Best Learning Toys for 4 Year Olds in 2020

In these days of modern technology, where we do anything and everything through the Internet, even our little ones have become so engrossed with electronic gadgets.

As much as we would like them to embrace new technologies, it is still best to provide young children with alternative learning options without using gadgets.
Thankfully, there are various educational toys that will keep them entertained at the same time.

What’s more, these are available depending on their age levels.
Below are some of the best learning toys for 4 year olds that are designed to develop your child’s imagination and creativity.

Best Learning Toys for 4 Year Olds

Dan&Darci Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs Kit

As parents, we only want what’s best for our children, even when it comes to choosing toys. We look for items that will encourage them to learn and also bring them entertainment.

Dan&Darci aims to create educational quality toys and entertaining science kits.
This kit is perfect for kids who are fascinated with dinosaurs. Aside from learning about dinosaurs, it will also stimulate the child’s motor skills as he tries to break the egg using the included chisel.

At the same time, it will help stimulate his sense of touch, too, as he feels the texture of the clay covering the dinosaur.

Review

The kit comes in a finely-shaped box, which includes 12 dinosaur eggs with 12 different dinosaurs inside. It also comes with 12 chisels or brushes, 12 pieces of instruction guides, and 12 colored learning cards describing each dinosaur.
Each dino egg has its corresponding chisel and instructions on how you can chip the egg and uncover the dinosaur inside.

A different type of dinosaur is hidden in each one, including T. rex, pterodactyl, and more. The 12 pieces of colored cards each match a dinosaur inside the egg.
These cards provide your child with detailed information about the dinosaur’s history and characteristics.

This educational toy passed the evaluation and standards of STEM learning as authenticated by the STEM.org. As such, you can rest assured that it effectively encourages children to learn more about dinosaurs. The product is not recommended for kids below three years old because of the small items included.

Pros

  • Fun and engaging
  • Great customer service
  • No duplicates
  • Educational

Cons

  • Messy
  • Comes with sharp tools

Insect Lore Butterfly Garden

The Insect Lore Butterfly Garden is the perfect butterfly kit for homeschoolers who want to observe the mesmerizing changes that happen in a butterfly’s life.
Your little one will also learn how to care and protect the caterpillars until he can release them as butterflies.

Review

It usually takes around two to three weeks for the whole butterfly garden process to complete. This will depend on some natural factors, too, like the weather and the time of the year.

Upon purchase, you will receive two cups with five caterpillars in each cup.
In total, you will get 10 caterpillars to raise and take care of with your kids. You will also receive the Caterpillar Quick Guide with clear information on what you need to do and what will happen in each cycle.

After a week, you will see that the caterpillars have created chrysalides attached under the jar cover. Open the jar and place the covers on the chrysalis holding logs that came along with your kit. Then, put them inside the reusable pop-up habitat that is also included in the package.

You then have to wait for another week or so to see the caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. As all of these things are happening, you’d be the one to explain the entire process to your kids. Let the butterflies stay inside the habitat for a couple more days before releasing them into freedom.

Pros

  • Fascinating to watch
  • Comes with an informative guide booklet
  • Educational activity
  • Easy-to-follow instructions
  • Reusable kit

Cons

  • Some don’t form into pupas
  • Bad customer service

ThinkFun Zingo Bingo With a Zing

The Zingo Bingo With a Zing is an educational game from ThinkFun.
It is an addictive way of broadening your little one’s vocabulary using simple pictures and sight words.

This best-selling game is perfect for kids ages four and older.
It is designed to help them learn how to recognize and read simple words while also having fun. This educational material is one of the best tools to use to prepare and empower your child with advanced thinking skills.

Review

The Zingo Bingo With a Zing game is perfect for both pre-readers and early reader children as it helps in developing their analytical skills. It will also enhance their vocabulary by learning different words and recognizing ordinary things through simple pictures.

Inside the box, you will find all the necessary items you will need. These include 72 pieces of Zingo yellow plastic tiles printed with pictures and the corresponding sight word, as well as Zingo double-sided cards with a 3 x 3 playing plate or nine squares.

You will also receive the Zingo tile revealer, with two slots showing two different random tiles at the same time. Lastly, it also comes with a game manual, which has useful tips on how to enjoy the game with your kid.

This multiplayer game will enhance your child’s pattern recognition as they match it with sight words under time pressure. Other skills are also developed, including waiting for their turn, giving and taking, and accepting defeat.

The instruction manual comes with suggested variations for the game so you can adjust the mechanics depending on the age level of the players. This means that everybody can join and enjoy the game.

Pros

  • Educational and fun
  • Well made
  • Sturdy
  • Text and pictures don’t fade

Cons

  • The slider jams at times
  • Two or more tiles come out

Live Butterfly Kit from Nature Gift Store

This caterpillar-to-butterfly live kit from Nature Gift Store will give you and your kid an up-close experience of a butterfly’s life cycle. Allowing your child to witness how a caterpillar evolves into a butterfly will also teach them to appreciate insects and nature more.

Review

The kit comes with five pieces of live painted lady caterpillars.
You then place these inside a covered jar filled with its food to keep them nourished and healthy.

Aside from the caterpillars, you will also receive other essential items.
These include a mister, sugar, an instructions manual, a butterfly feeder, an eyedropper, and a coloring page.

It also comes with a butterfly habitat. This is made of a reusable pop-up mesh cage with a zipper on top for easier access. You then have the option to either hang it or place it on top of a table. We suggest putting a cardboard or paper plate at the bottom of the cage to keep it clear of butterfly droppings.

The manufacturer promises that around three out of the five caterpillars will transform into full adult caterpillars. They also warned the buyers to refrain from ordering if the temperature in their location is lower than 40 degrees or higher than 85 degrees. This is to ensure that the caterpillars are alive when delivered and for them to honor the live arrival guarantee.

It takes seven to 10 days for the caterpillars to form a pupa and another week for it to hatch into adult butterflies. You then have to wait for several days more before releasing the butterflies into the wild. Doing this allows the butterfly’s wings to dry and gain its much-needed strength.

Pros

  • Complete kit
  • Educational
  • Clear instructions
  • Great gift
  • Sturdy cage

Cons

  • Not enough caterpillar food
  • Low survival rate

Mini Motor Math Set from Learning Resources

Learning Resources creates safe and long-lasting educational toys and games that are designed by educators. This Mini Motor Math Set is a fun way of teaching simple math ideas, such as number recognition and sequence arrangement, to children. It also features patterns and colors.

Review

This toy is a fun teaching material that promotes simple math lessons like counting, addition, number identification, and more. It has colorful mini cars made of rubber, and a sturdy numbered tracks for some productive play. Your kids will have to match and classify the colors of the vehicles or add the numbers to reach the finish line.

You will find an activity guide in the package that offers fun and engaging games on learning how to count up to 20, adding or subtracting numbers, and a lot more. This toy is a perfect gift for kids from four to eight years old. However, it is not recommended for children below three years of age because of the small parts that may cause choking.

This educational set comes with 25 pieces of mini motor rubber cars. These are divided into five colors with two sections of numbered connectable tracks. It also comes with three pieces of dice that are made of foam. Two of these are with numbers, while the remaining one has different colors on each side.

An activity booklet is also included to help enhance your child’s math learning skills. The numbered tracks are made of hard plastic and measure 12 inches while each car is at one inch. The cars will fit your kid’s hands and fingers perfectly, allowing for an even more enjoyable experience.

Pros

  • Educational
  • Engaging
  • Safe
  • Non-mechanical
  • Well made

Cons

  • Limited players
  • Poor dice material

Conclusion

It is always better to gift a child with an educational toy instead of picking anything that will only distract them for a couple of hours without learning anything.

For us to avoid buying useless toys for our kids, we have reviewed five of the best learning toys for 4 year olds to give you appealing options depending on your child’s inclinations. Among the five, we consider the Zingo Bingo With a Zing from ThinkFun as the best choice.

This makes it easier for kids to recognize letters and associate simple pictures with sight words. Our next pick is the Mini Motor Math Set from Learning Resources. This one teaches the child simple math skills and number recognition.

Whichever educational toy you choose for your child, make sure that you will be there with your kids, guiding them through the learning process. Remember to check all the details of the toys to ensure that it is safe for children and that it is appropriate to your kid’s age level.

About Sarah White
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