The Best Toys and Gifts for 6-Year-Olds Child Development
At six, children undergo complex growth processes. The toys for kids aged 6, along with other items around them, must be able to encourage the different stages of growth they undergo. The average 6-year old is exposed to activities in and out of schools and is likely to have developed his or her own opinions regarding activities they like or don’t. So getting the best gifts for 6-year-olds requires some thought.
When it comes to buying a gift for a 6-year-old, sticking with what you already know that your child is interested in is tempting. There is a special value in introducing them to a new passion, as well as in encouraging the ones that are pre-existing. For example, if a child loves to work on craft projects, they might enjoy building a robot. Just like the budding scientist might like to try gardening. Some of the best toys for 6-year-olds who love building things should be STEM toys that encourage that.
By age 6, kids are increasingly able to work with more-complex materials, follow instructions, and troubleshoot when they make mistakes. Six-year-olds can work on projects and kits that require little adult supervision, which is what you should look for. Being able to complete a project without any help can help children develop confidence and resilience, as well as deepen their interests into the topic at hand. Often, gifts that create projects make the best gifts for kids aged 6.
Never get caught in a web of confusion whenever you need to get a gift for the 6-year-old in your life. Read through our best picks of ideal gifts below.
Retevis Walkie Talkie for 6-Year-Olds – 90g per radio is easy to carry
Let your 6-year-olds extend their fun to the garden and basement without you having to worry. All you need to do is to give them a chat over their radios to call them back in. Simply ensure that both walkie talkies are tuned to the same channel. And if you’re scared your child might change the channel during their play, you can enable the keypad lock feature while they’re away.
The talk button of this walkie talkie is quite easy to reach, and it weighs just 90g for easily portability by children. It is powered by batteries and comes with a strap so that kids do not lose them during play.
Alex Super Spy Kit – Spy Case Detective
Teach your youngster to satisfy their curiosity with this spy kit. Items in the kit include fingerprint tools, rearview spy spectacles, battery-powered flashlights and magnifying specs.
By using this kits according to the manual provided in the package, your child gets to build their observatory, reasoning and imaginative skills. And each item in the kits leads them closer to being competent detectives.
This, we believe, will make a great gift for 6-year-olds who love solving mysteries so they can unleash their inner Sherlock Holmes.
HABA Rhino Hero – A Heroic Stacking Card
This is a card-stacking game that is perfect for playing with a group of friends or in pairs, with siblings. The challenge of this game lies in following the symbols on the cards, which show you how to place the walls and the moving the wooden rhino that increases the card tower’s instability. When one player successfully places all of their roof cards or makes the tower topple, the game is over. Rhino Hero offers both easy and expert modes, so this game can grow along with your children and their skills.
K’NEX Motorized Building Set – Ages 7 and Up
Help your child bring all the 3D figures in their imaginations to live with this motorized building set. Encourage the development of their creative skills, imaginative capacities, problem-solving skills and motor skills by getting them the K’NEX Motorized Building Set.
For every creation your child builds, the battery-powered motor in this set brings it to life via rods and connectors. There’s also a manual to help them through complex creations. This is a fun, age-appropriate toy for a 6-year-old that loves building things.
Anki Cozmo Robot for Kids – Educational Toy Robot
Here’s a real-life robot that will gladly be your 6-year-old’s wingman. All you need is a power supply and a compatible Android or iOS device from which you can operate the Cozmo App. Your child can challenge it to games or switch it to the Explorer mode to see what the robot sees. Your child can guide to places and even make it greet people and pets, which he or she will find to be so much fun. Although Cozmo can sometimes be mischievous, he can be completely loyal to your child.
The Cozmo kit includes the robot, a charger, and 3 fun cubes with which kids can play games and learn to program.
Micro Maxi Deluxe – Micro Kickboard
The Micro Maxi Deluxe scooter is pretty large; it has responsive steering, smooth-rolling wheels, durable build, and accessible rear foot brake. All of this allows the child to navigate the scooter around the city sidewalks and crossings confidently and safely. The Micro Maxi Deluxe scooter can carry 150 pounds, and the adjustable handlebar can accommodate a rider who is up to 5-foot-3, which means that it will serve your child even when he/she gets a little bit older than six. The Micro Maxi Deluxe is also available in a foldable version, which is convenient for carrying around, taking to trips, or storing.
Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium for Kids – Creativity for Kids
The best toys for 6-year-olds should inspire creativity. Let children experience the beauty of nature while they have all the fun they want. Get them this plant growth kit to help them create, plant, water, and nurture their terrarium garden. The kit contains a plastic jar, its lid, a potting mix, garden figurines, chia seeds, wheatgrass seeds, decorative sand, plant mister, garden and star stickers, and beautiful river stones.
After about three days, kids get to watch their plants spring up with life, and make the terrarium bubble with vibrancy. They also get to understand the cause-and-effect principle, responsibility, and patience with this toy as they water and watch the plants grow. And night, they get to enjoy the fascinating glow the stickers give off on their gardens.
Hey Clay Animals – Fun Interactive App
The best gifts for 6-year-olds encourage creativity and problem solving. Hey, Clay is a modeling clay that is very high-quality, and it comes with app-based instructions that allow young kids to create some truly adorable creatures and statues. Every Hey Clay kit includes 18 cans of soft, non-sticky and brightly colored clay that is very flexible, but still firm enough to produce detailed creations. The kits come in six different versions, each with different instructions and color combinations, and some of them include animals, birds, monsters, and aliens. A Hey Clay kit allows young kids to mold clay on their own, but you also have an option of downloading an accompanying app that includes step-by-step visual tutorials for creating specific characters. This gift for a 6-year-old is a great educational STEM toy.
SpyX Night Mission Goggles– SPY YOUR ENEMY IN THE DARK
Nighttime doesn’t have to be the end of playtime. Let kids engage their imaginations while they enjoy mission role-play with the SpyX Night Mission Goggles – even in the dark.
These goggles feature two LED lights, a headset, and a battery compartment that can help them see as far as 25 feet in the dark so that playtime isn’t terminated by nightfall. There’s also a daytime flip out the scope to help them take a peek during their nighttime missions in the daytime.
Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Party Kit – DIY Fashion Dye Kit
This kit has enough materials for a group tie-dye project, which will be a lot of fun for a sleepover. However, if you have children that work on this project together, they can get a lot of mileage and experimentation out of the kit (with some parental supervision). The small, plastic bin comes packed with 14 vibrant colors that come in squeeze bottles, along with rubber bands, gloves, and some step-by-step directions for achieving different effects. Garments are not included, so you will have to sacrifice your own T-shirts and leggings.
Zing Action Studio – Create, animate and share
This personalized studio is the ideal spot to groom a 6-year-old’s creativity. Kids can create, animate, capture, and share their creations in this studio. The set includes blue and green screens, a tripod stand, a stinkpot pet, and 1 stinkpot.
The screen allows you to easily capture what your child creates, and share them with friends without having to edit the picture. The Stikbot App can be used to share the creations with friends. The best toys for 6-year-olds that make it possible to create and share something with others will be fun for kids.
Cra-Z-Art Nickelodeon Slime Super Slimy – Oooey Gooey Fun
The Cra-Z-Art Nickelodeon Slime Super Slimy kit is the perfect do-it-yourself slime kit that a 6-year-old can use his or her own fun creations. It comes with everything needed to create slime. Kids can even be creative by adding personal touches with neon colors, glitter, and tiny beads that add texture.
Play-Doh Slime Variety 6-Pack – Ooey gooey fun for kids
Another slime option is the colorful, gooey Play-Doh slime that your 6-year old could have fun stretching and squishing. Play-Doh offers a variety pack that contains six cans and a bunch of different textures. It’s a delightful gift that gives kids the opportunity to get creative and come up with imaginative, fun creations all their own.
Elmer’s Slime Kit – Magical Liquid Slime
Let your 6-year-olds explore exciting adventures with slime art. Gift them this slime set from Elmer’s. The kit includes a bottle of glowing glue, color-transforming glue, metallic glue, dark-glowing slime activator, metallic activator, crunchy activator, and 2 bottles of confetti activator.
Your child can create slime for all shades of fun with Elmer’s slime kit without having to deal with toxic additives. The resulting slime is safe and easy-to wash.
Playmobil Mars Rover – six years and up
How about an adventure on the very famous planet Mars? This Rover was created to give your child a smooth ride through the rough grounds of the red planet. The set includes figures that can be made to sit or stand, a rover, crystal specimens, and a storage unit.
Your aspiring astronaut can take an adventurous ride down to Mars from a space ship (which is purchased separately) to collect the rare blue crystal sample. And after collection, they can return to their space ships to wait eagerly for another adventure on the red planet.
Luditek Sound Activated Disco Ball Lights – Party Lights
Kids love disco balls and how they can change the mood in every room into playtime and party time. This pair of small, inexpensive lamps can be mounted on a wall or simply sit on a table, and they bring the fun of having multicolor-light fun without the hassle of having to attach the huge, classic disco ball to your ceiling. They also come with a remote that allows you to change the lamps’ light colors, speed, and patterns. This set also includes sound-activated modes to pulse along with the beat of your kid’s favorite songs, allowing for fun family parties.
Fat Brain Squigs Set – Starter Set
Encourage sensory stimulation, creativity, interactive skills, and analytic experimenting in 6-year-olds by gifting them this ideal toy. The Fat Brain Squigs Set is a suction cup set consisting of 2 dozen cups (for starter) and 50 cups (for deluxe).
By just attaching these cups to surfaces, kids can create whatever their imaginations permit them to create. From bathtubs to tabletops, walls, windows, and the refrigerator surface, everywhere is good for fun with this toy.
Each suction cup is made from silicone, is safe, and does not leave any mark or stains on surfaces after play.
ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge – STEM Toy
ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge, a puzzle that can work like a roller coaster after it is put together correctly, will be a lot of fun for 6-year-old kids. The game gets kids to work with their hands, think sequentially and logically, and work together to solve a problem. Some of the six-year-olds are stronger readers, and they will be up for the challenge of following one of the 40 instruction cards, but some will have to ask an adult for help or simply use their imagination to construct roller coasters of their own design.
American Girl Ashlyn Doll – WellieWishers
Now here’s a doll your 6-year-old cuties will definitely love. There is nothing not to adore in this extraordinary doll from American Girl. Just gift a 6-year-old this doll, and watch them develop useful skills like TLC, interactive skills, imaginative role-play, and language skills.
Ashlyn’s got hands and legs that can be repositioned to make her sit, stand, or lay down quietly. Her long hair can also be brushed, and styled to match the creative desires of her sweet owners. Your “young 6-year-old parent” will enjoy playing the grown-up with this doll.
HearthSong Go! HugglePod HangOut – Mint Green
The HugglePod HangOut, a hanging canvas cocoon can hold up to 250 pounds, which means that a handful of kids can all snuggle inside and just hang out. This hanging canvas cocoon will be a massive hit for family camping trips as well. This cocoon is relatively easy to put up and take down for temporary fun, and it will hold up well to years of constant outdoor use. The pods come with built-in LED lights and in five colors.
LEGO Suitcase Building Kit – Classic Creative Suitcase
This LEGO super suitcase can be used to store building kits for 6-year-olds, and make them pretty easy to carry about. The building tools include 213 building items such as wheels, bricks, eyes, and windows.
Let your child unleash the creators in them with this kit, and safely store all their tools in this bright yellow storage case. Both the case and building items are made from recycled plastic. They are BPA and phthalate free, and does not expose your child to the risk of toxic coatings.
Ravensburger Bugs in the Kitchen – Children’s Board Game
Bugs in the Kitchen is a board game that is all about speed and strategy, and it features a famous robotic insect called the Hexbug Nano. The game board is set up in the form of a maze, with rotatable barriers in the shape of spoons, forks, and knives. In this game, players (up to four) take turns rolling a die to determine which utensils they can rotate. Rotating the utensils creates a path to trap the Hexbug in the player’s corner, which means that the round is won. If you want to win the game, you have to think forward (in order to plan which maze pieces to turn) and react quickly (because Hexbug is constantly moving). This game is beneficial for 6-year-olds because it is fun and light on the surface, but it actually teaches some light strategy and presents a challenge.
Thames & Kosmos Kids Coding and Robotics – Award Winner
Introduce your youngsters to the fundamentals of sequences, algorithms, loops, variables, and functions with this toy. It is an award-wining tool for early STEM learning that does not require the use of any software or device. It comes with an experimental manual that teaches children the basics of coding via educative storylines. Sammy, the sandwich robot, is also a handy tool in the set that helps your child’s understanding of coding via code cards.
Uptown Farmer Night Light Terrarium – Terrarium Kit for Kids
The kit’s instructions are simple enough for a lot of 6-year-olds to follow independently, but they will need some adult oversight. An adult needs to layer the soil, sand, rocks, and seeds, and spray the surface with water. As a parent, you will enjoy watching the kid gently water and turn the mini greenhouse toward the sun every single day. It will give you a glimpse of how responsible, caring, and loving they can be towards this little ecosystem. The terrarium doubles as a night-light, and it projects colorful stars and moon onto the ceiling at night. The terrarium not only teaches kids about the circle of life and about nature, it also teach them about responsibility and care.
Skillmatics Educational Games: Brain Games – Erasable and Reusable Activity Mats
This game set is an ideal gift for 6, 7, 8, 9 year-olds and up because it educates them while they have fun. It is a portable set that includes a dry erase marker, 6 activity mats, a duster, and a certificate. Each mat features guidelines for activities and makes the Skillmatics Educational Games Brain Game set appropriate for 6-year-olds.
During the games, kids learn to strategize, solve problems, and communicate with other players as they compete to emerge winners.
Skillmatics Educational Games: Space Explorer – Dry Erase Markers
The SKillmatics Educational Games Space Explorer is another great game from Skillmatics that is suitable for kids that are 6, 7, 8, 9 years old and up. Its very repeatable and engaging activities help foster kids’ imagination as they develop core skills and learn through play. Kids learn creative thinking, problem solving, social communication, observation, and concentration.
They get to learn about space: planets, comets, asteroids, the constellation, gravity, astronauts, phases of the moon, and spaceships. A truly great gift and fun educational game.
Plus-Plus Super Tube – Basic Color Mix
By age 6, kids usually have a favorite building toy that they play with all the time. However, the tiny, colorful Plus-Plus pieces offer children something a little bit different than the Magna-Tiles, Legos, or classic wooden blocks. Their unique, puzzle-piece-like shape allows kids to form them into just about anything they come up with. Plus-Plus sells project-based kits (for building rocket ships, making jewelry, and many other things) as well as open-ended sets. This ultra-size tube that is almost 4 feet tall and filled with 500 pieces will impress any young builder and keep him/her busy for a while.
Guess Who Board Game – Winning Moves Games
This is a child-friendly version of the 1980’s mystery face game. It features 2 plastic units, 4 dozens face cards, decks of 2 dozen cards, and an easy-to-use guide.
Let your child engage their analytic thinking, and imaginative skills as they try to figure out the face in the crowd that matches the one in their opponent’s card.
The SKLZ Basketball Hoop – Pro Mini
Keep your kids busy all day with this noiseless basketball hoop. It is a professional grade hoop that is suitable for 6-year-olds. The package features a wrench, a mini basketball, polycarbonate backboard, a steel rim and padded brackets.
Kids can have hours of play while they develop their precision skills, critical reasoning and accuracy. The entire hoop is durable, and completely noiseless so that you can comfortably work while they have all the fun they want.
Sorry! Game – Classic
This Hasbro Game makes for an ideal screen-free entertainment for 6-year-olds (and even the entire family). The game set includes a board, 44 cards, a dozen sorry Pawns and a guide. Kids get to think critically and analyze properly before making their very next moves in the game. They also improve their interactive and imaginative skills with this game.
KEVA 200 Plank Toy Set – 200 pine planks
With no connectors and glue, let your child’s imagination put these planks together to build different items. This toy helps to improve a 6-year-olds brain power, and sharpen their creativities. It also teaches them the principles of balancing, physics and geometry.
All 200 planks are of the same size, and are made from high-quality pines that can last a lifetime.
National Geographic Microscope for Kids – Dual LED Student Microscope
Start to introduce biology to your young ones while they are 6 years old. Get them a set of this powerful microscope from National Geographic.
With more than 50 accessories, this microscope teaches kids biology, slide preparations, and the general use of microscope in a fun and unique way. And the two different optical lenses help your child view specimens, as well as objects in 3D.
Sphero Robot Soccer – For Ages 5 and Up – Sphero M001SRW Mini Soccer
With this soccer-sized robot and the Sphero app, your kid can have an endless educative playtime. This soccer robot is equipped with three exciting games that make for a fun playtime. And it’s not just about fun only. Kids get to learn to code and solve problems.
The Sphero robot is equipped with an accelerometer, bright LED lights, and a gyroscope to help kids play exciting games, drive, and learn the basics of coding.
Schleich Farm and Stable Playset – for Ages 3 – 8 – Educational Playset for Kids
Introduce your kids to the farm world with this 48-pieces Schleich Farm Playset. It features a stable, horses, and another tool that can inspire long hours of safe imaginative role play in 6-year-olds.
Each item in this playset is designed in such a way that they trigger adequate development in children. The playset also passes all national and international toy safety tests to guarantee the safety of your child during play.
VTech Selfie Camera – Great Gift for Kids
If your kids love to capture beautiful moments of the day, why not get them this battery-powered VTech Selfie Camera? Don’t worry, the camera is durable, and can withstand any extent of rough-handling from kids. It features two cameras – a selfie and rear camera – and also includes a feature that adds animated and collage effects to photos.
To make selfie time fun for kids, the camera comes with 5 exciting motion-controlled games. Videos and photos can be transferred from the camera via USB so that you can share amazing photos with family and friends.
Learning Resources Science Exploration Set – Homeschool Activity
This scientific playset includes 2 reactor pods, an experiment manual, reactor pod molds, slime sieve and storage, extruder, test tubes, and a lot more. With this set, your child can comfortably experiment with aliens, and also develop their imaginative role play. The included manual has over 20 exciting experiments your child can perform to make playtime adventurous.
Learn & Climb Magic Kit – Magic Set with Instructional DVD
Let your kids explore the world of magic with the Learn & Climb Magic Kits. It includes 28 unique items with which kids can amaze their parents with more than 100 mind-blowing magic tricks. Within a very short practice time, your youngster can master most of the tricks included in the manual and visual illustrations of the kit. And you’ll have a professional magician on your hands!
Every magical item in this kit is durable and can be stored in a storage box so that your kids can use them forever. By mastering magic tricks, children get to develop their self-esteem and confidence.
KEVA Contraption 50-Plank Set – Designs with Simple Wood Blocks
Prepare your 6-year-old architect for the future with this 50-plank contraption set. Let them learn and apply various principles in physics, geometry, and engineering to create and build items from their wells of imagination. Each plank is made from durable pine and does not require glue nor connectors to attach to other planks.
The KEVA Contraption 50-Plank Set is a great way to teach your 6-year-old Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at home!
Creatable World Customizable Doll – Blonde Wavy Hair
This doll kit includes a doll, a wig, accessories, and clothing that every 6-year-old can combine to create different characters. Spark up imaginative role-play and interaction development in your child by getting them more than one set of this doll.
The Creatable World Customizable Doll set also makes a great companion for playdates and can unleash imaginative creativity in 6-year-olds. All they’ve got is a doll in tank top and shorts to transform to whatever their imaginations want.
Playmags 60-Piece Set – with Stronger Magnets
This playset features 60 translucent pieces of seven unique shapes with which 6-year-olds can materialize their wildest imaginations. Each tile holds to the others via magnets integrated into its shape.
And apart from the unending fun kids could have with this set, they also get to improve their understanding of physics, geometry, and STEM. The set also encourages creativity and logical reasoning in children.
Each tile is made from safe and superior quality materials so that your child is not exposed to hazards during play.
Conclusion
With any of the toys listed above, 6-year-olds will have more productive playtime again. Playtime will mean more fun and learning for them!