10 gift ideas for children ages 5 and up!

At the age of 5, children discover the world. They learn to read and wonder about emotions. From board games and construction games to cards, books and puzzles, here are 10 gift ideas for 5 year olds.

Whether for Christmas, a birthday, or spontaneously, all occasions are good to give a gift to your children or those around you. For a girl or a boy, giving a gift is not easy. To help you, here are 10 game ideas suitable for 5-year-olds. Our selection is based on the educational, fun and creative aspect.

1. Puzzles

  • Ravensburger's "Animals in the World" (30 pieces)

This 30 piece Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle fits together in a frame for smooth learning. With this game, children discover while having fun the world and the different animals that make it up!

Characteristics :

  • 30 pieces
  • Dimensions: 24.5 x 32.5 cm
  • Weight: 350g
  • From 4 years old


Our opinion :
This colorful puzzle teaches children in a fun way the different countries of the world and their animals. At the same time, they develop their observation and their logical mind. Small in size, the box is easy to store leaving room for other toys!

  • Ravensburger Paw Patrol Puzzle (2 x 24 pieces)

With these two puzzles of 24 pieces each as well as their life-size posters, children discover the fabulous world of Paw Patrol. The number and size of the pieces are suitable for children from 5 years old. In addition, the 48 pieces as well as the box are made from recycled pencils!

Characteristics :

  • Dimensions: 30 x 30 x 20 cm
  • Weight: 150g
  • 2 puzzles of 24 pieces
  • Made from recycled pencils
  • Cartoon posters included


Why we love it:
This set of 2 puzzles is the perfect gift for a 5 year old. In addition to its low price, it is respectful of the environment. With these puzzles, a child will develop his sense of observation, his patience while having fun. The posters and the toy offered will entertain children and help them put the pieces together.

2. The Playmobil

With this transportable Playmobil house, your child will invent their own stories at home and when traveling. Supplied with 3 toys, this house is made up of several rooms: bathroom, bedroom, living room and kitchen. The many accessories included allow children to adjust the house according to their wishes and to play with others or alone!

Characteristics :

  • Transportable
  • Dimensions: 27.5 x 24 x 29 cm
  • Weight: 900 g
  • 3 characters included
  • Accessories are provided
  • Works without batteries


What convinced us:
This Playmobil house will delight girls and boys. Transportable, children can have fun at home or when traveling. Ideal for playing alone or with others, this house and its accessories will stimulate the imagination of children who shape their dream house with their own hands.

3. Books

  • "The color of emotions" Anna Llenas

The color of emotions is a 22 page book written by Anna LLenas. The gentle color monster shares the color of his feelings with the children using pop-up animations. Each folding expresses an emotion that children can discover or recognize!

Characteristics :

  • 22 pages
  • From 3 years old
  • Author: Anna LLenas
  • Dimensions: 27.3 x 2.2 x 23.7 cm
  • Publisher: Edition Quatre Flués.


Our opinion :
The illustrations and pop-up folding are precise and well done. They teach children about different emotions and how to deal with them in a fun and playful way. Available in store or online, this book is perfect for a Christmas gift, a birthday present or a simple purchase!

4. Board games

It rocked your childhood and still entertains you today: Monopoly is back with a junior version! Suitable for children from 5 to 8 years old, it is ideal for playing like grown-ups and learning to count money!

Characteristics :

  • From 5 years old
  • Teaches children to count
  • Party time: about 45 minutes
  • Dimensions: 26.7 x 4.2 x 26.7 cm
  • 2 to 4 players

Why we love it:
Suitable for young children, this Monopoly Junior teaches them how to manage their money. All accessories are included in the box: game board, pawns, banknotes, dice and character presentation cards. The game only lasts about 45 minutes, we are far from the Original Monopoly games which can last several days!

This 36-card game is actually a battle suitable for 5-year-olds. This great classic of card games has been revamped but the rules remain the same: players turn over the first card of their deck at the same time. Whoever put the card with the bigger dog wins the trick. The goal is to win all the cards in the game.

Characteristics :

  • 36 cards
  • From 3 years old
  • 2 to 4 players
  • Game time: 15 minutes max


What convinced us:
This game is part of the large collection of Djeco card games. With it, children will learn to play cards like grown-ups. With a relative or a friend, he will never have had so much fun.

Legendary card game, the UNO is making a big comeback in version junior. It helps children learn the colors and order of size of numbers. This card game is made up of 2 levels: the first is basic, and the second level has Action cards. From 4 years old, this board game can be played with family or friends, from 2 players.

Characteristics :

  • From 4 years old
  • 2 levels of play
  • 2 to 4 players
  • Learn colors and numbers


Our opinion :
The UNO is a great classic of card games. This version junior is ideal for teaching children about colors, numbers and group play. If your child likes it, the UNO is available in several versions!

This board game is a real treasure hunt! The object of the game: to find the king's magic ring and unmask the thief. But beware, the game is timed … will you see the thief?
The set consists of 11 Animal cards, 12 Suspect cards, 12 Innocent cards, 3 Action cards and lots of other accessories.

Characteristics :

  • Inquiry and thinking games
  • Played by several
  • From 5 to 99 years old
  • Accessories included in the box


Why do we love him?
From 5 to 99 years old, this game will amuse all generations. It stimulates thinking, patience and team spirit!

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– 1st age toys: which early learning games to choose?
– Fan of dinosaurs? The best toy ideas to give away
– 100 gifts that will make teens happy

What types of games are suitable for 5 year olds?

At 5 years old, children learn to read, discover their emotions and need to be stimulated. For that, games are the solution. From jigsaw puzzles and books to board games, creative games, card games and construction games, the list of gift ideas for 5 year olds is long:

  • the puzzles: they stimulate patience and a sense of reflection. You have to start small with a puzzle of 30 to 50 pieces and increase the number of pieces as you go.
  • construction games: Lego and Playmobil let kids build anything they want. To continue to stimulate their manual skills, accessories and assembly parts are sold separately in stores or on the internet.
  • board games : with their parents or friends, children always have fun when it comes to board games. Board games and card games are educational and teach teamwork and cohesion.
  • toys and figurines: small or large they are easily transportable for children to have fun and create their own stories at any time of the day.
  • books : suitable for their age, it is the best way to learn to read. The fonts are large enough that children learn the syllables and learn them.

Boys or girls, children all have a creative side, no matter their age. To help them develop this side of their personality, creative and artistic games are the best. These activities aim to teach them patience and help them develop their imagination and manual skills.
To play with others or alone, there are many ways to stimulate their creative side:

  • the drawing : all it takes is a sheet of paper and a pencil, nothing more. With these two “tools” a child of 5 (sometimes less) is able to draw his family, his house, animals, and even create an adventure of which he himself would be the hero.
  • jewelry : one of the many manual activities that stimulate the creative side of children. Who has never made a pasta necklace for a parent? Imagination and patience are the keys to jewelry creation.
  • the painting : no matter the age, it is always popular with children. At school or at home, painting allows them to learn colors and their shades. Boys or girls, 5-year-olds are never very careful. For the survival of your furniture and to protect your child's clothes, opt for protective gowns available in stores or on Amazon.
  • construction games: Lego or Playmobil? There is nothing more creative and educational than building games. Children can create their own stories from scratch. With the Lego, they will be able to build their first castle, the house of their dreams, a spaceship … The thousand and one ideas that will cross their minds will (almost) all be within reach.

5-year-olds cannot read yet: they are discovering words and syllables. To learn to read, there is nothing better than a book suitable for their age. But how to choose it? Here is a list of criteria that might help you:

  • age: logic would dictate that any parent would choose a book suitable for the age of their child. But in truth, it all depends on the child's knowledge: some already know the basics of reading and others are just starting out.
  • illustrations and font: before learning to read, children use illustrations to understand and navigate the stories. The transition should be smooth: opt for an illustrated book with impressive images and a large font. They will allow children to familiarize themselves with the syllables.
  • the subject : stories should be easy to understand. For this you need to choose a simple story, the main theme of which will appeal to your child. The more the theme of the story appeals to a child, the more involved he will be in the adventure.
  • the opinions : Before embarking on buying a book for a child about to learn to read, it is important to check the opinions of other parents. Sometimes what is written in description does not reveal all aspects of a book, hence the importance of educating yourself.

To know : if you want to find a 100% personalized book and make your child the hero of his adventure, Épopia is the master in this area. From € 10.99 per month, children aged 5 to 10 will receive their stories in their mailbox. Between dilemas and puzzles, the children will have to respond by letter and give their decisions. The rest of the story is up to them! It is a perfect gift idea for those who want to stimulate the imagination of toddlers.