best toys for kids

10 Best Toys For 4-Year-Olds

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best toys for 4 year olds

Four-year-olds are a self-assured lot. By age 4 most parents know what types of games and toys the child prefers. Each child has his own area of interest and prefers fine-tuning skills and knowledge in his area of interest. Popular topics of interest are dinosaur play, building toys, fascination with planets and solar system, toy houses, and dolls. Let us take a look at some of the best toys for 4-year-olds. Be it a selection for your child or as a gift for another these toys won’t disappoint.

Some of the toys from this list are featured in the list of toys for 3-year-olds too. They are open-ended toys that can be played with in many ways over the years.

best toys for 4 year olds

BEST TOYS FOR 4 YEAR OLDS

Magnetic tiles

As creativity expands so does creative play. You will observe a 4 year old setting up elaborate creative play set ups. His mind is looking to explore more deeply and use every toy on hand. Magnetic tiles lend to this creative process. The child can use his imagination and build different 3-D structures, then go on to use these structures in pretend play games.

Flying Start Magnetic Tiles

Lego sets

lego for children-toys for 4 year olds

Another toy that leads to hours of independent play is Lego. There are many to choose from and 4-year-olds love building and creating using Lego. You will be amazed at your child’s creativity. Building with lego blocks is also great for fine motor skills for preschoolers. Playing with blocks develops spatial skills that can help build stronger arithmetic abilities in schooling years.

Classic Lego Toy

Puzzles

Besides creativity, now is a good time to get your child observing patterns, solving puzzles, and using reasoning skills. All of these skills are used later on to read and solve problems. 

Expose the child to different types of puzzles that challenge the brain to sort, reason and solve.

Some of the different types puzzles we use at age 4 are :

Logical reasoning puzzle

Magnetic tangram

Jigsaw puzzles

Construction toys

Get children used to building and creating designs. These construction sets are great for fine motor skills, problem solving and spatial skills.

Wooden construction building sets

Construction builder set

Blackboard

Having an easel in the room motivates the child to pick up the chalk and draw or write. We love the Easel by Ikea Mala, its large in size and comes with a whiteboard at the back and a set of crayons and duster.

Abacus

The colorful beads of an Abacus make learning fun. Start with simple counting, addition, and subtraction and later use the abacus for multiplication and division operations.

Scooter

Age 4 is when preschoolers are honing in on those gross motor skills like balance. A scooter is a great introduction to this age group. Watch your 4-year olds zooming away on their scooters and trying new moves with confidence.

Wooden blocks, rainbow stackers and sticks 

Another set of open-ended toys is wooden rainbow stackers, blocks, and sticks. Children can use their imagination and come up with elaborate setups for pretend play.

Toys made of wood also last a very long time and can be used to hand down the generations in a family. We love these quality wooden toys for children by Leg&Go. They make the best active play and Montessori toys.

Sand toy set

DIY sand pit

Creating opportunities for the child to indulge in sensory play is important. Sensory toys like sand pits help the child motor skills, hand eye coordination and even promote social skills as children learn to play together. You can find many sand trays in the market or you can build one yourself at home.

We used an old IKEA cardboard box and some beach sand we bought from a gardening store. Add in some scoops, cups, moulds, shovels, or include some toys like dinosaurs, construction vehicles, farm animals for dramatic play.

Read here to learn more about the benefits of sensory play.

Vehicle play

Most 4 year olds have by now decided on what vehicle they like. Some children obsess over planes and others over construction vehicles. 

A battery operated train is sure to catch your child’s attention. 

Here are a few sturdy and cute toys for vehicle play, you can choose one that suits your child’s interest.

LILLABO IKEA 45 piece train set

Hape Toys firetruck

Skola Toys school bus

A combination of these toys are used by our 4 year old everyday. We love watching how he expresses his creativity through some and how he uses analytical thinking with others. Its wonderful watching little ones play.

I hope this list helps you as you decide on the best toy for your 4-year-old. Until next time, Ciao!

10 Best Non Toy Gifts For Toddlers

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best non toy gifts for toddlers

Throughout childhood years children get gifted many toys. While we may not think much when we buy a plastic toy for the next childs birthday party, its the parents of the child who need to deal with a huge load of toys after each birthday. Many of the toys are repeats of already owned toys or something the child is not really interested in. The result is a lot of waste.

Gifting a toy is not the only option when want to a gift a toddler.

Here are some non-toy gifts for toddlers that will not only stand out as unique but also be appreciated by the family receiving it.

non toy gifts for toddlers

10 NON-TOY GIFTS FOR TODDLERS

An Experience

Tickets to a play, puppet show, a reading of their favorite book, a special restaurant, tickets to a guided tour of the local zoo, museum, or national park. All of these make fun experience gifts for toddlers.

Activity Subscription Boxes

Subscription boxes are like a gift that keeps giving. Older toddlers love art and craft and these days there are many subscription box services of the same.

Example of activity gifts for 3 year olds

Firstcry Intellikit

Flintobox

Magic Crate

Books

One of my favorite non-toy gifts for 1-year-old is the Julia Donaldson Classics series. Toddlers will enjoy the sing-song rhyming storytelling of Julia Donaldson.

Other than this book collection you can also look for unique book titles that the child may not already own.

Some books that I enjoy gifting are,

When I grow up- Noella Menon

Knock Knock!- Kaori Takashaki

The Tiny Seed – Eric Carle

Peep Inside Animal Homes – Anna Milbourne

A Class

Find a local class that the child can participate in. Something that aligns with their interests. There are options like Baby Gym Classes and Baby Music Class. (1 year and up) or Toddler Drama Class, and Skating (perfect for 3-year-olds)

Musical Instruments

One of the best gifts to give a 2-3-year-old is some sort of age-appropriate musical instrument. Musical instruments like a Toddler Drum Set, Casio or harmonica are great first musical instruments for a child to own.

Money/Gift card Amazon or Target

A gift card to Amazon or Target is always a great non toy gift idea. Most parents already have a wishlist of their own and you can help them tick a few boxes off the list.

Piggybank

I remember the time I recieved a piggy bank as a child . I was so excited and got around to using it immediately. All the birthday money I received went into my piggy bank and at the end of the year, I could buy anything I want with that money. This practice taught me the value of money, saving and delayed gratification.

Binoculars/ Magnifying glass

Toddlers are just beginning to make sense of the world they are growing in. Gifts like binoculars and magnifying glass can be used for nature trails or on walks around the house to observe the life of different living creatures. They help create curiosity for nature.

These are unique gifts that are sure to receive a lot of appreciation from parents of the child. Perfect gift ideas for toddlers who have everything.

Customized Accessories

Nowadays there are many online stores that design customized accessories including bath towels, water bottles, and lunchboxes. These not only make a unique gift for toddlers but are also practical.

I love these customized kids blankets by Stork Wares. They are soft, made with minky fabric and come in so many cute designs. Any child would love to own a cute blanket with his name on it.

Handmade Gifts

There is something about receiving a handmade gift, it evokes a feeling of gratitude and love. Handmade gifts like hand-knit sweaters, mittens, handmade patchwork play mat are thoughtful and unique non toy gifts for toddlers.

For more on meaningful toys and gifts read the posts below,

How to select learning toys for children

Memorable birthday return gift ideas

What are some of the non toy gift ideas you tried? Do you have some unique ideas of your own? Leave me a comment below.

10 Most Age Appropriate Toys For 3-Year-Olds

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Read time: 5 minutes
age appropriate toys for 3 year olds

There are two criteria for selecting toys for kids, safety and age appropriateness.  Many enthusiastic parents buy toys without giving any consideration to the age of the child. Before you buy the next trending toy, ask your self, does this toy match my child’s current skills?

Each child develops at his own pace and often buying toys meant for higher age groups only leaves the child overwhelmed and disinterested.

In order to encourage creativity in play you first need to buy materials (toys and games) that are suited your child’s current skill set.

I always look to my child when I need to buy him a toy. What is his current area of interest? What skills do I see him develop at the moment? Has he spotted something that he wants to try? Using his innate curiosity for things around him we slowly introduce him to new concepts and materials.

There is no rush for him to try everything within a specified time frame. There have been times I buy something I like and my son rejects the toy immediately.  Then after a while has passed I see him take a liking to the same toy he rejected earlier. This is because he was not ready to explore when he was first exposed to the toy.  There is no rush. More on child led learning here.

Here are a few toys and ideas I think 3-year-olds will enjoy. These are age-appropriate toys for 3-year-olds, some of them also make great 3-year-old birthday gift ideas.

best toys for 3 year olds amazon

Age Appropriate Toys For 3-year-olds

  1. Puzzles And Pattern Blocks

You can introduce puzzles at age 2 and by age 3 most kids can solve 9-10 piece puzzle sets. This is also a great time to use pattern blocks and allow the child to use his creativity and come up with his own designs.

A few puzzles and pattern blocks to try;

Creative Educational Aids (5 – 9 piece puzzles)

Shumee Animal Floor Puzzle

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks

  1. Magnetic tiles

Magnetic tiles is one of the best birthday gift ideas for 3-year-olds. By now most 3-year-olds know how to build using building blocks and magentic tiles add another level of creativity to the mix. The colored tiles hold 3-year-olds attention for long periods of time. This is one toy our son can be seen playing with first thing in the morning.

  1. Coloring And Art

Toddlers love using crayons and paints and getting really messy with them. Copy coloring becomes a particularly interesting activity at this age as toddlers begin to figure out how to color within the lines.

Paint using materials from the kitchen like okra or potatoes. Paint on stones or eggshells. There are many ways to add variation in art and craft.

  1. Outdoor Toys

As 3-year-olds develop gross motor skills engage them in a variety of outdoor play and activities. Toys like a sandbox, trampoline, cricket bat and ball, football, and beach toys all engage little ones to get out there and catch some Vit D and exercise.

  1. Ride-on Toys

This age group also enjoys ride-on toys. They are figuring out balance and motion and ride-on toys are a lot of fun.

Example: Ride on tricycle, bicycle, scooters, and cars

  1. Vehicle Sets

Anything that moves and has wheels can catch the eye of little ones. Most 3-year-olds are beginning to name the different modes of transport and this is a great time to introduce them to pretend play with vehicles

Some of great vehicle toys,

Melissa & Doug Car Loader Truck

Hape Classic Train Toy

Hape Wooden Train Set

  1. Activity Subscription Services

Activity boxes are a great way to introduce little ones to different themes and learning concepts. There are many subscription services these days that provide interesting materials for art and craft activities. These are to be done with the help of a parent and can be used as a way to have conversations around the themes and gauge the child’s interest and likings.

Some of our favorite subscription activity boxes are,

Firstcry Intellikit

Flintobox

More educational toys for 3 year olds.

  1. Dress-up

Pretend play is a huge part of a young child’s games. If your child is enjoying a particular role play buy him that outfit for dress up. Dress up games are a great way to allow the child’s inner creativity to shine.

  1. Blocks

After using the mega blocks since age 1, it is now time for your child to graduate to building blocks that require advanced motor skills.

We really like these bristle blocks, our son finds the texture of the blocks interesting and they require the use of fine motor skills to be made into different structures.

  1. Pretend Playsets

And of course, I am going to end this list with pretend play. If you follow me on Instagram you know we are big on pretend play in our house. We use a Kitchen set, a teepee tent and lots of stuffed toys to build endless hours of fun.

You can catch my reviews on our Hape kitchen set and Cuddly Coo teepee tent here.

Use your child’s interest and find toys that cater to his creativity. There are so many pretend play toys out there from doll houses to doctor sets. Find a few that interest your child and use pretend play as a way to spend one on one time with your child.

I hope this list is handy to moms of three-year-olds. What toys does your child like to play with?

5 Age Appropriate Toys For 2 Year Olds

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Read time: 4 minutes
age appropriate toys for 2 year olds

When my son’s 2ndbirthday started drawing closer I began my search for new toys to gift him. I realized that we had every kind of toy in each category and he still enjoyed playing with his toys. I was lost for ideas and ended up researching age appropriate toys for 2 year olds and found new suggestions to meet the gap in our current toy collection. Each of these toys focuses on his current developmental needs.

By 2 years of age, most toddlers have a varied vocabulary and advanced motor skills. They are rapidly learning from their environment so pretend play and mimicking adults take center stage as forms of play.

At the same time Toys for 1 year olds like Balls, Vehicles, kitchen and coloring sets will continue to be a favorite with this age group.

These days the market is flooded with toys for kids and it can be overwhelming for parents to decide on which toys to buy. But a look at the current toys your child enjoys coupled with new skills he exhibits should help you decide on what toys to buy.

 

age appropriate toys

AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS FOR 2 YEAR OLDS

  1. Puzzles

At age 2 toddlers are beginning to get familiar with matching objects and recognizing patterns. Introducing a variety of toddler-friendly puzzles is a great way to help with memory building and developing motor skills. Knob puzzles help develop fine motor skills in 2 year olds. Other than knob puzzles look for puzzles that allow for some sort of grading, sequencing or pattern recognition. All these types of puzzles aid early math skills.

Recommendations

Skillofun Wooden Identification Tray Fruits

Melissa And Doug Sea Life Jigsaw Puzzle

 

  1. Cleaning Set

Pretend play plays a huge role in toddler development. While a play kitchen set teaches them about food, cooking, social etiquette around the table. A cleaning set shows them how to care for their environment by cleaning up after they are done playing. Introducing such toys is a way to instill a sense of responsibility towards household chores.

Recommendations

Brainsmith Spic And Span Set

 

  1. Busy Books

2 to 2 and a half years of age is a good time to introduce busy books. These books contain pages of activities a toddler can complete on his own. They need guidance at first, but once familiar with the activities on each page they continue playing on their own. Busy books encourage independent play and teach a variety of concepts depending on the topic of the book.

Recommendations

Cubs And Calves Unicorn Quiet Book

Cubs And Calves Oh Boy Quiet Book

 

  1. Play-Doh

Play-doh encourages creativity, imagination, and conversation through pretend play. Making different shapes, pretend kitchen utensils or animals improves hand-eye coordination and motor skills.  Age 2 is the best time to introduce play-doh because children are no longer mouthing toys and understand instruction on how to use it. Caution: Always use play-doh under adult supervision.

Recommendations

Play-doh Classic Fun Factory Set

Eco Kids Natural Plant Dye Modelling Dough

 

  1. Musical Toys

2 year olds have a greater appreciation for music. You will find your toddler swinging to his favorite songs and walking around the house singing nursery rhymes.  Musical toys are therefore one of the most age appropriate toys for 2 year olds. Some musical toys that aren’t as irritating to the adult ears are listed below;

Recommendations

VTech KidiBeats Drum Set

Hape Wooden Little Drummer

 

age appropriate toys for 2 year olds

Previous book and toy recommendations

Toys for the first year

Toys for 1 year olds

Books for the first year

Books for 1 year olds

 

I hope you found this list useful and find new toy ideas to gift your 2 year olds. Leave me a comment below on what toys your 2 year olds like playing with? For more fun recommendations and reviews follow me on Instagram where I share our experiences with different toys, activities and other baby products.

Feature image by, Moose Photos via Pexels.com

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