Crafty/arty presents for an almost 4 year old

[Summerdays2014]

Hi,

Anyone got any ideas for things I can buy my almost 4 year old son to do/make. We have play doh, paint, stocker book etc, but I was looking for other ideas to keep him occupied!
Thanks in advance!

Foil art.

At that age, DS2 really loved (and still plays with it from time to time) kinetic sand with lots of moulds/cookie cutters.
It occupied him for ages. He really enjoyed/enjoys it.

Also, we've been using Stabilo Woody crayons for YEARS. They are the best! We just bought another box recently. If your DS is a drawer, he will love these. There are knock-offs and cheaper alternatives. Don't settle. Stabilo Woody crayons are the ones you want! They are worth every penny.

Paint by number is another one my kids enjoy.
Also Melissa and Doug pattern blocks and boards.

Bright Minds is an excellent online retailer.
Also, Baker Ross is a good online retailer for craft making.

Those giant aqua pad things that you draw on with water and dry them out afterwards. We had 3. Bloody marvellous. There used to be one where you drew a watery track with a special roller and the Thomas the Tank Engine train would follow the route you made. Hours of fun. We made stamps out of random household things to see what shaped they made.

Bead threading. All mine spent hours threading beads. Good for the fine motor skills.

Home and bargain have lots of this type of thing.

Paint your own, plates, cups, money boxes etc.

See your your own little toys etc

We’ve just done the trial Toucan box for half term (DSs are 3 and 7) and were really impressed...if you got a subscription it would keep arriving regularly.

You could put together a craft box full of odds and sods or, if unsure what to get/short on time then maybe something like this Mr Maker box] or a craft jar to get him started.

If he enjoys drawing would he enjoy a two sided easel?

Oh and I just remembered Colour in playhouses. They’ve got a space rocket, castle and others and £8.50 seems really good value!

Mosaics.

My 4 year old spent ages last weekend doing a foam art thing from hobbycraft - match colours to numbers and it makes a picture.

Can you still get magic maize?

Crayola washable felt tips

Hama beads. Mine were utterly addicted at that age.

Some great ideas, thank you. I think he’ll really enjoy the bead threading and Melissa and Doug thing. Are hama beads a bit fiddly? I’ve looked at them before and thought he was too young! I’ll have another look!

CBeebies Art magazine is fab. My nearly 4 year old loves it. The Christmas one has just come out and a winter one is out 27th November. Stocking filler?

@TheVanguardSix. Yes, yes to the woody crayons. They are amazing.

Hama beads/ aquabeads are fiddly, but my 4 year old loves them.

For my son’s 4th birthday we went to Hobbycraft and bought lots of bits like google eyes, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, shaped scissors, coloured papers, stickers etc. He has had so much fun creating all sorts of things with it! So perhaps something like that might be an idea?

I loved scribble downs when I was a kid though I don’t think that was what they were called then

@Barbarara I REMEMBER THOSE!!!
Just ordered some for Santa, thank you!

@TheVanguardSix I’ve just spent ages on the bright minds website! Loads of things he’d love on there (not just art things) so thanks for the recommendation!