38 Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys That Let Their Imaginations Run Wild

By Jamie Kenney Updated: Oct 05, 2023 1:04 PM EST

30 Best Toys and Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys 2023

These unique and unusual picks have something for every kid.

When a kid turns 4, it’s almost time for kindergarten! Changes are, his mind is already brimming with curiosity. The best toys and gifts for kids of this age will nurture this love of learning, no matter what they’re into.

Most 4-year-olds are eager to try their hand at problem-solving, or experiment with new tasks that require a greater attention span that will keep them occupied for longer than the usual 15 minutes. They’re also going to begin questioning more about the world around them, explains Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three, an organization that focuses on kid development during the early years. Tasks that require planning ahead and better motor skills will keep them interested and occupied and help exercise their new abilities and interests.

“The best gifts 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 says. “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.”

The Good Housekeeping Institute has tested toys in all of these categories and more, looking for ones that are safe to use, will last stand up to rough play and — most importantly — won’t annoy parents. Then they hand their favorites over to real 4-year-olds for the true test, making sure they are ones kids will go back to again and again. When the results came in, these were the best toys and gifts for 4-year-old boys in 2023, including current and former Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners.

• Spin Master Firebuds Bo and Flash Action Figure Set, $9 on walmart.com
• Educational Insights Design and Drill Bolt Buddies Rocket, $16 amazon.com
• The Ice Cream Vanishes Picture Book, $16 on amazon.com
• Air Hogs Super Soft Flippin’ Frenzy, $23 on amazon.com
• Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope, $34 on amazon.com

Toys that give kids hands-on STEM experience, construction and building set and dinosaurs (so many dinosaurs!) were on the top of the 4-year-olds wish lists this year.

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

38 Gifts for 4-Year-Old Boys That Let Their Imaginations Run Wild

With these games, toys, stories, and costumes, the possibilities are endless.

By Jamie Kenney Updated: Oct 05, 2023 1:04 PM EST

With these games, toys, stories, and costumes, the possibilities are endless. If you’ve ever met a 4-year-old boy, you’ve probably noticed his favorite word is also a question: “Why?” or “How?” or “When/where/what/who?” Their curiosity and desire to learn and understand are some of the best things about them. Sure, all those “Why? Why? Why?”s get annoying at bedtime. (Please just go to sleep, kid.) But when you’re playing the long game, curiosity is a virtue.

You’ve also probably noticed these little guys are active. Really active. Luckily, kids learn through play — and at the rate they’re going, they’re going to be geniuses by the time they turn 5. So we’ve put together a list of the best gifts for 4-year-old boys that will encourage their curiosity through fun playtime. From dress-up to board games to running his very own dinosaurs-and-car park (hey, it could happen… though Jurassic Park has shown us it might not go super well), he’ll have such a good time, he won’t even know he’s learning and growing. They’re only 4 for a little while, but the things they learn when they’re 4 will last a lifetime.