We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›
We’ve most recently added Wikki Stix, the REI Co-op Camp Chair - Kids, and a Mexican Train Dominoes Set. Rock Slate Bathroom Cabinet
[Need gifting help? Text us. Using one word only, describe your recipient (try “Dad” or “Kid”) to (646) 350-0385 and receive a handpicked recommendation from our gift experts.]
Most 6-year-olds attend school daily, many participate in extracurricular activities, and just about all of them have strongly defined opinions about what they do and don’t like. Kids this age are also becoming increasingly aware of what’s cool among their peers at any given moment.
It can be tempting to stick with things you already know your 6-year-old is interested in. Yet there’s value in introducing your child to new passions, as well as in encouraging preexisting ones, said John Tenuto, a sociology instructor at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, who has studied toys and collectibles. (Tenuto was also a featured expert on the Netflix series The Toys That Made Us). For example, a child who loves craft projects may enjoy building a robot; a budding scientist may like to try their hand at gardening.
At this age, typically developing kids are increasingly able to follow instructions and manipulate more-complex materials. So try projects and kits that 6-year-olds can work on independently or with friends (likely with an adult nearby). Being able to complete a project on their own—even if they make a mess or skip a step along the way—can help them develop resilience and confidence. Six-year-olds are often also ready for a variety of board games that require some skill and patience and that challenge them to follow more-complicated rules. And kids this age still need plenty of open-ended play, exercise, and silliness, so toys that get them moving, dancing, or using their imagination are also good choices.
To identify memorable and engaging gifts for 6-year-olds, we considered advice from Tenuto and other experts, as well as the collective experience of parents and other caregivers on our staff. If you’re looking for more kids gift ideas, check out our guides to the best gifts for 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, as well as wonderful stocking stuffers for kids. We also have guides to gifts for tweens and teens. (Just keep in mind that kids develop at different rates, so all age recommendations should be taken with a grain of salt.) And be sure to share your own best ideas in the comments below.
With this DIY kit, kids can build a cute robot crab.
When my older son was about 6, he became fixated on the idea of building his own robot. We signed him up for a one-time robot-building class at a local makerspace, and he came home with an adorable little robot crab that could successfully skitter across the dining room table, intelligently sensing the edge and reversing course. It wasn’t until years later that I realized this beloved mini bot was actually from a simple, inexpensive set, the 4M KidzRobotix Table Top Robot, which we could have easily bought ourselves. We’ve lost a couple of this little guy’s legs, but the robot crab is still active and displayed with pride on a shelf in my son’s room. We were later given the Tin Can Robot, made by the same company. That was also a fun project, but the robotic results were less satisfying, and the crab remains my son’s favorite.
This company’s puzzles feature images of Black children in a range of professions.
When Keewa Nurullah’s son received a Puzzle Huddle puzzle, it was a special moment. “It’s such an awesome representation for kids of color,” said Nurullah, owner of the children’s shop Kido Chicago. This company’s puzzles range from 15 to 200 pieces. And they feature Black children as doctors, astronauts, and other professions, including scientists, as with the Chemistry Girl Puzzle. These puzzles help to increase the visibility of Black people in prestigious careers—and they present a fun and appropriate challenge for most children this age.
This award-winning game challenges kids’ dexterity as they try to stack cards without toppling over their tower.
This silly but tricky card-stacking game is perfect to play in pairs or with a group of friends. To build a tower, players take turns carefully stacking L-shaped “wall” cards and flat “roof” cards. The challenge lies in following the symbols on the cards, which show players how to place the walls and when to move the wooden rhino figure to the upper story—with the card tower becoming more unstable as it grows taller and taller. The game is over when a player successfully places all of their roof cards or makes the tower topple. Rhino Hero offers both easy and expert modes (the latter one requires players to place the cards in more-challenging, less-stable configurations), so this game can grow along with your children’s skills. Rhino Hero is a favorite from our guide to the board games we love for kids, and it made the recommended list for the prestigious 2012 Kinderspiel des Jahres awards for the best children’s board games.
Find the iconic Waldo—and other items—in the busy, intricate illustrations of this 32-page picture book.
The delightful Where’s Waldo? Deluxe Anniversary Edition features Martin Handford’s sprawling drawings and, of course, Waldo, dressed in his signature red-and-white stripes and tucked amid the scenery. Other characters—Waldo’s dog, Woof (but only his tail), his friend Wenda, and his foe Odlaw—are also craftily hidden within the scenes. Waldo addresses readers (aka Waldo fans, Waldo watchers, and so on) with a postcard on each spread, and then the fun begins. When my almost-6-year-old and I sat down to search, we got lost in the pages, sometimes finding Waldo immediately and other times not locating him at all. Handford’s illustrations are terrific, packed with enough wacky detail, bustling energy, and stripes to throw off even the most sharp-eyed Waldo spotter. For the truly ambitious, each scene has a foldout panel with a checklist of even more items to find.
In this portable spiral-bound notebook, kids can trace along with the story. The notebook also contains blank pages of scratch-off paper for little ones to create their own designs.
Homemade scratch paper is a thing. But if DIY isn’t for you, choose one of Scratch and Sketch’s activity books. Available in an assortment of themes, such as Wild Safari and Fashion Show, the books are filled with surprises. Unicorn Adventure allows kids to either trace along with the story or doodle on blank pages with a wooden stylus, revealing multicolored swirls or gold and silver glitter. (Other titles aren’t traceable, but they encourage duplicating basic drawings.) We’ve found that kids will spend hours working on the pages, including on airplane trips.
This pack includes slime in a range of colors and textures.
These DIY slime kits add an extra layer of fun, with kids kneading, stretching, and rolling their own concoctions.
May be out of stock
It’s gooey, squishy, stretchy, and brightly colored. It’s slime, and if your kid is 6, there’s a good chance they love it. You can buy this Play-Doh Slime Variety 6-Pack (with different slime textures, including traditional and super-stretchy). Many kids (including mine) prefer to make their own slime, since creating can be part of the fun. We’ve enjoyed the slime kits from Cra-Z-Art, and this current Nickelodeon Stress Less Slime kit includes everything you need to make lemon and lavender slime.
The person who wakes up the most queens wins in this zany card game.
The Sleeping Queens Card Game involves a mix of math, memory, strategy, deduction, and luck, and it’s ideal for kids who are 6 and up. In fact, this fast-paced card game was actually invented by a 6-year-old, who reportedly couldn’t get to sleep because her brain was too busy brewing up the concept (her parents then helped her complete the vision). The cards feature appealing drawings of royal characters, with whimsical, unconventional personas (the Pancake Queen, the Tie-Dye King). These characters have fallen under a sleeping spell, and players must wake them up by using the right combination of cards. Endlessly replayable, Sleeping Queens is subtly educational yet mostly just fun.
This set comes with more than a dozen dyes, as well as supplies to produce as many as 36 projects. Not included: white T-shirts, tote bags, or other materials to tie-dye.
These shirts are affordable canvases for tie-dye masterpieces. They come in multipacks and range from size XS (2/4) to XL (18/20)
The Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Party Kit is meant to supply enough materials for a group to tie-dye together, but I like that one or two kids can get a lot of mileage and experimentation out of it too (with some grown-up supervision). The little plastic bin comes packed with squeeze bottles in 14 vibrant colors, along with gloves, rubber bands, and some step-by-step directions for achieving different effects. (Garments are not included.) New to tie-dying? Check out this guide for some helpful pointers.
With this artsy kit, you can make a fleece quilt—no sewing or cutting required.
For crafty little ones, the Made by Me Easy-to-Knot Quilt Making Kit is a substantial gift for a modest price. After a couple of hours and a few dozen knots, 24 fabric squares (included) transform into an adorable blanket that’s display-worthy and large enough for kids to sleep under. (The kit comes with a variety of stick-on icons and decals that kids can use to personalize their creations.) Because making this quilt requires no needles or glue, most kids can complete it independently once they’ve learned the ropes. Although the kit is designed for kids who are 6 and up, parents of some younger, craft-adept kids may find it age-appropriate, too, and the repetitive knotting helps kids practice fine motor skills. Multiple kits can combine to make a supersize quilt, like the one my daughter created for herself.
With colorful dominoes and mini trains, this complete set has everything you need to get your game night on track.
When my son was about 6, my mom taught him how to play the dominoes game Mexican Train. It was truly a full-circle moment, since it’s been my extended family’s go-to vacation activity for more than 20 years. Players build their “train” by matching the number of dots on one end of a domino to the number of dots on the preceding tile. They can also start another line of tiles—a “Mexican train”—that all players can use. (Note that the name of the game has murky origins, but apparently it has nothing to do with Mexicans or actual trains.) The winner is the first one to get rid of all their tiles. Watching my son strategize how he’s going to lay out his tiles always blows my mind. The Cardinal Classics Mexican Train Dominoes Deluxe Set says it’s for players age 8 and up, but my child took to it right away. It comes with a set of dominoes, a carrying case, a starter station, and nine different-colored little choo-choos to mark each player’s train of tiles. All aboard!
These little beads offer an exercise in dexterity and concentration. And this set includes 17 animal designs, along with thousands of beads in 19 colors.
Restock with this affordable set of 13,000 beads from IKEA.
Perler’s Fused Bead Kit is a great rainy-day activity for kids who have the focus and fine motor skills to pick up tiny beads with an oversize pair of tweezers. It’s simple: Junior crafters place the colorful beads on the pegboard to make animal designs (or they can get creative with their own patterns). Fusing the beads requires the help of a grown-up with an iron, but the bulk of the activity is solitary, self-directed fun. This kit includes 5,000 beads, five pegboards, 12 googly eyes, and one sheet of reusable ironing paper, plus instructions and tweezers. If you want to beef up your bead supply for cheap, add this set from IKEA to your collection.
These durable kids yoga mats feature cheerful designs, such as rockets, ballerinas, and elephants.
Cosmic Kids Yoga is an exercise program on YouTube, starring ultra-personable host Jaime Amor. It guides kids through yoga routines using themes and plot lines from favorites including Disney and Harry Potter. This 60-inch Gaiam Kids Yoga Mat was the perfect accompaniment to our family practice. (It’s technically recommended for kids who are 5 to 8, but my daughter started using it at 3. And she had no trouble rolling it out next to my mat, where she loved trying to mimic Jaime’s Frozen-inspired poses on its grippy, textured surface.) The mat is 3 millimeters thick, so it’s a little less cushy yet lighter and easier to roll than Wirecutter’s adult yoga mat picks. And it’s made of the same rubber-free polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as Gaiam’s adult version. This mat has survived more than a year of tiny yogi feet, with no signs of wear or fading to the cute pattern.
In this fast-paced card game, mischievous rodents and their feline foes keep families on their toes. (This game is also a great way to practice arithmetic, strategy, and memory skills).
I have yet to meet a person—of any age—who hasn’t been beguiled by Rat-A-Tat-Cat. (And if I do, let’s hope we don’t find ourselves cooped up together on a rainy day.) Like many of the best games, this one is deceptively simple: Each player is dealt four cards, ranging in value from zero to 9. With every turn, the goal is to trade your high-number cards for lower-number ones. When you’re confident that your combined score is the lowest in the bunch, you knock on the table—drama is encouraged here—and declare “Rat-A-Tat Cat!” to signal the end of the round. Since the rounds go quickly, we usually keep a tally, and the first player to hit 100 is out. You can make the game easier by increasing the number of cards that appear face-up, which requires less memory. My husband and I initially started playing that way for the benefit of our son, and we quickly realized that it was our own feeble, time-ravaged brains that needed the crutch. This game’s illustrations have a similar aesthetic to Sleeping Queens, another game in this guide (both are manufactured by Gamewright).
This air-drying clay kit pairs with an easy-to-use app that offers step-by-step video instructions for building animal figurines.
Hey Clay is a high-quality modeling clay that comes with app-based instructions, allowing young kids to create some truly adorable critters. Each kit includes 18 mini canisters of soft, brightly colored, non-sticky clay that’s foamy and flexible yet firm enough to produce cartoony, detailed creations. (The kits come in several versions, including Birds, Dinos, and Bugs, each with different instructions and color combinations.) A Hey Clay kit “allows young children an intro to professional clay-molding techniques,” said Ann Kienzle, owner of Play, a children’s toy shop in Chicago. Kids can mold on their own, or you can download the accompanying app, which includes lively, step-by-step visual tutorials for creating specific animals or creatures. The straightforward voice instructions have fun sound effects, and they will guide your young artist through each step; kids can also learn age-appropriate art techniques, such as making textures and sculpting facial features. The clay hardens fully in 24 hours, creating a permanent work of art that’s officially ready for play.
This DIY terrarium is both a science lesson and a night-light. By day, kids watch their chia and wheatgrass grow; at night they can revel in the stars it projects onto the ceiling.
Even when my son is skipping or running 4 feet ahead of me, he always manages to stop and spot a ladybug crawling on a plant or notice a new patch of grass cropping up in an unusual place. Nature slows him down, in a good way. As we unpacked the Uptown Farmer Kids Night Light Terrarium, we discussed the little ecosystem we were about to grow. And he was unusually patient about waiting the several days it took for the chia and wheatgrass seeds (both included) to sprout. The kit’s instructions are simple enough for many 6-year-olds to follow independently, with some oversight: You layer the soil, rocks, sand, and seeds, and then you spray the surface with water. While my son waited for the first sprouts to appear, I enjoyed watching him gently water and turn his mini greenhouse toward the sun each day. The terrarium doubles as a night-light, and my son likes the colorful stars and moon it projects onto his ceiling at bedtime. Once the grasses have outgrown their space, we can replant them outside, purchase replacement seeds and soil, and do it all over again. Uptown Farmer Kids also makes a unicorn-themed terrarium.
These simple, colorful 6-inch sticks are made with yarn and wax. They can be twisted and bent to make letters, animals, and endless other creations.
I’ve brought my kids to meetings and community gatherings since birth, and when they’re bored, it’s hard on all of us. I recently found one way to keep them entertained: Wikki Stix. Made of yarn and covered in food-grade wax, these sticks have brought hours of imaginative fun. (Sensory warning: Little ones who are sensitive to textures may not like the feeling of the wax on first contact.) My children, ages 4 and 7, use Wikki Stix to make flowers and stick people, but they can also be used to practice letters and numbers and to make 3D figures. I appreciate how economical they are, since they can be reused and applied to any surface (with easy cleanup). With nearly 500 stix, the Big Count Box ensures you won’t run out for a while, even if you have multiple children. There are also other options, like the Numbers & Counting Cards–themed box (to help with foundational math skills) and the Wikki Fun…For Seniors kit (for multi-generational fun). There’s even a Super Wikki Stix option, with sticks that are each 3 feet long!
This remote-control car can perform fast-and-furious airborne stunts. And because it has large foam wheels, it won’t scratch your walls, floor, or furniture.
My son received the Air Hogs Super Soft Jump Fury remote-control car as a birthday gift last year, when he turned 7. And the first time it jumped—about 2 feet in the air!—I shrieked nearly as loud as the day he was born. Resembling a small monster truck, this little dynamo can leap over other toys, pillow towers—you name it. And it has four oversize foam wheels, to ensure a soft landing. So I don’t mind when my son and his friends send it bouncing down the stairs or into furniture. Also, although the remote requires two AAA batteries, the car itself charges by USB (unlike so many other toys in our home), so it usually lasts for a few hours of play.
Kids can set up the eight wooden boxes in a variety of challenges. Then they try to bounce the balls from box to box.
Just as its name suggests, Fat Brain Toys’ Box & Balls consists of eight nesting wooden boxes and eight bouncy balls. They can be arranged in numerous configurations for games requiring a creative eye and a steady hand. Note, however, that this set requires some preliminary preparation to fully enjoy it: If a kid jumps in without orienting themselves, they’ll be underwhelmed. Before getting started, carefully look over the game ideas printed on each box (they have names like “Long Shot” and “Up and Over”). Once your kid finds the games they like and grasps how to play them, they’re in for some good old-fashioned fun (they can also make up their own games). I particularly appreciate the open-ended play the set encourages. I can see my son’s wheels turning as he decides on the setup that will result in musical, xylophone-like sounds when the balls bounce squarely off the boxes.
With these tiny interlocking pieces, kids can build any number of objects or structures.
May be out of stock
By age 6, kids likely have a favorite building toy, whether it’s Lego, Magna-Tiles, or classic wooden blocks. But the tiny, colorful Plus-Plus pieces offer kids something a bit different. They have a unique, puzzle-piece-like shape (as the name suggests, each one looks like two plus signs). And kids manipulate them into just about anything, from tiny figures to towering plinths. Ann Kienzle, owner of Play in Chicago, said that due to their versatile nature, these pieces are a good fit for creative young minds. Kids can puzzle together flat works of art or engineer three-dimensional constructions. Plus-Plus sells project-based kits (for building rocket ships, making jewelry, and more) as well as open-ended sets. We think the Plus-Plus Super Tube—which stands over 3 feet tall and is filled with 500 pieces—is likely to impress a young builder. (Note that the Plus-Plus pieces are tiny—about ½ by ¾ inch—and could pose a choking hazard for younger children.)
These two disco-ball lamps have seven color-changing modes to get that at-home dance party started.
What’s not to love about a disco ball? The Luditek Disco Ball Light pair can sit on a table or be mounted on a wall, giving you all the multicolor-light goodness of a classic disco ball without the huge hanging sphere and spotlights. The set even has sound-activated modes to pulse along with the beat of your kid’s favorite songs. And you can use the included remote to change the lamps’ light colors, patterns, and speed. (Note: Steer clear if you’re choosing a gift for a kid who has seizures or photosensitivity.)
This 3D roller-coaster puzzle challenges kids to build a design according to one of 40 instruction cards—or simply with their imagination.
The ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge is a puzzle that, when put together correctly, doubles as a working roller coaster. “The game gets kiddos working with their hands, thinking sequentially and logically, [and] problem-solving,” said Jena Olson, president of the STEM educational nonprofit Kid Spark Education at the time of our interview. “It’s also fun for grown-ups, which results in greater STEM learning due to having a mentor with the child.” Strong readers who are up for the challenge can try following one of the 40 instruction cards by themselves. Or they can play with an adult or simply use their imagination to construct roller coasters of their own design. The true test comes when a kid places the roller-coaster car on the tracks. Does it make it all the way down? Let the experimentation begin.
In this strategic board game, players try to catch a robotic bug as it skitters through a maze.
May be out of stock
Featuring the tiny, popular robotic insect called the Hexbug Nano, Ravensburger’s Bugs in the Kitchen is a fast-paced board game that’s all about strategy and speed. Each player (up to four) chooses a corner as their bug trap. The game board is set up like a maze, with rotatable barriers in the shape of forks, knives, and spoons. Players take turns rolling a die to determine which utensils they can rotate, creating a path to trap the Hexbug in their corner and thereby winning the round. All the while, the automated Hexbug scuttles and jitters randomly across the board. Winning the game requires forward thinking (planning out which maze pieces to turn) as well as quick reactions (to the constantly moving Hexbug). Shelley Simon, formerly the purchasing manager at Dr. G’s BrainWorks in Champaign, Illinois, recommends this game for 6-year-olds because it’s silly on the surface but teaches strategy. So it’s a new challenge for the big kid moving away from purely luck-based board games. (We also recommend a pack of Hexbugs in our gift guide for 3-year-olds).
This soft, durable hoodie can serve as a jacket on crisp days or as a cozy layer in the dead of winter.
I’ve been getting the Hanna Andersson Faux Shearling Hoodie for my son, now 9, every year since he was in preschool. The patterns change each season, but the quality and coziness stay the same. The outside of the hoodie is made with a super-soft sweatshirt material; the inside is a yummy faux shearling. (Why Hanna Andersson doesn’t make a version of this for adults, as it does with its pajamas, I’ll never understand.) This hoodie is very warm—my son lobbies to wear it instead of a proper coat well into the winter months—yet not overly bulky. So it can still be layered under a jacket without creating a Michelin Man effect. These zip-ups have never had a hole or rip, despite enthusiastic use, and they are so well made that it’s never occurred to me to shop around for alternatives. (The only drawback may be the price, but the website offers frequent sales.) This hoodie has been a wardrobe staple for so long that when my son was choosing his latest model, he noticed its size chart (18 months through 12 years) and pointed out that he was reaching the end of the line. “What are we going to do when I don’t fit into these anymore?” he asked. We stared at each other, the question hanging in the air, and shuddered at the thought.
Sized just right for kids, this sturdy camping chair gives kids their own seat by the campfire.
It’s reasonable to question why a kid needs their own camping chair when most adult versions will work just fine. But in my experience, when kids have special pieces of gear just for them, they get excited about spending a night in the woods. When our daughter was only 1, my husband and I bought her the REI Co-op Camp Chair - Kids’ for practical reasons—we didn’t have three camping chairs. But this chair has turned out to be one of my favorite camping purchases. Our daughter is always excited to set it up and sit in it—preferably in front of the fire, with a stick and marshmallow in hand. And the lightweight chair (just 4 pounds) is constructed of sturdy steel, shows almost no sign of wear after five seasons of use, and has a beverage pocket large enough to hold a water bottle. My favorite part is a detail I wish every adult chair had: an integrated strap that, when clipped, keeps the chair folded and doubles as a shoulder strap.
Kids can sit on this outdoor swing for a calm glide, or they can ride it to exhilarating heights.
A family friend attached Surfer's The Original Stand Up Surfing Swing to their playscape last year, and our pack of high-energy little ones descended on it in a frenzy. Essentially just a sturdy wooden skateboard deck with ropes and handles attached, this swing offers kids two options: Sit on it, for a mellow, relaxing ride, or do what any junior thrill-seeker would do, and stand on the board to rock it to great heights. You can control the ride’s intensity by mounting the swing to a standard swing set (for younger kids) or to a tree (for older daredevils). The included 60-foot rope is long enough to hang this swing from a 15-foot tree branch (10 to 15 feet is the optimum height; anything over 20 feet is considered “extreme”). And this swing is easy to hang without a ladder (you attach a weighted object to the rope and toss it over a branch; consult this demonstration video on YouTube).
If your child is wild about a particular athlete, wearing their jersey is the ultimate tribute. After scouring eBay, we scored a vintage Vince Carter Toronto Raptors jersey for my basketball-loving son. He wears it at every opportunity, and he even gets fist bumps from strangers in the street who are fellow fans. If you prefer new items, you can purchase official jerseys from your favorite team. But we’ve found that pre-owned youth jerseys are available on eBay for most teams in every major-league sport—usually at a fraction of the cost.
When going the eBay route, you’ll want to choose a seller with high customer ratings and lots of previous transactions in their history. Also, the item listing should show four to five photos of the jersey at different angles, and it should disclose whether there’s any visible damage or wear and tear. (Check the seller’s return policy, too, in case there are any discrepancies once the shirt arrives.) Concerned about the jersey’s authenticity? Check what year the seller claims the jersey is from, since they vary over time, and do a quick Google Images search to make sure that it’s a match. From there, prices and sizes depend on availability and demand (we paid about $40 for my son’s Vince Carter jersey, but it’s now going for $60). A good rule of thumb is that if you can find an adult jersey, the youth version should be a bit cheaper; at the time of publication, the same Vince Carter jersey in an adult size is currently selling for $250 on eBay.
With this subscription, young crafters receive all of the materials and instructions needed to make toys they can play with long after the activity is complete.
KiwiCo’s Kiwi Crate, appropriate for kids ages 5 to 8, was our favorite of the boxed projects we tested for our guide to the best kids craft subscription boxes. Our kid testers found the included activities engaging, and their parents thought they were clever. Parents also appreciated that some projects—like the mini pinball machine we tested—could be played with after they were made, thereby reducing useless craft clutter around the house. Rather than concentrating on traditional crafts, the kits focus on hands-on activities that explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math (an educational approach known as STEAM, which helps foster skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving). For example, one kit used acids and bases to make art; another gave kids the materials to make a glow worm, so they learned about phosphorescence. We found that lower-elementary-age kids needed an adult’s help with many projects, which overall we judged to be both appropriately challenging and original.
This splurge-worthy backpack stands out for its style, eye-catching details, and excellent organizational features.
From rainbow sequins to a simple yet distinctive strawberry-and-mint color block (pictured above), the State Bags Kane Kids pack is a practical yet high-style gift for an elementary-school kid. (It’s a pick in our guide to the best kids backpacks for school.) State Kids’ patterns and prints feel more modern and sophisticated than those of backpacks typically geared toward children. And this durable, 12-liter pack also offers plenty of space and a panel of pockets to organize a child’s favorite little things.
With its adjustable-height handlebars and 150-pound weight limit, this three-wheel scooter can grow with a rider—and provide years of fast-paced fun.
We got my daughter a Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe Scooter when she was around 6, and it quickly became as much a transportation tool as a plaything. She rides her scooter all around our hometown of Philadelphia, often for several miles at a stretch, as we go to parks or on other outdoor excursions. The scooter’s large, smooth-rolling wheels, durable build, responsive steering, and easy-to-reach foot brake in the rear allow her to navigate city sidewalks and crossings safely and confidently. She also has plenty of fun zooming around the playground or joining neighbors for scooter rallies around our block. The Maxi Deluxe is Wirecutter’s pick for the best kids scooter. And I’m confident it’ll last us for many years, growing along with my daughter until she’s well into her preteens and beyond (the scooter can carry 150 pounds, and the adjustable handlebar can accommodate a rider up to 5-foot-3). The Micro Kickboard Maxi Deluxe is also available in a foldable version (with LED lights), which is convenient for storing or toting around. You can see the full range of options on the Micro Kickboard website.
This snow tube slides better (and will last longer) than most every other sled on the hill.
The L.L.Bean Sonic Snow Tube offers the fastest, smoothest, and longest ride of all the snow toys we tested for our guide to the best sleds. Unlike most inner-tube-style sleds, the Sonic has a hard-shell bottom, allowing the rider to glide effortlessly over bumps and icy patches. Thanks to this sled’s easy-to-grasp tow strap, even young sledders can haul it back to the top of the hill. The Sonic is easy to inflate, doesn’t lose any air, and is just as good on icy snow as it is on fluffy powder. The one real hitch is the high price. But considering the sled’s overall quality—not to mention the hours upon hours of fun multiple Wirecutter families have had with this thing—we think it’s worth the price for people who sled regularly. The tube comes in large or extra-large and in six different fabric patterns.
A family membership to an aquarium provides access to special events, educational programming, and regular trips to see your favorite creatures up close.
An annual membership to a local natural history museum, zoo, or aquarium is a gift that encourages family bonding. It also supports children’s developing interests in specific subjects or critters. My son had already been fascinated by sea creatures—especially the predators of the marine bunch—when his grandmother gave him a membership to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium for his sixth birthday. At the time, he carried one of a few shark toys with him everywhere. But visits to the aquarium—where there are over 32,000 fish, sea creatures, and other animals—gave him a real way to explore the wonder of life under the sea. Like many aquariums nationwide, the Shedd doesn’t just offer exhibits—it also provides experiences where kids can touch starfish, meet the sea otters, and even pet a penguin.
For one day, hand your kid the reins. A Yes Day (popularized the 2021 film starring Jennifer Garner) lets your child be the boss and plan a dream day. Eating ice cream for breakfast? Yes! Bouncing up and down at a trampoline park until everyone’s legs turn to jelly? For sure! Donning purple wigs to get pedicures at the mall? You know it! To present the gift, you can make a Yes Day coupon, or draw an IOU with pictures of potential activities. It’s also helpful to plan ahead by keeping a running family wishlist, or you can set up an ideas jar, to fill during moments of inspiration. (Otherwise, when kids are suddenly faced with the prospect of near-limitless options and way too much freedom, confusion can set in.) You’ll also need to establish basic ground rules, including budget, start and end times, and geographical and other practical constraints (a private jet to Tokyo Disney would probably not be a yes). If your kid is likely to burn this golden opportunity on nonstop video games or a TV bender, you could consider instituting screen-time policies as well. But the rest is up to them. My son recently chose laser tag, blue slushies, and a trip to the video arcade for one delirious, fun-filled afternoon.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Ellen Lee and Kalee Thompson.
Toys that encourage building, puzzling, role-playing, and creating will engage curious 4-year-olds.
These thoughtful and engaging gifts for all ages encourage intergenerational bonding—and kick-start loads of fun.
Gifts that tap into art, science, sports, or construction are often great choices for 5-year-olds, since many of them are developing personal interests.
Stocking stuffers can be small but meaningful presents. Whether they’re traditional, whimsical, or practical, they add a final touch to gift giving.
Kelly Glass is a writer and editor whose interests focus on the intersections of parenting and health. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, HelloGiggles, What to Expect, Livestrong, and more.
Recessed Mirror Cabinet Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).