The 9 Very Best Toys for Your 4-Year-Old

Four-year-olds are really something, huh? They are wiggling their way right out of little-kid territory and starting to fully embrace their new big-kid status...and it is super exciting to watch! There is a good chance you are already noticing their greater sense of independence, their improved reasoning skills, and an uptick in their self-control. (Yippie!) With all those amazing changes comes a shift in what toys feed their ever-expanding interests and abilities. So, here is a little help selecting the absolute perfect gift for your favourite 4-year-old!

Watch-Me Toys

There are no bigger attention-seekers than excitable 4-year-olds, with their look-what-I-can-dos and watch-me requests. The world, quite literally, is their stage! They are learning so much and so eager to share...and that is great! Seek out toys that allow your tot to show off their skills and that scream 'YES, I want to see you!' If your nursery schooler loves to perform, consider a child-size microphone or a Bluetooth karaoke version, karaoke machine, gymnastics mat, play stage, puppet show theater, juggling or magic show set, 'real' instruments for kids, a roll of tickets for special performances.

Early STEM Toys

A 4-year-old’s attention span is getting longer and longer, making now a great time to start introducing toys that help bolster your child’s interest (and skills) related to science, technology, engineering, and math. (Of course, always choose toys based on age-appropriateness! Check the box before buying.) Some ideas include classic wooden blocks, blueprint building kits, butterfly garden kits, anatomy playsets, coding toys, gears and magnet building sets, a jumbo magnifying glass, a nursery school-friendly microscope or telescope, marble runs, or 4-year-old friendly math games, such as Sum Swamp, Yahtzee Jr., and Monkey Balance.