So your little one just turned four, huh? Congratulations, you now have an official preschooler on your hands. Four-year-olds are curious, energetic, and ready to learn. The good news is, you can encourage their development through play. Educational toys are a great way to stimulate their minds while keeping them entertained. But with so many options out there, how do you choose?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We scoured reviews and bestseller lists to find some of the best educational toys for 4 year olds that are fun and help build important skills. Whether your kiddo is into building, pretend play, board books or puzzles, here are some of the best toys to gift your budding preschooler.
List Of The Best Educational Toys For 4 Year Olds
- Kids Tool Bench with Electric Drill Toddler Workbench Tools
- Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube
- LeapFrog My Own Leaptop
- LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
- Melissa & Doug See & Spell Wooden Educational Toy
- ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words
- Learning Resources Tock The Learning Clock
- Liberry Durable Doctor Kit for Kids
Kids Tool Bench with Electric Drill Toddler Workbench
A kid’s tool bench is a great way to develop motor and cognitive skills in 4-year-olds. With this toy workbench, your little builder can boosts sequencing, logic, and problem-solving abilities.
The workbench comes with all the tools and parts your preschooler needs to feel like a real carpenter. With your guidance, they’ll learn how to properly and safely use each tool. Most benches are made of durable wood and plastic, so they can handle enthusiastic little hands.
An engaging toy workbench gives 4-year-olds an outlet for their energy and curiosity. More importantly, it teaches skills that will benefit them for years to come. For budding builders and creators, a kid’s tool bench is the perfect educational gift.
Specifications
- Material: Made of durable plastic
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Included tools: Electric drill, wrench, screwdriver, hammer, saw, and various bolts and screws
- Features: Working drill with realistic sound and motion, detachable tools, storage compartments
PROS
- Encourages imaginative play and enhances motor skills.
- Introduces basic tools and their functions.
- Safe and durable construction.
- Realistic drill adds to the interactive play experience.
- Storage compartments help keep the tools organized.
CONS
- The plastic construction may seem less sturdy compared to wooden workbenches.
- The size of the workbench may not be suitable for older/taller children.
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube
The Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube is a classic toy that helps build skills in little learners. This educational toy teaches kids shapes, colors, and hand-eye coordination.
For 4-year-olds, this cube offers the perfect level of challenge. There are 12 shapes to sort, including circles, squares, triangles, stars, and hexagons. Each shape fits into a corresponding hole in the cube. As your child plays, they’ll learn how to manipulate the shapes to get them into the right openings.
This toy helps develop motor and cognitive skills that are important for preschoolers. Sorting the shapes helps with classification, an important early math skill. Fitting the right shapes into the cube aids in developing spatial reasoning abilities and problem-solving skills.
Specifications
- Material: Wooden construction with various shapes and colors
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Included shapes: Cube, cylinder, pyramid, triangular prism, rectangular prism, and more
- Features: Multiple holes for shape sorting, sturdy construction
PROS
- Promotes shape recognition and hand-eye coordination.
- Encourages problem-solving and logical thinking.
- Durable wooden construction for long-lasting play.
- Various shapes and colors provide sensory stimulation.
- Classic design with no batteries required.
CONS
- The cube may be too large for younger children to hold comfortably.
- The shapes may not fit tightly into the holes, leading to frustration for some children.
The Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube is a toy that grows with your child. At first, you’ll need to show them how each shape corresponds to a particular hole. But with practice, they’ll get better at identifying the shapes and sorting them on their own. This toy provides opportunities for interactive play between parents and kids. Work together to sort the shapes, then watch as your little one gains more independence!
LeapFrog My Own Leaptop
Features:
- Material: Plastic
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Features: Keyboard with alphabet and number buttons, built-in speakers, music and learning activities, customizable with child’s name
The LeapFrog My Own Leaptop is a kid-friendly laptop toy perfect for 4-year-olds. This toy laptop features a keyboard and mouse for your child to click and type on, with lots of learning games and activities built-in to help build skills. Some of the skills your little one can develop include:
- Letter recognition
- Phonics
- Spelling
- Problem solving
- Logic skills
With fun characters and sounds to keep them engaged, the educational games won’t even seem like learning. Perfect for Imaginative Play
The My Own Leaptop looks just like a real laptop, allowing your child to engage in imaginative role play. They can pretend to do work like mommy and daddy, write stories, draw pictures, and more. This kind of open-ended play helps boost creativity and cognitive abilities.
PROS
- Introduces letters, numbers, and basic computer skills.
- Enhances language development through interactive play.
- Customizable with the child's name for a personalized experience.
- Offers engaging music and learning activities.
- Lightweight and portable for on-the-go learning.
CONS
- The plastic construction may not feel as durable as other materials.
- The screen is not interactive and lacks color.
- Some users may find the volume too loud or not loud enough.
The difficulty level of games and activities can be adjusted to suit your child’s abilities and keep things challenging as they learn. Start on the easiest level and work your way up. An on-screen progress report will show you how your little learner is improving over time.
With so many skills developed through play, this educational laptop toy could give your child a head start for kindergarten and beyond. For an engaging gift option, consider this kid’s laptop.
LeapFrog Learning Friends
The LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book is an interactive educational toy that helps teach reading skills and word recognition to 4-year-olds.
This book brings learning to life with fun sounds, songs and activities. As your child explores the pages, they’ll hear the names and sounds of 100 common words read aloud. The interactive pages also help build motor skills by requiring your child to spin, slide and flip various parts to activate sounds.
Playing with this book helps establish a lifelong love of reading in a fun, engaging way. The more your 4-year-old interacts with the book, the more they’ll grasp early reading concepts like letter and word recognition, spelling, and phonics. The book covers a variety of topics like colors, numbers, animals and more. With fun characters and music on every page, your little one will want to read it again and again.
Special Features
- Material: Plastic with paper pages
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Features: Interactive book with touch-sensitive buttons, sound effects, and words in various categories
PROS
- Helps build vocabulary and language skills.
- Interactive touch buttons make learning engaging.
- Features sound effects to reinforce word recognition.
- Organized into categories for easy word association.
- Lightweight and portable for learning on the go.
CONS
- The plastic construction may not feel as durable as other materials.
- lastic construction may not feel as durable as other materials.
- Some users may find the volume too loud or not loud enough.
Overall, the LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book is an excellent educational toy for 4-year-olds that teaches essential reading skills through interactive play. It covers a wide range of words and topics to help prepare your child for kindergarten. The songs and sounds bring the book to life, capturing your child’s attention and imagination. This toy makes learning fun while giving your 4-year-old a head start on reading.
Melissa & Doug See & Spell Wooden Educational Toy
The Melissa & Doug See & Spell Wooden Educational Toy is a fantastic option for 4-year-olds. This hands-on toy helps children develop skills in spelling, reading, and logical thinking.
The See & Spell set includes over 50 wooden letters and 8 double-sided picture boards. Kids can use the letters to spell out the names of the pictures on each board. For example, one side shows a cat, dog, bird and fish. Your child spells out C-A-T, D-O-G, B-I-R-D and F-I-S-H. The pictures provide context clues to help them figure out the proper letter sequence.
Specifications
- Material: Wooden construction with letter puzzle boards
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Included components: Letter puzzle boards, colorful wooden letters
- Features: Spelling and vocabulary learning, picture cues for each word
PROS
- Promotes letter recognition and spelling skills.
- Encourages fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
- Provides visual cues with corresponding pictures for word association.
- Durable wooden construction for long-lasting play.
- Enhances vocabulary and language development.
CONS
- The puzzle boards may not securely hold the letters in place.
- The size of the wooden letters may be small and pose a choking hazard for young children.
This educational toy keeps 4-year-olds engaged while strengthening important developmental abilities. The Melissa & Doug See & Spell set is a wonderful, hands-on way for children to learn letters, spelling and reading.
ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words
The ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words game is a classic for developing reading skills in 4-year-olds. This fun, fast-paced game helps kids build sight word vocabulary and reading confidence.
Sight words are common words that kids should recognize instantly by sight to become fluent readers. Zingo Sight Words teaches over 200 of these essential words in a very engaging way. Players get excited to fill their Zingo card with matching sight word tiles. The first player to get a full card wins!.
Specifications
- Material: Cardboard tiles, plastic Zinger device
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Included components: Sight word cards, Zinger device, double-sided Zingo cards
- Features: Sight word recognition, matching game, interactive Zinger device
PROS
- Promotes early reading and sight word recognition.
- Engages children in a fun and interactive matching game.
- Helps develop memory and concentration skills.
- Award-winning educational game for pre-K children.
- Compact and portable for learning on the go.
CONS
- The Zinger device may jam or require adult assistance.
- The cardboard tiles may show signs of wear and tear with prolonged use.
- The game may become repetitive after multiple play sessions.
An award-winning educational game, Zingo Sight Words is a perfect balance of learning and play. Kids will be so focused on the fun, they won’t even realize how much they’re learning. Developing strong reading skills and a love of learning at an early age will set your 4-year-old up for success in kindergarten and beyond.
For an educational toy that’s stood the test of time, you can’t go wrong with the ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words game. Affordable, durable and endlessly adaptable, this is a toy that will grow with your child for years to come.
Learning Resources Tock The Learning Clock
The Tock the Learning Clock by Learning Resources is an interactive toy that teaches kids time-telling skills in a fun, hands-on way. This clock features movable hour and minute hands that snap into place, allowing your 4-year-old to physically manipulate and set the time. As they move the hands, an audible “ticking” sound plays to represent the passing seconds
Specifications
- Material: Plastic
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Features: Analog and digital clock faces, interactive buttons, sound effects, educational activities.
- Learning how to tell time is an important skill, and this clock makes it exciting for preschoolers to practice.
- The snap-on hands help kids gain an understanding of the hour and minute positions on an analog clock face.
- The ticking sound adds an interactive element to keep little ones engaged while they work.
With the Tock Clock, your child will have a blast learning how to tell time to the hour and half hour. The movable pieces give them control over setting the time, so they can go at their own pace. In no time, they’ll be pros at telling time on analog clocks!
PROS
- Introduces the concept of time and helps children learn to read clocks.
- Interactive buttons and sound effects make learning engaging.
- Offers educational activities to reinforce time-telling skills.
- Features both analog and digital clock faces for comprehensive learning.
- Lightweight and portable for on-the-go learning.
CONS
- The plastic construction may not feel as durable as other materials.
- Some users may find the sound effects too loud or not loud enough.
- The educational activities may be limited and repetitive.
This educational toy provides an enjoyable and multi-sensory way for 4-year-olds to develop a vital life skill. The Tock Clock transforms a lesson in time-telling into an entertaining game that preschoolers will want to play again and again.
Liberry Durable Doctor Kit for Kids
The Liberry Durable Doctor Kit for Kids is made of high quality, non-toxic plastic materials that can withstand hours of imaginative play. The pieces are designed to look realistic while still being kid-friendly, with no sharp edges. This means your little doctor can use it for years to come without anything breaking or causing injury.
This role play toy set helps develop motor and cognitive skills in 4 year olds while also sparking their curiosity about the medical field. Your child will have a blast listening to heartbeats with the stethoscope, checking reflexes, and bandaging up patients. They’ll learn how to take care of people in a nurturing way. The open-ended nature of the set allows for endless scenarios and adventures.
Specifications
- Material: Plastic
- Size: Dimensions vary depending on the specific model
- Included components: Toy stethoscope, thermometer, syringe, medical tools, and accessories
- Features: Pretend play doctor set, promotes imagination and social skills
PROS
- Encourages imaginative play and role-playing.
- Introduces children to the medical field and healthcare tools.
- Promotes empathy and social skills through pretend doctor-patient interactions.
- Durable plastic construction for long-lasting play.
- Enhances fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
CONS
- The plastic construction may not feel as realistic as other materials.
- The size of some tools may be small and pose a choking hazard for young children.
- The set may lack educational content or informative resources about healthcare.
This high-quality, educational toys doctor kit makes a wonderful gift for 4 year old boys and girls. Your little doctor will have hours of fun and learning tending to patients in their make-believe clinic. The durable components ensure this engaging toy will provide value for years to come.
Things to keep in mind while purchasing Best Educational Toys For 4 Year Olds
Safety First
When choosing toys for 4-year-olds, safety should be a top priority. Look for toys specifically recommended for ages 3 and up that don’t have any small parts that could cause choking. Also avoid anything with sharp edges or points.
Skill Building
Toys that help build skills are ideal for 4-year-olds. Look for things like:
- Blocks for developing motor and cognitive skills.
- Puzzles with large pieces for hand-eye coordination and problem-solving.
- Shape sorters, nesting toys and stacking toys for logical thinking.
- Board books for pre-reading skills.
Open-Ended Play
Toys that encourage open-ended play are great for imaginative 4-year-olds. Consider:
- Building toys like Legos, blocks, and magnetic tiles that can be used to create anything.
- Dolls, action figures, play food, dress up clothes and play kitchen sets for role playing.
- Art supplies like washable markers, stickers, play dough, paints, glue, scissors, and dot-to-dots.
Learning Through Play
Educational toys that teach skills in a fun, engaging way are ideal. Look for things like:
- Alphabet puzzles, magnets and foam mats.
- Number puzzles, counting bears, and simple board books for learning numbers.
- Flash cards, lotto games and matching games for learning colors, shapes, animals, etc.
- Musical toys for learning rhythms, coordination and more.
Keeping these tips in mind will help you choose toys that are safe, skill-building, open-ended and educational for 4-year-olds. With the right toys, learning through play will be fun and developmentally appropriate.
Conclusion
So there you have it, some of the best educational toys for 4 year olds that will keep them engaged and help them develop important skills. With options for building, creating, pretending, and problem-solving, you’re sure to find something on this list that sparks their curiosity and imagination.
While they’re having fun playing, they’ll be learning skills that set them up for success in kindergarten and beyond. The best part is you get to join in on the fun too – there’s nothing quite like seeing the world through the eyes of a 4 year old. With toys that inspire open-ended play, you’ll create memories that will last for years to come.
