Fail-Proof Birthday Gifts For Four-Year-Olds That They Will Love

If you have a four-year-old in your life, you've probably noticed that they're starting to become their own little person. They're expressing themselves with words, following rules (when they feel like it), and beginning to read with you.

The longer attention span is great for exploring, learning new things, and enjoying imaginative play. If you are looking for the perfect gift to celebrate this milestone, here are the best birthday gifts that your preschooler will surely love!

What makes an awesome birthday gift for a four-year-old

● Encourages natural curiosity

● Requires active engagement

● Sparks imagination

● Provides the opportunity for creative expression

● Will be enjoyed for years to come

Whatever you choose, make sure it is something that your child will enjoy and that will help them to continue learning and growing.

Must have toys for a four-year-old birthday

As a mom of an energetic four-year-old boy, here are my top picks of fun VTech® toys. All of these toys kept my preschooler entertained for hours. And for the best part, I had a great time bonding with my child while we play with these toys together.

1. VTech® Marble Rush™ Ultimate Set™

This 145-piece color-coded building set includes a spinning Ferris wheel, a swirling cone that plays a musical light show, thrilling ramps, fast tracks, extreme launchers, and bases that all easily connect together.

Compete with family and friends using the exciting launchers and non-stop Ferris wheel to keep the marbles in motion and bring them back to the beginning. You can also combine with other VTech® Marble Rush™ sets (sold separately) to create an extreme playset.

More builds are available at vtechkids.com/marblerush

The set includes an easy-to-follow guide. There were three different levels - beginner to advanced. My preschool was not able to build the track independently yet, but we had so much fun building it together.

An added bonus is that there is a book of stickers included. Your child can help decorate the pieces with the stickers and watch the building set come to life!

When construction is complete, we dropped the ten marbles into action and watched them race down the ramps and swirls we just built.

Why we love this toy

This is a great toy to teach your child how to follow instructions. The process of connecting bridges and ramps, it helps them think strategically and improve their STEM skills. Also, there are endless play possibilities and are perfect for parent-child bonding.

2. VTech® KidiZoom® PrintCam™

Upgrade your four-year-old’s photography skills with the KidiZoom® PrintCam™

You can preview photos with the 2.4” color screen and print regular or panoramic photos in black and white right away (the camera includes a paper roll that prints up to 80 images). This kid-friendly camera takes videos too.

Flip up the lens to take selfies or let your child’s creativity loose by adding stickers, filters, and borders to any image or video. Browse 110+ templates and activities including small greeting cards, printable games, and more.

Although there are video games on this camera, my son loves to take selfies and print them out so he can color. When the paper’s gone, you can get the KidiZoom® PrintCam™ Paper Refill Pack (sold separately) for three more paper rolls and two rolls of adhesive paper to turn photos into stickers.

Backing up the full-color photos and videos is easy. Just plug in the included USB to the computer and we get to view my son’s masterpieces on the big screen!

Why we love this camera

This camera is a hit for my four-year-old. He’s been taking it wherever we go. It's a great way for him to learn how to use a camera and be creative. I love that the camera includes parental controls to set daily time and printing limits or to turn off games. There’s also a microSD card slot to increase storage up to 32GB with a memory card (not included).

3. VTech® Switch & Go® Velociraptor Jet

Stomp into the cool, crazy world of prehistoric creatures that turn into vehicles with the VTech® Switch & Go®Velociraptor Jet! This Velociraptor starts as a ferocious dino and turns into a propeller disc-launching Jet. With speed and power on its side, this raptor features animated dino eyes, fire-breathing light effects and dinosaur sounds. Pit the Velociraptor Jet against the other VTech® Switch & Go® dinos for a fearsome match-up. Additional VTech® Switch & Go® dinosaurs are sold separately.

Why we love this toy

This Velociraptor Jet has everything my four-year-old son wishes for. It’s a dinosaur and transforms easily into a sleek jet with propeller discs. He loves to invite his own dinosaur toys with this Velociraptor Jet for some serious pretend play.

3. VTech® KidiZoom® Smartwatch DX3™

This cool DX3™ smartwatch features dual cameras for pictures, selfies, and videos along with one- and two-player games, daily reminders, and more.

A few of our favorite features include:

● The light on the watch doubles as a camera flash and flashlight

● Create custom clockfaces from our own photos or swipe through 50+ animated faces

● Set Daily Reminders to help kids stay on track, and switch to School mode when it’s time to limit the DX3™ to a watch only

● Play single-player games like Monster Catcher and find 80+ invisible creatures

● Upcycle the top of the package and use it as a watch storage case

Your preschooler can also pair up with a friend who has a DX3™ to share preset messages or play games together. More games and camera effects can be downloaded from Learning Lodge®

Why we love this watch:

This cool kid's smartwatch is age-appropriate, stylish, and splash-proof. It’s an amazing toy to introduce kiddos to electronics. There are movement games such as Racing Run, Crazy Dance, and Funky Jump. The DX3™ has been keeping my four-year-old entertained for hours and I love it that we no longer need to bring extra toys when we go out.

5. VTech® Explore & Write Activity Desk™

This interactive desk features five activity pages filled with engaging content including letters, numbers, music, colors and more. The fold-down writing pad and light-up display encourage kids to practice writing by tracing letters, numbers and shapes with a stylus.

And better yet, the desk transforms into an easel and chalkboard with plenty of storage space for art supplies. Continue the play with expansion packs that each focus on a specific curriculum like nursery rhymes, reading skills, animals and numbers. Kids can also play with the touchscreen toy phone or listen to more than 20 melodies on the music player.

Why we love this desk

This is the ultimate toy to learn language skills for a four-year-old. My son is beginning to learn how to write the alphabet and this desk makes learning the ABCs fun and easy. There are different activity pages to explore and my son loves to engage with them to learn new words & sounds. The desk is very sturdy and has storage compartments to store school supplies.

Final Thoughts

Celebrating your preschooler’s 4th birthday is a joyous occasion, and finding the perfect gift is an important part of the celebration. Thanks for VTech® offering a variety of toys that make the perfect gifts for four-year-olds. You can be sure that you’re giving your child a gift that will help them continue learning and growing.

Holly Ng has 2 young kiddos and the creator behind SoCal Mommy Life – a lifestyle blog about motherhood, kid-friendly recipes, and family adventures in SoCal (Southern California). Holly loves inspiring other moms to celebrate motherhood and raise kids to the fullest potential they can be.

Birthday Gift Guide for Three-Year-Olds from a Mom of Twins

Hello Friends! I am SHOCKED at what I am about to say- I am the mom of THREE-YEAR-OLD TWINS! WHAT! Time absolutely flew by. As part of our birthday celebration prep I put together a gift guide for our friends and family each year. They love knowing exactly what the kids need/would love to have and I get to guide our loved ones towards the developmentally appropriate products our kids are ready for. VTech® and LeapFrog® products are ALWAYS a must and I am sharing with you a few you want to bookmark, screenshot, and save for those three-year-olds in your life.

Gift Guide for Three-Year-Olds

I have been a mom for 12 years now and one of the most important things I have learned when it comes to gift giving is gifting age appropriate, learning toys. In our home we are huge proponents of educational toys, which is why VTech® and LeapFrog® are our go to brands. It's a win win!

Our kids are having so much fun playing they don't even realize they are learning at the same time! With our twins turning three, we are entering a new stage of development and leaving the baby toys behind; talk about a bittersweet moment. So, let's dive into the fun stuff- our favorite toys for three-year-olds!

VTech® Explore & Write Activity Desk™

The VTech® Explore & Write Activity Desk™ is a MUST on our gift guide! There are so many activities on this one desk your child will have so much fun. I love the interactive activity pages; letters, numbers, music, colors & more!

One of the twins' favorite features is the fold-down writing pad! They love that it lights up and they can practice writing by tracing with a stylus. This is such a fun and interactive way to introduce pre-writing skills!

Now, the creative mom in me was mind blown to learn that the desk transforms into an easel & chalkboard with storage space for art supplies! Bring on the crayons, chalk, and stick time. All you do is stick a piece of paper under the clip and they have their own little art station.

*Ages 2-5 years old

VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™

While we are on the writing and creativity topic let's chat about the VTech® Write & Learn Creative Center™!First of all, YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE IT WITH YOUR CHILD'S NAME! COOL- I know! The screen will show their name and they can practice writing it below.

I am telling you I can't get enough of these interactive activities! The screen will also display animated demonstrations to help them learn proper stroke order for writing uppercase and lowercase letters along with drawing activities from simple lines to 26 different objects.

Let the creativity flow with the stencils, stamps, and the ability to draw their own pictures! Having the ability to go from guided activities to free form ones is so appreciated by myself and my kids. Some days they want to work with the guided activities and others they want to stamp all day, we call it balance!

*Ages 3-6 years old

VTech® KidiBeats Drum Set™

I don't think music will ever stop being a great way to learn, and the VTech® KidiBeats Drum Set™ nails it! The drum set can be used during freestyle play or kids play along to the nine pre-set melodies!

Our family has a very diverse taste in music, and we love that our kids can drum to a variety of music styles like rock, dance, and pop.

For those times when you seek structured play, your toddlers can follow the lights on the drum while learning about letters and numbers. You may get tired of me saying this...but- I LOVE the ability to choose between free-play and structured play. There is so much flexibility and you can alternate between everything which avoids your child becoming bored of a toy!

*Ages 2-5 years old

LeapFrog® LeapLand Adventures™

My three-year-olds are the youngest of four. They often see their older sister play video games and become upset that they are not able to play themselves. So, it's an understatement to say we were excited to set up our LeapFrog® LeapLand Adventures™ video game!

First of all, as the parent and from a setup standpoint, I wanted to hug whoever designed this game and made it such an easy setup. All I had to do was plug the HDMI stick to into our TV & power cable. I consider myself pretty tech savvy, but this setup made me feel invincible. There is no crazy complicated setup, download, account setup- nothing! Just a kid and their wireless controller!

This game is perfect for young kids, and we made separate profiles because our five-year-old was just as excited as her brothers! You can set up to five player profiles!

Playing the game itself is as easy as the setup. Your child can choose between two characters and explore five different lands as they collect gems, cleverberries, and treasure chest rewards. They can play the game over and over again collecting more gems, flags, and banners to decorate the castle and celebrate at the Gem Festival AND even explore more than 150 learning items AT THEIR OWN PACE (VERY IMPORTANT).

Because the game goes at your child’s own pace and due to its intended age group, my kids felt successful!

*Ages 3+

LeapFrog® LeapPad® Academy

The LeapFrog® LeapPad® Academy may be my new bff. If you are out here searching for a gift for a three-year-old, do not overlook this item on our gift guide! I could not believe how perfectly designed this learning tablet is. The child's parents will hug you after their child starts using it, I promise.

This tablet includes 20 educator- approved apps to work on reading, math, science, creativity and more. It also includes a word of the day, drawings that come to life with the Art Studio Ultra, and nature field trips in the forest with Ms. Giraffe. They have SOOO many options and this is a learning tablet that really grows with your child.

When setting up the learning tablet you can create various profiles. Each profile can sync with a child’s age and developmental level, so the activities are tailored to them. As a bonus, LeapPad® Academy includes a three-month free trial of LeapFrog Academy®, which is an interactive learning program that guides kids on Learning Adventures with more than 2,000 games and activities. (Remember, I LOVE the guided and free-play options!)

Now, parents/friends/family- the setup is super easy again, it has a 7' shatter-safe screen which is a MUST for little ones, an attached stylus, and a tough bumper for those inevitable falls/drops.

But, my FAVORITE feature has got to be the parental controls to set time limits and expanding content. I can set a time limit for games vs other activities to ensure my child isn't just focusing on one area. When we feel we need more, we just visit the LeapFrog® App Center and can download additional games, apps, music and videos!

*Ages 3-8

Gift Guide Recap

If you didn't notice my common theme, let's talk about it a bit more: free-play and guided play! Both free-play and guided-play are super important for kids and parents alike. When choosing a gift for a child I like to put my mom cap on and think of something that both kids and parents will enjoy and benefit from.

VTech® and LeapFrog® toys are designed with that perfect mix in mind. They allow parents/loved ones to sit down and enjoy free-play. They are also perfect for quiet time thanks to all their guided activities and give us the ability to sit down and drink our coffee warm. The gift you're giving is learning, growth, and peace of mind to both kids and parents!

Talk about perfect gift giving!

Karen is the mom behind Mamma Bear Says, https://mammabearsays.com/, a family and creative brand empowering parents to live their most authentic and creative lives. She is a mom of 4, including twin toddlers, and loves to share her tips, tricks, and stories of all the good, the messy, and the chaos.

Top Gifts For 2-Year-Olds

In celebration of one of my favorite ages- TWO! - I put together a 2nd Birthday Gift Guide to tell you about some of my favorite toys from VTech® and LeapFrog® that are sure to inspire learning and play. Check out my Top toy picks that are sure to make your two-year-old’s birthday wishes come true!

Getting to know your toddler’s growing personality along with watching the emergence of new skills is so much fun! My two-year-old seemingly learns how to do something new every day, whether it is kicking a ball for the first time or scribbling across a piece of paper to create her own little work of art to proudly hang on the refrigerator. She is bursting with energy and so excited about everything there is to learn in the world around her!

There is something extra special to me about 2nd birthdays because it has always been the first time my children begin to understand and acknowledge that it is their special day. We love celebrating with tons of colorful balloons, a special outfit, a birthday hat, and unwrapping a few special presents!

As a mom of three from ages ranging between seven and two years old, I love using a birthday celebration as an opportunity to refresh our toy collection as they continue to learn and grow. When shopping for any birthday, I always try to think about milestones and skills that are expected to emerge within the next 12 months or so so that I can choose toys that will encourage their development. For this 2nd birthday gift guide, some things I am looking for include toys that promote gross and fine motor skills, speech & language development, cognitive developments, and support social/emotional milestones.

Healthychildren.org mentions these examples of skills that may have already emerged by age two and will continue to develop in the upcoming year:

- Gross Motor Skills- Walking, running, jumping, climbing, throwing, kicking.

- Fine Motor Skills- Building towers, turning knobs, pouring, scribbles.

- Speech & Language- points to or names objects in pictures, strings together words to form sentences

- Cognitive- sorting, colors, shapes, concept of counting, problem solving,

- Social/Emotional- Pretend play, independence, playing alongside others.

VTech® and LeapFrog® are two brands that offer an amazing selection to add to any 2-year-old’s birthday gift list. Each toy is always the perfect combination of learning and fun! I know that as excited as my child will be to unwrap one of these toys, I will be equally as excited to know that these gifts will help her develop and learn important age-appropriate skills. Take a look at five of my top choices to wrap up for your little one’s 2nd birthday:

2nd Birthday Gift Guide

1. LeapFrog® 2-in-1 LeapTop Touch™

My toddler has just started showing interest in imaginative play and she is going to love this laptop that lets her pretend to work alongside me! She can type away on the A-Z keyboard or play one of the five fun learning modes. The coolest feature? The magic swivel screen that turns the laptop into a tablet- complete with a touch screen! There are fun games, like bubble popping, on the screen that keep her engaged and giggling the whole time she plays! I especially love the handle that makes it easy to take this toy along with us in the car or to appointments.

2. VTech® Smart Shots Sports Center™

This sports center is a must for any budding sports superstar! My two-year-old is always tagging along to her older siblings' sports games and I know she will love this fun 2-in-1 play experience that is just right for her!

Whether they are tossing the basketball into the hoop or kicking a soccer ball into the net below, children will love to hear playful sounds and encouraging phrases! The songs are seriously cute and your little one will love to dance and sing along! Count baskets along with the LED screen that also displays fun animations to encourage play. A variety of manipulative features, such as gears and buttons, help to build fine motor skills while also teaching shapes and numbers!

3. VTech® Explore & Write Activity Desk™

This activity desk is everything; so much fun and function packed into one space. As soon as I saw this interactive desk, I knew it was a toy that would grow with my two-year-old for years to come! (In fact, my five-year-old son loves it just as much!)

The activity pages are filled with engaging content including numbers, music, colors and more. They can explore by tapping the images as well as toggling between modes to play different games. My toddler loves the music page where she can tap out tunes on colorful piano keys. There are even expansion packs that offer different themes such as nursery rhymes, math, and reading skills (a great gift for future holidays!).

A fold-down writing pad and light-up display encourage writing practice by tracing letters, numbers, and shapes. Not to mention, learning how to hold the stylus promotes fine motor control as she taps the lights to fill them in.

Make space on the fridge to display plenty of artwork because you can also switch things up by transforming the desk into an easel to encourage creativity. Plus, I love all the built in storage space for art supplies!

4. VTech® KidiBeats Drum Set™

There is nothing my two-year-old loves more than music! I already know she will be dancing along to the beat of this drum set as she learns to the music! There are four electronic learning drums she can play along with using the included drumsticks. Watching each light up as she taps them creates a fun multi-sensory experience. Along with nine melodies in a variety of musical styles, it also teaches letters and numbers.

5. LeapFrog® Letter-Go-Round™

This spinning ride-on seat is so much fun and an engaging way to use some of that never ending toddler energy! The colorful lights and music that play encourage kiddos to turn the steering wheel and spin themselves. Each spin introduces something new, like letters, colors, numbers, and animals.

I hope that this 2nd birthday gift guide helps you to choose a special gift for your two-year-old that will inspire learning, skill development, and of course tons of fun!

Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her social media and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young children, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!