's brightly colored and comes with a cute little post card from the family behind the invention.

"...I personally think it's cute , but due to the excellent customer service, I'll be shopping this brands toys more often...." Read more

" Super cute toy , my kids love pouring from the cup & putting the balls in!..." Read more

" Pretty nifty little bath toy . The one I bought was actually defective but customer service was great and replaced with one that works!" Read more

"...Not just some thin plastic that'll wear down over time. Very slick and I like the size. That matters in my opinion LOL...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the quality of the bath toy. Some mention that it feels like a high quality toy and has sturdy suction cups. However, others say that it stopped working at all and was disappointed in its functionality.

"...Doesn’t collect mold. Easy to maintain and fun to use for kids. . Good case and effect toy. Excellent customer service from toy maker...." Read more

"...The button is supposed to let it flow out but nine doesn't work ...." Read more

"...They're pretty sturdy suction cups . I definitely got my money's worth the past 2 years." Read more

"...Other than that, it works great and my son loves pouring water in and watching the balls fly out" Read more

Customers are mixed about the suction of the bath toy. Some mention that the sucker cups stick well to the side of the tub and doesn't slip, while others say that the suck is not as strong as they would like, and the chute would no longer stick to the wall after about a month.

"This bath toy has stood the test of time. The suction is amazing and my son hasn’t gotten bored with it. Would love another product from this brand!" Read more

"...if you remove it and try to give the thing a good scrub, it doesn't really come off ...." Read more

"...The suction power on the cups is excellent ." Read more

"...That's my only complaint. Other than that, it's got great suction . It's a great quality product, obviously not cheaply made. The balls are awesome...." Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the button of the bath toy. They say it didn't work upon arrival, stopped working after a month, and no longer opens the toy up. Some customers also mention that the button that releases the balls stopped working.

"I purchased this awhile ago for my son and recently the button stopped working ...." Read more

"...for the door that the balls drop from when you press the bottom button stopped working . I'm guessing the magnet somehow dislodged from its position...." Read more

"...The orange release button does not work at all. I will be returning and ordering again to give it another shot." Read more

"Great concept. My kid still loves it but the button doesn’t work . This is the second one with the same problem." Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the release button of the bath toy. They say that it does not open to release the balls. Some customers also mention that the bottom piece does not have to be pulled open manually.

"...have a nice weight to them and I find that even so the release button doesn’t quite work unless you put all 3 balls in the chamber AND fill it with..." Read more

"...Only gave three stars because the button doesn’t open the latch , whether one or all of the balls in & water filled to the top...." Read more

"...bath water can only be filled up to bottom of toy otherwise the shoot will not open . Good fun toy though" Read more

"...but after a month, that too started to weaken with it staying closed less and less ... and now it doesn't close at all- the toy has been rendered..." Read more

Reviews with images

Customer Image

  • Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

Top reviews from other countries

gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  • Amazon Newsletter
  • About Amazon
  • Accessibility
  • Sustainability
  • Press Center
  • Investor Relations
  • Amazon Devices
  • Amazon Science
  • Sell on Amazon
  • Sell apps on Amazon
  • Supply to Amazon
  • Protect & Build Your Brand
  • Become an Affiliate
  • Become a Delivery Driver
  • Start a Package Delivery Business
  • Advertise Your Products
  • Self-Publish with Us
  • Become an Amazon Hub Partner
  • › See More Ways to Make Money
  • Amazon Visa
  • Amazon Store Card
  • Amazon Secured Card
  • Amazon Business Card
  • Shop with Points
  • Credit Card Marketplace
  • Reload Your Balance
  • Amazon Currency Converter
  • Your Account
  • Your Orders
  • Shipping Rates & Policies
  • Amazon Prime
  • Returns & Replacements
  • Manage Your Content and Devices
  • Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Notice
  • Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices

IMAGES

  1. Best Gifts For A 4-Year-Old Boy

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  2. Best Toys for 4 Year Old Boys

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  3. 25 Best Toys & Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys (2020 Best Picks)

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  4. 55 Popular Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys (2022 Ideas)

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  5. Gifts 4 Year Old Boys

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

  6. Beautiful 10 Precious Birthday Present Ideas for 4 Year Old Boy Photos

    gifts for 4 year old boy educational

VIDEO

  1. WHAT WE GOT THE KIDS FOR CHRISTMAS

  2. SAY NO TO JUNKY CHRISTMAS GIFTS! 🎁 || What We Got Our 1, 4, & 6 Year Old Daughters for Christmas

  3. What I Got my Kids for Christmas

COMMENTS

  1. 35 Best Toys and Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys 2024

    Glow-in-the-Dark Set. $27 at Amazon $28 at Walmart $32 at Wayfair. Credit: Magna-Tiles. With this set of magnetic tiles, any 4-year-old kid can spark creativity and build shapes with the pieces ...

  2. The 33 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

    The 30 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds. We've added Hape dollhouse accessories, the Zelus 8-foot Gymnastics Balance Beam, the REI Co-op Tarn 12 Pack, and 1000+ Stickers for Kids to this guide. Many 4 ...

  3. Best Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys 2024

    The Best Building Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys: Hape Wooden Marble Run, Ludilo Construction Toys, Picasso Tiles Race Track, LEGO Duplo Town Cargo Train Set. The Best Games And Puzzles For 4-Year-Old ...

  4. 50 Best Gifts and Toys for 4 Year Old Boys (That They'll Love)

    Best Books for 4-and 5-Year Olds. The Best Educational Games for Preschoolers. Activity Books for Preschoolers Ages 3 - 5. Gifts and Toys for 4 Year Old Boys. Razor Kick Scooter Junior Scooters build up balance and gross motor skills but kids don't know that- they just think they're awesome.

  5. Amazon.com: Educational Gifts For 4 Year Old Boys

    Educational Toys for 3 4 5 Year Old Boys Gift, Matching Letter Game Preschool ABC Learning Toys for Kids Ages 4-8 Years, Christmas Birthday Gifts for 3-6 Year Old Boys Toddler Toys Age 2-4. 2,599. 800+ bought in past month. $1699.

  6. Best Gifts for 4-Year-Old Kids That Are the Most Popular of 2023

    Slime is so yesterday; 2023 is all about sand. This STEM-approved play sand kit comes with three colors and several molds. It never dries out, so kids can use it year after year. $7 at Amazon. Credit: Crayola. You can't miss with glitter glue, one of the most coveted items in any four-year-old's art supply area.

  7. 42 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys in 2024

    Now 39% Off. $21 at Amazon $50 at Walmart $35 at LEGO. This set of almost 500 Lego bricks is the perfect foundation (heh) for your child's career as a master builder. With the traditional pieces in 35 different colors, as well as eyes, windows, wheels, and more, your boy can spend hours creating, innovating, and playing.

  8. 26 Super Spectacular Gifts For 4-Year-Old Boys

    Pool Water Gun (6-pack) This 6-pack of pool floaty water guns makes an excellent gift for that summer BBQ or birthday party! Summer is approaching, which means fun in the sun and water fights! Children agree this is one of the best toys for a 4-year-old boy. It could also be used at bath time - if you're game.

  9. 30+ Best Gifts and Toys for 4 Year Old Boys (in 2024)

    This is an awesome first Ukulele for boys! Four year old boys love Spidey and His Amazing Friends as well as guitars. This toys combines the two into a super fun and interactive musical instrument that makes learning to play music easy and fun. It's a 20-inch soprano uke, which is the perfect ukulele for beginners.

  10. 225 Gifts for 4 year olds 2024

    under $100. under $150. sort/filter. 1 - 120 (of 225 items) Discover memorable and educational gifts for 4 year olds that spark joy and imagination at Uncommon Goods. Find the best gifts for 4 year olds. Encourage learning with puzzles, books, and enriching toys that spur creativity and exploration. Find the best gifts for 4 year olds.

  11. A Teacher's Guide to 10 Must-Have Educational Toys for 4-Year-Olds

    Buy on Amazon. Here's some info on why puzzles are important for development. 3. Pegboards. Pegboards are one of the best activities to target fine motor skills. You can buy bigger pegs for toddlers but 4-year-olds should be able to handle the standard small pegs.

  12. Amazon.com: Educational Toys For 4 Year Olds

    Spelling Matching Letter Games, Educational Learning Toys for Toddlers 2, 3, 4 Years Old, Preschool Learning Toys Activities, Alphabet Montessori Toys for 2,3,4 Year Old Boys, Girls. 1,245. 1K+ bought in past month. $999. List: $17.99.

  13. The Best 12 Toys and Gift Ideas For a 4-Year-Old in 2023

    Fat Brain Teeter Popper ($45) Banish cabin fever with a Teeter Popper. One of the most popular Fat Brain toys for 4-year-olds, the Teeter Popper allows kids to wiggle, sit, stand, tilt, spin, and ...

  14. Amazon.com: Toys For 4-5 Year Old Boys Educational

    Educational Toys for 3 4 5 Year Old Boys Gift, Matching Letter Game Preschool ABC Learning Toys for Kids Ages 4-8 Years, Christmas Birthday Gifts for 3-6 Year Old Boys Toddler Toys Age 2-4. 2,697. 800+ bought in past month. $1699.

  15. Best Gifts For A 4-Year-Old Boy

    That said, our fun finds — including musical toys, learning toys, smartwatches, magnetic building tiles, fun puzzles, kids bikes, playhouse, kids binoculars set — are sure to be the best gift for a 4-year-old boy! So read on and find the best gift ideas for that special 4-year-old boy on your gift list. 12 Best Gifts & Toys For Boys Age 4

  16. Toys For 4 Year Olds

    My Account. [email protected]. 9am - 5pm. Home//Toys for 4 year olds. Toys for 4 year olds. Learning and Educational Toys for 4 Year Olds. With over 20 years in the industry, BrightMinds offers an extensive collection of educational toys for 4 year olds. Find the best toys and gifts and enjoy free UK delivery when you spend £50 or more.

  17. 39 Best Toys for 4 Year Olds in Australia

    TikkTokk Little Boss 4-in-1 Easel ($112.99) A state-of-the-art upgrade on the classic easel we all adore, children will love to draw, write and paint with ease using the Little Boss 4-in-1 Easel. The magnetic chalkboard, whiteboard and clipboard mean there are endless choices for budding little artists.

  18. Amazon.com: Learning Gifts For 4 Year Old Boys

    Amazon.com: learning gifts for 4 year old boys. Skip to main content.us ...

  19. Amazon.com: Learning & Education Toys

    Doctor Jupiter My First Science Kit for Kids Ages 4-5-6-7-8| Birthday Gift Ideas for 4-8 Year Old Boys & Girls| Toy Stem Kit with 100+ Experiments| Learning & Educational, Preschool Activities 4.6 out of 5 stars

  20. 35 Best Gifts for 9-Year-Olds in 2024, Including Cool Toys

    Credit: LEGO. LEGO, Minecraft, axolotls — this is all 9-year-olds' favorite things rolled into one gift. The set is less than 300 pieces, so it isn't too much of a challenge, and it comes with a ...

  21. Amazon.com: Educational Gifts For Kids

    Magnet Toys for 3 Year Old Boys & Girls, Montessori Toys for Toddlers Kids, Magnetic Blocks Building DIY Learning Educational Toys Gift- Starter Set. 336. 2K+ bought in past month. $3399. List: $42.99. Save 40% with coupon. FREE delivery Sun, May 12 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon. Or fastest delivery Sat, May 11.

  22. Amazon.com: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Dinosaur Dig Kit

    Easter Dig a Dozen Dino Egg Dig Kit for Kids - Dinosaur Toys Gift 3-12 Year Old - 12 Eggs & Surprise Dinosaurs - Science STEM Activities - Educational Boy Toy Party Gifts for Boys & Girls Ages 4.7 out of 5 stars 16,971

  23. Amazon.com: Search and Find Card for Kids Ages 4-6,3-8, Reusable

    Search and Find Card for Kids Ages 4-6,3-8, Reusable Activity Mats with 4 Dry Erase Markers, Preschool Learning Activity, Educational Toys Gifts for 3+ Year Old Brand: Duchong 5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 1 rating

  24. 40PCS Wooden Stacking Rocks Toys, Montessori Toys for 1 2 3 year old

    Dreampark Montessori Educational Toddler Toys: Montessori Toys for 1 2 3 Years Old Boys Girls Birthday Gifts, Toddlers Toys Ages 1-2 Wooden Stack and Sort Geometric Board Blocks Toys for Kids Baby 4.6 out of 5 stars 4,554

  25. Fill N' Splash Submarine Bath Toy

    Amazon.com: Fill N' Splash Submarine Bath Toy - Bath Toys for Toddlers 1-3 - 4 - 5 Years Old Bath Tub Toys for Boys & Girls - Toddler Bath Toys - Bathtub Toys - Baby Bath Toys - Perfect for Toddler Bath : Toys & Games