The Very Best Gifts for the Energetic 4-Year-Old Boy in Your Life

It can be a challenge when you’re searching for a gift for a 4-year-old boy, whether it’s a son, nephew, grandson, or friend’s child or grandchild. If they’re energetic (aren’t they all?), read on for our sampling of toys for 4-year-old boys that'll keep the little guys occupied, educated, and entertained. Highlights include a Hot Wheels kit, award-winning educational board game, and Play-Doh monster truck — all of which have received glowing reviews.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

Related: Awesome Gifts for the 5-Year-Old Boy In Your Life

$129 from Budsies
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Bring your child's creative sketches to life with Budsies, which creates custom stuffed animals based on drawings and other artwork. Each handmade stuffed toy is transformed into a 16-inch, 3D version — though you can upgrade to a 30-inch stuffed animal — for a present that celebrates your kid's one-of-a-kind artistry.

$30 and up from Fat Brain Toys
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Wooden building blocks seem charmingly outdated in the face of today’s take on construction-oriented toys. Squigz is part of the new direction, a line of “fun little suckers” — suction-based construction elements — sure to spark the little one’s imagination, not to mention improve motor and problem-solving skills.

$36 from Amazon
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Surprise him this kit from the brand’s magnetic take-apart construction series and wait to see what he builds with this 5-in-1 toy. The robot transforms into elements that include a tractor, bulldozer, excavator, and more, and is designed to help with hand-eye coordination and motor skills while enhancing his imagination.

$12 from Amazon
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Encourage an interest in — or help build a passion for — space exploration with this space capsule set complete with an astronaut action figure. Seems like an adventurous mission is ready to blast off.

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$34 from Amazon
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Introduce youngsters to STEM topics with this educational toy that encourages an interest in biology and botany. Some 60 full-color, up-close images of animals and plants are accompanied by narration from “Wildlife Warrior” Bindi Irwin. Youngsters can interact with play modes including “Fact” and “Quiz,” and the talking feature can be programmed in several languages.

$44 from Walmart
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One rarely goes wrong with a LEGO gift for a little boy, and this 157-piece set features an intricate setting designed for those who love both animals and imaginative play. Featured items include all that’s needed to build the scene’s interactive elements along with mini figures. Kids can really go to town activating a collapsing bridge function as well as working the off-roader’s winch.

Related: The Best Gifts for 6-Year-Old Boys

$6 from HotSox
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Dinosaur dolls, dinosaur sheets, dinosaur puzzles … little guys love their dinosaurs. Keep their beloved creatures close at hand with these dino-themed socks that come in a selection of colors.

$30 from Amazon
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Kids delight when family-oriented restaurants let them draw on a placemat or paper tablecloth. Bring that experience home with this eco-minded cotton tablecloth that comes with 10 double-ended, fabric-washable markers. Kids can color to their hearts’ content while learning about world geography, animals, and modern wonders … and start over again after laundry day, as it emerges from the wash ready for another go.

Related: Retro Gifts for Kids With Too Much Screen Time

$38 from Melissa & Doug
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Kids are encouraged to connect with the natural world — and form a potential lifelong hobby — with this 21-piece play fishing set complete with rods, a net, wooden fish, a tackle box, and activity cards. Yes, there are even fake worms to use as bait.

$30 from Amazon
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For those little boys who find, shall we say, bodily functions funny, this may be a winning gift. It’s an unexpected spin on the familiar game of bingo, here featuring an array of animals and their signature “droppings.” Expect laughs, but know in the back of your mind that they’re also learning about nature, right?

$17 from HoneyBug
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Some kids love to see things destroyed, especially if it’s part of a game (and they’re the ones doing the destroying). This set allows kids to create Play-Doh cars with the mold and then use the toy truck’s oversized tires to crush them down. It’s a scene that will likely be repeated. Often.

$23 from Melissa & Doug
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There’s no screen time involved in this old-fashioned game: It’s all about hands-on play and interacting with others. The indoor/outdoor setup features a chameleon-eating-bugs theme, a nature lesson that’s also designed to encourage a laugh from the littlest players.

Related: Fantastic Gift Ideas for 7-Year-Old Boys

$35 from MindWare
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This hide-and-seek, card-based adventure game plays out on a colorful mat that helps kids identify colors and become familiar with spatial relationships. From the looks of it, they’ll also have plenty of fun with the little plush animal characters.

$15 from Comfy Critters
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Kids can easily get tired out but sometimes balk at the suggestion of a nap. Avoid that scenario with this playful blanket-pillow combination that folds up after use and is completely machine-washable. We love the Chomp the Great White Shark for a little guy, but there are 10 additional choices to choose from as well.

$11 from Kohl’s
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Ahoy, matey! Role-play games and toys encourage creativity and a spirit of adventure, key elements to this set designed for junior swashbucklers. They’ll set sail on a search for buried treasure — or simply command the high seas — with this interactive kit that includes everything from a tiny pirate and his parrot to a crow’s nest, cannon and, yes, that ol’ plank to walk.

$25 from Amazon
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Boys and baseball go hand in hand. Introduce the littlest athletes to America’s national pastime with this set that allows him to develop his pitching skills and hand-eye coordination.

Related: The Best Toys and Gifts for 10-Year-Old Boys

$25 from Lakeshore
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Brainy little guys will likely be captivated by this colorful challenge, an intricate maze where they launch a ball and have to guide it through twists and turns to the finish. One five-star review notes that the item never fails to please its young players: “They enjoyed the initial learning curve of figuring out the layout of the maze and trying to solve it. But no matter how many times they correctly solve it, they are always excited to do it again.”

$15 from Amazon
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You’d never allow a 4-year-old onto a Supercross course, but this game set allows them to experience that excitement without any of the danger. Two bikes — representing real-life competitors Ricky Carmichael and Ken Roczen — and a deluxe ramp provide all the makings for a home course.

$26 from Walmart
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“Can I mow the lawn for you?” That might be a question your little guy asks in the future thanks to this play set that makes your little helper feel productive as he gets some welcome physical activity. It’s also a clever way to explore the concepts of chores and home maintenance.

$17 from Amazon
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Make a child’s time in front of those ever-present screens educational with this set, compatible with all LeapStart Learning Systems. It’s a collection of six storybooks designed to introduce different elements of reading skills while making it fun along the way.

$27 from Amazon
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This role-playing toy helps kids learn the importance of proper dental care while also helping them become more comfortable with trips to the dentist. Don’t be surprised if you find them giving their stuffed animal a checkup.

$30 from MindWare
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Kids who like to make things, explore, and experiment will likely be stimulated by this toy that gently introduces STEM principles at an early age, teaching the concepts of circuits in a safe way.

$50 from Lakeshore
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Can you tell your little guy’s going to be a daredevil? This sturdy little piece of sporting equipment is designed to build balance and coordination, laying the groundwork for skills that will be needed, one day, for skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding.

$50 from HearthSong
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Physical activity is good no matter one’s age. This introduction to three classic outdoor sports (tennis, volleyball, and badminton) has youngsters in mind with oversized components designed just for them. They’ll build skills and confidence as they get to participate on their own level.

Related: The Best Gifts for 11-Year-Old Boys

$47 from Amazon
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For every adult who has fond memories of playing with Matchbox cars, this set offers a way to pass that kind of fun down to the newest generation. Kids will likely be tickled by this elaborate scene, a Radiator Springs-themed course based on Disney and Pixar’s “Cars.”

$22 from Amazon
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Do you know a little guy who may just grow up to be the next Bobby Flay? If that boy is already making his way in the kitchen, encourage that passion (and perhaps a future career) with this play set that includes an apron, chef’s hat, and tools and accessories ranging from oven mitts and rolling pins to whisks and plastic spoons.

$9 from Amazon
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The classic adventures of the Wild West are highlighted in this activity book filled with cowboy-themed options, from coloring pages to puzzles and word searches to mazes.

$29 from Amazon
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This new Hot Wheels play set includes everything a 4-year-old boy needs for hours of fun. He'll be able to launch his Hot Wheels (included) through the track before catapulting the race car directly into the dragon's head, defeating the villain. You can also attach this track to other Hot Wheels sets, making this a gift that will last for years.

$30 from Amazon
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Fans of the caped crusader will enjoy this action figure set, which includes two formidable foes, King Shark and The Joker, and slew of unique weapons. If the two infamous villains somehow overwhelm Batman, Robin can always swoop in with his katana or staff to finish the job.

$21 and up from Amazon
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Looking for something educational and fun? This dinosaur construction kit comes with three unique dinosaurs that he can assemble with an included electric drill. Not only does this construction kit teach fine motor skills and the basics of handiwork, but it also let's kids mix and match parts if they're feeling creative.

$20 from Amazon
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This award-winning game helps build kids' reading skills with its language-based bingo board. And if you worry that it'll be too boring, know that parents give this board game rave reviews for how fun it is.

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