Toys & Gifts For 4-Year-Olds: The Tot Guide
Four-year-olds are learning how to express their emotions and interact with others – and they gain a lot of new skills and knowledge through play! These wonderful gift ideas will delight them and support their development at the same time.
Remember when your two-year-old was constantly having temper tantrums and you couldn’t wait for them to turn three? But then you quickly realized that three-year-old meltdowns are even worse? Sigh.
Well, here’s some good news: four-year-olds are finally learning to regulate and express their emotions, so those outbursts should start to become less frequent.
Child development at 4-years-old
They now have several tools in their arsenal to express how they’re feeling: words, noises and gestures, as well as creative pursuits such as coloring, painting, crafts, building blocks and construction toys.
Four-year-olds also love to sing, dance, dress up and act out make-believe scenarios on their own or with their friends. With imaginary play being as important as ever, toys and games that encourage it make excellent gifts.
Children at this age start to become more aware of their own gender and gender roles. Girls might like to play “Moms and Babies” while boys play “Pirates”. You may worry that these games are gender-stereotypical, but it’s a natural part of development. And you’ll probably notice that both genders play roles such as “Doctor” and “Teacher”!
Let’s not forget the best playthings of all: books. Reading with your four-year-old is a fantastic way to develop their imagination, love of reading and literacy skills before they start school.
Best toys and gifts for 4-year-olds
Whether you’re shopping for a Christmas gift or a birthday present for a 4-year-old, here are some of our gift recommendations for playtime:
- Non-toxic play dough
- Tea set
- Activity table
- Magnetic building set
- Pedal bike
- Role play sets
- Dress up clothing
- Dollhouse
- Play & learn set
- Books
- Acoustic mini guitar
- Color-in PJs
- Arts & crafts supplies
- Wooden building bricks
- Gardening kit
- Wooden train set
- Wooden notch blocks
- Backpack
- Sidewalk chalk
- The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set
- The Tot Play and Learn Set
Scroll down to see the options we’ve pulled for each of these gift ideas and shop below!
Land of Dough Non-Toxic Play Dough
Made with rich natural vegetable dyes and biodegradable glitter, Land of Dough’s eco-friendly and non-toxic dough cups are just the thing kids need to have a fun and safe sensory experience.
Land of Dough Over The Rainbow Luxe Cup
$14.99
Land of Dough Bacon & Eggs Luxe Cup
$14.99
Raduga Grez Tea Set
Perfect for encouraging role play, this fun and colorful tea set is great for imaginary play. Each set is handmade and uses only sustainably sourced solid wood and natural-based paints.
Raduga Grez Tea Set
$60
Ambosstoys Primo Ride on Toy
The Ambosstoys PRIMO Ride On Toy is the ultimate vehicle for kids. It is a combination of a classic Italian design, with fine handmade craftsmanship to create a timeless ride on scooter for adventurous kids!
Ambosstoys Special Ride on Toy
$249
Available in black
Tender Leaf Toys Table Top Tool Bench
Raising a Little-Fix-It? Then they need the Tender Leaf Toys Table Top Tool Bench. Complete with a wrench, saw, vice and hammer, it’s wonderful for encouraging hand-eye coordination.
Tender Leaf Toys Table Top Tool Bench
$109.99
Clixo Rainbow Pack – 42 Pieces
The Clixo Rainbow Pack uses magnets to let kids create whatever they can imagine! From headbands to planes to houses, it’s a wonderful toy for open-ended play and fine motor skill development.
Clixo Rainbow Pack – 30 Pieces
$44.99
Available in more colors and sizes
Little Tokyobike
When it comes to first bikes, your tot will love zooming around on a Little Tokyobike. Available in a range of colors, it comes with removable training wheels.
Little Tokyobike Pedal Bike
$315
Available in more colors
Make Me Iconic Role Play Sets
One of the most important types of play a child can do is imaginative role play. Not only fun, it helps them expand their vocabularies, learn important life skills and develop a sense of self. That’s why we can’t get enough of these adorable wooden sets from Make Me Iconic!
Make Me Iconic Dentist Kit
$64.99
Make Me Iconic Doctor Kit
$64.99
Make Me Iconic Surgeon/Pharmacist Kit
$64.99
Make Me Healthy Tummy Brekkie
$74.99
Make Me Iconic Beauty Kit
$69.99
Aeromax Costumes
Of course you can’t really role play without a costume! Available in sizes for babies, toddlers and big kids, you’ll love these costumes from Aeromax.
Aeromax Baby/Toddler/Big Kid Jr Astronaut Suit
Ranging from $29.95 to $52.95
Available in more colors
Aeromax Toddler/Big Kid Jr Police Officer Suit
$49.95
Tender Leaf Toys Fantail Hall
Not only will this beautiful dollhouse by Tender Leaf Toys inspire hours of imaginative play, it’s made from renewable rubber wood and is recyclable.
Tender Leaf Toys Fantail Hall
$409.99
The Tot Play & Learn Set 4 – 5 Years
Designed by an early learning educator to help 4-year-olds prepare for a more formal education, The Tot Play & Learn Set features a booklet of fun and engaging activities as well as six toys that can be played with in a variety of ways.
The Tot Play & Learn Set 4 – 5 Years
$150
EXCLUSIVE
I See Me! Books
Nothing is more important than reading to (and with) your child! This holiday season, bedtime stories will be extra special when you read a book from I See Me! Each story is personalized so story time will be even more exciting when your child hears their name woven into each tale.
I Can Change The World Personalized Storybook
$34.99
Loog Guitars Mini Guitar
It doesn’t matter if your tot is into rock and roll or a little bit more country, the Loog Guitars Mini Guitar will show them the all the fundamentals they need to start playing!
Loog Guitars Mini Guitar
$89
Available in more colors
Green Tones Tone Drum
It’s never too early to introduce your children to musical play. Made with little hands in mind, this sustainable-sourced drum will help your child discover rhythm and unleash their creativity.
Green Tones Tone Drum
$32
Selfie Clothing Co. Color-In PJ Sets
Not only are Selfie Clothing Co’s Color-In PJs super soft and cozy, they’re also interactive!! With a variety of prints available, like Christmas and Hanukkah, kids get to be part of the design by coloring them in!
Selfie Clothing Co. Color-In PJ Set – Christmas
$38
EXCLUSIVE
Selfie Clothing Co. Color-In PJ Set – Hanukkah
$38
EXCLUSIVE
Kid Made Modern Arts & Crafts Library
The Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library has over 1,000 pieces to create your own craft adventure. It comes packaged in a reusable box to store supplies when not in use so the only thing you need to add is your imagination.
Kid Made Modern Arts & Crafts Library
$49.99
Once Kids Eco Bricks
Once Kids Eco Bricks are the eco-friendly LEGO alternative you’ve been looking for! Compatible with LEGO pieces, they come in wood or bamboo and can even be colored!
Once Kids Wooden Eco Bricks – 250 Pieces
$110
Once Kids Bamboo Eco Bricks
$110
Gardenuity My First Garden
Four is the perfect age to start working on your tot’s green thumb! Complete with everything your need to plant your own veggie patch, Gardenuity’s My First Garden can be used inside or out!
Gardenuity My First Garden
$98
EXCLUSIVE
Guidecraft Foundation Train Set A
When it comes to wooden train sets, Guidecraft’s Foundation Train Set A is a great way to build a love of railways and embrace a interest in building.
Guidecraft Foundation Train Set A
$129
Guidecraft Outdoor Wooden Hollow Blocks
Block play just got even cooler thanks to Guidecraft’s Outdoor Blocks! Fun to play with whilst enjoying the sunshine, they are wonderful for building problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.
Guidecraft Wooden Outdoor Hollow Blocks
$999.95
STATE Bags Backpack
It doesn’t matter if you’re gearing up for kindergarten or need a bag to tote toys to your neighbor’s house, STATE Bags backpack are just the thing for the job!
STATE Bags The Kane Backpack – Indigo Patchwork
$95
STATE Bags The Kane Backpack – Rainbow Tie Dye
$90
Twee Sidewalk Chalk
Ready to make a hop scotch course? Want to work on some ‘Welcome Home!’ artwork for the driveway? Twee makes outdoor chalk play extra exciting with their uniquely shaped non-toxic chalk sets.
Twee Mason’s Planets Sidewalk Chalk
$42
Twee Cheesy Pizza Sidewalk Chalk
$18
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Sets
If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, you’re going to want to know about our stocking stuffer gift sets! Designed with age, interests and price points in mind, there are loads to choose from!
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$50
EXCLUSIVE
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$50
EXCLUSIVE
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$100
EXCLUSIVE
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$100
EXCLUSIVE
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$200
EXCLUSIVE
The Tot Stocking Stuffer Gift Set 3 – 5 YEARS
$200
EXCLUSIVE
Continue exploring
- Raising a little maker? Here are 8 Arts + Crafts Gifts For Creative Kids.
- What we’re reading: Promoting Healthy Self-Esteem In Our Girls
