Between toddlers and big kids
Somewhere around starting school, something happens. The toys from nursery suddenly become too easy. The blocks are too big and the stories too short. At the same time, a lot of toys for older children are either very specialised or made for a screen.
So many parents look for toys that can keep up: something the child can assemble themselves, use for a long time and build on as they can do more.
What 5 to 8-year-olds can do
Five to eight is an age when many children can follow a plan and have their own ideas along the way. They can stay with a task for longer, they can talk about rules, and they can play the same game for days if it is allowed to develop.
That makes the age a good fit for toys with several layers: first it has to be assembled, then coloured, and then the real play begins.
Three things to look for
- Something to assemble: Sets that have to be built give the child ownership. It is their own station and their own road.
- Something to finish: Toys that come uncoloured are only finished once the child has added their colours.
- Something to build on: Toys that can be extended last longer, because the game can grow along with the child.
Crateit Town is made for this age
Crateit Town is recommended for 5-9 years. The newest sets, Fire Station and Police Station, have difficulty Level 2 and 72 and 80 parts respectively. The parts click precisely into place without glue, so the child can assemble, take apart and assemble again.
The sets come uncoloured. With Crateit markers, for example Playful Markers 3 mm for the large surfaces and 1 mm for the details, the child can colour the station however they like, and colour over it again later.
And because all the sets fit together, the town can grow: more roads from Adventure Track Extension, a trip Around The Mountain or a Dreamy Drawbridge over to the next part of town.
Let the child decide
The most important thing is often to take a step back. A 6-year-old does not need a finished plan for how the town should look. Give the frame, a set and a few markers, and leave the rest to the child.
Screen-free time that does not feel like a punishment
Many families would like more time without screens, but it is hard when the alternative feels boring. It helps to have something ready that the child wants to get started on. A half-finished build, a station that needs colouring, or a town that needs extending is an invitation waiting on the floor.
Leave the build out if you can. Toys that are packed away after each use get taken out less often. Toys that are ready to go get used.
A gift for starting school or a birthday
For many 5 to 8-year-olds the big moment is not just opening the present, but putting it together afterwards. A set that has to be built and coloured gives a whole afternoon, and often more. Choose a set that matches something the child is already into: fire engines, police, cars or a place to live.
Pair it with a set of markers, so the child can start on the colours straight away.
When siblings are different ages
If you have children of different ages, a town in wood can be something they play with together. The older one can assemble the station and make the rules, while the younger one drives the cars around and joins the story. That gives both of them something to do, and the eldest gets to be the one who shows the way.
Remember that the sets are assembled with an adult up to 5 years, so the youngest need help with the building itself.
Many families find that it is the shared games that get remembered. When the big brother has built the police station and the little sister has caught the thief, it is a story they both tell afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 5-year-old assemble the sets alone?
The sets can be used from 3 years and are assembled with an adult up to 5 years. From 5 years many children can assemble them themselves, perhaps with a little help with the first ones.
Is it also for 8 and 9-year-olds?
Yes. The recommended age is 5-9 years. The older children often build bigger towns, make their own rules and spend more time on the colouring.
See all of Crateit Town.
