The best toys and gifts for four-year-olds, chosen by kids (and parents)
Whether it’s jigsaws, mud kitchens or electronic pets, four is a fun age to buy for. Here are 22 road-tested favourites
Four is a magical age. Children are on their way out of the “threenager” stage, growing in confidence and independence but still needing help and support from parents and friends.
Four was the age at which many seasoned parents told me that “things get a little easier”, and I’ve found this is slightly true now that my daughters are almost four and seven.
In my experience, it’s also when children start to enjoy activities that adults also enjoy. While I’ve spent many long hours role-playing schools, babies and cooking with my children, I definitely prefer joining them in a puzzle or game.
Most children are well out of the naps and nappies stage and are growing in physical confidence too, which may be on a bike, scooter or skates. They can also do a lot more independently or with their friends. The best gifts allow them to do this, such as puzzles, magnet sets or craft kits, along with those that encourage creativity and independence, such as a mud kitchen and electronic pets.
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How I selected
I’ve selected the best gifts for four-year-olds from my own experience with toys that have really lasted, and that my children keep going back to. But I also sourced more opinions, both from other parents and from several parenting experts.
My youngest daughter is three and a half, so some of her friends (aged three and four) also came to our house to try some of the toys included below.
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The best gifts and toys for four-year-olds
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Colour in the world
Packed with puzzles, colouring and stickers, this beautiful book comes from the world of Oliver Jeffers, who also wrote the bestselling book Lost and Found. That was a regular favourite with both my children, and this activity book is perfectly suited to small (and big) minds. A great gift if you’re looking for something a little different.
Here We Are Activity Book
£7.19 at the Guardian Bookshop £7.59 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Reach for the stars
If you know a child who loves space (and what child doesn’t?), this 100-piece jigsaw ticks all the right boxes. Once finished, it becomes a charming image of a teddy bear in space. Jigsaws are a great way to capture a child’s imagination, build concentration and focus, and a fun way to spend some time together. There’s a huge range of puzzles available at All Jigsaw Puzzles, and you can also turn your favourite photos into one (although be warned, these are harder to put together than you may think).
Teddy in Space 100-piece puzzle
£19.99 at the RangeSuitable for: 6+ for difficulty, but my four-year-old testers managed with a bit of help
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Time for walkies
Four is an age when many children begin to ask for a family pet. If that isn’t an option, you could go for an electronic one instead. This toy responds to touch and sound, which prompts sensitivity, care and compassion from its young owner. It’s also designed to mirror real dog behaviours, which might encourage your child to recognise the benefits of being responsible and engaged. Dr Candice O’Neil, psychologist
Interactive puppy toy
£13.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Rolling, rolling, rolling
Most four-year-olds have nailed riding a scooter, and some are likely to have a balance bike already, so roller skates are another fun option with wheels. If you buy skates that grow as their feet do, they’ll be able to use them for a few years. I’d highly recommend letting a child practice at home first, until they work out how to balance, and knee pads and wrist guards are a good idea to prevent too many injuries.
Kids four-wheel roller skates
£49.95 at DecathlonSuitable for: toddlers+
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Fun socks
My daughter has an amazing ability to lose one of every pair of socks she puts on her feet. That’s why socks are a great present for kids of this age, and the more recognisable and colourful the pattern, the better. Animal print, rainbows and stripes are current favourites in our house.
Safari fun 2-pack socks
£8 at Rockahula £8 at Not on the High StreetSuitable for: 3+
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Say cheese
This child’s camera is praised for its durability and engaging creative filters, which spark imagination skills in young children. Buying a camera for a child of this age also encourages the development of fine motor skills. This would be great for boys or girls for developing skills in autonomy, prompting independence and exploration. CO
KidsCam durable children’s camera
£29.95 at Smart Playground £39.95 at AmazonSuitable for: 4+
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Get crafty
Sequins, beads, stickers and, of course, googly eyes are always a hit with young children, and they’re all included in this craft kit. Possible creations are endless, with pompoms, pipe cleaners, ice-cream sticks and coloured felt and cardboard too. It’s the ideal rainy-day activity to keep a four-year-old entertained for a few hours.
Craft kit
£10 at Smyths ToysSuitable for: 3+
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Let’s make a den
Four-year-olds love making dens, whether that’s with cushions, bed sheets or, in our case, all the duvets in the house. To prevent you from having to wash all the props exposed to the elements outside, this great little den kit has a tarpaulin ground sheet and comes with a giant tent roof, pegs and even a wooden mallet. It’s the ideal way to make a den outside – and it comes in its own satchel so you can take it with you to the park too.
Pirate den kit
£65 at the Den Kit CompanySuitable for: 3+
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Pop-up Stitch
My kids are obsessed with Lilo and Stitch, and this Stitch-themed pop-up game was one of the favourites in testing. The kids loved waiting for the Stitch to erupt at the end, and it’s a good way for them to practise taking turns. It’s very easy to set up and play, and the game only lasts a few minutes before you can start it all over again.
Pop-up Stitch pirate game
£18 at Argos £12.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 4+
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Art attack
Arts and craft sets are a great gift for four-year-olds, allowing them to create anything from a simple drawing to an elaborate model. This 250-piece art set comes with everything an aspiring artist needs, including paints, pencils, pens, paintbrushes, stickers and crayons. Annette Kellow, parenting specialist
Chad Valley 250-piece super art set
£11 at Argos £16.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 4+
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Magna-Tiles castle
At four, children start getting more into peer play. This is when things such as cooperative board games and construction sets with shared tasks can come into their own. Our parent community recommended Magna-Tiles. These came out top in a survey we did to find out which toys actually get played with the most. Rachel Carrell, CEO of childcare company, Koru Kids
Magna-Tiles castle
£50 at Argos £47 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Swanning around
My children love the Story Orchestra books, especially Swan Lake, although there are lots of titles to choose from. The hardback books are great for reading to children, and they can press the buttons inside to hear a burst of music. These interactive books are entertaining, relaxing and enjoyable for children and adults alike.
The Story Orchestra: Swan Lake book
£16.99 at the Guardian Bookshop £13.29 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Smash‘n’bash
I’ve tried to avoid including too many loud toys in this guide, but this one proved really popular with the kids during testing. Probably because it’s loud, plastic and controlled by a remote (it was rammed into my legs several thousand times). If you’re looking for a bigger gift, this is a good choice, and it can keep kids entertained for a while. Top tip – when you’ve had enough of it, you could always “lose” the remote for a while.
Monster Jam Smash and Bash remote-controlled truck
£30 at the Entertainer £50 at ArgosSuitable for: 4+
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Knives for little hands
Rather than getting toy versions of adult things, consider getting safer, child-friendly versions that really do work. This chopping set, which allows children to cut food relatively safely, is a great example. It encourages food exploration, develops fine motor skills, and can also be used as part of pretend play (a cafe or restaurant). RC
Child-safe knife set
£16.95 at KindySuitable for: 18 months+
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The world is your oyster
We’ve had a Leapfrog globe since my eldest daughter was four, and it’s been a standout favourite toy for her, my youngest, and most of the children who come over to our house. It comes with an electronic pen, which your child can press on to the globe to be told some facts about the country selected. There is also a range of fun but challenging games to test their knowledge.
Leapfrog Magic Adventures globe
£80 at Argos £79.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+ (but my four-year-olds loved it)
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Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail
My little testers loved this jigsaw puzzle, as the pieces are a good size for their hands. They were excited to put it together as they could see all the Peter Rabbit characters, and it proved enough of a challenge without becoming frustratingly tricky.
The World of Peter Rabbit 50-piece jigsaw puzzle
£12 at John Lewis £9.59 at AmazonSuitable for: 4+
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Furry friends
I still have lots of Sylvanian Families toys from when I was a child, proving that they’re a long-lasting gift. There are now endless options, from houses and canal boats to bakeries and campervans. They’re great for four-year-olds as the options for playing are unlimited – with an adult, friends or by themselves. My children love all the small parts that come with each set, but as prices rise rapidly when you start buying the buildings, it’s a good idea to start with a small family of animals. Secondhand sites are a great hunting ground for buildings and vehicles.
Sylvanian Families snow leopard family
£25.99 at John Lewis £25.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Dinosaur attack
Four-year-olds want you nearby to join in or make sound effects if needed, and a great gift would be a simple but fun game they can play with others. This cooperative memory/matching game challenges players to help dinosaurs escape before a volcano in the middle of the board game “erupts”. Roma Norriss, a parenting attachment and nervous system specialist
Dinosaur Escape game
£15.26 at the Kid Collective £19.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 4+
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Sleep in style
You can never go wrong with a good pair of pyjamas, and some of my favourites are from Their Nibs. They come in a range of colourful patterns, and you can choose from designs such as owls, hummingbirds, the circus and field flowers (there are also adult versions if you want to match). The brand has partnered with the children’s charity Coram, to which 20% of profits are donated.
Hummingbird pyjamas
£24 at Their NibsSuitable for: 1+
Aqua gold sunbeam stripe pyjamas
£28 at Their NibsSuitable for: 1+
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Stuck in the mud
If you have the outdoor space, a mud kitchen is one of the best gifts you can get for a four-year-old. It lives outside, you can fill the sink with water, and the child can then have free rein over the outdoor “cooking”. We’ve had one for the past five years, and it’s used most days – even in winter, when it becomes more of an ice kitchen. I’ve filled ours with old kitchen crockery and water bottles that have long lost their lids. Though pricey, there are usually quite a few on secondhand sites too.
Outdoor mud kitchen
£87.99 at Decathlon £87.99 at AmazonSuitable for: 3+
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Bluey building
Four is the perfect age for Lego, and the options are endless, from TV and film characters to emergency vehicles, animals, unicorns and just about anything else you can think of. There are small sets for under £10 – making them a great small gift – or much more expensive larger collections. Bluey has replaced pretty much any other TV show in our house, so this set featuring Bluey and Chloe at the playground would be my first choice.
Lego Bluey Playground Fun with Bluey and Chloe
£17 at John Lewis £18 at ArgosSuitable for: 4+
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What you need to know
“A four-year-old child is just getting ready to start school if they’ve not already started nursery yet, so they’ll need things that can stimulate their minds and imagination as well as their bodies with physical activity,” says Shola Alabi, founder of the Exam Success Education Centre. She suggests gifts that will help develop their imagination, and encourage interaction and engagement, including Lego sets, building blocks and dress-up kits alongside active play toys such as scooters and bikes.
“Four-year-olds have developed more acute fine motor skills, so they’re now the perfect age for toys with smaller parts such as Playmobil, Lego, Brio, Barbie,” says parenting specialist Annette Kellow. “These all let them pretend play, on their own or with other children.”
These small toys can be bought on their own or as part of a bigger collection, and you can usually find good-quality versions on secondhand websites too.
Other recommendations from Kellow include musical toys, as well as building, craft and baking kits. Board games that encourage turn-taking are also recommended.
What to buy for a four-year-old
“Even the best toy can become shelf-garnish if nobody plays with it,” says Roma Norriss, a parenting attachment and nervous system specialist. “The magic is in playing together, so think about games that you can see yourself playing over and over again.”
Norriss recommends toys that can be used in a lot of ways and are sensory rich. Those that are “relationship friendly” – that a sibling or parent can actively join in with, rather than just supervising – are also winners.
Four-year-olds are deep in narrative play, explains Norriss, and “they’re experimenting with identity, rules, ‘what if’ scenarios and the foundations of empathy and moral reasoning”.
Gifts that support them could include art supplies, dressing-up clothes and open-ended construction sets.
But she warns you should “avoid toys that promise learning outcomes”. While it sounds admirable, “play is the child’s laboratory for emotion, language and social understanding at this age”, she adds.
What can I get a four-year-old beyond toys?
Books are always top of my list when I’m buying for a child I don’t know very well. At four, I’d pick a large paperback with lots of pictures and a funny storyline, which will be great for bedtime reading. A smaller hardback pop-up book would also be great for letting the child take control.
Clothes are always a handy gift, and accessories such as socks, hats and sunglasses can make a good gift if you don’t want to buy a toy.
At this age, there are also lots of subscription sets you can sign up to, such as craft, cooking and gardening kits. These can usually be paid for in advance by you and will arrive once a month for a specific time you choose. They’re a great way to extend a gift and make a good alternative to a toy.
For more gift inspiration from the Filter:
• The best gifts for three-year-olds
• The best toys and gifts for one-year-olds
• The best toys and gifts for newborns and babies
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Rebecca Goodman is a journalist living in Cambridgeshire. She has two daughters, aged six and three, and is deep in the parenting trenches, spending most of her time cleaning up crumbs, making endless snacks, and answering to never-ending demands while writing for national newspapers. She is passionate about embracing the good (and bad) aspects of life with two children