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Rally Takes the Train is our own picture book, so it sits at the top of every list. Some links to other gifts are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Prices are approximate and change often, so check the current price before you buy.
#1 pick · Our own book
Rally Takes the Train
At four, children can retell a familiar story and want to know what comes next, which makes a short rhyming book like Rally Takes the Train one they will soon recite back to you. Rally the corgi's first train ride along the California coast to see his grand-paw-rents has a real moment of fear in a dark tunnel, and four year olds, who are starting to comfort others, love talking about how Rally found the light. It is about a five-minute read, hand-painted in watercolor.
After a few readings, stop before the last word of each rhyme and let your four year old fill it in. If you are giving a train set too, ask them to play out Rally's trip, tunnel and all.
Quick picks
Four is a big jump from three. A four year old can follow simple rules, wait (mostly) for a turn and tell you what happens next in a story they know. They want to be the superhero, the teacher or the builder, often all in one afternoon, and they ask why about everything. They can hold a crayon properly now and catch a big ball.
So this list leans into what four year olds can newly do: first board games they can actually win, a train set with a story built in, building sets that turn into playhouses, a microscope that answers questions and an easel for daily drawing. Every pick is graded 3 or 4 and up, none matched a 2026 safety recall, and we kept three gifts under $25. If you are shopping for a child who is turning five soon, most of these still fit, because they are built to stretch.
What 4 year olds love right now
By four, the CDC says most children pretend to be something else during play, like a teacher, superhero or dog, ask to play with other kids, and like to be a helper. They can tell what comes next in a well-known story, answer questions about what things are for and speak in sentences of four or more words. That is the point when simple turn-taking games and story-based play really start to work.
Their bodies and hands are catching up too. Four year olds hold a crayon between fingers and thumb instead of in a fist, draw a person with three or more body parts and catch a large ball most of the time. Easels, art supplies and outdoor launch-and-catch toys get used every day at this age.
- They love games with rules they can win against grown-ups
- They love switching roles: chef, shopkeeper, builder
- They love trains and building sets with a story behind them
- They love asking why and getting a real answer
- They love drawing people, pets and their family
- They love running, jumping and catching outside
Development notes based on 12 sources below.
The 13 best Christmas gifts for 4 year olds
Rally Takes the Train is number one on our list (above). Here are the other twelve, chosen for this age from current gift lists and reviews.
World Space Station Set, 40-Piece Wooden Railway
BRIO · Train toy
A Good Housekeeping 2026 Toy Award winner. Four year olds want a story behind their trains, and a space station railway with a launch theme gives them one. Forty pieces is enough for a real layout, and it connects to any BRIO track you already own.34
Good to know: This ASIN came from Motherly's Amazon link, so confirm the listing title before you buy. Smaller BRIO space options exist: the Space Exploration Set (B0DXKQMKRC) and Space Deluxe Set (B0DXMQW6D1).
Treetops Train Set
Tender Leaf Toys · Train toy
A wooden woodland train set with animal details, so a four year old's play turns into long stories about who is riding where. It works with standard wooden track, which makes it a good mid-price train gift if the BRIO space set is more than you want to spend.5
Good to know: The price comes from an older guide, so check the current price. It is graded 3 and up.
MAGNA-TILES Pet Playhouse 50-Piece Set
MAGNA-TILES · Building
A 2026 Toy of the Year Preschool finalist. A four year old builds a house, then moves the pet figures in, sends them down the slide and opens the doors, so building and pretend play happen in the same session. Magna-Tiles also keep working for years as kids build bigger and taller.67
Good to know: We could not verify an Amazon listing for this exact set; it is sold at magnatiles.com. The MAGNA-TILES Combo 46-Piece Set (B0D2PH8RV5, about $40) is a verified Amazon alternative.
Creative Play 3 in 1 Play Kitchen, Store & Workshop
HABA · Pretend play
Four year olds change roles every few minutes (now I'm the builder), and this single wooden unit switches between kitchen, shop and tool bench to keep up. It was a 2026 Toy of the Year Preschool finalist, comes with 150 plus accessories and takes up far less floor space than three separate toys.68
Good to know: This is the big-ticket gift on the list and has lots of small accessories, so plan a storage bin and keep pieces away from younger siblings.
Story Time Chess
Story Time Chess · Games
It teaches chess through a storybook where every piece is a character, so a four year old learns how the king moves because they know who he is. Four is when kids can follow both a story and simple rules, which is exactly what this asks of them. It won Toy of the Year in 2021.9
Good to know: It works best with a grown-up reading the chapters at first. Graded 3 and up, but four is when it really clicks.
GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope
Educational Insights · STEM
There are no glass slides or focusing knobs to fiddle with. A four year old looks through the eyepiece at big photo slides while the microscope tells them facts, which feeds the constant why questions of this age without a screen.10
Good to know: It runs on batteries and the slides are photos, not real specimens. Graded 3 and up.
I Never Forget a Face Memory and Matching Game
eeBoo · Games
Memory is often the first real game a four year old can play, and win, against adults, and they know it. It practices turn-taking and paying attention, and the illustrated faces give younger players something to chat about between turns.10
Good to know: The cards are sturdy, but there are a lot of them, so keep the box handy to avoid a missing pair.
Pop the Pig
Goliath Games · Games
Roll the die, feed the pig a burger in that color, push his head, and eventually his belly pops. It is simple enough for a four year old to play without help and silly enough that waiting their turn feels worth it. Cheap enough for a stocking or a sibling gift.11
Good to know: The burgers are small, so keep the pieces away from toddlers.
Numberblocks MathLink Cubes 1-10 Activity Set
hand2mind · STEM
Many four year olds watch Numberblocks, and building each character from snap cubes turns counting into a hands-on game. It is a pre-kindergarten math gift that feels like play rather than homework, and the cubes keep working for adding and patterns later.10
Good to know: The cubes are small, so they are not for babies or toddlers who still mouth things.
Stomp Rocket Jr.
Stomp Rocket · Outdoor
Stomp to launch a foam rocket, then sprint to catch it: that is the jumping, running and catching four year olds are getting good at. It needs no batteries, sets up in a minute and is a great reason to get outside between Christmas and New Year.11
Good to know: Glow versions exist (B00000K3BR with 4 rockets, B006TV9CRQ with 7), and extra rockets help because they do end up on roofs.
Deluxe Double-Sided Wooden Standing Art Easel
Melissa & Doug · Art
At four, children hold a crayon properly and start drawing people, so a standing easel with a chalkboard, whiteboard and paper roll gets used every single day. It is a multi-year gift that younger siblings inherit.12
Good to know: The price comes from an older guide, so check it. It needs some assembly and a corner of floor space.
KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus
VTech · STEM
A drop-friendly kids camera gives a four year old something real to do on walks and at holiday gatherings. Looking back at their photos afterward fits right in with the age when kids start telling you about their day.102
Good to know: It has a small screen, so set simple limits (the AAP suggests under about an hour of screen time a day). A pink version is B0916FZYMS.
Rally gifts to wrap with the book
Pair the book with something from the Rally shop for a gift that feels finished: hand-painted watercolor art from the same pages.
Christmas gifts for 4 year olds by price
| Budget | Gifts | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Under $25 | I Never Forget a Face Memory and Matching Game, Pop the Pig, Numberblocks MathLink Cubes 1-10 Activity Set | Games, STEM |
| $25 to $50 | Treetops Train Set, Story Time Chess, GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope, Stomp Rocket Jr., KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus | Games, Outdoor, STEM, Train toy |
| $50 to $100 | MAGNA-TILES Pet Playhouse 50-Piece Set, Deluxe Double-Sided Wooden Standing Art Easel | Art, Building |
| $100 and up | World Space Station Set, 40-Piece Wooden Railway, Creative Play 3 in 1 Play Kitchen, Store & Workshop | Pretend play, Train toy |
Gift tips for 4 year olds
Pick games with one simple rule
Four year olds are just learning to take turns and lose gracefully, so the best first games have one rule and a quick finish, like Pop the Pig or a memory game. Play with them the first few times, and let them win some rounds fairly; that is what keeps them coming back.
Think about younger siblings
Most picks here are graded 3 or 4 and up, and several have small parts: play food, cubes, game burgers. If a baby or toddler under 3 lives in the house, give the four year old a shelf or bin of their own for those toys. The CPSC small parts rule only covers toys made for children under 3.
Plan for the turning-five overlap
Lots of four year olds turn five within months of Christmas. Gifts that stretch, like Story Time Chess, Magna-Tiles and an easel, will still be used next year, while very babyish toys may be outgrown by spring.
Add to the railway instead of replacing it
If your four year old already has wooden track from age two or three, BRIO, Thomas wooden and Tender Leaf pieces are broadly compatible. A themed set like a space station or woodland train adds a new story to the layout they have without starting over.
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Chicago? Bring Rally home.
Rally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. It makes a cozy bedtime story after a big day with Santa. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $16.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Questions parents ask
What is the best gift for a 4 year old?
The best gift for a 4 year old is one that uses their new ability to follow rules and stories. A first board game like Story Time Chess or a memory game, or a building set they can play inside like MAGNA-TILES Pet Playhouse, fits that perfectly. Add a picture book they can start retelling to you, and you have a gift they will use well past Christmas.
What to get a 4 year old for Christmas this year?
For Christmas 2026, look at a 2026 Toy of the Year finalist like MAGNA-TILES Pet Playhouse or the HABA 3 in 1 kitchen, a Good Housekeeping winner like BRIO's World Space Station, and one simple game. Four year olds have usually outgrown toddler toys, so lean toward games, building, art and pretend sets with lots of roles to switch between.
What do you get a 4 year old who has everything?
For a 4 year old who has everything, give something to do rather than something to own. A game the family plays together, a stomp rocket for outside, a kids camera for outings, or an experience like a holiday train ride all add play without adding clutter. A book with a handwritten note inside also never feels like one more toy.
What toys should a 4 year old play with?
A 4 year old should have a mix of pretend play, building, art, a few simple games and something active for outside. Think a play kitchen or shop, magnetic tiles or wooden track, crayons and an easel, a memory game, and a ball or stomp rocket. That mix covers imagination, hand skills, turn-taking and big movement, all things four year olds are working on.
Are there good gifts for a 4 year old that aren't toys?
Yes. Good non-toy gifts for a 4 year old include picture books, art supplies, a kids camera, a special outing or a class like swimming or dance. Four year olds love being a helper, so a child-sized apron and a promise to bake cookies together, or a ticket to a Christmas train ride, can be the gift they talk about all winter.
Are 4 year olds old enough for board games?
Yes, four is usually when board games start to work. The CDC notes that by four children can follow a known story and take part in turn-taking play, so simple games with one rule and a quick finish fit well. Pop the Pig, a memory matching game and Story Time Chess are all good first games, ideally played with a grown-up the first few times.
What are educational Christmas gifts for a 4 year old?
Educational gifts for a 4 year old work best when they feel like play. Numberblocks MathLink Cubes turn counting into building, a talking microscope answers their why questions, Story Time Chess teaches strategy through a story, and an easel builds drawing and early writing skills. Daily reading aloud is still the biggest learning boost at this age.
Is a 4 year old too young for a Nintendo Switch?
Most 4 year olds are too young to need their own Nintendo Switch. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping screen time under about an hour a day for preschoolers and favoring hands-on, shared play. If your family does use a console, keep it a shared activity with a parent, and choose a hands-on main gift for Christmas morning.
What is a good Christmas gift for a 4 year old boy or girl?
At four, a good gift fits the child's interests rather than whether they are a boy or a girl. Plenty of four year old girls love space trains and stomp rockets, and plenty of boys love play kitchens and drawing. Watch who they pretend to be, the builder, the chef, the astronaut, and give them the props for that role.
Will these gifts still work after my 4 year old turns 5?
Choose a gift that stretches, since most of these will still fit at five. Story Time Chess, Magna-Tiles, an easel and the BRIO space railway all grow in difficulty as kids get older. Avoid toys clearly made for toddlers, which a child heading into kindergarten may outgrow by spring. A picture book with a bigger theme, like being brave, also lasts.
How many Christmas presents should a 4 year old get?
There is no right number, but many families find three to five gifts is plenty for a 4 year old. Four year olds now notice and remember gifts, so a few they really love beats a pile they rush through. A simple guide like something to want, something to need, something to wear and something to read keeps the morning calm.
Is a play kitchen still a good gift at 4?
Yes, four is a great age for a play kitchen, because pretend play is at its peak and four year olds play longer, more detailed scenes. A unit that also turns into a shop or workshop, like the HABA Creative Play 3 in 1, keeps up as they switch roles. If space is tight, a smaller cooking set still gets daily use.
Which train set is best for a 4 year old?
For a 4 year old, the best train set has a theme to build stories around. BRIO's World Space Station Set, a Good Housekeeping 2026 Toy Award winner, gives them a launch mission, while Tender Leaf's Treetops Train Set offers a woodland story at a lower price. Both connect to standard wooden track they may already own.
Should I get my 4 year old a microscope or science kit?
A 4 year old enjoys a microscope if it is made for their age, with no fiddly slides or focus knobs. The GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope shows big photo slides and tells kids facts out loud, which fits the endless why questions of four. Real chemistry or slide kits are better saved for older kids.
Is a kids camera a good gift for a 4 year old?
A kids camera is a good gift for a 4 year old who loves outings, because it gives them a job on walks and at holiday gatherings. Looking back at photos helps them tell you about their day. Choose a sturdy, drop-friendly model like the VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus, and set gentle limits on screen time.
What can I put in a 4 year old's stocking?
Small games, art supplies and one surprise make a great stocking for a 4 year old. Pop the Pig, a pack of crayons or chalk for an easel, a few MathLink cubes or a small wooden train car all fit. Keep games with small pieces out of reach if a baby or toddler will be opening stockings nearby.
Which books should I give a 4 year old for Christmas?
Give a 4 year old picture books with a clear story arc and a character who faces something hard, since they can now retell stories and talk about feelings. Rhyming books are especially good, because four year olds love filling in the last word. Books about real-life events, like a train trip to grandparents, help them connect the story to their own holidays.
What is a meaningful gift from grandparents for a 4 year old?
A meaningful grandparent gift for a 4 year old is something shared or lasting: a train piece added each year to a growing railway, a game they play together at every visit, or a picture book with a personal note. Four year olds remember who gave what now, so a gift tied to time with Grandma or Grandpa sticks.
I left it late. What can I still get a 4 year old?
You can still get a 4 year old a card game, a picture book, art supplies or an outing, all easy to find in stores close to Christmas. A printed voucher for a holiday train ride, a zoo trip or a baking day together works too. Four year olds are thrilled by the promise of an adventure with you.
What outdoor gift is good for a 4 year old in winter?
A Stomp Rocket Jr. is a great winter outdoor gift for a 4 year old, because stomping, running and catching are exactly the skills they are building, and it needs no batteries. A few minutes of launching between holiday visits burns off energy fast. Pack extra rockets, since a few usually end up in trees or gutters.
Gift guides for every age
- The full 2026 Christmas gift guide for kids
- Christmas train rides by state
- Christmas events for kids near you
- Free Rally coloring pages
- Books about visiting grandparents
- The story behind Rally Takes the Train
Sources
Picks and age notes were checked against the sources below.
- Milestones by 4 Years, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Best Toys Go Back to the Basics, HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Shop picks from Good Housekeeping's 2026 Toy Awards, Good Morning America
- Best holiday gifts for three year olds, Motherly
- Holiday Gift Guide for Toddlers, The Bump
- 2026 Toy of the Year Award Finalists Unveiled at Chicago Toy & Game Fair, People of Play
- Pet Playhouse 50-Piece Set, MAGNA-TILES
- Creative Play 3 in 1 Play Kitchen, Store & Workshop, HABA USA
- Best Gifts for 3 Year Olds, The Bump
- The Best Toys for 4 Year Olds, Cubby (Apartment Therapy)
- Best holiday gifts for 4 year olds, Motherly
- Best Gifts for 4 Year Olds, Fatherly
- Recalls, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
