At age five, most little boys begin to explore their independence. Some start earlier or later, but you can expect a lot of “let me do it” or “I can do it myself” action from little boys around that age group. There's nothing wrong with it, and you should let them explore their creativity and individualism. The problem is most kids that age already have a dozen screens to watch We've compiled some of the best toys for 5 year old boys below.
It’s ok to let your kids watch TV or enjoy videos. Playing games on a tablet or phone is fine as well. However, these activities should be limited in favor of other things that allow your kids to use their hands and minds to create or destroy things. Little boys around the age of five are excellent at either one. Encourage them to express themselves within reason.
Many parents already limit their child’s time in front of a screen. However, some of these parents often forget that children need something to occupy their time and stimulate their minds. Limiting their screen time to an hour or so each day without giving them analog toys or games to enjoy leads to boredom. A bored little boy is dangerous, especially to furniture, walls or siblings.
We want to help you find ways to entertain your little boy without involving technology. We sifted through the internet to find the best toys for five-year-old boys that don't include technology. By technology we mean no screen time and they get to use their hands and minds to create things or just have a lot of fun.
Comparison Table
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We compiled a list of the best toys for a five-year-old boy. Some of the toys may be educational toys or games while others are just for pure fun. We chose the toys based on their popularity and the reviews given to them by parents that own them. We didn't consider the price at all since most of the toys are budget-friendly. We only needed for the toys to meet some general criteria including:
While that list seems incredibly elementary, it was harder than you imagine finding toys that are technology free and able to stand up to the curiosity of a five-year-old. Keep in mind that the term technology free in this instance means merely no screens. Battery powered toys and games didn’t get cut from the list since we consider them mostly technology free.
The Best Tech-Free Toys for Boys
Image source: pixabay
We realize some parents have rules about the types of toys their kids get to use. We tried to include toys on this list that everyone will enjoy and allow. The good news is there are several options to choose from, so you’re bound to find toys your little boy will love, and you won’t hate. Noisy toys tend to get a dirty look from most parents.
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The price is higher than most of the toys on our list, but these things are super fun. Kids can build and destroy cars and never run out of fun. It's fun, but it might be a little messy at times. Parents can enjoy the cars as well, in the interest of spending quality time with their kids, of course.
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Everyone loves flying a kite. Get a kite for everyone and head to the park to make a day out of kite flying. Keep in mind that smaller kids may have trouble with this type of kite in high winds. It catches a lot of air which makes it a little more difficult to control when compared to other kinds of kites.
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If we’re honest, we could play with this little amusement park toy for a few hours. Strictly for testing purposes. It's colorful and almost as tall as a typical five-year-old. It requires batteries, but they can keep playing with it even when the batteries die. They are only used for the lights and sound effects. The cars don't require a power source.
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The bag gives them a sense of freedom and responsibility because they need to put the toys up when they finish playing with them. The plush balls are easy to grip and catch with small hands, and they're less likely to break things in the house. This set of balls is more fun for multiple kids due to the nature of sports.
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This is the most technology free toy you can get, and it's a little bit educational. It teaches kids about failure and practice. It’s also a lot of fun once you get the hang of playing with it and you can do some tricks. Little boys will love learning how to yoyo. It’s fun for kids of all ages though, so get yourself one as well.
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Kids can build a fort, or another structure, then drape a bed sheet over it to create a hideout and mini-game room. It comes with 69 pieces, but you can order several if your budget allows it. More pieces translate into bigger structures which probably means more fun for the kids.
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Literally, anything from LEGO is an excellent toy for small boys and older boys. This is one of our favorites, but you can find plenty of other LEGO toys in a variety of themes from favorite movies to bakeries. LEGO sets include a lot of small parts, so keep that in mind as well.
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It’s an excellent choice for stimulating their mind and allowing them to work with their hands. You can probably get a few sets of these and build some pretty complex mazes. They can create abstract mazes or build mazes shaped like animals or buildings. Afterward, they can make you try to solve the maze.
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Kids can build a wide array of shapes which is educational, or they can build structures like houses. This toy helps your child learn math skills along with improving their coordination and reasoning skills. It’s almost like playing Minecraft with the computer. This is another toy you can get multiples of and combine the pieces for larger projects.
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It’s good for hours of fun in the yard or at the park. The planes in the kit are not pet resistant, so don’t let the dog get one. You can get educational materials that go along with this toy to teach your kids about rockets and physics as well. The books are optional and sold separately.
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It’s best played by two or more kids, but it’s also a lot of fun to try out solo. As an adult, this game looks complicated and frustrating, but kids love it. It helps build hand-eye coordination along with cognitive skills. The goal is balancing crooked plastic sticks on top of other sticks until it falls.
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The rug includes a checkers board, tic-tac-toe, and solitaire. Kids can enjoy it in groups are by themselves. You can wash it in the washing machine when it gets dirty, and the underside employs a skid-proof surface to prevent the rug from sliding around on the floor or when kids inevitably step on it.
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The initial set comes with nine pieces that lock together to form a mat. You can order additional sets to increase the size of the mat. This mat is an excellent way to get your kids moving and having fun playing with small cars and trucks. The pieces are easy to put together or take apart, so your little boy can do it by himself.
Toy Choosing Guide for Five-Year-Old Boys
It’s impossible to come up with a feasible buyer’s guide for these toys. You know your kids and what they enjoy doing, so choose games from the list they might like or at least try. Most of the games don’t need power or batteries, so they can play with them almost anywhere. It may prove difficult to play the balancing games in the car.
Choose toys that may have other uses. We mentioned it a few times in some of the mini-reviews above, but a lot of toys can get expanded by buying additional sets. LEGOs make an excellent example of a toy that is only limited by your bank account and the space you have to store them at home. Try to pick games that compliment each other as well.
The best toys may provide years of fun for your child. Toys that involve reusable parts like blocks offer a lot of fun plus they help your child develop math and cognitive skills. Magna-Tiles make an excellent example of a toy your child will probably enjoy for years. This toy is also expandable if you don’t mind paying for an additional set or two to combine.
Toys that stimulate a child’s imagination may be the best option for children around five years of age. It may be one of the most important skills a child needs to develop. It helps toy makers come up with the ideas for the toys on our list. It also brought us things like microwaves and the internet. Puzzles, blocks, and art materials help stimulate their minds.
Puzzles and blocks also help your child develop their problem-solving skills. Simple toys like the yoyo teach your child about failing and the value of practice. Practicing something is one way to solve a problem; assuming the problem is the inability to do something like yoyo. Teach them to hunt and explore new ways to do things and provide toys that reinforce these skills.
Make sure your child has access to toys that encourage them to move around a lot and remain active. Exercise is good for everyone, but growing bodies need to keep moving, so they develop properly. Sports-based games are an excellent example of a way to keep your child active while they have some fun. That said, filling a wagon with dirt and hauling works toward the same goal.
Practically everything you read online tells you to get your kid games that help educate them and improve one of their basic skills, and we encourage you to follow that advice. However, don’t forget to let them have fun without an agenda. Pick games you think they’ll enjoy instead of making your choices based on the educational value of the game. Mix pure pleasure with education.
Some Final Notes
We suggest getting more building games for little boys. Every five-year-old boy we know is always stacking things or dragging pots and pans out of the cabinets to build something. Kids give us all the clues we need to pick the best toys for them. You could probably pick four or five toys from this list and keep them occupied through their next two birthdays.
Featured Image by Cheryl Holt from Pixabay
