Best Toys for 5 Year Olds: Christmas Gifts They Grow Into

Child in a helmet riding a navy Banwood Maxi Scooter Vintage along an autumn pavement with an adult alongside

Best Toys for 5 Year Olds: A Christmas Gift Guide for Ages 5 and 6

By five, children want toys that can keep up with them. These gifts are built to.

Five year olds have started school, have opinions about everything and have usually outgrown the toys that suited them at three. The best toys for 5 year olds keep pace with that. They ask for more skill, more imagination or more independence, and they are sturdy enough for a child who is bigger and bolder than a year ago.

The best toys for 5 year olds give a growing child something new to master. An indoor climbing set or bigger scooter suits active play, a twin dolls pram or wooden playhouse suits more involved role play, and a child-height bookcase supports early reading.

What active toys suit a 5 year old in winter?

Five year olds need to move, including on wet winter afternoons. The MeowBaby House & Ladder Climbing Set works as an indoor climbing ladder, and with its fabric tent attached it becomes a den for quieter moments. It is recommended from age 3, measures 60 x 61cm and comes in a choice of tent and ladder colours. There are larger sets in our wooden climbing frames collection.

Outdoors, a child who has mastered three wheels is often ready for two. The Banwood Maxi Scooter Vintage is a two-wheel scooter with a lightweight aluminium frame, a wide oak deck and a T-bar that adjusts from 74.5cm to 84.5cm. Banwood recommends it from age 6, so it is best for a five year old who will turn six soon, or as a gift to grow into. A Banwood Classic Helmet, sized for ages 3 to 7, completes the gift.

MeowBaby House and Ladder Climbing Set with pink tent set up as a den in a bedroom

Banwood Classic Helmet in matte navy on a hallway bench next to children's gloves

Child with the Roma RHS Twin Dolls Pram in Fern and two dolls in a playroom, an adult on the sofa nearby

MeowBaby White Wooden Playhouse with Pink Roof set up in a modern children's bedroom

Is a dolls pram or playhouse still a good present at five?

Role play at five has more characters and more plot. The Roma RHS Twin Dolls Pram in Fern lets a child look after two dolls at once, with seats that recline and reverse and a handle that adjusts from 69cm to 84cm, a taller range than Roma's single prams. See our current styles in the dolls prams collection.

A wooden playhouse gives all those characters somewhere to live. The MeowBaby White Wooden Playhouse with Pink Roof has a built-in bench that works as a seat or a shelf for toys, an arched window cut-out and a dusty pink fabric canopy roof. It is recommended from age 3, so a younger brother or sister aged 3 or over can join in too.

MeowBaby Montessori Bookcase in beige with books cover forward in a child's bedroom

What helps a 5 year old who is starting to read?

Many five year olds are starting to read, and they are far more likely to pick up a book they can see. The MeowBaby Montessori Bookcase has a top shelf that displays books cover forward, with two full-width shelves beneath for larger books or toys. It is low and stable enough for a child to use on their own, and its little house shape makes it feel like theirs. Browse our kids bookcases.

Add a few new books under the tree and the bookcase becomes part of the gift rather than just furniture.

Best toys for 5 year olds: your questions answered

What are the best toys for 5 year olds?

Toys that ask for a little more skill or imagination suit this age best: an indoor climbing set, a two-wheel scooter for a child ready to move on, a twin dolls pram, a wooden playhouse and a bookcase for early reading.

What age is the Banwood Maxi Scooter for?

Banwood recommends the Maxi Scooter from age 6, with a maximum user weight of 100kg. For a younger rider, the Banwood Vintage 3-Wheel Scooter is sized from age 3.

Is an indoor climbing set suitable for a 5 year old?

The MeowBaby House & Ladder Climbing Set is recommended from age 3 and is CE certified. As with any climbing toy, adult supervision is recommended during use.

When should I order Christmas presents for a 5 year old?

Order larger pieces, such as climbing sets, scooters and prams, as early in November as you can. Many are sent directly by the brands that make them, some from elsewhere in Europe, and each product page shows its own delivery estimate. We will add each brand's confirmed Christmas order dates to this guide when we have them.

How do I choose a Christmas gift for a 5 year old who already has lots of toys?

Look for a gift that does something their current toys cannot, such as a place to climb, a bigger ride or a proper home for books. Gifts that adjust as a child grows tend to stay in use for longer.

When do I need to order by for Christmas?

Order by: the bigger pieces first. Royal Mail and the other carriers publish last posting dates for the week before Christmas, but those dates are for parcels handed to the carrier here in the UK. Most of the larger gifts we sell are sent directly by the brands that make them, and some travel from elsewhere in Europe, so they need more time than a parcel posted in the UK. Check the delivery estimate on each product page before you order, and aim to order the larger pieces early in November. We will update this box with each brand's own Christmas order dates as soon as they confirm them.

The best toys for 5 year olds meet a growing child where they are and still have more to offer next year. Choose for the skill they are working on now.

Buying for a younger brother or sister as well? See our guide to the best toys for 3 year olds, or browse best gifts for a 1 year old, best toys for a 2 year old and gifts from grandparents.

Shop kids bookcases