My, once toddler, made a rapid transition to ‘big kid preschooler’ right before my eyes this summer. I feel like one day he was a toddler, and the next he was a big kid! Making that transition this summer, I realized that my 5 year old was ready for some bigger (ok most of them are actually smaller) and more complex toys!
Now, he still plays with many of the classics that he enjoyed as a toddler, but his play has evolved as he has grown. He uses his toddler toys in different ways. Take the color sorting bears; he used to use them for their purpose…sort by color. Now, he uses them in imaginative play set ups with his dinosaurs, animal figures, trains, cars and Magnatiles!
And those cookie letters? They used to star in play set ups like our favorites here, here, and here! Now, my big boy uses them to make words and match beginning sounds with objects.
As for puzzles? We went from this to this! I am just loving all of his new interests and the way that he plays.
In honor of my big boy, I wanted to put together a list of all of our favorite toys for the Preschooler in your life!
Related: Shopping for a toddler too? Check out our Holiday Toddler Gift Guide as well!
The List
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I’m going to break this down into categories to make it easier to sort through. Be sure to follow my links and grab some of these awesome options for your cutie!
Animals and Figurines
These toys are everything to my kids! Their animals and dinosaurs are featured in almost every single play set up throughout the day! We love Safari Ltd for their quality and the realism that is put into every animal. They are durable and my kiddos can’t get enough of them!
STEM Toys
My Preschooler is extremely interested in science and how things work. These fun kits were all gifted to him for his birthday and he is absolutely loving them!
Related: Check out this awesome activity that your kiddos will love!
Education Focused
As a teacher, I love toys that include an educational component. If my kiddos are going to free play, I want them to be able to interact with numbers, letters, geography, life skills toys and everything in between!
Creative Options
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
We love critical thinking toys in our house! My 5 year old is all about puzzles right now and can spend hours just putting them together! The Smiling Moon Balancer from Smiling Tree Toys is a true favorite too. It continually challenges my kiddos since the pieces are never really stacked the same way twice. Be sure to check out all of the fun that we had with ours!
Related: Put those critical thinking muscles to the test with this fun activity!
On The Move
This section is all about keeping those little hands occupied and those curious minds engaged. From building to creating, there is something for everyone here!
- Way To Play Flexible Road
- Train Set
- Kinetic Sand
- Large Building Blocks
- Balancing Board – *Be sure to use adult supervision with this toy!
- Gymnastics mats – if your kids are anything like mine, being stuck at home can make it a bit more difficult to be active. Grab a couple gymnastics mats and create a safe place for your kiddos to play inside while the weather is colder! *Please use adult supervision and extreme caution when doing any gymnastics skills using these mats. Do not attempt to coach or spot your child if you are not trained to do so. Stay safe and have fun!
Imaginative Play
Imaginative play is so incredibly important for development at this age. The more your kids pretend, the better it will be for them in the future. Encourage imaginative play with some of our favorites!
Games
My big man is suddenly really interested in games, and it is so much fun! I love teaching him how to play the different classics. Watching him enjoy each one is just the best!
- Tangram Jigsaw Puzzle – Ok, this one is like a physical version of Tetris! Even my 20 month old loves to play it!
- Operation
- Perfection
- Don’t Break The Ice
- Candy Land
Best Toys For Traveling
As a family, we are in the car…a lot. Activities that are good for traveling are everything to me! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Sticker books
- And another Sticker book
- Dry erase books
- Water Wow
- Paint by Stickers
- Doodle Board
- Small animals in a supply box (add some wooden discs and trees for full on small world play!)
- Small vehicles in a supply box (draw a road map on 2 index cards and set them inside the supply box for extended imaginative play!)
- Travel Books – My kiddos love reading and doing activity books in the car. They are a great way to keep the littles occupied and learning while traveling!
Larger Pieces
Sometimes, it’s just nice to add a large piece that can facilitate play to your play area. These items will allow your kiddos to dive into imaginative and creative play!
Books
I love a good book, and so do my kids! Books are the one thing that I cannot resist buying throughout the year. There are just so many good ones, I can’t help it! I truly believe that you can never have too many books! These are some that are perfect for Preschoolers:
DIY
I love a good DIY project! I probably do it too often, but crafting is in my blood! If you want to get crafty for your kiddo this Christmas, check out these fun projects:
- Resin Alphabet
- Crayon Letters
- Wooden Peg Dolls
- Wooden Discs
- Wooden Trees
- Sensory Bin – we Love our sensory bins! They engage my 1 1/2, 3 AND 5 year old simultaneously! If you have not tried them yet, I strongly recommend checking this out and adding these beauties to your routine!
Bonus: Stocking Stuffers
Even after all of those great ideas, I’m sure you are still looking for a few more to fill those stockings! So, here are a few fun, and possibly odd, things that I will be adding to our stockings this year!
- Post it notes (of all sizes!)
- Painters tape (Here is an activity for that painters tape!)
- Dot stickers
- Animal stickers rolls
- Fruit and veggie kid’s chopper
- Dry erase markers
- Watercolors paint
- Paint brushes
We hope that your holiday season is full of love and laughter this year! Happy Holidays!
Looking for a holiday activity to try with your littles? Check out our Christmas Tree Sticker Ornament Activity!
