15 best toys for 4 year olds

Now that your little one is even more grown up, you’re probably keen to find the best toys to suit their age. After all, as your child grows, so do their interests and idea of ‘fun’, so you’ll want to buy the best toys for four year olds that are set to intrigue, entertain and educate them.

By four years old your child will have reached many emotional and social milestones. They’re now more empathetic and you may find them always wanting to help you, or notice that they’re a lot more attuned to other people’s feelings. They’re more likely to want to play with other children their age too. Role play games are often popular with children this age, where they pretend to be something else, like an adult, animal or superhero.

Their motor skills will have developed a great deal too. Your child can now hold a pen or pencil between their finger and thumb and draw shapes, which means toys like colouring pencils, pens and books are more suitable for them. Also, we can’t forget the fact your not-so-little child will soon be starting school, so any toys that can help develop their learning will be hugely beneficial.

Before jumping straight into our buying guide of the best toys for four-year-old girls and four-year-old boys, we’ve listed the key things to look out for when shopping for these new toys.

What to look for when buying the best toys for a 4 year old:

Age range: Always check the age range of the toy before you buy, as this is important for your child's safety. Four is a very tricky age as they aren’t a toddler anymore, but also aren’t old enough for a lot of child toys, therefore make sure you’re buying something appropriate that they’ll love.

Educational value: They’ll soon be old enough for school, so any toys that can develop their knowledge of words, numbers, geography and other school subjects will start to get them excited for learning and they’ll be a hit with parents too.

Current trends: Do they have a favourite film that has just come out? Or have you noticed them wearing the same character on their t-shirts recently? Whether it’s the best Frozen toy or best Spiderman toy, current trends will always be a hit with toys.

Multiple player toys: It’s not just their knowledge of numbers and words you can improve through a toy, but their all-important social skills too. That’s why a toy that can be played with other children is such a good choice as it will help develop their communication skills.

Creative toys: Their creative side is just as important as their academic side at school, so arts and crafts toys are great for developing their creative skills and imagination.

The best toys for 4 year olds

FAQs

Are sustainable toys better for my child?

Eco-friendly toys made from recyclable materials will, of course, help reduce your households plastic consumption, which is important for the planet. Plus, it can also be a good opportunity to introduce your child to the topics of sustainability. However, wooden toys will be more durable and therefore will last your child longer and are less likely to get broken. They’re also more unlikely to contain chemical additives found in plastic toys, which give them specific levels of hardness and elasticity. Wood toys also have anti-bacterial properties, so they don't have to be cleaned as often.

Should my four-year-old’s toys be educational?

You don’t want to present a child’s toy as something that’s purely ‘educational’, after all, when your child is playing they want to have fun. Some toys may not have an obvious educational tie to them, such as a doll or a toy car. However, skills are still nurtured with these toys, such as social skills and developing their imagination. The most important thing to remember is that children learn by having fun and exploring. Don’t get too bogged down in whether or not your child's toy is strictly educational, fun things are essential for their development too.