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Five-year-olds are small people with very big personalities, so it should come as no surprise that choosing the best gifts for them can be a difficult process. Although toddler tantrums are (thankfully) a thing of the past, you’re still only one bad gift choice away from ruining their entire day. Personally, I can still remember the things I DIDN’T get for Christmas (Mr. Frosty, I mean you) more clearly than the ones I did get, so it’s definitely worth being diligent.
At age five, children enter their very opinionated big-kid era. “They usually have certain interests, maybe even characters, animals or colors that they love and are obsessed with,” says Kelly Oriard, licensed family therapist, former school counselor and co-founder of Slumberkins. Now is about the time when they also fall in love with “games that they feel like they can work on and master.”
They also rapidly develop their cognitive and social skills. They can suddenly write their name (maybe read a few simple sentences!), understand the concept of time better, distinguish fantasy from reality, tell longer stories, and even count to 100 or more. Some may also start participating in organized sports, which quickly improves their physical condition.
To help you find the right toys that will keep your child entertained while encouraging new interests, we enlisted the help of real parents. Some of the highlights? Aqua Beads and Farm Yard Stamps to improve fine motor skills and encourage creativity, scooters to let off all that excess energy, and talkies and costumes to encourage role play. Whether you’re looking for gifts for a birthday, Christmas, or just to say “I love you,” these are the best gifts for five-year-olds, according to parents who’ve been there.
Below you’ll find our full selection of the best gifts for five year olds.
