15 best toys for 5-year-olds as recommended by parents

Tested by Mumsnet editor Jenny Wonnacott: Read our Dobble review to see if this popular game lives up to the hype

Dobble is a rarity in the world of board games. Your whole family will love playing it too, which is why we think it’s one of the best toys for 5-year-olds.

Highly recommended by Mumsnet parents, Dobble is similar to Snap. It's a game of speed, observation and reflexes to see who can find the matching symbol between two cards. Sounds simple, right? But each card is different, and only one picture matches every other card, so it’s a race to see who can spot theirs first. While other card games may only have one or two choices of games to play, Dobble has five, so your child won’t get bored easily.

Although the manufacturer recommends Dobble for ages six and above, the game's rules are simple and easy to follow, so 5-year-olds will have fun looking for their matching symbol and shouting it out. The compact tin makes this game perfect for travel too.

Dobble is popular with children because it also comes in a wide range of themes that you can tailor to your child's interests, including Disney Princesses, Marvel and Harry Potter. Though some reviewers report that there isn't much difference between the themed versions and the original, one thing is for sure: it promises hours of screen-free fun.

Read next: Discover this year's must-reads for kids with our guide to the best books for eight-year-olds.

Galt's Bubble Lab is an affordable, Mumsnetter-approved toy that children aged five and up will love.

Featuring a host of exciting STEM experiments and tools, Galt’s science kits have everything budding scientists need to make learning fun - and who doesn’t love bubbles? The Bubble Lab has a 16-page book with instructions for seven experiments, including making big bubbles, 3D shapes, a bubble snake and water tricks. It includes all the instruments little scientists need to aid their experiments, such as a funnel, reusable straws and string.

5-year-olds will probably need some assistance with the experiments and we'd recommend taking it outside to avoid spills and limit clean-up. Some verified reviewers say there isn’t enough bubble solution inside the kit, so you may also want some extra on standby.

The Galt science set is one of the best toys for 5-year-olds to encourage STEM learning. Other popular kits include Slimy Lab and Space Lab and Rainbow Lab.

Read next: Want to boost your child's learning even further? Check out our guide to the best online tutoring for kids.

Hama Beads are among the best toys for 5-year-olds in terms of creativity. With 10,000 beads and five pegboards in the set, children can express their creativity whilst covertly developing their fine motor skills.

Recommended for ages five and over, children (and adults) can use the colourful beads to create whatever they like by either stringing them or pressing them together. The five pegboards are shaped like a butterfly, car, flower, mouse and seahorse.

While Aquabead sets may be more appealing to five-year-olds who love water play, some parents say they fall apart easily and become sticky. Hama Beads fuse and form a much stronger bond, even if it means you have to get the iron out. With the potential to keep little ones busy for hours, what more could you ask for from the best toys for 5-year-olds?

Read next: Heading off on holiday? Be sure to pack the best travel toys and top kids' cameras.

Orchard Toys are hugely popular among Mumsnet users and it’s not hard to see why. This game combines magic and numbers to make sums fun, even for the most maths-averse of children. While there are plenty of fun maths games on the market, Magic Maths has been designed by teachers specifically for KS1. It helps to develop their numeracy and social skills whilst inspiring their imagination.

If your child is a maths whizz, they may find this game soon becomes too easy. However, it’s an excellent confidence-builder and is not only one of the best toys for 5-year-olds, it appeals to the whole family.

Read next: The best online learning resources for kids

A brand new toy for 2024, Squish-a-longs are super cute collectable figures from the makers of Mumsnet favourite, Squishmallows. One-inch figures that are great fun to collect and trade, each pack comes with eight adorable designs, fun accessories and a wearable ring, which kids can use to mix and match their favourites.

5-year-olds will love ripping open the paper blind bag to reveal their final new friend hidden inside, as well as ticking them off on the collector's sheet. If they’re really lucky, they may even reveal one of the rare silver Squish-a-long. Be warned, however, there are over 140 to collect in Series 1 - and your child may want to collect them all. 

Read next: Discover the best toys for four-year-olds as recommended by Mumsnetters.

Tested by Mumsnet parent testers: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet review 

A great first tablet for 5-year-olds, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet not only comes with an impressive battery life, 1TB of storage and easy-to-use parental controls, but it also comes with a 2-year worry-free guarantee - meaning if your child accidentally drops or damages their tablet, it will be replaced - no questions asked.

Each tablet also comes with a 12-month free subscription to Amazon Kids+, providing access to thousands of educational apps, books and age-appropriate games including original content from brands like Disney, Marvel and LEGO.

Unlike the original, the Pro version features dual cameras and appears just that little more grown up than the predecessor, offering more appeal as your child grows up. Our tester loved the parental controls, which ensure content is age-appropriate and sends approval requests before additional content is downloaded. It’s worth remembering however that the Amazon Kids+ subscription is chargeable at the end of the 12-month trial, with plans starting at £4.99 per month. 

Related: Update your kids' tech with the best games console and the best phone for kids according to Mumsnet users.

Marble runs are not only hugely entertaining but are a great way to encourage problem-solving too. Your child will love working with you to construct and piece each element of the run, before setting the marbles free and watching in awe as they whizz around the path at speed.

This Hape set is made from brightly coloured birch and rubber wood - making it one of the best toys for 5-year-olds in terms of sustainability and longevity. We love the addition of the spinning windmill and spiral feature, the latter causing marbles to spin in tight circles before dropping down the shoot.

With larger expansion sets available, there’s no end to the fun that can be had playing with marble runs, learning some valuable skills in the process.

Related: Keep little hands busy with the best fidget toys of 2023.

When it comes to plush toys and cuddly friends, Squishmallows have gained a somewhat iconic status - holding as much appeal with teens, tweens (and even adults) as they do with younger children. An ideal gift for 5-year-olds, these soft and squishy friends are great to cuddle, make a fun travel companion and can even be used as a pillow for chilling out with their favourite book before bed.

Available in a wide range of designs including seasonal and exclusive themes, you’ll even find licensed designs such as Harry Potter and Pokemon. A word of caution, however, some Squishmallows are ginormous, so you may need to clear up some space in your child’s room. 

Related: Best teddy bears and soft toys kids will love to cuddle

While it's officially recommended for children aged six and above, we feel The LEGO Adventures With Mario Starter Course Set is a great choice for a 5-year-old, with an easy-to-build design and engaging, interactive gameplay. Combining traditional construction with a smart app, the super-sized Mario figure can quite literally be brought to life, navigating a fun obstacle course.

While some reviewers found the course a little simplistic, expansion packs are available so you can easily extend and enhance their LEGO Mario experience as they grow up or increase in confidence.

Read next: Best trampolines for kids, tried and tested by parents

Tested by Mumsnet editor Laura Cooke: Botley the Coding Robot review

Coding in today's tech-savvy world is an incredibly handy skill. Nurturing an interest in programming could be the key to a bright future, which is why we're recommending Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set as a high-quality STEM toy and one of the best toys for 5-year-olds to teach the basics of coding.

Designed for children aged five and over, Botley can be programmed to do a sequence of up to 150 steps in six directions, with codes to transform him into a train, police car, ghost and more. He can even perform tricks, but only on a hardwood floor. Botley’s eyes light up in the dark with a choice of colours – turn off the lights and he dances to music.  Your child can personalise him too, with included stickers and faceplates.

The set helps children learn STEM skills and consists of a remote programmer, detachable robot arms, 40 coding cards, six double-sided tiles, 27 obstacle-building pieces and a starter guide with coding challenges. As children become more confident with their coding skills, they'll unlock hidden gameplay for years of fun - not many of the best toys for 5-year-olds can say that!

Related: Best robot toys to make STEM learning come alive, as recommended by Mumsnetters

Tested by Mumsnet editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our full Yoto Mini review.

If you're looking for the best toys for 5-year-olds to take on holiday or a long journey, the Yoto Mini could easily become your new best friend. Wholesome, screen-free fun for your child, this small but robust audio player can entertain, educate and even help your child settle down to sleep without a fuss.

With a wide range of Yoto cards to choose from (sold separately), content includes everything from classic tales to Disney stories, as well as music, activities and more. You can even record your own stories using the Yoto Make Your Own cards, for a truly personalised experience.

We recommend getting the adventure jacket to go with the player, which comes with a handle wrist loop to ensure it doesn’t accidentally get lost or dropped.

Read next: Toniebox vs Yoto Mini: which is the best screen-free audio player?

Inspired by the Jurassic World series, Camp Cretaceous, the Carnotaurus Toro, is a large figure which roars and chomps its jaws when it’s time to attack. Even if your child hasn’t seen the series, this is sure to be one of the best toys for 5-year-olds who love dinosaurs. Children can tilt the tail up to move the head and twist it sideways to chomp down on figurines and other toys in its path. The dinosaur lets out a roar (be warned, it’s very loud) when you lift the tail or push the button on the back of the figure.

The body has realistic textures and moveable joints and comes with a booklet, a map and reusable stickers. You can also download the Jurassic World Facts app, where children can scan their dinosaur and watch it come to life to learn more about these fascinating prehistoric animals.

If out of your price range, check out our guide to the best dinosaur toys for kids of all ages for a more budget-friendly option.

Tested by Mumsnet writer Rachel Jeffcoat: Read our in-depth Maxi Micro Deluxe review

Tested by Mumsnet editor Laura Cooke: To fold or not to fold? Read our in-depth Maxi Micro Foldable review

For primary-aged children, a scooter can be an excellent, well-loved investment for riding to the park, to school and whizzing around the garden. So, if you’re due to buy your child a more age-appropriate scooter or if you’re looking to buy them their first set of wheels, then you can’t go far wrong with Micro Scooters Micro Maxi Deluxe Scooter.

Though there are similar scooters on the market with a more attractive price tag, Micro Scooters are particularly popular with Mumsnet parents. The Maxi Deluxe scored exceptionally well when we conducted our own in-depth testing. Check out our guide to the best scooters to see the results for yourself.

One of the best toys for 5-year-olds who love the outdoors, this micro scooter has three wheels and is tall and stable, yet light and speedy. It’s built to last years - from the age of five up to 12 - with high-end materials and mechanisms that go some way to justifying the hefty price tag.

A fun step up from the original VTech Kidizoom, the Kidizoom Studio makes a great gift for 5-year-olds who fancy themselves as future YouTubers. With a flip-up lens and green screen included, this 720p HD video camera comes with everything they need to plan and shoot their own videos - including a wrist strap and mini portable tripod - ideal for getting creative width friends.  

We love the easy-to-use child-friendly video editing, with a range of backgrounds and effects which can be added after filming. Unlike some kid's cameras which rely on batteries, the VTech Kidizoom Studio is fully rechargeable via USB, however, the internal memory can fill up quickly - so you may want to purchase a separate HD storage card to avoid disappointment.

Read next: Best kids' camera 2024: recommended by parents

The Barbie Dreamhouse is the ultimate in doll houses. Standing over a metre tall, it has three floors, 10 living areas, a pool and a slide.

Yes, it comes with a hefty price tag, but if you've got the space, the budget and the inclination, this is sure to be one of the best toys for 5-year-olds (and, thanks to the recent Barbie movie, older fans as well!)

The fully furnished house has a working lift, a party room with a DJ booth, a balcony and a hammock swing, making it the perfect setting for all kinds of Barbie adventures. Your child can use their creative skills and decide where they want the grass, pool and slide to go from a choice of configurations. Realistic sound effects, songs and ambient lights complete the package, and there’s a host of over 75 accessories to play with, including beds, chairs, crockery and food.

Read next: Best dolls' houses for imaginative play