Gifts for 3- to 5-Year-Olds That Get Played With

The gifts 3- to 5-year-olds keep coming back to are the ones with somewhere to go: challenge cards that get harder, a set that builds into something new, a book they can start to read themselves. Pick for the child's skill rather than the number on the box, and check what the age label is telling you. Some labels are about small parts, while others mark how hard the game is.

Quick picks by age

Children move through these at different speeds, so treat the ages as a starting point.

Games with levels: LOGICO and Smart Games

Both are made for one child to play alone, and both get harder step by step, so the same box lasts longer than most toys.

LOGICO is a board with coloured buttons. The child slides a button next to each answer on a card, then flips the card over to check. There's no screen and no noise, and once they've got the idea, they can do it without help.

• LOGICO PRIMO Starter Kit ($39.95): the system for ages 3 and up. The cards in the box are labelled 5+, so for a 3-year-old, add the Color and Shape Puzzles pack ($19.95, labelled 3+).
• LOGICO PICCOLO Starter Kit ($39.95): from age 5, with more buttons and harder sorting games.

Our guide to LOGICO PRIMO vs PICCOLO lays out every card pack by age.

Smart Games come with a booklet of challenges that start easy and end hard. Most of the range is labelled 6 and up, so check the box. These two suit preschoolers:

• Jack & The Beanstalk ($49.95): ages 4 to 7. Drop the pieces down the beanstalk so the picture matches the card. They turn as they fall, so it takes planning. Has 60 challenges and comes with a picture book.
• Snow White Deluxe ($44.95): ages 5 to 7, with 48 challenges built around a 3D house.

See the full Smart Games range, or our questions about Smart Games for how the levels work.

For builders

• Magfun Magnetic 8-In-1 Toy Car Set ($69.99): 49 magnetic parts that build eight construction vehicles, with a storage box. Labelled 3+.
• Hape Grand City Station ($229.99): a wooden train station set, labelled 3+. It's a bigger gift, often one the whole family chips in on. Our comparison of Grand City Station and the Busy City Rail Set shows how much floor space each needs.

With anything magnetic, Health Canada's advice is to choose magnetic pieces too big to swallow, check the toy now and then, and throw it out if a magnet comes loose. Swallowed magnets can pull together inside the body and cause serious injury. If a child might have swallowed one, get medical help right away. If there's a baby or toddler in the house, keep building sets out of their reach.

For puzzle and map lovers

• Hape 2-In-1 World Tour Puzzle and Game ($39.99): a 100-piece, double-sided world map that turns into a board game with four wooden travellers and a die. It's labelled 3+, but 100 pieces is a lot, so it suits a child who already enjoys bigger puzzles. Here's what happens after the last piece goes in.

For art and storytelling

• Floss and Rock Stamper Set ($36.99): three wooden stampers, four ink pads and a 24-page booklet to stamp into. Labelled 3+. Comes in several themes, including Dino, Rainbow Fairy and Enchanted.

For early readers

Some 4- and 5-year-olds want to read on their own. A gift that lets them practise doesn't have to look like homework.

• Best Reading! Phonics, Short Vowels ($44.95): 20 small storybooks with a teacher guide. The publisher recommends it for ages 4 to 6.
• Super Hammy Learns Chinese, English and French ($49.95): ten short books, each telling the story in all three languages, for ages 5 to 7. A good fit for families with a child in French immersion or speaking Chinese at home. Our guide to Chinese, English and French books has more.

Prices are in CAD and were current when we wrote this.

What the age label is telling you

• "3+" with a small parts warning is about safety. It means the toy has pieces that aren't safe for children under 3, whatever the older child's skill.
• A range like "4 to 7" or "5+" on a game is usually about difficulty. A keen 4-year-old may manage a 5+ game with help; a child who gets frustrated easily may be happier one level down.
• Younger siblings change the picture. Small pieces from any of these gifts need a place the baby can't reach. For younger children, see our gift guide for 2-year-olds.

Before you wrap it

• Read the age label and any warnings on the package.
• Take off all plastic wrap, ties and packaging before handing it over.
• Check the Government of Canada's Recalls and Safety Alerts website, especially for second-hand toys.

Want to try a game before you buy? Call our Richmond, Burnaby or Ottawa store ahead of your visit and we'll let you know what we have on hand.