Four-year-olds are balls of energy with an insatiable curiosity and a thirst for learning. At this age, they are developing motor, language and social skills, and it is essential to offer activities that stimulate their development while remaining entertaining. Here are ten activity ideas designed to delight children in this age group while promoting balanced growth.
Educational treasure hunt
Transform learning into play is one of the most effective methods to captivate a child. Organize a treasure hunt at home or in the garden where each clue leads to a little educational game or a riddle. For example, match shapes, colors or letters to find that guide you to the next clue. This activity strengthens understanding and problem solving while being fun.
Painting and plastic arts workshops
The creativity of four-year-olds knows no limits. Give them a palette of non-toxic paints, various brushes, and canvases or sheets. Encourage them to express their imagination through colors and shapes. It’s also a great way to develop their fine motor skills and color sense.
Construction and DIY
Construction games, such as wooden blocks, Lego or puzzles, are perfect for little aspiring architects. They stimulate imagination, dexterity and patience, while teaching the basics of physics and geometry in an intuitive way.
Puppet show
Stimulate narrative creativity by orchestrating a puppet show. Build the theater and the characters together with old socks or paper bags. Children can invent stories, develop dialogues and work on oral and stage expression by bringing their creations to life.
Fun cooking
Make the kitchen an educational playground. Through simple recipes, children learn measurements, quantities, patience and even the basics of chemistry. Making animal-shaped cookies or “face” pizzas with vegetables can become an adventure that is as delicious as it is educational.
Junior gardening
Introduce them to gardening: plant seeds, observe the growth of plants and take care of a little corner of nature. This teaches respect for the environment, responsibility and gives a practical understanding of the cycle of life.
Dance and movement
Dancing is a fantastic way to develop coordination and body expression. Lead dance sessions to various music to make them aware of different rhythms and cultures. Musical games like musical chairs or “freeze dance” (where everyone must stop when the music stops) bring laughter and dynamism to the activity.
Adapted board games
Some board games are designed specifically for four-year-olds. They aim to develop memory, strategy and the ability to follow rules while having fun. Choose games with short game lengths to maintain their attention.
Interactive reading
The stories capture children’s imaginations and develop their linguistic understanding. Add an interactive element by asking the child to guess what will happen, or encourage them to tell part of the story. Books with textures, pop-ups or liftable flaps enrich the reading experience.
Simple science
Simple science experiments can be fascinating for a child this age. Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, plants growing in different conditions, or mixing colors with paint are examples of activities that will spark their curiosity about the natural world.
By offering these diverse experiences to four-year-olds, we give them the tools to explore the world around them while having fun. It is essential to support them in these activities with enthusiasm and patience, thus shaping the educators, parents and mentors of tomorrow. These shared moments are not only stimulating for children but also strengthen the emotional bond with the adult — a key component in the emotional development of toddlers. Each game, each discovery is a building block of their education and personal development.
