At 5, a boy wants toys with rules and toys for letting off steam: a draughts set or a fast card game, a 54-piece puzzle, a croquet set for the whole family, a firefighter costume in his size, a truck with a story. The gifts that work are played with others, have a winner, and come out again the following weekend.

What a 5-year-old loves

This is the age of rules: he learns them, follows them, and makes others follow them. Board games take on their real meaning, with twenty-minute games, simple strategy and a victory that counts. He runs, climbs, throws, aims, and loves outdoor games played in teams. He draws whole scenes, writes his name, recognises words. Pretend play stays strong but gets organised: the firefighter has a station, the pirate has a ship. Toys can now have small parts and mechanisms.

Our gift ideas

To play together

The multicoloured wooden draughts and the Chinese checkers are played as a family, Déblok Junior is a speed game, Yahtzee teaches counting dice, and Myster Spook or the Happy Family card game fit in a pocket. The Colour Monster talks about feelings. All our board games.

To move outdoors

The family croquet set has five mallets, two for the adults, and it is the garden game that brings three generations together. See our outdoor toys.

To think alone

The Fairy Forest puzzle and the Fairy Castle puzzle have 54 pieces, the Dance School observation puzzle has 100 and hides details to find. The mini solitaire is played on the go. All our puzzles.

To roll and rescue

The Berliet fire engine has a tall ladder, the Renault Trucks dump truck loads and tips, and the Le Mans Ford GT40 starts a model car collection. See our cars, boats and planes.

To become someone else

The firefighter costume is cut for ages 5 to 6, the pirate jacket with trousers and belt lasts a whole season, and the dinosaur finger puppets act out the scenes. Our costumes.

To make and imagine

The Patarev farm kit models animals that never dry out, and the Obelix casting kit is painted once out of the mould. The Mustang stallion and double-crested lizard figurines fill the stories, and the Wheat fluffy rabbit stays in the bed. All our arts and crafts and figurines.

What budget?

Under 20 euros: the card games, the draughts, the 54-piece puzzles, the figurines, the mini solitaire or the Obelix kit. Between 20 and 50 euros: Déblok Junior, Yahtzee, the Patarev kit, the trucks, the pirate costume, the firefighter costume and The Colour Monster. Above 50 euros: the wooden Chinese checkers or the family croquet, for a gift that leaves a mark.

Frequently asked questions

Which board game at 5?

A game whose rule is understood in one round, lasting twenty minutes, with a little luck so the child can beat the adults. Draughts and classic card games work very well, and they will still be used at 10.

How many pieces for a puzzle at 5?

From 50 to 100 pieces. At 5 he sorts the pieces by colour before starting, and an observation puzzle, where you look for details once the picture is assembled, extends the game.

Can the gift be wrapped?

Yes, gift wrapping is free: tick the box on the product page before adding to cart. Delivery to a pick-up point is free from 80 euros in mainland France, and you can collect your order in our shop at 211 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris.

See also

• Gifts for a 5-year-old girl
• Gifts for a 4-year-old boy
• Gifts for a 6-year-old boy
• All toys for ages 5 to 7
• All our gift ideas by age

Advice from the team at L'Oiseau de Paradis, a toy shop in Paris since 1932.