There are SO many toys out there that claim to be educational, but that doesn’t mean they are. Some people seem to think the more electronic a toy is, the more a child can learn from it. In my opinion (and I’m backed up by plenty of educators on this), those toys can actually discourage the exploration that helps your preschooler learn math, literacy, and science skills.

In this post, I’m share my favorite educational toys and gifts for three and four year old boys and girls. None of them come with annoying lights and sounds. Bonus: they’re all budget friendly!

For more educational toys and gift ideas, take a look at my favorite gift ideas for little global citizens and toy and gift ideas for kids who love dinosaurs. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to my Amazon Associates account, as well as links to my Barefoot Books storefront. If you purchase items through these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here. 

Best Educational Toys and Games for Three and Four Year Olds for Families on a Budget

Learning Resources Super Sorting Pie

This fruit pie is such a fun way to build preschoolers math skills, including sorting, counting, making patterns and more. The jumbo tweezers that are included increase little ones’ fine motor skills, which they’ll need as they learn to write. An activity guide is included for even more ways to use this colorful educational toy.

Three Little Piggies Deluxe Logic Game

This sturdy, hands on logic game can be played by one child or more. Kids help the three pigs build their houses and must figure out how to keep the piggies safe if the wolf shows up. The set includes a Three Little Pigs storybook as well.

Learn your words and numbers book set

This fun set from Barefoot Books includes My Big Barefoot Book of Wonderful Words, my son’s favorite book when he was a three year old. It includes more than 700+ words (including many modern words other word books miss), shared in an urban, multicultural setting. Number Circus is a seek and find math adventure that includes lift the flaps questions and answers perfect for curious kids.

Mudpuppy Kindness Puzzles (4 different puzzles)

The Kindness 4-in-a-Box Puzzle Set includes 4 puzzles, each with a different level of difficulty, ranging from 4 to 12 pieces. Completed puzzles reveal colorfully illustrated scenes of adorable animals demonstrating acts of kindness. The included mindfulness booklet explains each puzzle image and reinforces the happiness that acts of kindness can bring. Pair with the book The Right Place for a lovely set about compassion and community.

Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game

As preschoolers play this fun fishing game, they’re also building hand eye coordination, counting skills, and learning to coordinate colors. There are two different versions of the game. One uses a doll magnet to search for fish in an iced lake, while the other uses magnetic polls to capture fish in the ocean.

Wee Enchanted Fairy Garden Kit

I love educational toys that help kids experience gardening and nature. Children can grow their own miniature fairy land with the Wee Enchanted Fairy Garden Kit. It includes a garden dish, fairy house, a flower fairy, toadstools, gravel, stones, seeds, “fairy dust,” paints for decorating, and decoration ideas. This is a great way to learn about gardening, while inspiring some pretend play too.

Related Post: Best Montessori Toys for 5 and 6 Year Olds

Child’s Binoculars

There are so many ways a child can use binoculars to explore. These binculars from Obuby are sturdy yet lightweight, shock proof, and foldable so children can keep them in a backpack. Use for bird-watching, exploring your neighborhood, or on a trip to a safari park.

Yoga Pretzels and Mindful Kids mind and body set

This card sets help children build inner peace through playful yoga poses and kid-friendly mindfulness exercises. We keep these in our son’s peace area when he needs extra support in calming down, but I’ve also used them for indoor play with groups of children.

Related Post: Best Children’s Books about Yoga and Mindfulness

Melissa and Doug Chef Costume Set

Nothing encourages imaginative play quite like dressing up! This adorable Melissa and Doug Chef Costume Set includes a chef’s jacket, hat, wooden utensils, plastic measuring cups, and name tag. It is machine washable for any kitchen accidents your little chef might have.

Diner Restaurant Play Set

As long as you’ve put on a chef’s jacket, why not play diner? This 41 piece set from Melissa and Doug includes a coffee pot, play food, plates, utensils, apron, play money, menu and more.

Barefoot Books Children of the World

My 4 year old loves exploring The Barefoot Book of Children. The book is incredibly diverse and inclusive, and the hand-painted illustrations are stunning. The book includes many thoughtful questions that give children the chance to reflect on what’s important to them. It includes 16 pages of illustrated endnotes that help parents unpack the book with children.

Related Post: Gift Guide: Best Picture Books for Every Interest

Janod Magnetibook explore the seasons game

We got a Magnetibook set for our son when he was four, and he still plays with it two years later! It’s also a favorite to take on plane and car trips because it easily closes up but has lots of pieces to entertain him. Children can either build a seasonal scene from the cards that are included, or use their creativity to create their one.

Related Post: Best multicultural toys, dolls, and games for kids

Busy Bear Game, Shapes Book, and Plush

Bear was hands down my son’s favorite book character as a toddler.  Bear in a Square reinforces learning about shapes for preschoolers, while the adorable plush brings this sweet character to life. The Busy Bear Count and Sort game is an ideal first game for 3 and 4 year olds, developing both their math and storytelling skills.

Plan Toys Balancing Toy

This balancing tree toy is an educational toy designed to help children develop their fine motor skills. Children must figure out how to add branches and birds in a way that won’t tip it over. This could also be used as a cooperative game, with children taking turns putting on the branches.

Related Post: 15 Diverse and Inclusive Children’s Books about Christmas

Friends and Neighbors:  The Helping Game

All of Peaceable Kingdom’s games encourage children to work together to achieve a goal, rather than competing against each other. In Friends and Neighbors:  The Helping Game, preschoolers learn to identify feelings and practice compassion and empathy as they match ways to help with friends who have a problem. 

Marble Genius 60 Piece Marble Run

Encourage your little one’s engineering and problem solving skills with this 60 Piece Marble Run set. The pieces are translucent so that you can watch the marbles go from top to bottom. The set is recommended for ages 4+, and a 4 year old may need some assistance from an adult or older child in building a run that will not tip over.

Related Post: Feminist Kids Gift Guide: Toys and Gifts for Strong Girls and Gentle Boys

Squigz Starter Set Building Toys

Little builders will love experimenting and using their imaginations with this Squigz Starter Set of Building Toys. Made of silicone rubber, these educational toys can be used on tabletops, windows, bathtubs, and more. Your child is probably also likely to enjoy the POP noise they make when taken apart from each other.

Melissa and Doug See and Spell puzzles

This See and Spell puzzle set includes 16 puzzles (double-sided on 8 boards) and 72 letters. Our son is sometimes reluctant to work on letter recognition, but he loves puzzles, so that this is a great activity to sneak in letter practice.

What are your favorite educational gifts for 3 and 4 year olds? Share in the comments!