The Ultimate Fifth Birthday Gift Guide
Five is pivotal: they’re officially one whole hand old, which means literal high-fives all around. It’s a milestone year for so many reasons—many five-year-olds are headed off to school, they’re relatively self-sufficient, and they’re fantastic little conversationalists.
Five-year-old interests and hobbies are as unique as they are, and we’ve pulled together our favorite things for them from all over the board and at every price point! Whether they’re into coding (or you think they might want to be), ballet or building, stick a pin in this list for your favorite five-year-olds and let’s get into it.
For more gift ideas for kids of all ages, check out our Birthday Gift Guides.
Fifth Birthday Gifts Less than $25
National Geographic Little Kids Big Book of Why
At five, kiddos start asking a lot of smart questions, and many of them revolve around whys. This interactive question-and-answer reference guide includes information, hands-on games, simple recipes, crafts, and more.
It also answers some big questions they may or may not be asking: Why do planes fly? How does mushy dough become a crispy cookie? Why does my skin wrinkle in the tub?
Sago Brothers Air-Dry Clay Set
The zen of rolling, molding, and sculpting is so fun to encourage at a young age. This non-toxic (and air drying!) clay set comes with 24 colors, three tools, and a 72-page instruction book. Hours of screen-free play!
Buy it: Amazon
Hexbug Nano 5-Pack
If you have kids and critters, you’re definitely going to want to grab a set of these Hexbug Nanos. They’re robotic, light-up bugs that vibrate and move on their own.
Cats love them, as do cackling five-year-olds who can create full playgrounds for them or set them loose around the house. Big entertainment lies ahead.
Outfoxed! Board Game
Also featured in our Best Board Games for Kindergarteners round up, Outfoxed! has young players looking for Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie, which has gone missing. Now, it’s a chicken chase to crack the case!
Players move around the board to gather clues, then use the special evidence scanner to rule out suspects. They have to work together quickly before the fox escapes! Will your littles halt the hungry hooligan, or will they be Outfoxed?
Kiwi Crate (Individual Crate or Subscription)
Grab a single crate or sign up for a monthly subscription. Kiwi Crate was developed for kids 5-8 and celebrates their natural creativity and curiosity.
Projects are STEAM-based and designed to spark a love for learning. Build an arcade claw, explore all things flight, or dig into the science of trees. Each kit comes with several projects, an inspiration booklet, Kiwi’s explore! magazine, and access to more online DIYs.
Buy it: Kiwi Co
Insect Lore Butterfly Garden
Do you have Hungry Caterpillar enthusiasts in your house? Witness butterfly metamorphosis in real life with the Insect Lore Butterfly Garden.
You and your kiddos will enjoy this engaging, hands-on educational activity, which lets kids care for live insects as they undergo metamorphosis. Over approximately three weeks, kiddos look on as the bugs transform from caterpillars to chrysalides to beautiful Painted Lady butterflies.
When you’re ready to start, claim your live caterpillars online!
PlusPlus Open Play Set
Plus-Plus is a unique construction toy—one simple shape contains endless possibilities and hours of fun!
Every piece easily connects to the next in any direction. Create colorful flat mosaics or work in 3-D to make more intricate builds. This kit comes with 400 pieces, including a baseplate and an idea book.
Birthday Cake Squishmallow
They’ll walk around hugging their Birthday Squishmallow and singing happy birthday to themselves (and everyone else) for months to come. It doubles as a very comfortable pillow that can be added to their Squishmallow squad.
Buy it: Amazon
Crayola Inspiration Art Case
One case, so many art options! The Crayola Inspiration Art Case comes with 64 crayons, 20 short colored pencils, 40 washable markers, and 15 large pieces of paper – everything for your five-year-old to create many masterpieces.
Buy it: Amazon
Snap Circuits Beginner
This snap circuits beginner kit includes 14 parts that allow burgeoning builders to create more than 20 projects while learning how switches and circuits work. It also has a manual with step-by-step diagrams perfect for early “engineers.” Lights, sounds, and motion—hurray!
Fifth Birthday Gifts Less than $75
Robot Pet Shop
Robots and pets combined? Double cool!
This hands-on introductory mechanical engineering kit includes a 32-page, full-color storybook manual that follows the adventures of Ty and Karlie Omega, two young engineers, as they visit the robot pet shop and encounter all sorts of adorable robotic pets.
Step-by-step assembly instructions guide kiddos as they build eight motorized models of the robots from the story: an owl, French bulldog, sloth, panda, chameleon, cat, turtle, and rabbit.
Buy it: Amazon
Magna-QuBix Magnetic Building Shapes
There are infinite ways to put together these colorful magnetic 3D shapes! Powered by neodymium magnets, these blocks click together when they’re near each other, unlocking your little’s love for building and design. Use them to build flowers or dinosaurs or vehicles!
If you have classic Magna-Tiles, they can also be used to “decorate” your creations. Or, try using a magnetic baking sheet for a base and voilà: portable building!
Ballerina Jewelry Box
Misty Copeland is already an icon, and now little girls can imagine her (or themselves!) twirling in this beautiful box. This jewelry box features a ballerina in a real fabric skirt and, when it opens, plays Waltz of the Flowers. Open the box to find a sweet ballerina bracelet and necklace set.
Buy it: Amazon
Lego Classic Creative Brick Box
Is your kiddo ready for 484 LEGOS? Are you? The best part about all these small pieces is that five-year-olds will spend hours engaging in pretend play. The kit allows kids to create toy trains or tiger figurines with a classic collection of LEGO bricks.
This set includes classic LEGO bricks in 35 colors, windows, toy eyes, 18 tires, and a green baseplate. Everything fits inside the container for storage. No tripping hazards here!
Bonaok Wireless Karaoke Microphone
Your mini performer will love this portable microphone that comes in nine different colors! It’s a wireless karaoke microphone, a speaker, and a recorder, with 48 colorful LED lights flickering to the beat and jazzing up the show.
Buy it: Amazon
MacKenzie Duffle Bag
Give them an adventure of a lifetime with this monogrammable weekender available in an array of colors and patterns. It’s super-durable (made from rugged, water-resistant 600-denier polyester), spacious, and features an adjustable, detachable shoulder strap and two convenient carrying handles.
Buy it: Pottery Barn Kids
Blisslights Sky Lite Laser Projector
Your little astronaut will love this laser projector! It puts on a show with drifting stars against a transforming RGB nebula cloud that brings instant ambiance to their bedroom.
Download the app and connect with Bluetooth or use simple button controls that make it easy to cycle through light effects, adjust brightness, or start or stop the projector’s rotating motion.
Echo Dot Kids
Pick between an owl or a dragon for this Echo Dot, created especially for kiddos. They can ask Alexa questions, set alarms, and get help with their homework. It also comes with a year of Amazon Kids+, which gives them access to thousands of hours of kid-friendly Audible books, interactive games, and educational skills.
Buy it: Amazon
Marble Genius Marble Run Super Set
Marble lovers rejoice. This Marble Run is a great way to introduce your kids to something you loved growing up—in a whole new way!
The 85-piece set includes 26 “action” pieces and eight base pieces, all of which are see-through, allowing kids to take in all the action. Plus, it comes with 56 glass marbles and an interactive app with nine step-by-step guides and fun challenges.
Buy it: Amazon
Bruder Dump Truck
Bruder trucks are realistic replicas of the real thing with functioning parks, making them perfect gifts for little kids who love trucks.
The Dump Truck features working steering and wheels, a tipping bed, and gates and doors that open and close. Tip the cab forward and check out the engine! It’s as functional as sturdy and ideal for indoor and outdoor play.
Fifth Birthday Gifts Over $75
Botley the Coding Robot 2.0
For early adventures in coding, look no further than Botley! With the help of a 78-piece activity set, Botley helps kids as young as five learn to code through 100% screen-free play. Your little coder can build sequences up to 150 steps in 6 directions.
Botley can also code by color, put on a light show, or transform into a train, police car, ghost, and more. Kids can even test their memory with the lights and sounds of a game of Botley Says! Plus, Botley lights up and has night vision so play can continue in the dark.
Kids will be solving their first coding and STEM challenges just minutes after getting Botley out of his box.
Buy it: Amazon
Osmo Coding Starter Kit
Use Osmo to transform your tablet into a hands-on coding adventure. Designed for ages 5–10, this Coding Starter Kit builds coding skills in progression with three hands-on learning games.
Kids learn to code as they connect colorful blocks of code in the physical world to chart the adventure on their screen. No WiFi is necessary, but Osmo Starter sets do require an iPad or Fire Tablet.
Yoto Player
This cute music player allows kiddos to insert content cards from Yoto’s curated library of 300+ titles into the speaker box for hours of entertainment and learning. Kids’ imaginations will run free with bestselling audiobooks, music and singalongs, educational activities, free children’s podcasts, radio, and more!
Large dials make it easy to change volume and skip forward and back, and it’s portable with a rechargeable battery that even supports Bluetooth. Best of all, it’s kid-tested for durability and parent-tested for easy setup from the app.
Buy it: Amazon
Gym1 Indoor Gym Set for Kids
The Gym 1 is the ultimate indoor playground for young kids! The core unit easily attaches to standard doorways without tools, then easily clip on one of the attachments for hours of fun!
The four-piece set includes a pull-up bar, swing, plastic rings, and wood-and-rope ladder. The six-piece set also has a trapeze bar and swinging rope.
Buy it: Amazon
Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber
So much climbing, so little time! This 54″ free-standing climbing dome features real rock climbing hand grips and powder-coated steel construction. Kids will spend hours climbing and dreaming up new games on their backyard jungle gym.
Buy it: Amazon
KidKraft So Stylish Mansion
This KidKraft mansion is an open-concept dollhouse that allows multiple kiddos to play simultaneously (and without bickering!).
It includes 42-piece furniture and accessory set, fits 12″ dolls (including Barbie), and offers 360° play access. Plus, it’s on wheels, so it’s easy to move to wherever they want to play that day. Dreamy!
Buy it: Amazon
Tubelox Deluxe Building Set
With this life-size construction toy, build anything from sizable creative structures to usable cars, scooters, and rocket ships. This 220-piece set includes pipes, connectors, tires, and panels for multiple building possibilities. And the best part is the structures support up to 75 lbs, making them sturdy enough to play on!
With Tubelox, kids can apply engineering and building skills, all while using their imagination and having a blast!
Buy it: Amazon
Grab anything from this list? We’d love to see it! Tag us in your posts: @thriftylittles on Instagram and Facebook.
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