35 Best Toys and Gifts for 5-Year-Old Girls, According to Real Kids

Gabby the Tiger makes more than 100 sound and reaction combinations, responding to touch or to her bottle. But the real magic happens when she’s nurtured—she actually grows larger! “[My daughter] absolutely loves this toy,” one parent tester told the Good Housekeeping Institute. “She loves taking care of the tiger and seeing it grow.” Ages 4+

This set uses color-changing technology to a neat effect: Squirt the play food pieces with water from the squeeze bottle, fry basket, or spatula, and it goes from looking raw to looking cooked before their eyes. And there's plenty to cook up, including burgers, chicken tenders, pancakes, and other goodies. "He really liked that he could cook me food and loved putting the food in the little pretend to-go bags provided," one parent tester said. Ages 3+

At our in-person tests, kids loved loading the Kinetic Sand into the machine, turning the crank, and rolling out chocolate bar-shaped creations (that even smell sweet). It also comes with molds for other treats, like Gummy Bears. “It's something different than the typical ‘sand themed’ sets,” one at-home tester said. Ages 5+

The next best thing to getting a real dog, this interactive friend has more than 60 sounds and reactions. Good Housekeeping Institute kid testers also liked the weighted paws, soft fur, and the fact that it comes with different combinations of eye colors and secret birthmarks. Caring for toy animals helps kids practice empathy, and this one definitely inspired kids to do so: "She has been bringing the puppy with her when we leave the house, sleeping with it, feeding it, and is overall so affectionate with it," one parent said. Ages 4+; two AA batteries included

If their estimation of the KPop Demon Hunters movie is still going up, up, up, they’ll love the singing dolls. Not only are they wearing their “Golden” outfits, they sing the song too. It comes in Rumi, Mira, or Zoey. Ages 4+

The Littlest Pet Shop brand is a hit with kids, and also pushes a nostalgia button for some parents. This play set comes with different glamorous settings—a dressing room, a boutique, and more—that kids can use to dress up three exclusive pets. It also has 14 different fashion accessories that the pets can wear. "My daughter thought the accessories and details were fantastic," said one parent tester, a father of a 5-year-old. "The boutique itself is really cute and I found her playing imaginatively with it several times." Ages 4+

No matter how much parents flinch at the idea, kids are still into all manner of slime, putty, and other sensory delights. This one, especially popular with our kid testers, feels silky and not sticky, plus has a nice, cupcake-like scent. “The scent was really good and it didn't smell like chemically like slime or putty usually does,” said one tester parent. “The tin was great for storage and it was easy to get the putty in it. The putty also didn't stick to the tin which is really nice!” Ages 3+

This year, floral-themed toys and dolls are a mini-trend in and of themselves, and this one fits right in. Kids can watch a toy transform from “Hatchipillar” to “Kittyfly,” and then use it as an interactive toy with more than 100 sounds and reactions. Plus, it can be reformed and bloomed again and again. Ages 5+; three AA batteries included

For little DIYers, this kit comes with a plush unicorn plus instructions and materials to make five projects to dress it up. They can make a tutu, a necklace, a fuzzy flower crown, and matching bracelets, so they can let their creativity shine. Ages 4+

An RV may seem like compact living, but this camper really packs in a lot. There are seven different play areas, including a living room, dining area, grill setup, and even a bathroom. And in addition, there are more than 60 play accessories that help spark imaginative play, like a little campfire, a swinging chair, and lots of play food. "My daughter loved that the Barbie Dream Camper included Play-Doh to create food for Barbie to make over the campfire," said one tester parent, a mom to a 4-year-old. Ages 4+

This is a great picture book for any kid who’s plush-obsessed. (And what 5-year-old isn’t?) In it, Moose starts making and selling stuffies—and the shop is such a success that they have to enlist the help of a customer, Mabel, who makes over-the-top stuffies of her own. “I think the concept was a great lesson for children about how to share work when you are overwhelmed,” said a mom of a kid tester. “It also highlighted that people can have different styles but still collaborate and work together.” Ages 4 to 8

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They'll feel like a fairy curled up onto flower petals when they lounge on this oversize, nearly 30-inch floor pillow. It comes in many different colors, and the petals have a soft, corduroy texture to them. There are also smaller sizes if they want to have a whole garden on their bed. No age recommendation given

Yes, butter is a trend. (Don’t ask us how these things get started.) But rather than settling for a small butter squishy, wow them with a big, 10.5-inch butter push—it’s made of foam that slowly rises back into shape, just like the small toys do. It also comes in a variety of smaller sizes. No age recommendation given

Kids can practice early math concepts like counting, addition, and subtraction while they play store with this Numberblocks-themed play set. It comes with a Number Four figure, plus a shopping cart, baskets filled with fruits and vegetables, and an array of coins they can count out while they mind the store. "My 6-year-old actually did math with the toy, adding up how much two products would cost together," said one parent tester. Ages 3+

With this game, kids have to shake the chicken to see what color card they have to use, do the action on the card, and pass the chicken along—all before the time runs out. The fast pace of the passing game and the nature of actions mean that kids are sneakily getting in some active time. Good Housekeeping Institute testers loved the silliness of the game, and also how much energy it used up. Ages 4+

This set comes with a whopping 200 nail stickers in various adorable shapes, including happy cats, donuts, and bunnies. They’re sized to fit little fingers, so they’re the perfect addition to at-home spa days. No age recommendation given

Bindi Irwin lends her voice to this talking microscope, which comes loaded with more than 100 scientific facts. The slides feature 60 full-color images, and kids can switch it to quiz mode to see how much information they retain. And, to make it a set, there's also the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope. Ages 3+; three AAA batteries required

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For kids who love to make up their own stories, this kit helps them get their creativity flowing. It comes with two hardbound books, and also writing prompts, vocabulary lists, stickers, and markers to let kids fill them up. "She loved the about-the-author section," one parent tester said. Ages 5+