35 Best Toys for 4-Year-Olds Who Have Big Imaginations

This one makes a great holiday gift, because it's easy to pack up and bring to a relative's house. It comes with 55 small Magna-Tiles pieces that fit into a tin tray that can also act as a base. “We are excited to take this with us on an international trip we have coming up soon!" one parent tester said. "I know it will come in handy on the plane and fit into my daughter’s little travel backpack.” Ages 3+

This ice cream play set not only looks sweet, it has a neat trick: Kids can pick two flavors, load them into the machine, and watch as they swirl together into the cone. “She loved being able to mix and match the flavors of ice cream,” one parent told the Good Housekeeping Institute. “Each time she made a new combination of flavors she was really excited to share it with me.” Ages 3+

Kids can experiment with mixing colors and combining shapes with this board, which illuminates artwork as they create it. By layering transparency sheets, they can come up with all sorts of designs. In addition to the board, it comes with three markers, 22 shape clings, and three “Complete the Scene” transparency sheets. Ages 3+; three AA batteries required

Kids were amazed to see these pretend food pieces change color as they "cook." The color-changing is activated by water, and the set comes with burgers, pancakes, chicken tenders, and other delicious treats to spark imaginative play. One parent said of their child, "He liked that he could ‘cook’ me food and put it in the little to-go bags provided.” Ages 3+

This book was the highest-rated picture book of all the books we tested with kid readers—they just really responded to the goofy ways Murphy, a French bulldog, passes the time while impatiently waiting for his kid to come home from school. The illustrations earned the highest praise. “I also like that the book sends a positive message about patience, perseverance, and trusting that good things can come with time,” one parent said. Ages 4 to 8

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This is the perfect outdoor toy to break out when the kids have extra energy to burn, because it's totally kid-powered. It comes with eight colorful foam rockets, which kids can launch into the sky by jumping on the launcher. Ages 3+

Fans of the ever-popular, best-selling GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope can go from looking into inner space to gazing into outer space with this new toy telescope. Kids look with both eyes, so they don't have to try to keep one closed, and when they do, they'll be treated to actual night-sky images from NASA. Then, the voice of Emily Calandrelli from Netflix's Emily's Wonder Lab offers fascinating facts about the images. Ages 4+; three AA batteries required

Any Mando-in-training who’s wanted a Grogu of their own to care for can use this as the next best thing. This animatronic stands more than 10 inches tall and has more than 50 sound-and-reaction combinations. And yet, the body is still soft. “My child loved how interactive the Grogu is and the sounds it makes,” one parent tester said. “She loved being able to snuggle the soft body and carry it around easily.” Ages 4+; three AA batteries included

Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved seeing this bovine walk (she swishes her tail), moo, and even drink from a bottle. She even plays the cowbell! "We have several other furReal toys, and this one was the cutest we have seen by far," one parent tester said. "The cow is adorable, and my child loved all the noises it made." Ages 4+; four AA batteries included

Right now, kids are hot for anything that smushes, including slime, squishies, and putty. This one has a neat effect: It changes into seven different colors. Plus, playing with it could help them strengthen the muscles in their hands, which is good for pre-writing. Ages 3+

With one World Cup down and the women’s World Cup on the horizon, soccer fandom may be at an all-time high. This Barbie comes enclosed in a soccer ball, then pops out when someone rolls the ball. (Barbie can be folded up and revealed again and again.) In addition, there are other Roll and Reveal dolls that feature Barbie as a tennis player or a pop star. “[My daughter] loved that each Barbie had a profession,” one parent said. Ages 3+

Being able to use scissors is a sign of kindergarten readiness, and this activity book was designed to help kids learn to use scissors safely. Included in the kit are mazes, puzzles, animal art, sequencing activities, and a pair of plastic safety scissors that help build motor and cognitive skills. The best part? It costs less than $10, so it's great when you need just a little something. Ages 4+

Many young How to Train Your Dragon fans want a Toothless of their own. This is the next best thing: It has more than 60 sound-and-movement reactions, and its eyes light up depending on its mood. "First of all, it was really, really cute," one 9-year-old tester said. "There's a bunch to do with the Toothless. If you tap its head too many times, you have to feed him fish to make him less angry. But if you try to feed him fish when he's not in angry mode, he gets angry." Ages 4+; three AAA batteries included

Kids can build this set and then act out school adventures with Bluey and Rusty. The building has a kitchen, a café, and a hospital, and the pair of pups can take care of a baby with stroller, bottle, and incubator. It’s a great combination of building and imaginative play. Ages 4+

Not only is this interactive toy a Lab favorite, but it's also a popular globe on Amazon. At first glance, all kids see is the land masses, with no labels or borders. With the free Orboot App, kids can hover their tablet over different parts of the world and learn various tidbits about different countries (from animals and weather to monuments and more). It's a great introduction to social studies. Ages 4+

Animal-loving kids will thrill to be able to pretend to care for puppies, kittens, a goat, a bunny, and a gerbil—all built with the detail and quality Schleich figures are known for. In addition, there are plenty of accessory pieces to fill out the animal hotel, including a scratching post, a seesaw, a cat tree, a slide, and a tunnel, among others. Ages 3+

This fun game helps your kids develop language and word recognition skills thanks to the yellow chips with words and images on them. The red Zinger dispenses the chips, and the players race to fill up their board first. It has two levels of play, so kids can continue to enjoy as they grow older. Ages 4+

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Axolotls are one of the hot animals of the moment, and kids just love looking at their smiling faces and frilly gills. When you need just a little something, this one has limbs that can be stretched and beads inside that can be felt, making it a cute fidget toy. Good Housekeeping testers said that they loved how it lights up in water, making it a good bath toy. It also comes in pink. Ages 4+