Unique Gift Ideas for 4 Year Old Boy

If he's an active type, a good gift would be a membership or set of classes at a kids' gym place -- "My Little Gym" is the chain around here. Basically it's like the older-kid version of Gymboree, with a lot of space and classes for tumbling, climbing, etc. Especially good if the weather is bad. He won't get to open it on his birthday but then he also won't be able to play with it once and then lose interest like with so many kids' toys....I prefer to give an experience or classes or tickets to a kids' play or puppet show rather than stuff for kids to open, especially if there is already a ton of stuff in the house. And the bonus for you is that he could work off some energy with a gift like that!....when the out-of-state family comes to visit, they can go with you and son to the kids' class or little gym and enjoy seeing him be active and participate. That's a gift for everyone, not just for the child!

a mini trampoline (the kind they sell at sports authority) it's made for one person and it's portable... so you can take it outside..

I also like those scoops where you toss the ball back and forth and catch in the scoop.. it's easy for younger kids.. and helps their coordination..

the EXTRA LARGE bubble rings.. when kids see the big bubbles, they always get so excited..

I would go for outdoor type of toys.

Pogo Stick
Rip Rider
A tent for camping with big bro in the backyard.
Have everyone go in on a tree fort.
Bug vac and bug holder.
Remote control cars.
Snow cone maker from Bed, Bath & Beyond

goggles and snorkle
kite
cool sprinkler
bug collector kit
legos - can never have too many!
board game
flashlight

Discovery.com usually has cool science type stuff for kids online!

a bunch of cheap outdoor toys, wrap them individually and then put them in a big box, wrap that. Its the getting of the gift that is most important and the fun of opening them. I would just get some fun balls, jump ropes, lawn darts, bubbles (yes boys at 4 still like bubbles) Squirt guns, and little things like this. Its what I did for my 4 year old nephew. I can tell ya, what I got him EVERYBODY, including the adults were playing with it at the party.

My almost 4 year old is really into her flashlight and binoculars.
Also likes having her own special broom and gardening tools.

-How about taking him & the family bowling?
-Does he have a bike already?
-Does he have a swing set?
-Razor Scooter & helmet
-Zoo membership
-Have the family take him to play mini golf & ride go-carts.

My 4 year old boy loved clothes- but I have tried to keep my familiy practical. Books were good.I only have one child and he/we were overwhelmed with all the stuff he got for birthday's and Christmas- I hadr asked Gma to give savings bonds, and my sisters and brothers now give "things to do" Like a gift certificate for one day of fishing or a sleep over with Gma, some special one on one things to do. OOO and I loved it when my son got sea monkeys- I think he was 4 when he got them- he got to watch them hatch and grow- they don't live long so by the time his interest had waned- they were done.

What about some type of science kit or a "build it" kit. These would be good learning experiences and be something active and fun for him to do. Many of these kits are on line. Maybe build a birdhouse or a treasure chest. Get him something where he will learn a new skill-- cooking, or planting a garden along with a chef hat or a set of gardening tools his size. Good luck!

A play house for outside or tent/fort to pop up inside? A fishing rod (our kids love to fish)? His own small fish tank? Take him w you to a toy store...I am sure he will give you tons of ideas! Stomp rockets are a blast at that age.

Wow - to have so much stuff that you can't even think of anything he needs or wants, but still you have to come up with gift ideas???

You might consider something he doesn't currently have or do - books, puzzles, music, etc. Get him off the electronics and into really concentrating. How about one of those marble sets? You build them in a different configuration every time, but then the way the marbles go down from top to bottom actually teaches some engineering, force of gravity, etc. My son LOVED that stuff and we bought extra marbles at the craft or specialty toy store. The set could be added to by different family members. It really fostered my son's love of engineering.

How about something from a museum store, and have the family chip in for a museum membership? Sounds like he needs less stuff and more opportunities. So a museum gift shop might provide a book or a toy in a subject area he likes or might like (insects, dinosaurs, fossils, rocketry) and then a membership lets the whole family go to the museum on multiple occasions. We always loved this because a membership meant that, if a 4 or 6 year old got bored, we could go home without feeling we had dropped $70 in entrance fees and we needed to stay for 6 hours to get our money's worth.

Way better than a closet-full of stuff - sounds like there's already so much of that anyway.

ETA: Here's what I found when I googled Marble works and Marble run. I forget which one my son had but it either was the Discovery Toy brand or very similar.
Go for good quality and flexible arrangements, so it can "grow" with him. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=marble+work...

Does he have things like a tunnel to crawl through, a cardboard castle he could decorate or things he can put together for his room? My DD has a solar system in her room that she loves. If he loves space or science they can go to http://www.smithsonianstore.com/home.jsp.

Or

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/...

I like IKEA toys and some can be bought online. They have a basic train set if he likes trains. Or a workbench, kitchen or easel. Even if his sibs have stuff, it's nice to have his own.