The best toys for 6-year-olds hold your child’s interest longer than expected—and are maybe just durable and intriguing enough to be passed down to younger siblings. Open-ended toys are best at this age, meaning there’s more than one way to play with them, and of course, they should be fun and developmentally appropriate. Bonus points if they help burn big 6-year-old kid energy.
Skills and interests start exploding at this age, making the best toys for 6-year-olds those that ... [+] foster creativity and motion. Role Playing Toys
“It’s an exciting time being 6, as typically a child of this age is showing a real interest and curiosity about the world around them,” notes Dr. Amanda Gummer, a psychologist, parenting and play expert and founder of The Good Play Guide. “They have an expanding vocabulary and are keen to explore their environment, ask questions and are showing improved memory and problem solving. Key milestones can include fine and gross motor skills development in respect to writing, drawing and playing sport,” she says. So toys that help develop these skills further, are fun and engage your little one are a must have.
While it’s certainly tempting to buy what’s trending, Gummer recommends taking a step back from the most popular toy. “Have a look around if you want a toy that isn’t going to bore them after an hour of play,” she advises. “Thinking of toys children will play with for months or even years to come, like Monopoly or Playmobil, means they are less likely to gather dust or sit on shelves untouched.”
From building sets and crafting kits to Lego, bounce houses and bikes, we’ve rounded up the best gifts and toys for 6-year-olds that are fun to play with and might just encourage growth and development—or at least hours of play.
My 6-year-old spends a ton of time engrossed in imaginary play scenarios with all different types of animals, from dogs and dinosaurs to zebras, giraffes and lions. This big bucket of jungle animals is sure to become a mainstay in your 6-year-old’s creative play too. There are 60 wild animals in total, including 24 different types, as well as accessories like fences and trees, so they can set up a zoo, explore the jungle or add them to play dough for the ultimate sensory experience.
As a mom, I especially love how realistic the animals in this set look. They’re awesome for working on those all-important first grade counting and math skills as well.
This highly-rated Butterfly Growing Kit is one of Gummer’s favorite toys for 6-year-olds. Kids learn all about the process of metamorphosis firsthand, as they watch cute little caterpillars become butterflies right before their eyes. It comes with a prepaid voucher for five baby caterpillars and is best done when daytime temperatures are between 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The clear viewing panel ensures your child or children can easily see what’s happening up close and personal—and trust us, they’ll want to check often, as will you.
We’ve had this bestselling, brightly-colored block puzzle in our house for years, and it still gets played with regularly and is in excellent condition. Unlike traditional puzzles, there are so many different ways to piece it together so kids never get bored after completing it the first time. They can create their own unique designs or use the 40 pattern cards included to replicate ready-made ones, which can prove to be challenging.
It’s also a sneaky and fun way to help introduce math concepts like matching, sorting, symmetry, fractions and congruence. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself playing with it once the kids have moved on.
If your 6-year-old loves art and math or is interested in learning how to code like my kid, this screen-free STEM Explorer Pixel Art Challenge is the perfect interactive toy to teach them and hold their interest. They’ll work on problem-solving skills and critical thinking as they solve math problems and code their way through all the various fun challenges.
“Kids create Pixel Art while learning some basic math and coding skills,” explains one reviewer. “The pictures are increasingly harder to create. The first few are designed for the kid to copy what they see in the booklet. Then they move on to a ‘color by number’ type activity. Next, there are some basic graphing activities to follow in order to produce a picture. The last activities use beginning coding skills to create pixel art.”
Kids are served an excellent introduction to earth science with this top-rated science kit, where they’ll get their hands dirty conducting more than 15 exciting experiments. From building their very own erupting volcano to growing crystals and completing two geologic digs, there is no shortage of hands-on learning to be had here. Plus, it comes with everything kids need (aside from a few common household items) to complete the experiments, as well as clear instructions and a learning guide to answer all their burning questions as they go.
Bring their favorite book to life and inspire “hungry” minds with this adorable apple-shaped terrarium kit, which makes growing a miniature garden all the more fun. The quick-grow chia seeds sprout in as little as 3 to 5 days, so your child won’t have to wait long to see results, though it is a good lesson in patience. The kit includes stickers to decorate it, a hungry caterpillar figurine to go inside and enough seeds to grow their garden multiple times.
This puppy’s big eyes and cute little puppy noises and whimpers are hard to resist. Kids are tasked with building the puppy’s home (it snaps together, though they can use the little hammer too) out of the box, and if they follow the directions just right, when they place the final nail by tacking up the new puppy’s nameplate, their pet is revealed as a surprise when they open the door. Kids can play with the sweet pooch and take care of it by filling up its water bowl and more. The stuffie responds with noises and other reactions, and there are a few more surprises baked into this pretend toy.
At age 6, kids often get extra interested in animals and the natural world. The stuffed animals from Wild Republic come in both the cuddly variety and the more realistic types like this 20-inch great white shark. If you have an ocean or shark obsessor on your hands, this stuffed animal toy is sure to thrill and protect them—as well as factor into upcoming pretend play. This stuffie is the right size for snuggling at bedtime, but you could also opt to splurge on the brand’s jumbo size great white shark for an extra special gift.
This 50-piece magnetic Magna-Tiles set includes six dinosaur figures for plenty of prehistoric play. The magnetic trees help set the scene. It also includes 16 of the brand’s XL tiles, as well as additional squares and triangles. Add this dino kit to your current Magna-Tiles stash for extra large builds.
This Superspace set is like Magna-Tiles but supersized so they can bring all their big ideas to life. It comes with 22 oversize magnetic panels in five shapes, including squares, triangles and windows, to ignite their imaginations. Children can construct whatever their imaginations inspire from a pirate ship to a lemonade stand. Once the fun is over, these easy-to-clean and eco-friendly panels stack away compactly until the next time.
Polly Pocket is adored by kids and parents alike, many of who grew up playing with the popular pocket-sized dolls themselves. This compact set is perfect for your mini sports enthusiast, with a fun soccer ball design on the outside and sunglasses with shakeable glitter you won’t have to worry about getting everywhere.
It includes two micro dolls ready to play soccer, shoot basketball hoops, climb the rock wall, swim laps in the fold-down pool and much more. There are 12 tiny accessories in all. Store everything inside the case, and kids can opt to wear it as a wristlet when they’re not playing.
This super stylish bead kit is sure to delight the budding jewelry designer in your home. My almost 5-year-old daughter is obsessed with this brand, and I can personally attest to how cute and quality the beads are. The reusable box doubles as a great jewelry or hair tie organizer once they’re done making all the necklaces and friendship bracelets. As a mom, I personally love gifting DIY jewelry kits like this, as they’re crowd-pleasing, creative and consumable, not just another plastic toy to clutter up the playroom.
Ooly makes high-quality art supplies for little artists, including this watercolor set. Your creative kids might appreciate the unique shimmering colors in this watercolor palette. The travel-friendly case includes 12 colors, which give off a metallic or pearlescent sheen. The kit is ready for wrapping and includes a 15-page Chroma watercolor sketchbook and paintbrush, so they can start painting straight away.
Present them with a few new tubs of Play-Doh and many kids get to work immediately: building, shaping, molding and imagining new creations. Gifting a Play-Doh Kitchen Creations like this on-trend pizza oven amps up the creative play that’s sure to go on for an hour or more. This set includes the playset with cheese presser, pizza paddle, plate, roller, pizza cutter and five cans of new dough. They’ll be sharpening their fine motor skills, not to mention stretching their imaginations and enjoying sensory play.
As a mom of a 5- and 6-year-old, arts and crafts can be quite stressful, not to mention the mess. This fun foil sticker-making activity set is a great quiet activity that doesn’t require scissors, paint or parental-supervision. Each themed book, from princesses and unicorns to dinosaurs and outer space, comes with everything kids need to create their own sparkly foil-embossed stickers. Kids place the stickers on the 10 included picture canvasses, each featuring a different scene, to create their own unique works of art.
I came across this cool comic book kit in my local Target store and immediately picked it up as a gift for a 6-year-old child’s birthday party my son was attending. Superheroes are such a universally-loved theme at this age—and he loved it.
It comes with everything they need to create, not one, but three original 32-page comic books (two soft covers and one hardcover), including markers, stickers, wood stamps, stamp pads and stencils. The price is great too, especially for a kids’ birthday party.
When they’re stuck in the backseat at night on a long car ride, this mess-free glow-in-the-dark art studio might just keep them occupied. Kids can create glowing pictures using the battery-operated light wand. After a short time, each drawing magically disappears, so they can create something new again and again.
If your kid is already a big fan of Magna-Tiles, they might enjoy this rainbow-colored Connetix set, which features 62 magnetic tiles in a variety of geometric shapes, with door and window pieces for constructing even more realistic buildings and houses. Kids can build everything from rocket ships, boats and princess castles to garages for their cars—whatever they imagine.
One reviewer calls these blocks: “solid and high quality,” while others point out how strong they are, making them especially great for building tall things.
Claire Goss, senior manager in the education department at Bright Horizons, recommends parents spend their money on toys that can do more than one thing and can be played with in multiple ways, like Lego. “Lego bricks can be used to build a skyscraper city or they can become a ramp for toy cars to race down,” she says. This classic set is a great building introduction, with 500 colorful pieces, including bricks, eyes and wheels, to get their own wheels turning.
Kids can construct a magical unicorn, robot, wizard, lion and four more animals right out of the box. Plus, there are plenty of extra pieces included to encourage their creativity and allow them to design and build whatever they can dream up.
A marble run is one of those toys my 6-year-old is always pulling out of the closet to play with, and this 150-piece set from magnetic block company, PicassoTiles, is even more exciting thanks to its various tunnels, loops, twists and turns. “A marble run promotes STEM thinking because your child can engineer a variety of unique designs,” notes Goss. This one is rated for ages 3 and up, so your 6-year-old can likely put together a variety of exciting mazes.
These flexible builders let kids flex their creativity, building all sorts of shapes, creatures and more. The magnetic tabs bend and connect every which way, meaning Clixo sets are the definition of open-ended play. They’re also lightweight, portable and easy to clean. Each set comes in a gift-worthy little box.
Fine-tune those fine motor skills and encourage creativity with this giant bucket of 1,500 small and colorful interlocking bricks. Kids can slide and stack to build in every direction (horizontally, vertically and diagonally), creating anything they can imagine in 2D or 3D. They can also get inspired by countless pixel art templates available online and in the brand’s app.
This stylish blue bounce house will easily make you the coolest parent on the block. It’s the perfect toy to bust out whenever they’re bored or for entertaining at play dates and parties. Parents will especially appreciate the aesthetically pleasing design that makes it anything but an eyesore when set up.
Aside from being super fun and excellent exercise, bounce houses help kids work on a variety of skills, including gross and fine motor, balance, flexibility, coordination and social skills if they jump with siblings or friends.
My 6-year-old has been on a Woom bike ever since he was a toddler, starting with the balance bike and graduating to the stylish Woom 4, which we often have to remind him shouldn’t be ridden in the house. While an investment, this bike is worth every penny, thanks to the ultra-lightweight design that makes mastering it and going anywhere a breeze for kids. With seven speeds and an easy-to-operate twist gear shifter, kids can go further, faster and explore new sights, whether they’re cruising around the neighborhood or beginning to bike to school alongside parents. Independently operated front and rear V-brakes provide parents plenty of peace of mind as 6-year-olds ride down hills and venture off-road.
My 6-year-old just figured out how to propel himself on a traditional swing, and I’m pretty sure he’d go bananas if we had the space to hang this popular skateboard-like swing in our backyard. Designed for adults and kids age 6 and up alike, it features a unique, curved shape made to provide more power, stability and a wider range of motion as you swing. Sit down for a nice, relaxing ride or stand up and skate or surf the air—literally.
If they’ve been begging you to buy an e-bike, like my 6-year-old who sees them everywhere in our little beach town, this cool electric tricycle is the perfect compromise for putting the pedal to the metal without sacrificing safety. It can go up to 6 mph, which is about the same as a hoverboard, but parental speed controls allow you to set the ideal max speed for your kid. It starts off slow and the charge lasts a surprisingly long time.
My son loves riding this to the park and around the neighborhood. It always finds its way into our house too despite my protests. The motion-activated LED lights on the front wheel are especially fun for kiddos. And good news for parents: assembly is quite easy.
While we see exciting new toys released every year, some classics remain a favorite for a reason. Stomp Rockets have been around for 30 years without changing too much. These original rockets require kids to jump with all their might for a good launch—and the two-pack makes for a perfect competition. If you’re looking for a new variation on this classic favorite, the brand also offers stunt planes and more.
Balance boards are an excellent open-ended toy that help stimulate the vestibular and proprioceptive system, encourage kids to get creative and improve gross motor skills and posture, believe it or not. We have two in our home, and our kids love to rock back and forth in them while they relax and watch a show. They always make it into their pretend play games too, whether as a balance beam, a cradle for their stuffed animals and dolls or part of an impromptu obstacle course. Of course, they also enjoy using them as actual balance boards—as do plenty of visiting adults and kids.
This cult-fave, modular foam kids’ couch has nearly 30,000 reviews and a wildly impressive 4.9-average star rating. It’s especially beloved for its versatility, serving as a comfy kid-sized spot for 6-year-olds to relax and read books or watch TV one minute, and a fort, launch pad, indoor playground and giant stepping stool the next. The play possibilities are endless. Choose from among 19 colors and three machine washable fabrics to find one that fits in perfectly with your home décor—or their’s.
This beautiful and bestselling German stacking stones set is made to engage the brain, encourage creativity and get kids up and active. It comes with six stones (that can support hundreds of pounds) in every color of the rainbow for all the building possibilities. It’s perfect for impromptu games of “The Floor Is Lava,” transforming the living room into the ultimate American Ninja Warrior course, constructing a bridge for pretend play and so much more.
Playing board games like Monopoly together is not only a great way to bond as a family but to teach your child important life, math, money and emotional regulation skills, something 6-year-olds might struggle with at this age. Through play, they’ll learn about finances, business and money management, as well as how to strategize, do math, negotiate and cope with the frustration of not always winning.
The Monopoly Junior version is the perfect place for 6-year-olds to start, with simplified rules and kid-friendly properties like zoos, video game arcades and movie theaters for kids to own.
Our favorite staycation spot has a jumbo-sized Connect 4 set up in the grassy area by the pool, and both my 6-year-old and 4-year-old, plus every other kid there, are always gravitating toward it to play. Whether you’re hosting a playdate, party or just want to enjoy more family nights outside, this backyard-friendly Giant Connect 4 from Hasbro is sure to be a winner. It features an all-weather frame and is made of durable materials to withstand the elements.
Bingo is one of those games that never gets old, no matter how old you are. This space-themed set is perfect for aspiring astronauts and tiny enough for travel. With room for two to play, it folds up in one piece for easy transport in your child’s backpack and comes with a spinner, magnetic game pieces and instructions for playing.
If you’re looking for a tech-savvy toy they’ll love, Bitzee is a new electronic pet toy. Kids can look, touch, feel and interact with the 3D digital pet as it responds to all the tilts, swipes and shakes with realistic sounds and reactions. The more your child feeds, plays and takes care of their pet, the more it grows, eventually becoming an adult and then a super Bitzee. As time goes on, kids unlock additional Bitzee pets, as well as games and outfits for their pets.
In an attempt to minimize screen time, we bought each of our kids a Yoto audio player for Christmas last year and they’ve been a big hit. You can purchase content cards based on your child’s age group and specific interests, including everything from popular Disney characters to their favorite books, music and more. My 6-year-old has loved the educational dinosaur and volcano cards in particular, while my daughter is into listening to all the princess stories. The coolest part is that you can purchase blank cards that they can create their own content on, or parents can record themselves reading books, singing songs and more for kids to play anytime.
Yoto doubles as a customizable clock and sleep-training tool with sleep cards available to play with soothing sounds to help them nod off. It’s easy and intuitive enough for a 6-year-old to operate.
Forbes Vetted has extensive experience covering baby and kids gear, including toys and gifts. We care deeply about finding safe and fun playthings for kids of all ages. For this piece, we sought the expertise of two prominent child development experts, Claire Goss, a senior manager in the education department at childcare center Bright Horizons, and Dr. Amanda Gummer, a parenting and play expert, psychologist and the founder of The Good Play Guide.
I also used my own personal experience as a mom of three children, including a 6-year-old boy, and a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience, including in the parenting space. I’ve had the opportunity to see, experience and test firsthand tons of toys for quality, engagement, fun and longevity as has my editor Rose Gordon Sala.
To choose the best toys for 6-year-olds, I considered the toys my own child, his friends, myself and fellow parents of this age group highly recommend, as well as relied heavily on the input of our child development experts mentioned above. Their extensive knowledge and background in what types of toys are fun and developmentally-appropriate for this age group, as well as specific suggestions, were fundamental to creating this list. I also paid close attention to reviews and was careful to include top-rated toys from trusted brands with plenty of ways to play. I included toys to appeal to a range of interests and budgets too.
Dr. Gummer suggests you lean into open-ended toys for this age group. “These 6-year-olds are hitting their stride as thinkers and learners,” she says. “They’re curious about how the world works and use play as a way to learn about their world and the people in it.” She suggests looking for toys that are open-ended so your child can flex their imagination and creativity. “For example, set out animal figurines, some cardboard tubes, blocks and a few toy cars. Ask, ‘I wonder what we can make with these?’”
Other examples of awesome open-ended toys are simple things like a football or soccer ball, Lego and crafting materials, all of which 6-year-olds can use their imagination to create and do endless things with.
Preschool Toys And if your child has unlimited energy, like most 6-year-olds do, big-ticket toys that get them active, such as a bounce house, bike or scooter, are all excellent investments.