20+ Gift Ideas for Young Girls (Ages 5-8)
My niece has a daughter who is 6 or 7, so gift ideas for young girls are on my mind this Christmas. These cover ages 5 to 8, with craft kits, pretend play, games, books and a few things that get her moving.
Need gifts for the rest of the family too? Every guide I have is collected on my gift ideas for everyone page.
I think a 6 or 7 year old girl definitely needs Barbies and those LOL Surprise unboxing type toys. They are super popular with that age, so you will find both with the pretend play gifts. The rest of the list goes by what she likes to do, so you can jump to crafts, STEM, books and games, or active and cozy gifts. Age labels are noted where they matter, because a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old are not shopping for the same things.
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Quick Picks
- Top Craft Pick: My First Paint by Sticker: Valentine Friends, because it’s paint by number without the mess, and I thought it was great.
- Top Sticker Pick: The Susan Alexandra Sticker Book, because I love it, and 700 stickers is a lot of decorating.
- Top Must-Have: Barbie Doll and Pet Boutique Playset, because I think a 6 or 7 year old definitely needs Barbies.
- Top Pick for Her Backpack: Ty Beanie Clips, because her favorite character can hook right on and go to school with her.
- Top Family Game: Gamewright Outfoxed, because everybody’s on the same team, so nobody leaves the table mad.
- Top Pick for New Readers: The Princess in Black box set, because she wants both the gown and the cape.
27 Gifts for Girls Ages 5 to 8
This list runs by what she likes to do: crafts, pretend play, STEM, books and games, then active and cozy gifts at the end. Most link to Amazon, and two come straight from the Teni and Tayo shop.
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Craft Gift Ideas for Young Girls
If she’s got glue on her elbows and stickers on the dog, start here. Every one of these ends with something she made herself.
1
My First Paint by Sticker: Valentine Friends
I thought this one was great. It’s like paint by number without the mess, and it’s for any child that likes crafts, likes to color and likes stickers, so basically anybody like me. If I had a young girl at home, I would have definitely gotten this for her. Workman labels this My First series for ages 3 to 5, with bigger stickers and fewer of them, but I think it’s great for a 6 or 7 year old, too. It comes out December 1, so preorder it now and it should arrive in time for the holidays. Workman Kids sent me this book to try.
Buy Valentine Friends on Amazon
2
The Susan Alexandra Sticker Book
I love this sticker book, and 700 stickers is a whole lot of decorating for one little girl. That’s more than 200 pages of flowers, foods, critters, shoes, purses and cheeky phrases for her notebooks, letters, water bottles and anything else that holds still. Workman Publishing sent me this book to try.
Buy the Sticker Book on Amazon
3
Creativity for Kids Rainbow Bead Jar
More than 900 beads means she can make a bracelet for every friend in her class and still have some left. I picked this jar for the alphabet beads, because a girl this age wants her name on everything. It’s labeled for ages 6 and up.
Buy the Bead Jar on Amazon
4
Crayola Ultimate Light Board
Paper runs out. This light-up board wipes clean, so the same one gets used over and over, and the removable panel gives her something to trace. Grab 3 AA batteries while you’re at it, since they’re not in the box.
Buy the Light Board on Amazon
5
Melissa and Doug Sticker WOW Unicorn
It travels well in a purse or a car seat pocket, and that’s why it’s here. You get a unicorn sticker stamper, 300 stickers and a 24-page activity pad, which is a good fit for the 5 and 6 year old end of this list.
Buy the Sticker Set on Amazon
6
Melissa and Doug Created by Me! Wooden Jewelry Box
She gets a craft now and a keepsake later, and that’s hard to beat at this age. She decorates the wooden box herself with gem stickers, foil stickers and glitter glue, and there’s a velvet ring holder and a safety mirror inside the lid.
Buy the Jewelry Box on Amazon
7
Melissa and Doug Design-Your-Own Bracelets
This is really two gifts in one box: something to make and something to give away. She decorates 4 double-sided adjustable bracelets with 100+ sparkle-gem and glitter stickers, then hands a few out to her friends.
Buy the Bracelet Kit on Amazon
Doll and Pretend Play Gift Ideas for Young Girls
At this age a whole afternoon can disappear into a made-up pet shop. Barbie still runs the place, and I don’t see that changing.
8
Ty Beanie Babies and Beanie Clips (Marvel, Disney and Bluey)
Very nostalgic, and I’m glad they’re making a rise again, because I had Beanie Babies myself. We got at least 6 Beanie Babies and 6 Beanie Clips from Ty, and this year’s lineup has Marvel, Disney and Bluey characters, so she can pick her favorite show or superhero or start a collection. The Beanie Babies are about 6 inches tall with the classic Ty heart tag, and the clips hook onto a backpack, a bag or a keychain. Ty sent us these to try.
Shop Ty Beanie Babies and Beanie Clips on Amazon
9
Barbie Doll and Pet Boutique Playset
I think a 6 or 7 year old girl definitely needs Barbies, and this set gives her plenty to play with. There’s a pet boutique with a grooming station, 4 pets and more than 20 play pieces, and the puppy’s muddy spots disappear with warm water, over and over again. Barbie labels it a great gift for 3 to 7 year olds.
Buy the Barbie Set on Amazon
10
LOL Surprise Bubbly Surprise Tots
Those LOL Surprise unboxing type toys are super popular with this age, and this one makes the unboxing the whole show. She adds water, watches it fizz and twists the cap to find out which of the 6 Tots she got. There are 7 surprises inside, and it’s labeled for ages 4 and up.
Buy LOL Surprise on Amazon
11
Calico Critters Red Roof Cozy Cottage
The best part of this house is that it connects with other Red Roof homes, so next year’s birthday gift is already figured out. It’s two stories and comes with Bell Hopscotch Rabbit plus 15 pieces of furniture and accessories.
Buy the Cottage on Amazon
12
LEGO Friends Heartlake City Candy Store
Here’s your next step for the girl who already finished a smaller set and wants a bigger job. It’s a candy shop build with 2 minidolls, a micro-doll and a cat, so there’s somebody to play with once it’s built.
Buy the Candy Store on Amazon
13
Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Blue Lagoon Playset
For the 5-year-old who wants to decorate everything, including things she shouldn’t. She colors the little animals with washable markers, washes them clean and starts all over again.
Buy the Playset on Amazon
14
Kinetic Sand Folding Sandbox Set
Sand in the house sounds like a terrible idea, which is why the folding sandbox won me over. It opens into a contained play area and closes up for storage, with 2 pounds of Kinetic Sand, 5 molds and 2 tools. It’s labeled for ages 3 and up.
Buy the Kinetic Sand on Amazon
STEM Gifts for Girls Ages 5 to 8
For the girl who asks how everything works, then asks why. Let her dig, build and take pictures of the whole thing.
15
National Geographic Mega Gemstone Dig Kit
A girl who loves treasure is going to love chipping away at a brick to find it. There are 15 real gemstones in there to check out with the magnifying glass and the learning guide. It’s labeled for ages 8 and up, so save this one for the older end of the range.
Buy the Dig Kit on Amazon
16
Teni and Tayo
Teni and Tayo Build Your Own Solar Powered Car
A car that runs on sunshine is a pretty good trick for a kid to show off. It’s a 3D STEM puzzle she builds herself, so it suits the girl who likes taking things apart to see how they work.
Buy the Car at Teni and Tayo
17
Teni and Tayo
Teni and Tayo Smart STEM Building Sticks
I picked these for the kid who wants to build something but doesn’t want a set of directions telling her what. It’s colorful sticks and connectors, so the shapes and structures are all up to her.
Buy the Building Sticks at Teni and Tayo
18
VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus
Sooner or later she’s going to want to be the one taking the picture. This camera is kid-sized and made for small hands, so she can take her own and you get your phone back.
Buy the Camera on Amazon
Book and Game Gift Ideas for Girls Ages 5 to 8
Some of these are for snuggling up, and some are for the kitchen table. Most of them work better with a grown-up in on the fun.
19
Scratch and Sniff Art History
This one is perfect for the girl who loves art and crafts, because how many art books let you smell the painting? It’s a board book with 12 famous paintings she scratches and sniffs, like the fishy sea air in The Great Wave off Kanagawa, plus a funny museum style caption on each one. The grownups will get a kick out of it, too. Workman Publishing sent me this book to try.
Buy Scratch and Sniff Art History on Amazon
20
Angel’s Big Splash: A Pup Prep Book About Loving the Skin You’re In
I wanted this book in the guide because it’s a meaningful pick for families looking for books that celebrate confidence and self-acceptance. Angel is a little pup who worries the other pups will laugh because she’s different, and she learns the white patches from her vitiligo make her a puppy masterpiece. It was written by a mother and daughter, Mallory and Annalee Habstritt, who know vitiligo firsthand. Amazon lists this 40 page hardcover for grades 1 to 2. The authors sent me this book to try.
Buy Angel’s Big Splash on Amazon
21
Gamewright Outfoxed
Nobody stomps away from the table mad, because everybody’s on the same team. Players work together to gather clues and catch the guilty fox, and it sneaks in some reasoning practice for ages 5 and up.
Buy the Game on Amazon
22
Peaceable Kingdom Race to the Treasure!
This is the one for a child who can’t read the rules yet, because no reading is required. Everyone works together to build a path and beat the Ogre to the treasure. It’s for 2 to 4 players, ages 5 and up.
Buy the Game on Amazon
23
Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1 to 4
When a series has been around this long, there’s a reason. You get the first four Magic Tree House books, so it’s an easy way to start a chapter-book habit, whether you read them out loud or she’s reading on her own.
Buy the Box Set on Amazon
24
The Princess in Black: Three Smashing Adventures
A princess with a secret superhero side is made for the girl who wants both the gown and the cape. You get books 1 to 3 by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, so she’s not stuck waiting on the next one.
Buy the Box Set on Amazon
Active and Cozy Gifts for Young Girls
One end of the day she needs to burn off energy, and the other end she needs to settle down. This bunch covers both.
25
Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper, Unicorn
If she never stops moving, give that energy somewhere to go. It’s a foam pogo jumper with a unicorn design, and I’d much rather see her on this than bouncing on my couch.
Buy the Pogo Jumper on Amazon
26
JLab JBuddies Studio Kids Headphones, Pink
Let’s be honest, this one’s a gift for the grown-ups, too. They have a volume limiter, a fold-up design and a mic, so car trips and tablets don’t have to play out loud for the whole family.
Buy the Headphones on Amazon
27
Glow-in-the-Dark Stars Throw Blanket
A sweet pick for the girl who still wants a little light at bedtime. It’s a soft throw printed with stars that glow after the lights go off, and that beats one more discussion about the hall light.
Buy the Blanket on Amazon
How to Pick a Gift for a Girl Ages 5 to 8
- Check the age on the box. Valentine Friends is labeled for ages 3 to 5, several picks here are labeled 6 and up, and the gemstone dig kit is 8 and up.
- Think about who helps. Younger girls will likely want a hand with the gemstone dig kit’s tools. Bead jars and sticker sets she can do on her own.
- Grab the batteries. The light board takes 3 AA batteries that are not in the box, and nobody wants to find that out on Christmas morning.
- Add something to share. Cooperative games like Race to the Treasure and Outfoxed get the whole family playing together.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
A few things worth knowing before you order for a girl in the 5 to 8 range.
She wants anything that has to do with frozen.
yes my daughter said she wants the frozen vanity
Yes, my daughter would love a “Frozen” scooter for Christmas.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
My young child wants everything she sees this year.
Anything Frozen will make her happy!
She wants an 18″ doll!
Nothing requested yet.
She wants Frozen stuff
My daughter is kind of young to make any special requests, but I can always tell what she’d really like. Plus she points and smiles at things she likes and stops at the TV when certain commercials are on!!
No special request as of right now.
Yes, she wants stockings.
Anything Frozen
Everything Frozen in on the wishlist this year!
Yes! Anything Frozen.
A frozen art kit
No, she has not made any special requests this year.
Anything Disney 🙂
Oh her request…anything Frozen!!! She loves the movie and watches it as often as she can!
a stuffed sven!
She wants a Dora doll.
My daughter wants playdoh crafts and frozen dolls
Of course my daughter has asked for the new singing Elsa doll. Let It Go kid. 😉
not yet!!
Just like every year it’s playdoh that she wants lol.
She wants anything Frozen, which is a tad bit hard to find in stores right now!
my 8 yr old wants shopkins and anything with frozen on it lol
My middle granddaughter said she wants Paw Patrol ! She like Rubble the bulldog.
She loves Frozen so anything to do with that movie(:
Nothing special yet though I’m sure it’ll come with the newspaper ads on thanksgiving.
Elsa & Anna Dolls!
My daughter will be happy with anything Frozen this year. (I’ll have to check out that Spot It game – looks fun!)
Not really. My kiddos are happy with anything.
Yes! She wants the singing Elsa and she is getting it from Santa.
Yes she wants a bicycle for Christmas
My daughter wants paw patrol toys
No special requests yet. 🙂
My granddaughter would love a baby doll
She loves Frozen anything
No special requests.
Not yet, but I’m sure they’re coming!
Anything with frozen
No special requests. She wants everything she see on tv!
She hasn’t yet, but she’ll be getting lots of frozen goodies!
Yes, she wants Moon sand. LOL
No special requests yet, but I’m guessing anything Frozen or some kind of craft will be on the list.
The only thing on my little girls mind right now is food 😛 I’ll probably be getting her a few baby dolls and a bunch of sweets!
Thanks for all the helpful reviews. Have a few Frozen fans and a few Marvel fans too.
Anything pink and Minnie Mouse!
She has not yet.
She wants anything to do with the Frozen movie.