What are the best toys for 5– to 8-year-olds? You’ll find those toys listed below on this gift guide filled with hands-on, playful ways for big kids to have fun without having to rely on battery or screen-operated fun. Enjoy this list of toys field-tested by actual children over several years.
The best toys for 5 year olds to 8 year olds
We can’t undervalue the power of toys—especially as our kids grow.
There’s a common misconception that as children get older, their toys need to be more tech-focused or follow the latest trends. That simply isn’t true. Toys for older kids don’t need flashy tech or pop culture fads to be valuable or interesting.
Instead, toys for kids ages 5 to 8 can nurture their passions, introduce new skills, and broaden their experiences.
We are still the gatekeepers of what comes into our homes, even as our kids get older. It’s up to us to decide which toys add real value and which don’t make the cut.
Toys are tools – not just “stuff” – and they hold value and support our children’s play. As kids grow, we don’t have to turn to electronics or fad toys to keep them engaged. Balance is key.
Don’t forget or lose sight of this: big kids still need hands-on play. They need to be in control of their play, exploring and creating without flashy, short-lived distractions consuming these important developmental years.
What toys do 5- to 8-year-olds need?
In my opinion, there are two types of toys: trendy toys and timeless toys. I’m here to make a plea to lean towards the timeless ones.
Here’s why.
Trendy toys often have a short life span. They catch your child’s attention fast but usually don’t hold it for long. After a few days or weeks, interest fades, and the toy ends up forgotten. Trendy toys are all about the moment—they’re flashy but rarely grow with the child. We don’t want that.
We want more for our kids. We want toys that encourage deep, sustained play. Timeless toys do that—they foster longer, more meaningful engagement and lead to richer learning experiences. Plus, it’s much more cost-effective in the long run. You’re investing in toys that your child will continue to use and grow with, not ones that need constant replacing.
That being said, some trendy toys do have staying power. If a toy becomes an essential tool for your child’s play or meets an important developmental need, it’s worth keeping. Toys are tools, and if a particular toy supports your child, then it has value.
Building a foundation of timeless toys
In my previous gift guides (like “Best Toys for Toddlers” and “Best Toys for Preschoolers”), I focused on creating a strong toy foundation for young kids. Though those lists are labeled by age, the toys included are by no means limited to that stage.
Think of it like a board game. Monopoly says “for ages 8+,” but that doesn’t mean only eight-year-olds like it. Toy lists work the same way. A toddler might be the first to enjoy wooden blocks, but older kids – like eight- or nine-year-olds – still find joy and creativity with those same blocks. The point is, the age on each list is simply when a child might start enjoying that toy, not when they stop.
Reminder – Toys don’t have a gender
This list is gender-neutral, just as all toys are. Every toy here is fantastic for both boys and girls, and should be seen as such. Let’s not let outdated notions limit our kids. Our girls deserve the chance to engineer and build just as much as our boys deserve the chance to create.
Please don’t label toys by gender – let’s give all children every opportunity to explore and learn. Choose toys for the child and the child’s personality.
JUMP – Best toys for 5- to 8-year-olds
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Marble Run Game
THIS IS THE ONE. This is the stand out toy for 2024: imagination a combination mouse trap, a marble run and a pinball machine, and it has held the attention of kids ages 5-13 at my house.
Machines in Motion
I first saw this gear set in a robotics class my 11 year old took. I knew we had to own it. It gives kids a chance to build functioning, battery-free machines and it way exceeded my expectations.
Magic Kit
Not sure which category this belongs in, so we’ll toss it in games. It’s awesome. If you have a budding magician at home, this has been a fantastic toy for our family and the tricks are fully doable for ages 5+. Absolutely have loved this!
LCD Microscope
This. Microscope. Kids often have a hard time seeing through the small eye piece of a traditional microscope. This takes away that variable AND everyone can see all at once.
Roller Blades
Roller blades were all the rage on our street this year with the 6+ crowd. This is the brand I got my kids – and they grow with them (so you don’t have to keep buying new sizes). It’s been a really fun, new hobby. Here’s also a link to the knee, wrist, and elbow pads we paired with these…
BRIO Pinball
A 10/10. My 6-year-old asked for an entire year to buy this toy and finally got his wish at his birthday. I should have bought it sooner. It’s simple, engaging, challenging, and perfect for big kids. Brio made a good one here.
Travel Watercolor Set
A very thoughtful gift for a budding artist, this travel watercolor set has been a 10/10 for my then-7 year old (suggested by an 11 year old friend). This is a wonderful gift for a child and opens up the possibility of easily taking art with them on the road.
Gifts to pair with a watercolor set
Mancala
- This game is super fun.
- It’s been around for thousands of years.
- No one gets tired of playing it. It is literally the GOAT.
Dragons
Dragons have taken over my kids and their friends. This set has been especially magical and lets each kid “be” one or two dragons in their play. These have been a huge hit for our 5 to 10 year old crowd.
Gifts to pair with dragon toys
Hook and Ring Game
You want a simple game? This is it. Laugh all you want at how simple this looks… give it a go… circle back to me…
Electronic Slide Puzzle
Gifted this to my son for this 8th birthday and it was the biggest hit. It is more expensive than you may expect, but I couldn’t leave it off the list. It’s that good.
DIY Fairy House
My daughter had this on her wish list for years… I’m so glad I finally got it for her. It was a joy to watch her build this and makes playing with it even sweeter. This ships from a small toy shop (it’s such a lovely store).
RC Stunt Car
Looking for an RC car that doesn’t instantly break? This is the one. It’s durable, holds up well, and is a hoot to drive (it’s also easy for preschoolers to drive, too). It’s really forgiving because it can flip over and keep driving. It’s fantastic.
Polly Pocket
Yep, she’s back. She’s amazing. She’s my 8 year olds favorite toy right now and the envy of all her friends. This has been as big a hit today as it was 30 years ago.
Art Kit
I gifted this to my daughter two years ago Christmas and it’s been such a hit, we bought a second one for the neighbor boy. This is a great set of “just your own” art supplies for big kids. Both kits are still in great condition and being used.
More art supplies big kids adore
Labyrinth Game
This was the most played with Christmas purchase of 2021 – it’s been three years and this hasn’t left the family room. Not once. This labyrinth is fun for all of us. From age 5 to 65 (Grandparents too), everyone keeps trying their luck. It comes with 3 mazes of varying complexity.
Rainbow Loom
What a great craft kit. This is doable and makes a great final bracelet – emphasis on doable. This took our neighborhood over…for the last two years so I’m calling this a longevity hit for ages 5-14 years old. It comes with plenty of bands and a template to help kids learn the pattern of making these.
Geomag
What.a.great.toy. I love a good building toy and knew these would be a hit with my kids the second I saw them so I bought my daughter a set for her birthday. It’s magnetic balls and rods. They’ve been fabulous.
Flipslide
This single-player game is very Simon and Bop-It adjacent – and that’s a good thing. My 7 year old loves it. My 11 year old is still equally as invested.
Shut the Box
I know this looks unassuming, but this game is so addicting! It’s technically a math game: roll the two dice, add the numbers, and shut the box with the sum on it. It’s more than just that, of course, and I’m going to go play a few rounds after I type this.
Ribbon Ninja
A neighborhood favorite! The kids on our street love this game and have played it on repeat since 2022.
Pop It! Game
Need a simple toy or gift? Try this. It reminds me of the bubble wrap popping game on iPhones of year’s past. All my kids (7-11 years old) have been massively entertained.
Wooden Marble Run
This is the marble run we have – we love it. Marble runs are complicated to set up, but 5+ year olds rock at it. After struggling with plastic sets for years, we upgraded to this wooden one and never looked back.
Pocket Microscope
Not ready for a full blown microscope (or don’t have the space)? I get it. We LOVE this pocket version (and so do all my kids ages). It comes to the park with us a lot.
Hex Bugs
We love these. They are a little creepy how they move and shimmy around, but once you get past that… it’s a great toy for kids who like building, robot-esque items, and mazes.
Spirograph
Did you have a Spirograph? This is math and art and creating at its finest – I’m so glad they never stopped making these. My 7 year old loved this at Grandma’s house, she bought him his own set for our house.
Perler Beads
I know you made these as a kid and remember what fun they were. Guess what? They’re still fun (and the only thing I use my iron for). Perler beads are something the kids on my street (5-13) bounce back and forth to all the time, and have done this dance for years.
Other “old school” art kits
Botley
I know robot toys are all the rage right now, and although it might break my “trendy” rule… have you met sweet Botley? This is a great intro to coding and robots, and really holds a big kid’s attention. My kids have loved playing with this.
Kids Pod Swing (indoor or outdoor)
These are sweetest, coolest – just a great little space for growing big kids. They can relax, grab a book, unwind, etc… all in the comfort of their own pod. Lots of different colors available.
Klask
Think “air hockey with magnets.” Klask is really fun for a broad age range (even younger siblings will be able to play). This has some fun twists that make it unexpectedly even more fantastic than you’d expect. It’s my favorite game to play with kids.
Paper Airplane Book/Kit
We have been deep into paper airplanes at our house for four years now, all thanks to this book. The step-by-step guide is easy for kids to follow (and for adults who are less than paper airplane proficient).
Paper Airplane Launcher
If you have a paper airplane fan, take them up a notch with this simple launcher. My 7 year old has loved this upgrade.
Kindle Paperwhite Kids
This is NOT a Kindle Fire, tablet, or a device to play games on. It’s just like an adult Kindle, but much less expensive. It’s a manageable way to let kids take lots of books with them on the go. My kids love their Kindles. They’ve been able to discover new books they would never have seen on a library shelf.
You can purchase a subscription to the Amazon digital library. You can also hook this up with your local library (check with your library system first).
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic tiles are amazing for older children to build with. In fact, we didn’t get our first set until my oldest was 6. We have this Picasso brand (considerably cheaper and they are compatible with other brands) and it’s been fabulous.
Expansion packs for magnetic tiles
I Saw It First!
Awesome, awesome, awesome. This is been a family favorite since 2021 and I have got to get the word out better. It’s 7 double sided hexagons with over 300 animals. You draw token with an animal picture and name, and then race to find it. It’s like the most super-sized big kid version of “Spot It.” We live for this game.
BRIO Building Set
Fantastic building set. While it says 3+ on the box, that is NOT accurate. This is a minimum 5+ toy and it is AWESOME. This is significant building for kids – and expansion packs have motors to make their creations move or talk.
Expansion packs for the BRIO Building Set:
Magic Clay
This clay is awesome – it’s nothing like the messy, gooey, traditional clay or play dough (which is a sensory tool vs this is a crafting supply). The texture is cool, what kids can make is cool, it’s a great little set. Highly recommend.
LEGO Bricks
By age 5 years old, all kids should have a box of LEGO bricks for building and creating. Nothing invites invention and engineering quite like a LEGO.
LEGO Project Books
Have a big kid into LEGO bricks? Take it to the next level with this kit. All the pieces to make all the contraptions come with – it takes LEGO and systems and STEM to a huge level.
Other LEGO books we love
Walkie Talkies
These become REALLY fun for kids around age 5 years old – and also around age 40. The distance on these is at least a mile (and so cool that it’s a 4-pack). These are obviously indoor or outdoor, but I see them outside with my kids most often.
Chemistry Kit
We have this, we love this, it’s shockingly good. I was skeptical when we got this (other kits have been lack luster). This has been great. The supplies are good, the directions are great, and my kids have learned a lot.
Gifts to pair with a chemistry kit
Real Tools
Yes, these are real tools specially sized for kids. You can decide if your child is ready for this, but there’s no substitute for learning to working with real tools. Tools are for all genders – all kids can build. All kids can create.
Logic Case
I love a single-player logic game that keeps kids quietly entertained and this is a fantastic option that’s screen and battery free.
Snap Circuits
Let your child build circuits and systems with this amazing hands-on learning toy. Easy to follow directions let your child learn so much about electricity. This is a standard 6-8 year old birthday gift from me (regardless of gender).
Other snap circuit sets we love
Snap Circuit Game
This is a brand new toy for 2024. If you have a child who loves Snap Circuits, this game version is so cool. My kids (and husband) all have a blast playing.
Light-Up Tracing Pad
A thin, lightweight board that helps kids trace their art. My older kids (7 and 9) really enjoy drawing with this. It’s been a big hit.
Stilts
Yup. Stilts. These are height adjustable so they work for a broad age/height range. My 5 year old neighbor uses them and hands them off to my 42 year old husband. Now that’s a development span…. (all kidding aside, these have been a massive hit for our entire neighborhood).
Wooden Pattern Blocks
If your child has been to a classroom, they’ve played with pattern blocks before. Having them at home is the best – anyone else remember making giant flowers with these as a kid?
Binoculars
A good pair of binoculars is everything for bird watching to jungle hunts to spy missions. They come in 6 different colors so you’ll find the right style for your child.
Gifts that pair well with binoculars
Smart Farmer
This is such a great gift to give – especially for kids who likes to or often needs to play solo. It’s a great puzzles/brain teaser with a booklet of logic puzzle to solve in escalating complexity. We’ve had this for five years and my kids have yet to tire of it or solve all the puzzles.
Other single player logic games
Bop It
The skills needed to play Bop It! and the thrill of it all makes this such an addicting game – trust me, I’m as hooked as the kids are. This can be solo or with a partner.
Super Stadium Baseball Game
Oh em gee… this is so much fun. This is one of those hidden gems that not many folks know about. One person is the batter, the other is the pitcher. One launches little marbles and the other actually swings the bat. I wish I could better explain this game. I didn’t believe in it until we got it… now I’ll shout it from the mountains how fun this toy is.
Mini Simon
I loved Simon as a kid but Mini Simon is even more fun. It’s a great extra gift or stocking stuffer. It says 8+, but it was a gift for my 4 year old who loved it as much as the bigger kids.
Razor Trike
Do not let the word trike fool you. This thing spins 360 and is epic. Being able to ride it has become a right of big kid passage in our neighborhood. This beloved “trike” has been in play almost every day for seven years. It’s wild, big kid excitement and so cool.
Fox Tail Ball
This is a GREAT way to help kids learn to catch and throw in a fun and successful way. I highly suggest fox tails. Here’s a link to another set that’s a 6-pack if you need more than one: Lakeshore’s Soft and Safe Comet Balls.
Labyrinth Balance Board
Think balance board meets ball maze. This is a great toy for gross motor development – my kids often balance while I’m reading aloud. It’s something we’ve had for years now that I plan on keeping a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Remember that kids learn through play so literally all toys are education and learning toys. Ironically, toys that call out their “learning” features often support far less learning than (for example) a set of wooden blocks. Terms like “educational” and “learning” are more of a marketing ploy than a legitimate category.
That’s personal to each family and the variables within the home (size, location, number of children, etc). If you are concerned your child has too many toys, audit your child’s play. A good indicator of too many toys is when it takes a long time for a child to “find their play.” Similar to having a hard time finding tools in a crowded kitchen, too many toys can be overwhelming and actually limiting to a child.
That’s personal to the family. Rather than follow any preset guideline, work within a budget and within what the child will find enjoyable to open and not overwhelming. I find preset guidelines for holidays limiting and prefer to use my gut rather than someone else’s poem.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.3 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie’s parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.