Well look at what we have here! Another of my favorite products series, as started with Brielle as a newborn! We’ve now gone through 6 years of these and they are always a hit for those looking for birthday presents and seeking advice in holiday gift guides. Continue reading to discover our favorite products for a 6 year old. And boy moms, keep reading as plenty, especially the toys and games and gender neutral sports equipment shared here!
Games and Toys
- Picture Charades – While this game is listed as 4+, it’s still too challenging for my 4 year old but my 6 year old thrives in it. It’s the classic charades game you know and love but the cards, broken into the four categories of indoors, outdoors, animals and people, only include photos. It encourages creativity and to think outside the box to act out what’s seen on the card.
- Rat-a-tat cat –The object of the game is to get the lowest number each round. It works off memory, strategy and math! It’s one that adults and kids alike will both enjoy playing and if your child catches on easily, as mine did, you’ll be working hard to try and beat them and can’t all the time! We’ve given this to many fellow first grade friends this year and all have told us they loved it!
- Scavenger Hunt for Kids – This travel card game entertained my girls on our 8+ hour road trip down to the Outer Banks this past summer. While we gave it a try last year when she was 5, 6 seems to be the magical age that this was entertaining and fun. Since she’s also in taller car seat, she can see the cars that pass by to check their license plate and see if they include the requested number or letter. Like most card packs, this one is compact so it makes a great Easter basket or stocking stuffer!
- Puzzle Sorting Trays – If your 6 year old is getting into larger, more complex puzzles, like mine, then these puzzle sorting trays will really help make it more fun and less frustrating. It also gives you a lower chance of losing pieces off the edge of the table as you work on a larger puzzle! (we got ours at Walmart but here’s a similar one!)
- Smack It Card Game – We cannot get enough of card games in our house! This is the latest one that’s all the rage. It works a little on speed of recognizing a specific card and smacking it, but also on determining which card number is higher doing challenge rounds.
- Road Trip Bingo – These were the perfect distraction for our 8 hour car ride back from North Carolina to New Jersey as it’s a great mix of farm life, city views and highway items. The pack comes with four different boards, which has some overlap items but each has a unique mix. It brought up lots of discussions on different types of vehicles (tanker trucks, dump trucks, sports car) and objects out in the world (gate of a fence, power lines). These now live in our car and are pulled out for other longer trips to help entertain her in our screen free car.
- Surfer Dues Wave Powered Mini Surfer – I MIGHT have bought this for Derek for a gift but undoubtedly it’s really meant for kids! Both my girls love to take it to the beach, chuck it in the ocean and watch him ride a wave back in. These are great for summer birthdays or a present before a beach house trip. They have lots of different styles as we even have 2 mermaid ones with a pet unicorn on the board!
- Racko Card Game – This game does say 8+ on the box and I think that’s mostly due to building their concept of true strategy and game play against opponents. But on a basic level the concept of this game is to put numbers in numerical order and great for this first grader age! Brielle recently took this up during quarantine and has even been known to win a few rounds! (I can’t find a link for the version we have which includes some “power cards” that allow for switching in your own rack or an opponent, but here’s the traditional game version!)
Crafts
- Alex Loop n Loom – I remember making plenty of pot holders using a plastic loom like this and now my 6 year old is at the age of being able to do this craft on her own.
- Made by Me Bead Pets – I was pleasantly surprised to see she could complete these keychain crafts on her own following the picture instructions included in the kit.
- National Geographic Gemstone Dig Kit – This is probably the most educational craft kit of this post! This kit can be a bit messy as it involves using water and the little included tool to break through the dig brick to discover gemstones inside. I suggest doing this on a plastic tray or plate as it can get messy and a spray bottle to add water to the surface. In the end kids find 3 gemstones inside and read about them in the included book.
- Plush Craft Bunnies – Once they understand how to read the directions, as in where each color should go on the mold, your 6 year old is able to apply the little fabric pieces to the mold to make finished design. This kit includes 3 bunnies and 3 application tools so once we opened it, I took it all out of the box, made three baggies for each character which included the application tool. She did them at home or on the go, making it a great quiet activity to pass the time.
- Diamond Dotz Dotzies Bracelets – I love craft kits for kids, as I always loved them as a kit also, but as a parent, I love them even more when they have a function after they are done. These are fun bracelet kits where you add little gems to a printed guide with the included tool. In the end it is a sparkly bracelet they can wear! I had reached out to the company and was able to work with them on a social feature, because I 100% knew my daughters would love them. I was right! My 6 year old rocked it on her own and my 4 year old was able to do it too, just at a slower pace. We also have some Diamond Dotz sticker kits and variety packs to try out too!
PS see the full collection of our favorite craft kits from ages 1 – 6.
Sports Gear
A new category for this series, but a necessary one for these active kids.
- Swim Goggles – Our swimming lessons (taken at Five Star Swim) required goggles for the kids. I originally bought ones from the dollar store, as really who cares right? But meanwhile I could tell the challenges they were having with them in class. Instead I purchased a set of these, which were more comfortable for them and easier for them to adjust themselves during class. We liked them so much, I bought another set as backups for pool swim and they both enjoyed them all summer!
- Swim Caps – My 6 year old and 4 year old also sported these swim caps for their lessons. They are comfortable to slip on, due to the little grips on them and the softer material they appear to be made out of. While they fit snuggly on their head, they aren’t COMPLETELY waterproof, like some other brands might be. They do keep out most of the pool water when worn properly.
- Softball Bag – When Brielle started t-ball she needed to get new equipment and a bag to hold all her stuff! This one came in handy as it was big enough to hold her mitt, helmet, bat, field mask and water bottle but not too big where she’d have an issue carrying it all on her own.
- Soccer Bag – After experiencing a busy t-ball season and needing to carry all her equipment, we realized she needed one for soccer season as well. This bag is a little bigger than she might even need but I like that there’s room to grow when she starts needing more than a soccer ball, water, and some basic items she carried around this past season.
Miscellaneous
- Mermaid Surprise Bubble Bomb – Drop this bath bomb in a warm bath and watch it fizz! Then wait for the plastic surprise ball to appear! Inside they’ll find a fun mermaid necklace to wear!
- Musical Jewelry Box – This Christmas I got both girls a jewelry box, Brielle’s is a unicorn one and Hailey has the mermaid. I included a little necklace in each and they both have been SUPER into their little treasure boxes of jewelry.
- Kid safe knives – At 6 years old, Brielle is working to be more independent, especially in the kitchen. She now cuts her own fruit using these nylon knives.
And if you’re 6 year old is still into the good old Elf on the Shelf, pin the below post for ideas to entertain them come December:
Looking for favorite products for kids younger or older? Check out these lists I’ve shared!
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