Ready for some super cool birthday gifts for 5 year olds? After all, turning 5 is a pretty big deal. You’re turning one whole hand! Help your favorite kindergartener or preschooler celebrate this milestone with a cool fifth birthday gift that that will keep them learning, exploring, playing, imagining, and just having fun. Because having fun is something 5-year-olds are really really good at doing.
Also, check out our list of cool birthday gifts for 6 year olds, and cool birthday gifts for 4 year olds — you may find some perfect ideas there as well.
Please note that we’ve included links to both big and small shops for convenience and price. But we always encourage you to shop your own local independent toy stores, book stores, and boutiques!
Be sure to see our full list of the coolest birthday gifts for kids by age
The best gifts for kids by age 2023
The coolest first birthday gifts
The coolest birthday gifts for 2-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 3-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 4-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 5-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 6-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 7-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for 8-year-olds
The coolest birthday gifts for tweens and big kids 9-12
The coolest birthday gifts for teens
The best gifts for 5 year olds this year
All gifts have been editorially determined by our staff, there is no compensation in exchange for picks. CMP is an rstyle and Amazon affiliate which means we may earn a small commission on some items purchased. This helps us keep our site independent and support our writers.
This post is new for 2023.
($127 at Pottery Barn Kids; individual titles available at Amazon or your favorite local bookstore)
Compiled with input from The Conscious Kid organization, these seven titles help teach equity and empathy to young readers in a most beautiful and compelling way. Want to add on? You’ll find lots of age-appropriate picture books for 5 year olds in our book reviews.
A super cool jump rope
($11 at Maisonette)
A classic toy made a lot more adorable, these durable jump ropes from the UK’s Floss and Rock are a terrific price and come in themes like rockets, unicorns, and sharks. Grab a few for all those kindergarten classroom birthday parties.
Botley 2.0 coding robot
($84.99 at Magic Beans and Amazon)
Screen-free coding for kids as young as 5, Botley makes it easy for them to learn the basics using a cute little robot pal they program to do what they want.
Five is a Vibe t-shirt
($12.99 and up at Double Joy Designs on Etsy)
Looking for a groovy gift for a 5 year old that they don’t already own? We dig this cool tee that sums up how we feel about this new age.
Portable electronic drum set
($61.99 at Amazon)
Yes, they can easily roll up and take this portable electronic drum set anywhere, but it also supports headphones so that you don’t have to listen any longer than you’d like. Fun little gift for a 5 year old that doesn’t take up a ton of space either. (The gift, that is. Well the kid too.)
Personalized Baking Set
($49.95 for set at A Few Spare Moments on Etsy)
Your little star baker will adore their own kid-sized baking tools in a personalized beechwood holder. It’s never too early to teach them how to bake you delicious treats.
Giant coloring page roll
($18 at Nordstrom)
Not only do kids of all ages love these giant coloring rolls, it’s a great way for adults to get into the action as well. And with 26-feet of monstrous illustrations on this roll from Olli Ella, there’s plenty of room to share.
Trouble: Bluey edition
($16.99 at Amazon)
Our latest favorite export from Down Under, Bluey and friends join up with this tried-and-true board game—the five year old in your life will love this one, trust us.
Y Fliker swing scooter
($79.99-$89.99 at Yvolution; in pink on Amazon)
A new set of wheels is always a cool gift for a 5 year old! They’ll use up some of their own boundless energy to swing this scooter forward. Also love that this folds flat for easier storage
Color-your-own french fry pillow set
($36 at Nordstrom)
You want markers with that? (Don’t worry, they’re included.)
Photo: You! The Experience @ The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Science museum membership
Channel their endless curiosity with an annual membership to your closest science museum where they can learn all about the universe, their bodies, and all the creatures around them. Memberships usually come with perks, like special hours or event access, and also reduce the pressure to try to see everything all in one visit. This is also a great gift from grandparents who would like to spend some special time with their grandchildren throughout the year!
Frida Kahlo inspired playhouse set
($180 at Maisonette)
Inspired by Frida Kahlo’s home, this bright and colorful playset from Follies is made of non-toxic and washable panels and can be put together to create Frida’s kitchen, an art easel, a puppet theater… or something from their own five-year-old imagination.
Kid-sized biker jacket
($34.99 at H&M)
Looking this cool doesn’t need to be expensive —  though we love this real leather jacket for kids too if you want to splurge.
Glow-in-the-dark mini golf
($191.95 at Fat Brain Toys)
Any five-year-old will give glowing reviews (ha) for this gift: A fun indoor golf game that makes the most of a rainy day.
Personalized swan purse
($20.99 and up at AhaAhaMoments)
It’s always surprising how many things a 5 year old will want to carry around, and this sweet swan purse is just the right size for toting a few trinkets. Available in many other styles at this Etsy shop which we featured in 20 unique personalized gifts for kids in 2021, from toddlers to teens.
Washi tape roads
($15 for four rolls at SOhandmade on Etsy)
Great to take on vacation or on family visits over the holidays, these roads are easy to lay down and easy to pull up when playtime is done. Add in some of the cool cars from Candylab wooden cars for the most stylish streets anywhere — and a very affordable and cool gift for a five-year-old.
Kalamata’s Kitchen Flavors in Harmony book bundle
($50 at Kalamata’s Kitchen)
Have a future chef on your hands? A budding foodie? A kid who won’t eat anything if it’s not on white bread with the crusts cut off? Kalamata’s Kitchen’s second excellent book, Taste Buds in Harmony signed by the author, along with a trio of delicious Spicewalla spices and other goodies, help inspire kids to see food as an adventure — and hopefully recreate some of the recipes in the kitchen themselves.
Non-toxic kids’ nail polish kit
($35 at Super Smalls)
Hey, maybe they’ll do your nails too! It’s okay: The peel-off polishes are safe for kids (and adults) and dry quickly with the battery-operated nail dryer.
Chalkscapes roll-up drawing mat
($34.98 at Amazon)
Whether it’s hung in a playroom, or toted around to grandma’s house, this roll-up drawing mat come with its own jumbo chalks and comes clean easily so it can be used again and again, making it a great gift for five-year-olds who won’t be five forever.
A first journal
($14.99 at Amazon)
A great way to get kids started journaling, this version from Wee Society is age appropriate, adorable, and cool. Bonus: parents get to hang on to it for the memories.
