Gift Ideas for the 5 Year Old {Boy}

To round out the week, I’m talkin’ gifts for 5 year olds today. And since I am fully aware of the lack of input I have into what a 5 year old girl might be into as I have not been a 5 year old girl for 27 years {Eagads!} and I don’t have any 5 year old gals in my house, I am calling this list more “geared” towards dudes. But I am also a huge believer in girls doing all the things boys do so don’t shy away just because you don’t have any boys. Girls can rock science, reading, and math equally to boys {okay… off my soapbox}.

So what’s different about 5 year olds? Unlike a 1 year old, a 5 year old has opinions about what they want. And they may also have more influence from their peers. That being said, the item topping my 5 year old’s list — a nutcracker. Don’t ask. I haven’t the smallest idea as to why. But what else do I think he’d dig? What else is he into?

Here’s my list of gift ideas for a 5 year old {Boy}.

1. Keva Planks
Our 5 year old looooooves Legos. He loves them. And he loves to create. So on his list {and something already in the works for him} are Keva Planks. A fellow Kindergarten mama {who also has three boys} says her boys are obsessed with these simple pieces of wood and they even incorporate them with their Lego designs. But they’re just glorified tongue depressors, you might be thinking. Welp. The imagination of a 5 year old is a wild thing so I am ecstatic to see these bad boys at work. And to have them strewn all about my house {eeeeeek.}

2. Mighty Bright Timer LED Book Light

We have a very hungry little reader in our house. Mr. Kindergarten wants to read anything he can get his little mitts on. And we are looking for any and every way to feed that hunger. As such, after talking with a few other parents {including my older, wiser bro}, we are hoping Santa might bring him a reading light for a little post-bedtime reading. I am a bit nervous about the old-fashioned clip-on ones because they get so darn hot. And while I want him to be fired up about reading we don’t need that getting literal. I like this one because it is compact and it has a timer… And it also got really great reviews. There are also options out there that are not battery operated, and rather chargeable which would save you from running through batteries every four minutes. Regardless, a reading light would be a gift of independence and time to read. Win/win.

3. Team Apparel

Even with the recent events, our boys bleed Husker red. And they love anything and everything Husker branded. Whether it’s Huskers, Hawkeyes, or Longhorns the boy you know loves, team apparel is a great gift.

4. Step Into Reading Books

Again with the reading… But books like Step into Reading are great for early readers. There are different “levels” to choose from and different themes… Frozen, Super Hero, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others that are more classic stories. These are inexpensive and will suit a variety of interests so you can tailor them to the child you’re purchasing for.

5. Star Wars Workbook

My brother finds very cool items that also promote learning and these definitely fit those parameters. Santa may have already gotten them through Amazon Prime for our boys and they are legit. Plus… they’re Star Wars, which is a huge hit with the Brehm brothers.

6. Printer Paper
Seriously. Best gift ever for the budding artist. My boys go through more paper and art supplies than I could have ever imagined. I would not be sad if they received a huge box of the stuff. And markers. And colored pencils. And pens. And tape. And anything that qualifies as artsy.

7. iTunes Gift Card

B loves tooling around on the iPad every so often. And, he loves music. Similar to my suggestion of a Target gift card for a 3 year old, an iTunes gift card may seem impersonal but it’s a great way for the 5 year old in your life to pick out their own apps and music.

8. Lap Desk
Drawing. Writing. Completing projects or embellishing school papers. Writing in the car. There are tons of uses for a lap desk in the life of a kindergartener. The hubs found this one and we both agreed that the clipboard-like feature is great, especially for on the road use. There are also options with cup holders. Compartments. Whatever suits your fancy. But it need not be fancy.

9. Baseball Glove
Whether it’s a new glove for upcoming spring and summer tball or it’s just a starter glove, I think your 5 year old will think this gift is a great catch {wink wink}. A football to throw around. Or a soccer ball to kick. Think about gifts that will keep these busy boys moving!

10. Time Teacher Watch
I think this is a great age for kids to start noodling with time, if they haven’t already. I love this watch because it’s not digital but it still provides “guides” on the hands of hour and minute. And this particular one is themed to boot! In fact, I’m thinking of buying one for myself… time telling can be tricky.

11. Socks
Ummmm… so when I was 7, I wore two pair of socks nearly every day, one generally of the pink variety, scrunched ever so strategically beneath one generally of the purple variety. And then, by the time I was in high school, we were rocking white tube socks all the way to our knees. Well, now, the trend I am seeing with boys is the higher calf-length socks in neon colors {including hot pink}, often mismatched. This had to have been hatched by brilliant parents — at least the mismatched part. And though you might think it boring, socks and undies cost some coin these days so if you’re out shopping, sock some in your cart.

12. Lego Sets
I can’t say it enough. We have an entire room dedicated to Lego playing in our house. And the boys now actually call it “The Lego Room”. That’s how much our boys love Legos. And I love Legos. They never run out of batteries, they can make a million different things with them, and they stand the test of time {I know this because we are lucky enough to have all of Adam’s from his childhood}. While we don’t buy a lot of sets, I do think they are a great way to get this age of kid to follow instructions and give them a gift in the theme of something they are into, like TMNT, Ninjas. Princess, or Ponies.

So what’s honorable mention?
– A gaming console is an obvious choice for kids this age however our boys have not started asking about these so we are not offering:)
– iPads and Leap Pads… though I would recommend the i variety over the leap. We have both and the iPad Minis win out.
– Classic board games like Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly, Uno, and Skipbo
– Many of the items from the 3 year old list I shared previously… Snap Circuits, MagFormers, personalized items, et al
– Activities including tickets to sporting events, concerts, plays, time at pottery places, or cooking classes and local memberships to art museums, history museums, and zoos.

The great thing about school-aged kids is that they have a variety of interests. Maybe they are more sporty than artsy. Or maybe they love it all. Most likely though, they are willing to give just about anything a whirl.

And if you just want to give them a hug and call it good, I’m sure they’ve learned enough manners by this point to say thanks and call it a day.

Happy Shopping!

{Per the uzh… as with all of my gift suggestions this week… these are not paid opinions, they are my own research, finds, life experiences, and thoughts;).}