The 30 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

That’s a lot, and it can be hard for parents to sort through all the options out there and figure out which toys appeal to 4-year-olds the most. The Good Housekeeping Institute evaluates toys all year long, in addition to keeping track of trends and new releases. Lab experts first evaluate the toys for safety and quality, and then hand them over to real 4-year-olds who give their brutally honest opinions about the fun fact. With all that said, these are the best toys and gifts for 4-year-old girls in 2023, a list that include both current and former Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, as well as best-sellers and editor’s picks.

31 Best Gifts and Toys for 4-Year-Old Girls for 2023

These are the unique, educational and trendy items she wants this year.

When a 4-year-old reaches for a favorite toy, it’ll be very different from the toys they loved as toddlers. They’ve grown up so much in such a short time, and their new developmental skills are quickly incorporated into their play — something to keep in mind when looking for gifts for kids this age.

“Four-year-olds are full of questions as they begin to decode the patterns and processes driving the world around them,” says Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three, an organization that focuses on early child development. “They’re also all about problem-solving and enjoy mastering new challenges.”

Additionally, friendships and social play are a major source of joy for preschoolers, and pretend play is really heating up at this age. “Their attention span is also growing, which means they can focus on more challenging tasks and activities,” Parlakian adds.

With all these new skills, ideas and behaviors in their heads, there are lots of new toys and gifts that appeal to 4-year-olds. Parlakian suggests giving kids construction toys for building and problem-solving, challenging puzzles of 20 to 40 pieces, costumes and play sets that encourage imaginative play, art sets for motor skills and simple board games that’ll let them try logic and strategy along with patience and turn-taking.

That’s a lot, and it can be hard for parents to sort through all the options out there and figure out which toys appeal to 4-year-olds the most. The Good Housekeeping Institute evaluates toys all year long, in addition to keeping track of trends and new releases. Lab experts first evaluate the toys for safety and quality, and then hand them over to real 4-year-olds who give their brutally honest opinions about the fun fact. With all that said, these are the best toys and gifts for 4-year-old girls in 2023, a list that include both current and former Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, as well as best-sellers and editor’s picks.

• Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes It Big Picture Book, $11 at amazon.com
• Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets, $24 at amazon.com
• Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope, $34 at amazon.com
• Hapinest Turtle Steps Balance Stepping Stones, $39 at amazon.com
• Melissa and Doug Paw Patrol Mighty Skye Role Play Pack, $53 at amazon.com

This year, 4-year-old girls love toys that mimic caring for pets and animals. Surprise collectibles are also still hot, as are sets that give kids hands-on STEM experience. Whatever you choose, these gifts will make 4-year-old girls happy.

Looking for more great gifts? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:

The 30 Best Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

Many 4-year-olds are learning to master their environments, and they’re starting to negotiate boundaries, push limits, and question everything. Some of the best gifts for 4-year-olds engage their endless curiosity, rapidly developing physical skills, and desire to understand everything around them.

Early STEM toys—those that help kids develop skills related to science, technology, engineering, and math—allow preschoolers to experiment with the strength, size, and shape of objects, and to explore cause and effect. In particular, building toys that feature magnets, gears, curves, and wheels allow 4-year-olds to problem-solve independently.

Jena Olson, who was president of the STEM educational nonprofit Kid Spark Education at the time of our interview, emphasizes other, lesser-known skills that STEM toys can help preschoolers develop. “Children learn language and cooperation,” she said. “They refine their physical skills, including fine motor skills, as they push and pull pieces apart.” Gifts that encourage art and creativity—as well as games and movement toys that allow for silly and energetic play—are also great choices for kids of this age. (You may have noticed that STEAM—which adds an arts emphasis to STEM’s existing focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—has been picking up, ahem, steam over recent years.)

To identify memorable and engaging gifts for 4-year-olds, we relied on the advice of Olson and Ann Kienzle, of Chicago’s Play toy shop, as well as on advice from parents and other caregivers on our staff. Many gifts for kids are appropriate for a range of ages. If you’re looking for more gift ideas for kids, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, as well as crowd-pleasing stocking stuffers for kids. We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens. (Just remember, since kids develop at different rates, all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.