What toys should you get for 3- to 5-year-old children?

Depending on their age and skills development, a toddler is interested in different toys. Determine what your 3- to 5-year-old child finds especially fun.

• If your toddler is less than 1 year old, have a look at our fact sheet What baby toys are best.
• If your child is 1 to 3 years old, have a look at our fact sheet What toys should you get for 1- to 3-year-old children?

Toys to imitate, create, and discover

A 3- to 5-year-old child is very interested in games of imagination and imitation. They observe the adults around them and have fun pretending. This is the age for disguises and role-playing (playing dad and mom, firefighter, cook, etc.). They also like to have fun enacting stories with dolls, stuffed animals, figurines, puppets, small cars, houses, castles, pirate ships, etc.

At this age, a toddler also enjoys crafts and drawing. They like to see concrete results of the stories they make up and enjoy sharing their ideas with their parents. It is a good idea to put crafts materials within reach (e.g., scissors, pencils, wool, glue, newspapers, cardboard, paint, brushes) and let the child use their imagination instead of proposing something to copy.

A child of this age likes puzzles, construction games, and train sets. They are also interested in discovery games. For example, they can have fun with a magnifying glass, binoculars, and tongs to handle small objects.

Playing with others

Their language improves and their vocabulary becomes enriched. A toddler of this age is also getting continuously better at expressing their wants and is more cooperative and collaborative. Other children are now good play partners.

At this age, they better understand the rules of games, such as waiting for their turn. Therefore, this is a good time to introduce them to simple board games (e.g., tic-tac-toe, checkers, memory games, etc.). Board games promote the development of several skills such as the ability to pay attention, memory, logic, problem solving, and even fine motor skills.

Games to get moving

Their motor skills become increasingly effective: They control their movements well and have developed the strength to push, throw, and pull. This allows a toddler of this age to practise a wide variety of games and physical activities (playing with balls, riding a tricycle, a bike without pedals [push bike] or a bicycle, running, sliding, swinging, etc.). Children are most active when playing outdoors. Nature abounds with various items for them to have fun (e.g., branches, rocks, trees, sand, pine cones, etc.).

Obstacle courses are still fun for 3- to 5-year-old children. Simply adapt the level of difficulty to the child’s abilities. They can now walk on a rope on the ground or a small beam, jump from a child’s chair, jump through hoops, etc.

Should we go with the recommended ages on toys?

The recommended age displayed on packages gives a good indication of whether a toy is suitable for a toddler. It is best to avoid giving in to the temptation to buy toys that are too complex for your child’s age.

By giving your child the opportunity to play games that are appropriate for their age and development, you are allowing them to do activities consisting of an accessible, enjoyable challenge.

On the other hand, if your child finds a game too difficult to understand or perform, they will lose interest in this toy, even later, when they are old enough to use it.

Things to keep in mind

• A 3- to 5-year-old child likes to invent stories and play pretend.
• They are now having fun with other children, and it is the right time to introduce board games.
• At this age, a toddler has better control over their motor skills and enjoys games that allow them to run, throw, push, pull, and slide.

Scientific review: Valérie Ferron, M. Sc., occupational therapist Research and copywriting: The Naître et grandir team Updated: April 2021

Photo: iStock.com/Grafissimo