Best toys for 5-year-old boys in Australia (18 gift ideas)

1. Crazy Forts Construction Toy

A STEM toy with so much to build, with just one kit

Voted the best engineering STEM fort building toy by Purdue University, Smart Toys magazine, and Huffington Post. Crazy Forts encourages social interaction and collaborative play and develops motor skills and STEM problem solving skills. Your 5-year-old will love building fun structures where he can play endlessly in his own imaginary world. This 69-piece kit comes with:

• 25 x geometrically precise, solid plastic balls
• 44 x reinforced sticks
• Instruction sheet (Instructions and designs can also be downloaded from their website)

Easy to put together. Simply connect the balls and sticks, then cover the structure with bedsheets. Don’t expect your little one to be able to assemble this all on his own, he may require your help. This is a great opportunity for parents to engage with their kids and utilise the building time as playtime as well.

All Crazy Fort sets are compatible with each other. Add more build sets to expand your fortress. Designed durable, portable, and best of all no batteries required (Bedsheets not included).

2. GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope

A talking microscope, featuring the voice of Bindi Irwin

The Geosafari Jr. Talking Microscope is one of the top toys for 5yearold boys and the perfect STEM toy to encourage an interest in biology, botany, and overall curiosity. This makes for a great activity for pre-schoolers, to prepare for school. Or it is great at keeping kids engaged, entertained, and learning independently while attending school. This talking microscope features up-close, quality images and the voice of Bindi Irwin, Wildlife Warrior who will expand your little one's knowledge of animals and plants. This box includes:

• Kid-friendly microscope with 5x magnification
• Two Audio modes
• Four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German)
• 20 slides (each with 3 x four-color photo-quality images, total of 60 images)
• Requires 3 x AAA batteries (not included).

Your little guy can choose Fact Mode to learn about the items on a slide or Quiz Mode to test his scientific skills. Plus, cleaning up is simple, with all slides fitting neatly inside the microscope for easy, convenient storage.

3. Shifu Orboot Interactive Globe for Kids

An interactive, augmented reality travel globe

No borders or names on the globe, Orboot is a one-of-a-kind 10” globe and our pick for one of the best toys for 5yearolds. When you combine the globe with the free Orboot App, it opens the magical world of augmented reality. This no-boundaries globe lets your little guy explore the incredible world, its history, environment, and other cultural facts through a fun & interactive app. This box includes:

• 10” Globe
• Stamp
• Guide
• Passport
• (The Orboot App is available to download for free)

It works with the Orboot app on several electronic devices. This educational toy is super engaging and fun for your little world traveller and will teach your child about the world first-hand. He will also receive a stamp, passport, and a helpful guide to assist him on his travels. Obviously, setting up this toy requires help from an adult and requires access to a device and internet connection. However, once the app is downloaded, the game can be played offline, without an internet connection. Device Compatibility includes:

• iPad 5th gen and above
• iPad Air all models
• iPad Pro all models
• iPad Mini 2 and above
• iPhone 6 and above
• Android Device with minimum 3 GB RAM
• (Amazon Fire Tablets not supported)

4. Narmay Play Tent Space World Dome

Send your 5-year-old to space with this cosy play tent

The Narmay Space World play tent is sturdy and safe for indoor fun or outdoor play. It is a toy that will inspire your little guy's imagination to explore the space world and encourage physical play and crawl. It also provides the perfect space for reading and relaxing.

Designed with a durable polyethylene floor which keeps any spills from ruining the carpet and keeps children dry from the wet grass outside. It is spacious enough to accommodate more friends, toys and kid-sized furniture, your child can customise their space with all his favourite things.

You can connect a tunnel (not included) and additional tents together to create a mega play space. It will surely be one of your child's favourite toys. Designed for quick and easy setup, it also conveniently stores flat when it is not in use.

5. Light Up Soccer Ball

A classic gift for a 5-year-old boy, but with a twist

This light up soccer ball is the perfect addition to the family and any 5-year-old would be thrilled to receive this as a gift. It is great for camping, sleepovers, and parties. The fun does not have to end when the sun goes down. This soccer ball shines very bright in the dark and can be seen from far distances. This box includes:

• 1 x LED Soccer Ball (Regulation Size 5)
• 1 x soccer ball pump
• Batteries included
• 6 x extra batteries

Your child, his friends, and the whole family can enjoy playing with this amazing LED Glow in the Dark soccer ball. It plays just like a normal soccer ball and you can take it anywhere with you. It is made from high-quality materials, designed sturdy and durable and even waterproof making it perfect for picnics and the beach.

This clever design automatically shuts the lights off when you stop using the ball. And there is no need to worry about kicking it too hard, as it is made with a tough inner rubber bladder covered in thick protective nylon yarn and a wear resistant surface. 

6. 101 Piece STEM Toy Kit

STEM Construction Engineering Building Blocks

Designed to enhance your child’s developing mind, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math skills. This 101 piece STEM toy building set is a top toy for boys and will help improve your kids' imagination, creativity, and problem solving skills by challenging them to build their own cars, animals, robots, and anything they can think of. This set includes:

• Two (2) dual-purpose "clicking" wrenches
• A kid-friendly screwdriver
• A special combination wrench
• A sturdy storage box for quick and convenient clean up
• A large, full-colour guide with 42 designs

It is the ultimate toy that also promotes the importance of teamwork & collaboration, supports creativity, and develops hand-eye coordination and motor skills through interactive play.

Each of the 101 bright, colourful, non-toxic pieces are certified Phthalate, Lead, Cadmium, and BPA-free for safe use and easy cleaning. 

7. Air Hogs Remote Control Stunt Vehicle

With soft wheels that go easy on the floors and walls of your home

Let your kid go wild indoors with the popular toy, Air Hogs Stunt Vehicle. Designed with super soft foam wheels that can drive over anything indoors without causing damage, this remote control car is ready to roll. The Air Hog Stunt Vehicle is one of the best toys for 5yearold boys and the perfect gift for mini rev heads and motor heads out there. This box includes:

• 1 Stunt Shot
• 1 Remote Control (2 x AAA batteries - not included).
• 1 Sticker Sheet
• 1 USB Charging Cable
• 1 Instruction Sheet

Steer left and right and drive in forward or reverse with the easy-to-use dual joystick remote control, perfect for beginners. The Air Hog can do flips, 360-degree spins, wheelies, rebound off walls, race downstairs, drive over objects and more.

Stunt Shot is designed to withstand crashes and bumps and keep on going. Its lightweight design provides high performance and lets your little one race at high speeds anywhere indoors. Stunt Shot includes a built-in USB charging cable so you can power up and continue the action. 

8. Teuvo Take Apart Dinosaur Toys

Bringing dinosaurs to life while developing engineering skills

The Teuvo Take Apart Dinosaurs are great for encouraging social interaction, while improving your child’s concentration, fine hand skills, building, and problem-solving skills. This toy provides tons of fun interactive play but also teaches the little ones how to use tools and technology, making play more meaningful. Teuvo Dinosaurs make the perfect gift for dinosaur lovers and kids who enjoy hands on tasks. This package includes:

• The 3 dinosaurs (53 pcs in total) (Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor)
• Electric drill (Requires 2-AA batteries, not included)
• Screwdriver
• 2 kinds of drill bits
• Assembly instruction

Once assembled, the dinosaurs can move flexibly. By adjusting different parts of the dinosaur, you can make the dinosaur show different postures. Made of premium and safe materials, with all pieces built durable and sturdy.

This toy recommends adult supervision during play. But, do not worry about letting your child handle the drill, it has been safely designed for little hands. It will automatically stop after screwing tight.

9. Remoking STEM Educational Robot for Kids

An interactive phonetic recognition robot

AT the smart robot is one of the best robot toys for boys. It provides hours of fun and education, giving children the confidence to speak up and ask questions while encouraging early STEM learning and technology skills.

The Remoking robot can act according to your instructions and makes for a great dance and music partner. It can also move forward, backward, turn left, and turn right. It can even learn to speak like a child and imitate kids’ language. This is a great way to encourage children to talk more and come out of their shells. This little robot is also touch sensitive, for an added level of sensory play.

This is a phonetic recognition robot, so it is best played with in a quiet environment. It might make mistakes if the surrounding sounds are too noisy. It is made from BPA free plastic and requires 3 x AAA, which are not included. AT the Robot is completely portable, great for taking on family holidays.

10. Jasonwell Sprinkle & Splash Play Mat

A sprinkler play mat delivering endless fun in the sun

The Jasonwell Sprinkler and Splash play mat is 68 inches in diameter, providing a safe water-filled experience for the little ones. This play mat is suitable for young toddlers, aged 2-5 years old, making this a great summer addition to families with multiple young children, especially if they haven’t learnt to swim yet. It provides a safe and fun way for the littles ones to cool off during those hot summer days, making it a great birthday or Christmas gift.

Kids can lay down or sit in the big mouth of the printed shark while getting showered by the sprinkles and sprays. No doubt, there will be plenty of great photo opportunities to capture with this one and is bound to be a party hit.

It is super easy to set up. Just plug it into your garden hose or PVC tubing, then simply adjust the water pressure to lower or higher the spray height. Made from durable environmental and non-toxic PVC, your kids can safely play with no harmful chemicals involved. 

11. Galt Space LabScience Kit

A space STEM science kit, for mini astronomy enthusiasts

Let your little guy explore the wonders of the universe and discover more about our super solar system. The Galt Space Science Kit is great for encouraging early STEM learning and scientific thinking while having fun. This educational kit includes:

• A 24-page full colour lab book with 12 fun experiments
• 22 glow stars with 46 glow connectors
• 10 constellation straws
• Rocket bottle and fins
• Nose cone, rubber stopper, valve
• Galaxy slime powder
• 3 telescope lenses
• 2 paper straws, white tack, split pin, plastic sheet
• A3 constellation guide, printed card pieces
• Glow planet stickers, sticker sheet and a notepad

Although this kit is recommended for ages 5+, there may be some concepts that are a little advanced for a 5yearold to comprehend, however this brings great opportunity for parents or minders to engage with the little ones and create curiosity and discussion about our universe. They do not necessarily have to understand all the science to enjoy this activity kit. There are plenty of pieces in this set to keep them curious, engaged, and entertained.

12. Crayola Inspiration Art Case

An all-in-one portable art studio

The Crayola Inspiration Art Case has dozens of crayons, pencils, markers, and sheets of drawing paper that can keep your 5-year-old busy for hours. This makes for a great birthday or Christmas gift, allowing you to give the gift of imagination and creativity to your favourite little artist. This set also makes a great companion for family holidays and on rainy days stuck inside. The art case includes:

• 64 crayons
• 20 short, coloured pencils
• 20 pip-squeaks markers
• 20 Super Tips Washable Markers
• 15 sheets of paper (25 cm x 34 cm)
• 1 colourful, durable carry case

Your little guy will have all the art tools he will need whenever and wherever inspiration strikes with this portable art case. So, no matter where you are, your little one can have a whole art studio ready at his fingertips. The case has a special compartment for each drawing tool, keeping all the pieces neat and organised.

Crayola is one of the most trusted and popular brands that delivers top quality products and uses child-safe materials in manufacturing non-toxic art supplies.

13. BlueFire 4 in 1 Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone

The ultimate gadget for minis who love to rock out

This musical gadget is the ideal gift for those mini extroverts and performers out there. This 4-in-1 portable, hand-held, wireless microphone can be used as microphone, Bluetooth speaker, loudspeaker, and recorder. Prepare your house for live musical gigs, as the little ones are sure to have a blast with this colourful, musical mic. The box includes:

• 1 Karaoke microphone
• Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
• Instruction pamphlet

Conveniently there are 3 different ways you can connect this wireless karaoke microphone via Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack, or TF card. This mic is compatible with a multitude of electronics and apps including your iPhone, iPad, Android Smartphone, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify and much more. To recharge you will need a micro USB charging lead (android phone charger). Needless to say, your little one may require some help setting this up, before they take to the stage.

Although this piece has volume settings to choose from, it does not seem to make much difference whether it is set high or low, it is going to make a lot of noise. However, this is a unique gift for children to practice and share their favourite songs, sounds, and dance moves. With 28 built-in LED Lights, it will shine along with the music rhythm, creating a true Karaoke atmosphere.

14. National Geograpgic Dinosaur Play Sand

A Kinetic Sensory Sand Activity Kit

The National Geographic Dinosaur Play Sand is a STEM science kit and prehistoric adventure all in one. It is a great educational toy for any dinosaur lover and your child will have a blast moulding, slicing, and shaping this amazing hands-on-science toy. This kit includes:

• 6 dinosaur action figures
• 6 dinosaur sand moulds
• 2 pounds of play sand
• A real dinosaur poop fossil that’s millions of years old
• Packaging that also converts into a 'playscape' with an incredible diorama
• Full-colour learning guide

Now your child can create their own Jurassic wonderland and learn all about the dinosaurs that live there. The included full-colour learning guide teaches tons of amazing facts about dinosaurs while inspiring a love of science and palaeontology.

Although the product states that this is a mess free activity, with the little ones getting involved and enthused, prepare to lose some sand during play. If you have carpet you might want to lay down a towel or mat for easy cleaning afterwards. However, for peace of mind, the sand is hypoallergenic, gluten-free, and non-toxic.

15. Crayola Washable Sidewalk Chalk

Colour the streets, with Crayola’s washable chalk

There is no better way to spend a sunny, warm day than outside creating colourful masterpieces, using the world as your canvas. Crayola’s washable sidewalk chalk is the perfect gift for your 5yearold and provides play without limitations or boundaries to their imagination or creativity. 

This set includes 48 different coloured chalks sticks (including some of the less common colours in pavement chalk sets, black and brown). Your driveway, brick walls, and footpath may undergo many colourful make-overs, but none of them will be permanent. The anti-roll shape keeps the sticks handy without rolling away and produces fine lines or broad strokes that simply wash away with water or the rain.

Crayola chalk blends easily, also teaching the little ones about shading and adding depth to their creations. This is a great incentive for your child to turn off the TV and computers and head outside. Outdoor art is a great way to promote physical movement for good health.

16. Lego Classic Creative Suitcase

A classic and timeless building toy for open-ended building and imagination

From one of the most popular brands, create, play and pack neatly away with this smart and convenient LEGO Classic Creative Suitcase. LEGO is one of the most popular toys for boys and girls, making the perfect starter set for budding LEGO builders. The creative suitcase comes with all the pieces your 5 year old will need to get started in building houses, vehicles, creatures, and other creations. This set includes:

• A sturdy yellow suitcase with handy sorting compartments
• A selection of 213 colourful pieces (including building bricks, shapes, wheels, and eyes)
• Building instructions

This set also includes simple, age-appropriate building instructions that will help your child discover their own creative building skills. Or you can visit the LEGO website for additional building instructions, fun videos, ideas, and inspiration.

Warning! This set does include a lot of small parts and a small ball which are considered choking hazards to children under 4 years old. Supervision may still be required for those over 4 years during play. This toy may come with a minimum age requirement; however, it does not have a maximum age. It is a toy that your child may never outgrow.

17. Orchard Toys Match and Spell

A fun first reading and spelling activity

Orchard Toys delivers Match and Spell, a game designed to introduce children to spelling a range of first words. It is not a full alphabet game and therefore does not include all letters of the alphabet. It is the perfect game for pre-schoolers, however, if your kid is already in school, they might find this activity too easy and may require something a little more challenging. Contents include:

• 12 double-sided 3 letter word boards
• 8 double-sided 4 letter word boards
• 68 letter cards
• 1 instruction leaflet

Match and Spell is a single or multiplayer game. It is not only fun, but encourages discussion, promotes language and literacy skills, and develops matching and memory skills.

There are two ways to play, and the game is designed for both guided and independent word building. With friendly illustrations and simple gameplay that progresses as your child learns, it is no surprise that Match and Spell is Orchard Toys bestselling language and literacy game.

18. gofindit Outdoor Scavenger Card Game

An outdoor game encouraging exploration and teamwork

Gofindit is the best gift you can buy for a 5 year old boy, if you are looking for an affordable, fun, outdoor game.
This outdoor card game encourages kids to discover and explore the natural environment around them. It is ideal for families with multiple young children, play dates, and a great holiday activity.

This scavenger hunt game comprises 33 uniquely designed cards which can be used in any outdoor setting, urban or rural. The premise for using these cards is simple yet highly
engaging, inspiring the little ones to look closely at what is around them, using their different senses. It can be played solo or with up to 6 players. This simple little set features

• 33 playing cards
• Instruction cards (3 different ways to play)
• Small drawstring pouch (for storage)

For versatility you can use different combinations of cards which allow the little ones to play on a simple to an increasingly challenging level, with no two games ever being the same. The best thing about this game is that there is no assembly required. The fun and exploration begin as soon as the cards are in your little guy’s hands.