Four-year-olds. Four-nagers. Four-nados. There are countless nicknames for kids of this age, all stemming from the fact that as fun as they are, they’re also a handful. At four, kids are constantly curious about their environment, building their self-confidence, asserting their independence, and developing skills.
Four-year-olds also tend to have a short attention span and a wild imagination, which makes it that much more important to come up with good activities to entertain them. So, today I’m sharing a round-up of things you can do with 4-year-olds.
15 Things to Do With 4-Year-Olds
Fun Things To Do With 4-Year-Olds Inside
Play with Play-Doh or modeling clay
One of my favorite activities for 4-year-olds is one that never fails to entertain them. All you need is a few containers of Play-Doh or some modeling clay. You can also lay out a placemat for them to work on if you want to.
This is a wonderful open-ended activity that encourages kids to use their imagination. It also helps develop their fine motor skills. Win-win!
Dress up and play pretend
This age is perfect for pretend play. You can use fun pretend play toys like this adorable play doctor set, or use items from around the house. Encourage your 4-year-old to dress up and pretend by role-playing as different people, like doctors, dentists, firefighters, and more.
Arts and crafts
We love arts and crafts in our house! My kids know they’re in for some creative arts and craft fun whenever I pull out a silicone painting mat. You can give them markers, crayons, or colored pencils, as well as coloring pages or blank sheets of paper. It can be as guided or open-ended as you want.
Build an indoor obstacle course
Obstacle courses are a blast for kids of all ages, especially for 4-year-olds. They’re perfect for working on hand-eye coordination as well as their problem solving skills as they navigate the various obstacles you create.
You can build an indoor obstacle course using couch cushions, pillows, and other items around your house. Or you can use painter’s tape to outline a course without leaving a permanent mark on your floors or walls. You could even use it to make a finish line they can run through!
Have a tea party
What little girl doesn’t love to sit down for a tea party? Whether you want to play pretend with a wooden tea set and stuffed animals or pull out real dishes and serve real food, your 4-year-old will cherish the opportunity to sit down for an elegant tea party.
Play with magnets
PicassoTiles and Magna-Tiles are some of my favorite toys to get out for my kids. For a 4-year-old, they provide endless opportunities for open-ended play. They can build castles, cars, rockets, and more, with or without a magnetic surface to build on.
Build with LEGO
Playing with building blocks like LEGO is one of my favorite activities for 4-year-olds because it offers unlimited opportunities to be creative while simultaneously working on their fine motor skills. You can guide them to build specific objects or leave them to play independently. You never know what they’ll put together once their creative juices start flowing!
Sensory bins
I would like to personally thank whoever initially came up with sensory bins. Not only are they incredibly fun, they’re perfect for little ones to explore and play using their senses. There’s no wrong way to put together a sensory bin. All you need is a container and some sort of base, whether it’s rice, sand, slime, or even water, and then some random objects to mix in for them to play with. You can use magnetic letters if you want to work on letter recognition, or random toys as part of a seek and find.
Puzzles
I’m a big fan of learning activities that don’t feel like learning activities. Puzzles are a perfect example. It’s no wonder they’re among the most popular Montessori toys! There are dozens, if not hundreds, of age-appropriate puzzles you can set up for your 4-year-old, like these wooden puzzles.
Fun Things To Do With 4-Year-Olds Outside
Draw with sidewalk chalk
There are so many things you can do with sidewalk chalk! Drawing any number of things on the sidewalk or driveway is a great activity that will encourage creativity and get your 4-year-old up and moving. With just a few pieces of chalk, you can draw hopscotch, a track for toy cars or a bike, or a masterpiece to cover your driveway.
Visit a local playground
This is one of my favorite outdoor activities and it’s completely free! Find a nearby playground and take your 4-year-old. It’s a great way to encourage them to work on their gross motor skills without even realizing it! Plus, in addition to getting some fresh air and exercise, visiting a local playground is a great opportunity for your 4-year-old to socialize with other children.
If you’re looking for more ways to work on socialization with your child, check out these activities to teach social skills.
Go on a nature walk
How does a change of scenery sound? If you’re looking for something different to do with your 4-year-old outside, try taking them on a nature walk. You don’t even have to leave your neighborhood, just shift your perspective and focus on the nature around you. See how many different shaped and colored leaves you can find. Collect unique rocks. Count how many different birds you see. You’ll love seeing your child’s face light up as they notice the beauty of nature around them!
Toy washing station
This is such a fun activity, regardless of whether the toys are actually dirty or not. I like to make it an outside activity so I don’t have to worry about water splashing everywhere. Plus, you can make the toys as dirty as you want, even going as far as to dip them in mud if you want to really go for it!
To set up a toy washing station, use two large plastic bins, and fill one with soapy water. Give it a good mix to create a good amount of bubbles. Fill the empty bin with a variety of toys. You can use cars, dolls, animals, dinosaurs, etc., just make sure they’re either waterproof or okay to get wet. Then, give your little one a couple of sponges, brushes, or washcloths to clean with. This is a fun and easy way to entertain a 4-year-old for a good amount of time!
Play in the sand
Sand isn’t for everyone, but whether you live near the beach or you have a sandbox in your backyard, it’s a great option when you’re looking for a way to entertain a 4-year-old.
With these silicone beach toys, they can get busy and have a ball.
Scavenger hunt
With just a little bit of prep, you can create an exciting scavenger hunt for a 4-year-old. Include items like uniquely shaped rocks, flowers, sticks, leaves, and more, and you’ll have them searching for the best items to complete their list.
What are some of your favorite things to do with a 4-year-old?
This age can be difficult, but it’s also a lot of fun. I’d love to hear about your favorite ways to entertain a 4-year-old. Have you tried any of the activities I included? Share in the comments!
Then, head over to the blog for more fun ways to spend time with your kids!
