If you’re looking for a birthday, Christmas, or just-because gifts for 4 year olds, you’re in the right place. Age 4 is one of the most fun because kids this age are beginning to explore the world around them and understand how things work. There are lots of fun toys to help encourage their new skills.
We’ve rounded up some of our favorite toys for 4-year-olds. We’ve listed toys for all sorts of tastes and many different types of play. You’re sure to find the perfect gift to please your favorite 4-year-old.
Whether you need the perfect gift for an upcoming birthday, holiday, or just to show you love them, we have gift ideas for everyone. From toys to educational subscriptions and books, our top picks for 4-year-olds below are sure to be crowd-pleasers.
The Best Gift Ideas for 4-Year-Olds for 2023
1. Stomp Rocket Jr.
Stomp rockets tick all the boxes for 4-year-olds. It’s exciting to jump on the launcher and watch a rocket soar high into the sky. It builds gross motor skills, gets kids outside and moving around, and is also a great STEM toy. You can teach your kid several physics lessons while they play.
2. Spiro Spin Cyclone Garden Seesaw
Any active 4-year-old will love this awesome teeter-totter. It goes up and down like a traditional seesaw, but it also spins on small wheels under the seats. Kids will get a thrill of going fast until they get dizzy.
It’s great for building gross motor skills and won the LBP Award in 2018.
3. Thomas & Friends Bridge Lift Thomas & Skiff
Thomas the Tank Engine is a popular character with 4-year-olds, especially those who love trains. This fun set comes with a motorized Thomas that can pull the boat Skiff. Kids can build the set and then lift the bridge as Thomas and Skiff come around. The plastic track works with other plastic tracks in the series.
4. Crate&Kids Wooden Toy Workbench
Many 4-year-olds are itching to try out real tools. This stunning wooden workbench from Crate&Kids is gorgeous enough that you’ll want to display it in the living room. It comes with a hammer, screwdriver, nails, screws, bolts, and more. Everything is perfectly sized for your kiddo and is an excellent toy for building motor skills.
5. Dylan’s Candy Bar Gift Certificate
If your 4-year-old has a sweet tooth, a gift certificate to Dylan’s Candy Bar will be a favorite gift. Most 4-year-olds dream of going into a candy store and choosing whatever they want. If you don’t have a Dylan’s Candy Bar near you, they have an online store that’s just as fun.
6. Rosie Revere, Engineer
There are so many great books for 4-year-olds, but one of our favorites is Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. Rosie is a little girl who loves to build amazing contraptions, but she’s too afraid to share them.
Rosie eventually gets help from her aunt, another famous Rosie (the Riveter), and shares her inventions. The book is part of a series if you’d like to gift the whole set.
7. Fathead Wall Stickers
If you’re trying to avoid toys, Fathead wall stickers are a great way to give your kid their favorite characters in a fun way. You can get stickers with a variety of characters, including Barbie, Star Wars, Disney Princess, Superheroes, and more. Whatever your kid likes, they’re sure to have it.
8. Crocs’ Fun Lab Paw Patrol Clog
Gifting a 4-year-old with something as practical as clothing can be tricky, but if you want to give them something they can use and will love, these Paw Patrol Crocs are awesome. Little kids will love showing off their favorite pups on shoes that are comfy and easy for this age. They come in pink and blue.
9. LEGO Disney Ariel’s Celebration Boat
For kids who love LEGO, four is a great age. They can move out of DUPLO and onto more mature LEGO sets, which start at ages four and up. Ariel’s Celebration Boat is a particularly fun set. It contains three smaller scenes, making it easier to build for kids who are new to LEGO. It also features beloved characters Ariel, Eric, Sebastian, and Flounder.
10. ABCMouse Subscription
For 4-year-olds who enjoy getting on their tablet or computer, an ABCMouse subscription is a great way for them to learn while getting online. ABCMouse uses interactive games and videos to teach kids essential skills like reading, math, science, art, and colors.
Some kids learn to read while using the program, and others develop early math skills. This subscription can offer extra support for their preschool studies or give them a headstart to starting school.
11. Koala Crate Subscription from KiwiCo
KiwiCo offers monthly subscription boxes with learning activities for kids of all ages. The Koala Crate is geared toward kids between two and four, but they have other boxes if your kid is ready for something more advanced.
Each Koala Crate is centered around a theme like the ocean, doctor visits, or rainbows. Kids do activities, experiments, and artwork all centered around the monthly theme.
12. LEGO Large Creative Gift Box
LEGO Creative boxes offer a multitude of options for open-ended play. This box comes with 790 pieces in a variety of colors and shapes. Kids can build anything from vehicles to houses to animals – or anything their imagination can think of.
13. Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter
Most kids love to play restaurant. This Melissa & Doug Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter lets them have their own ice cream shop with a variety of flavors and toppings for their customers to choose from. It comes with a menu, play money, and a working ice cream scoop.
14. Zoo Crew Dominoes
By age four, most kids are excited to play games. This cute dominoes set is a perfect way to introduce them to the classic game in a way that’s easy to understand. It has two levels, beginner and advanced, so it grows with your child. The beginner version uses images, while the advanced one has the traditional dots.
15. Paw Patrol Adventure Bay Wooden Play Table
Calling all pups! Paw Patrol toys are among the hottest for preschool kids. This play table is the ultimate gift for the biggest Paw Patrol fans. It’s made of quality wood and comes with all of the pups and their vehicles. It also features the Lookout Tower. Everything moves for multiple configurations.
16. TotSports Easy Score Basketball Set
Sometimes, classic toys make the best gifts. Little athletes will love this basketball set, and they’ll feel like they’re in the NBA. It comes with a basketball. The adjustable height allows it to grow with your child for several years of play.
17. Baby Alive Lulu Achoo
Baby Alive is always coming out with innovative dolls that give kids a fully interactive experience. Their newest doll, Lulu Achoo, gives young mommies and daddies the chance to take care of a sick baby.
Lulu sneezes and gets a red forehead when she’s sick. The set comes with doctor equipment so your child can diagnose Lulu and give her the proper treatment.
18. Radio Flyer Lean ‘N Glide Scooter
Most 4-year-olds are on the move. They love ride-on toys, but many aren’t ready for a bike yet. This scooter is a great alternative and is one of our favorite gifts for 4-year-olds. It has three wheels to help them develop a sense of balance before moving on to a two-wheeler.
The scooter comes in red, blue, or purple. The wheels light up when it rolls. Your 4-year-old will get a kick out of it. The lean ‘n glide feature makes it easier for kids to steer.
19. Amazon Fire Kids Tablet
If your 4-year-old has been begging for their own tablet (and if you’re tired of handing over your phone), the Amazon Fire Kids Tablet is a great option. It’s much more affordable than an iPad and comes with a durable case for bumps and drops.
You’ll get a year free of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which has books and shows your kids will love. There are plenty of kid-friendly apps available. You’ll have complete control of what your kid can and cannot see, and you can even set screen time limits.
20. Teeter Popper
Does your 4-year-old run wild through the house with boundless energy? Do they also love the fidget poppers that most kids are obsessed with? If your answer is yes, then the Teeter Popper is the ideal gift.
It’s a fun rocking seat that allows kids to get their wiggles out. The base is covered in poppers so kids get a satisfying pop sound each time they move.
21. Hey Clay – Animals
Hey Clay is more than an average can of playdough. This clay is high-quality and lets kids make some stunning sculptures. The set comes with 18 cans in lots of colors. It also includes a link to an app that shows kids step-by-step how to make six different animal sculptures.
The app teaches kids basic clay techniques, like rolling and flattening. It dries when left out, so kids can save their creations. This kit is great for kids who want to make their own designs or those who need some guidance.
22. B.B. Hoopster
If you live somewhere that rains or snows for days on end and your kids get a little wild while stuck in the house, B.B. Hoopster may be a dream come true. This fun toy is a basketball hoop on motorized wheels. Kids chase B.B. Hoopster around with small balls, trying to get them in the hoop.
It has several different play modes, making it challenging for older kids. Since it keeps things unpredictable, kids are less likely to tire of it as quickly.
23. Solar System Floor Puzzle
Puzzles are a lot of fun for 4-year-olds, and kids this age are ready to move on to something a little more sophisticated than wooden shape puzzles. This solar system floor puzzle has 48 large pieces. It’s ideal for small hands and learning motor skills. Kids can also learn about the planets.
24. Polly Pocket Pollyville Grande Mall Galleria
Polly Pocket was a beloved toy in the early 1990s, and she’s been making a comeback in a big way. This mall set has six floors of endless fun and a parking garage with a ramp. The set includes two dolls and lots of accessories.
Your kid will enjoy taking Polly and her friends to the mall. They can ice skate, go shopping, try on clothes in the dressing room, take in a movie, hit up the food court, and more. This toy is great for imaginative play.
FAQs
Do you have questions about what to get that adorable 4-year-old? Finding the perfect age-appropriate toy for your child or a little one dear to your heart can be challenging. Luckily, we have all the answers for you below!
What Are the Best Learning Toys for 4-Year-Olds?
4-year olds are ready for all sorts of play, so almost any age-appropriate toy can be educational. Look for toys that teach academic skills like letters, numbers, shapes, colors, sorting, rhyming, and more.
Kids also need to work on fine- and gross-motor skills. Anything small that requires them to use their hands is excellent, along with larger toys that develop balance and strength. Toys that let them use their imaginations are also a big hit.
What Do 4-Year-Olds Like to Play?
While every child is different, most 4-year olds love to use their imaginations. They also enjoy toys that challenge them, such as a bike or scooter. Many are also into art or music.
What Is Open-Ended Play?
Open-ended play is a type of play where there are no expected outcomes. You give Kids a toy, and it’s up to them what to do with it. For example, kids can build whatever they want with blocks. Made-for-purpose toys have a more limited experience. There’s usually only one way to play with them.
The great thing about kids, though, is that they’re creative. They can often take made-for-purpose toys and use them in imaginative, unintended ways.