Hi, I'm looking for some gift ideas for my four year old son for Christmas. I'm looking for some items that will challenge him, but are also fun. I have spent some time on Amazon and have looked through the Toysrus sales book that was sent out last week. But there are so many products, I thought I would go to the experts. He likes to do board games, build things and he loves math. He reads the roads signs, ask everyone how old they are and can count to 100 by 10's and can count to 130 by himself.
Thanks for any advice!
S.
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions! Some of the items you mentioned such as the marble run and zingo are some of the items that I was thinking out and it is nice to know that children his age like them. Someone mentioned about having him tested and we are in the process of doing this. He is advanced in his math skills, but not so much with his writing.
Hi! I really like to get gifts at barnes and noble. They have a great selection of educational and fun toys. I particularly like the Melissa and Doug toys they carry. Have fun searching!
My twins are four... here are some of their favorite toys:
Magnatiles (get a set of 100... expensive but so worth it)
Leapster hand held game and cartridges. Occupies my boys for hours and they are learning SO much from them.
Erector sets (I just bought them sets that make six things each, like a fire truck... it's geared to age 4)
Games like Zingo (a big hit) and Hullabaloo (or any Cranium games) are good.
One of my boys loves floor puzzles. They also like coloring, so I got them some big tower thing of Crayola crayons for the holiday.
They also love the marble run I got them last year for the holidays. You can make different set ups and then put marbles down them and watch them go through the tubes.
Our boys love videos (DVDs) so I bought them some of the kid movies we went to see this year (like Ice Age III, Up - - which should be released soon).
My son, who is now eleven, loved his leap pad. He played with it for hours. You can get the cartridges for different ages and interests. It is a wonderful toy!
I also purchased a marble run for my son when he was 4. We purchased the Quadrilla which is definitely more expensive than others but I HIGHLY recommend it!! He loves his marble run and so do we...good luck!
I have girls :)
but
as four year olds they loved their leapsters (games he might be interested in are number raiders/since he likes numbers, talking words, get wall-e too if he's into wall-e), i can't recommend leapfrog products enough.
hullaballo is a huge hit at our house (mine are 5 now). board game: sorry sliders (we can spend hours playing it if i were to allow them).
go for ZOOBS. My son is going to be 7 and has played with them for the past 2 years. they have a few different sets... if you get the large one with 250 pieces you can add on as he gets older and creative. they have sets with wheels and other 'kits', but all the parts are interchangeable... and there are enough if he has a play date. not inexpensive, but well worth it. hours of fun. a step up from legos and lasts forever.
http://www.infinitoy.com/zoob/whatiszoob.shtml
Hi S.,
I have a 4 year old boy as well and I am starting to shop for christmas. I just bought him a Trio building set by Fisher Price...not as a gift as he already received it. He loves them and built a robot and house tonight. They are in the lego aisle...great for builders. They are almost like cubed legos with many other shaped parts. Also, you can not go wrong with any of the lego sets. Maybe even go for the age 5 and up ones. I like to google, "top toys for 4 years olds for 2009" and a ton of lists with award winning toys come up. I am also going to get him a science set and a magic set. Oh, a leapster as well. Does your son like insects. Insect lure is an awesome site. You can buy caterpillars with a kits and watch them turn to cocoons and then of course butterflies. I also bought a few old school board games like perfection and operation. They also have a new Dr. Seuss board game that is like twister. What about a tent or binoculars? Just a few ideas. I have officially started obsessing over the season!!
Have a great christmas! Also, how great are 4 year old little boys!!! Isn't it incredible how smart these little ones are!
if he loves to build, go with it! magnatiles are woooonderful, so creative, safe, and indestructible. expensive, but he will play with them for years, so will you! zingo is a great game. puzzles are great, the melissa and doug ones can take a beating and are huge, the kids love them. another mom mentioned the thing where you send away for the butterflies, my kids did that and it was really great. my kids also love anything fishing, there are so many little fishing kits and games, just go for a quality one. bathtub toys are always great, those crayons that write on the tub walls are awesome. the paints and those crayola soap paint gel things are a waste, but the crayons are good, and very good for him too. we got these magnastics that are great too, i just am not sure what they are called and there are lots of versions, some of which arent really good or safe. the ones we have have long and short round bars and balls, in primary colors, they are thick and sturdy, they have ridges in the bars, and you can buy curved ones separately. they are also expensive, but last forever. if you have room, one of those little pop up tents or tunnels are always a hit too.
How about a marble run? It's a HUGE hit at my house, and my son sounds a lot like yours.
S.,
Check out Discovery Toys. They are fun, educational toys and some of the best ones are for your son's age. Look for Marbleworks construction toy. It teaches logic and gravity while you're building and experimenting with racing marbles down the ramps you've built. Also, Think it Through Tiles with age 4 companion books for beginning reading and beginning math. Visit www.toysofdiscovery.com and email me for more info or any questions you have.
I would recommend the Leap Frog products. They are great tools for educational needs. You should also get your son tested for the Gifted and Talented Program in your District.
Try discount school supply I get mostly everything for my preschool there. Their have tons of educational toys, manipulatives, building materials, puzzles all at a great price. I am not sure where you live but Lakeshore Learning Center in Hackensack, NJ also is great but a little more costly. They both have websites and discount school supply has free shipping if you spend over $79.00. the website is www.discountschoolsupply.com and www.lakeshorelearning.com. Good luck
