I’ll admit that this machine is a little clunky-it’s about the size of my forearm-so I stash it (along with all the accouterments) in a bin between sessions. It’s gotten so much use, though, that we’ve purchased replacements (any Play-Doh will do, but we’ve noticed that the fresher stuff works best). The set also comes with six containers of Play-Do. (Don’t worry-it’s all washable.) Tulip-shaped serving cups are included, along with two spoons and a pair of recipe cards. Squirting the alarmingly realistic strawberry and chocolate drizzle-pretend syrup goo-from the squeeze bottles is especially fun. They push the Play-Doh through a lever to create creamy swirls, while the 31 molds on the contraption’s side produce faux candies, sprinkles, cherries, gummy bears, and other toppings. The Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Drizzy Ice Cream Playset lets my children live out their sundae fantasies-from lemon ice cream with gummy worms to a rainbow unicorn concoction with sprinkles. My aunt is an elementary school teacher, and she always manages to find the gifts that delight my kids the most, like this pretend ice cream maker. (Just remember, since kids develop at different rates, all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And please share your own best ideas in the comments below.

We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens.

If you’re looking for more kids gift ideas, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, as well as crowd-pleasing stocking stuffers for kids. Many gifts for kids are appropriate for a range of ages. We relied on the advice of Olson and Ann Kienzle of Play toys in Chicago, as well as that of parents and other caregivers on our staff, to identify memorable and engaging gifts for 4-year-olds. (You may have noticed that STEAM-which adds an emphasis on the arts to STEM’s existing focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-has been picking up, ahem, steam over recent years.) “They refine their physical skills, including fine motor skills, as they push and pull pieces apart.” Gifts that encourage art and creativity, as well as games and movement toys that allow for silly and energetic play, are also great choices for kids of this age. Jena Olson, who was the president of the STEM educational nonprofit Kid Spark Education at the time of our interview, emphasizes other, lesser-known skills that STEM toys can help preschoolers develop: “Children learn language and cooperation,” she said. Along with classic wooden blocks, building toys that feature magnets, gears, curves, and wheels allow 4-year-olds to problem-solve independently. Some of the best gifts for 4-year-olds engage their endless curiosity, rapidly developing physical skills, and desire to understand everything around them.Įarly STEM toys-those that help develop skills related to science, technology, engineering, and math-allow preschoolers to experiment with the strength, size, and shape of objects, and to explore cause and effect (hopefully without breaking too many things). Many 4-year-olds are learning to master their environments-and to negotiate boundaries, push limits, and question everything.

Rainbow play structures