Raising Kids Gear and Products The 22 Best Toys for 6-Year-Olds of 2022 From classic games to modern tech toys, these are our top picks for busy kiddos By Deanna McCormack Deanna McCormack Twitter Deanna McCormack is a beauty, parenting, and lifestyle writer who has written for Bustle, Byrdie, TheEverymom.com, and more. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 18, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Family articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and family healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Vanessa Nzeh, MD Medically reviewed by Vanessa Nzeh, MD Facebook Twitter Vanessa Nzeh, MD, is an internal medicine and pediatrics physician who is passionate about patient advocacy, the integration of maternal and child health, as well as increasing diversity and inclusion in medical education. 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Verywell Family / Lecia Landis By age 6, children are more independent than ever with important skills developing rapidly. Parents and caregivers may notice children reaching meaningful social milestones, such as paying more attention to friendships. The best toys for a 6-year-old will depend on the interests of your child and how they like to play and relax. Reviewed & Approved The Basic Fun Cutetitos Donutitos are a variety of stuffed animals wrapped in a burrito blanket with each adorable friend being a surprise mystery. For multiple kiddos, we recommend the Disney Mad Tea Party Game. Whatever it is that makes your 6-year-old light up, see if you can find an age-appropriate toy that lets them explore it even more. We carefully considered toy safety, age recommendations, ease of cleaning and use, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best toys for 6-year-olds. Our Top Picks Basic Fun Cutetitos Donutitos at Amazon Jump to Review Disney Mad Tea Party Game at Amazon Jump to Review Spinmaster Etch A Sketch at Spinmaster.com Jump to Review Guess Who? Board Game at Amazon Jump to Review VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam at Amazon Jump to Review Think Fun Rush Hour Junior at Amazon Jump to Review Fat Brain Toys Squigz at Amazon Jump to Review LEGO Super Mario Adventures at Amazon Jump to Review Fat Brain Toys Crankity Brainteaser at Fatbraintoys.com Jump to Review Diliss Walkie Talkie for Kids at Amazon Jump to Review In This Article Expand Our Picks What to Look For Why Trust Verywell Family Basic Fun Cutetitos Donutitos Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon The Basic Fun Cutetitos Donutitos rank high on our list because they're adorable, soft, and available in a variety of animal friends. Based on the trend of pet owners wrapping their pets in blankets like a burrito, Cutetitos are a variety of stuffed animals wrapped in a burrito blanket. With each purchase being a mystery, there are 12 different Cutetitos to collect with some being very rare. Disney Mad Tea Party Game Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon A great game for the whole family, it can be played with 2 players all the way up to 10. The game comes with 12 teacups in three sizes and four colors where each player plays a card and creates wacky stacks of teacups. Fans of the game say it's a mix between Jenga and Uno, but so much better than both! Spinmaster Etch A Sketch Courtesy of Spinmaster View On Spinmaster.com A classic toy that has been entertaining kids (and adults) since 1960, the Etch A Sketch blank canvas and pencil-free drawing fosters endless creativity. Use the knobs to draw anything that comes to the imagination, then give it a shake and it erases the screen to a blank canvas. Tried and tested, the Etch A Sketch is still around for a reason. Guess Who? Board Game Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon This original guessing game is a fun and lighthearted board game for the entire family that engages children in verbal communication. Each player chooses a mystery character, and through a process of elimination, you go back and forth trying to guess by asking yes or no questions. The artwork is fun and is a good way for kids to practice reading and memorizing the names on the cards. The Best Family Board Games for Some Friendly Competition VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam Courtesy of Target View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy Let your kid be a creator with this camera! With 20+ backgrounds and the ability to create your own, the camera is easy for kids to use with a battery that will last for up to 2 hours. It comes with a tripod and the option of front-facing or selfie mode, which is a huge hit. Parents can rest easy with the worry of accidental content sharing as this device is not connected to wifi. Think Fun Rush Hour Junior 5+ Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon A game your child can play alone, Rush Hour Junior teaches logic and sequential reasoning. Parents are big fans of the multi-level challenges ranging from beginner to expert that can grow with your child. Easy to transport, this game is perfect to take on the go or on a long road trip. Fat Brain Toys Squigz Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon A toy innovation that encourages experimentation and fine motor skills, Squiz can be used almost anywhere there is a surface to stick to. With 8 different shapes, the flexible pieces connect easily and pop apart to create whatever your child imagines. LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course Best Buy View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Best Buy LEGO is a crowd favorite, and this Super Mario kit is no exception. Combining the fun of building, players must overcome enemies and obstacles while enjoying the instant responses via the LCD screens and speaker. Great for solo or group play, kids will love the free app that is available to enhance the experience. The 5 Best Tablets for Kids of 2022 Fat Brain Toys Crankity Brainteaser Courtesy of Fat Brain Toys View On Fatbraintoys.com A perfect teaser for 6-year-olds, this puzzle encourages problem solving and concentration. The object is to build a puzzle solution between the red gear and the yellow wheel without moving them. The manufacturer suggests it is best for ages 6+ but with four levels of problem-solving this teaser can be used for a few years. Diliss Walkie Talkie for Kids Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon This seems like a step back from technology these days, but these walkie talkies for kids show your 6-year old that there are ways to communicate outside of a screen. Fostering communication skills, these have a 3-mile range, a flashlight and are easy to use. Take them to the park, on a road trip, or just have fun communicating from room to room in the house. FoxMind Go Pop! Roundo Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Convenient to take anywhere, the Go Pop! Roundo is great at entertaining. The object of the game is to be the player who forces the opponent to pop the last bubble, so you must think ahead. It can also be used as a fidget toy that can help relieve stress and anxiety. Crayola Light Up Tracing Board Amazon View On Amazon This tracing pad is great for little artists to practice their fine motor skills. The pad comes with content to trace right away, 10 sheets of paper and a set of 12 Crayola colored pencils. Reviewers note that you don’t have to purchase expensive tracing paper once you run out; plain white paper will work great with this product. The Best Indoor Toys & Games for Active Play PicassoTiles Set Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Learning is fun with these magnetic tiles and they are a great way to introduce your child to colors, shapes, and architectural design. Watch your child’s imagination soar as they create their own worlds and characters to get lost in for hours. The best part is that you won't be in physical agony if you accidentally step on one of the pieces. Impresa Monkey Noodles Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon While these don’t look like much from the outside, they will be a toy your child does not tire of. They are perfect for sensory and tactile stimulation and can be stretched, pulled, twirled, wrapped, and squeezed. Each unit is 12 inches long made with quality material and stretches up to 8 feet. Jax Sequence for Kids Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon If you have a kid who enjoys Connect 4, Sequence is a great next step. This strategy game uses animals and has unicorns and dragons as wild cards to add fun and excitement. Ideal for little ones between 3 and 6 years old, there is a version for adults and big kids that your tot can graduate to after they've mastered this one. MasterMindToys Wiggle Car Courtesy of MasterMindToys View On Mastermindtoys.com The award-winning Wiggle Car makes our list of top toys for its emphasis on physical activity and ease of use just by turning the steering wheel back and forth. The wheels are safe for indoor and outdoor use and the ride-on can hold up to 220 pounds. The 9 Best Ride-On Toys of 2022 Dragons Love Tacos Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon It is important to find books that your kid wants to pick up from an early age and "Dragons Love Tacos" is a must-have on the shelf. This is a charming story about how a boy tries to befriend dragons through tacos (of course). There's no real moral to the story. It's just a really fun and silly book to enjoy together. Let’s Play! Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon With a sense of humor, this book will teach your kid about emotions and following directions, all through just a simple yellow dot! It's a great interactive story as the adventurous dot wiggles, pushes, and jumps off the page. LeapFrog Rockit Twist Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon This handheld device comes with 12 preloaded games and does not need to be connected to wifi. Educational and entertaining, your child can hatch and grow virtual Rockit Pets from eggs to adults. These fit the bill for those gamers in the family. Free To Fly Remote Control Car Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Although this gift works for kids of all ages, a first grader is the perfect age for this high-speed remote control car. Let them take it outdoors for hours of fun, or create videos of high-speed chases. The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers to Get Moving Tiny Land Fort Building Kit Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon This is the perfect toy for imaginative play, problem-solving, and fun. Friends and siblings will love this fort-building kit, and it’s great for kids of all ages. The next step up from a simple tent, creative play and fort-building with this kit will keep your 6-year-old busy for hours. The 50 States Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon This beautifully written and illustrated book about what each state in the U.S.A has to offer is a great gift for a 6-year-old who constantly asks “Why?”. This book will keep a little one busy for hours and is a great learning resource. What to Look for in Toys for 6-Year-Olds Interests At 6 years old, kids are transitioning from kindergarten to first grade and their interests may very well transition right along with them. This can make it tough to spot the toy that’s just right for them or one that will maintain their interest for more than a week. Thankfully, if they have a clear interest in something they’re still at an age where they will be fully devoted to it. Use these interests as a guide to help you find the best toy for them. If they come home from school every day presenting the 20 pictures they drew, then look for a toy that lets them flex their artistic muscles a little bit. Or, if they’re the kind of kid who would rather be running outside than doing anything else, a ride-on or other active toy will likely be of interest to them. Whatever it is that makes your 6-year-old light up, whether it’s a character, activity, or school subject, see if you can find an age-appropriate toy that lets them explore it even more. Milestones For the first four or five years of a kid’s life, their development is pretty predictable, both in skill and timing. However, pediatrician David L. Hill, MD, FAAP, explains that these developmental milestones “tend to cluster from ages 5 to 10,” which makes it “hard to distinguish...what [kind of toy] might suit a 6-year-old but not an 8-year-old.” Since the pacing of a child’s development isn’t as easy to predict, invest in toys that are age-appropriate and align with the milestones associated with middle childhood (between 6 and 8 years old). Social skills: Kids around this age are beginning to put more emphasis on their social circles through friendships and teamwork. So a toy they can play with other people, like Walkie-Talkies for Kids (view on Amazon) would be a good pick. Gross motor skills: A Wiggle Car by Mastermind Toys (view on Mastermind Toys) is a great pick for 6-year-olds because they tend to have a lot of energy and are continuing to develop their physical skills. Fine motor skills and coordination: At this age, kids are continuing to strengthen their fine motor and coordination skills. The Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad (view on Amazon) is a fun way to help aid in that development. Entertainment Value While a 6-year-old’s attention span is growing, they’re still pretty young and if a toy is not entertaining enough to keep them occupied, then it won’t get played with. You will want to make sure that the toy you pick out is appropriate for their age and developmental level (something too young will be boring, and a toy that’s too advanced will seem too challenging to be fun), as that’s the sweet spot for entertainment. If they’re learning to read, a game that helps them learn their sight words may be a lot of fun. Or if they enjoy building things, then a more complex puzzle might keep their attention. Frequently Asked Questions Why are toys important for a child's development? Toys help children develop fine and gross motor skills, practice problem-solving, and learn about sharing (when playmates are involved). That's not to say your child needs mountains of toys to develop properly. Kids learn from how they play with toys, not how many they have. How do I choose a toy my child will like? Browsing age-appropriate toys can help you select one that your child will like. Alternatively, consider their interests and choose a toy that reflects or relates to a hobby or a subject that fascinates them. And you can also ask your child to make a wish list, or find out what toys they most like to play with when visiting friends or at school. Why Trust Verywell Family? Deanna McCormack is a freelance writer and creative consultant based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She enjoys working with start-ups and regularly covers product launches in the lifestyle, beauty, and motherhood space. She has a 3-year-old son and an infant daughter and is the co-founder of Loonie Kid, a Canadian clothing company for kids and toddlers. Additional reporting by Ashley Ziegler 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Middle childhood (6-8 years of age. By Deanna McCormack Deanna McCormack is a beauty, parenting, and lifestyle writer who has written for Bustle, Byrdie, TheEverymom.com, and more. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit