31 Best Toys & Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

Erin P.:  There are a number of different magnet toys out there that make wonderful gifts for 4 year olds. This one, though, is a favorite as it is very sturdy and the pieces are semi-transparent, allowing kids to build see-through houses, garages, and spaceships. The tiles are great at helping a child learn about spatial relationships and problem solving! They come with examples of different shapes and objects children can build.

Alexandra F.:  This marble run has been going strong in our family for years, and is always a favorite. It provides hours of entertainment for a wide range of ages, and is one of the first toys I suggest to our 4-year-old when we are playing together since I love building with it as much as he does! This set has held up really well over the years, is super easy to put together, and is my favorite among several different marble runs we've tried.

Kelly R:  The 3-wheel design of this scooter is perfect for younger kids who are still working on balance. No turning required - just lean the handles to steer.

Jaclyn Keifer:  My son is 5 and we love playing this together. I appreciate that this is a cooperative game and he’s learning that in this game, we work together to win!

Erin P.:  Melissa & Doug makes a lot of great costumes which come in handy on many a rainy or snowy day. It is great fun to see just how observant children truly are once they start playing doctor, police officer, fire chief or construction worker. These costumes are great gifts for 4 year olds with a big imagination.

Chrissy OGorman:  Perfect for the budding engineer in your family! Your child can create endless combinations of moving structures.

Vanessa M.:  Scoop up some fun with this adorable ice cream play set. This toy has been in our family for over a year and still gets played with almost daily! I love that it comes with two scoopers and two cones; this makes it a great toy for 4 year olds to share with a friend. Magnets inside the scooper and ice cream make it easy for little hands to assemble their ice cream cones. I'll take a double scoop, please!

Chrissy OGorman:  A great activity for when your child is ready to start learning how to read and spell simple 3 and 4 letter words.

Vanessa M.:  This is one of the best games for preschoolers (and their grownups) because it is easy to learn and each game plays quickly. The little squirrel and all the game pieces are also too cute for words! Spin to collect acorns, but watch out for Squirrel Storms that blow your acorns back to the tree, and also keep an eye out for that Sneaky Squirrel who likes to steal acorns!

Chrissy OGorman:  A great introduction to pogo sticks for your 4 year old. This can provide them with a great fun chance to work on their balance and eye-hand coordination. It can be used as an indoor or outdoor toy for hours of fun.

Tim Ponisciak:  These transportable goals are fun gifts for 4 year olds who are just getting started with the sport. There are different sizes depending on your child's ability level. They are also small enough to be used inside if you have a room safe from breakables!

Jennie Utsinger:  This gorgeous hand-carved rainbow offers endless play possibilities. It's one of those perfect versatile toys for 4 year olds, but delights kids of all ages - and grownups too! Balance the pieces on top of each other, create bridges for cars, rock your dolls, or practice your colors.

Kristy Pepping:  My 4 year old loves puzzles. The hard part about this age is that they are too old for the pieces that go back into a cut-out board, and they are too young for puzzles with tiny pieces. These Melissa & Doug puzzles are nice gifts for 4 year olds and perfect for this age group. They come with four puzzles that each contain 12 pieces. Kids can use the top of the box for constructing the puzzles. Choose from several different puzzle themes like construction, dinosaurs, princesses and more.

C. Wal:  Exploring the life cycle of the butterfly will be a fun science experiment that is not quickly forgotten. Note that live butterflies will need to be released into a mild climate outdoors, so this is not a year-round gift for areas that experience all seasons. The container and tools can be reused with additional purchases of new caterpillars.

Amanda Banta:  This game brings the story of the three little pigs to life, letting young kids problem-solve through a fun brain teasing puzzle. The game comes with multiple challenges, with the object being to place the houses around the pigs or to put the pigs inside the houses and safe from the big bad wolf. The game pieces are easy to hold and maneuver with little hands.

Now that my sons have had the game for a while, my 5-year-old will go off-book and create his own challenges and my 7-year-old also finds some fun in the harder challenges.