Yahoo LifestyleYour 4-Year-Old Boys Will Flip for These Toys
- 1/31
Your 4-Year-Old Boys Will Flip for These Toys
Toddlers no more — 4-year-olds are certified preschoolers, and that comes with a lot of big shifts in their lives. As they get to know more and understand how things work, they'll want to do more experimenting in their lives and in their play.
They also question more about the world around them, says Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three, an organization that focuses on kid development during the early years. They're also more likely to try their hand at problem-solving, take on tasks with a greater attention span, plan ahead and put their developing motor skills to good use. You'll want to get them toys that help them with these new abilities.
"The best toys at this age include construction toys that allow them to build and problem-solve — think about plastic interlocking blocks, gear toys, domino runs, magnet tiles and other similar choices," Parlakian recommends. "If your child already has wooden blocks, consider expanding the set with new block types like turrets, arches and cylinders to spark their building play. Pretend play props, like costumes, a tea set or construction tools encourage role-playing. With more control over their fine motor skills, art supplies like paints and brushes, markers and other similar items can also be a big hit. And finally, simple board games and activities like dominoes and memory cards are also fun for preschoolers."
Luckily, construction toys, blocks, role-playing items, building toys and board games are all on the list of best learning toys put together by the Good Housekeeping Institute. To find the very best gifts for kids, scientists evaluate the toys for safety and durability, then hand them over to kids to test to make sure they're fun to play with, making them all unique gift ideas as well.
These are the best toys and gifts for 4-year-old boys in 2022:
STUDIO ROOF - 2/31
1) GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope
Educational Insights
amazon.com
$28.99
This microscope is perfect for little scientists who are curious about nature. The talking microscope uses Bindi Irwin's voice and features over 100 different tidbits on plants, animals and more — they can learn about the slide in Fact Mode and test their knowledge in Quiz mode. When playtime is over, you can easily store the slides inside the microscope. Ages 4+
RELATED: The Best Educational Toys, According to Experts, Parents and Real Kids
Educational Insights - 3/31
2) T-Rex 3-D Puzzle
Studio Roof
kidochicago.com
$12.00
After your 4-year-old puts this 3-D puzzle together, it can sit on a shelf as a piece of room décor. It's made from recycled cardboard and printed with vegetable inks. It also comes in a diplodocus, stegosaurus and unicorn. Ages 3+
Studio Roof - 4/31
3) Bricks and Animals Set
LEGO
lego.com
$59.99
With bricks in all the colors of the rainbow and ten different animal builds, this LEGO set will keep them entertained for hours. It features 1500 pieces that encourage kids to explore their creativity with open-ended building and learn more about hands-on construction with guided builds. One parent of a tester raved that it was such an impressive starter set, and while she helped her 4-year-old build the animals for role playing, which he then used in imaginative play. Ages 4+
LEGO - 5/31
4) Create Your Potato Head Family
Hasbro
amazon.com
$22.99
One potato, two potato, three potato — fun! With this set, kids will have fun mixing up the faces, pieces and accessories for a whole Potato Head family. The set comes with two adult-sized bodies, one kid-sized body and more than 40 pieces to swap in and out. Ages 2+
Hasbro - 6/31
5) Orboot Augmented Reality Interactive Globe
Shifu
amazon.com
$54.99
Not only is this interactive toy a Lab favorite, but it's also the best-selling globe on Amazon. With the free Orboot App, kids can develop social studies skills by learning various tidbits about different parts of the world (from animals and weather to monuments and more) by hovering their tablet each part of the globe. Ages 4+
Shifu - 7/31
6) World Colors Modeling Clay
Faber-Castell
amazon.com
$6.49
Parent testers were amazed at the way this clay doesn't dry out, so it can get a lot of use (which works the muscles in their hands in the process). The set comes with 15 colors including a range of skin tones, so they can make whatever they imagine. Ages 3+
Faber-Castell - 8/31
7) Playstix Construction Toy
Popular Playthings
walmart.com
$30.00
If you're looking for a new building set, this one has long, grooved pieces that lock in with each other. The pieces are color-coded by length, so it's easy to follow along with the instructions and see how different models are built. Ages 4+
Popular Playthings - 9/31
8) Meditation Mouse
Fisher-Price
amazon.com
$19.99
For a toy that helps kids with social-emotional learning and regulating emotions, the Meditation Mouse is ready to help cool kids down. It comes pre-loaded with three modes of guided meditation: a daytime relaxation session, a nighttime soothing sounds mode, and a three-part bedtime wind-down exercise. Ages 2+
Fisher-Price - 10/31
9) Design & Drill Bolt Buddies
Educational Insights
amazon.com
$21.99
Kids use a toy, battery-operated drill to build and disassemble these playsets, getting a feel for how to take things apart and put them back together again. There are lots of different playsets, including a recycling truck, a plane, a rocket ship, a race car, a fire truck, a police motorcycle, a helicopter and a a tractor for a barn set. Each one comes with two "buddies" who also act as screwdrivers. Ages 3+
Educational Insights - 11/31
10) Scissor Skills Activity Pad
Melissa & Doug
amazon.com
$6.99
You really can't beat a toy that teaches kids valuable life skills and costs less than $10. The kit includes a project book with 20 pages full of activities (think: mazes, puzzles and art) and a set of kid-safe plastic scissors. By using it regularly, it'll help your little one get acclimated to using scissors in a safe manner. Ages 4+
Melissa & Doug - 12/31
11) Rabbit Moneybox
Janod
kidochicago.com
$20.00
It's never too early to start learning about finances, including savings and spending money. This wooden bank as a see-through face, so he'll be excited to see it fill up as he keeps track of his progress. Ages 3+
Janod - 13/31
12) Coding Critters
Learning Resources
amazon.com
$33.20
This adorable set is the perfect way to introduce your 4-year-old boy to coding. Each critter has a set of arrows that help kids "code" its next moves. Kids can follow along with the storybook's directions at first, but they can eventually create their own coding rules for even more fun. There's even a play mode for kids to simply take care of the pets. If they don't like dinosaurs, you can also get the Coding Critters in the shape of a cat, a rabbit or a dog, and Learning Resources as also debuted MagiCoders, which come as a unicorn and a dragon. Ages 4+
Learning Resources - 14/31
13) Beginning Word Builder
hand2mind
amazon.com
$15.78
Think of it as a kid-sized version of Wordle. Beginning readers can spin the letters and experiment with sounding out different consonant-vowel-consonant words. It also comes with 60 cards with pictures of words they can try to make. Ages 3+
hand2mind - 15/31
14) Ultimate Octo Car Wash
Hot Wheels
amazon.com
$85.00
It's all the fun of going to the car wash in a four-foot-long Hot Wheels play set that's ready to spark imaginative play. The coolest feature is that running the vehicles through the water changes the color of Color Reveal cars. Kids can move the robotic cleaning arms, but there's also a ramp, a loop and a spiral to make it a little more exciting! Ages 4+
amazon.com - 16/31
15) Numberblocks MathLink Cubes 1-10 Activity Set
hand2mind
amazon.com
$15.99
Reinforce those early math concepts with this activity set, featuring the characters from the Netflix series Numberblocks — though you don't have to be a fan to get a lot of out these cards. One parent testers said she couldn't believe how much math her kids were absorbing with this set, which includes 100 MathLink Numberblocks Cubes, 59 faceplates, 54 stickers, 11 numberlings, 11 character cards, 15 double-sided activity cards, and an activity guide. Ages 3+
hand2mind - 17/31
16) Zingo Board Game
Think Fun
amazon.com
$17.59
This fun game helps your kids develop language and word recognition skills thanks to the yellow chips with words and images on them. The red Zinger dispenses the chips, and the players race to fill up their board first. It has two levels of play, so kids can continue to enjoy as they grow older. Ages 4+
amazon.com - 18/31
17) Official Mega Grave Digger
Monster Jam
walmart.com
$82.99
This two-foot-long truck was one the kids' favorites during the testing for the Good Housekeeping's Toy Awards a few years ago. They loved how it can ride over just about anything — even adults! And yet, it's remarkably lightweight. The car can be controlled from up to 250 feet away, and it includes a USB cable for easy recharging. Ages 4+
Monster Jam - 19/31
18) Wonder Crew Superhero Buddy
PlayMonster
amazon.com
$20.49
The Wonder Crew is halfway between a stuffed animal and an action figure. Together, your boy and his new buddy can be rough and tumble when it's time for adventure, or snuggly when it's quiet time. There are four Wonder Crew buddies, each with a different look. Ages 3+
Wonder Crew - 20/31
19) Real Bugs Nanos
HEXBUG
amazon.com
$24.99
You'll be amazed — or maybe grossed out? — by how realistically these bugs scurry around. The bugs are remarkably lifelike and they even maneuver around objects. Five bugs are available in the pack, including a cicada, a cockroach, a Japanese beetle, a water scorpion and an assassin bug. Ages 3+
Hexbug - 21/31
20) Light-Up Activity Board
Crayola
joann.com
$29.99
Kids can experiment with mixing colors and combining shapes with this board, which illuminates his artwork as he creates it. By layering transparency sheets, they can come up with all sorts of designs. In addition to the board, it comes with three markers, 22 shape clings, and three “Complete the Scene” transparency sheets. Ages 3+
Crayola - 22/31
21) Quadrilla 'Race to the Finish' Marble Run
Hape
amazon.com
$27.59
Since this toy's layout can be moved around plenty of times, there are endless possibilities so your 4-year-old won't get bored. The different colored blocks have various actions, like spins, drops and spiral funnels! If they like it, they can move on to more complex sets. Note: Since this toy uses marbles, it should be kept out of reach of children under 3 years old. Ages 4+
Hape - 23/31
22) Dinosaur Research Station
Schleich
amazon.com
$99.99
This elaborate set comes with 33 pieces, all with the detail and durability you'd expect from Schleich figurines. He can put his interest in paleontology to work as he sends the figures through the command center and viewing platform while using the crane to study and care for dinosaur figures. Ages 4+
Schleich - 24/31
23) Lincoln Logs
Lincoln Logs
amazon.com
$40.49
Both kids and parents will love this Lincoln Logs building set, since parents might remember playing with this building set in their own childhoods. The set includes 111 pieces made of real maple wood that can be used to build structures like a cabin or two small houses with a bonfire. There are three different guides in the manual, but kids might have even more creative fun by building their own ideas. Ages 3+
Lincoln Logs - 25/31
24) Rattlesnake Jake
Goliath Games
walmart.com
$12.87
This is a game of nerves: Rattlesnake Jake comes curled around a pile of gold pieces, and players have to steal them from him. But watch out, because his rattle gets more intense and then he strikes! Snatching the gold before the bite helps kids work on their fine-motor coordination, and Good Housekeeping testers who tried this game said it was always a "wow" moment when the snake struck. Ages 4+
Goliath - 26/31
25) Splash Park Kids Puzzle
Upbounders
amazon.com
$17.99
Kids can use their spatial skills to put together this puzzle, which depicts a fun day at the park. The pieces are sturdy to stand up to rough preschool play, and the puzzle is just the right size at 24 pieces. Ages 3+
Upbounders - 27/31
26) Magna Tiles
Magna Tiles
amazon.com
$49.99
With this set of beautifully colored magnetic tiles, any 4-year-old kid can spark creativity and build shapes with the colorful pieces. As kids get older and more advanced, this toy will still benefit them because they'll be able to create more difficult designs to keep them challenged. In the box, you'll get 32 pieces in various shapes, colors and sizes. Ages 3+
Magna-Tiles - 28/31
27) Car Carrier Vehicle Set Toy
Green Toys
amazon.com
$16.92
This toy car set comes with a car carrier and three mini vehicles that help encourage motor skills and imaginative play. Our lab experts love that this toy company is so committed to sustainability — the cars are made of 100% recycled plastic, while the packaging is made with recyclable materials. Ages 3+
Green Toys - 29/31
28) Little Genius Starter Kit
Osmo
amazon.com
$39.99
The Little Genius Starter Kit is a great addition to any kid's tablet because it combines fun games with educational tools. There are four games in total, like ABC's and Squiggle Magic, that will teach your kid valuable skills, like how to form letters and shapes. The set includes the Osmo Base, 19 cardboard costume pieces, 38 silicone pieces, a play mat and storage containers. (Not an iPad user? There's also a version compatible with Fire tablets.) Ages 3+
Osmo - 30/31
29) Alphabet Affirmation Flash Cards
D Darlyng & Co.
amazon.com
$19.99
Kids can practice their alphabet and get a mood boost at the same time. Each flash card has an affirming phrase on it, like, "A is for amazing. I am amazing." Ages 3+
amazon.com - 31/31
30) Resistance X-Wing
Lego
amazon.com
$16.55
The set comes with 60 pieces, including an X-Wing starfighter and favorite Star Wars characters Poe Dameron and BB-8. He can even use these pieces with his other LEGO sets for even more creative play. Ages 4+
Lego
