Games for a Four Year Old

Lid Match Up

• Collect a variety of containers and lids. These may be storage containers from around the house or empty food containers like coffee cans and fruit juice bottles. Place the containers in one pile and the matching lids in another. Set a timer for one minute and have your child place as many of the lids on the correct containers as she can. If there are other children, let them each take a turn, comparing the number each child completed during the one-minute period. Or to avoid a competitive tone, let the kids work together as a team to complete the task. If only one child is playing, have him try the challenge again to see if he can beat his original score. This game promotes logical thinking and fine motor skills.

Treasure Hunt

• Organize a treasure hunt around your home. Create a series of clues that guide your child around the designated area. Each clue gives a hint to the location of the next clue. Write the clues in a way that makes the child think about it without being impossible for him to solve. For example, a clue for the refrigerator could say, "I keep things cold so they are safe to eat." Every 4-year-old has different comprehension abilities, so adjust the difficulty of the clues to fit your child. Have a small treat waiting at the last location in the treasure hunt.

  A similar option is to hide several shapes or letter cutouts around the room. Have your child search through the room to find as many of the items as possible. Give him clues if he misses some of the objects. To improve shape or letter recognition, hide several different shapes or letters but ask the child to only collect a certain one. For example, have him collect only circles or only the letter B. This allows you to focus on the recognition of specific concepts.

Transfer Games

• Games that involve transferring objects from one container to another call on a child's fine motor skills and coordination. You can give your child chopsticks or a pair of giant tweezers to transfer the objects. Cotton balls, blocks, popcorn or other small objects work well for the transfer. Place the items in one bowl and have your child move them to another bowl.

  Another transfer idea involves paper shapes and a straw. Cut several shapes from lightweight paper or tissue paper. Provide the child with a straw and have her suck in through the straw to pick up a piece of paper. The suction holds the paper on the end of the straw as she places it in a bowl or another pile. Time her to see how long it takes to transfer a certain number of shapes.