They can write, make arts and crafts, and are able to use simple mechanical toys such as cars and trains. Check tape recorders and battery-operated toys regularly for loose or exposed wires. Don't allow children to change batteries. At this age, children enjoy team sports and games that require increased dexterity such as pick-up sticks, marbles, and jacks. Strenuous physical activity is also popular for this age group.
Children begin to develop hobbies and a strong interest in scientific activities.
For these children, appropriate gifts include computers, microscopes, table and board games and equipment used in outdoor sports. In 1995, more than 250 children were killed in bicycle-related incidents. Include a helmet as part of the gift when the present is a bicycle, a tricycle, in-line skates, roller blades or a skateboard. A bicycle helmet is a necessity, not an accessory. Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent.