Best gifts for 5-year-olds in 2025, approved by kids

It’s all very exciting as a five-year-old, so gifts that will tap into that boundless curiosity and growing sense of the world are likely to be a hit. At school, they’re starting to learn about phonics and arithmetic, so they need more than shape-sorting toys and picture books to be impressed.

The best gifts challenge their growing physical and intellectual abilities through play. Outdoor games can be great for burning off pent-up energy after a day spent at school, while others can spark new interests, whether that’s as their first instant camera or an educational book, or tech gifts like an audio player.

Amanda Frolich, founder of award-winning children’s activity class Amanda’s Action Club, is a children’s physical movement development specialist and a toy expert. She explains: “Physical activity is essential for a child’s growth, development and overall health. Weight-bearing activities such as running and jumping are important for building strong bones and muscles in children, and regular physical activity will improve cardiovascular health and improve heart and lung function.

“Look for toys that promote physical, cognitive and social-emotional development. Toys that encourage movement and exercise, hand-eye coordination and social interaction are especially beneficial.”

To this end, we’ve tested dozens of toys especially for five-year-olds. We’ve whittled it down to a shortlist of the best options. These toys work to improve their physical and creative capacity, but most importantly, offer hours of fun.

How we tested

To test a gift’s popularity with five-year-old girls and boys, we organised a series of play dates to try out each one in a home environment. We assessed the toys, games and STEM sets for how well they held a child’s attention and how easy they were to operate without adult supervision, as well as how physically or mentally stimulating they were. We tested toys across a wide range of price points, from less than £10 to more than £100, to find the best of the best for all budgets.

We also tested the toys for long-term appeal – there’s nothing worse than a toy that gets played with twice and then ends up cluttering up the toy box. We witnessed children’s repeated interaction with the following picks, which made us confident they will withstand the test of time.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

As with all IndyBest reviews, no toy or tech can be found in Zoe Griffin’s reviews for kids unless it has been approved by her team of young testers. Zoe uses a hands-on testing approach and thorough testing criteria, and value for money is never far from her mind. These are the toys that she recommends.

The best gifts for 5-year-olds 2025 are:

• Best overall – Maped creativ lumi board: £39.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best budget buy – Orchard Toys Doggy Doggy Woof Woof: £9.50, Amazon.co.uk
• Best cuddly toy – Squishmallow little plush Triston chick: £19.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best audio gift – Yoto player 3rd generation: £90, Argos.co.uk