If you’ve ever bought a gift for a four-year-old, you’ll know it’s a tricky age to get right. They’re curious and imaginative, but they’ve also started to develop strong opinions (and will happily tell you when something’s “boring”). The best presents for four-year-olds balance fun and learning, encouraging creativity, movement and independence, while still holding their attention beyond a birthday or Christmas morning.
From open-ended toys and building sets, to art materials, games and outdoor play ideas, we’ve tested a wide range of gifts to find the ones that genuinely delight this age group – and survive a few rounds of rough-and-tumble play.
To help narrow things down, we asked Gary Pope, CEO and co-founder of Kids Industries, for his expert advice on what to look for when buying for this stage.
“Four is the most magical age – it’s the questions, the imagination and of course the sheer enthusiasm of being, well, themselves! This is the age when children are really starting to make sense of their world, and whether a toy is inspired by a favourite show or something entirely unique and original, the key is that it enables imagination and creativity.
“It’s easy to be swayed by packaging and promises about development, but when play feels open-ended and creative, all those social, emotional, cognitive and physical benefits naturally follow.”
Below, you’ll find our pick of the best gifts for four-year-olds, all tested with real families for fun factor, durability and value for money.
The best gifts for four-year-olds 2025:
- Best overall – Hurtle 3-wheeled scooter with seat and light-up wheels, £58.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Igloo five-minute stories for 4 year olds: £6.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for smart screen time – Amazon fire HD 8 kids tablet: £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for screen-free entertainment – Yoto player: £89.99, Amazon.co.uk
How I tested
To find the best gifts for four-year-olds, we spent several weeks testing a wide range of toys, games and creative sets with one very enthusiastic four-year-old. We also enlisted the help of a few friends, including both boys and girls, to make sure we covered different interests and play styles.
We looked for gifts that sparked creativity, encouraged movement or learning and offered genuine longevity beyond the first few days of excitement. Each item was judged on fun factor, educational value, durability, design and price. Bonus points went to toys that worked well for both solo and shared play, and those that offered sustainable materials or thoughtful packaging.
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Hurtle three-wheel scooter
Best: Gift for four-year-olds overall
Age range: 2-12
Why we love it
- Stable yet speedy
- Light-up wheels
- Grows with your child
Take note
- On the heavier side for parents on carrying duty
This Hurtle three-wheel scooter has become a firm favourite. It’s stable enough for beginners thanks to the two front wheels, but still fast and fun for little scooter pros. The light-up wheels are a huge hit (especially on evening walks), and the clever removable seat means kids can scoot sitting or standing, which is ideal when little legs get tired halfway home.
Our four-year-old mastered it almost instantly thanks to the easy lean-to-steer design and wide deck for balance. The adjustable handlebars mean it’ll last for years, and there are lots of colourways to choose from.
Ours has already been through a few muddy park trips and survived beautifully. It’s fairly sturdy, which makes it feel safe and solid to ride, but keep that in mind if you’re the one carrying it back from the park.
Buy now £58.99, Amazon.co.uk
Aniballers FC membership pack
Best: Gift for football-mad four-year-olds
Age range: 3-8
Why we love it
- Encourages confidence and coordination
- Great for active play
Take note
- Requires some adult set-up
- Best suited to kids already showing an interest in football
Created by eight-year-old Veda Wilson and her dad, Matt, during lockdown (when Veda was unimpressed by her dad’s coaching style), Aniballers is a part football coaching app, part storytelling adventure, and part confidence-booster. It’s designed to help kids stay active, while developing resilience and self-belief.
Our four-year-old tester loved the mix of fun challenges and collectable items, while we appreciated the balance between activity and imagination. The welcome pack includes the legendary golden ball, personalised membership card, sticker packs, a wall chart to track progress and access to the Aniballers training programme.
Buy now £49.99, Aniballersbeehiiv.com
Amazon Fire HD 8 kids pro tablet
Best: Gift for smart screen-time
Age range: 3–7
Why we love it
- Brilliant parental controls
- Sturdy build
- Huge range of age-appropriate content
Take note
- It’s still screen time - so set those limits early
The Amazon Fire HD 8 kids pro is one of the few tablets that feels genuinely made for kids and for parents’ peace of mind. Set-up took minutes, and using the Amazon parent dashboard, I could pause play, approve downloads and set daily limits straight from my phone. The chunky case is built for real-life drops, and Amazon’s two-year worry-free guarantee means if it breaks, it’ll replace it.
It also comes with a year of Amazon Kids+, packed with ad-free content from BBC, Lego, Disney (and plenty of Peppa Pig). Battery life is excellent, and our four-year-old tester picked it up instantly thanks to the simplified pre-reader mode.
For less than £200, it’s a solid, sensible (and sanity-saving) gift for preschoolers. Plus, the new Peppa Pig Limited Edition version comes with a themed case for little fans of the show.
Buy now £159.99, Amazon.co.uk
Yoto player
Best: Screen-free gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3-12
Why we love it
- Screen-free fun
- Grows with kids
- Brilliant for bedtime or travel
Take note
- Cost of content cards can add up
If screen-free entertainment is the goal, Yoto absolutely nails it. We found the full-size Yoto player (£89.99) perfect for the bedroom, while the smaller Yoto mini (£59.99) is ideal for travel.
Both work with collectable content cards (more than 1,200 of them) covering everything from Peppa Pig and Disney to Harry Potter, Roald Dahl and The Spice Girls. Our four-year-old tester loves having “quiet time” with her Yoto, listening to stories and asking questions about what’s happening - and we love the gentle nightlight, clock and durable, no-screen design.
Buy now £89.99, Amazon.co.uk
Paint Your Own ceramic Paddington kit
Best: Gift for creative four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Lovely keepsake
- Encourages focus and creativity
Take note
- Paint colours are small, so may need extras
This officially licensed Paint Your Own Paddington kit is a lovely, hands-on activity for children who love to make and create. It comes complete with Paddington’s iconic hat and duffel coat, along with six paints, a brush, and easy-to-follow instructions.
Our tester loved the quiet concentration of painting “their Paddington” - and it’s now sitting proudly on my desk. It’s the kind of activity that feels special in the moment and meaningful afterwards. There’s no extra firing needed, just paint together, let it dry and proudly display.
Buy now £19.99, Artypax.com
Groov-e cuties walkie talkies
Best: Gift for siblings
Age range: 4+
Why we love it
- Clear sound
- Long range
- Great for outdoor fun
Take note
- Batteries not included
The Groov-e cuties walkie talkies have been a huge hit in our house - partly for games, partly for snack requests. Available in cheerful unicorn or dinosaur designs, they’re small enough for little hands and simple enough for preschoolers to use independently.
The push-to-talk button makes instant communication easy, while the clear sound and impressive 500m range makes them perfect for indoor adventures or garden play.
They’ve become a regular part of our role-play games, as well as a handy way to “check in” from upstairs while folding laundry. These are great fun for imaginative play, and surprisingly practical too.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon.co.uk
Orchard Toys bluey shopping list game
Best: Gift for family game nights
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Quick, fun and confidence-building
- Great for memory skills
Take note
- Perhaps won’t hold older kids’ attention
We’ve played a lot of memory games, but this one actually stuck. Each player gets a trolley and shopping list, then races to find matching items – peanut butter, flowers, lollipops and more – before anyone else.
The game is simple enough for preschoolers to grasp but still keeps adults entertained. It’s been lovely watching my daughter take charge and remember where each card lives.
It’s a brilliant mix of fun and learning, helping kids practice turn-taking, memory and focus (while parents sneak in a few laughs too). The pieces are sturdy, the pace is quick, and it’s one of those games that doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Buy now £9.00, Amazon.co.uk
Tickit woodland trail treehouse
Best: Wooden gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Beautifully made
- Encourages creativity and independent play
Take note
- Small pieces easily misplaced
There’s something magical about toys that don’t tell kids what to do, and this woodland trail treehouse is one of them. Beautifully made from wood, it has three tiers of tactile “foliage”, tiny ladders and a handful of woodland animals (a hedgehog, owl, squirrel and bird) that instantly invite open-ended play.
Our four-year-old loves setting it up differently each time, and it’s just as fun to join in with her as it is to watch her play independently. Assembly took minutes, and the craftsmanship feels solid and timeless - it’s the sort of piece you’d happily keep on display.
Just watch out for the tiny pieces – they’re easy to misplace, so store carefully when playtime’s over.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
Igloo five-minute stories for 4 year olds
Best: Budget gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 0-5
Why we love it
- Stories are perfect length for bedtime
- Great value
Take note
- You’ll probably end up reading “just one more”
This beautifully illustrated hardback has become our go-to bedtime book, especially on those nights when everyone’s tired and attention spans are short. Each of the seven stories takes around three to five minutes to read, with gentle messages woven through tales about friendship, emotions and magical adventures.
I love that each story has a point without ever feeling preachy, and that you can read just one if you’re at the end of your tether (or rattle through a few when bedtime’s going surprisingly well).
The stories are colourful, funny and full of conversation starters. It’s a lovely, affordable gift for any four-year-old - boy or girl - and one that feels genuinely special to share.
Buy now £6.99, Amazon.co.uk
Connetix 28-piece light star pack
Best: Construction gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Creative and endlessly reusable
- Perfect for imaginative play
Take note
- Keep the charger handy - it’s in constant use here
Magnetic tiles are already a hit in our house, but this light star pack takes things up a notch. With pentagons, triangles and squares in eight bright colours (plus a rechargeable light-up tile), it turns ordinary builds into glowing creations.
We’ve made everything from star lanterns to colourful towers that double as nightlights. It’s one of those rare toys that grows with your child, encourages fine motor skills and creativity, and looks beautiful in action. Our four-year-old plays with it independently, but it’s just as fun to join in.
Buy now £59.00, Amazon.co.uk
JoJo Maman Bébé dog grooming playset
Best: Animal gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Charming, well-made set
- Encourages role play and empathy
Take note
- Lots of parts might get misplaced
- Pricier than some gifts
If your child loves anything with fur, this dog grooming playset will be an instant hit. Our tester loves pretending to be a vet (or a very serious dog stylist), carefully “washing” and brushing her toy before tucking it into bed.
It’s also lovely to look at – the neutral tones mean it doesn’t scream kids’ toy, and it’s one you’ll happily keep on display. It’s a brilliant set for imaginative play and early caretaking skills, especially for little ones who already love cuddly toys.
Buy now £42.00, Next.co.uk
SES Creative excavate a T-Rex
Best: Rainy day gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 4+
Why we love it
- Interactive and educational
- Brilliant for dino fans
Take note
- Can get messy
If you’ve got a dinosaur-obsessed four-year-old, this excavate a T-Rex kit will keep them happily occupied (and covered in dust). Inside the block is a full T-Rex skeleton waiting to be discovered with the included wooden hammer and chisel. Once all the bones are out, kids can assemble their very own mini fossil for imaginative play.
It’s surprisingly satisfying to do together (even for adults), though fair warning: it gets messy, so a tray or newspaper is your friend. Our tester loved the “real archaeologist” element and took huge pride in building the finished dinosaur. It’s great pick for rainy days or kids who like hands-on projects.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon.co.uk
Wonderbly personalised dinosaur book
Best: Personalised gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 2-5
Why we love it
- Beautifully illustrated
- Confidence boosting
We’re big fans of Wonderbly in this house, and this personalised dinosaur adventure has quickly become a bedtime favourite. You can customise everything - your child’s name, skin tone, hair colour, even the front cover and dedication - so it genuinely feels like their story.
Watching our four-year-old’s face light up when she spotted her name (and “her hair!”) on the page was pure magic. The story’s fun, the illustrations are gorgeous, and it’s one of those rare keepsake books that also gets read on repeat.
Buy now £29.99, Wonderbly.com
Numberblocks mathlink cubes 1–10 activity set
Best: Educational gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Educational and engaging
- Confidence-building
Take note
- Lots of small pieces, so a storage tub is a must
If you’re hearing a lot of “What does four and four make?” lately, this set is a dream. The Numberblocks mathlink cubes bring early maths to life in a way that’s visual, hands-on and genuinely fun. Kids can build their own number blocks from one to ten, helping them grasp addition, subtraction and counting.
Our four-year-old loved matching up the cubes with the TV characters and “building” the numbers herself - it’s brilliant for visual learners and great for building confidence with early maths, whether or not they’re at school yet.
Buy now £24.99, Very.co.uk
Woom go 3 balance bike
Best: Outdoor gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 4+
Why we love it
- Lightweight frame
- Intuitive steering
- Superb quality
Take note
- Pricier than most gifts
Everything about this bike is designed with young riders in mind, whether they are confident on a bike already or miles off it. This includes the lightweight frame, easy-to-reach brakes and intuitive steering that helps kids find their balance quickly and safely. Our four-year-old tester took to it instantly, gaining confidence each time. Watching her take off on her own for the first time was one of those proper “parent pride” moments.
It’s beautifully built, comes in five colours and is ideal for children aged 4–6 with a minimum inside leg of 46cm. It’s an investment, but if you’re looking for a bike that builds real skill (and joy), this is it.
Buy now £425.00, Woom.com
Melissa & Doug scoop and serve ice cream counter
Best: Pretend play gift for four-year-olds
Age range: 3+
Why we love it
- Beautifully made
- Encourages imagination and fine motor skills
Take note
- Pricier than some gifts
This ice cream counter is one of those toys that earns its keep. It’s beautifully made, endlessly replayable and has kept our four-year-old busy for entire afternoons - sometimes running her own ice cream shop, sometimes feeding her toy animals with great seriousness.
The 28-piece wooden set includes eight scoops of ice cream, cones, toppings, a cup, a spoon and a scooper that clicks into each scoop to lift and release. There’s even a little menu card for taking orders. It’s sturdy enough to pass down, easy to wipe clean, and looks lovely enough to live out on a play table. A total classic and worth every penny.
Buy now £39.99, Argos.co.uk
What are the best gifts for four-year-olds?
The best gifts at this age are the ones that invite them to play their own way, and every toy on this list does exactly that. One of our favourite gifts is the Hurtle three-wheel scooter – it’s perfect for active play, delivers huge fun and glowing wheels.
For all-round creativity and replay value, the Connetix light star pack is unbeatable – it grows with your child, encourages open-ended play and looks genuinely magical lit up. For storytime, the Wonderbly personalised dinosaur book and Igloo’s five-minute stories are both firm bedtime winners, offering imagination and connection in equal measure. And for screen-free calm, the Yoto Player remains one of our most-used gifts.
How I selected the best gifts for four-year-olds
From building and pretend play to messy art sessions and outdoor adventures, our testers tried everything to see which products really captured their imagination and held up to real-life use.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Ella Delancey Jones has tested everything from the best kids tablets to best baby eczema cream for IndyBest. For this gift guide, Ella tested the toys and gifts with her own four-year-old daughter, widening the pool to include friends and playdates to capture a mix of interests, personalities and play styles. Each product was used, played with and (inevitably) dropped, built, drawn on or reimagined, giving a realistic picture of how well it holds up in family life.
For more children’s presents, read our gift guide for one-year-olds
