The best Christmas gifts for 5 year olds

By five years old, the magic of the festive season arrives in full force - from landing their first ever part in the school nativity (hey, there’s nothing wrong with being a tree!), to understanding enough about Father Christmas to know that he’s gonna need a glass of milk and a mince pie to get him on his way.

Que Christmas morning, where you’re woken up at 5am by a super excited kid who is already wide awake and ready to open their presents. While you may kindly say that they have to go back to bed for a couple more hours because Father Christmas may not have delivered their presents yet, at least you can drift off knowing that underneath the tree is a stash of gifts that they are sure to love. 

Although, this year, you may have had a helping hand by their Dear Father Christmas letter, which you did send off to the North Pole ‘wink, wink’, the ever evolving world of kids toys means you never know whether what they put on their list at the beginning of December is going to be the toy that everyone is boasting about back in the school playground once the Christmas holidays are over. 

And, if your child’s Christmas list happens to consists of a pony, or a spaceship (a real one) or something else that is slightly unrealistic, you know that you have this list of the best Christmas gifts for five year olds to fall back on. 

1. Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition

An Amazon Fire 7 that features full kid control

Specifications

Best for: First tablet
Type: Electronic
Educational: Yes/No
Power type: Rechargeable battery

Reasons to buy

+
Entertainment and education in one device
+
Tech performance is adult level 

Reasons to avoid

-
 Limits imaginative play 

They’ve been nicking your phone for the last year to watch cartoons or play games in the back of the car. Now with the reasonably priced Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet, you can give them a little screen for them to have all to themselves. With its parental control programming, you can ensure that web browsing and app purchasing is strictly down to the grown-ups while giving your child the free-reign to flick between their favourite games and box sets. If you are looking to get a great tech gift for a 5 year old this Christmas, this tablet tops the list.

2. Ponycycle Toy Ride on Pony Horse

A fun ride-on toy with a difference

Specifications

Best for: Horse lovers
Type: Ride-on toy
Educational: No
Power type: n/a

Reasons to buy

+
Great for kids who like horse riding
+
A big gift to open at Christmas

Reasons to avoid

-
Not ideal for uneven surfaces

When it comes to opening big gifts at Christmas, this Toy Ride on Pony Horse is up there in the 'massive' gift list for size alone! This child-sized cute ride-on moves forward using the energy of it's rider; when your little one bobs up and down on the horse, it will travel forward. Once the kids get into full swing on this one, the horse will gently gallop smoothly along even surfaces, creating your child's very own pony riding experience at home. For anyone looking to buy a ride-on toy but keep coming across the same old predictable plastic cars and tractors, this is the ultimate ride-on toy for Christmas. The small size is suitable for ages 1.5yrs-4yrs, the medium size is designed for older kids of 4yrs-9yrs old.

3. Galt Toys Super Marble Run

A creative build with a satisfying sense of achievement

Specifications

Best for: Building
Type: Plastic
Educational: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Uses imagination
+
Great for essential skills 

Reasons to avoid

-
A little complex to figure out

Children find the concept of moving objects fascinating and with this cool marble run kit, they’ll be building towers and watching the marbles tumble down the course for hours. With 60 plastic pieces, your child has the power to create a tower with as many twists, turns, slides and vertical drops as they wish. With a little help from mum and dad, they could create something truly masterful, creating hours of fascinating and oddly satisfying entertainment. While they play, children craftily learn problem solving skills and develop logical thinking. If you are looking for a gift that will entertain a five year old on Christmas Day, this has got hours of play in it.

4. RoyalBaby BMX Freestyle Kids Bike

A supercool bike, optimised for first time riders

Specifications

Best for: Learning to ride
Type: Bicycle
Educational: No
Power type: Pedal power

Reasons to buy

+
Adjustable stabilisers 
+
Study design

Reasons to avoid

-
 Heavy compared to balance bikes 

Five years old is the perfect age to get them on four wheels (or two!) and with this snazzy first bike, encouraging them to pedal their first wobbly few metres won’t take long.  With it’s supercool design, arriving into the school playground on that first morning back (weather pending of course) will be like you rolling up to a party in a flashy merc. In all seriousness though, the sturdy frame, adjustable stabilisers and extra strong tyres make this the perfect buy, and imagine their face when they discover that the big box under the tree is actually for them! If you are thinking about getting your kid a bike for Christmas, there are a lot out there, but this is the ideal choice for 5 year olds.

5. F1 Convertible Racing Cars Kids Toy Play Set

A fantastically priced set of ultra-cool cars

Specifications

Best for: Little car enthusiasts
Type: Toy car
Educational: No
Power type: Hand power

Reasons to buy

+
Great value for money
+
A complete car set in one package

Reasons to avoid

-
Not particularly high quality 

If you know that as soon as your child opens this pack of cars your dining table is going to become a temporary racetrack and the little vehicles are going to fling off the edge and crash land all over the floor, these cars are a great buy. With other brands on the market (such as Hot Wheels) being quite expensive, especially for a pack of 36, you can be satisfied that your five year old will have great fun flinging these cars around knowing full well that they didn’t cost the earth. Whilst this might seem like a simple gift in comparison to all the interactive toys on the market, this is one of the best traditional gifts for 5 year olds who love cars.

6. Micro Mini Deluxe Scooter

Make the daily walk to school fun with this mini scooter

Specifications

Best for: Outdoor play
Type: Scooter
Educational: No
Power type: Foot power

Reasons to buy

+
Playing outdoors
+
Strong and stable

Reasons to avoid

-
Will need helmet and knee pads too

When faced with the prospect of sitting comfortably on the sofa all day watching films or adventuring out in the cold and slightly damp winter weather, it’s understandable that your child may be a bit reluctant to play outside. But with this Mini Deluxe Scooter among their present stash this Christmas, they’ll be raring to get outdoors. With its 2 wheels at the front, you can relax knowing that your child is safely whizzing around with minimal risk of falling over. These scooters have become a staple to the school run, bringing fun to the usually mundane trip to the gates. At 5yrs old, the control children have increases enough that you can give them a scooter without the fear of constant trips and falls.

7. J by Jasper Conran- Girls’ navy frill sleeve bow print dress

The perfect dress for Christmases and birthday parties

Specifications

Best for: Pretty outfits
Type: Clothing
Educational: No
Power type: N/A

Reasons to buy

+
Go-to party outfit
+
Dark colour to hide potential stains

Reasons to avoid

-
 Will grow out of it quickly 

With its bow print theme, this dress makes the best staple party-wear gift for five year olds. Made by reputable designer Jasper Conran, you automatically know that the quality of this item is going to be top end. And when it’s got rounds of musical chairs, potential bouncy castles, cake spillages and goodness knows what else to contend with, you can rest assured that this dress won’t disintegrate after multiple sprays of stain remover and several cycles through the wash. For anyone looking for a classic gift for a 5 year old girl, a designer dress is quite the treat.

8. 8 Aeroplane Toys for Boys and Girls

A great gift for any prospective pilot

Specifications

Best for: Aeroplane enthusiasts
Type: Toy
Educational: No
Power type: Hand power!

Reasons to buy

+
Great for throwing around
+
Inexpensive

Reasons to avoid

-
 Better quality out there 

These little toy planes are the best for children that love to use their imagination. While we’ll put our hands up and say they’re not the highest quality, do you really want to spend an arm and a leg on toys that are going to be flung off surfaces, thrown about and covered in dirt within half an hour of them leaving the packaging? With ultra-cool designs and 8 different models, any plane enthusiast or future pilot will absolutely love receiving this toy aeroplane set for Christmas.

9. Binatone Latitude 100 Twin Black/Yellow Walkie Talkie

Create exciting games with these walkie talkies

Specifications

Best for: Friends
Type: Toy
Educational: No
Power type: Batteries

Reasons to buy

+
Inventing games
+
Communication

Reasons to avoid

-
Crackly over long distance 

If, like us, you remember running around the block playing games like manhunt and hide and seek, you’ll see that these walkie talkies are a fantastic gift idea. While they become crackly over distance, they are the best buy for those that love running around outside. Make outdoor walks far more exciting but sharing the walkie talkies amongst families members and taking hide and seek to the next level. They can also double up as a nifty communication device, so you can call them in for tea without running the risk of the veggies boiling over. For any 5 year old in your life who loves adventure or the idea of being a spy, this is the perfect Christmas present.

Looking for Christmas gifts for sightly older kids? Check out our guide to the best Christmas gifts for 6 year olds.