Five-year-olds aren’t toddlers but they’re still learning fundamental skills for their development. More interestingly, they’re starting to develop interests like science, art and dance, which makes finding the best gifts for 5-year-olds easier.
Much like 4-year-olds, 3-year-olds and even 2-year-olds or 1-year-olds, 5-year-olds are constantly on the move and likely have a toy collection growing by the year. Fortunately, there is an abundance of fun new toys that are also educational, so you can feel good about giving them.
“[Playtime] is how children learn. Toys are the tools that help them play and therefore learn. You can play a lot without toys, but developmentally appropriate toys facilitate opportunities for learning and growth,” Dr. Robert D. Keder, developmental-behavioral pediatrician (DBP) at Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the UCONN School of Medicine told the New York Post.
Whether you’re searching for a birthday gift, something for Christmas or just because, we have 31 gift ideas for 5-year-olds that are expert-backed and Post Wanted approved.
Jump to: Our experts | FAQ
Best Gifts for 5-Year-Olds
If you’re searching for Christmas gifts for 5-year-olds that put all others to shame, splurge on the Banwood Classic Bike. The 16-inch has an adjustable saddle and handlebars, plus comes with a cute wicker basket for your kid’s toys. More importantly, it’s durable and fitted with training wheels to teach them the basics of steering and balancing.
Dr. Jacqueline Harding, a child development and education expert, recommends science activity kits.
“When a young child begins to engage in simple experiments, it starts to provoke critical thinking,” Harding said. “There is no doubt that in the future the world will need children who are capable of being inquisitive, creative and good at solving problems. So why not help them get started with this simple kit that helps them dip their toes into the wonderful world of science.”
The KiwiCo Geologist Starter Kit is our pick. The bestseller comes with a mini rock museum, a volcano that erupts pom-poms, and an assortment of child-friendly tools to explore the world of minerals and rocks.
The award-winning Skimmatics Card Game is a scavenger hunt game to be played indoors. Each card prompts children to find household items that match a given description, such as ‘Something smaller than your palm.’ Once the child locates it, they yell ‘Found it,’ and move on to the next. The game teaches critical thinking, reading, and cooperation skills.
“Five-year-olds need hands-on activities,” Harding told us, which is why we recommend the PlayShify Plugo Tunes. It has more than 50 songs for kids to learn and works with a variety of tablets. Along with being fun, the mini piano fosters motor skills, hand-eye coordination, memory skills, and concentration.
If you’re looking for cool gifts for 5-year-olds, we strongly suggest this kid-friendly electric car. It has 360-degree swivel steering, flash wheels, and even plays music. While your child will think it’s all about an easy ride, the toy strengthens coordination.
Five-year-olds aren’t ready for smartphones but they can enjoy walkie-talkies with a friend. This set from Little Pretender has a 2 mile range and an easy push-button operation that’s simple for a child to master. Like a regular walkie-talkie, there are multiple channels and even a handy built-in flashlight for exploring around the home.
The intuitive interface, protective case and large buttons make the GoFunly Kids’ Camera an optimal gift for kids with an eye for capturing the moment. The digital camera offers 28 frames, six filters, and 15 photo effects that a 5-year-old will love.
“Exploring the art of filmmaking at a young age is exciting, and with just a little adult support and guidance, children can make great progress. Be prepared to be impressed by your child’s ability to create their own narratives,” said Harding.
These chunky paint sticks are big enough for little hands and will be welcomed by kids with a creative edge. Each painting has a twistable cap and is quick-drying, so parents don’t have to wait an hour to hang up their child’s latest masterpiece.
This 100-piece set of magnetic panels allows kids to construct buildings and shapes to create a mini world to play in. Children can build skyscrapers, houses and imaginary worlds to their heart’s content.
“Play and brain growth are happy companions along the journey of development. Young children can make sound educational progress with well-designed toys like these magnetic tiles for building,” said Harding. “They are perfect for nudging children toward beginning to explore and foster a love of exciting fields such as science, technology, engineering and math.”
Teach children about the world beyond with LeapFrog Magic Adventures Globe. Its display plays hundreds of BBC videos, each highlighting a different country, capital, and the animals in its habitat. The interactive toy also has quizzes and is easy enough for 5-year-olds to operate after a quick tutorial from a grownup.
For the 5-year-old who loves dance: SUNLIN Dance Mat
Save the expensive dance classes for another year and go with something more budget-friendly. The SUNLIN Dance Mat teaches balance, rhythm, and hand-eye coordination while cranking out catchy tunes. The music and light-up pad act as dance cues for a child to follow, teaching simple choreography that even someone with two left feet can learn. The pad also has an anti-slip mat beneath for extra safety.
This talking clock announces the time when kids move their hands, and it can be used for time-telling games where parents challenge kids to figure out how to set it to different times of the day. It also doubles as a nightlight and sleep aid with 10 pieces of classical music it can play to lull kids to sleep.
“Learning to tell the time takes time to learn,” said Harding. “The best way to come to terms with the challenging concepts involved in the passage of time lies in the ability to make it fun, and toys like this offer enjoyment in abundance.”
Made with little feet in mind, the galaxy-inspired soccer ball is an easy way to get kids off of the couch and out into the yard. They’ll learn balance, hand and eye coordination, and most importantly, burn off some energy.
Child experts often recommend toys from Melissa & Doug, which effortlessly blend education with play. The See & Spell Learning Toy aids in sight reading and fine motor skills, with easy-to-handy double-sided puzzle pieces. Small enough for travel and battery-free, it’s a favorite of parents everywhere.
For the little guy or gal who loves learning about our solar system, this play toy is bound to put a smile on their face.
“The new GeoSafari Jr. Talking Space Explorer from Educational Insights is a great gift for budding stargazers. Because this is also an age when kids start to absorb more of the information you are feeding them, this toy creates a truly immersive astronomy experience for kids,” Jennifer Lynch, Content Developer & Toy Trends Specialist for The Toy Association, with more than a decade in the toy industry, told The Post.
“They not only learn facts about the universe, narrated by science expert, Emily Calandrelli, but they also get to look at more than 100 images right from NASA,” Lynch said.
Playing pretend is all about imaginative play, and we foresee lots of that with the Birdie Tea Set in your child’s future. Made from sustainably harvested rubberwood, the set includes a cupcake, teapot, two cups and saucers, two spoons, and a tea bag.
While many kids and adults of all ages enjoy LEGOs, when it comes to the 5-year age group, Lynch recommends starting with the LEGO Classic set first.
“The LEGO Classics Lots of Bricks set is perfect for inspiring kids to build literally anything they want. Designed for ages 5 and up, this set is a stepping stone to more complex building kits and a step up from the LEGO Duplo sets designed for younger kids,” Lynch said. “The guides are easy enough to help kids get started with basic builds and spark their imaginations to keep building.”
Toys encourage imaginative play and The MrBeast Lab Mutators offers endless hours of entertainment. Place the action figure into the lab to transform it into a panther. Kids will love it.
Some gifts for 5-year-olds are meant to make them smile, and what could be more smile-inducing than squishy gummy bears? Best of all, the toy doubles as a light that can be kept on during sleep to keep closet monsters at bay.
Children can use stuffed animals to engage in creative play and strengthen social skills. This Wild Republic Giraffe Plush is a favorite of thousands, is ultra soft, and makes a perfect bestie for any 5-year-old. If they’re not in their giraffe era, a variety of other animals are available, including an elephant and penguin.
The Fisher-Price Rockin’ Record Player is one of the hottest toys of 2024. It plays 20 different songs in five musical styles and each one will have your kiddo jumping.
“5-year-olds are learning more about the world around them. This is a fun way to see the life cycle of a butterfly in their own home,” Jillian Abbinanti, former toy store manager of 25 years at Timeless Toys in Chicago with a degree in Early Child Education from North Park University and a 6-year-old of her own, told the New York Post.
The Nature Bound Butterfly Growing Kit comes with a 13-inch mesh habitat perfect for butterfly viewing. All you need to do is capture a caterpillar! The set also comes with a bug booklet and complete instructions.
Although this best gift for 5-year-olds doesn’t light up, morph or do anything techy, it’s an awesome pick. Spanning 75 years of Golden Books classics, the 12 hardcovers span great reads from the 1940s to 2017 and include The Poky Little Puppy and The Whispering Rabbit.
Best music gift for 5-year-olds: Yoto Player
Dr. Robert D. Keder, DBP at Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center believes kids should only use electronics in moderation, one music-related toy that he does highly recommend is the YOTO player.
“It’s essentially like a digital Walkman for kids; it’s fairly affordable for what it is, the mini-player travels well, and you have the option of getting books, music, stories, and activity cards for it too; most importantly, you don’t have to fight over your phone and don’t have to worry about dangerous algorithms that suck kids in and risk exposing them to dangerous content,” he said.
Kids take turns spinning the wheel, feeding the kangaroo donuts and finding out who tips the scales and makes the cartoonish animal go to the bathroom. The potty humor angle always brings a smile to kids’ faces, and the simple setup makes this game easy for kids of almost all ages to play together.
“Popping is the height of comedy for kids in this age group,” said Christopher Byrne, toy analyst and consultant, also known as the Toy Guy. “This silly game asks kids to feed the Kangaroo ‘donuts.’ Eventually, he’ll have to, well, you know. Then you have to grab the donuts, but not the ‘do’s.’ We played this with a bunch of kids at this age,and they couldn’t stop laughing.”
The beloved blue train still resonates with today’s kids, and this set lets children play with Thomas on a classic wooden track set that they get to build themselves. It also includes adapters to connect the tracks to other kids from the “Thomas and Friends” world, and the magnetic Thomas can of course accommodate other train cars.
“It is well established that imaginary play with small-world toys offers exciting biological and neurological benefits for children,” said Harding. “Children who play with toy trains can develop better thinking and social skills, allowing them to learn and practice collaboration, cooperation and social understanding while interacting with others.”
For those looking to up their child’s social skills, Laurie Leahey, Senior Editor at TTPM likes Upbounders’ board games.
“Picnic Panic and Block Party board games are both great ways to help kids practice teamwork, strategy, and social skills. In Picnic Panic, kids work together to collect all six supply cards before the guests arrive at the picnic party. Block Party is a Chutes and Ladders-style game,” Leahey said.
If you want to gift the little one in your life a coding game, Leahey recommends the Andy the Code & Play Robot from Target.
“Andy the Code & Play Robot introducing kids to programming skills in a fun and hands-on way. Use the buttons on Andy’s head to tell him which direction to go. There are three modes of play, including dance mode. The toy also comes with coding cards to give kids a challenge of programming Andy from one location to another,” Leahey said.
This play set includes a rainbow-themed house (with very cool water slide) that kids can assemble and then use to play with their four included Hatchimals. Each Hatchimal animal comes to life through a simple and mess-free “hatching” process that requires only water.
“Five-year-olds love to use their imagination and nurture others,” said Keri Wilmot, pediatric occupational therapist, also known as The Toy Queen. “Fill up a tiny baby bottle with water, remove the pacifier from the Hatchimal egg, feed it water and wait for the reveal! Then kids can use their Hatchimals inside the nursery play set.”
Another great marble run toy? Jillian Abbinanti, former toy store manager of 25 years choice resides with the brand Hape.
“I love the Quadrilla Marble Runs. They are sturdier than a plastic marble run and easier to build with small hands. 5-year-olds will be familiar with using this set since it mirrors playing with traditional wooden blocks,” Abbinanti said.
Children can use the simple sticks and connector orbs to build frameworks that become tents once you toss the included outer space tarp over top. This toy can be used indoors and outdoors and is a big hit at sleepovers.
“The flexibility offered by toys like this means that children are in creative control with a range of possible building structures available to them,” said Harding. “This exciting building kit can ignite a child’s imagination as they build caves, tunnels, forts, rockets, tents, and houses. The opportunity to appreciate more about how to plan and execute ideas to create different structures is learning at its best.”
Meet the Experts:
- Jennifer Lynch, Content Developer & Toy Trends Specialist at the The Toy Association
- Jillian Abbinanti, former toy store manager of 25 years
- Laurie Leahey, Senior Editor at TTPM
- Liv Hanson, Content Curator for Youth Materials at the Chicago Public Library
- Eva Shapiro, Associate Director for Early Literacy Programs and Services at the New York Public Library
- Heather Barnum, Senior Librarian at the New York Public Library
- Natalie Martins, owner of the kids’ bike review site, Two Wheeling Tots
- Dr. Nicole Napolitano, mother of two boys, 5 and 7-years-old, NY-based dentist
- Jennifer Adams, mother of 5-year-old daughter, NY-based residential mortgage banking specialist
- Dr. Robert D. Keder, DBP at Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center
- Keri Wilmot, pediatric occupational therapist, also known as The Toy Queen
- Dr. Jacqueline Harding, international child development expert and author
- Yesim Kunter, child’s play expert and independent consultant
- Dr. Lauren Loquasto, Chief Academic Officer at The Goddard School
- Christopher Byrne, toy analyst and consultant, also known as the Toy Guy
An FAQ on the 5-year-old age group, from experts
Ahead, our team of child development experts provide insight into the 5-year-old age group and what defines playtime at this stage.
Please note, the following responses are attributed to Dr. Keder.
What child development skills are prominent in the 5-year-old age group?
- Language: Begin taking perspectives, keep conversations going, recognize and use rhymes, start telling and making up stories and answering questions about the story
- Cognitive: Counting, identifying numbers, identifying letters, using words relating to time (yesterday, tomorrow, etc), writing their name.
- Motor skills: Can do more fine motor skills like buttoning their own shirt, drawing, hopping on one foot, etc.
- Social and emotional skills: Able to follow rules and take turns, play games, sing, act, dance, do simple chores, play more elaborate “pretend play” games and start changing their behavior based on where they are (home, school, with friends, etc.)
What’s the difference between toys for 5-year-olds and toys for 4-year-olds or 6-year-olds?
“As kids start hitting the 5 and 6-year-old [age] group they have more advance motor skills and planning skills (executive function). This is why plastic bricks like LEGOs get smaller and designs become more complex. This is also an age where the options for board games really take off!” Keder said.
How can child development issues impact the type of toys 5-year-olds play with?
“Toys should always meet a child where they are developmentally. Some kids are more advanced, and some need more time, support, and repetition,” Keder told The Post. “It’s important to note that the age on a lot of toys is not always where a child is developmentally but is more often at what typically developing age it is thought for the child to be safe to play with a toy.”
“Children with developmental delays/disabilities might like toys that are designed for younger children. That’s okay! Each child has their own interests. Children with autism may play with toys in a different way, seeking more sensory enjoyment from it that playing with it how a neurotypical child might. That is okay,” Keder explained. “We have to check our social skill and thinking privilege; it might cause us to be biased and prefer that a child plays a certain way. What is most important is does the toy help their learning? And does it help them continue to develop loving relationships with supportive adults.”
Are there any types of toys in particular that will help encourage 5-year-olds to listen?
“Board games help with planning and turn taking. Social play ground games like Simon Says encourage listening and learning how to control impulses. Electronic toys may claim they help develop these skills, but they are nowhere near as effective as doing activities one on one with a child or in a group,” Keder said. “Puzzles and construction sets do encourage learning how to check yourself and provide opportunities to check for and rewind and do over when mistakes happen (in a nice and safe no risk environment too!)”
Games to avoid buying for 5-year-olds?
While Keder doesn’t mind video games, he recommends steering clear of them while your little one is so young.
“Children still struggle with knowing when things have their hooks sunk into them. Video games are built to be addictive [and 5-year-olds] don’t often have the control to stop and wait because the game is too tempting,” Keder said. “On the same note, kids this age are not the best planners and are not able to see possible dangerous consequences. I avoid toys that shoot things, have sharp parts, or could do damage to siblings, pets, and furniture at this age.”
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