25+ of our favorite gifts for 4-year-olds–from the practical to the fun

Make dress up super fun with this flashy Superhero cape from Little Adventures. It’s made from non-itchy fabric that’s free from pokey seams, buttons or ties and easy for little people to take on and off themselves. The best part? It’s machine-washable. Because even superheroes have to clean up once in awhile.

When it comes to 4-year-olds, the overstimulation is real. Calm-down jars can be a great tool to help them chill out, take a breath and recalibrate after a long day or your regularly scheduled meltdown. And yes, of course any jar filled with glitter or what have you will do, but we really love the thoughtfully-designed Light Up Sensory Jars from Glo Pals. The lantern-like vessels feature both easy-grab handles and a child-proof cap to keep everything inside. (Ask us how we learned this cap situation matters.) Each one comes with a themed filler pack of glitter, sequins, jewels and figurines which they can add themselves. Just fill with tap water and you’re good to go!

With Squaregles, the fun doesn’t end once the building is over. In fact, it’s just beginning! Perhaps the most versatile magnetic building set we’ve ever seen, Squaregles 3D building sets are fun for kids and adults alike. There are a ton to choose from, but one of our new faves this year is the Yeti Yikes! Ski Mountain. The strong magnets and bridge clips keep their builds from collapsing while the paperboard panels offer a place for them to show off their artistic skills.

It’s hard to say who loves a water table more–our kids who spend hours scooping, experimenting, and pouring, or us, the moms who get a few minutes of peace while they do it. Any style makes a great holiday gift, but we’re super impressed by this one from KiwiCo. In addition to a generously-sized basin which can be filled with water, sand, rice, you name it, the plexiglass divider offers a place to assemble custom water features with the included pipe set, or doodle with the paint crayons. It’s crazy easy to assemble (one reviewer said it best–”Kiwico should buy Ikea”) and can be adjusted to three different heights as they grow.

Even as adults who have to clean it up, we admit that kinetic sand is super fun. (It also doesn’t grind itself permanently into the carpet like play dough, so there’s that.) And while a bin of it is great, the new Creative Chef sets from Little Tikes are even better. The realistic Ice Cream Kit comes with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry-esque Make It Mix play sand “ice cream” as well as a collection scoops, garnishes and dishware to serve up the prettiest sundaes this side of the scoop shop.

When you’re four, is there a better place to hang than in your own cozy fort? Not really. This dreamy design uses a standard box fan to inflate in seconds and features glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling for an extra dash of magic. It’s also machine washable!

And here you thought they wouldn’t be raiding your makeup stash until middle school! 4-year-olds love imitating their mom more than anything, so it’s no surprise they’re begging to swipe on some blush with your fancy brushes. Imagine how you could blow their mind by gifting them their very own kid-safe version. The Mom’s Makeup Play Kit from Supersmalls includes a collection of clear, kid-friendly makeup you can feel good about them using as well as a collection of gem stickers to decorate the compact and tubes.

Since the overwhelming success of their 2016 Kickstarter, Rebel Girls has graced the bedtime story routine of millions of young girls (and boys!) in 49 languages in over 85 countries. Their 10-book Little Library Collection offers the youngest readers a thorough introduction to 100 extraordinary women and girls from all around the world at an age-appropriate level. Spark the something that will ignite change, continue the fight for what is right and just, and carry us boldly into the future.

According to one Motherly mom of five, “This might seem like a seriously overpriced toy, but it is absolutely not—it’s the most versatile toy in our collection.” What are the German-made Stapelstein Originals? Well, a better question might be what aren’t they? The water-proof, stackable toys are everything from water and sand scoops to obstacle course and tower builders. They’re strong enough for full grown adults to stand on and light enough for toddlers to manipulate and maneuver. And yes, they’re definitely pricey but when you consider how much play time they offer and the fact they’re ideal for a wide range of ages, it’s easier to rationalize!

The wooden countertop play sets from Melissa & Doug have topped our lists for ages. They’re incredibly thoughtfully designed, virtually indestructible and every editor who has had one insists their kids have played with them more than any other toy in the house. This year they’ve released a brand new chocolate factory version which is sure to be just as big a hit as any. Kids can mix and match the play candy shells and tops with a variety of fillings as they move the sliding conveyor, flip fidget switches, push a lever and turn a dial to drop the finished product right into place. The set comes with boxes to package up their confections, play money, a double-sided sign and a reusable activity card. And because it’s just as fun to order chocolates as it is to make them, it’s a great gift for siblings as well!

One of our favorite collabs of late, the Hanna Andersson x Crayola Color-In pajamas upgrade their beloved long johns into a wearable art project. The illustrated jammies come with 10 colorful fabric markers so they can decorate to their heart’s content. Choose between animals and vehicles.

This climbing dome has multiple five-star reviews, and will likely bring back joyful childhood memories for you as your child climbs, swings, and jumps from this structure. Although this requires a good amount of space in a yard—it is 9 feet in diameter and 4.5 feet high—reviewers say it has replaced large play structures in their yard and gets just as much use. The climbing activities this lends to can help improve a child’s spatial awareness, sense of balance, and motor skills—you may even find that the interior of the dome makes for a great playhouse, too!

The 64-piece Search & Find puzzles from Mudpuppy offer preschoolers two challenges. First they have to flex their problem solving skills to put it together. When they’re done, they can use their eagle eyes to find 40+ space-related images and animals that surround the puzzle edge.

Of all the toys we’ve ever bought, none have gotten more use than Stomp Rockets. The simple foam rockets and launchers keep kids running, catching and jumping for hours, and sometimes, siblings even get along while doing it. This set is particularly well suited for multiple kids since it comes with a net to snag them before they hit they ground.

Got a budding chef on your hands? With Raddish Kids, the all-ages cooking club, each month’s themed box contains three recipe guides and culinary skill lessons, grocery list, quality kitchen tool, creative kitchen project, a colorful apron patch and four table talk cards (great for getting a conversation going around the dinner table). They also offer free “bonus bites” on the website with things like extra recipes and playlists to inspire your little chef as they cook up a storm. You can also check out their single kits or even opt for a cook-along kit that includes exclusive access to a cook-along class taught by a Raddish Culinary Coach. Prices vary.

My First Flybar offers kiddos who are too young for a pogo stick a frustration-free way to get their jump on. The wide foam base and stretchy bungee cord “stick” is sturdy enough to withstand indoor and outdoor use and makes a super fun addition to driveway obstacle courses and backyard races. Full disclosure—it squeaks when they bounce, but don’t let that be a deterrent. One clever reviewer noted that with a pair of needle-nose pliers, you can surgically remove that sucker without damaging the base.

While we love a good themed LEGO kit, we’ve found that our 4-year-olds get the most joy and use out of a plain ‘ol pile of colorful bricks. This new set is a great way to start their collection with a wide selection of shapes and sizes that are not only pre-sorted by color, but can easily be stored in the convenient plastic bin between play sessions. There are endless ways to create and plenty of bricks for the entire crew to get in on a family build session.

This ready-made sensory bin comes with everything your construction-loving kiddo needs to entertain themselves for hours. When they’re done, just snap the lid back on and store for next time. Honestly, I’d pay double. (And if diggers and dump trucks aren’t thing, they offer a bunch of different themes that are sure to please.)

Preschoolers will have a blast creating hundreds of stylish outfits with this magnetic set from Janod. With 8 cards and 46 magnetic pieces, they can flex their creativity and work on fine motor skills while having fun. We also love that it’s all contained in its own book shaped box which makes it convenient to take on-the-go and easy to store on the bookshelf. There’s also a boy dress up set that’s fun to mix and match!

With 145 pieces that can connect together in endless combinations, this colorful marble run is bound to get their wheels turning. A spinning Ferris wheel, a swirling cone that plays a musical light show, thrilling ramps, fast tracks, extreme launchers and bases can be used as they follow instructions for exciting builds or they can flex their creative muscles to design something all their own.

I hope and pray that my kids never outgrow magnetic tiles, because they’re *my* favorite open-ended toy to play with. The new Roads Range pack from Connetix makes it even more enjoyable: Build bridges, construct entire towns and cities, set up a racetrack or build a towering skyscraper with the sleek black tiles, arches and ramps. The possibilities are literally endless.

Playing detective is a fun game at any age, but especially in this age’s wheelhouse. Kids will love to test their research skills as they try to locate the missing cat in town.

If your child has trouble picking up small things, try playing this game to strengthen hand and eye coordination. It’s a short enough game that even young kids are able to maintain attention and focus through everyone’s turn.

Whether you’re zipping through city streets or riding up and down your suburban driveway, a good scooter is a must-have for outdoor fun. Our top pick is the genius three-wheeled designs from Micro Kickboard. Not only are they super easy for even the smallest daredevils to master, but they’re made to last and hand down. It’s a great way for little ones to improve their balance and coordination while also having a blast!

With the guidance of over 100 kids, Thousand created a helmet that every kid will not only tolerate wearing, but ask to wear even when they’re not on wheels. Each helmet includes a pack of super cool reflective stickers so they can easily customize it to their own personal style. As far as fit, it comes in one size and adjusts via a dial at the base of the head. Details like the integrated visor, comfy vegan leather straps and extra ventilation are the icing on the cake.

This one is spendy for sure, but a sturdy, beautiful playhouse is an investment that will pay off in years of imaginative play for everyone from young toddlers to school-aged kiddos. And Bijou Build is more than just a playhouse–it actually turns your yard into a kid-friendly oasis. Designed by a toy industry expert and mom of three, Bijou Build’s modular play structure is all at once a place to play and relax, with endless possibilities for expansion. The standard package includes the Clamber Climing Wall and a cozy 5 foot hover platform for inside. Want to expand? You can add another and connect with a rope bridge. Or hang the Bijou Sway swing inside and sip your coffee in the shade. It’s truly an investment for the entire family!

The premise of Pop the Pig is simple and goofy, which makes it a hit for preschoolers. To play, you roll the die, pick a burger of a certain color and the push the pig’s head down the number of times shown on the bottom of the burger. Whoever causes the pig’s belt to pop is the winner… But really everyone is the winner since each game is a great lesson in color and number recognition. (Saying “pop the pig” is even great for articulation skills!) As one editor says, “I’m easily influenced into buying games that could be fun for my three young kids and, hands down, this is the best one we’ve purchased. They actually play together. Peacefully! 10 out of 10 recommend.”