When it comes to finding the right educational toy for your 4-year-old, it can be tough to sort through all the options.
One way to narrow down your options is to think about what kinds of things your child enjoys. If they like to be active, look for toys that encourage them to move around and explore. If they like to be creative, look for toys that allow them to build and create. And if they like to learn new things, look for toys that will teach them about the world around them.
The best toys are those that your child can learn from while enjoying and playing with them. More importantly, the influence of educational toys lasts forever. He or she may get a jump start in reading, arithmetic, and science thanks to these toys.
When it comes to finding the ideal toy for a 4-year-old child, it is important to keep in mind that what may be suitable for one child may not necessarily be suitable for another. However, the right toy can be a key component in helping a child to reach important developmental milestones (1).
Our Top Picks
- Best Wooden Blocks: Melissa & Doug Wood Building Blocks
- Best For Learning Alphabet & Numbers: Just Smarty Alphabet and Numbers Learning Toy
- Best LEGO Building Toy: LEGO DUPLO Classic Brick Box
- Best For Spelling: Melissa & Doug See & Spell Wooden Educational Toy
- Best STEM Toy: Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera
- Best For Promoting Creativity: B. Toys – 150 Pcs – Pop Snap Bead Jewelry Set for Kids
- Best Board Game: SmartGames Smart Farmer Board Game
- Best For Fine Motor Skills: Skillmatics Educational Game: I Can Write
- Best For Learning Time: All About Today Board
- Best For Reading: ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Educational Toys For 4-Year-Olds Picks
Melissa & Doug Wood Building Blocks – Best Wooden Blocks
- Comes with a container
- Durable
- Guaranteed hours of enjoyment
- All the edges are smooth and sanded
- Not a lot of blocks
With 60 naturally polished hardwood blocks, your child can explore endless building possibilities and engage in valuable screen-free play. These blocks aren’t just fun, they’re also a great tool for teaching shapes, spatial relationships, and sorting skills, all while improving hand-eye coordination.
From simple towers to complex structures, these blocks encourage creativity and imagination in young children. And when it’s time to clean up, the blocks can be easily stored in the included wooden box for safekeeping.
Just Smarty Alphabet and Numbers Learning Toy – Best For Learning Alphabet & Numbers
- It’s lightweight and foldable
- Help teach the names of the pictures and letter sounds
- It can switch modes and with one easy press
- Songs are good
- You might have to change the batteries occasionally
The chart is colorful and beautifully designed, making it a great addition to any child’s room. Your preschooler will love exploring the chart for hours on end, discovering new letters and words as they go. And best of all, it’s incredibly easy to use! Simply hang it on the wall with the included hook, and your child can start learning right away.
This product is also incredibly low-maintenance, so you won’t have to worry about constantly cleaning up dirty toys. It even has built-in batteries and switches off automatically.
LEGO DUPLO Classic Brick Box – Best LEGO Building Toy
- Fun to build
- The storage box is a huge plus, and it clicks shut securely
- Cute and bright colors
- Easy to click together and pull apart for little hands
- Contains some tiny pieces
Packed with a variety of colorful bricks and recognizable objects, this kit will inspire endless hours of free-building fun. The sturdy storage box comes with everything your little builder needs to get started, including a car with moving wheels, a roof, a window, flowers, bread, and even DUPLO people figures. And with numbered bricks from 1 to 3, your child can learn basic math skills while they play.
Melissa & Doug See & Spell Wooden Educational Toy – Best For Spelling
- Colorful pictures and letters
- Sturdy construction
- Nice storage box
- Cards are two sided
- The storage box does not have a lid
With over 50 vibrant wooden pieces that match with 8 double-sided cutout boards to spell out 3 and 4-letter words, your child will have endless opportunities to learn and play. The included wooden case makes it easy to take this game on the go and to keep all the pieces organized.
By playing this puzzle game, your child will improve their spelling, fine motor skills, and sight-reading vocabulary. Additionally, it encourages socialization and teamwork as multiple kids can play together. This toy is perfect for children between the ages of 4 and 6, making it an excellent gift choice for any young learner.
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera – Best STEM Toy
- This is a great “wildlife camera” which provides an enjoyable, informative, and educational experience for youngsters
- Teaches about animals
- Volume adjusts
- Detailed directions
- Setup could have been made easier by including the batteries
Let your little explorers go on a virtual safari trip with Robert Irwin and learn fascinating facts about their favorite animals while watching high-resolution images. With soft and comfortable dual eyepieces, kids can view the photos up close with ease.
The camera comes pre-loaded with amazing animal pictures that will surely spark your child’s curiosity. It also has two play modes with over 120 trivia questions and fun facts that will challenge and educate your little ones. The GeoSafari Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera runs on three AAA batteries and is an excellent educational toy for kids ages 4 and up.
B. Toys – 150 Pcs – Pop Snap Bead Jewelry Set for Kids – Best For Promoting Creativity
- Fun toy that promotes hand-eye coordinates and creativity
- Keeps kids entertained
- Come in a handy, heavy plastic container with an easy-to-open screw top and handle for transporting
- Enables the child to discover what colors he or she prefers
- Sometimes hard to snap together
With over 150 unique and modern pieces in a variety of colors and patterns, your child will have endless possibilities for making one-of-a-kind jewelry. The smooth and textured beads are easy to clip and snap together, making them a great activity for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination development. Plus, the finished products will be so fashionable that even mom might want to wear them! This is the perfect DIY jewelry package for any budding designer.
SmartGames Smart Farmer Board Game – Best Board Game
- Fun toy that promotes hand-eye coordinates and creativity
- Keeps kids entertained
- Come in a handy, heavy plastic container with an easy-to-open screw top and handle for transporting
- Enables the child to discover what colors he or she prefers
- Sometimes hard to snap together
With Smart Farmer board game, your child can immerse themselves in a fun-filled adventure with sheep, cows, pigs, horses, and other lovable livestock. They’ll use their brainpower to divide the animals into several groups with 60 different challenges to conquer. Playing this game is an excellent way for children to develop essential skills such as spatial awareness, planning, problem-solving, focus, and adaptability. They’ll enjoy every moment of playtime and forget that they’re learning!
Skillmatics Educational Game: I Can Write – Best For Fine Motor Skills
- Educational
- The worksheets are reusable and sturdy
- 2 dry-erase pens
- Kids will love the larger eraser
- Not a lot of sheets
With six activity mats, each with two sides, kids will love exploring the variety of fun exercises that are included. This toy also comes with two Skilly Billy dry-erase markers, a dust cloth, and a certificate of achievement to motivate your little ones. With fourteen engaging and repetitive exercises, this toy will help to develop fundamental skills in a way that is both fun and educational.
The clear instructions provided with each exercise mat will make it easy for parents to guide their children through the activities. With age-appropriate, skill-focused content, Skillmatics provides a revolutionary way for 4-year-olds to learn and have fun at the same time!
All About Today Board – Best For Learning Time
- Durable
- Teaches how to read time
- Well put together
- This calendar provides a great way to learn about the months, seasons, weather, and days of the week
- The slider is a bit difficult to move
This time-teaching toy motivates children to learn and teaches them the value of time from an early age. This busy board offers a fun and interactive way for kids to learn about time, days, dates, months, weather, and seasons by simply sliding the red sliders. The clock faces help children learn to tell time and understand the importance of punctuality.
ThinkFun Zingo Sight Words – Best For Reading
- Child can match the words from the word chips to the pictures/words on the board
- Can go at any pace for any 4-year-old and older
- Great learning tool for someone learning to read
- Game is pretty sturdy and well made
- Not a lot of sight words
Zingo Sight Words, from the award-winning game maker ThinkFun, is a top-selling game that has earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious ASTRA Best Toys for Kids Award. With over 70 sight words included, this game is perfect for kids aged 4 and up who are just starting to read.
Opening the box is just the beginning – this game is easy to play and comes with high-quality parts and a simple, easy-to-understand instruction booklet. Zingo Sight Words is designed to develop critical thinking skills and improve language abilities through fun and engaging gameplay.
How To Choose The Best Educational Toys For 4-Year-Olds?
- Safety: Safety is always the first priority when purchasing toys for children. Children should only play with toys that are suitable for their age and development, even though they are much more stable by the time they are four years old than they were as toddlers.
- Educational Value: It’s always a good idea to give 4-year-olds toys that will help them acquire crucial skills. Some of them may be starting school soon, so games that teach them to take turns or the basics of counting and reading would be beneficial.
- Interests: When buying educational toys for children, it is important to keep their interests in mind. Children can only benefit from these toys if they actually enjoy playing with them. By this age, youngsters can typically verbalize if they like various toys or activities. This can help guide your decision when choosing the right educational toys for your child.
- Longevity: Some toys are more conducive to open-ended play than others. Look for toys that can be adjusted to a child’s developmental stage and that will hold their attention as they develop. This way, you can get the most use out of the toy.
What Makes A Good Educational Toy?
One important factor is whether the toy helps children develop essential skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and fine motor skills (2). Another important factor is whether the toy is representational, meaning it helps children learn about the world around them. Additionally, it is important to consider whether the toy is stimulating and engaging, as children will be more likely to learn from a toy that they find fun and interesting.
Why Should I Choose Educational Toys For Four-year-olds?
Educational toys can help four-year-olds learn important skills such as numbers, shapes, and colors. They can also help children develop their fine motor skills and improve their hand-eye coordination. Educational toys can be a great way to keep four-year-olds engaged and motivated to learn (3).
What Toys Should A 4-Year-Old Be Playing With?
Toys that are typically popular with 4-year-olds include puzzles, building blocks, dolls, and toy cars. These toys can help encourage creativity, imagination, and critical thinking skills. It is important to choose toys that are age-appropriate and that your child will enjoy playing with.
Do 4-Year-Olds Like Stuffed Animals?
Studies have shown that children aged four years and younger tend to respond positively to stuffed animals. The animals can provide them with a sense of comfort and security and can be used as a tool for helping them to learn and explore their surroundings.
What Are The Best Toys For Child Development?
One type of toy that can be beneficial for child development is construction toys such as blocks, Legos, or Tinker Toys. These types of toys can help children develop problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills. Another type of toy that can be good for child development is stuffed animals as they can help children develop empathy and caring.
How Many Toys Should A 4-Year-Old Have?
Some 4-year-olds might have a ton of toys and others might only have a few. It really depends on the child’s personality and preferences. However, generally speaking, most 4-year-olds would probably be happy with around 20-30 toys. This gives them enough to play with and keeps their environment from feeling too cluttered.
How Do Educational Toys For 4-Year-Olds Differ From The Same Toys For 3-Year-Olds?
Educational toys for 4-year-olds differ from the same toys for 3-year-olds in a few key ways. Specifically, four-year-olds are generally more developmentally advanced than three-year-olds, and as such, they require toys that are more stimulating and challenging. Additionally, 4-year-olds are often more active and have a shorter attention span than 3-year-olds, meaning that the best educational toys for 4-year-olds are those that can keep them engaged for longer periods of time.
