What are the best age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids? To answer this, let’s first take a look at some developmental milestones for 5-year-old kids.
In this year, your kiddo will be able to count, to draw, and understands geometric shapes. Socially, your child has already started making friends but now he will want to act like his friends and to please them. Your 5-year-old expresses himself by singing, dancing, drawing, and even acting. That’s why pretend-play toys are excellent for them to strengthen their communication skills. At the same time, your little prince or princess is showing a hint of independence and can be demanding from time to time.
So what are the best gifts for a 5-year-old kid? What toys are suitable for their unique characters and help them learn? What toys are popular among 5-year-old boys and girls? Let’s check out what our experts and many parents are saying.
1. Car Wash Playset for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Impressive color-changing feature
- Interactive gator jaw escape
- Many interactive checkpoints
- Unique design to incorporate water
When it comes to age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids, pretend-play toy sets are no strangers. This Car Wash Playset is a huge hit for many 5-year-olds because of its unique feature to add water to the tracks. In order to complete the car wash journey, your little one needs to pour water to the reservoir and manually check-in to release the car at many interactive checkpoints along the way. But that’s not all! At the end of the trip, there is a hungry gator who’s actively hunting for food! Watch out, kiddo! This toy set is quite expensive but will be a special and cool toy for your 5-year-old to brag about to his friends.
Read More: 8 Cool Bath Toys For 5-Year-Olds
2. Age-Appropriate Sports Machine for 5-Year-Old Boys
Baseball & Tennis Pitching Machine
Why We Love It?
- 2-in-1 pitching machine for both baseball & tennis
- Two modes: remote control and auto mode
- Comes with kids-safe tennis balls and baseballs
- Helps your kid stay active and learn to focus
Indoor toys are easy-to-find and great to keep kids quiet and entertained. But we also need to provide outdoor playtime that keeps our kids physically active and strong. This iPlay iLearn 2-in-1 Baseball and Tennis Pitching Machine is an exceptional toy that is appropriate and exciting to 5-year-olds. In a press of a button, you can switch between the auto mode and the remote control mode. It provides flexibility for different training styles. Another thing to love about this toy is that it comes with high-quality foam balls as well as a bonus tennis racquet. All in all, this pitching machine will certainly be one of the best age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids who are also sports fans.
3. Age-Appropriate Nerf Blaster for 5-Year-Old Boys
Why We Love It?
- Inspired by kids’ favorite Spiderman theme
- Has the option to add other web shot gear accessories
- Weighs less than 1 lb
- Uses foam darts that are safe for kids
Nerf blasters are always loved by toddlers and teens. The bad news for 5-year-old kids is that most nerf guns are designed for children older than 8 years. This Spiderman Nerf Blaster, however, is suitable for 5-years and plus. The design of this nerf gun requires your child to mount it on his arm to ensure a steady grip. Additionally, the nerf darts are made with gentle foam that will not cause injury or pain. Of course, your toddler should know that he should never aim it at people’s or animals’ eyes. If your baby likes to go fancy and try a new look, you can also order different accessory gear through Amazon. My biggest disappointment is that they only included three foam darts. So you may want to get more nerf darts along with this toy.
Read More: Best NERF Gun for 6-Year-Old Kids
4. Dancing Pet for 5-Year-Old Girls
Why We Love It?
- Adorable appearance
- Color-changing horn that can also light up
- Responds to patting and feeding
- Comes with feeding and grooming accessories
It’s no secret that baby girls are already fascinated by unicorns. Sparkle is not just another regular unicorn, she can dance and react to your baby girl’s love. When your 5-year-old baby feeds her her favorite cupcake or gently strokes her back, Sparkle will reciprocate her love with glowing horn and happy trots. But there is more! Her hair will change to a different color! As your 5-year-old starts to socialize with other kids and tries to form a more solid relationship, Sparkle is there to teach her love and kindness. That’s why it’s one of the best age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids that teach them to be affectionate.
5. Best Drawing Toy for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Reusable transparent drawing board
- Glows and blinks in the dark
- Can be converted to an LED sign
- Comes with washable gel markers
The Crayola Light-Up Drawing Board is a different kind of drawing toy. According to CDC’s developmental guidelines for 5-year-olds, your 5-year-old kiddo will be able to draw more advanced characters such as a person with at least 6 body parts. The Crayola Light-Up Drawing Tablet uses transparent reusable drawing plastic rather than traditional whiteboards. The washable gel FX markers make vivid colors that glow in the dark, thanks to a built-in LED light. Not only that, but this drawing board can also turn into a LED sign that blinks to show off the amazing artwork made by your little talent. One note is that even though the seller suggests this toy for 6 years or older, the manufacturer’s recommended age is 5 years plus.
6. Age-Appropriate Camera for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Functional camera with a memory card
- Full features resemble adults’ cameras
- Takes photos and records videos
- Includes camera accessories
We parents like to capture every precious moment with our kids by taking photos and videos. But photo taking shouldn’t be a privilege for adults! This Kiddie Digital Camera is as functional as it’s attractive. They have all necessary functions such as photo shooting, video recording, playback, burst shooting, and delayed shooting. What’s more, your 5-year-old can also play puzzle games on it! Unlike other electronic products, this digital camera teaches her how to snap photos, construct a picture, and work with lights. It is a fantastic toy to bring to birthday parties and family gatherings. With a full charge, it can last 2 to 3 hours. So if your little one is into electronics, why not give her age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids that provides her a jump start.
7. Interactive Animal for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Equipped with 3 modes: nurture, dance, and spin
- Can detect your child’s cheek and give her a kiss
- 6 different dance moves
- Can be worn on your child’s clothes
5-year-old kids are social animals. Their emotional development has advanced to a point where they like to hang out with their friends, be part of a group, and be liked by others. That’s why Pixie Belles are a hugely popular interactive animal among 5-year-olds today. This cute animal has three modes: nurture mode, power dance mode, and spin mode. It is built to love and please. Watch as your little one puts it near her cheek. It automatically detects the cheek and will give your kiddo a big kiss. There are four characters your little one can choose from. Plus, if your kid wants to bring her favorite new friend to a party, she can clip it on her clothes using the magnetic power pod.
8. Age-Appropriate Blocks for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Magnetic tiles in different geometric shapes
- Soft edges to prevent injury
- Made with non-toxic material and easy to organize
- Great open-ended STEM toy for intellectual development
At the age of 5, kids start to have a better understanding of geometric shapes. There are many things to love about the Castle Magnetic Blocks. The blocks come in different colors and two shapes. Each piece also has magnetics that can hold the final construction together. Therefore, your 5-year-old can pick up his new design and play with it like a toy. Another added benefit of the magnetics is that you can easily stack all pieces together and store them away. With a little creativity, your child can turn this toy set into castles, Ferris wheels, bikes, and even robots.
9. AR-Based Age-Appropriate Toy for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Interactive toy that makes it fun to learn math
- Compatible with iOS and Android tablets and phones
- Different difficulty levels that are adaptive to kids’ age
- Can play independently or with friends
If you think artificial intelligence (AR) is too far-fetched for a 5-year-old kid, wait till you see the Shifu Plugo AR Math Game Toy. All you need to do is to place your Android or iOS phone or tablet into the slot, then your kid can answer problems by placing the right symbol on the count spike. Then magically, her answer will be sent to the tablet for an evaluation. What a brilliant way to combine children’s obsession of electronics and the education of numbers and equations. With this toy, your kiddo will perceive math as something fun and entertaining. In addition, she can also invite her friends over for a math problem-solving competition.
10. Unique Puzzle for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- LED lights can display in four patterns
- Unlimited ways to design an artwork
- Lights-up and blinks
- Comes with 200 colorful pegs
It’s no secret that 5-year-olds are little artists who also like things that are unique and cool. If you don’t already know, the Basic Fun Lite-Brite has already been a huge hit among preschoolers. It was named the best Classic Toy for Kids by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. Don’t be fooled by its retro look. Once your little one lights up the LED bulbs, the color pegs glow and blink in different patterns and your kiddo’s artwork will look fancy and lively. Besides the six designs that come in the package, your child can go to Basic Fun’s website to download more cool patterns. If you ever run out of pegs, you can get more from Amazon.
11. Age-Appropriate Math Toy for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Simple math problems for small kids
- Great concept to teach kids to count
- Suitable for home and school use
- Comes with instruction cards
As your child gets ready to go to the elementary school, the biggest concern for most parents is whether their child will be able to catch up with complex subjects, especially math. Worry no more, parents! This Monkey Balance Scale is a cool toy that is both entertaining and educational. It comes with little monkey figurines, numbers, and instruction cards. Perfect for preschoolers to get familiarized with simple maths. The most unique feature is that the scale can tell your child if he is counting correctly to not. Thanks to the brilliant design to translate numbers to weight. Rocking a 4.7 star on Amazon with thousands of reviews, this toy is absolutely one of the best education and age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids.
12. Interactive Map for 5-Year-Old Kids
Why We Love It?
- Learn 5 fun facts for each state
- Learning mode and quiz mode
- Fabric mat that can also be used as a playmat
- Won multiple awards
As the winner of the Family Choice, Mom’s Choice Gold Metal & Tillywig Brain Child Award and the Creative Child Seal of Excellence Award, the i-Poster Interactive USA Map is the best age-appropriate toys for 5-year-old kids that teach geography. This poster map is made with soft fabric and is responsive. That’s why your child can pace the learning on her own and also participate in a quiz mode. Your child will learn lots of information about the country and each state. This is a great toy to help enhance your child’s memory and broaden her knowledge about the US.
Cecilia Yeung is a successful entrepreneur and product researcher. She has a background in psychology and children’s education. As a working mother of two, she loves to write about children’s education and development.
