The Best Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys To Engage These Busy Preschoolers (2024)

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Best Outdoor Toys For 4-Year-Old Boys

A Zippy, Durable 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

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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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.