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When it comes to buying gifts for kids in preschool, it's all about creating their own worlds. "At 4 years old, kids can better distinguish between fantasy and reality, so dress-up costumes, puppets and even things like play scarves allow them to pretend and imagine a variety of games," says Jacque Bogdanov, PsyD, child psychologist and founder of ChildBehaviorClinic.com. "Puzzles with greater complexity are appropriate for 4-year-olds as they develop better fine motor skills, coordination and greater problem-solving skills. Construction-type toys, like wooden or foam blocks, larger LEGO sets and magnetic tiles also further encourage problem-solving skills."

That might sound confusing, but luckily, the Good Housekeeping Institute can step in to help. In advance of its yearly Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards, Lab experts evaluate hundreds of toys each year, checking everything from safety to durability to whether a parent might want each toy in their home. After the testers weighed in, these rose to the top of the list of the best toys and gifts to give 4-year-olds in 2024. Whether they love puzzles, building, games or art, there's sure to be something on this list for the 4-year-old in your life.

Axolotls are the hot animals of the moment, and kids just love looking at their smiling faces and frilly gills. When you need just a little something, this one has limbs that can be stretched and beads inside that can be felt, making it a cute fidget toy. Good Housekeeping testers said that they loved how it lights up in water, making it a good bath toy. It also comes in pink. Ages 4+

Dino-loving kids and train enthusiasts alike will love loading the Brachiosaurus into the wagon and sending it along the circular track. The dino also has a magnet that lets it pick up the grass, and if you push its tail down, its head will reach up to eat the leaves off the trees. You can also combine it with bigger BRIO dinosaur sets for even more Jurassic fun. Ages 3+

Especially good for a birthday gift (though it can work any time), this puzzle makes a big impact, covering a huge amount of space on the floor. It's 48 pieces (our experts recommend 20 – 40 pieces, so it's just a little bit of a challenge). Then, when it's all together, they'll find an on-theme illustration of a birthday celebration. Ages 4+

Kid testers couldn't stop doing this unique art project — testers reported that, at picnics and get-togethers, this brought all the little ones together. Kids rub the foil sheets onto the included puffy stickers and — like magic — the shiny colors transfer over. The kids can use the stickers to make different animal scenes. Ages 4+

Kids will be amazed as they take the remote control and drive this car across the floor, up the wall and even onto the ceiling! It's easy to control but works better on smooth walls over textured ones. Ages 4+

Not only is this interactive toy a Lab favorite, but it's also a popular globe on Amazon. At first glance, all kids see is the land masses, with no labels or borders. With the free Orboot App, kids can hover their tablet over different parts of the world and learning various tidbits about different countries (from animals and weather to monuments and more). It's a great introduction to social studies. Ages 4+

This is the perfect outdoor toy to break out when the kids have extra energy to burn, because it's totally kid-powered. It comes with eight colorful foam rockets, which kids can launch into the sky by jumping on the launcher. Ages 3+

These crayons are hexagonally shaped, which makes them easier for little hands to grasp (and, bonus, keeps them from rolling onto the floor). But kids will love making art with them because they're a mash-up of different colors in the same tones, which gives all their masterpieces a multi-hued twist. Ages 3+

The trend in toys of late has been to miniaturize everything, and Barbie is no exception. This set comes with a mini Barbie Dreamhouse with a working elevator, slide and pool, plus a 1.5-inch doll, pet and pet accessory. Good Housekeeping Institute testers liked the fresh way to play with Barbie, and they reported that kids liked using the sets for imaginative play. Ages 4+

In blue or in pink, it's amazing how expressive the face on this story-and-joke-telling lamp is, and kids love switching out her disks to hear different stories, jokes and activities. Parents loved that it's actually a working night light and alarm clock, which made it easier to start morning and bedtime routines. Ages 3+

Kids don't have to know the LankyBox YouTube channel to get a kick out of this remote-controlled robot (though it helps). Good Housekeeping Institute kid testers were drawn to the bot because of its cute face and loved zooming it around. In addition to the robot, it comes with three surprise figures (that can be stored in the robot's head when not in use). Ages 4+

Kids can experiment with mixing colors and combining shapes with this board, which illuminates artwork as they create it. By layering transparency sheets, they can come up with all sorts of designs. In addition to the board, it comes with three markers, 22 shape clings and three “Complete the Scene” transparency sheets. Ages 3+

They'll be hard at work hunting — plus doing mazes, drawing pictures, connecting dots and working on other fun activities — with this hidden picture book geared toward younger readers. It's not small, but it's great for bringing in a backpack and pulling out when you need to occupy them for a time. And it'll last: This one clocks in at more than 250 pages. Ages 3+

For kids who don't have enough space for a play kitchen — or have the space to add to one — this teal griddle and grill set is just the thing. The top flips over to switch between griddle and grill, and the food pieces store easily inside. It also makes sizzling sounds, but what Good Housekeeping kid testers liked most was threading the food pieces onto the skewers to make a kebab (which is also good for their fine motor coordination). Ages 2+

Whether they're starting a school journey or celebrating the beginning or end of another year, this sweet, rhyming picture book reminds kids that there are many ways for kids to be special, and how our differences make us unique. It's a mini boost for the self-esteem. Ages 3+