The 14 Best Toys for 5-Year-Old Boys in 2020

• 01 of 14

  IQ Challenge Set by GamieUSA

  Excellent

  Buy on Amazon

  

  For budding brainiacs this set of educational toys will give them the challenge they crave. There are seven toys in all, including an IQ puzzle ball, four different plastic puzzle balls, a metal puzzle and a wooden cube puzzle. They’re all designed to get kids to problem solve through reasoning and develop mental stamina as they try, try and try again until they solve them all.

  An instruction guide is sent to parents via email, so that they can help if children get stuck along the way (phew!). As a special incentive, if they solve two puzzles in a row, parents can email before and after shots to the manufacturer for a special prize.

  Check out our guide to the best educational toy gifts you can buy today. 

• 02 of 14

  Click N' Play Remote Control Robot

  Good

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Your 5-year-old will love controlling his own robot that can sing, dance, walk and shoots foam discs all at the control of a remote. When you turn him on he responds "Greetings Master I await your command!", which will give your little man a thrill.

  He can set up a little obstacle course and watch the robot maneuver around it as he shoots off the flying discs that will wow the whole family. Six double A batteries are needed to operate and are not included so be sure to have some on hand when he opens this gift. 

  Read more reviews of the best robot toys available to purchase online. 

  Click N' Play Remote Control Robot Review
• 03 of 14

  LEGO Juniors Shark Attack 10739 Building Kit

  

  Buy on Walmart

  

  If you haven't introduced him to the world of LEGOs now is as good of a time as any. This set is for lovers of the movie Ninjango and lets tiny hands create a training area with weapon stand, breakable blocks, spinning training dummy, motorbike with detachable flame and flag and a shark car with movable fins and dual flick missiles.

  This set is age-appropriate for 4 to 7-year-olds so they will enjoy this for a few years and can use pieces on old or new sets to come. ​

  Check out our other reviews of the best LEGO sets​ available on the market today.

• 04 of 14

  Shakespeare Youth Fishing Kits

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Budding anglers are sure to get excited about fishing with one of these rod-and-reel combination sets, which come with designs such as Marvel's Captain America, Disney's Cars, and Thomas the Tank Engine (there are 12 options total). The 30-inch length is comfortable for small hands, and the rod has a round knob, thumb button, and finger guard to help kids practice proper casting techniques.

  Continue to 5 of 14 below.
• 05 of 14

  Treasure X Aliens

  Buy on Amazon

  

  5-year-old boys who receive this toy also get a mission: Save the treasure hunter, as well as his weapon and cache of gems, from the belly of this slimy alien. The slime can be reused for future sensory play, and the brand's collection includes 18 different aliens, all with different characters and jewels, so don't be surprised if this gift kicks off a trend in your house.

• 06 of 14

  Hasbro Connect 4 Game

  Buy on Amazon

  

  The iconic game Connect 4, which you probably also played as a kid, teaches children about strategizing and predicting, as well as the importance of winning and losing gracefully. Parents will be glad to know that just like in the old days, you can still release the chips so they fall from the rack with a satisfying clatter.

  Want to read more reviews? Check our guide to the best family board games.

• 07 of 14

  LEGO City Fire Station

  Buy on Amazon

  

  This set comes together with more than 500 pieces, and it's perfect for 5-year-old boys who can't get enough of the blaze-battling heroes and Legos. Four mini-figures are included: A fire chief, two firefighters, and a Dalmatian dog. One of the coolest features is the truck's special brick that flashes lights and plays siren sounds. The garage door opens and closes to allow the truck to come and go, and there's a separate water scooter (with its own dock) as well as a toy drone.

• 08 of 14

  Hot Wheels Track Builder Total Turbo Takeover Track Set

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Looking for the perfect gift for a 5-year-old boy? These tracks can be used with other Hot Wheels sets, and 5-year-olds can customize their own layout by setting up races and stunt challenges, such as a boulder avalanche and two loop-de-loops. It also comes with a pullback launcher and two-way booster that enables cars to move in both directions, as well as one die-cast Hot Wheels car.

  Continue to 9 of 14 below.
• 09 of 14

  PLUS PLUS - Construction Building Toy

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Plus-Plus construction kits are made up of flat, jigsaw-type pieces that can be used to build both 2D and 3D creations. (Imagine a Tetris game brought to life and you've got the idea.) This set comes with 240 brightly colored pieces as well as two baseplates. A clear carrying tube corrals the pieces when not in use.

• 10 of 14

  Lakeshore Ultimate Fort Builder

  Buy on Amazon

  

  If you are looking for a toy for a 5-year-old that will inspire creativity and help hone those STEM skills this fort builder is the ultimate buy. Like peanut butter and jelly, shoes and socks or gin and tonic, kids and forts just go together perfectly. Yes, they could build a structure using dining room chairs or a table, but this versatile kit makes it way more entertaining, with poles, connectors and an illustrated guide with inspiring ideas like a castle or igloo.

• 11 of 14

  Janod My First Confetti Guitar

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Learning music can boost motor and academic skills as well as brain development, and a sturdy, colorful guitar like this one, which is made in France, will make kids eager to get started. At 1.5 pounds and 2 feet long, it's a comfortable size for young rockers, and a replacement string is included if the gig gets too intense.

• 12 of 14

  Marky Sparky Blast Pad Rocket Launcher

  Buy on Amazon

  

  There are only so many times you can play soccer or frisbee in the park. This stomp rocket provides an engaging alternative toy for 5-year old boys and older who will love leaping onto the launcher and seeing how high they can get the foam missiles to fly (in some cases, more than 200 feet).

  Continue to 13 of 14 below.
• 13 of 14

  Botzees Augmented Reality Robotic Building and Coding Kit

  Buy on Amazon

  

  Botzees are buildable, programmable robots that can be mastered by kids ages 4 and up. They start by building their bot, using either one of the six existing designs or making up their own. Using the company's free app, they can then use coding commands to make their creation move, drum, dance, make sounds, and light up. Additional puzzles within the app teach trickier concepts like sequencing, looping, and conditional coding.

• 14 of 14

  CoolSand 3D Sandbox

  

  Buy on Walmart

  

  Boys who love dinosaurs will get a kick out of this sandbox which has them searching for dinosaurs in moldable sand. You'll get all the great things of having the sand at home without the mess since the sand stick together. Plus, your child can dig, learn, and explore while searching for dinosaurs.

Products Tested by The Spruce

What to Look for in Toys for 5-Year-Old Boys

Age appropriateness Even though they may think they’re big kids, 5-year-old boys are still pretty young and might not be ready for certain toys. Games with mature themes and overly complex products aren’t a good idea for this age group, so make sure you check the age rating on the toy you’re considering to make sure it’s an appropriate fit.

Educational value As 5-year-old boys advance to kindergarten, they’ll be learning to read, write, tell time, and count. A toy that helps advance any of these skills in a fun, interactive way will definitely be appreciated not only by the young boy in your life, but by his parents, too.

Activeness It often seems as though 5-year-olds are balls of energy, so a toy that helps to get them up and moving is always a good thing. Consider products that will encourage young boys to play outside, run around, and otherwise expend energy as they explore and create.

Test Results: Click N' Play Remote Control Disc Firing Toy Robot (Best Robot)

Good

Buy on Amazon

What We Like

• Entertaining

• Realistic movements and noise

• Affordable price

What We Don't Like

• No volume control

• Foam discs can get stuck

This robot was a huge hit for our testers, with one of our reviewers noting that her nephew declared it “pretty awesome.” Our testers said their kids found the shooting discs to be particularly entertaining and mentioned that the discs “are super soft,” so they're safe. However, one of our testers warned, “The fact that the robot talks and makes other noises is cool for the kids, but it can be pretty loud for the adults.” While one of our reviewers said there was some difficulty with the foam discs getting stuck over time, she found that, overall, “the kids were impressed by it.”

Click N' Play Remote Control Robot Review

Test Results: IQ Challenge Set by GamieUSA (Best Educational)

Excellent

Buy on Amazon

What We Like

• Great for kids who enjoy challenge

• Many people can play at the same time

• Sturdy box to store the toys

What We Don't Like

• Some puzzles made with cheap-looking material

• Too difficult at times

“I think this product is worth buying,” declared one of our testers, “especially for those kids — and adults! — who enjoy a challenge. It really makes you think.” Our reviewers also liked that it came with a sturdy storage box included, and one tester pointed out because it comes with seven puzzles, many people can play at once. On the other hand, according to one of our reviewers, “the materials for a few of the puzzles looked a bit cheap.” Also, one tester thought they might not be age-appropriate: “The puzzles are actually tough to complete,” she said, “and it can become frustrating for kids and adults alike.”