The Best Toys and Gifts for 5-Year-Olds

Playful and imaginative 5-year-olds are a delight. It's a big year for most kiddos since they're finishing up preschool and starting kindergarten. They're curious about the world around them, fine-tuning their language skills and developing physically — mastering climbing and swinging.

Because of their wonder about the world around them, this age is pretty easy to shop for. (Yay!) We've pulled together a fun gift guide full of ideas that'll put their boundless energy to good use and encourage creativity and learning.

Best Gifts for Active Play

Five-year-olds are always on the move. Meet them where they are with ideas that harness their love of running around in circles. Not only are these gifts entertaining, but they also strengthen fine and gross motor skills.

Best Game Gifts

My family is a game-loving family, and this is the age that your kids can really start playing games with you (that aren't entirely brain-numbing for grown-ups). Have a collection of games you can play as a group as well as ones they can tackle solo.

Best Gifts for Creativity

You're never too young or too old to show off your creative side, and it's actually really important to let them practice artistry and display their own personal style.

Best STEM Gifts

Get their little science and math minds working with these clever ideas. Magna-Tiles is a never-fail gift for most young kiddos, and this Metropolis set adds new shapes to their original kit. The Find and Seek Scavenger Hunt is the perfect way to get your kids exploring the world around them.

Best Gifts for Pretend Play

Let their imaginations run wild with gifts that let them make up their own stories and pretend to be someone or something else. A kid-size digger? Guaranteed hit. And we love the classic dollhouse, which will provide years of play.