Toys that boost physical development (ages 5 to 8) (2024)

For a school-age child, playtime is as important as ever for her physical development, and playing with toys can stimulate the growth of a child's body and brain.

Your child's toy box should provide a range of different play experiences. Trading with other parents or accepting hand-me-downs are two ways to keep things interesting for your child without having to spend a fortune on new toys. Below are a few more ideas.

Toys to boost large motor skills

To encourage your child's gross motor skills, choose toys that emphasize coordination and balance and build arm and leg strength.

• Ride-on toys: By age 5, your child is ready to graduate to a two-wheeler with training wheel (if he hasn't already). Start with a bike scaled to his size. Avoid battery-powered ride-on toys – aside from safety concerns, it's better for your child to get some exercise by propelling himself along.
• Sports equipment: Ball play improves hand-eye coordination (throwing and catching) and involves lots of running. Expose your child to different sports that involve using a ball, from soccer to basketball to football.
• Action toys: Choose from scooters, jump ropes, skateboards, play tunnels, swings, and kites. Consider inline skates or ice skates. Always have your child wear a helmet and other protective gear whenever he uses a bike, scooter, skates, or skateboard.

Toys to boost fine motor skills

These toys require hand-eye coordination and work the hand muscles, which improves writing and other fine motor skills.

• Art supplies: Have a variety of materials available to your child, such as crayons and pencils, markers, sidewalk chalk, watercolors, coloring and craft books, modeling clay, scissors, glue, pipe cleaners, and a scrap box full of recyclables (cardboard tubes and other empty plastic containers).
• Storyboards: Include felt boards, magnetic boards, and peg boards with multiple pieces.
• Building toys: Different types of blocks work well (wooden, plastic, cardboard, foam), or consider craft kits and models geared to your child's age.
• Toys to manipulate: Try puzzles, musical instruments, lacing cards, board games, cards (Uno, Go Fish, or regular cards for simple games like Slapjack), dolls and dollhouses, action figures, and a train set.

How can I balance free play with screen time?

By the elementary school years, the siren call of digital screens can be stiff competition for free play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends restricting TV time to two hours or less daily and setting consistent limits on how much and what kind of screen time children have. The organization also encourages parents to choose high-quality programming to watch with their children.

Most experts recommend keeping computers and other screens out of your child's bedroom entirely.

Learn more:

Activities that boost physical development

How to raise a happy child

How to build your grade-schooler's self-esteem