Six-year-olds love to play, which is an essential part of their learning and development. At six, children start kindergarten, where they learn to share toys, express their ideas, and engage in creative play. Toys are a big part of their daily activities, from educational toys in the classroom that teach important skills to fun, silly toys at home that keep them laughing; toys are a big part of their development. At this age, kids are learning what they like and may choose some toys over others as they develop a sense of self. Web M.D. explains that at age six, parents should let children choose the type of toys that they play with because, at this age, they are eager to show some independence and express themselves. If you are looking for some great toys, here is a list of some of the best toys for six-year-olds.
Developmental Milestones for Six-Year-Olds
Not all toys are educational; some are designed for the pure joy of playing. But many toys, even if they aren't labeled educational, teach kids something and help them develop core skills. At age six, many kids are reaching the age-appropriate developmental milestones, and their toys can help them continue learning through creative play. When choosing a toy for a child, keep in mind that at age six, kids should be able to meet these milestones or be close to meeting these milestones.
- Can understand the concept of time.
- Start learning to write.
- Understand cause and effect.
- Have a sense of humor and make jokes.
- Know sight words and read short books.
- Like to play pretend but understand that it's make-believe.
- Can climb, skip, and jump.
Best Toys for Six-Year-Olds
All of these toys are perfect for six-year-olds. The toys are designed to be engaging, promote creativity, and stimulate the imagination.
1. KiwiCo – Science of Cooking: Ice Cream
Introduce your six-year-old to science and STEM activities while making sweet treats. This ice cream maker is designed for kids to learn about the science behind ice cream, From ice crystals to temperature changes to how butterfat and air turn into a creamy, dreamy dessert. This ice cream kit includes everything kids need to explore kitchen chemistry and make their own ice cream and sorbet. Learning about science just got a whole lot sweeter with this kid-friendly ice cream maker.
Science meets fun in this ice cream kit.
2. LeapFrog Magic Adventures Microscope
The maker of all kinds of cool toys, LeapFrog, has the magic adventure microscope. It is a real and functioning microscope that features up to 200x magnification. The microscope comes with high-quality videos and images for kids to explore. The images are from different topics like flowers, animals, food, and minerals. This is one of the best toys for six-year-olds who are curious and already excited about STEM fun.
Get a gift for the young scientists in your life with this great educational microscope toy. This kit comes with 8 double-sided slides that show BBC videos across all kinds of topics. You can make your own microscopic samples of the world around you and test your knowledge with a leveled game that's part of this great gift. This toy is accredited as a STEAM toy by the Toy Association and needs double A batteries to use.
3. Crayola Ultimate Light Board
Crayola products foster creativity and inspire kids to use their imaginations. This light board is no exception. The light-up boards let kids light up their drawings to display. The set includes a Crayola drawing tablet with three light effects, a removable tracing panel, six washable gel markers, and a kickstand to hold the bora in place while using. This is a great toy for the budding Picasso or Monet in the family.
4. LEGO Classic Creative Suitcase
This creative LEGO suitcase comes with classic LEGOs for hours of fun. This 213-piece LEGO set comes in a bright yellow hard suitcase with sorting compartments so your child can organize and store all of their LEGO pieces and sort them into building bricks, shapes, wheels, and eyes. LEGOs are perfect for creative little minds and busy little hands. There is nothing LEGOs can’t do once a child's imagination is open to the possibilities of LEGO fun.
LEGOs are always fun.
5. Creativity for Kids Grow ‘N Glow Terrarium Kit
This glow-in-the-dark terrarium is great for teaching kids about the life cycle and ecosystem. The terrarium is a great activity for kids. They can plant and water their seeds and grow their very own mini ecosystem. The kit comes with everything to get started. Kids just supply the water and imagination. This terrarium kit has a plastic terrarium jar, potting mix, chia and wheat grass seeds, and glow-in-the-dark forest toys. Plus, there are colorful glow-in-the-dark stars, sand, and constellation stickers. Part science project, part arts and crafts, and pure fun.
This terrarium kit helps kids explore and discover how to care for nature in the comfort of their homes. Create your own ecosystem with a plastic jar, potting mix, chia and wheat grass seeds, and fun glow-in-the-dark figurines. After proper planting, it grows quickly over the span of 3-4 days. This helps teach responsibility, basic agriculture, and plant care. It's also just a fun activity for a growing child to create their own little universe in a jar!
6. Marble Genius Marble Run
This 130-piece marble run set will keep your six-year-old entertained for hours. It has everything to build a marble run, including arches, circles, round a rounds, ladders, wheels, tubes, and eighty translucent pieces, so you can watch the marbles follow their course. The kit is perfect for kids and adults alike. Log into the app for instructional tips and ideas to get started creating different marble runs. The set inspires creativity and helps kids develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills as they design and construct their own custom marble run.
7. Scientific Explorer Disgusting Science Kit
Whether your six-year-old is a boy or a girl, they will love this disgusting science kit. Kids love getting grossed out and grossing their friends out, so this science kit is sure to please. They can create a stinky intestine, fake blood, slimy snot, and learn about growing mold and bacteria. The set includes four petri dishes, four cotton swabs, a magnifier, gelatin, baking yeast, food coloring, sugar, a rubber balloon, a plastic bag, and an instructional guide that explains everything. This is a science kit for the whole family to get involved with and make memories while making disgusting inventions. It's a great way to introduce scientific themes and explore STEM with your kids.
Take science to the next level and get disgusted by our amazing natural world.
8. Decorate Your Own Water Bottle
At age six, kids like to show their uniqueness and individuality, and giving them their own water bottles to decorate is a great way for them to show off their creativity. The water bottle decorating kit comes with glitter gemstone stickers in all kinds of shapes and colors. This would be a fun activity for a birthday party or group activity where kids can work together and decorate their own water bottles. The water bottle craft kit comes with a BPA-free water bottle made of Tritan plastic. It is easy to clean and has a wide mouth for easy use. Along with all of the sparkly stickers to decorate, the kit also has a carabiner to hang the bottle and a bonus bracelet kit.
9. Rainbow Loom® Loomi-Pals™ MEGA Set
Are you looking for a toy that stimulates creativity, develops hand-eye coordination, and inspires creativity? Then you have found it with this rubber band jewelry-making kit. Six years old is the perfect age for this bright, colorful activity. The set includes 5,600 rubber bands in different colors plus 150 alpha and 150 pony beads to create personalized messages. The carry case has 23 compartments to keep all of the pieces organized. The craft activity helps develop fine motor skills and cognitive thinking.
10. VTech KidiZoom PrintCam
Give your six-year-old their very own camera with this camera and printer. Kids can take photos of themselves or their friends and family and print them immediately. The camera has over 110 templates to create cards, comic strips, play money, and more. Plus, it has stickers, borders, and filters for photos and videos. Another cool feature is it can turn a photo into a black-and-white drawing to color. This camera is more than just a camera; your kid will love it.
11. Roller Derby Firestar Youth Skates
Six years old is not too early to start skating. Rollerskating is a great way to burn energy and get physical. And these roller derby skates are perfect for beginners and advanced skaters. Use them at the roller rink or just outside for some much-needed energy burning.
12. Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber Play Center
Turn your backyard into a park with a dome climber. Kids will love having this climber to play with their friends outside. The toy is weather and rust-resistant and made of durable material. It holds up to 600 pounds, making it a safe outdoor toy for lots of kids to play on.
13. Razor AW Kick Scooter for Kids
Scooters are a fun way to get started on riding toys. If your six-year-old isn't quite ready for a bike, they can. This lightweight foldable scooter is excellent for taking to the park or over to grandma’s house to ride around. Scooters promote balance and get children away from devices and outside for physical activity and fun.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Skydive Erick/Shutterstock.com.