Okay, friends! Let’s have a mini check-in: How are you doing? Feeling joyful? Frazzled? Overwhelmed? Excited? How’s the holiday shopping going? All done? Haven’t started? I’d say I’m about 30% done which is a liiittle behind where I’d like to be. If you’re in the same boat, hopefully the timing of today’s gift guide will be right up your alley. Today we’re talking stocking stuffers for kids!!
There’s something so fun and magical about digging into a Christmas stocking and pulling out fun surprises. I think this is one of the reasons opening stockings ranks so high on our kids’ list of Christmas morning favorites! When it comes to our kids’ stockings, I take a few approaches. I really like to include useful things (this is often where I’ll put new art supplies, socks, a new book, etc.), a new card game or fidget toy, travel toys since we always head to Florida right after Christmas, a sweet treat, a fresh orange at the bottom of their stocking and something to encourage creativity. Can you tell I LOVE putting stockings together!? File this under things I wish I could do not only for my kids but for all kids year-round. They’re just magical!
Last year I began sharing a stocking stuffer gift guide based on your requests and I’m keeping the traditional alive this year. This gift guide includes stocking stuffer ideas, most of which are in the $5-15 range. (All gifts in this gift guide had to be $25 or less to be included and were under this price point at the time of creation.)
Note: When it comes to the kid stocking stuffer ideas, many of the items shared below are items I’ll split between our boys’ stockings. For example, a set of bath bombs, gel crayons or Nee-Doh multipack will be opened and spread out among three stockings. As always, I really, really hope this gift guide is helpful for you as you shop for the special kiddos in your life!
And in case you missed my other gift guides, you may find them below:
Gift Guide for Big Kids (ages 8-10)
Gift Guide for Kids (ages 5 – 7)
Gift Guide for Little Kids (ages 3 – 5)
Gift Guide for Her
Gift Guide for Him
Stocking Stuffers for Kids
Physical Play
Stop Watch: For kids who always say “time me” or love to turn everything into a race or timed event. This went in Chase’s stocking last year and was a huge hit!
Bike Accessories: A speedometer to show their speed (going in our big kids’ stockings this year!), a bell for their bike (Jellibells twist to ring the bell and they are the BEST!), lights for their wheels, etc.
Moon Ball: A bouncy ball that bounces crazy high and has our boys running all over the place.
Flashlights: A great pack to break up among a few stockings. Our boys use their flashlights all the time in their forts, for outside play, nighttime fun, camping, etc.
Foam Airplanes: A guaranteed hit! Our boys throw them all over our yard.
Walkie Talkies: A fun idea for siblings: Put one walkie talkie in each stocking! These have been a hit with our boys for years for outside play, “spying,” and being sneaky around the house. (While they’re more expensive than a typical stocking stuffer, I ordered these video walkie talkies for the boys this year and think they’ll be a hit!)
Auto-Return Yo-Yo: We got these after a regular yo-yo proved very frustrating and this one was a looot more fun for yo-yo beginners!
Imagination/Educational
Book Light: Our boys use their book lights every single night to read/flip through books before bed.
Kanoodle Game Teaser Puzzle: For kids who love puzzles and brain games. 10/10 hit with Chase last year and we take on every travel adventure.
Plus Plus Mini Interlocking Blocks: We have several tubes of these and the boys come up with some really cool creations. A favorite of mine to pack for airplane travel, restaurants and spectating sibling sports.
Magnetic Wands: Magnetic things fascinate kids and these wands let them test what’s magnetic and what’s not! A big hit with the preschool crowd.
Weird But True Book: Our big kids pour over the crazy facts in these books.
Calculator: Calculators are magic to kids and great for pretend play, too.
Invisible Ink Spy Pens: Each pen cap has a UV-light included to reveal the invisible ink and blow your kids’ mind!
Number Slide Puzzle: I had this as a kid and loved it! I ordered one for Chase’s stocking this year.
Tape Measure: For the kid who likes to measure everything and help with home projects. This one went in Ryder’s stocking last year and all 3 boys use it a lot!
Shape-Shifting Cube: Super cool to big kids! (Probably best for ages 8+!)
Flipslide: The electronic memory game our big kids love. Great for travel entertainment!
Light-Up Memory Cube: A memory game similar to Simon from when we were kids but in cube form!
Exploding Mentos Geyser Tube: A science-y stocking stuffer I ordered for Rhett this year. Anything that explodes is always an entertainment win in our house.
Toddler Talking Flashcards: A big hit when the boys were younger. I saved them for road trips, restaurants and travel.
Metal Tally Counter: This may seem so random but I got this idea from one of the boys’ teachers. Kids love keeping track of everything and our boys will use them on our neighborhood walks, hikes, during road trips, etc. to keep track of various things they see (squirrels, yellow cars, etc.).
Jumbo Book of Mazes: In case your kids love mazes as much as ours! This is a travel/road trip gem!
Books: For a great read-aloud chapter book series for kids 7+ I highly recommend Land of Stories / For a...
