A Complete Guide to Buying Best Birthday Gifts for 5 Year Old Boys in 2018 & How to Create Exciting Birthday Traditions

5-year-old kids are full of energy, curious about the world around them and becoming more interested in new experiences. They are getting to be better coordinated in their movements and have an increased attention span.

Fun yet educational toys are a great way to give kids natural opportunities to improve their motor skills and support their cognitive growth. With the kids on the verge of entering kindergarten, carefully chosen toys can help in preparing them for school, augmenting their learning and helping them express themselves better.

Most children this age are still exploring - they don’t have any clear notions of what they prefer and are happy to try out new things, which parents must encourage. Nonetheless, every kid differs in interests and abilities.

While one child likes to draw and colour, another may prefer playing outside with friends. Differences in abilities are also common - some kids meet their milestones faster while others take their time. A gift chosen for the 5 year old with these aspects in mind ensures that the kiddo enjoys his gift.

Considering the strong pull of screens, developing a habit of outdoor play in kids is of prime importance. This is the age for rapid development of fine motor skills, concentration, and physical coordination in the little ones, which is why being active is key.

Buying games that make outdoor play exciting will help increase its appeal and he will enjoy spending time outside - either with you, with his friends or even alone.

Parties, gifts, cake – these are what make birthdays special for the little ones.

Over and above these, unique traditions to mark the little one’s birthday are a simple yet sweet way for parents and close family members to make him feel even more special. Having traditions also helps him to look beyond gifts and brings you closer as a family.

Our curated list of the best toys and games for 5-year-olds is designed to help you pick something that is safe, fun and educational.

Our suggestions have been grouped into different categories so you can easily look over them and pick one that will bring maximum joy to the 5 year old.

Kinetic sand kits are recommended for 5 year olds as it promotes their hand-eye coordination and offers a magical experience of creating shapes with ease.

The Ekta Active Sand Castle Play Kit contains 500g of kinetic sand, six castle moulds and a few tools such as a bucket. Made of premium quality materials the sand is non-toxic and completely safe for kids to play. It causes no mess, and remains usable for months. Buy it for Rs. 315.00 from Amazon.

Lego bricks are known for fostering creativity and imagination in kids. The Lego Classic set is great for young kids who are just beginning to learn creating with their hands.

The bricks in this starter kit are perfectly sized to allow little ones to build a whole host of structures and designs. There are over 55 bricks including special elements like windows and wheels. Since the set has 3 levels of complexity, kids of all abilities will be able to play. Buy it for Rs. 399.00 from Amazon.

Play doughs offer a simple yet fun activity for the little ones. This fundough set from Funskool is an all-in-one set that is sure to keep the little boy engrossed for hours. It has 5 tubs of different colour doughs and 13 different types of cutters which can be used to many different shapes. Additionally, it contains a crinkler to create textured designs and extruder to make various shapes. Available for Rs. 269.00 from Amazon.

The Melissa & Dough stamping kit can be used by the little one to create stamps of different animals, improving creativity and fine-motor skills, and giving him the joy of creating cute designs on paper.

The set contains five coloured pencils, 9 well-detailed stamps of animals like dogs, birds, as well as 2 stamp pads of different colours. All of these come neatly packed inside a wooden box ensuring easy storage. Available at amazon.in for Rs. 1,938

Trains and fascinates kids of all ages. The Thomas and Friends Starter Train set contains a motorised engine which along with 2 coaches runs on the accompanying track. Featuring realistic details like a station, blinking lights, and sounds the set guarantees a thrilling experience. The child will have loads of fun planning out journeys and making up exciting adventures.

This particular set contains a track length of 11.5 x 79.5 and costs Rs. 1499. You can also get smaller track lengths that cost lesser. Check them out at Amazon.in.

Sometimes kids just want to play and be entertained. If you are looking for a light-hearted gift then this 6 inches tall robot which plays music and dances by lifting its legs and hands is a cute choice. The toy rotates a full 360 degrees and flashes bright 3D lights, offering a fun sensory experience to the kids. Buy it on amazon.in for Rs. 399.

The bounce hopper ball helps kids remain active indoors and outdoors. Made of high quality rubber, the ball inflates to a height of 65 cm and can seat a child comfortably. Kids will love the experience of jumping around on it, while improving their coordination and motor skills.

The ball is delivered deflated which can be inflated with the air pump included in the set . Available at Amazon for Rs. 499

Riding scooters is a fantastic way for kids to master balance and coordination. This scooter is a solid yet lightweight option with a frame made of steel, giving required stability for the child. The scooter’s handlebar is adjustable so the height can be changed to suit the child.

Other features include sturdy hand grips, and lights that glow while the scooter is in use. The scooter can be folded up making it easy to store. Available for Rs. 984 on Flipkart.

Get the little one this magnetic puzzle set which will enhance his problem solving and critical thinking skills.The game involves 400 small circular magnets of 10 different colors which need to be arranged into patterns on the accompanying magnetic board.

An information booklet is provided which offers 200 patterns to get the kid get started off. Patterns provided include animals, fruits and abstract designs, but the child is free to create anything using his imagination. A wooden display stand is included which can be used to show off the child’s creations, an easy way to give him a boost of confidence. Get this Play Panda Magnetic Puzzles Circles set from Amazon at Rs. 429.00

This DIY STEM kit is a perfect gift for kids who are showing the early signs of interest in science. It contains 30 simple experiments that bring scientific principles and concepts to life.

The age-appropriate experiments included in the set have been designed with care - they are safe for the kids and cater to varying abilities. The set helps build logical thinking, sensory and observational skills, language development along with giving a boost to creativity and imagination. Buy it for 1,999 at amazon.in

Highly recommended by parents and experts, the Fat Brain Toys Animal Logic is a mentally stimulating game that encourages object recognition, critical thinking, logic, matching and sequencing skills. The set involves 16 colourful wooden animal pieces and a board on which the game is played.

The game offers 60 puzzles across five levels of difficulty - beginner to advanced - which ensures that the child can play as per his ability, and it retains his interest for long. Available from Amazon the game is a little expensive at Rs. 4,449, but it’s worth the investment.

Introduce the 5 year old to the wider world with this World Map Jigsaw Puzzle. Made of foam, the game contains 3 large puzzle frames, which fit to make the world map, and 65 small puzzle pieces shaped as different countries to be slotted into the map.

The game which can be played solo or in groups, offers a hands-on method to learn about geography. It also offers a great opportunity to educate the child about different countries using supporting resources like books, YouTube videos. Available for Rs. 299.00 at Amazon.

This art and craft tool set is a boon for children with an artistic bent as it contains both wet and dry paint colours allowing them to explore various types of painting styles.

The pack contains erasable crayons. oil pastels, connector pens, tempera paints. 1 paint brush, a scratch tool as well as other essentials like an eraser, and craft scissors. Priced at Rs. 289.00 at Amazon.

According to experts, learning music helps in accelerating development of memory/retention, language acquisition, mathematical and reading skills in kids. This child-sized guitar is a great way for the 5-year-old to try his hand at music.

Measuring 18 inches the 4-string guitar toy is a lightweight yet fully functional instrument, having all the tuning keys and strings. It’s an ideal starting point as it is helpful for the kid to learn correct postures and to play basic notes.

Available on Amazon for Rs. 530.

Special moments on birthdays can be created with simple gestures and not just through parties and gifts.

In fact, these small gestures repeated year on year become integral part of celebrating birthdays and build cherished memories. At 5 years old, it is the perfect time to start a meaningful tradition for his birthday and infuse a little magic into the day.

An outing planned specially for the birthday boy is a great way to bring in some fun, and create unforgettable memories.

This could be as simple as a visit to the zoo, a trip to his favourite restaurant, or a picnic.
The outing can be done as a family activity or one-on-one depending on the relationship and preferences.

This is a beautiful tradition that will definitely give the child cherished mementos

If you are the parents, write an annual letter that summarises the child’s top milestones, fun memories, special moments from the year gone by. It is a wonderful way to capture a snapshot of the child’s life at that age. Other loved ones can also each write a letter that reflects on the year gone and expresses their good wishes for the coming year

This one is for the parents - make your little one feel like a king and give some control on this birthday! Allow him to choose the menu for one of the meals of the day or an activity like movie watching or even the dress he wants to wear.

Help the child have a say in the gift the gets for his birthday. Instead of just asking him, start a practice of asking him to write down his top choices of the gifts he wants. This exercise will help him articulate himself better and also improve his cognitive skills.

Year on year, kids get inundated with toys especially around their birthdays.

More often than not, the toys and games just pile up, lying forgotten and unused. An excellent tradition that will help your child look beyond himself is teaching him to give up old toys to the less fortunate. This may be a little challenging in initial years, but can be done with parental support, and will help in developing an empathetic and generous attitude in the little boy.