momstown has come up with some sure-fire winners for toys for the 4, 5 and 6 year old birthdays – and most are under $20! Whatever you bring, don’t forget to include a gift receipt – taped to the gift – so that if there are multiples of presents the parents can make a switch.
From ages 4 to 6 your child may be getting more birthday invites than ever! With the advent of kindergarten, some families invite the whole class to a drop off party – which can make for a lot of trips to the toy store throughout the year.
4th Birthday Gift Ideas
For most boys (and many girls too!) you can't go wrong with a vehicle! Instead of chosing something licensed, try out Automoblox wooden cars. You can take the entire car apart – the wheels, front and back wood pieces, top, and little wooden figures inside. Great to practice fine motor skills and simple assembly process.
Littlest Pet Shop toys from Hasbro encourage imaginative play with lots of pets and accessories to collect!
Imaginext Dinosaurs from Fisher-Price inspire make-believe play! Built to last, many have battery-powered 'rrrrroaring' features sure to delight! Dinosaurs are a popular theme among the kindergarten-aged set, as they explore a world that they can create from their own imaginations. If you've got a real dino-lover, consider a gift certificate for a day at a local museum like the ROM where they can see the dinosaur bones for themselves!
5th Birthday Gift Ideas
Some kids have mastered full Lego sets at this age, but for those still in the learning phase, Lego Brickmaster sets are ideal – you can make a number of different creations from the same blocks, and the instructions are in a full colour, full size book, which makes it easier for kids to master.
These great Melissa and Doug colouring books have great play value – available in girl and boy themes with 50 large, brilliantly detailed colouring sheets to choose from. They really become masterpieces! You could add a new set of coloured pencils or markers to go along with the art thme.
The Lite Brite toy from Hasbro we all remember from our childhoods has a whole new flat screen look, and starts at under $10 for the portable version pictured here. Incorporates fine motor skill practice and nutures artistic creativity!
6th Birthday Gift Ideas
A movie gift card is a great choice for this age group -and parents will appreciate junior's way being paid the next time the family has a movie outing!
A Tie Dye Kit is a fun choice for a boy or a girl, and most kits come with enough dye to make several shirts or items. Fun for parents to pull out on one of those "I'm bored!" weekends, and it inspires creativity!
Chapter books are making an appearance at this age, and Scholastic Canada has some great, affordable choices for young readers.
The Captain Underpants series is a real hit with boys this age – and for girls Judy Moody is a great series about a brother and sister who go on all kinds of adventures.
