Stocking fillers, also known as stuffers, are fun, novelty gifts used to fill up the Christmas stocking. It’s those little presents that accompany the one special gift on Christmas morning.
What’s most important is that they needn’t be expensive. And when it comes to kids, remember they need to be useful too. There are hundreds of practical suggestions to suit all ages however if you are not sure where to start, these will get you going.
For Creative Play
Costume Jewelry – their will feel rich and famous
Nail polish in fun colors
- look out for the wash off variety
Lip gloss/lipstick
– strawberry flavor yum
Finger Puppets – usually made of felt – lots of fun
Wooden blocks – find ones that spell the child’s name
Dolls or tiny teddy bears – perfect for make believe play
Card games – perfect for playing snap
Miniatures – tiny tea sets or dolls furniture
Diary with invisible ink pen – detective for a day
Hair Clips – pretty, cheap and you can never have enough
For Creative Hands
Coloring books – their favorite cartoon characters
Puzzle books – find a word, matching pairs, spot the difference
Crayons and colored pencils – you can never have enough
Origami paper – colorful sheets to fold creative shapes
Play dough – the store bought or home made variety
Chalk – perfect for hopscotch or drawing on a board
Scratch n Sniff Stickers – not just a regular old sticker
Paper Airplane – Instructions for making different planes
Embroidery thread – perfect for making friendship bracelets
Beads, Sequins & Glitter – ignore the mess, let them create a masterpiece
Just For Fun
Slime – oozy green slime
Silly straws
– crazy shapes in fluorescent colors
Glow in the dark stickers - stars and planets
Disposable camera
- let them be snap happy
Seeds – perfect for planning a flower of their own
Note from Santa – A personalised handwritten note
Yoyo – one that lights up is always a hit
Toy Car – boys can never get enough
Jewelry box – musical varieties are gorgeous
Bookmark – for the bookworm
Piggy Bank – fill it with a few coins to get them started
Mini calculator – for the budding mathematician
Bubbles
– avoid the colored variety – they can stain
Character Band-Aids
– always makes a sore heal faster
Character cutlery and cup set
– help to make meal times less stressful
Bubble Bath – who doesn’t like a bath
Bath Crayons – let them get messy, then just wash away
Bath Toys – great entertainment – foam letters and numbers
Sock slippers – now these ones won’t fall off
Lego - not new Lego, just a bag of all the bits and pieces you have collected from their room
For The Sweet Tooth
Chocolate Coins – they will be rich!
Candy Cane – always a traditional favorite
Pez – fun and can double as a little toy
And of course you’ll then need a
Toothbrush – Pink or Blue character ones are always popular, and
Toothpaste – yep, super boring necessary.
For The Chef
Apron and Hat – kids always love helping in the kitchen
Recipe Cards – let them create their own recipe box
Cupcake Liners – cute colors for your next batch
Utensils – miniature spoons and spatulas
Egg Timer – let them be your official time keeper
There are bound to be family favorites and traditions, which appear every year. What do you use to fill your Christmas stockings?
Author Bio: Emma Marks is a mother of 5 and chief editor and founder at Go Ask Mum and Mums Lounge.