The Best Educational Toys for 4 Year Olds

Perfect for observing insects of all types without harming them, this well-ventilated 20cm viewer provides 3x magnification. Easy to use, simply place an insect into the viewing cone and view from above or from the side, where a nifty prism will show you a bottom-up view. Comfortable to hold, see wings, wiggly legs, antennae and more as you view nature from all angles. Perfect for inquisitive minds, creepy crawlies are always fascinating to kids!

This awesome set combines creativity and construction as you build your own robot figures! Snap the sturdy parts together, choosing from more than 70 pieces. Fix everything in place using the toy power drill and transparent bolts, then customise with cool stickers. Simply remove the bolts to mix up your bots and start again. The set includes a poster for design inspiration, plus hundreds of combinations to explore. Truly endless robot fun!

Play and learn with this lovely set of ten colourful spelling puzzles. Assemble the 4″ x 6″ image to reveal a simple one-syllable word, from cat to cake, car to drum. With big pieces perfectly sized for little hands, ideal for developing language and thinking skills. Each puzzle piece represents a different letter, making it super simple to learn your spellings! Presented in an adorable blue and red 26cm carry case, great for on the go. Piece it together!

Perfect for little hands with big, chunky colourful pieces, each of these four models are approx 12″ long. The 30 gears snap together easily with multiple ways to build, allowing for almost endless creative possibilities. Comes with an activity guide and is an engaging way to build STEM and critical thinking skills, learning cause and effect.

This brilliant activity set includes a 24-page write and wipe workbook all about outer space! Follow the exercises as you explore interstellar travel, constellations, the solar system and more. Complete a 49cm tri-fold model with colourful 3D planets, then build a special rocket and use its red lens to decode the booklet answers. Packed with hands-on activities, puzzles, reusable stickers and more, this cool STEM set is out of this world!

This high-tech toy features the voice and photography of wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin. Select from one of five regions, from the Amazonian Rainforest to the Arctic, and look through the viewfinder to see over 130 high-resolution images of awesome animals. Listen as Robert’s guiding voice details over 200 amazing animal facts, like why giraffes have black tongues and why koala bears aren’t really bears! Then test your knowledge with the Quiz mode, or put the camera in pretend-play mode and have your own wildlife adventures. Explore the wonders of the animal kingdom – fascinating.

This lovely wooden toy lets helps kids explore and understand the weather. Move the pieces to reflect the conditions on the day. Is it rainy, windy, snowing or sunny? Adjust the temperature gauge to suit, then choose between a dress, t-shirt or woolly jumper to best fit the weather. Measuring 39cm wide and made of natural wood, you can display your barometer using the attached string. Educational and fun, whatever the weather.

Explore the fascinating world of gemstones with this exciting kit. Perfect for early learners, use basic household materials like Epsom salts and food colouring to craft your own imitation gems. Grow a string of sparkling crystals, then create transparent geodes too. Explore early STEM concepts like measuring, observation and more. The set includes a full-colour guide, five activities and lots of kid-safe equipment too. Sparkling science!

Practice early maths skills with this wonderful wooden toy! Measuring 45cm, the sturdy board is decorated with dots. Count them up and match each recess with its wooden tile, saying the number out loud. Then find the matching colourful rings and slot them on to the upright pegs! Great for counting skills and number recognition, this fun toy is made of robust FSC-certified materials. So many ways to play and learn. Maths made fun!

Perfect as a child’s first microscope, this great gadget has low 8x magnification that little ones can easily understand as well as an oversized knob for simple focusing. Specimens can be viewed with both eyes using the extra large rubberized eye pieces. The LED light enhances close-up viewing of small details on the fixed stage, with no slides required. Explore the fascinating hidden mini-world all around us – welcome to the wonders of science!

Perfect for early learners, this colourful 22cm puzzle incorporates three basic skills. Simply slot the three shaped pieces into their places, then carry out each activity. Lace up the ladybird’s wings, button the froggy’s coat and then unbuckle the bee! Sustainably made from FSC-certified wood and corduroy fabric, this developmental puzzle will have little ones dressing independently in no time. Develop motor skills and more – as cute as a button!