As children move beyond preschool and into the elementary years, their world expands in exciting ways. They learn to read, write full sentences, solve complex problems, and navigate friendships while becoming increasingly independent. These early years are filled with rapid social, emotional, and academic development, and the right types of play can ensure children are on the path to success.
At Kaplan, we believe play is the foundation of discovery, creativity, and skill-building. That’s why our products are designed to be safe, durable, and engaging, encouraging children to stretch their imaginations while strengthening core learning skills.
If you’re looking for meaningful holiday gifts that spark curiosity and remain favorites long after the wrapping paper is gone, you’re in the right place. Below, we’ve gathered our top 10 educational toys and games for kids ages 5 and up.
Ages: 3 years and up
Take children on an at-home woodland adventure when you gift the Wild Wood Foraging Trug Playset. This charming fabric and wooden trug, filled with realistic treasures, including crab apples, wild strawberries, flowers, wild garlic, mushrooms, and dandelion flowers, is perfect for pretend play. Children can use the fold-away knife and trowel to "dig" and uncover natural items while on their forest-inspired adventure.
Skills Taught: Children will build fine motor skills as they forage and collect natural items with this playset. Whether they play alone, with friends, or with family, their storytelling and language skills will come into play as they use this set to go on pretend (or real) woodland adventures. The included booklet highlights various facts about each natural item, furthering children's ability to identify objects based on their physical characteristics.
Gift Companions: A gift for adventure lovers isn't complete without an Airline Meal Tray Playset or a Home on the Range Camping Set.
Ages: 5 years and up.
Need holiday gift inspiration for a budding engineer? The STEM Explorers™ Machine Makers combines real-world physics and engineering into one engaging toy. This set includes 50 pieces and 10 activity cards packed with challenges for children to solve and build.
Skills Taught: As children test and tweak their robot builds, they will hone critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential to STEM success. The simple act of connecting and twisting pieces also builds fine motor strength, which will further improve their ability to write, tie their shoes, and get ready for school in the morning.
Gift Companions: A Gears! Gears! Gears!® Robot Factory STEM Set or one of our many STEM learning toys are fun options to pair with this robot maker set.
Ages: 5 years and up.
Children will love creating unique swirling patterns, complex shapes, and architectural structures with the Plip™ Kit Silicone Set. This 46-piece set features arches, sticks, and X-shaped pieces crafted from 100% food-grade silicone. The ball-and-socket connectors hold strong as children create and make a satisfying "POP" sound when pulled apart. Keep this kit tidy by placing the pieces in the included washable storage bag after use.
Skills Taught: Critical thinking skills will come to life as children build, design, and create using the Plip™ Kit Silicone Set. Using these pieces also helps children develop their spatial reasoning, creativity, and fine motor skills.
Gift Companions: If you are looking for multiple gift options to please the construction lovers on your list, consider pairing a Plip™ Kit Set with the Colorful Magnetic Tiles Ball Run or any of Kaplan's block play items.
Ages: 3 years and up.
Give the gift of non-stop adventures this holiday season with the Colorful Magnetic Tiles Transport Pack. Featuring 50 colorful shapes, wheels, and base pieces, children can create everything from a rocket ship to a school bus. The three base pieces connect, allowing children to build trains or individual vehicles. The unique bevel design of the pieces allows light to shine through and reflect on walls, adding even more fun elements to this set.
Skills Taught: Children will strengthen their creativity and problem-solving skills as they design vehicles, airplanes, or other imaginative structures with this pack. Building with magnetic tiles also supports spatial reasoning, hand-eye coordination, and early STEM learning. For children who work alongside friends or family to bring their ideas to life, they'll practice collaboration, communication, and perseverance.
Gift Companions: For even more construction-friendly fun, pair these magnetic tiles with a Colorful Magnetic Tiles Ball Run or any number of our blocks and building toys.
Ages: 4 years and up.
You'll have a birds-eye view of excitement and joy when they unwrap the Geosafari® Jr. My First Telescope. Featuring two oversized eyepieces tailored for smaller faces, 10x magnification, an easy-to-use focus knob, and a wide field of view, this telescope helps young stargazers comfortably and confidently discover new views of their environment—the Geosafari® Jr. My First Telescope comes with an attached lens cap and collapsible tripod for easy storage after use.
Skills Taught: There are many ways a telescope can help build and strengthen developmental skills in children aged 5 years and up. As they peer through the eyepiece, they'll learn to distinguish shapes, textures, and patterns from a distance. These observations will help them make sense of their surroundings and how different objects relate to one another. As children describe what they see to parents and other family members, they'll build early literacy and language skills.
Gift Companions: Children with a love of outer space will thoroughly enjoy this telescope, as well as a set of Gradient Moon Balls or the GeoSafari Jr. Rocknoculars to observe fallen meteors and other stones.
Ages: 3 years and up.
Shopping for a child with a big imagination and love of all things pretend play? The Super Smile Dental Clinic Set will surely make their holidays bright. This kit includes a mouth model that comes to life with fun sounds when children place wooden food pieces on the tongue - powered by 2 AAA batteries. Children can also use the powered toothbrush, pliers, Visaline, braces, and other dental tools to remove debris and germs from the mouth model. An included carrying case makes it easy to take dental visits on the go!
Skills Taught: As children brush, clean, and straighten the model's teeth, they'll learn about dental hygiene and the importance of caring for their teeth daily. Using their hands to manipulate dental tools, pull out teeth, and brush away cavities will strengthen both fine and gross motor skills. These toys also improve communication and creative skills through the imaginative roles and scenarios children will play out alongside friends and family.
Gift Companions: To make this gift extra special, pair it with a Pretend Medical Kit or another pretend play toy.
Ages: 3 years and up.
Young fashionistas can spend hours styling trendy outfits with the Wooden Dress-Up Magnetic Puzzle. This set includes 66 pieces of magnetic clothing and accessories, allowing children to mix and match them between the two models. The clothing selections include pieces for all seasons, allowing children to prepare their model for any weather or event.
Skills Taught: These dolls not only provide opportunities for young children to be creative, but they also improve fine motor and cognitive skill development. As children host mini fashion shows, they will learn about magnetism, cause and effect, and spatial concepts such as symmetry. When playing with friends, siblings, or other family members, this gift also encourages collaboration and the development of positive social skills.
Gift Companions: If magnets are a theme of your holiday gifting this year, pair this magnetic dress-up puzzle with a Magna-Tiles® microMAGS™ Travel Set or a Rainbow Magnetic Tiles Ball Run.
Ages: 5 years and up.
Pickleball is still a popular sport! Keep up with the trend by gifting the beginner and experienced players on your list with this Youth Pickleball Paddle Set. Children can play on the courts at a local park, in their driveway, or on a hard indoor surface. This set includes two or four paddles, depending on how many players you need to equip.
Skills Taught: Pickleball is a fun game that provides a full-body workout without being too strenuous for young children. It improves gross motor movements, balance, hand-eye coordination, and practical communication skills. While playing the game, children must learn to follow rules, take turns, and what it means to be a good sport.
Gift Companions: A set of pickleball paddles is the perfect gift to pair with a Gradient Moon Ball or any outdoor active play toy.
Ages: 5 years and up.
The gravity-defying Gradient Moon Ball will provide hours of "out of this world" fun for children of all ages. The lightweight design allows this ball to bounce up to 100 feet in the air before falling to the ground. As it hits the ground, children will hear a "POP" sound as the craters on the ball's surface echo against the earth. As children throw, catch, and bounce the Moon Ball, they improve their physical fitness, hand-eye coordination, and agility.
Skills Taught: This set of six balls is an excellent way to help children improve their physical fitness while developing hand-eye coordination and agility. Encourage children to play games such as "How high will it bounce?" or "How many bounces until it lands in the basket?" to strengthen their critical and hypothetical thinking.
Gift Companions: Make active, outdoor play a theme for your holiday gift giving by pairing these balls with a Plasma Car or Hopscotch Foam Play Mats.
Ages: 7 years and up.
Challenge growing minds with hundreds of brain-stretching exercises with the Kanoodle® Puzzles. Offering both 2-D and 3-D challenges, children must use the 12 uniquely shaped pieces to complete partially filled boards. With 200 puzzles to solve across multiple levels of difficulty, this set provides hours of engaging problem-solving fun for children and adults alike.
Skills Taught: Solving puzzles builds critical thinking, logic, and spatial reasoning as children experiment with different piece combinations to solve the partial boards. Working through levels of increasing difficulty also strengthens perseverance, memory, and problem-solving strategies.
Gift Companions: Pair this gift with an I Spy Dig In Find It Game or any of our other games and puzzles.
Ages: 4 years and up.
Searching for a gift that's both screen-free and entertaining? The Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set is a great option! Children can build a maze, hiding an included piece of cheese somewhere along the entry/exit path. They will then use their coding skills to guide Colby, a rechargeable robot mouse, along the route and toward the cheese. This coding experience becomes even more fun as Colby lights up, makes noises, and speeds along the path over and over again.
Skills Taught: Children will sharpen their early coding and sequencing skills as they build mazes for Colby to navigate through. They will also use their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to determine which direction Colby should take to navigate every turn and obstacle.
Gift Companions: For more gift options, pair this with a toy that encourages critical thinking, such as the Snap Circuits Jr. Snap-Together Electrical Components or any of our other fun learning toys.
Browse the Kaplan Toys That Teach Holiday Gift List to see this year's best and most exciting gift options. You'll find toys for children of all ages and developmental stages. Happy shopping!