Between starting school and playing with new friends, your 5-year-old boy is quickly outgrowing all of his toys. Not only this, but looking for ideas about what toys to buy him can be a challenge. However, we've made that job slightly easier by putting together a list of the best toys for 5-year-old boys that we could find.
If you've read our article on educational toys for 5-year-olds, you'll know how important it is to keep your children engaged through play so that they can learn and develop. As well as selecting these toys with that in mind, we've added some classic fun favourites to the list, too.
From LEGO to Hot Wheels, Transformers to PAW Patrol, there's definitely something on this list that'll inspire their interest. Keep him engaged and entertained for hours, all while encouraging his creativity and helping to develop some of the key skills he'll need. As every little boy is different, we've selected a range of toys that'll suit almost any 5-year-old.
11 best toys for 5-year-old boys:
Best toy for sensory play
Keep their senses engaged and stimulate their creativity with this kinetic sand set. While ideal to be played with over a tray or on a mat, it’s also surprisingly easy to clean up. It’s the perfect gift for a 5-year-old, especially one who loves sensory play.
Review: "I’m still amazed every time I get the magic sand out for my son! He loves having fun with sand, filling up the containers, slicing it in half, pushing objects into it, driving cars through it or hiding little figures in it, I secretly love playing with it too, still can’t quite believe how it all sticks together but isn’t messy at the same time! Good play value, my son will happily play for up to an hour and it’s creative too!"
Best toy for those who love a challenge
A great option for a STEM toy to engage their skills, take this construction truck apart. It can even be turned into a remote control car for added play. Challenge his mind as he uses his problem-solving skills to take the truck apart and put it back together again.
Review: "Great toy, my 5-year-old grandson has had hours of fun being a mini mechanic. I had just as much fun watching him and the joy it gave him after each build."
Best toy for real life role-play
www.argos.co.uk
Add a touch of realism to their play with this lifelike kitchen set. Teach your 5-year-old all of the practical skills he’ll eventually need, like how to cook and how to wash up. You can also use the items in water, making it totally true to life.
Review: "My son loves this set and I’ve had endless cups of tea and coffee being made for me! What’s not to like. Fab price too."
Best toy for creative construction
www.argos.co.uk
A favourite that never gets boring, your little boy will love this box of LEGO that'll start him off on his collection of LEGO toys. Including so many different pieces, watch his creativity come to life as he builds anything that he can put his mind to.
Review: "Nice little starter kit for a 5-year-old, box is big enough to add more lego!"
Best toy for encouraging their problem solving skills
With the help of magnetics, the possibilities of what your 5-year-old can assemble are endless. All down to their imagination, they can create whatever they desire with this building set. Toys like these are great at encouraging their problem-solving skills, too.
Review: "We purchased these for our grandson. After a few weeks, we got a second set. It is great to sit and watch his imagination widen and grow. There is no limit to the hours of fun, and no batteries or mains power needed. It's all in their imagination."
Best toy for the train enthusiast
www.johnlewis.com
For hours of fun, you can't beat a classic wooden train set. This charming train set helps to develop their motor skills and inspires their imagination. Any 5-year-old little boy who loves trains will just adore this.
Review: "My grandson loved this train set. Excellent value and well made."
Best toy for encouraging little explorers
www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk
If you have a 5-year-old who has a keen interest in dinosaurs, this is definitely the toy for him. This will inspire his sense of discovery, exploration and curiosity. As reviews say, burying the fossils in a sandpit or hiding them around the garden adds for an added bit of fun, but it is equally as great on its own.
Review: "I have four grandchildren and they all scrabble to find the pieces in the sandpit. It is a great set."
Best toy for imaginative play
A popular choice with raving reviews, this LEGO City Family House pack will have them creating interesting interactive scenarios around the family home and family life. As it's an expandable set, you can enrich play with more sets as time goes on!
Review: "Good play value. My 5-year-old grandson enjoyed making this."
Best toy for the car enthusiast
We all know a little boy who's big on cars. With this Hot Wheels pack, the fun is never ending. As they've got such a variety of different models and colours, your 5-year-old will be entertained for hours, racing around the house.
Review: "Good sturdy colourful variety of racing cars. My sons love them and enjoys playing with them as does my little girl. Good value for money."
Best toy for those who love a surprise
Transforming toys are all the rage, and this transforming robot is no exception. Converting from a robot into a medic vehicle, this versatile toy is perfect for your 5-year-old boy.
Review: "Bought for my grandson, but we both love playing with it. Its' quite stiff, but presume it will loosen up with use. Feels like it will last for years and almost unbreakable."
Best toy for the PAW Patrol fan
PAW Patrol might have taken over your television, and it's about to take over your living room too. Bring Chase to life in his cruiser as he embarks on rescue missions with your 5-year-old boy. With so many fantastic reviews and at such a great price, what's not to like?
Review: "Cute and well put together. It's stood up to a lot of play from my 4 and 5-year-old and looks great."
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.
For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.