The Best Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys To Engage These Busy Preschoolers

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Following Jun 30, 2023, 08:45pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Play is important for kids of all ages, but the best toys for 4-year-old boys help them explore their environment, emotions and imaginary play. After all, these playful preschoolers tend to be quite busy and active. According to Jodi Huffman, an early childhood therapist, play is “the way that children interact with the world.

. . and use their experiences to form meaning of the world around them.

” The best toys for 4-year-old boys build creativity and independent learning. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERS Both guided and free play are extremely beneficial to kids, Huffman says. “Modeling what to do with toys and narrating leads to the development of imitation skills,” she says.

“Free play builds creativity, problem solving, independent learning and ultimately self advocacy and knowing their own unique likes and dislikes. ” In an ideal world, Huffman recommends mixing guided play with free play throughout the day. And this is especially important for preschoolers: When kids are 4, they’re likely to be exploring and learning how to express their emotions; play gives them time to process these new learnings.

Here, we offer a list of the best toys for 4-year-old boys. (It’s worth noting that these toys may also be enjoyed by children of any gender. ) You may want to read some of our other toy articles after finishing this one, including the best toys for 5-year-olds and the best swing sets .

MORE FROM FORBES VETTED The Best Golf Clothes For Women To Sport Both During And After Tee Time By Kim Peiffer Forbes Staff The Best Sunscreens For Sensitive Skin According To Experts By Molly Calhoun Contributor Best Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys Best Outdoor Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys A Zippy, Durable Scooter Amazon Hurtle 3-Wheeled Scooter For $60, you might not think this scooter would last through the grueling trauma that most outdoor toddler toys endure. But the Hurtle makes it easy for toddlers to learn to ride, as the scooter can be used with or without the seat, and it teaches balance by using a lean-to-turn feature instead of handlebars, making it easier to transition to a bigger-kid scooter later on. And it lasts.

Reviewers note that it’s a good value. For the price, the “lights work great, seat is sturdy… it’s very durable and will not get banged up,” one parent wrote. Bikes For Preschoolers Of All Sizes Guardian Bikes Guardian 16-Inch Bike Buy From Guardian Bikes The Guardian bike might scare off the more budget-minded parents.

But this sturdy, long-lasting bike will grow with your kid over time. Guardian has a sizing system that uses either your child’s age, inseam or height to help you choose the best option. Its bikes are lightweight, at just 17.

5 pounds for a 16-inch set of wheels, and they offer a simple, single-lever breaking system. The bike also has large tires for on and off-road riding, making for a safe and easy transition from a balance bike . Give Your Little Construction Worker The Experience Of A Lifetime Amazon The Big Dig Sandbox Digger Excavator Crane Giving a 4-year-old boy the chance to live out his fantasy of operating an excavator in his sandbox at only $40 sounds like a dream scenario for both parent and child.

Boasting both a sturdy and lightweight build, this Excavator allows kids to dig up sand in the sandbox or out on a beach day. The more expensive models include wheels for more toddler-immersion. Sand, dirt, leaves or snow—this thing is good for any season and, according to users, it even works indoors given how lightweight and mobile it is.

Let Them Stomp Out All That Energy Amazon Stomp Rocket Original Dueling Rocket Launcher This is a classic stomp-and-watch toy that many millennial parents will remember from their own childhoods. Able to soar up to 200 feet, this toy will (hopefully) give parents a couple of years before their kids start asking about actual rockets. At only $20, it’s an ideal outdoor toy that gets kids of all ages outside and off their screens.

The Best Remote Control Toy For 4-Year-Old Boys Opt For Indoor Or Outdoor Racing Amazon Air Hogs Remote Control Car With a lightweight frame and wheels that don’t leave marks, this Air Hog is good to go inside or outside. The large, soft wheels can climb on furniture without destroying it due to a whole host of tricks and good battery life. If your kid loves remote control toys (and you want to avoid ruining your floors), this is a solid toy choice.

At $50, you don’t have to break the bank, either. The Best Art Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys Mess-Free Art? Sign Us Up. Amazon Water Doodle Mat Buy From Amazon For those rainy days when your kids can’t go outside, this mat comes with stencils and fun shapes to trace.

The colors from the included markers are only activated by water, so there’s no risk of staining your floors, either. A Well-Organized Easel For Your Small Artist Amazon KidKraft Wooden Storage Easel Buy From Amazon This KidKraft easel gives little ones an art creation station with both a dry-erase board and chalkboard sides, along with a paper-roll for drawing. With large ledges for storing supplies, “It holds all art supplies in one place… for holding crayons, colored pencils, and markers,” one parent says.

This easel makes organizing and cleanup easier for both parents and kids. The Best Building Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys Marble Mazes Galore Amazon Marble Genius Marble Run Give your kids the chance to create their own Rube-Goldberg machine with 130 different pieces to make any and all kinds of marble-moving creations. If your little one can’t get enough and wants more, advanced sets are available.

The Marble Run also comes with an app with building and game suggestions to give parents and kids some creative help. Build And Disassemble Construction Vehicles Amazon Ludilo Construction Toys With Electric Drill Buy From Amazon This set gives kids the chance to be both mechanics and construction workers— because building the vehicles is half the fun for these curious kids. Construct and then deconstruct vehicles ranging from a dump truck, cement truck, and a front-end loader with a plastic, battery-powered, easy-to-use screwdriver.

The toy set comes with a carry bag, too, so you can bring these out to the beach or playground, or to the grandparent’s house. The Best Puzzle Toy For 4-Year-Old Boys A Sneaky Way To Teach Kids Letters And Spelling Amazon The Learning Journey: Match It! Puzzle Sturdy and well-built with high quality pieces—and under $15—parent’s wallets and sanity will appreciate this puzzle toy. Around age 4, kids will often start learning their letters and may even be interested in spelling, which makes this puzzle a good way of keeping them entertained while also teaching useful skills.

The Best Game Toy For 4-Year-Old Boys A Visual Bingo-Style Kids Game Amazon ThinkFun Zingo Bingo Bingo with a twist! This board game builds language and matching skills while also giving kids a chance to play with parents, grandparents or other friends. It’s a popular learning game in preschools, too. One user noted that she was “able to play with a 2-year old, 6-year old, and 8-year old,” meaning this game can grow with a kid as they get older, and it gives them a chance to teach their younger siblings or friends how to play.

The Best Exploration Toy For 4-Year-Old Boys Dino Lovers, Unite Amazon Dig A Dozen Dino Egg Dig Kit Buy From Amazon Dig in the dirt like your kid’s favorite dinosaur hunter? Yes please. This kit buries and hides clay dinosaur eggs with little rubber dino babies inside. Getting your hands dirty is half the fun, plus kids will get a chance to find a toy with each dinosaur egg.

Each egg (and baby dino) also comes with a card that explains what that animal was like and when it lived. And the kit includes brushes and a little mallet, giving kids multiple ways of cleaning and opening each egg. Why Trust Forbes Vetted I’m a journalist with a decade of experience reviewing kids products, outdoor gear and apparel.

You can find my bylines in the New York Times, Forbes, Slate and elsewhere. I also have two kids, ages 1 and 3. 5, and have spent most of my career writing about the psychological benefits of play and movement for both children and adults.

For this piece, I interviewed expert Jodi Huffman, an early childhood therapist. She helped me understand what 4-year-olds need, in terms of play and creativity. And I consulted the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics to learn more about preschooler’s common developmental milestones.

How We Chose The Best Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys First, I spent several hours reading about 4-year-olds. (My son is almost 4, and all of his preschool classmates are 4 and 5, so I also have an inside look at what they love. ) I spoke with my son’s teacher, as well as an early childhood therapist, to understand why play is so important for preschoolers, especially those learning new emotions.

Eventually, I narrowed down a very long list of toys to the ones below based on my personal experience (and my son’s favorite things), recommendations from experts, and insight from parents in my community and online reviewers. The best toys for a 4-year-old boy will vary based on your child’s preferences, but I prioritized toys that can be used in a variety of ways (encouraging open-ended play), plus those that are durable, get good customer reviews online and encourage learning. Jenni Gritters Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.