Five-year-olds seem to have endless energy, and as a parent, it can sometimes be hard to keep them entertained. If you are looking for screen-free toys that will keep your little girl busy, then here are the best toys for 5-year-old girls that she is bound to love.
Toys for five-year-olds should acknowledge their developmental milestones. At this age, children can take their imagination to the next level and can tell stories using complete sentences. They will be able to have fun drawing and painting, as well as creating crafts by themselves. By this time, they will be able to grasp board games and play with their friends without too much interference.
Let their imagination run wild. Whether you are looking for a present for a special little girl or want to encourage their development, we've picked the best toys for 5-year-old girls that will create hours of endless fun.
What type of toys should five-year-olds play with?
You'll want to ensure the toy you choose is developmentally appropriate for your little one. Five-year-olds are generally more independent and will benefit from a whole range of toys and games. Here are some ideas your little one will love.
Imaginative toys: Roleplay is a fantastic way for children to learn about the world, and imaginative toys help them learn. Think shop sets, dressing-up clothes, kitchen sets and food toys.
Building toys: Creating and building things encourages interest in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). Toys such as building blocks, magnets, gears and water play toys are a great way to get involved and construct new things.
Problem-solving toys: Toys such as puzzles, board games and memory games are a great way to promote critical thinking while having fun.
Creative toys: Allow children's natural abilities and talents to flourish with toys that encourage creativity, think art projects or moulding clay.
Interactive toys: These toys allow your little one to engage with something else and keep them occupied when alone. Look out for mini-computers, smartwatches and more.
Best toys for 5-year-old girls
Best toy for future jet setters
Prepare your little adventurer for take-off with this Barbie Dream Plane Playset. It comes with reclining seats, opening overhead compartments and an air hostess snack trolley with removable trays.
Review: "This plane is so big and study, can allow for lots of dolls inside. Very easily put together. My granddaughter is delighted."
Pros
- Bigger than expected
- Interactive playset
- Encourages imaginative play
Cons
- Still expensive despite being on offer
Best LEGO toy for imaginary play
Rrp: £45.00
Head off on Jasmine and Mulan’s big adventure with this Disney LEGO set. Featuring a palace and shrine, two princess mini-doll figures and their two LEGO animal companion figures, this toy set will provide hours of enjoyment.
Review: "This is terrific fun - my 5 year old daughter loves Aladdin so you can imagine how psyched she was to work on this adventure. The minifigs are cute and the items built are nice as well. We had a lot of fun putting it together and even more fun playing afterward."
Pros
- Contains 176 pieces
- Encourages building skills
- Attention to details
Cons
- Smaller set for Mulan
Best toy for little home cooks
Who doesn't love pizza? Train up your future sous-chef with this Toy Play Food Oven, where she can make the best imaginary homecooked pizzas. Ideal for creative role-play sessions and introducing concepts such as tasting, cooking and sharing.
Review: "Absolutely loved this. I have a 2 year old and 6 year old that played really well with this. The toy itself is very good quality. Solid pieces that you know will last. I love buying wooden toys for the kids, so this ticked a lot of boxes in terms of playing and learning."
Pros
- Contains 30+ pieces
- Encourages roleplaying skills
- Great for playing alone or with others
Cons
- May contain small parts
Best starter bike
The ultimate toy of all - a bike. This retro bicycle not only looks great but has an ultra-practical design. It features stabilisers, air-filled rubber wheels, a height-adjustable padded seat, handlebars, gears, a twist-operated bell and a covered chainguard.
Review: "Bought as a present for my daughters 3rd birthday. High quality product. Sturdy. Comfy seat. Great retro chill design. Perfect as a first bike for a 3 yr old. Stabilisers tough, and have a great grip on all floors, concrete or soil. Hoping she will use this bike until she is 7/8 years old. Then will be passed down to her little brother. A little heavy, as bars are strong metal but will go for years if looked after well."
Pros
- Classic vintage design
- Stabilisers on wheels
- Works well on all terrains
Cons
- Low in stock (more on the way)
Best toy for communication
Walkie Talkies are great toys for indoor and outdoor activities such as shopping and camping. It is easy to use and has an uncomplicated push-to-talk button and different channels to tune into.
Review: "Bought this for my 3 year old and 7 year old. They've been having lots of fun with them. The walkie talkies are well built, a little smaller than I'd imagined they'd be but perfect for small hands!"
Pros
- Great age suitability range
- Builds communication skills
- Different colours to choose from
Cons
- May be difficult for three year old to grasp
Best toy for hands-on creative fun
Create new colours with this satisfying squishy, mouldable sand. Sand is perfect for creative and sensory skills, allowing kids to create anything they can imagine and can be used repeatedly.
Review: "Brilliant for my 8 year old and he loved playing with it and kept him entertained for hours. Good value."
Pros
- Minimal mess
- Encourages creativity
- Different colours to choose from
Cons
- Once mixed the sand is hard to separate
Best toy for interactive fun and nurturing skills
This cute, cuddly piggy will be your daughter's new favourite thing to play with. Learn how to take care of pets with this toy that expresses itself like a real little pig. Give Piggly a bottle and watch its little nose move when it drinks and laughs.
Review: "My daughter loves this little pig and it has provided loads of laughs and good times. It is very easy to set up and understand. It does struggle and fall over quite a lot when it's on the carpet but once it is on the hard floor you're in the clear."
Pros
- Adorable design
- Soft materials
- Makes sounds and movement
Cons
- May struggle to work on carpet
Best toy for collectable fun
Rrp: £19.79
These adorable squishy dumplings are loaded with 50 reactions and emotions and make cute sounds and unique animations when you interact with them. Collect them all, with different characters such as Dee, Dip, Doe, and Dot.
Review: "This little dumpling is the cutest thing ever! He lights up and makes adorable sounds, especially when you shake him upside down. With his cute glasses and his dope hat, he's just the cutest little dumpling dude!"
Pros
- Interactive set
- Adorable design
- Highly affordable
Cons
- May need new battery on arrival
Best toy for numeracy skills
Rrp: £36.99
This iconic board game is a fantastic way to make numeracy fun. In this game, you have a set of items to buy, and you throw the dice to move from shop to shop, using your plastic money to buy your shopping before someone else fills up their basket first.
Review: "My daughter played this in her friends house and loved it so treated her to one of her own. She is 5 and it is easy for her to follow the rules. We can play it over and over. The more we play it the more she is grasping the money side of it and it’s starting to learn how to give the correct money for her Items."
Pros
- Educational game
- Encourages learning about value of money
- Encourages counting and numeracy skills
Cons
- Set up can take a while
Best toy for construction skills
The possibilities are endless when it comes to magnetic building blocks. Whether they're playing house, building a castle or creating a car to drive their characters around, you're sure that your 5 -year-old will be having the time of her life.
Review: "My daughter had really taken to this set. She’s seven and I initially thought it’d be too young for her but she keeps coming back to it and building her own creations as well as ones from the booklet. The pieces are durable, easy to build with and nice colours. The sides simply stick together with the use of magnets. The booklet shows some examples of what can be built and how many of each shape is needed but there is just an image to copy, as opposed to instructions. A great building set - highly recommend!"
Pros
- Encourages fine motor and construction skills
- Endless possibilities
- Includes accessories like windows, doors and wheels
Cons
- Strength of magnets could be improved
Best playmobile toy for family imaginary play
Hit the road with this toy camper featuring a removable roof, which also contains compact storage space, three playmobile figures and other camping accessories.
Review: "Daughter is really happy with it, hours of play so far."
Pros
- Contains 135 pieces
- Attention to detail
- Durable
Cons
- Contains small pieces
Best toy for fashionistas
The Glamicorn Unicorn Interactive Purse Pet is the ultimate pet and fashion accessory for your little girl. Purse Pets toys come to life with cute sounds, sassy reactions and play fashion show music to assist her in strutting her stuff.
Review: "Very cute and decent size to fit accessories inside. Adjustable strap very useful."
Pros
- Interactive sounds
- Doubles as a functional bag
- Adjustable cross body strap
Cons
- Smaller than expected
Best toy for horse lovers
This incredibly detailed horsey cafe playset comes with a food counter, cafe set-up and kitchen, plus a stallion and other horse accessories. Your little one will have hours of imaginary play with this high-quality playset.
Review: "Gift good quality gave hours of fun."
Pros
- Contains 66 pieces
- Attention to detail
- Durable
Cons
- Some reviewers reported missing parts
Best Sylvanian Families toy for imaginary play
This gorgeous Baby Amusement Park has a fantastical castle and lots of rides. There's a Ferris wheel, Viking ship, go-karts, and a rocket ride. Plus, adorable Sylvanian baby figures to play with.
Review: "My daughter loves her Sylvanian set! Lovely quality and comes with several small animals."
Pros
- A timeless classic
- Adorable design
- Animals included
Cons
- The price
Best toy for tech fun
Your little one will feel grown-up with this smartwatch featuring an LED robot with friendly facial expressions and sound effects. Not only can you play games, take selfies, and store videos and photos, but it has other features such as a pedometer, timer, stopwatch and alarm. It comes in blue or pink.
Review: "Really good for kids to play and learn from a young age."
Pros
- Reduced price
- Interactive watch
- Two cameras
Cons
- Strap may run slightly bigger
Best toys for 5-year-old girls: Our verdict
We believe the Barbie Dreamplane Transforming Playset to be the best toy for 5-year-old girls due to the high ratings it has received on Amazon. Reviews say the playset was bigger than expected, came with entertaining accessories and kept their daughters entertained for hours on end.
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs. For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.