Gift guide for Four year olds; So many emotions. So much curiosity. And so much jumping.

Emotions Emotions Emotions. Questions Questions Questions. Talking Talking Talking. Jumping. Wrestling. And just generally rolling around like lunatics.

Oh how I love a four year old’s curiosity and wonder. Just take a look at that little face.

Oh how I love a four year old’s curiosity and wonder. Just take a look at that little face.

Four Year Olds.

They are sassier than Beyonce.

They are clever.

They are curious.

They like making stuff.

They like figuring stuff out.

They might be drawing, colouring and even starting to write.

They know heaps of stuff but they also don’t know heaps of stuff, even if they think they do. This disparity tends to lead to rather feisty ridiculous ‘discussions’ about which one of you knows more.

They often have vivid imaginations and can sometimes still be off in their own little worlds playing by themselves, but by now they are also probably starting to get pretty good at constructive play with their friends. Role-play and ‘dramatic or fantasy’ play is still big in a four year old’s world, but things might also be starting to move into the more ‘physical play’ realm. Particularly for those active boys.

They are getting fast, they are very jumpy and wrestley (I have two boys remember) and they neeeeeeeeed to burn energy or they go a little psycho. And so do their parents.

So here is my final gift-guide for the year. For your clever, curious, possibly fast and very jumpy four year old. Please note I am in no way associated with any of the below companies that I’ve linked websites to. They were just the closest thing I could find to the picture of the toy I had in my head! (Lucky them).

Imaginative/Fantasy Play

Physical Play (Gross Motor)

With an increase in co-ordination and strength, your 4 year old might start getting interested in a specific sport. Encourage them but don’t go OTT. We want to keep it varied and just heaps of fun at this age.

With an increase in co-ordination and strength, your 4 year old might start getting interested in a specific sport. Encourage them but don’t go OTT. We want to keep it varied and just heaps of fun at this age.

  • Pedal bike (with or without training wheels) 

  • Two wheel scooter

Constructive Play (Fine Motor/Developmental)

  • LEGO (lego is the ultimate present for four year olds…..probably don’t buy your own child lego, as he or she is bound to get at least 5 sets on his fourth birthday)

  • And because of all the lego…you’ll need one of these awesome storage bags/mats

  • Marble mazes - Quadrilla is great. 

  • Board games -Trouble, Guess Who, Battle Ships, Connect Four 

  • Nesk Kids Tinker/Nuts and Bolts/Loose Parts sets (these are so cool!)

So. Much. Lego. I highly recommend a lego bag with a draw string so you can keep that chaos at bay. You will positively drown in lego once your child turns 4 (especially if you have a boy!)… geez it’s awesome though. There’s a reason they have entir…

So. Much. Lego. I highly recommend a lego bag with a draw string so you can keep that chaos at bay. You will positively drown in lego once your child turns 4 (especially if you have a boy!)… geez it’s awesome though. There’s a reason they have entire shops dedicated to it.

Books

  • ‘Where’s Wally’ a great one for this age

  • Animalia

  • Uno’s Garden and The Waterhole - A great age for books with a message

  • Sunk and Odd Dog Out - I adore this author, Rob Biddulph. His messages are so beautiful and very clever.

  • Any Dr Seuss Books

  • The Story Of The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None Of His Business - They will totally get the humour in this one at four (probably even three) what kid doesn’t love some poo trash talk?

  • Goodnight Yoga - this is a gorgeous little wind-down book for before bed and gives some lovely basic meditation and breathing exercises too. So important for these little emotional beings.

  • Speaking of emotional beings: I’ll mention these ones again: The ‘When I’m Feeling’ Series by Trace Moroney and In My Heart by Jo Witek have been so helpful for us in helping to identify emotions for our big boy

  • Dot to dot and activity books 

  • Colouring Books

USEFUL WEBSITES

In my hunting around linking all these toys up for you I have found some particularly good (Australian) websites for developmental and gross motor toys for toddlers and bigger kids. Sorry, I know not all of my followers are Aussie but I’m going to stick to local so my head doesn’t explode!

https://milestones-physiotherapy.myshopify.com/

https://www.edex.com.au/

https://www.edresources.com.au/

https://www.honeybeetoys.com.au

https://www.woodenwonderland.com.au

https://moovbaby.com.au/

https://littlebiglearning.com.au/

https://www.oskarswoodenark.com.au

https://www.hartsport.com.au/active-play

If you haven’t already, please remember to also take a peek at my gift guide for one year olds , as it lists all the general things I look out for (and also avoid) when purchasing toys for my kids. And if you’d like to get more paediatric physio advice for your babe straight to your inbox, then come on over and join the My Strong Little Body Family. Sign up here for my newsletter.

From one tired Mum to another. Thank you. xxx

From one tired Mum to another. Thank you. xxx

And That’s A Wrap

So there we have it. I’ve put so much thought into these little beauties over the last few weeks (let’s be honest, I actually did most of them all in one weekend and stayed up til 3am on a couple of nights finishing them off because that’s the kind of shit I do)…….so I hope you have found them useful for choosing pressies for your little ones (and your friends little ones) this Christmas. Obviously you can keep referring back to this as a reference for future birthdays as well!

I would love it if you could share these guides with friends and family, and I would also REALLY love it if you helped me to add to the lists along the way! Please drop me a line if you feel like there is something glaringly obvious (or even better, something not obvious- I love new ideas) that I have left off the lists. I would love to share your ideas with the lovely little community I am slowly building and getting to know since opening myself up to the online world at the start of the year.

It has been a big thing for me, doing this whole blog and online presence thing. In the past I have not been one to put myself ‘out there’ at all. And I’m not going to lie. it’s been really hard work, and far more time consuming than I anticipated. But the support and kind words I have received from so many people has been so heartwarming. When ever somebody reaches out it makes it feel like I am being helpful and gives me the warm fuzzies. And that’s exactly why I started this whole thing in the first place. To help. So don’t be afraid to get in touch. It keeps me going.

Finally, I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you who have supported me in purchasing my book ‘My Strong Little Body’ . As most of you know, it has my heart and soul thrown into it, it’s been my love (and sometimes hate) project over the last 4 years, and I am so very chuffed to be able to get my message out there to hundreds of families all over the world.

Pssssssst!!!!

The hard-copy edition is coming out in just a couple of months!! Pop your email down here so you can get in first! I’ve had a sneak preview and it’s more than i could ever have imagined!! I’m so excited.

Now. Its almost exactly one month til Christmas!!! Whaaaaaatt???? If I don’t get a chance to write again before the big guy in red comes to visit (you know how it gets this time of year), then I hope you get to have a wonderful break with your little families. Stay safe.

Love Alana xx




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