Christmas is just around the corner and now is the time parents dread – what do you fill the stockings with? You’ve already bought them a bunch of gifts and put them under the tree. But sometimes kids love their stocking stuffers even more than the actual presents. Besides, it’s a lot of fun to see what little treats Santa has brought each year!
It can be difficult for parents to select stocking stuffers. Especially if you try to come up with unique ideas every year. Remember that these small treats don’t have to be expensive at all. You don’t have to buy the latest cool toys or whatever is trending right now. Think outside the box and stuff their stockings with sweet treats, practical gifts or even educational toys.
So here are a few tips and ideas for stuffing their stockings on Christmas:
Make it practical
Stocking stuffers for really young kids are often the easiest. Babies, toddlers, and even preschool-aged kids are more excited about opening up the gifts than the actual items. Remember, they know these are not their actual Christmas presents.
All this means you can give them practical items that they use every day. Colorful socks, Band-Aid packs of their favorite characters or a new pencil case for school make great stocking stuffers. Bright sunglasses or gloves and scarves are also fun, especially if you’ve planned the next vacation.
This can also be a good idea for older kids if you know what they want. If your child loves collecting erasers or fancy pencils, fill their stockings with those supplies. Older children may not like generic items but they will appreciate the thought that went into their favorite stocking stuffers.
Put quantity over quality
Stockings out of fun Christmas tradition so don’t worry about quality. It’s time to put quantity first. The point is to fill their stockings with a lot of items but each one doesn’t have to cost much. You can pick up a lot of knick-knacks at the local dollar store for a fraction of the price at your grocery store.
If you have multiple children, focus on items that come in multiples or variety packs. You don’t have to put the entire pack in one stocking. Break it up and distribute it amongst all the children. Encourage kids to share and swap items with each other after opening them up. This is a good way to emphasize sharing during the festive season.
Stuffed animals, collectible cards or mini action figures are perfect for stockings. You can also buy extras for next year or repeat the idea until they have the entire set.
Learning can be fun
Educational toys don’t have to make boring gifts. Gone are the days when educational toys meant Scrabble. Now there are so many games that encourage learning and are fun to play at the same time.
Games don’t have to specifically educational either. Stick man magnets, silly putty or snap-together blocks can all be educational depending on the child’s age. So don’t just head straight to the learning section of the toy store!
Another idea for toys is to find games that are portable. These games are fun to take with you on vacations and road trips. Many of these games come with their own travel cases to keep everything together. This way you don’t have to worry about the children losing small pieces.
Card games like Uno, mini-puzzles or travel trivia games for older kids are all good ideas for stocking stuffers. Remember to throw in some batteries if any of the games need them!
Art and craft supplies
Who doesn’t like getting art and craft supplies? Paintbrushes, crayons or markers and pencils are perfect little items. You can also get inexpensive watercolor sets or face paint.If your children love crafty things, get the supplies for the new year. Things like beads, pipes, popsicle sticks, glitter glue or colored cardstock are all handy to have throughout the year.
These stocking stuffers are great for two reasons. Of course, the kids are excited to open them up. But they also get to spend the next few hours playing with them! They’re perfect if you have a large family gathering with lots of kids. It’s a good way to keep them occupied while the adults catch up with each other. For holiday themed craft ideas, visit our blog post.
Fun treats
Sweet and salty treats are always a big hit as stocking stuffers. Chocolate Santas and candy elves are good ideas. You don’t have to limit yourself to sweets either. Small packages of their favorite salty snacks can also go in the stockings. You can also bake mini cookies or cupcakes and wrap them up in bright boxes.
You can also throw in a gift card to buy the items they wanted but didn’t get. After all, who hasn’t found something they want after Santa has already put the gifts under the tree?