The 20 Best Toys for 5-Year-Olds of 2021

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Our Top Picks

Trouble at Walmart

"It's a great intro to family game night for two to four players."

Stomp Rocket Jr Glow at Bed Bath & Beyond

"Kids can take turns or play alone."

LEGO Classic Bricks and Animals at lego.com

"The simple guides and fun models get kids building, with plenty of blocks left for creative play."

Magic in a Snap at Amazon

"The tricks are simple for young kids to master but amazing to see performed."

Camouflage Binoculars at Nordstrom

"A vinyl case with shoulder straps ensures safe keeping."

Melissa and Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle at Walmart

"The extra-thick cardboard makes this a long-lasting puzzle."

Aeroplane Wings at hannaandersson.com

"Dressing up encourages creativity and time away from screens."

Razor A Scooter at Amazon

"Your kid will be off and scootering as soon as you open the box."

Scissor Skills Activity Pad at melissaanddoug.com

"The 20 paper-cutting projects will push kids to use their fine motor skills"

Zingo! at Walmart

"Like Bingo, but more educational."

When they reach 5 years old, kids become more social and have longer attention spans, in addition to having dexterity and mobility. Therefore, the range of toys they can successfully play with expands.

Whether playing indoors, outside, alone, or with friends and family, keeping a 5-year-old busy is easy with the right toy. We're here to help with some of our favorites.

Our Top Picks

Trouble

Race your opponents around the board in this easy to learn and fast-to-play game. The Pop-o-Matic bubble will be a blast from the past and keeps the die from getting lost. This game is a great intro to family game night for two to four players.

Stomp Rocket Jr Glow

Super fun for outdoor play, these 100% kid-powered rockets require no batteries or special equipment. Simply stomp on the launcher and the rocket will shoot into the air, up to 100 feet high! Kids can take turns or play alone.

LEGO Classic Bricks and Animals

Whether your 5-year-old is a LEGO fanatic or a newbie, this set certainly brings the fun. With 1,500 pieces, there are instructions for 10 easy-to-build animals like a peacock, snail, unicorn, and more. The simple guides and fun models get kids building, with plenty of blocks left for creative play.

Magic in a Snap

Everything a budding magician needs to build their confidence is in this 12-piece magic set. The tricks are simple for young kids to master but amazing to see performed. With illustrated instructions, your young magician will be ready to perform in a snap.

Camouflage Binoculars

Whether camping, hiking, birdwatching, or playing in the backyard, your 5-year-old will love this soon-to-be a must-have accessory. Made of plastic, these binoculars are equipped for fun.

With a 3.5x magnification, a built-in compass, and a light beam that shines up to 100 feet, your child will be entertained for hours. A vinyl case with shoulder straps ensures safekeeping.

Melissa and Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle

Promote hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, and build self-esteem with this beautifully crafted 48-piece puzzle. You’ll need lots of “space” since it’s more than 2 feet by 3 feet when fully assembled. The extra-thick cardboard makes this a long-lasting puzzle.

Aeroplane Wings

These high-quality costumes are fun for pretend play any day of the week (not just Halloween). Dressing up encourages creativity, time away from screens, and is fun alone or with a group. There are matching accessories to enhance the costume.

Razor A Scooter

If your child has been on a scooter for a while, it’s time to upgrade to a two-wheeled scooter. This classic Razor is the OG of scooters. With no assembly required and lots of cool colors to choose from, your kid will be off and scootering as soon as you open the box.

Scissor Skills Activity Pad

Willingly giving a 5 year old a pair of scissors can be risky, but not with this creative activity pad. Starting from simple and moving to more complex tasks, the 20 paper-cutting projects will push kids to use fine motor skills by practicing different cutting skills and techniques through games and crafts.

Zingo!

Like Bingo, but more educational, Zingo! is a fast-paced game that encourages pre-readers and early readers to match the words and pictures on the tiles to the words and pictures on the card. The game is fun with two to six players.

Intro to Engineering

An award-winning kit, future engineers will enjoy working on the 21 experiments. It has 70 pieces of equipment, and a 48-page manual will walk them through each project. After covering some fundamentals, little engineers can create land vehicles with wheels, a helicopter, sailboats, and other water-powered vehicles.

Flybar Pogo Stick

If your 5-year-old is looking for the next fun thing, try a pogo stick. The wide bounce tip is thick and durable, making it the perfect intro pogo stick. This fun activity burns energy and will make your kid jump with excitement and ready to go outside.

Squigz

These flexible, pliable, stimulating toys are great for open-ended creative play. The pieces easily connect and then pop apart with a satisfying sound. Primed for relaxation and sensory stimulation, these toys increase fine motor skills, creativity, and playfulness.

Kid Made Modern Comic Book Kit

Little authors will have everything they need to create their very own comic book or graphic novel. The hardcover book features 32 pages of blank cells. A slew of crafting materials including ink and stamps, stencils, and markers complete the set.

Butterfly Garden

For nature-loving kids, this kit has everything you need for real-world experience in your own home, including a pop-up butterfly habitat, instructions, and a feeding dropper. Complete the enclosed voucher and five baby caterpillars and their food will be sent to your home when you’re ready to raise them.

Giant T-Rex Plush

If you want to make a statement, it’s hard to find a bolder one than a 55-inch plush T-Rex dinosaur. This guy will tower over your 5-year-old as it stands guard in the bedroom, playroom, or anywhere the T-Rex wants to go.

41-Piece Star Diner Restaurant Play Set

Order up! Kids will cook up lots of fun with an imagination-filled set that has everything your 5-year-old needs to run their very own diner. From wooden foods, to reusable menus, aprons, guest checks, and more, this set will be a fun playtime favorite.

Bollie Ladybug Kickball

A sweet ball is perfect for kicking, catching, throwing, bouncing, and everything in between. Made of durable rubber, this ball is all you need for games in the backyard, playground, or anywhere outdoors.

Space Exploration Memory Game

Put your memory to the test with this beautifully made space-themed game. The 24 sets of cards include images of the planets, their moons, and space facts. Memory can be played alone or with others.

Flying Turtle

The classic zig-zagging scooter will bring so much fun to your driveway, patio, park, or floors. By just swinging the handlebars from side-to-side, your 5-year-old will gain momentum to move all around. They’re almost as fun to watch as they are to ride.

Why Trust Verywell Family

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She's also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 6-year-old son, and 2-year-old daughter. Her kids love being active, so scooters, pogo sticks, and even the amazing Flying Turtle have all been hits when her kids were 5 years old.