Are you looking for the best beach toys for 4 year olds? Without entertainment, your child is likely to get bored or even try to wander off to find something to do. To best remedy an accident and keep everyone safe, you’ll want to pack beach activities and kids toys that will keep their interest throughout the day at the seaside.
To help you navigate a sometimes overwhelming market, we’ve gathered 5 of the best options available today. These toys are built specifically for fun at the beach, and designed to withstand the elements and keep your little one occupied throughout your stay by the ocean.
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Best Beach Toys for 4 Year Olds Reviewed
1. John Deere Vehicles
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If your child loves to dig, then you will definitely want to check out these sandbox vehicles from John Deere. Rather than trying to bring their favorite truck from inside your home, which is not built to withstand sand in the moving parts, you can opt for these toys without worry that they can hold up in the beach elements. They are sure to keep your child entertained for hours, as they allow children the opportunity to dig, move sand, and bulldoze over castles that they have already built.
Not only are these trucks built to withstand long days in the sand, but the high-quality plastic construction means that even when they are dropped, stepped on, or left out in the hot sun for hours, they won’t be damaged. You won’t soon have to worry about them fading or cracking, and they can be tossed in your beach bag with other toys and necessities without fear of them breaking. This makes them perfect for quickly cleaning up your beach spot when you are ready to head back to your accommodations for the day. A quick rinse in clean water will wash away all of the sand and have them ready to go again for the next time you head to the beach.
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2. Click N’ Play 18-Piece Sand Toy Set
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A classic kids beach toy, sand tool sets are an essential for seaside trips. You won’t ever have to worry about whether you have the specific sand toy that your child wants when you opt for this set from Click N’ Play. This 18-piece set contains everything that you and your child will need for a fun day playing in the sand on the beach, and the bright colors and designs are sure to spark their imagination. The set will help encourage creative play for hours and ensure that your child never gets bored, leaving you more time to relax and catch up on your latest book.
Included in this set are 2 shovels, a watering can, 2 sand sifters, sand wheel, bucket, 3 racks, and multiple sand molds. Whether your child prefers to dig, or is interested in building a giant sand castle, this set has everything that they need to enjoy their time on the beach. Additionally, since everything comes stored in a mesh bag, you’ll know exactly where all of the toys are at all times, and sand can fall through the mesh so that your car doesn’t get filthy when it’s time to head home.
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3. Melissa & Doug Sand-and-Water Funnel
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If you’re looking for a new and unique toy that’ll spark your child’s interest on the beach, this sand and water funnel is a great option on the market today. As a stand-alone toy, you can have confidence that this will be just as high-quality as any other products that you can buy from Melissa & Doug and that the bright colors, fun shapes, and cute octopus are sure to thrill your child. The convenient carry handle means that even when your child is tired, he or she will be able to carry the toy without help, and it also makes it easy to move from location to location while relaxing on the beach.
Made with funnels at different heights, this toy will spin and tip, as your child pours dry sand or water through it. Not only will it provide something fun for children to play with while you are seaside, but your children will be learning and exploring their sense of wonder as they use it. The bright colors are fade-resistant, and the sturdy plastic can handle being dropped repeatedly or left out in the baking sun without cracking, which ensures that you can use this toy day after day without it fading or failing you.
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4. Melissa & Doug Cookie Baking Set
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If you have an aspiring baker in your family, or your child simply loves helping out in the kitchen making cookies, then you’ll definitely want to consider this cookie baking set from Melissa & Doug for your next beach trip. These “baking” toys are all inspired by sea creatures, ensuring that they will look especially cute while you’re at the seaside. This kit contains everything that your child needs to “bake” sand cookies, including cookie cutters, a cookie sheet, sprinkles shaker, shell-shaped dishes, and a spatula.
When your child is done baking for the day, all of the pieces can go back inside the mesh bag for a quick rinse and dry so that you don’t have to deal with sand dropping all over the inside of your vehicle. Because your child can roll out and cut ocean-themed cookies for as long as they want, they are sure to enjoy creating a small bakery at the beach, which is a fun way to spend long hours on the sand. The pieces themselves are decorated with crabs, and the cookie cutters are in the shapes of cracks, starfish, and a fish, making them fun and exciting to use at the beach.
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5. Toysmith Beach Set
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There are a few basic toys that every child will need when they go to the beach to ensure that they are able to dig, build, and explore. With this set from Toysmith, you can buy everything that you need all at once. This bright set is designed to last in the hot sun without fading, and features all of the basic toys that your child will want while exploring the oceanside.
With a shovel-sieve, watering can, molds, spade, bucket, and smaller sieve, the only limit to the kind of play your child can enjoy is their imagination. Since the pieces are all so brightly colored, you won’t need to worry about misplacing them or having problems finding them when it is time to pack up and go home. The included plastic storage bag is see-through so that you can easily find the toy that you want without problems, and it has handles to make carrying toys to and from the beach as easy as possible.
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Choosing the Top Beach Toys for Your Child: Buyer's Guide
From the durability of beach toys to the educational value they provide, there are several design elements that will help you determine which product is best for your child. Here are some key features to search for when investing in toys for the beach for your 4 year old:
Durability
There’s no quicker way to a meltdown than choosing a toy made with cheap materials that ends up breaking on the first day at the beach. Durability of beach toys is important because the products will be exposed to the elements, like the sun, sand, water and wind.
The most durable beach toys for kids are made of plastic, because it’s a hard, durable and waterproof material that is resistant to the sand and sun. Additionally, plastic is lightweight, and easy to clean and store for later use. Although saltwater can breakdown many materials, kids beach toys made of plastic can withstand these elements for many uses to come.
The added benefit of choosing a toy for the beach that’s made of plastic, this style of toy can be used in a variety of locations. They can be used in pools, freshwater rivers or lakes, playgrounds and sandboxes, and more.
Ease in Cleaning
A durable beach toy will withstand a solid cleaning after use, and can be stored nearly anywhere for more fun at another time. After playtime at the beach is over, it’s important to clean toys to maintain their integrity and longevity. During use at the beach, toys will pick up sand, debris, germs and more- so it’s important that the toys design is easy to clean.
Additionally, toys for kids at the beach are best shared clean, so make sure to sanitize from germs for later use.
Portability
Because beach toys for your children will be hauled to and from many different locations, the weight and size of toys greatly affect its portability. Not only should the size of this toy be suitable for 4 year olds, but it should be lightweight enough that users of any age can carry it around with ease.
Additionally, lightweight beach toys that come with their own carrying case make hauling them to the beach a breeze.
Educational
Aside from being a fun and entertaining activity, playing games at the beach can also be a quality learning experience for your child. From sensory learning like making sand molds, to perfecting basic skills in sand castle building, the best toys for the beach will help your child explore their skills, engage their creativity and imagination, and improve fine motor skills.
Toys for kids at the beach can be used as great tools to encourage your child’s sense of play and learning. Not only will you create fun memories for your child, but they can also practice new and exciting skills.
Recommended Age
Whether you’re buying for your own child, or someone else’s, the child’s age will play an important role in choosing which product is suitable. Some toys aren’t designed for young children because of their size, style, or how the product is used. On the other hand, toys designed for young children will likely bore older children.
Since this product guide is exploring the best toys for 4 year olds at the beach, all options on this list are best suited for kids in this learning and age range.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for a beach trip takes a lot of planning, which is why we created this guide to the top toys for the beach on the market today to suit your 4 year olds needs. Make sure that you are prepared with plenty of activities and toys for them to enjoy while you are on vacation so that everyone has the best time possible.
When considering beach toys, make sure that you choose ones that will appeal to your child and that you think they will get the most use out of. This will keep them from getting bored and means that they will be willing to play with the same toys multiple trips in a row.
Do you have a favorite beach toy for your 4 year old that didn’t make it to this list? We would love to hear about it in the comment section below. Seaside Planet is a community of fellow ocean lovers, and we invite our readers to start a conversation in our blog!
Megan Jones leads the editorial staff of Seaside Planet. They are a multidisciplinary team of outdoor adventurers, water sports lovers, and passionate beach goers. You can learn more about Meg and the rest of the editorial team here.