Educational Gifts for 5- and 6-Year-Olds That Aren't Just Toys

Quick answer: The best educational gifts for 5- and 6-year-olds are things a child comes back to again and again, ideally with an adult: a set of picture books to read together, a counting or money game, a simple science kit, good art supplies. Our pick is a five-book Teddy hardcover set by Ryan Cohen ($69.99, free US shipping): five stories about saving, work, friendship and feelings in one gift box.

Five and six are the years of kindergarten and first grade. Children start reading simple words, counting coins, asking why grown-ups go to work, and figuring out how to be a good friend. The best gifts at this age feed those questions instead of competing with them.

We run Caring Parents’ Choice, a small family store that sells the Teddy books, so our pick is one idea among many. The skill table below is useful wherever you shop.

Our pick for a 5-year-old

Teddy Volume 1, five-book set

5 illustrated hardcovers · 32 pages each · $69.99 · free US shipping

Saving, work, community helpers, a trip to China, and kind words. The easiest place to start.

See Volume 1 →

Our pick for a 6-year-old

Teddy Volume 2, five-book set

5 illustrated hardcovers · 32 pages each · $69.99 · free US shipping

Wants versus needs, earning money, friendship, a new puppy, and chores before play.

See Volume 2 →

At a glance

Best for	A birthday or holiday main gift for a kindergartner or first grader
Our pick	A five-book Teddy hardcover set: Volume 1 for age 5, Volume 2 for age 6
Price	$69.99 per set; all 10 books in the Complete Collection for $109.99
Shipping	Every set ships free within the US
Pairs well with	A piggy bank, a reading log, or a promise of a library trip together

What makes a gift educational at 5 and 6?

A gift doesn’t need “learning” printed on the box. At this age, the ones that teach the most tend to share four traits:

• It gets used more than once. Books reread at bedtime, games played every weekend and art supplies that run out are worth more than a toy that is done in a day.
• An adult can join in. Five- and six-year-olds learn most through conversation. A gift that invites a parent or grandparent to sit down does double duty.
• It is open-ended. Blocks, paper and stories can go anywhere; a gadget with one button usually can’t.
• It matches a skill they are building right now: early reading, counting and money, fine motor control, taking turns, naming feelings.

Educational gift ideas by skill

Skill	Gift ideas	Why it works at 5–6
Early reading	A set of picture books to read aloud; alphabet or sight-word cards; a child’s own library card and tote	Hearing longer stories builds vocabulary before children read alone
Math and money	A piggy bank or clear savings jar; play coins; a simple counting or making-change card game	Coins are the first real-world math most children care about
Science and nature	A magnifying glass; a seed-starting kit; a bug jar; a beginner magnet set (for 6+)	Short experiments answer the endless “why?” questions
Hands-on skills	Building blocks; lacing cards; scissors and a craft kit; watercolors	Fine motor practice now makes writing easier later
Feelings and friendship	Picture books about friendship and kindness; a feelings journal; a two-player cooperative game	Kindergarten is a crash course in sharing, waiting and being kind

Why a five-book set beats a single book as a main gift

A single picture book is a lovely add-on or party gift. For the main present, a set does more:

• Five topics instead of one. Each Teddy book opens a different conversation, so the set keeps working for months: saving one week, friendship the next.
• It feels like a real gift. Five hardcovers in a gift box look and feel substantial on the day, not like a quick add-on.
• It builds a routine. One book per night or per weekend turns into a reading habit, which is the most educational part of all.
• Better value. A set costs $69.99, about $14 a book, and ships free in the US; a single book ships at standard rates.

Which Teddy set should you choose?

The Teddy series is 10 illustrated hardcover picture books by Ryan Cohen, founder of Chewy, inspired by his father, Ted. The stories follow Grandpa Teddy and his grandsons, Princeton and Kingston. We suggest them for reading aloud with children about 3 to 8.

Set	The five stories	Best for
Volume 1	Piggy Banks · Goes to Work · People Who Make the World Go Round · Goes to China · Words Can Never Hurt You	A 5-year-old, or any child new to Teddy
Volume 2	Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees · Corn Stand · Best Friend Jerry · Gets a Puppy · Plays in the Snow	A 6-year-old, or a child who already has Volume 1
Complete Collection	All 10 books in two gift boxes	A grandparent gift, or siblings sharing one library

Still deciding? Compare them in Teddy Volume 1 vs Volume 2.

Easy ways to make it more educational

• Add a piggy bank to Volume 1. Read Teddy and the Piggy Banks the first night and drop the first coin in together.
• Add a lemonade-stand sign to Volume 2. Teddy and the Corn Stand makes a first small business feel possible. See our lemonade stand guide.
• Write a note inside the first book. A line about why you chose it, with the date, turns the set into a keepsake.

Prices and shipping

• Volume 1 five-book set: $69.99 USD, free US shipping
• Volume 2 five-book set: $69.99 USD, free US shipping
• Complete Collection, 10 books: $109.99 USD, free US shipping
• Single hardcovers: $16.99 each

Orders leave Florida in 1–2 business days and usually arrive within 4–9 business days. You can ship straight to the child; our packing slips show no prices.

Age suggestions are our editorial recommendations for shared reading, not publisher reading levels.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good educational gift for a 5-year-old?

A set of picture books to read together, a piggy bank with play coins, a seed-starting kit or good art supplies. Our pick is the Teddy Volume 1 five-book hardcover set, with stories about saving, work, helpers, the wider world and kind words.

What is a good educational gift for a 6-year-old?

A money or counting game, a beginner science kit, a building set or a book set about everyday choices. Our pick is Teddy Volume 2: wants versus needs, earning, friendship, a puppy and chores.

Are the Teddy books too young for a 6-year-old?

No. They are read-aloud picture books, and six-year-olds often get the most out of the money and responsibility stories because they can talk them through.

Should I buy one book or a set?

For a party guest or a stocking, one book is plenty. For the main gift, a five-book set gives more topics, feels more substantial and ships free.

Our pick

For a 5-year-old, start with Volume 1. For a 6-year-old, or a child who already has it, choose Volume 2. For a grandchild or two siblings, the Complete Collection covers all ten stories.

See Volume 1 · See Volume 2 · All gift sets

More ideas: gift for a 5-year-old boy, gift for a 6-year-old girl and gifts that teach kids about money.