educational activities for 4 5 year olds

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44+ Fun and Easy Activities for 4 Year Olds

• Kindergartner
• Preschooler

Check out these fun and easy activities and play ideas for 4 year olds. Here you will find tons easy ideas that you can set up for your preschooler while you take a meeting or get some work done at home. There are also fun sensory bin ideas, cool crafts for them to make and amazing hand-on learning ideas that are playful and fun. Tons of easy ways to keep your 4 year old busy, engaged and entertained at home!

And check out my short form crafting series Curious Crafting on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube ! Watch all the episodes here . Look for Season 2 of Curious Crafting coming in the new year.

Ways to Keep 4 Year Olds Busy

This amazing list of ideas is organized into a few sections. Let me highlight them here for you so you can quickly find what you are looking for fast. Scroll down to find each section.

• Easy Activities That 4 Year Olds Can Do Alone While You Work. These are ideas that you can set up and let your 4 year old do while you work, tend to baby, fold laundry or simply sit down scroll through your phone (yup you’re allow to do that every once in a while)!
• Low Prep Activities for 4 Year Olds. Activities that require little to no prep to create for your preschooler.
• Fun Sensory Bins. Easy sensory bins to create for your 4 year old!
• Easy Crafts for 4 Year Olds . Fun arts and craft ideas that you can do with your 4 year old.
• Hands-on Learning Activities . Fun ways to learn everything from letters, to their name, to numbers, shapes, counting and more.
• Simple STEAM for 4 Year Olds. Engaging Science Experiments four year olds will love!
• Easy Process Art Activities. Process art ideas to help develop creativity and have fun!

5 Easy Activities That 4 Year Olds Can Do Alone While You Work

1. wash the toys..

Grab two large sensory bins or Tupperwares ware containers. Fill one container with water and dish soap. Mix it up to make it bubbly. You don’t need a lot of water to make this fun and engaging just an inch or two will do. Lay a towel underneath everything in order to reduce the mess and clean up afterwards. Fill the other tub with tons of farm animals or dinosaurs or cars. You can set up one thing to wash every week! Let them wash the animals in the soap water. Add towels for drying. You can also add fine motor tools like eye droppers or turkey basters for washing, sponges or scrub brushes. If you’re feeling ambitious you can also place the animals outside the tub and put clean water in the second tub allowing your child to wash and then rinse the animals off before drying them.

Fun Activity using Magnets

2. playing with magnets..

Fill a sensory bin with all the metal object you can find. Think toy trains, cars, coins, paper clips, fridge magnets, bells, magnetic letters, keys. Throw in some other nonmetal items too. Hand your child a magnetic wand and let them explore trying to pick up item. Add cardboard tubes to the sides of the sensory bin using painter’s tape and have them toss metal items down the tubes that will fit and then have them recover the items using the magnetic wand . Check out here how we did it.

Make Foil Presents

3. foil puzzle match ..

Tear off sheets of foil to fit the puzzle pieces and have them do the wrapping for you! Model how to wrap with foil, folding over the puzzle pieces rather than scrunching. Place all the pieces in the basket and let the unwrapping begin! Trust me they will want to do this more than once so tear off a bunch and hand them over as they need them.

Fun Activities using LEGO

4. lego animal trace.

One a large sheet of butcher paper draw the outline of a few animals like a turtle, lion or peacock and invite your child to fill in the rest of the animal with LEGO DUPLO.

5. LEGO Body Trace

Similar to LEGO animal trace but instead you trace their bodies and have them fill them in with LEGO DUPLO or magnetic tiles!

10 Low Prep Activities For 4 Year Olds

6. super steam activity book.

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here .

7. Make a Bubble Snake

8. Super Easy Ice Sensory Bin

9. Ready Made Playdough Kits

10. Dot Sticker Match

11. Sponge Letter Wash Sensory Bin

12. Pom Pom Water Sensory Bin

13. Mega Blok Names

14. Paint the Toys

Paint plastic outdoor toys with washable paints. Then have your kids rinse off the toys with soap and water and sponges before it actually dries!

• Pom Pom Mega Blok Sort

Fun Sensory Bins and Sensory Play Ideas for 4 Year Olds

• Dinosaur Dig Sensory Bin for Kids

• Outer Space Sensory Bin

• Awesome Fizzy Ice Cream Shop Sensory Bin

• Easy Dandelion Water Table Activity

• LEGO Car Wash Sensory Bin

21. The BEST (Super Easy & Soft) Playdough Recipe

22. Mud Kitchen Set Up For Kids

• Bubble Foam Sensory Bin

• Rainbow Pouring Station Sensory Bin for Kids

• Frozen Pom Poms

• Moon Rock Letters

Crafts for 4 Year Olds

• Easy Glue Resist Rainbow Painting

• Easy Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft for Kids

• Easy Nature Butterfly Sticky Wall Craft

• Dandelion Snail Threading Board: Outdoor Spring Fine Motor Activity

• Melted Crayon Picture Frame: A Colorful STEAM Craft

• Easy Foil Printing

• Fizzy Painting

• Salad Spinner Lion Craft

• Puffy Paint Cupcake Craft

• Cardboard Laptop Craft

• Farm Animal Finger Puppets Craft

• Cotton Pad Turtle Craft

Easy Learning Activities for 4 Year Olds

• TP Name Sort Activity for Preschoolers

• Cupcake Liner Math Activity

• Caterpillar Pom Pom Counting: Easy Toddler Math

• Washi Tape Pattern Matching

• Dot Sticker Cupcake Math: Easy Toddler Activity

• Pom Pom Sweep

• Letter Sticky Wall Crafts

• Pom Pom Caterpillar Counting

• Caterpillar Number Match for Preschoolers

• Cactus Letter Matching & Fine Motor Activity

• Fingerprint Letters

50. Easy Paint the Shapes Activity for Preschoolers

51. Alphabet Matching

Easy STEAM Activities for 4 Year Olds

52. easy baking soda and vinegar experiment for kids.

53. Fizzy Lemon Volcanoes

54. Dot Sticker Coding: Easy STEAM Activity

55. How to Make Oobleck for Kids

56. Dancing Water Beads

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mandisa | Happy Toddler Playtime (@happytoddlerplaytime)

Process Art Activities for 4 year Olds

57. salt painting for toddlers & preschoolers.

58. How to Easily Do Blow Painting with Straws

59. Sock Hands Painting

60. Painting Ice: Super Easy Art Activity for Kids

61. Shower Curtain Painting

Age Suitability

This activity is good for kids 4 years and up. My kids are 4, 4, and 8 year old.

This is a mess level varies.

Difficulty to Create

Easy to Medium.

Skills Developed

Sensory play, letter recognition, gross motor skills, language development, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

Check out My Books, TV Show & Play Kits!

Book: exciting sensory bins for curious kids.

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information  Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids . Or grab your copy at  Amazon . 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids , of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles that show them how to think outside the box.

• 350 riddles for kids —Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
• Level up their skills —Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
• Double-check their work —Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to finally share my new crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched July 1 at on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube !

This show is all about fun and easy crafts for toddlers and preschoolers. 

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create. 

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here .

Will you try any of these activities with your 4 year old pin it for later.

Filed Under:

• Fine Motor Skills
• Four Year Olds
• Gross Motor Skills
• Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags

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38+ Activities For 4 Year Olds (Printables + Reels)

As a mother, I do understand the importance of keeping our little ones occupied and entertained while also helping them learn new things and skills that aid their overall development. 

You would notice 👀 that as your little ones turn four years old, they explore new things, are more curious, have a growing vocabulary, can understand and learn about their emotions and feelings, and are becoming increasingly independent.

Engaging them in fun activities such as fine motor skills tasks, pattern activities for preschoolers , and learning through play can be incredibly beneficial for their development.

Activities for 4 Year Olds For Kids

Identify and match numbers with stickers activity.

The “Identify and Match Numbers with Stickers Activity” is a colorful and interactive way for children to learn number recognition and improve their fine motor skills .

Materials: A worksheet featuring a large egg shape with assorted numbers, and sheets of stickers with numbers.

• Give your child the worksheet.
• Provide sheets of colored stickers, each sticker printed with a number.
• Your Kid will match the stickers with the corresponding numbers on the worksheet.
• They will stick the matching number sticker over the printed number.
• Watch our reel for better guidance.

Letter Stacking Activity

The “Letter Stacking Activity” is a creative and educational game that combines letter recognition with motor skills development .

Materials: Colorful papers, markers, scissors, box, and sticks.

• Write different letters on pieces of paper using a marker. You can choose any letters you like.
• Stick the colored paper onto a box and attach the sticks to the box.
• When your child writes letters on the paper, ask them to fold each piece of paper into a cylinder shape.
• Now, they can make flashcards with the alphabet and place them on a board.
• Arrange the board with outlines of letters.
• Your child can arrange the letters on the board to match the outlines.

Counting with Button Cupcake Activity

The “Counting with Button Cupcake Activity” is an engaging and colorful way for kids to learn about numbers and counting .

Materials: Colorful papers, colorful buttons, glue, markers, and scissors.

• Draw cupcakes on the pretty paper and then cut them out.
• Write numbers on cups.
• Give your child colorful buttons to play with.
• The child counts out the right number of buttons and puts them on each cupcake, matching the number.
• After counting, let your child stick the buttons onto the cupcakes using glue to finish the fun activity!

Identify And Match Letters With Stickers Activity

The “Identify and Match Letters with Stickers Activity ” offers a playful and engaging way for children to learn the alphabet. By matching sticker letters to those printed on a worksheet, children can improve their letter recognition skills in an enjoyable manner.

Materials: A worksheet featuring a large egg filled with scattered letters and sheets of stickers, each bearing a different letter of the alphabet.

• Provide your child with the worksheet and sheets of letter stickers.
• The child should identify each letter on the worksheet and match it with the corresponding sticker.
• They will then stick each matching letter over the printed letter on the worksheet.

Play Board Games

“Playing  Board Games ” teaches children strategic thinking, taking turns, and sportsmanship, improving  cognitive  and  social – emotional development  during fun with friends and family.

Materials:  Snake and Ladder game board, dice, and token.

• Set up the board game according to the rules.
• Explain the rules to your children in a simple and understandable way.
• Play the game, making sure each child gets a turn and understands the flow of the game.

Make a Butterfly from Tissue Paper Activity

This activity lets children craft beautiful butterflies using tissue paper. It’s a fun and colorful way to explore creativity.

Materials: Tissue paper, cloth pegs, markers, pipe cleaners, scissors, glue, and paint.

• Cut the tissue paper into big and small squares.
• Secure the center with a cloth peg to form the butterfly’s body and pipe cleaner to form the butterfly’s antennae.
• Gently pull apart the folds to form the butterfly’s wings.
• Decorate with paint or markers to add details like dots or stripes on the wings.

Bingo Card Activity

Create your own Bingo game with educational cards to make learning fun . This activity helps children recognize and match words and pictures.

Materials: Printable Bingo cards and markers.

• Print out the Bingo cards with different educational items like pencils, books, and bags.
• Give each player a card and some markers or chips.
• Call out items randomly from the list.
• Players cover the called item on their card with a marker.
• The first to complete a row, column, or diagonal yells ‘Bingo!’ and wins the game.

Number Code Activity

The Number Code Activity is a great way to help kids practice number recognition and problem-solving skills . In this game, they will match numbered pieces to corresponding spots on a board.

Materials: A board, marker, and ice cream stick.

• Draw different numbers on the board and on the ice cream stick.
• Ask your child to pick a stick and read the number on it.
• Find the matching number slot on the board.
• Place the stick into the correct slot on the board.

Practice Cutting with Scissors

This cutting activity helps children improve their scissor skills by practicing on lines drawn around a picture. It’s a fun and educational way to develop fine motor abilities.

Materials: Child-safe scissors, glue, marker, and colorful paper.

• Draw a colorful peacock on a piece of paper. Make it look nice with markers. Then, stick the paper onto a blue sheet of paper.
• Next, draw dotted lines all around the peacock picture.
• Give the paper with the peacock and dotted lines to your child.
• Show your child how to hold and use scissors safely.
• Now, your child can carefully cut along the dotted lines around the peacock picture.

Counting Activity

This Counting Activity is designed to help kids practice their counting skills by associating numbers with groups of objects. It’s both fun and educational!

Materials: A worksheet and either a pencil or a marker.

• Ask them to count the objects in each group on the worksheet.
• Now let your child circle the right number from a list of options.

Play with Sensory Bag Activity

The Play with Sensory Bag Activity helps children explore different textures and materials, stimulating their senses while having fun.

Materials: Round cardboard, glue, and various textures such as pulses, cotton balls, fluffy cotton, and colorful paper.

• Get a round piece of cardboard and put glue all over it.
• Now, take some colorful paper and scrunch it up into small balls.
• Stick those paper balls onto the cardboard.
• Put different things inside each cardboard, like pulses, fluffy cotton, and cotton balls.
• Let your child touch each one and talk about how they feel different.
• My kid has performed this activity, watch for better understanding.

Make a Ticket Collage Activity

A Tickets Collage Activity is a creative way for kids to make a colorful artwork using various ticket stubs, involving  color mixing  to improve the vibrancy of the collage. Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity to reuse and recycle old tickets!

Materials:  Collection of old ticket stubs (from buses, trains, planes, events, etc.), large sheet of paper or poster board for background, glue or glue stick for attaching tickets.

• Arrange your tickets on the poster board to plan out your collage before gluing anything.
• Apply glue to the back of each ticket and place it on the poster board.
• Overlap the tickets in different directions to fill up space and create an interesting pattern.
• Press down firmly to make sure each ticket sticks well.

Tracing Activity

Tracing Activity helps children develop fine motor skills by following dotted lines to create different shapes.

Materials: A worksheet, pencil, and an eraser.

• Place the worksheet in front of your child.
• Show your child how to trace along the dotted lines with a pencil.
• Encourage your child to trace each shape on the worksheet.

Doctor Bag Pack Activity

The Doctor Bag Pack Activity allows children to play pretend as doctors by arranging and exploring medical items in a playset.

Materials: A black sheet and scissors for cutting out medical items such as a thermometer, syringe, and stethoscope, along with Velcro pieces.

• Cut a black sheet to create a bag.
• Print, cut, and laminate images of medical equipment.
• Attach Velcro to the back of the images and inside the bag.
• Show your child the medical items and explain their uses.
• Let your child attach the items inside the bag with Velcro.
• Encourage your child to play doctor, examining a toy or stuffed animal.
• You can watch our reel to perform this activity better.

Play a Fishing Game

The Catch the  Fish Activity  is designed to improve your child’s dexterity and patience with a lovely challenge.

Materials:  Colorfully illustrated paper fish with paper clips attached, a magnetic fishing rod, and a ‘pond’ setup such as a blue cloth or a container.

• Scatter the paper fish across the ‘pond’.
• Show your child how to hold the fishing rod and explain how the magnet works.
• Encourage them to carefully lower the magnet near the paper clips to catch a fish.
• See how many fish they can catch, or have them find specific colors or patterns of fish to refine their observation skills.

Stack Stones Activity

The Stack Stones Activity is a creative and calming way for children to improve their fine motor skills and patience by stacking colorful stones.

Materials: Flat stones, paint, and a paintbrush.

• Gather smooth stones of different sizes and paint them in bright colors.
• Let the paint dry completely before handling the stones.
• Stack the stones one on top of the other, balancing them carefully.
• Encourage your child to create different designs and see how tall they can stack the stones.

Easy Subtraction with Pom Poms Activity

The Easy Subtraction with Pom Poms Activity is a fun way for children to practice subtraction using colorful pom poms and visual aids.

Materials: Pom poms, cardboard, and markers.

• Write a simple subtraction problem on one side of a box. Also, make a small hole in the box, as shown in the image.
• Place pom-poms on the other side for visual counting.
• Subtract the pom-poms according to the equation and put them inside the hole.
• The remaining pom-poms show the answer.

Coloring Activity

The Coloring Activity encourages creativity and fine motor skills as children use colored pencils or markers to fill in fun illustrations.

Materials: A coloring page along with colored pencils or markers.

• Give your child a coloring page with a fun illustration.
• Provide colored pencils or markers for them to use.
• Encourage your child to color the picture as they like.

Match the Car Activity

The Match the Car Activity is a fun way for children to practice color recognition and matching skills by pairing colored cars with matching dots.

Materials: A worksheet featuring colored cars and colored dots designed for matching.

• Provide your child with the worksheet and colored dots.
• Encourage them to match each car with the correct colored dot.
• Show your child how to place each dot beside the matching car.
• To know better, watch our reel.

Stone Painting Activity

Explore the natural canvas with the  Painting  on Stones Activity! It’s a creative way for children to express themselves by painting unique designs on an unusual surface.

Materials:  Smooth stones or pebbles, washable paints, brushes, and a cup of water to rinse brushes.

• Begin by cleaning the stones to ensure the paint adheres well.
• Set out the paints and brushes, and cover the workspace to protect it from paint splatters.
• Encourage your child to paint designs, patterns, or scenes on the stones, using one or multiple colors.
• Once the stones are painted, set them aside to dry before displaying them around your home or garden.

Cut & Paste Activity

The Cut & Paste Activity helps children develop fine motor skills and pattern recognition by cutting out and pasting pictures to complete patterns.

Materials: A worksheet or simply print out our printable, scissors, and glue.

• Provide your child our worksheet showing patterns and matching images to cut out.
• Encourage them to cut out the pictures that fit the pattern.
• Help them paste the pictures in the correct spots on the worksheet.

Button Plucking Activity

The Button Plucking Activity helps children practice fine motor skills by picking up buttons from playdough using tweezers or fingers.

Materials: Colorful buttons, playdough, and tweezers.

• Make a round shape from the playdough.
• Press the buttons into the playdough, arranging them in any pattern.
• Show your child how to use the tweezers to pluck out the buttons one by one.
• Encourage your child to continue plucking the buttons using the tweezers or their fingers.

Sticks Matching Activity

The Sticks Matching Activity helps children improve their color recognition and fine motor skills by matching colored sticks to corresponding patterns on cards.

Materials: Various colored ice cream sticks, a white sheet, and markers.

• Draw a pattern with different markers on the sheet.
• Provide your child with colored sticks and matching cards.
• Show your child how to match the sticks with the corresponding colors on the cards.
• Encourage your child to place the sticks into the correct slots on the board.

Word Search Activity

The Word Search Activity is an enjoyable way for children to improve their vocabulary and pattern recognition skills by finding hidden words in a grid.

Materials: A word search sheet or just simply use our printable and a pencil.

• Provide your child with our word search sheet and a pencil.
• Ask them to find and circle the given words hidden in the grid.
• Encourage your child to cross off each word from the list as they find it.

Roll the Dice Activity

The Roll the Dice Activity is a fun and interactive way for children to practice counting and number recognition using dice and a board with numbered rays.

Materials: Yellow and black sheets, markers, scissors, and glue.

• Use the yellow paper to cut out a sun shape and the black paper to cut out a dice shape.
• Stick the sun rays on the sun shape and write numbers on them.
• Give your child the dice and tell them to roll it (throw it on the ground).
• When they roll the dice, have them look for the same number on the sun shape and cut it out.
• You can watch our reel, which my kid performed.

Button up Your Shirt Activity

The Button up Your Shirt Activity is a great way for children to practice fine motor skills by buttoning up a paper shirt with colorful buttons.

Materials: A white sheet, a bottle cap, glue, and a marker, along with colored paper.

• Draw a shirt on a white sheet and cut it out.
• Make small sticker strips with circles sticker and draw dots inside them.
• Glue bottlenecks onto the shirt where the buttons would go, and place matching colored bottle caps beside it.
• Show your child how to align each button with the correct buttonhole.
• Let them match the cards with the same-colored bottle caps and place them on the shirt.

Big And Small Activity

The Big and Small Activity is a fun and educational way for children to learn about size differences by identifying which objects are bigger and smaller.

Materials: A worksheet and a pencil.

• Provide your child the worksheet.
• Ask them to circle the object that is bigger in each pair.
• Then have them draw a square around the object that is smaller.

Make a Color Cone Activity

The Make a Color Cone Activity is a creative way for children to learn about colors while crafting a fun ice cream cone.

Materials: White sheets, markers, paints, and cotton pads.

• Draw an ice cream cone on the white sheet.
• Place cotton pads on the cone.
• Have your child use paints or markers to color the scoops of ice cream.
• Let them use the cotton swab to apply different colors to each scoop if using paints.

Community Helpers Activity

The Community Helpers Activity is an engaging way for children to learn about different professions and the tools they use.

Materials: A circle chart with pictures of community helpers, picture cards with tools or vehicles, and clothespins.

• Show your child the circle chart with different community helpers.
• Give them the picture cards with tools or vehicles.
• Encourage your child to match the picture cards with the correct community helper by attaching the cards with clothespins.

Puzzle Activity

The Puzzle Activity is a fun and educational way for children to improve their problem-solving skills by fitting together pieces to form a complete picture.

Materials: A picture puzzle…for that, use our printable and Child-safe scissors

• Provide your child with the puzzle pieces.
• Encourage them to match and fit the pieces together to form a complete picture.
• Guide them as needed to find the correct pieces and align them.

Count and Place Ladybugs Activity

The Count and Place Ladybugs Activity is a playful way for children to learn about numbers and quantities by matching ladybugs to leaves.

Materials: A leaf worksheet and ladybug cutouts featuring varying numbers of dots, along with Velcro and markers.

• Provide your child with a worksheet showing leaves with different numbers on them.
• Give them the ladybug cutouts and ask them to count the dots on each one.
• Encourage your child to match each ladybug to the correct leaf based on the number.
• Use Velcro to attach the ladybugs to the leaves.

Pistachio Shells Tree Activity

The Pistachio Shells Tree Activity is a creative way for children to use recycled materials to make colorful tree art using pistachio shells.

Materials: Pistachio shells, brown paper, glue, and paint/markers.

• Draw a tree on a piece of paper, including the trunk and branches.
• Color the pistachio shells using paints.
• Glue the shells onto the branches of the tree as leaves.

Matching Activity

The Matching Activity helps children improve their visual recognition and fine motor skills by matching objects to their corresponding pictures.

Materials: A matching worksheet and pencil.

• Provide your child with a matching worksheet and a pencil.
• Ask them to draw a line connecting each object to its corresponding picture.
• Encourage them to match all the pairs correctly.

Animals and Their Food Activity

The Animals and Their Food Activity is a fun and educational way for children to learn about what different animals eat by matching animals to their food.

Materials: Animal and food cards for matching, clothespins, and a white sheet.

• Show your child the worksheet with different animals on it.
• Give them the food cards and ask them to match each animal to its correct food.
• Attach the cards using clothespins to connect the animals with their food.

Brushing with Letters Activity

The Brushing with Letters Activity helps children learn about dental hygiene and letters by matching letters on a tooth to their corresponding labels.

Materials: A worksheet with a picture of a tooth and marker.

• Provide your child with the worksheet showing a tooth labeled with letters.
• Ask them to match the letter labels to the corresponding letters on the tooth.
• Encourage your child to circle or highlight the matching letters.

Finger Painting Counting Activity

The Finger Painting Counting Activity is a fun and hands on way for children to practice counting and number recognition by painting with their fingers.

Materials: A counting worksheet with baskets and paints

• Provide your child with the counting worksheet.
• Encourage them to dip their finger in the paint and make a corresponding number of fingerprints in each basket.
• Ask your child to count the fingerprints out loud as they paint.

Graphomotor Snail Activity

The Graphomotor Snail Activity is a great way for children to develop fine motor skills by tracing the shape of a snail using yarn.

Materials: A sheet of paper, yarn, glue, and markers.

• Draw different snail outlines on the sheet.
• Provide your child with the snail outline and a piece of yarn.
• Show them how to trace the shape of the snail with the yarn.
• Help them apply glue along the snail’s body and attach the yarn.

Math with A Monkey Activity

The Math with A Monkey Activity helps children practice basic math skills using a fun tree-themed board with monkeys for counting.

Materials: A tree-themed board, monkey cutouts, a marker, and drawing pins.

• Show your child the tree-themed board and the monkey cutouts.
• Now write some numbers for doing addition and write the final answer.
• Ask your child to place the final number of monkeys in the tree.

Gems Rainbow Play Activity

The Gems Rainbow Play Activity is a colorful and fun way for children to learn about colors and patterns using colorful gems and water.

Materials: Gems, a plate, and hot water.

• Arrange the gems in a pattern on the plate.
• Pour hot water gently into the plate until the gems are partially submerged.
• Watch as the colors dissolve and spread, creating a rainbow effect.

These activities helped my son when he was this age – a curious and excited four-year-old boy. I’m sure your kids will also have a good time and learn a lot from these activities.

You can leave a comment below if you have any more activity ideas to add to this list or have any questions for me to answer as I would love to hear your feedback! ❤️

I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my  Next startup  Cledemy.Com )

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Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Engaging Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

7 Engaging Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

by Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos | May 17, 2023 | Core Skills

What are the best activities for 4-year-olds? There’s so much going in kids’ lives at this age that it can be tough to tell. Should you focus on letters and numbers? Playing pretend? Arts and crafts? Getting outdoors?

At Begin, we focus on the 5 C’s that help kids thrive in school and life: Creativity , Critical Thinking , Curiosity , Character , and Core Skills .

Kids who develop in these areas early enjoy more success in school and work and better relationships with friends and teachers. They make better decisions. And ultimately they’re more likely to love learning throughout their lives. 

The Short Cut

• Activities for 4-year-olds can develop the 5 C’s that help them thrive in school and life: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Character, and Core Skills
• Four-year-olds are developing rapidly, gaining new skills like counting and letter recognition, playing organized games with others, and storytelling
• Parents can help by encouraging activities that encourage creativity and cooperation, introduce letters and numbers, and involve simple rules or pretend play

Luckily, all 5 C’s are easy to support through play activities, especially for 4-year-olds!

In this article, we’ll share some of our learning experts’ favorite creative ways to help keep your 4-year-old learning and entertained at home.

Skills Your 4-Year-Old Is Developing

Your child is reaching many exciting milestones during this time, from starting to write their name and following two- and three-step instructions to taking things apart to see how they work and comforting someone who’s sad. Knowing more about their growth areas can help you choose which activities can best guide them.

Creativity, Character, and Curiosity

Your 4-year-old’s imagination is growing by leaps and bounds. Four-year-olds often develop imaginary friends and love to play dress-up (Creativity and Curiosity at work!). They can also get their friends, siblings, or even mom and dad involved as their ability to play with others develops (part of building Character).

When choosing activities for 4-year-olds, we suggest picking games that encourage creativity, introduce new things, and involve cooperative play to help your child continue developing these important skills.

Core Skills

At the four-year mark, you’ve likely already seen your child’s growing cognitive abilities. Many kids this age begin to:

• Memorize the names of shapes and colors
• Understand the idea of counting
• Write or read a few written numbers
• Recall parts of a story
• Write their first name

In addition, children at this stage are getting better at problem-solving and understanding the world around them. And there’s so much more exciting cognitive development to come!

Gross and Fine Motor Skills

At age 4, your child is developing a few new gross motor skills. These may include jumping on one leg, skipping, throwing and catching a ball, kicking a ball, climbing, and hopping while running.

Some fine motor skills are also improving. At this stage, your child may be able to complete puzzles, use child-safe scissors, and hold pens, markers, and pencils correctly.

Your child’s growing gross and fine motor skills help them explore new activities related to many of the 5 C’s. At age 4, they may become able to draw some figures and write a few letters and numbers (Core Skills and Creativity). And their gross motor skills will help them play organized games like sports, which develop Critical Thinking by introducing sets of rules to follow.

Since many children love being active and welcoming new challenges, working their developing motor skills into new activities for 4-year-olds can be a lot of fun!

Sensory Skills

At Begin, we encourage lots of sensory play (activities that involve kids using their five senses) because children explore and learn about the world around them by touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, and tasting.

Sensory play has an important role in many aspects of a child’s development, including:

• Cognitive development
• Social skills
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Language development
• Problem-solving skills

Incorporating sensory play when you choose activities for 4-year-olds can help them continue developing these skills.

Physical Strength

We’ve already covered some of the gross motor skills your 4-year-old is learning. As they continue to be active every day, their physical strength will naturally increase.

Four-year-olds should ideally get about three hours of physical play per day . This can include light, moderate, and vigorous activities.

Organized sports and other physical games can help kids develop their strength and Critical Thinking at the same time. But at this stage, it can be challenging for children to wrap their heads around the rules of a game. Four-year-olds may run or kick a ball in the wrong direction. And that’s OK! It’s part of their development.

If you choose to enroll your child in sports to help with their physical development, we suggest you opt for early childhood sports programs that focus on healthy fun and engagement, rather than being competitive.

7 Creative Learning Activities for 4-Year-Olds

1. indoor obstacle course.

What You’ll Need:

It’s easy to create an indoor obstacle course using everyday items around your home. To get started, you’ll need to come up with a list of challenges and then build the course around that.

Look around the house and see what movable items can bring your obstacle course to life. Chairs, cushions, books, and blankets can all add to the fun!

What to Do:

It’s always fun to get the kids involved in the building of your obstacle course. As a parent, your main role can be maintaining safety.

If you’re stuck thinking of challenges to create, here are some ideas:

Tunnel — An indoor tunnel is easy to create by lining up a row of chairs that your child can crawl through.

Balance Beam — Got some painter’s tape? Place a long strip on the floor and encourage your child to walk it in a straight line.

Maze — Children can create an indoor maze by lining up some books and using them as a low wall.

Obstacle courses are great to encourage physical activity, Critical Thinking, and Creativity while having lots of fun!

2. Hopscotch

• A small rock or pebble
• A paved area outside

Hopscotch is a classic activity for 4-year-olds! (Check out detailed instructions for hopscotch and other number-related games here. )

You might want to make the game a bit easier than the usual version to begin with. You can do that by:

• Making the squares with numbers closer together
• Letting your child jump to one number at a time
• Creating a board that goes from one to six (this can increase as your child gets more adept at the game)
• Letting your child place their stone on the number rather than toss it

As your child gets better at the game, they can move closer to the original rules.

Besides getting some exercise in, your child will also be practicing math , one of the Core Skills. You can help by counting their hops out loud and then celebrate the total hops once they reach the other side.

3. Outdoor Letter and Number Hunt

• 10 index cards

Start by writing the numbers 1 to 5 on five individual index cards (one number per card). Then write 5 letters—maybe your child’s name or one of their favorite things—on the remaining cards.

Finally, hide the cards in your yard or around a nearby park (behind a tree, in a bush, under a rock, etc.). Tip: Be sure to place the cards underneath or attached to something in case the wind blows!

The aim of the game is simple—encourage your child to find a number card (“Let’s see if we can find a number!”). If they find a number, celebrate this moment (“You found a number!”). If not, turn the card over and encourage them to try again. You can then do the same with letters.

You can find more details here . To make it a bit more challenging, ask your child to find a specific number or letter. Recognizing letters and numbers is an important Core Skill for 4-year-olds, so this game helps them learn while having fun!

4. Dance Festival

• Wooden spoons
• Fun costumes

Attending a concert or music festival can be a fantastic experience for kids, giving them a chance to cultivate Curiosity by checking out new sights and sounds (not to mention the Creativity that comes with dancing). So why not bring that fun to your household?

You can turn pots over to create drums, hit wooden spoons together (they can also be a pretend microphone), and dress in fun costumes to really get into the mood.

This is a great activity to get the whole family involved. The kids may want you to play their favorite songs over and over, and that’s fine—but see if you can work some new ones into the mix too!

5. Craft Box

• Pipe cleaners
• Cotton balls
• Colored paper
• Any other craft supplies you have around the house

This activity is straightforward. All you need to do is fill the box with the craft supplies and encourage your child to create anything they want.

Will they draw a house? Create a rocket ship? Who knows what their imaginative minds will come up with?

This is a great opportunity for your child to continue developing their Creativity. And once the box is finished, they can store art supplies in it for future creative projects too!

6. Color Mixing Sensory Bag

• Icing or shaving cream
• Food coloring
• Two small bowls
• Toothpick or spatula
• Large zip-top bag

You can follow these detailed instructions for creating a color mixing sensory bag for your 4-year-old. In a nutshell, your child will need to use their fingers and hands to squish and mix the different colors inside the bag.

This activity is a great way for your child to practice experimenting and exploring cause and effect while having fun and learning about colors, an important Core Skill. They’ll also enjoy squishing and squashing the soft icing or shaving cream!

7. Shared Story Map

• Our story map
• Crayons or pencils
• Toys (preferably stuffed animals)

Encourage your child to tell you a story, using the story map as a guide. They can fill the map out with their creative drawings, or you can help them write the story out.

Sometimes it can be challenging for a child to think of a whole story by themselves. This is where you come in! You can start the story, and then your child can add on (other family members can join in, too).

Once you’re confident the story is complete, it’s time to act it out together using the toys!

This activity helps with language development (a Core Skill), storytelling and imagination (Creativity), and collaborating with others (Character)—all at the same time!

Activities for 4-Year-Olds with Begin

Children are constantly learning and growing. By focusing on activities for 4-year-olds that develop the 5 C’s, you can have a great time as a family while setting kids up to thrive in life.

Begin can help.

Our age- and stage-matched learning membership pairs kids with learning activities that will help them reach the milestones that matter for their age. At age 4, they might be working on early reading and math skills with our award-winning HOMER app, exploring the world through a hands-on Little Passports kit, or putting together an animal puzzle.

Take our online quiz to find out which membership stage is right for your family today!

Jody has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science and more than a decade of experience in the children’s media and early learning space.

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Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos

Chief Learning Officer at Begin

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Preschool Activities For 4-Year-Olds: Sensory Play, Games, Art Projects, And Experiments

April 20, 2024 //  by  Louise Pieterse

The days of coloring books and potato stamps are long gone. It’s time to get creative with your kids and help them explore their world in new ways. At 4 years old, they’re starting to learn more about numbers and letters, becoming pros at writing out their names, differentiating between colors, and showing tons of curiosity about everything around them. 

Why not indulge them in a bunch of awesome activities that promote sensory play, fun with numbers, and a host of artistic exploration? We’re confident that our collection of 57 innovative preschool activities will do just the trick and prove perfect for your curious little 4-year-olds!

1. Sprinkle Sensory Bag

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this activity, it’s packed with endless possibilities and tons of fun! Simply fill a Ziploc bag with a bunch of sprinkles before inviting your little ones to use it as a tracking platform to trace out letters and numbers with their fingers.

Learn More: Active Littles

2. Hiss Board Game

Every preschool teacher knows the importance of having one amazing board game on hand. Hiss is an excellent investment and your kids will be able to play it for years to come! Engage them in this vibrant game by having them match colors to build these radiant wriggly snakes.

Learn More: Game Cows

3. Floating Paintings

This whimsical activity is part magic and part science and incredibly easy to set up. Task your kiddos with drawing a fun picture on a smooth plate with dry-erase markers. Once their doodles are complete, prompt them to pour some water onto the plate and observe as their picture gets picked up by the water and floats around. It’s pure magic!

Learn More: YouTube

4. Cutting Slime

Exercising your toddlers’ scissors skills is an important part of their development, but most activities are resource-heavy and messy. With this simple project, you’ll encourage them to practice their cutting by having them snip into blobs of slime for infinite ways to exercise those little hands.

Learn More: The OT Toolbox

5. Squirt Gun Painting

Throw out those boring painting activity plans and roll out the big guns, or the water guns in this case. Load up some water pistols with a variety of water paints before passing them off to your preschoolers. Then, let the fun begin by allowing them to squirt their guns at some blank canvas to see what colorful creations they’ll come up with.

Learn More: Fireflies and Mudpies

6. Sticky Turtle Wall

This super cute activity is perfect for your curious kiddos who love to play outside. Start by sticking a sheet of contact paper on a wall or fence (sticky side facing outward) and then draw the outline of a turtle on it with a marker. Your children are then free to stick all kinds of natural green elements on the turtle to bring this masterpiece to life.

Learn More: Happy To d dler Playtime

7. Sensory Counting Bag

This customizable activity will make a fantastic addition to your summer-themed activities. Put together this captivating sensory bag by inserting the printable ice cream sheet in a Ziploc bag before filling it with hair gel and pom poms. You’ll then challenge your little ones to use their counting and color recognition skills to move the pom-poms around the bag to the corresponding cones.

Learn More: Happy Tot Shelf

8. Flower Arrangement

When springtime rolls around, embrace the colors of the season with this cheery activity. Engage your little learners’ in this sensory delight by inviting them to arrange flowers in an upside-down colander. Let their creativity flow as they use flowers of different sizes and hues to design these beautiful floral creations.

Learn More: No Time for Flashcards

9. Animal Tape Rescue Activity

Here’s another fun-filled way to work on your tots’ cutting skills and develop their fine motor skills. Start by taping plastic animals into a muffin tray before challenging your kids to free them by using a scissor to cut the tape. If you’re looking to increase the difficulty, replace the tape with string before encouraging them to release the animals with their fingers by unraveling the complicated web.

Learn More: Days with Grey

10. Toddler at Play

It seems like most indoor activities always leave a mess, but this absorbing game only requires a piece of paper and a few shapes. Begin by tracing outlines of toys, blocks, or even kitchen utensils before tasking your kiddos with matching the objects to their outline.

Learn More: Toddler At Play

11. Leaf Rubbing

Nothing promotes sensory engagement quite like nature! Immerse your class in all the colors, smells, and textures of the outdoors with this simple leaf-rubbing activity. Send them off into your schoolyard to pick up a few fallen leaves. You’ll then prompt them to place a blank piece of paper over their leaves before having them rub over it with crayons to reveal all the intricate patterns of nature.

Learn More: Social Field Trips

12. Sticker Lines

If you’ve got a few stickers to spare, this delightful and hands-on activity is the perfect choice. Simply draw lines on a large piece of white paper before having your children place stickers all along the line. You can even amp up the difficulty by challenging them to see if they can stick the colors in a pattern!

Learn More: Busy Toddler

13. Playdough Stamp Counting

Playdough stamping is an age-old kindergarten craft, but have you ever thought of switching it up to a counting activity? In this hands-on exercise, you’ll start by writing various numbers on pieces of paper before tasking your kiddos with stamping the correct number of dots into Playdough using different building blocks.

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

14. Pom-Pom Patterns

This interactive activity will work wonders for your toddlers’ color recognition and fine motor skills. Simply arm them with a pair of mini tweezers and then challenge them to place pom-poms in a grid formation by having them follow these printable template cards.

Learn More: Just Teachy

15. Letter Search with Stickers

Familiarizing your tots with alphabet letters just got a whole lot more fun! Provide them with an empty paper towel roll and colorful stickers that you’ve covered in various letters. Then, invite them to match the stickers to the correct letter on the roll.

Learn More: How Wee Learn

16. Leaf Sorting

Here’s another excellent example of how your garden can be one of your greatest resources. Gather up leaves of all shapes and sizes or send your kids into your schoolyard to rustle up a bunch. You’ll then encourage them to do their best as you have them sort each leaf by size, texture, color, or any other characteristics you can think of.

Learn More: Montessori from the Heart

17. Rainbow Stacking Stones

In this triple-threat of an activity, your children will learn all about colors, balancing, and sorting according to size. Begin by inviting them to gather up a bunch of small stones before allowing them to adorn each stone with colorful paint. Once complete, challenge them to stack the stones in order from biggest to smallest.

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

18. Toilet Roll Haircuts

Have your little ones shown interest in wanting to cut their own hair? Avoid any unwanted mishaps by treating them to this adorable cutting activity. They’ll work on their scissors skills as you task them with decorating empty toilet rolls before you engage their inner stylist by having them give their cardboard characters some funky haircuts.

Learn More: Our Kid Things

19. Nail Painting

Another potentially messy activity can be reined in with just a small adjustment. Instead of letting your young minds paint your or their own nails, arm them with nail polish and give them these easy-to-make cardboard cutouts to decorate with colors of their choice.

Learn More: Play Hooray

20. Cotton Ball Painting

If your littles are struggling to get the hang of painting with a paintbrush, this cotton ball painting project will provide them with the perfect happy medium. Simply stick cotton wool in clothes pegs and then place them in various blobs of paint. Your kiddos are then free to go to town on a canvas of your choice as you encourage them to embrace their creative flair!

Learn More: Tip Junkie

21. Name Hop

Any game that can burn off a little energy is a winner in our books! In Name Hop, you’ll start by writing letters on paper plates before you scatter them around your classroom floor. Challenge your tots to make their way through the alphabet by having them jump from letter to letter, spelling out their name or even practicing sight words.

Learn More: Taming Little Monsters

22. Utensil Printing

You can turn nearly anything into art with a bit of colorful paint and a little imagination. In this case, allow your kiddos to use simple kitchen utensils to create vivid patterns with paint. You’ll be amazed to see all the creative flower designs that your budding Picassos come up with.

Learn More: Fantastic Fun and Learning

23. Flower Petal Name Practice

Staying on the floral theme, this delightful activity will let your kids practice spelling out their names. Try adding this to their daily routine as you have them practice laying out petals in the correct order to spell out their names.

Learn More: A Dab Of Glue Will Do

24. Number Search Sticker Activity

There’s seemingly no end to the things you can do with a few stickers and a sheet of paper. In this variation, you’ll start by writing down some numbers on paper before assigning a color to each one. Proceed by handing the sheets out to your class and challenging them to search for the numbers and place the corresponding sticker on each.

Learn More: Stay At Home Educator

25. Sticky Yarn Numbers

Get those nimble hands working in this super simple number recognition activity. Simply draw a bunch of numbers on paper before sticking a sheet of contact paper over it, making sure the sticky side is facing up. Then, invite your littles to trace out each digit by having them use pieces of yarn to map out all the curves and angles.

Learn More: Fun Littles

26. Make Counting Hands

It’s perfectly natural for your children to count on their fingers, but how about letting them count on someone (or something) else’s fingers? Treat them to some hands-on learning by first filling gloves with beans or grain. Afterward, have them roll a pair of dice before challenging them to represent that number on the gloves.

Learn More: JDaniel4’s Mom

27. Ribbon Threading

Even the simplest of activities can have great benefits in the development of your preschoolers. This ribbon threading activity is sure to do the trick as you encourage them to thread different ribbons through an oven rack. They’ll exercise their little fingers and their patience as they weave each ribbon through the rack.

Learn More: Happy Brown House

28. Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils

These salt dough fossils will make a fantastic addition to a prehistoric-themed lesson. Allow your kiddos to press toy dinosaurs into circles of salt dough to create impressions before placing them in an oven to dry. Once hardened, they’ll have an array of dino fossils that you can even hide in your garden for them to dig up later if you’re feeling adventurous! 

Learn More: Mom Brite

29. Colorful Counting Sticks

Craft sticks are probably already a staple in your classroom so setting up this game should be a breeze. Mark each stick with a number and then challenge your little learners to place a corresponding amount of small rubber bands on each stick, according to the number represented.

Learn More: Sweet Silly Sara

30. Paper-Cutting Station

This handy paper-cutting station is the perfect way to keep your little ones busy. Simply print out a few templates that you’ll place in a craft box along with a few pairs of scissors. When your tots have some free time or you’re looking to distract them for a moment, have them open the box, pick out a template, and cut along the lines.

Learn More: Playdough to Plato

31. Lock and Key Number Match

This innovative activity is guaranteed to keep your kids busy while teaching them number and counting skills at the same time. To create this exercise, write numbers on locks before making dots on the keychains of the matching keys. You’ll then encourage your learners to match each lock with its key to unlock them all.

Learn More: ABC Does

32. Bubble Art

Your young minds will create unique pieces of art every time with this imaginative activity. Create a colorful bubble solution by mixing dish soap and paint together before inviting your kids to form bubble clouds by blowing into the solution with a straw. Afterward, allow them to place paper onto the bubbles to form floral templates that they can then adorn with patches of greenery.

Learn More: A Piece of Rainbow

33. Wet Sidewalk Chalk Drawings

Liven up your classroom environment with this outdoor art session. Provide your tots with sidewalk chalk that’s been soaked in water before inviting them to forge impressive patterns in your schoolyard. You’re sure to be mesmerized by all the grand designs that they come up with and how the simple addition of water transforms ordinary sidewalk chalk into an ultra-vibrant medium.

34. Ice Block Treasure Hunt

Here’s a guaranteed boredom buster for those hot summer days. Freeze a bunch of plastic toys in a big block of ice before allowing your children to excavate them. Encourage them to use water, kitchen utensils, and more to try and melt or crush the ice to save the toys from their icy prison.

Learn More: The Inspired Home

35. Glow In The Dark Bowling

Kick lawn bowling up a notch with a whimsical game of glow-in-the-dark bowling. Simply snap a few glow sticks and pop them into plastic bottles filled with water to create a thrilling night-time activity that will work wonders for your kiddos’ gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Learn More: Passion for Savings

36. Rock Painting

You can never go wrong with a classic activity! Rock painting is a fantastic way to get your children to express their creativity while also enjoying some fun in the sun. Provide them with an array of paints and a rock of their choice before getting them excited to whip up these vibrant garden accessories.

Learn More: Mrs. Plemon’s Kindergarten

37. Yarn Painting

Yarn is another potential paintbrush alternative that makes for stunning outcomes! Invite your toddlers to create abstract pieces of art by first having them dip yarn in paint and lay it down on paper. You’ll then prompt them to drag it across the page to produce vibrant tapestries right before their eyes.

38. Clear Frame Portrait Drawing

This ingenious activity maximizes creativity while simultaneously being light on resources. Simply pair your kids up before providing each pair with a clear plastic lid and a dry-erase marker. They’ll then take turns outlining their classmates’ features by placing the lid over their partner’s face and using the marker to trace out all their features.

Learn More: Instagram

39. Mystery Box

Tactile exploration is a key part of your preschoolers’ development and this mystery box activity is one of the best ways to explore that sense. Start by adding anything from toys to fruit, utensils, or foam letters to a box before encouraging your pupils to feel the objects without looking and guess what hidden items lay inside.

Learn More: Kids Art n Craft

40. Animal Rescue

Round up your children and get them ready to embark on this engaging rescue mission! Wrap up a few toys with rubber bands or string before challenging your students to free each animal by using their fine motor skills to unravel the knots and loops that bind the toys.

Learn More: Team Cartwright

41. Animal Leg Match

This adorable activity makes for a delightful addition to animal lessons or could even be used as an extension exercise to an animal book reading lesson. Using clothespins with different kinds of animal legs on them, you’ll task your kiddos with matching them to their body cutouts to complete this fun-filled matching activity. 

Learn More: And Next Comes L

42. Move Like An Animal Cube

It’s time to get those little bodies moving with this dynamic activity! Creative this fun animal movement cube by sticking movement prompts and pictures of animals to each side of the shape. Then, have your littles take turns rolling the cube before encouraging them to jump, crawl, and hop according to the animal movement that their roll lands on.

Learn More: Choices for Children

43. Fine Motor Fishing

Inspire a fresh take on the classic game of magnet fishing! Begin by making these super cute pipe cleaner fish before twisting and turning a separate pipe cleaner to create a hook. Engage your class in scooping up their catch of the day by using the hook to pick up one colorful fish at a time and then drop it into a corresponding toilet paper roll.

Learn More: Home School AEC

44. Animal Washing Station

This might seem like a sneaky way to get your tots to clean their toys, but it’s actually a fantastic way to develop their fine motor skills. Simply cover a bunch of their toys in mud before tasking them with using a toothbrush, cloth, or even cotton buds to get into all the nooks and crannies of their animals – leaving them squeaky clean and primed for playtime!

Learn More: The Imagination Tree

45. Puffy Paint Art

For a whimsical take on art lessons, try whipping up a batch of puffy paint! Using shaving cream and food coloring, you’ll invite your little artists to create textural wonders by squeezing the mixture out of a piping bag. Draw outlines of a picture for them to follow or let their creativity run freely by allowing them to forge artistic wonders from scratch.

Learn More: The Artful Parent

46. Easy-Peasy Sock Puppets

Making these quirky sock puppets is an awesome way to indulge your kids’ creativity while also teaching them the importance of recycling. Gather up a bunch of old socks and have your preschoolers come up with their very own unique character using leftover popsicle sticks, craft supplies, googly eyes, and more!

Learn More: Pinterest

47. Shape Hunt

A classic shape hunt activity may seem simple enough, but it’ll do wonders for your toddlers’ developing minds. Challenge them to hunt around your classroom or outside to find objects in their environment that match a variety of known shapes.

Learn More: Michigan State University

48. Sensory Rice Bin

Sensory activities are as much a rewarding experience for your little ones as they are fun. Immerse them in this wonderful exercise where you’ll have them search through a sea of colorful rice using a variety of tools to aid them in excavating the hidden objects.

Learn More: Honors Grad U

49. Eggshell Garden

Planting little eggshell gardens will be one of the cutest and most memorable experiments to treat your littles to. Have them fill eggshells with soil and seeds before encouraging them to place their eggs in different places around your classroom to observe the effects of sunlight on their growth. It’s a fantastic way to teach them about the importance of recycling and how growing their own plants can aid in fighting the climate crisis.

Learn More: Bright Wheel Blog

50. Nature Art Collage

A walk outdoors is a lovely way for your children to interact with nature and adding a creative element to it means they get to put their thinking caps on as well. Allow them to pick up a variety of natural objects such as sticks, leaves, tree bark, and flowers before encouraging them to use their items to come up with designs such as a whimsical mandala pattern.

Learn More: Emma Owl

51. Story Stones

Inviting your class to create story stones is a sure way to engage every facet of their imagination. Have your kiddos paint simple doodles onto stones or pre-make them if you’re in a time crunch. Then, prompt them to pick a random stone and come up with a fitting tale to match the image displayed.

Learn More: Early Impact Learning

52. Balloon Tennis

DIY Balloon Tennis is an excellent way to work on your children’s hand-eye coordination and expel some energy in the process. Start by whipping up a few racquets using paper plates and popsicle sticks before challenging your little athletes to see who can use them to keep a balloon off the floor for the longest time.

Learn More: Lovevery

53. Sidewalk Chalk Obstacle Course

If your kids love to move and play outdoors, this activity will soon become one of their favorites! Plan out a thrilling obstacle course on your sidewalk by using colorful chalk to map out each movement that your learners will have to carry out. Once complete, challenge them to move through the course as quickly and accurately as possible as you have them jump, hop, and skip to the finish.

Learn More: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

54. Bubble Wrap stomp painting

It’s not often that your little ones get to make a mess without consequences, but in this creative project, they’ll get to do just that! Start by taping large pieces of bubble wrap around their feet before inviting them to step onto a large sheet of paper. They’re then free to dip their feet into different paints and stomp around the canvas to create an abstract masterpiece.

Learn More: Mess for Less

55. Balloon Rocket Experiment

Introducing your class to STEM activities at an early age is a wonderful way to skyrocket their progress. In this fun-filled experiment, you’ll assist them in using materials such as balloons, string, tape, and straws to design a balloon rocket that’s completely propelled by the laws of physics!

Learn More: Kaplan

56. Musical Statues

Treat your young minds to a classic game of Musical Statues to improve their concentration skills and get their bodies grooving. Have them try out the classic version where they’ll need to freeze as soon as the music stops. For an added twist, when the music stops encourage them to freeze before pretending to be an animal or prompting them to express a random emotion.

Learn More: Silly Fish Learning

57. Bead Patterns

Using beads as a tool for learning not only results in a variety of trendy accessories but they can also be used as a method to develop your toddlers’ finger control and fine motor skills. In this activity, have them pick a random pattern card before inviting them to string colorful beads onto pipe cleaners to accurately represent the order on their cards.

Learn More: 8 Beading Activities for Preschoolers

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6 Learning Games for 4-Year-Olds

5 group educational games for 4-year-olds, 5 educational board games for 4-year-olds, 6 educational physical games for 4-year-olds, 7 educational indoor games to play with 4-year-olds.

Four-year-olds are curious, energetic, and developing their independence, self-control, and creativity. At this age, they can focus on a toy or activity for about 5-10 minutes, making it important to choose the right games. Engaging learning games for 4-year-olds can support their physical, mental, and cognitive growth. In this guide, we’ll share the best games for 4-year-olds that keep them entertained and help them learn.

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29 Best Educational Fun Games for 4-Year-Olds’ Growth

The first five years are crucial for a child’s development. Therefore, you must engage your toddler in various games that can stimulate their senses and educate them. Notably, games for a 4-year-old has to be fun and exciting. So, after thorough consideration, we have created a list of the 29 best 4 year old games:

1. SplashLearn Educational Games

Skill Development: Reading, math and early skills SplashLearn is an interactive and adaptive educational platform designed specifically for young learners. It combines fun with learning, offering a variety of games that help children build essential skills in a playful and engaging way.

Key Features: Extensive skill coverage:

• Math Games : Children can explore numbers , counting , and basic arithmetic through fun, character-driven activities that make math enjoyable.

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• Reading Games : SplashLearn introduces letter recognition , phonics , and simple stories , laying the groundwork for early literacy and a love for reading.

• Creative Exploration: The platform includes drawing and painting games that encourage creativity and self-expression, helping children explore their artistic abilities.

• Motor Skills and Problem-Solving: Interactive puzzles and challenges are designed to enhance fine motor coordination and critical thinking.

Adaptive Learning SplashLearn tailors its activities to match each child’s learning pace, ensuring they are both challenged and motivated. This personalized approach helps sustain their interest and supports ongoing skill development.

Parent Involvement Parents can easily monitor their child’s progress with detailed reports, making it easy to see where their child excels and where they might need extra support. 

Why SplashLearn? SplashLearn strikes a balance between education and entertainment, making it a valuable tool for supporting the emotional, physical, and cognitive development of 4-year-olds. It’s a great resource for parents looking to enhance their child’s learning experience at home.

2. Matching Letters

Skill Development: Memory skills, spelling, and word recognition

Matching Letters is a learning game for four-year-olds that helps develop their memory skills and strategic mindset while also improving their word recognition ability. It is the perfect game to play with the entire family and develop your child’s alphabetical skills . It is simple to play since it only has 60 cubes that can only form 3-4 letter words. 

Price: $16.99

3. Wooden Magnetic Letters

Skill Development: Matching, fine motor skills, alphanumeric recognition  

This educational game for 4-year-olds is fun and engaging. The game board is designed with different alphabetic and numerical letters. Your children will use a magnetic fish rod to find the right letters based on your instructions. With this game, you can teach colors, numbers, letters, and matching skills.

Price: $19.99 Buy: Here

Skill Development: Thinking, reading skills

Zingo is a simple bingo game for toddlers that helps develop their critical thinking and reading skills. Your kids have to follow the instructions mentioned on Zingo cards and match different connectors on their slips. It is fun and easy to play a game that the entire family can enjoy together.

Price: $21.49 Buy: Here

5. Shape and Color Bingo

Skill Development: Shape recognition, color identification, counting

Requirements: Bingo cards with shapes and colors, markers or small objects as bingo chips

Create bingo cards with different shapes in various colors. Call out either a shape or color, and have children place markers on the corresponding spaces. This game helps them learn to distinguish between different shapes and colors while also counting their markers.

Price: $12.89 Buy: Here

6. Block Patterning

Skill Development: Shape recognition, building, spatial awareness

Requirements: A set of blocks in different shapes and colors, pattern cards or printed images of simple structures

Provide children with blocks of different shapes and colors. Show them patterns or pictures of simple structures, and ask them to recreate the patterns. This game reinforces their understanding of shapes , colors, and how to build structures.

Price: $13.99 Buy: Here

1. Scavenger Hunt

Skill Development: Leadership, instructions, understanding, and processing skills

Requirements: Random items to hunt

Whether it is your 4-year-old’s birthday party or you want to tire out energetic preschoolers, you can organize a scavenger hunt . You can create doodles or drawings to create a treasure map, as some four-year-olds might struggle to read written instructions. 

In addition to this, you can make a scavenger hunt more fun by dividing your children into groups of two and organizing a small competition among them.

2. Hopscotch

Skill Development: Counting, physical strength 

Requirements: A chalk and pebble

Hopscotch is a classic and fun game for four-year-olds. To play this game, using chalk, create a grid of nine blocks and mark numbers in each block like 1, 2, 3, etc. Now, give a stone or pebble to your preschooler and ask them to throw it on any number in this first row. They have to then hop down the grid and then back and pick up their pebble while standing on one foot. It’s going to be fun watching kids hopping, falling, and laughing. 

3. Jump Rope

Skill Development: Balance, coordination 

Requirements: Jumping rope

Jumping rope is a fun and entertaining game for four-year-olds. All it requires is a jumping rope, and your preschoolers can have a blast playing with it. They can even do group jumping to develop coordination and body balance. It is a perfect outdoor activity for 4 year olds to improve their body strength.

Skill Development: Motor skills

Requirements: Open space to run around in

Tag is a game that four-year-olds and adults can play and have fun with their friends. There are several versions of this game. So, you and your child can play freeze tag, simple tag, or any other version of tag that your family plays. It is a perfect game to improve motor and sensory skills among young children as they have to respond quickly while playing this game.

5. Bean Bag Toss

Skill Development: Coordination, teamwork, counting, color recognition

Requirements: Bean bags in different colors, a target board or containers with different point values marked

Divide the children into two teams. Set up a target board or different containers at varying distances, each labeled with a certain number of points. The kids take turns tossing bean bags towards the targets to earn points for their team. This game encourages teamwork, coordination, and counting skills, and it’s safe and suitable for 4-year-olds. The colorful bean bags can also be used to reinforce color recognition as the children play.

1. Shape Sorting Puzzle

Skill Development: Shape recognition, color identification, problem-solving

This classic puzzle game involves matching various shaped pieces to their corresponding slots on the board. It helps children recognize and distinguish different shapes and colors while also enhancing their fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities. It is one of the best board games for 4-year-olds.

Price: $19.99

2. Snug as a Bug in a Rug

Skill Development: Matching skills

Snug as a Bug in a Rug is an award-winning game for preschoolers. It has an exciting storyline in which kids have to put as many bugs as they can under the rug before three bugs stink and destroy everything. The game is available in three interactive modes to keep your kids interested. The game contains 1 game board with a built-in spinner, 24 colorful bugs, 3 stink bugs, 1 die, and instructions. 

Price: $23.95

Skill Development: Motor skills, matching skills

Cootie is a classic preschool game that you must have also played in your childhood. The game is pretty simple. Your child has to spin the wheel and hope to get the part they need to build their plastic bug. The person who makes the bug first will win this game. However, all the colorful parts and mechanism to create a bug is excellent educational training for four-year-olds.

Price: $24.95

4. Chutes and Ladders

Skill Development: Counting, Strategy 

Price: $9.99

This is another classic game you can find everywhere. Several versions of the game are available so that you can purchase the game with your child’s favorite cartoon characters. The game board has 100 squares your child must cross while moving through different ladders and chutes. It will be fun when ladders lift your child’s pawn closer to the winning square, and chutes bring them down again. It is a great family game to enjoy and learn numbers.

5. Candy Land

Skill Development: Color recognition, counting

Candy Land is a great board game for 4-year-olds at home. It is a classic game with gingerbread players, colorful cards, and several sweet adventures to explore. Your children will use cards to find their way through the chocolate fountain, candy cane garden, etc. No reading is involved in this game, so it is perfect for young minds.  

Price: $12.10

1. Hide-and-Seek

Skill Development: Motor skills, analytical thinking 

Requirements: A safe space with places to hide

We don’t think hide and seek requires any explanation. Every person has played this game in their childhood and had a blast. So, if you are a preschool teacher or parent, you can play hide and seek with your four-year-olds to improve their reflexes and analytical skills while also getting some physical exercise.

2. Animal Walk

Skill Development: Hopping, galloping

Requirements: Animal picture chart

The animal walk is the perfect game for preschoolers to teach them the characteristics of different animals and do some physical work. All you need is an animal picture chart to show to your toddlers. And ask them to imitate the walk of the animal mentioned on the chart. With this game, your child will move, hop, and gallop to build physical strength. 

3. Keep the Balloon Up

Requirements: Balloons and an open play area

It is a two-player game. To play this game, you have to give a balloon to the two players and ask them to balance the balloon in the air using their bodies except for their hands or feet. They must move from one point to another while balancing the balloon. It is an excellent team coordination and balance-building game for 4-year-olds.

4. Wet Sponge Designs

Skill Development: Throwing

Requirements: Lots of old sponges

During the summer break, you can play this fun game with your four-year-olds. First, gather some waste kitchen sponges and put them in a tub of water. Then, ask your preschooler to throw wet sponges on a hard surface like a concrete wall or floor. This is not only a fun game for a 4-year-old but also helps to strengthen their arm muscles. 

5. Simon Says

Skill Development: Jumping, hopping, crawling, and more

It is a fun game for four-year-olds without any complicated rules. The player has to say “Simon says” and instruct other players to do any physical action like jump like a duck, hop like a bunny, etc. It is a ruleless and joy-packed physical game for preschoolers. 

6. Ball Roll Relay

Skill Development: Coordination, teamwork, motor skills

Requirements: Small balls, cones, or any objects to create a course

Ball games are a great way for four-year-olds to develop coordination and teamwork skills. Set up a simple course using cones or other objects, and have the children take turns rolling a ball along the course, navigating around the obstacles. You can make it more engaging by timing the relay or adding challenges like rolling with one hand. This game helps enhance motor skills and teaches kids to work together in a fun, active way.

1. Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button

Skill Development: Guessing, social skills

Requirements: A button 

It is a quiet game for preschoolers to play indoors. Get your preschoolers to sit in a circle and ask them to close their eyes. One person will have a button in their hand and pretend to pass it on to everyone. Once the button is passed on, everyone will try to guess who’s got the button. 

2. Broken Telephone

Skill Development: Listening skills 

Another simple game to play with a group of four-year-olds. Make the group sit in a circle; one person will whisper a sentence into the ear of the person sitting next to them. That person will pass the message to the next person, and so on. The cycle keeps moving until it reaches the last person in the circle, and they will say the message out loud. The game’s main motive is to improve students’ listening and information-processing skills. 

3. Story Time Clap

Skill Development: Language development 

Requirements: Storybooks

This is an excellent game for 4-year-olds to improve their reading skills. You can pick one child and give them a book to read aloud to the rest of the group. You will then assign the listeners a specific word or phrase. When they hear that word or phrase being mentioned in the story, they have to clap. It is a great way to improve young students’ reading, language, and listening skills. 

4. Touch and Feel Box

Skill Development: Sensory development 

Requirements: A box and different textured objects 

This game is perfect for students suffering from sensory disorders. To play this game, you must put some unique textured items in a box. After that, ask the children to touch and feel one of the items. Without seeing it, they have to guess the item’s name based on their feel and touch senses.  

5. Musical chairs

Requirements: Lots of chairs  and music

Musical Chair is an excellent party game for preschoolers. You have to arrange chairs in a circle facing outwards. However, there should always be one less chair than the number of players. Once the music starts, everyone walks around the chairs, and when the music stops, they have to grab a seat. The person who is left standing will lose the game. Keep on playing until you have a winner. 

6. Story Time Blocks

Skill Development: Narrative skills, counting, building

Requirements: A set of blocks, a comfortable play area

Encourage children to narrate stories while building with blocks. For example, ask them to build a “house” and tell a story about what happens in that house. This activity enhances their ability to narrate and express their ideas while engaging in imaginative play.

7. Color and Shape Scavenger Hunt

Skill Development: Color and shape recognition, physical activity

Requirements: A list of items in specific shapes and colors, safe indoor space

Create a scavenger hunt inside the house where children search for items of a specific shape or color. For instance, “Find something red that is a circle” or “Find three green squares.” This game helps children identify shapes and colors while counting their finds.

What Do Kids Learn at The Age of 4?

At the age of 4, children are like little sponges, absorbing all kinds of new information. Here are some of the key topics they typically learn:

• Counting from 1 to 10 (or higher)
• Recognizing shapes ( circle , square , triangle )
• Understanding simple patterns (like ABAB)
• Learning new words and building simple sentences
• Recognizing letters and beginning to understand the sounds they make (phonics)
• Following simple instructions and asking questions
• Sharing and taking turns with others
• Understanding and following basic rules
• Playing cooperatively in groups
• Holding and using pencils, crayons, or scissors correctly
• Drawing basic shapes and simple pictures
• Building with blocks or doing simple puzzles
• Identifying basic emotions like happy, sad, angry, and scared
• Expressing their own feelings with words
• Developing empathy by recognizing how others feel
• Exploring the world around them (plants, animals, weather)
• Asking questions like “why” and “how” to learn more
• Understanding simple cause and effect (e.g., if you drop something, it falls)

Let’s Play!

Games are an essential part of child development. With games, children learn to socialize, become team leaders, and learn new things. Their physical and mental strength also improves.

Play all the suggested games to improve your child’s physical and mental development. Choose from a vast number of games you can buy, as well as free games for 4-year-olds, and get started!

Explore more online educational resources and printable worksheets for kids that will aid in their learning experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What impact do games have on children.

Games are a great way to enhance your four year old’s physical development. Games like tag or ‘Simon Says’ will improve your child’s muscular strength and body balance. In addition to this, games also help stimulate your child’s brain and develop their mental strength. Besides this, playing games also ensure your child is active and tired enough that they sleep well at night.

What are the benefits of board games?

Playing board games increases brain function and strategic skills among young children. Board games also help to improve social skills and strengthen relationships. Board games are the perfect way to have some family time and reduce stress. In addition to this, these games teach life lessons and patience.

10 Best Educational Classroom Games for Kids in 2024

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Play-Based Learning Activities for 4 Year Olds

Introduction

Finding activities for 4 year olds can be a fun challenge. At this age, kids are inquisitive, active, and enthusiastic about the world they live in. Through play-based activities, children not only stay engaged, but also develop in many domains. The article is about a collection of activities, that teach 4 year olds to develop themselves, with the goal of learning through play.

The Importance and Impact of Activities for 4 Year Old Kid

The activities that are adjusted for 4 year olds, are a key element of their holistic development. These activities are meant to develop their minds and bodies, resulting in holistic development. Being involved in play and activities, that 4 year olds can handle on their own, boosts their self-confidence. It provides them with the ability to make their own choices, and solve problems by themselves.

Easy activities for 4 year olds are a must. They let children achieve their goals. This success is essential in motivating them to be more interested, and excited about learning. The activities must not be too complicated. Simplicity enables kids to remain focused, and not become bored.

It is important to ensure that the activities for 4 year olds learning, are matched with the child’s abilities, and current development level. Activities must be interesting enough to keep them engaged. In contrast, they need to be realistic, to prevent feelings of frustration as well. The success of learning, will depend on the harmonization of these factors.

Try puzzles, matching games, or simple crafts for activities for 4 year olds to do by themselves. Such activities are key to developing independence, and cognitive skills. They motivate the kids to think both creatively and critically.

Things to Do at Home with a 4 Year Old

At home, with 4 years old, you can find a variety of activities that are both fun, and educational. Activities 4 year old at home can be diverse, aligning with their endless energy and curiosity. From creative arts and crafts, to more structured educational games, there are endless ways to keep them busy and learning.

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Arts and crafts are amazing activities with four year olds. They promote imagination, and fine motor skills mastering. For example, easy tasks such as coloring, finger painting, or making a collage from magazine cutouts, may help them to be busy and to show their creativity.

Educational games can be a wonderful addition to the playtime for the 4 year olds at home. Games with number recognition, shape, and color identification, and basic word puzzles, support the development of cognitive skills. These games can be both enjoyable, and a quiet way to learn concepts.

Daily routines are great for things to do at home with 4 year old, that are fun and educational. Cooking together is an ideal example of this. It is a very practical way, to teach them how to read the measurements, follow the instructions, and the importance of safety in the kitchen. Easy recipes like making a sandwich, or decorating cookies are suitable for their skill level.

Gardening can be both entertaining and educational. It helps the kids to understand the process of growth, responsibility, and the life cycle. Planting a seed, and taking care of it until it blooms can be a rewarding experience for a 4 year old, helping them to develop patience and caring.

Storytime is an important activity for 4 year old at home. Reading together promotes a love for books, enriches their vocabulary, and boosts their listening skills. It also helps to build relationship, and unwind before naptime or bedtime.

Lastly, sensory play activities such as playing with playdough, water tables, or sandboxes, help with exploration and discovery. They can explore the various textures, shapes, and behavior of materials interactively.

4 Year Old Recreational Activities

Recreational activities are an integral part of 4 year olds’ development. They not only assist in their physical development, but also help to improve their emotional and social aspects. Activities that involve a 4 year old in movement are most beneficial. They help to train their motor skills and coordination, which are the basis of their physical development at this age.

Dancing is a remarkable activity for 4 year olds. It provides them with a platform for creative self-expression, and the development of their balance and coordination. A simple dance routine or free dance to the music they like, can be a great way to have a fun and energizing activity.

Jumping is a fun activity that can be done in several ways, such as using a trampoline, playing hopscotch, or even just bouncing around with balloons. Jumping activities of 4 year old, improve their leg muscle strength, and bring overall physical coordination.

Playing tag or other chase games is perfect for the development of physical activity, and fair play. These games also give the chance for the kids to develop their social skills, as they interact with other people.

Easy 4 year old activities can also include ball games . Games such as catch, rolling the ball back and forth, or kicking the ball into a goal, are not only entertaining but also contribute to the development of fine motor skills and gross motor skills.

An obstacle course is an interesting activity to set up as well. The use of household items or toys to build a course, can serve to challenge their physical capabilities, and problem-solving skills. It’s a good way to get them to think creatively, and to move their bodies in different ways.

Simple yoga poses designed for kids can be the first step on the path of mindfulness, and development of balance and flexibility. Yoga can be a soothing activity that gives them a chance to learn about their bodies, and how to move consciously.

People Also Ask Questions/FAQs related to Keyword

Question 1: what are some recommended activities for 4 year olds to enhance their learning and development.

Activities for 4 year olds should have a mix of playful and educational tasks. Some of these activities include crafts for creativity, easy science experiments for curiosity, story time for language development, and puzzles for problem-solving. These activities are engaging for children, and promote cognitive growth, creativity, and language and social skills.

Question 2: How can parents and educators select suitable activities for 4 year old kid that promote independence?

When it comes to activities for 4 year old kid that promotes independence, it is essential to select tasks they can do on their own with minimal help. Examples include blocks, simple puzzles, dolls dressing, and drawing or coloring. These activities build their self-esteem, improve their small motor skills, and help them be creative and make choices.

Question 3: What are some easy activities for 4 year olds that can be done at home?

Easy activities for 4 year olds may include playdough sculpting, water play, chalk drawing on sidewalks, and interactive reading. The activities are simple, take little time to set up, and they offer a lot of development benefits, like improving hand-eye coordination, encouraging creativity and literacy.

Question 4: Can you suggest some activities for 4 year olds to do by themselves that also foster learning?

Activities for 4 year olds to do by themselves that are educational, include sorting colored objects, simple jigsaw puzzles, matching games, and listening to audiobooks. Such individual activities, develop the sorting and matching skills, improve the focus, and at the same time, introduce them to new words and concepts in a fun way.

Play-based learning activities for 4 year olds have multiple benefits, that help with their development in a fun and interactive way. The variety of options, is meant to satisfy every child’s interests and needs. Through the inclusion of these activities in their daily routine, you can grant your child a solid basis for lifelong learning and development.

© Montessori Toddler 2023.

25 Best Cognitive Activities For Four Year Olds at Home

By: Author Janessa

Posted on Last updated: September 21, 2024

As most of you know, I’m a mom of 6 children. I am also a homeschool teacher for my kids. Before that, I taught preschool in a daycare setting.

Yes, I stay very busy! I love my life though! I love watching my children grow and learn. My 5th child just recently turned four years old. He wants to be just like his older siblings and asks to do school time with them every week.

There’s so much more to cognitive development than just workbooks though. Don’t get me wrong, we DO use workbooks at times, but there are also many other great cognitive activities for 4-year-olds to do.

Especially at this age, I have found that it’s so important to give my preschooler plenty of time to learn through play and life experiences and not just by sitting at a desk. Young children need lots of variety to exercise all of their cognitive abilities!

What Does Cognitive Mean?

First, let’s establish the definition of cognitive. According to Merrian-Webster, the definition of cognitive is: of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering) .

Today I’m rounding up a list of 25 of the best cognitive activities for 4-year-olds to help promote learning in fun and engaging ways.

At the end of this post, I’ll share some links to our favorite items that are perfect for cognitive activities with your four-year-old.

25 Cognitive Activities For 4 Year Olds

1. go on a scavenger hunt..

Scavenger hunts are an excellent way for 4-year-olds to exercise both their bodies and minds! You can talk about color recognition, identifying items, and even challenge their math skills by asking them to find a specific number of items for each item.

Here is an easy, free printable scavenger hunt , and here is a more challenging printable backyard scavenger hunt once your preschooler completes the first one or if you have older children who want to participate.

2. Read or listen to books together.

My four year olds have always loved reading books together. Reading aloud to your child(ren) is wonderful for their cognitive development! Check out my list of our favorite children’s books .

You don’t have to be the one to do the reading either. We love audiobooks at our home. We listen to them in the car, sometimes during lunch or dinner, and lots of other times throughout the day. We recently discovered the Yoto Mini player and have loved it! I highly recommend it! It’s a simple way to make sure you fit in some time for reading every day, even if your day is super busy.

Another great option for busy parents is Cali’s Books . These books come pre-recorded and ready to read to your children at the push of a button OR you can record yourself reading the book (or Grandma, Grandpa, etc.). They have a lot of the great classics available and my children have really enjoyed those as well.

3. Play with a kitchen set.

Role play playing is so important for child development. Free play is equally as important. Many people think kitchen sets are a girls-only toy, but that’s simply not true! My boys have all enjoyed playing with a kitchen set too! It’s a great way for them to use their imaginations while they act out real-life situations and work on their problem-solving skills.

Melissa and Doug make some great kitchen sets for pretend play. My kids have this kitchen set and have had a lot of fun with it! Don’t forget some pots and pans to go with it for great imaginative playtime!

4. Encourage movement.

Kids at this age have a lot of energy… a LOT of energy! It’s great to look for activities that get them moving. It’s often hard for them to sit still for long periods of time so when you do ask them to sit at length, provide them with a fidget opportunity, whether it’s something handheld, or something where they can get their whole body moving, like a Joggling Board or exercise ball.

How does this look in real life? Well, here are some examples:

• Let your child color a picture that relates to a daily lesson while you are teaching the lesson. Are you teaching him about frogs today? Give him a coloring sheet that shows their life cycle to work on while you read about them.
• If your child has a desk, use a Joggling Board for a chair instead of a traditional desk chair.
• Practice counting while doing jumping jacks together. That’s good exercise for both of you!

My four-year-olds often concentrate better when allowed to move at the same time.

5. Make a Craft

Preschoolers love making crafts! There are thousands upon thousands of craft ideas on Pinterest – maybe even millions at this point! Just search for some things you are currently learning about or your little one is interested in. I’ve got a number of craft ideas on this site, like making a squirrel feeder or crafts using recycled cardboard .

Some children like to follow instructions and some like to do their own thing when crafting. I try to offer my four year old opportunities for both. It’s good for them to know that sometimes they must follow instructions for a project, but other times it’s great to tell them they make work at their own pace and complete their art projects in whatever way makes them most happy.

6. Have Them Help With Chores

Now is a great time to start teaching your child some basic chores. As a bonus, most four year olds are eager to help out and do the chores you are doing. I gotta be honest though, there’s a good chance they will not do it to your standards, but that’s okay! Use this time to help them learn. I have a whole post dedicated to kids’ chores , but here are a few simple chores that four-year-olds can do pretty well:

• Folding small hand towels, dish towels, washcloths, and their underwear. They are also great at helping to match up socks.
• Preschoolers love helping to wash windows usually. You’ll almost definitely still have streaks, but they will be so proud!
• Push a chair over to the sink and let them wash dishes by hand. They can also help unload the dishwasher.

As he/she reaches more developmental milestones, you can increase the difficulty of the chores.

7. Get in the Kitchen and Bake Together

Kids are usually much more apt to try a recipe if they get to help fix it! Cooking a meal or dessert together is a good way for kids to practice hand-eye coordination. Baking in the kitchen is a great introduction to fractions too!

If you really want to make them feel important, get them their own apron and measuring cups/spoons set!

8. Go Fishing Together

I’ve never met a preschooler who didn’t enjoy going fishing. Of course, this activity might not hold their attention for TOO long, but it’s still a great way to get them out in nature.

If you can’t get out to a river or creek, you can always purchase a “fishing” set for home! We have a wooden set from Melissa and Doug that’s been great for practicing matching, counting, color recognition, fine motor skills, and number recognition.

9. Play a Board Game Together

Preschoolers love to play board games and there are so many great ones available for them! I’ve got a great list of the best board games for preschoolers if you’re looking for some new games to try.

Of course, card games are a good option too. There’s a reason why Go Fish and Old Maid are still popular. They are simple and fun and you definitely want them in your game closet.

10. Coloring

Coloring is a great way to recognize color recognition and practice hand-eye coordination. We always have a good assortment of coloring books on hand. It’s a fun activity for younger children.

11. Memorize a Poem Together

I have always enjoyed nursery rhymes and my kids do too! We started doing a special thing on Fridays – Tea and Poetry time – and it’s been a big hit! As part of our tea and poetry time, my kids try to memorize a poem that week to recite for everyone to hear.

Rhyming and verse are important for language skills and early childhood is a great time to start working on this.

My personal favorite is a collection of poems in an old Childcraft book that was mine growing up. You can find lots of great poetry books for kids at the library.

12. Teach Your 4-Year-Old the Calendar

Four years old is a great time to add the calendar to your daily routine. We got one from Melissa and Doug which allows us to go over not only the days of the week but also the month, the year, the weather, feelings, and special activities and holidays happening.

We like to go over the calendar after breakfast and discuss our plans for the day. It’s a great activity to get the day started.

13. Play with Slime or Play Dough

Sensory play is always fun for little kids. It’s great for hand-eye coordination, pretend play, and developing artistic abilities. You don’t even have to give them any additional tools for playing with this. Soemtimes simple activities are the best activities.

Of course, if you have a container of designated slime and/or play dough toys, those are great to get out once your child begins to grow tired of just playing with his or her hands.

14. Plant a Garden

This is the first year we’ve planted a garden with children who are old enough to participate. It’s been a great experience so far for my older children but also the younger ones too. They love helping to plant the seeds and seedlings.

It’s a great opportunity to learn about plant life cycles, working with their hands, the long-term benefit of hard work, and healthy eating. Give your child choices and let them help to decide what to plant.

15. Puzzle Time

Puzzles are a great cognitive activity for your 4-year-old! I’d recommend a combination of easy puzzles your child can complete on their own, ones that are a little bit hard that they may need to ask for help to get a few pieces in, and then some really challenging ones that the two of you do together.

Sometimes I will get out a big stack of our simple puzzles and time my child to see how long it takes him to complete all of them. He loves the challenge!

16. Building Blocks

Building blocks are great for hand-eye coordination and imaginative play. Don’t limit yourself to just wooden blocks when you think of building blocks though (although don’t get me wrong, wooden blocks are GREAT and we definitely have some of those). Other things to consider are LEGO DUPLO, magnetic building sets, etc.

17. Riddles and Jokes

Kids love learning jokes and riddles they can tell others! This is good practice in memorization and communication with others – plus as a bonus, it’s fun!

18. Teach Them Songs with Motions

There are so many great songs with motions you can teach your 4 year old! Some of our favorites are:

• Hokey Pokey
• The Wheels on the Bus
• If You’re Happy and You Know It
• Father Abraham
• Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
• I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee
• Itsy Bitsy Spider

What were your favorite songs growing up? (PS – Don’t forget how delightful it can be to a child if you change up your voice during a song! Different voices for different characters or movement can really add to the excitement and fun!

19. Memory Games – Get Creative!

We’ve all probably played the classic Memory game at some point where you flip over two cards and try to make a match. That one is always fun for my preschoolers. However, it’s fun to get creative and do other types of memory games too.

For example, one we like to play is where I set out 15-20 objects on a table. My four year old studies what’s on the table and then doesn’t look while I remove one item. Then he has to see if he can figure out which one I took away.

20. Use Your Senses Game

For this game, your child practices uses one or more of his or her five senses (taste, smell, touch, hear, see). First, you’ll need to blindfold your child (except for the sight portion). You give them a clue where they will use a sense to try to guess what the item is. Here are some examples:

• For taste, have them try a variety of different foods and guess what the food is. You could even do this with pureed foods.
• For touch, you’ll want to hand them a variety of items and see if they can figure out what the item is just by touch. You could also set out a row of items, for example, shoes, and then have them tell you how many number of shoes there are by feeling them.
• For smell you’ll want to put a few items with strong smell under their nose and see if they can guess.
• For hear try playing different sound effects or animal sounds (you can find them on YouTube) and see if your child can tell what is making that sound.
• Finally, for sight, try to give your child a portion of the full picture, whether it’s a literal photo of an object and you cover a portion of it, or maybe an item from around the house that you cover most of it with a towel while leaving a good clue exposed.

My kids all love playing these 5 senses games throughout their preschool years and beyond! These are great brain games for your child’s cognitive development.

21. Ride Bikes and/or Scooters

Learning to ride a bike and/or a scooter is a great way for kids to practice their balance. They also need to use their minds to determine which way to turn the steering wheel, when to speed up or slow down and of course, this is also great practice with hand-eye coordination.

22. Get Them Involved in Sports

Sports are a great way for your four year old to get social interaction and develop good social skills. It’s never too early to get your preschooler involved in sports, they are getting great physical activity too!

23. Have Them Help Care for a Pet

There are so many aspects of caring for a pet which are great for a child’s cognitive development. The preschool years are a great time to start having your child contribute to the care of a pet. They can help feed, water, bathe, possibly walk on a leash (depending on size), and play with a pet.

24. Make an Obstacle Course

Completing an obstacle course is great physical activity for your child. You can set something up outside or even in your living room. In fact, one of the favorites at our house involves taking all of the cushions off of the couch and chairs and having kids jump from one to the other without touching the floor.

If they seem to grow bored with that, you can always modify it in specific ways, like telling them they must hop, go through it backwards, etc.

We have this set of plastic stumps and logs that my kids love using to create obstacle courses.

25. Play Outdoor Games

Remember playing Red Light, Green Light, Capture the Flag, and Simon Says? Those are classic games your child can play to practice following simple directions.

Must-Have Products to Facilitate Cognitive Activities for Four-Year-Olds

This is a list of my favorite, must-have items to help facilitate cognitive activities for four-year-olds.

Yoto Mini – Kids Audio & Music Player

I honestly can not say enough good things about the Yoto Mini player! I have to admit, I was a little hesitant at first if this player would really get much use at our house, but my kids love it!

It makes it SO easy for kids to listen to a story any time they want. If I'm too busy to read to them, they just turn on a story on the Yoto player. There are tons of great book options too.

We have Charlotte's Web and my kids have really enjoyed listening to it. We also have a pack of blank Yoto cards that have allowed me and my older children to record some of my four-year-old's favorite picture books. Now he can listen to them whenever he wants. He loves that!

Another nice thing is that we can use it to listen to stories together at times when it's harder for me to read. For example, I can put it on while I'm preparing lunch, washing dishes, or while we eat and we can all listen together.

It also plays music too and is available in regular and mini sizes.

edxeducation Counting Bears with Matching Bowls

Kids love it when you break out colorful manipulatives! These counting bears are great for practicing color recognition, sorting, counting, adding, subtracting, and more! These bears are great to get now because as your child progresses through elementary math you can continue to use them for more and more concepts.

This set comes with 6 bows and 60 total bears (10 of each color).

Julien's Bundle - 2021 edition

Cali's Books are special. Why? Because Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or anyone you'd like can record their voice so your children can hear them tell these stories time and time again and enjoy that special bond. You can also download several pre-recorded versions available in multiple languages on their website.

There are so many great Cali's Books to choose from, including new titles and retelling of beloved classics.

Julien's Bundle features classic fables that preschoolers love, with a lesson about the importance of work, perseverance, and dedication: Jack and the Beanstalk, The Ugly Duckling, and The Three Little Pigs. These classic stories have been adapted for Cali's Books and are wonderfully illustrated by Clara Spinassi.

This set features selected colored text to introduce your little one to word recognition.

Chef's Kitchen - Cloud

Lots of people think about getting a kitchen set for their little girl, but I'd encourage you to get one for boys too. As a mom of 2 girls and 4 boys, I can tell you that some of my boys have even played more with the kitchen set than their sisters. My boys love helping me in the kitchen too!

I like this wooden kitchen set because it's not overly loud (both with sound effects or colors) and it really looks the way a real kitchen might look. It's perfect for realistic pretend play!

The ice machine even works and can drop out two (included) ice cubes. My kids love that part!

Let's Play House! Stainless Steel Pots & Pans Play Set

Having a couple of good open-ended accessories to go with your kitchen set is super helpful for imaginative play. I love this pots and pans play set because your kids can pretend to make just about everything with them! He or she can make ingredients themselves using air dry clay, dried play dough, rocks, grass, flowers, etc. The possibilities are endless! My kids love to create "soups" with the pots and pans from things they collect outside.

edxeducation Step-a-Trail - 6 Piece Obstacle Course for Kids

When someone thinks about healthy cognitive development, they often think about curriculum and basic school-like supplies like paper, pencils, and crayons. Don't forget physical education!

Kids NEED activities that help them to be active! I find that my kids are able to concentrate on their seatwork so much better if they also have fun, active times to get the wiggles out.

Step-a-Trail is an excellent resource for building children's gross motor skills, balance and coordination. The textured surfaces allow children to safely balance and gain confidence while the rubbery bottom edges prevent slipping.

These stepping stones and logs can be incorporated into obstacle courses for fun physical play. Step-a-Trail also makes a perfect rainy-day activity as children can design their own courses!

Each stump and log is made of injection-molded, durable plastic with non-slip top surfaces and bases. The pieces will support the weight of a normal adult. The pieces are injection molded and load-tested to 792 lbs.

Step-a-Trail provides unlimited imaginative play. Children can incorporate the Step-a-Trail stumps and logs into make-believe play or create their own games.

As a teacher, you can also use these pieces to add an element of fun to school time. For example, a game where when you tell your child a number, they must climb onto a log and when you say a letter they must climb onto a stump.

My kids love when I incorporate this set into our day!

Catch & Count Magnetic Fishing Rod Set

These colorful 10 magnetic fish are numbered and patterned to enrich matching, sorting, and counting activities. This set also comes with 2 wooden rods making collecting them a blast!

Kids can use the spinner to play as a game, or just have fun collecting the pieces over and over again.

Children's Joggling Board

My kids ages 2-12 all love our juggling board! Instead of rocking forward and backward, it rocks side to side!

It's a great place for them to sit while they read a book, sit and do worksheets, or even to sit and converse with adults. We love our kid-sized joggling board so much, now we've gotta get one for adults too!

My Magnetic Daily Calendar

Now is the perfect time to teach your preschooler the calendar. They will have fun being able to be a part of changing out the magnets each day. This is a great way to help them memorize the days of the week and months too.

Magicube Shapes Recycld 25 pcs - Geomagworld STEM Toys

All of my preschoolers have loved building with magnetic sets, especially their Geomagworld sets!

This set has everything a child needs to build anything they want, including free-rolling wheels to make moving vehicles. The colorful blocks are great to use for practicing color recognition too.

Related Posts

Here are some other posts you might find helpful for your four year old.

• 10 Activities to do with a Piklar Triangle
• Fun Ways to Use Your Water Table
• A big list of the best gifts for preschoolers

Friday 17th of June 2022

My kids love building blocks of all kinds.

Monday 13th of June 2022

These are some fantastic ideas for activities to keep kids engaged and happy while they are learning important skills. If my grandkids were younger, I would have these items on my gift list.

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

These are awesome cognitive activity ideas for toddlers! Thank you so much for sharing. I love all of the wooden toys that are available now, they are definitely my favorite to buy for my kids. We actually have the My Magnetic Daily Calendar and the kids love it!