Image: MomJunction Design Team
Introducing your children to STEM toys is a fantastic way to spark their creativity and curiosity. Here we cover the best STEM toys for four-year-olds that can help with your child’s intellectual development. These toys can stimulate a child’s mind and foster cognitive development. The specially developed STEM play toys also help enhance problem-solving skills and support the little one’s creative thinking and physical and mental growth. Moreover, these toys are fun to play with. Keep scrolling and find a tried-and-tested toy that meets your child’s requirements.
Top Picks
11 Best STEM Toys For 4-Year-Olds
1. Best For Creativity:Brickyard Building Blocks
The STEM toys offer fun building projects for children aged four to eight years. This 163-piece activity block set comes in a storage box and includes movable wheels, wrenches, bolts, and nuts to stimulate imagination and creativity. Check out this product testing video on YouTube for a detailed understanding of this creative toy.
Pros
- Has burr-free edges
- BPA-free
- Phthalate-free
- Instills problem-solving abilities
- Encourages teamwork
Cons
- Bolts may not fasten tight enough
- Building instructions may not be clear for some children
Point to consider
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
Over 11,303 Amazon shoppers have left good reviews about this product, citing its quality features and benefits.
2. Best Interactive: Shifu Orboot Earth
Orboot Earth from Play Shifu is an interactive AR globe for children. It takes your child on a journey around the planet through an app. This app-based globe could be your child’s next favorite STEM toy as it has multiple modes with music, 1000+ facts, world quizzes, visual storytelling, challenging puzzles, and interactive challenges across six categories. The box includes a passport, flag stickers, and stamps to help increase knowledge and fun. If you want to know more about this curiosity-driven toy, check out this review video on YouTube.
Pros
- Promotes visual learning
- Compatible with most iOS and android devices
- Easy to use
- Features a wide range of activities
- Builds cultural awareness
- Improves general knowledge
- Suitable for children aged between 4 and 10 years
Cons
- May take up substantial memory space
- Base of the globe may not be secured
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 13,276 positive customer reviews on Amazon are a testament to its quality and reliability.
3. Best For Cognitive Skills:IQ Builder STEM Learning Toys
The skill-building block kit from IQ Builder encourages STEM learning by exercising your child’s brain muscles and cognitive responses. The learning kit contains 164 pieces with simple patterns, shapes, balls, and tubes for connectors. These can be put together in various geometrical configurations to construct complex structures and models. Go ahead and check out this YouTuber’s video for more details about the product.
Pros
- Child-friendly ABS plastic
- Promotes logical thinking, creative thinking, and reasoning
- Step-by-step e-guide available
- Easy to assemble
- Great problem-solving toy
- Comes with storage box
Cons
- Few pieces may not be durable
- May contain small pieces
4. Best For Spatial Understanding:CozyBomB Monkey Balance Counting Cool Math Games
The game introduces numbers in an entertaining way to help the child memorize and retain information better. This problem-solving kit can improve the child’s spatial and visual processing, memory, and brain development. The game is made of non-toxic materials and features three difficulty levels.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Convenient to store
- Interactive learning
- Helps to learn basic math concepts
- Suitable for children aged three years and up
Cons
- Small parts may lead to a choking hazard
- Monkeys may not stand properly
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
This product is a hit with users, evidenced by the 2,859 fine reviews on Amazon.
5. Best For Experiments:Snaen Science Kit With 30 Science Lab Experiments
The DIY STEM toy from Snaen is a science kit with 30 lab experiments. This educational toy comes with colorful gear that allows your child to cause volcanic eruptions, create rainbow rain, rainbow fountains, bottle-blowing balloons, and more. The parent-recommended creative kit introduces the child to the world of science through chemicals, test tubes, bottles, cups, funnels, droppers, and instruction cards.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Includes safety gear
- Facilitates hands-on learning time
- Child-friendly test tube design
Cons
- Requires adult supervision
- Few experiments might require additional materials
6. Best For Beginners:Soyee Magnetic Blocks Building Tiles
Soyee’s magnetic block set includes 52 open-ended magnetic blocks, a storage bag, and a booklet of exciting ideas. The castle building kit for beginners is made of child-safe ABS plastic and geomagnetic material. With rounded edges, these rainbow-colored tiles can spark the child’s creativity and develop their motor skills.
Pros
- Smooth edges
- Portable magnetic construction set
- Develops spatial learning and design thinking
- Allows the child to build a wide range of models
- Durable
Cons
- Magnetic power may be weaker than expected
- Blocks might be smaller than expected
Do rememberWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
More than 2,705 independent reviewers on Amazon have acknowledged the product's durability and functionality.
7. Best For Pretend-Play:Funzbo Flower Garden Building Toys
Use Funzbo’s pretend-play garden set to encourage your children to learn about the plant cycle and environment. This hands-on toy includes vibrant colored stamens, pistils, petals, and leaves that help children learn about the anatomy of a flower, enhance visual perception, and improve color recognition skills. Each part of this educational toy set is made of child-safe, non-toxic plastic, making it a fun and colorful gift for four-year-olds.
Pros
- Enhances creativity
- Sturdy and durable
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Easy to clean
- Great biology toy to learn flower anatomy
- Can be used as home decor
Cons
- Some parts may be a bit difficult to put together
- A few parts might be smaller than expected
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has earned its stripes, with over 6,634 reviews on Amazon.
8. Best For Occupational Therapy:Skoolzy Montessori Peg Board Stacking Toy Set
Improve your child’s color recognition ability, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination with the peg board sorting toy set by Skoolzy. It includes 36 colorful, grip-friendly geometrically shaped pegs that help children learn and practice the pincer grasp. The tried-and-tested math toy set also includes a foam game board and a storage bag to keep the pegs from rolling.
Pros
- Helps children learn and practice the pincer grasp
- Can be used for occupational therapy
- Strengthens visual perception
- Develops basic math skills
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor play
- BPA-and lead-free
Cons
- Foam game board may be a bit flimsy
- Corners may be a bit sharp
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
With over 5,723 reviews on Amazon, it's clear that many people love this product.
9. Best For Developing Imagination:Free To Fly Take-Apart DIY Dinosaur Toy
Suitable for children aged three to eight, the pack of three dinosaurs includes a green Triceratops, a blue Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a brown Velociraptor. The multicolored, realistic designs with movable joints assist the child in imagining and creating. These take-apart and put-back-together toys come with drills, screwdrivers, and instructions. They are made of non-toxic and premium material to ace the test of safety and durability.
Pros
- Durable ABS material
- Improves dexterity
- Available in three styles
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Suitable for children aged three years and above
Cons
- Some children might need parental assistance
- Small parts may lead to a choking hazard
10. Best For Mental Skills:Laradola Construction Transform Robot Kids Toys
The five-in-one robot toy from Laradola is suitable for children aged three to eight years. It comes with pieces that you can assemble into five pull-back vehicles – a truck, mixer, bulldozer, excavator, and crane. Your child can also combine the pieces to make it into a huge robot. This construction toy can enhance your child’s imagination and creativity along with their physical and mental skills.
Pros
- Equipped with lights
- Magnet-enabled attachment
- Child-friendly finish
- Interactive robotics toy
- Easy to assemble
- Suitable for kids aged three to eight years
Cons
- May not include batteries
- Some may find the toy noisy
11. Best For Experiments:Doctor Jupiter My First Science Kit For Kids
Encourage your little science enthusiasts by engaging them in child-safe experiments with the help of the science kit by Doctor Jupiter. The safety-tested chemistry toy set includes different equipment and food-grade chemicals to perform color-changing and fizzing experiments that can keep children engaged for countless hours and improve their focus. This STEM skill development toy set also provides an opportunity for parents to bond with their children and create an educational yet fun teaching environment.
Pros
- Meets ASTM F963-17 standards
- Includes an illustrated user manual
- Mess-free playtime
- Includes eye safety gear
- Easy-grip equipment
- Available in multiple themes
- Ideal gift for kids aged four to eight years
Cons
- Some chemicals may have a strong smell
- Some parts may not have rounded edges
- Requires adult supervision
"This science kit has been an interesting buy. It is comprehensive, easy to use, and has engaged my kids. The experiments start simple and get complex, which is great for growing minds. The materials are durable, and it has been a great way to bring the family together for quality learning time."
How To Choose The Right STEM Toys For 4-Year-Olds?
Here are some factors to consider when buying STEM toys for four-year-olds.
- Age: Choose age-appropriate toys to ensure your child can understand them easily and enjoy playing.
- Material: Ensure the toys are made of non-toxic material like ABS plastic which is child-friendly and safe. They should be BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free and come with smooth edges.
- Instructions: Make sure the toys include a manual for easy and quick assembling.
- Type: You can choose from building blocks, magnetic building kits, robots, and science experiment kits to suit your child’s interests.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose is experienced in writing engaging content and selecting the best-reviewed kids’ toys and gifts. She searched several trusted websites and reviews to compile this list of the best STEM toys for four-year-olds. These toys help improve cognitive skills, promote intellectual reasoning, support your child’s development, and promote STEM skills. Priti also mentioned a buying guide to help you select the most suitable toy according to your child’s personality and interests.
Introducing your child to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at a young age can be immensely beneficial. You can do this in a fun way by getting them STEM toys. When choosing the best STEM toys for 4-year-olds, make sure they are made of non-toxic and safe materials and meet the safety standards so that you’re free of worry when your child plays with them. Further, ensure you choose STEM toys based on the interest of your child.
Infographic: STEM Toys Worth Choosing For Four-Year-Olds
STEM, as in science, technology, engineering, and math-based toys, is known to assist in the overall development of a preschooler. The infographic highlights the kind of STEM toys you can get for your four-year-old. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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