10 Best Gifts for Preschoolers to Boost Their Brains! (Ages 3-5)

Need some ideas for good gifts for preschoolers? You probably want to avoid toys that will get discarded or broken within a few days. Perhaps you also want to avoid flashing lights and annoying sounds. The best toys for 3-5 year olds are ones that will open up the floodgates of their imagination and boost their rapidly developing brains by making them think, getting them moving, and encouraging them to engage in storytelling through pretend play. So read on for the best gifts for preschoolers!

(Note: this post contains affiliate links.)

Koala Crate

Buy it: Koala Crate at Kiwi Co.

Just the right subscription box will treat your preschoolers. As a family, we have loved getting several of the Kiwi Co. subscription boxes in the mail. For several years we eagerly awaited our new crate each month and I loved the one-on-one time it afforded me with each of my boys. Helping them with the STEM and art based projects was a delight and was such an easy and meaningful way to connect with them. Whether you decide to get a single box or go for a subscription to enjoy the projects month after month, this will be one gift that goes the extra mile.

Heads Talk Tails Walk

Buy it: Amazon

Finding an engaging game to play with your kids as young as 3 is not an easy feat. So many board games are designed for older kids. This new offer from ThinkFun is the perfect gift for preschoolers. This game gets kids moving, laughing and using the parts of their brain involved with reasoning and coordination. What better way to connect with your child than through laughter and pretending! I also love the sturdiness of the cards, just right for less-than-careful little hands. Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, National Parenting Products Award, Play Advances Language Award, Parents Choice Silver Award.

Wooden Blocks

Buy it: Amazon

The top recommended toy for preschoolers is a set of plain unit blocks. Playing with blocks develops children's math, literacy and engineering skills. They learn problem solving, logic and work on visual perception and spatial reasoning. The benefits are endless. If your 3 year old, or even your 5 year old doesn't have a set of unit blocks, yet, this is the one gift you MUST get them.

Teeter Popper

Buy it: Amazon

Like the Monster Stompers below, and other gross motor toys, the Teeter Popper is an excellent way to support kids' development in both body and mind. Bonus: because they can use it standing or sitting, it allows kids to get exercise indoors on those bad weather days. Awards: ASTRA's Best Toys for Kids Award

Monster Stompers

Buy it: Amazon

Did you know that when your child is moving in all sorts of unusual ways and engaging their gross motor skills like balance and coordination they are also boosting the parts of their brain responsible for academic achievement? A pair of Monster Stompers or other physical workout toy, like a pogo stick or a scooter, will get your kids moving and make them smarter at the same time!

Stone Soup Cooperative Board Game

Buy it: Amazon

We absolutely love cooperative board games and they are an excellent way to teach kids about the benefits of working with others towards a common goal. Stone Soup is an excellent choice, as are any of the games from Peaceable Kingdom. Awards: Family Review Center Editor's Choice, Major Fun Award

Magna Tiles

Buy it: Amazon

Magna Tiles have become an extremely popular building toy. With their colorful, translucent shapes and the fun way they stick together, kids can almost defy gravity while at the same time building their math and engineering skills! Awards: Astra Best Toy, Parents Choice Gold and Silver Awards, Parenting Magazine Toy of the Year, Academics Choice Brain Toy, and more!

Hand Puppets

Buy it: Amazon

Hand puppets promote storytelling and pretend play. Whether it's collaborating with others to put on a show, or creating a performance for parents by themselves, children love to use their imaginations to invent fantastical stories. Encourage your 3, 4 and 5 year olds to play with puppets as a way to boost their confidence and speaking skills.

Wooden Dollhouse

Buy it: Furnished | Unfurnished

There is a reason dollhouses have been a classic toy for hundreds of years! Kids develop their emotional intelligence through play that mimics the everyday situations. They develop language skills and, when playing with others, practice their social and cooperation skills. Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal Award.

Tickets to the Theater

Like reading, going to the theater promotes compassion, empathy, an understanding of others. It exposes kids to new stories and expands their imaginations. The social act of watching a show teaches etiquette and other social skills, not to mention the special time spent with a beloved grown-up. So investigate the children's theater options in your area and buy tickets–or better yet, season tickets– to a show!

More gift guides to help you find the perfect gift: