My daughter will be 4 soon. I would like to get her something that she will use a LOT. Her cousins like their kitchens or art easels. Hard to tell on-line if the size of the kitchen is appropriate, and I'd hate to spend on a deluxe model that she may not play with. Or should I splurge on a trampoline? She loves jumping. What do your 4 year olds play with most?
I like the sand/water table idea. Regarding kitchens, which ones do you think are appropriate for 4 years and up?
How about a quad that she can drive around or a bicylce. They seem to enjoy the outdoorsy stuff more.
Sand and water table- we did that for her 3rd. My kids love it. At first I did not use water then we had a mix. Bought at toysrus. Also- leapster 2. She loves hers. Does not play all the time bc we have other things going on but she loves it. The actual leapster has games and a coloring pad. Cute interactive stuff and the cartridges teach stuff. We bought a case at the same time.
Also- my girls are so into dress up-- all the time. A few princess outfits and shoes plus jewerly in a box or basket will be a HUGE hit.
Wait on the trampoline.
I would stay away from the trampoline. So dangerous! Also, having a trampoline will most likely cause your homeowners insurance to go up.
For what it is worth; my current 5 (boy) & 7 (girl) years old have both the art easel and the toy kitchen and have had them since my oldest was 2. The kitchen, by far, has had the MOST play and still does and gets played with by all the visiting childhood friends. And Aunts & Uncles had fun outfitting the kitchen with toy food, dishes, baskets, etc. The art easel mostly gets used as a fort or hideaway.
And personally, I would never buy a trampoline for my children. Just with pediatricians coming out collectively against them even with the safety netting. My sister broke her wrist on a trampoline too. So trampolines trigger my safety fears.
Obviously you are a caring and concerned mom, so you know your daughter best and she will love anything you get her. Congratulations on her 4th birthday!
Regards,
ann m.
My girls love to swing and ride bikes outside, and the really LOVE their sand table (it keeps them busy for hours sometimes). Inside, they like their kitchen, easel, and dollhouse.
A "wiggle car."
They're also called "plasma cars."
I was introduced to these by a friend. My band had gone to practice in their big workshop and my kids (and everyone else's....and most of the adults....and I) played on these. They are sturdy and can be used by people of ALL ages and abilities. I bought four of them (one for each of my 3 kids, and one for ME!) from ebay. We chase eachother around the garage on them and bump into one another. We ALL love them. Your 4 year old will get years of fun (and exhaustion) out of it.
Here's a link to a site which sells them...they have an little informational video. I still advise purchasing from ebay. Let me know if you need the name of the seller I purchased mine from...they were great (and FAST!).
http://www.plasmacar.com/store/customer/index.php
Good luck!
C.
Mine played with dolls and also a big hit was the canvas playhouse we got from Pottery Barn that fit in her room
A child's cookbook would be great as they're at an age where they are able to learn a lot and want to things just like mommy - there is a fabulous series especially for preschoolers. My almost 4-year old son just adores these!
Salad People and More Real Recipes: A New Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up by Mollie Katzen
Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up by Mollie Katzen and Ann L. Henderson
Honest Pretzels: And 64 Other Amazing Recipes for Cooks Ages 8 & Up (Paperback) ~ Mollie Katzen
You can also get a lot of child sized cooking utensils - plastic mixing bowls, wooden spoons, cookie cutters, etc. at regular kitchen stores or Williams Sonoma.
I would suggest the Step 2 kitchen (which my son and most of his friends have) but they actually enjoyed playing with it more when they were younger. They're now wanting to be in the kitchen with mommy cooking real food. I've set up a fold-away plastic table (sold at BJs or Costco) that lower's to about 24" that is great for food prep or just eating, perfect with toddler sized chairs.
Both the kitchen and the easel sound great. Does she play with the kitchen when she is at her cousins home? Our daughter had her easel till we moved her up to a real easel. Studio art is now one of her majors in college..
I would wait till she was older for the Trampoline.. our daughter actually asked for one in about 3rd grade. It was fun to be able to give her something she felt was "pie in the sky"..
Our daughters absolute favorite toy was a toy that you hang from a tree, it was called the Twizzler.. She would spin for hours on that thing..
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=the+twizzle...
Get a Tampoline! She will use it For YEARS! You can use it, her friends that come over will all use it! Kids love them. Our best friends have one for their son (got it when he was 2) and all of the kids Love it! They are ages 6, 5 and 4. Just make sure you get the net that goes around the side.
Be prepared that if you get the trampoline "you" will also be playing lol. no way you will be abel to send her out to play in the yard without an adult. I personally like art stuff and outdoor stuff like sidewalk chalk, swing stuff, skates, skip its etc... we kept an art easel in the garage that could be pulled out any time for painting.
sand and water table was the best gift I ever bought.
you can do so many things in it.
Preschools add water/sand or have seen it filled with rice and little toy-finds to add in it, shaving cream to play in, cotton balls and toys to hide. It is just a great universal toy for inside or outside.
