Are you on a hunt for meaningful, fun, and hands-on gifts for that special 5-year-old in your life? In this post, I am sharing handmade and educational finds and toys many of which are made out of natural and eco-friendly materials. Here you will find my honest picks – some of the best educational toys for little hands.
First, it is important to remember that every child’s milestones are unique and determined by their upbringing, surroundings, character, and many other factors. The child’s interest is what drives him or her the most at this age. So we need to keep that in mind when we are deciding on what presents will cheer the child the most.
But first, I will briefly highlight what 5-year-old children are up to at this stage in their lives. Generally speaking,
- Children are more eager to participate in small group activities and games that involve their peers and other children.
- They begin to accept rules and directions in social and classroom settings.
- Children at this age are great storytellers. They become more and more articulate. So offering them a listening ear, being present during a conversation can make a big difference, boost their self-esteem and help them to gain confidence.
- They generally are very keen to connect with other children and seek new friendships. But it is important to keep in mind that they won’t always demonstrate that desire in the most gracious manner. Hence it is crucial to help them build those skills by instigating real-life scenarios in role-play, telling social stories, and being a good role model.
- Children at this age enjoy self-expression through drawings, crafts, singing, playing instruments, and acting.
- They often engaged in gender-specific play.
- Children’s likes and dislikes become more and more apparent.
They also generally love reading nonfiction books with realistic and true-to-life illustrations. You can find my nonfiction book recommendations for children aged 5 here.
It is a good age to start introducing more experience-based gifts that allow the child to gain more independence, and learn about the world through doing and taking part in something exciting. It is also a great way to support small local businesses. Here are some ideas:
- rock climbing venues,
- entertainment parks,
- challenge courses,
- kart tracks,
- horse riding,
- petting zoo
- swimming pool pass
- mindfulness workshop for children
- surfing/snowboarding lessons
- tickets to see their favorite dancers/show characters/ballet performers etc.
- adopt an animal in the child’s name through a local wildlife conservation program.
Here are my toy gift recommendations for children between the ages of 5 and 6
This microscope can be used without a holder. It’s perfect for observing little living things outside.
This cool laboratory setup has lots of different vessels and pieces of lab equipment so kids can play the role of chemist while doing real, safe experiments.
The experiments in this kit include creating an unbreakable bubble, a giant bubble, a bubble film, and more.
Learn & Climb 21 Experiments Science Set
The science kit for kids has 21 exciting and interesting activities including creating your own lava lamp, creative crystals, and of course volcano science kit.
Unglinga Kids Science Experiment Kit with Lab Coat
Variety of Science tool toys kit, an early hands-on scientific exploration that includes activity cards with step-by-step activities.
Imagimake Mapology World with Flags & Capitals
This set boosts kids’ motor skills, improves shape recognition, helps to memorize the country locations and national flags along with the capitals.
Here are my continent-themed educational printable resources for kindergarten children.
Wise Elk Wooden Educational Pix Art
This wooden toy develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, a sense of order, memory, attention, and imagination.
Coogam Wooden Geoboard Mathematical Manipulative Material
This material is great for developing fine motor skills, concentration, and creativity. It allows the child to explore geometric concepts such as perimeter, area, and the characteristics of triangles and other polygons.
Melissa & Doug Magnetic Human Body Anatomy Play Set
This set includes anatomically correct magnets for boys and girls and a wooden stand.
Book tree 50 Piece Big Size Puzzle Human Body
This human body floor puzzle is a 50-piece big floor puzzle that measures 38X88cm when assembled. Children will learn many interesting facts about the human body during this fun-filled activity.
Getianlai Kids Tool Set Wooden Toolbox
This wooden toolbox is suitable for children’s early learning and play, it helps to develop hand-eye coordination and creativity, logical thinking, and problem-solving, encourages them to build their own projects.
The 60 pattern cards could be used as “sight words” flashcards, you can do the flashcard game with your child, or just pick one card randomly and let them build the pattern.
Gamenote Magnetic Alphabet Maze Board
Kids use the attached magnetic wand to guide each letter into place reinforcing letter identification and alphabetic order.
Gamenote Math Cubes Manipulatives with Activity Cards
Help young students master early math skills with these stacking cubes – counting, comparing, sorting, patterning, number sense, place value, and simple operations.
IBRICK Jumbo Foam Building Blocks
What a fun way for children to build fortresses and have fun with these construction blocks.
Ourlife Kids Camera, Selfie Waterproof Action Cameras
Children will enjoy creating memories along the way with help of this sturdy camera.
Curious Columbus Quiet Book
This fabric activity book offers many activities for little hands for learning numbers, telling time, and reinforces fine motor movement skills.
24 Pack Bundle Sensory Fidget Toy Set
Children enjoy fidget toys and this set can be a great addition to their self-regulation tools to use during ‘time-ins’.
This is a wonderful costume to foster children’s fascination with butterflies while they are having play fun.
Hape Quadrilla Race to the Finish Marble Run Blocks
Use the building ideas from the included instructions or your own imagination and engineering vision to build different marble rollercoaster constructions.
Hhobby Stars Kids Guitar Musical Toy Ukulele Classical Instrument
This real instrument encourages children to develop auditory and creativity skills.
Breathing is My Superpower : Mindfulness Book for Kids to Feel Calm and Peaceful
Breathing is My Superpower shows both children and adults Five Breathing Technique, an exercise that is fun and helpful at the same time. So, if you want to explain to your little ones how to deal with their negative emotions, use this cute book and put a smile on their face.
Amazing Handmade Toys for 5 – Year – Olds
- Mirus Toys Wooden Perpetual Calendar – Children thrive on rhythm. They also love to discover and learn. This perpetual calendar serves all those purposes.
- Minisko Wooden Life Cycle Board – a wonderful tool to demonstrate and compare six different life cycles in the animal kingdom.
- Mirus Toys Montessori Colors Multiplication Coins – this set has 100 coins with multiples of numbers 1 through 10 printed on them. They are color-coded so that it is easy to identify the squares as well as emphasize the commutative property of multiplication.
- Minisko Complete Wooden Puzzle Animals Habitats – what a fun way to learn about different habitats and animals that dwell in them.
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