“Four-year-old children need plenty of opportunities to learn healthy social skills, like taking turns, accommodating other friends’ needs, and using kind words. They also need chances every day for fun physical activity as they learn how to perfect their hand-eye coordination and work with others on teams,” says Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, the author of “The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting Without Losing Yourself.” Choosing the right toy can be the missing piece in helping your 4-year-old meet developmental milestones, but it can be challenging since the perfect toy can look different between any two children. In our experience, these toys will be so fun that they won’t even realize that they are sharpening their essential skills. We reviewed toys for their safety, durability, ability to help reach educational milestones, and a variety of different interests. Engage their minds with the best educational toys for 4-year-olds on the market. Not to mention, this set will encourage open-ended play and engage young minds through math, science, creativity, and STEM exploration. They can build basic numbers, shapes, and letters, or get creative with 3D shapes, all while learning about magnetic principles, gravity, glow-in-the-dark properties, and more. Best of all, they can do this on their own or in group play, so they can help develop their social skills, too. Price at time of publication: $75 The camera has two modes of play, over 120 fun facts, and 120 quiz questions. For open-ended play, kids can remove the camera from the base and let their imaginations run wild. Price at time of publication: $70 Suitable alone or with a group, these versatile blocks can be stacked, lined up, built up, or combined with other toys, vehicles, or creatures for endless fun. Parent reviewers appreciate that the blocks all pack back into the box they came in. Price at time of publication: $28 A little luck and a little group strategy combine to make this a fun family game that’s great for younger kids. Parents praise how easy this game is to learn and get playing and appreciate the two levels of gameplay to challenge older kids or seasoned players. Price at time of publication: $18 For families looking for activity guidance, the kit also includes recipe cards for mystery goo, puffy paint, slime, and more. Reviewers praise this thoughtful toy, also noting all the items last through hundreds of trips through the dishwasher. Price at time of publication: $40 Parents love that wifi is not necessary to work this tangible toy that teaches subjects like letters, pre-drawing, and social-emotional skills. Geared toward kids 3 to 5 years old, if your child enjoys OSMO, there are add-on kits and other options as they age up. Price at time of publication: $80 Parent reviewers love that kids can play this game all on their own while practicing reading and having fun. If Zingo is a hit, there are lots of other versions including letters, numbers, words, and more. Price at time of publication: $22 With play, puzzle, and activity mode, the globe will keep curious kids busy. Parents praise this as engaging, educational, and exciting and could be a great option to see the world even as families are traveling less these days. Price at time of publication: $55 Not only is this set Montessori-inspired, it’s also budget-friendly and lightweight. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the visual learning method with the tiles and sticks. Also, toys for four-year-olds should not have sharp edges, should be safe to be put in their mouths (because it still happens on occasion), and doesn’t put them at risk of major injuries, such as falling from a high platform.
Educational Milestones
At four years old, kids’ cognitive and social development is in overdrive, and the right toys can really encourage that growth. “Four-year-old children need plenty of opportunities to learn healthy social skills, like taking turns, accommodating other friends’ needs, and using kind words,” says Dr. Casares, “They also need chances every day for fun physical activity as they learn how to perfect their hand-eye coordination and work with others on teams.” Here are some toy ideas to help support this development:
Interests
By this age, kids can usually communicate whether they do or do not like certain toys or activities, so it’s helpful to keep these interests in mind when shopping for educational toys since the only way for a child to benefit from these toys is by actually playing with them. In general, based on a four year old’s development “Activities like simple board games, pretend play with dolls, dress up, or roleplay, or introductory sports like soccer or t-ball work well for these kids,” says Dr. Casares. Additionally, four year olds often enjoy singing, dancing, and acting, according to the AAP, and can usually hop on one foot, do somersaults, swing, and climb, so any educational toy that incorporates any of these things is very likely to get played with.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year old daughter. Maya’s favorite toys for younger kids are easy to store, long-lasting, and can be played with by all three of her kids. For her crew, Magna-Tiles fit these criteria and are well-loved and frequently used in her house. Rather than focusing your efforts on shopping for toys that are marketed as educational, take a look at where your child should be developmentally and then look for toys that will support them as they master new milestones. For example, coloring with crayons in a coloring book is a great exercise for fine motor skill development while a blank sheet of paper and a pile of crayons gives a child the opportunity to use their imagination and get creative by drawing whatever they’d like, which is beneficial to cognitive development. Additional reporting by Ashely Ziegler
More Toys and Gifts for Kids
When it comes to toys and gifts for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top gift and toy picks for every age and stage here:
The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids The Best Newborn Baby Gifts The Best Unique Baby Gifts The Best Baby Gifts The Best Gifts for Baby Girls The Best Baby Boy Gifts The Best Infant Toys The Best Gifts for 2-Month-Olds The Best Gifts for 3-Month Olds The Best Toys for 4-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 5-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 6-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 7-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 8-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 9-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 10-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 12-Month-Olds The Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds The Best Toys for 15-Month-Olds The Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds The Best Educational Toys for 2-Year-Olds The Best Toys for 2-Year-Olds The Best Toys for 3-Year-Olds The Best Gifts for 3-Year-Old Girls The Best Toys for 3-Year-Old Boys The Best Gifts for 4-Year-Old Girls The Best Toys for 4-Year-Old Boys The Best Toys for 5-Year-Olds The Best Gifts for 5-Year-Old Girls The Best Gifts for 5-Year-Old Boys The Best Toys for 6-Year-Old Boys The Best Gifts for 6-Year-Old Boys The Best Toys for 6-Year-Olds The Best Toys for 7-Year-Olds The Best Gifts for 7-Year-Old Girls The Best Toys for 7-Year-Old Boys The Best Toys for 8-Year-Olds The Best Gifts for 8-Year-Old Boys The Best Toys for 9-Year-Olds The Best Toys for 10-year-Olds The Best Gifts for 10-Year-Old Girls The Best Gifts for 10-Year-Old Boys The Best Gifts for 12-year-old Boys The Best Gifts for Teens The Best Gifts for 14-Year-Old Boys The Black-Owned Gift Guide
