Every year I struggle trying to come up with stocking stuffer ideas. The big gifts, that’s fairly easy – especially once they are old enough to tell me what they want or have really enjoyed playing with a particular toy at their friend’s house. But stocking stuffers? What do I get a child that is small enough for their stocking and yet will still excite them when they pull it out?
So here is a list of my 10 favorite stocking stuffers for toddlers!
Need help with stocking stuffers for babies or preschoolers? Check out these posts for ideas for every kiddo in your life!
Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Babies
Favorite Stocking Stuffers for Preschoolers
Re-Play Plates, Bowls, and Utensils
Re-Play plates, bowls, and utensils are made from recycled milk jugs and are durable enough for any toddler to throw on the ground at meal time. They come in a variety of colors, the utensils are easy for toddler hands to hold, and they are dishwasher and microwave safe. I love that they are made in the USA, and we have worked it so that Little Mister and Little Miss each have their own color to use. They even recently came out with a line of adult-sized plates, so you too can join in on the fun.
I also really love their snack stacks. These little containers screw together so you can stack as few or as many as you would like and keep snacks contained separately while keeping them in one place together.
Books
I’m a big believer that you can never have too many books. We have cabinets and shelves stuffed full of books. It is actually a tradition, started by my mom, that one gift is a Christmas book every year. Our collection is over 30 Christmas-themed books at this point, but there is always room for more.
If Christmas books aren’t what you’re looking to add, check out the Muddle and Match series from Usborne Books. These books are split into three sections, and kids can create their own funny stories as they combine parts of characters to make their own characters. There are a variety of themes from sports and jungle animals to imaginary and fairy tale characters.
Tegu Block Pocket Pouch
I bought the Tegu Pocket Pouch for Little Mister when he was too young to use it, thinking I would just hold on to it until he was old enough. It was small, so I put it in my diaper bag, figuring one day I’d pull it out. Sure enough, by chance, even though I thought he might be too young, one day I pulled it out thinking I would build something and entertain him. These colorful magnetic blocks come in a pack of 8, and he pulled them over and started playing with them, sorting them by color and shape. As he’s gotten older, he’s started to actually build with them and now he has a huge collection of Tegu blocks at home, but he still loves playing with the Pocket Pouch set when we are out to eat.
There are a variety of color options for the Tegu Pocket Pouch sets. These cute wooden blocks have magnets embedded deep in the wood so they are safe for even the smallest of hands to play with and older hands to build towers and cities with. The Pocket Pouch is an excellent starter set.
Food Pouches
Little Mister, to this day, loves food pouches. He doesn’t get them often, but we keep a couple on hand for easy on-the-go snacks. We love the Plum Organics brand and a couple of these are easy to fill the stocking with. Little Mister’s favorite flavors are the banana/blueberry/sweet potato/carrot blend and the apple/raspberry/spinach blend. There are lots of different combinations, so check them all out at your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart.
Fun Hot/Cold Packs
Once our toddlers start walking, there is no going back. And with it comes bumps and bruises, scrapes and cuts. It is helpful to have a fun heat-and-ice pack on hand to grab when they fall or get a scrape. I really love Woopsies by Bucky. They look like adorable little monsters and have a soft terry cloth cover that can be removed and is machine washable. The filling is made from buckwheat seeds so they report that the pack releases cold or heat more slowly and retains temperature longer than the traditional rice packs.
Bath Toys
Toddlers start to spend a lot of time in the bath at this age. Encourage their enjoyment of the water with some bath toys. There are lots of different options from the traditional rubber ducks to other rubber sets, but I really love the small Green Toys boats. Green Toys has larger boats such as a ferry and tug boat, but they also have a race boat, launch boat, and speed boat that would be the perfect size for a stocking stuffer. These toys are made in the USA from recycled milk jugs. They come in bright colors with interchangeable tops, a duck captain, and are easy to drain the water out of after bath time.
Kyte Baby Pajamas
Kyte Baby brand started by creating onesies, pajamas, and sleep sacks for babies. Recently, they expanded into toddler pajamas and adult loungewear. Their pajamas come in both solid colors and patterns and are made from super soft bamboo. The pajamas are long-sleeved, but the material is light and airy so your toddler won’t get overheated in the night.
We bought Little Mister the Pasture print last year and he loved them. They have little border collies that look similar to our dog, Elvis, and he was so excited to have his puppy brother on his pajamas. They do tend to run on the smaller side, so I recommend sizing up. Sizes go all the way up to 7T.
Colorful Band Aids
With walking comes not just the bumps and bruises, but the scrapes. Encourage kiddos to put a band aid on their boo-boo with colorful band aids that feature their favorite characters from movies or cartoons. Little Mister loves The Incredibles band aids. We tell him that they give him super powers like The Incredibles so that he can heal. A box of band aids is an easy gift for a stocking.
Native Shoes
We love these Native shoes in our house! They are a breathable plastic material that is fantastic for the summer, stylish enough that you could wear them to church, but also great for the splash pad. They wash off easily if they get muddy and are just a great toddler slip on shoe that won’t fall off. We buy a pair every time Little Mister and Little Miss grow up a size. They have almost every color imaginable and they even have iridescent colors and glittery colors, if that appeals to your kiddo. Sneaking a pair of these in your toddler’s stocking will not be something you regret come spring and summer!
Crayola Bath Items
I know I had bath toys above, but I think these deserve their own category. Crayola has a whole line of fun bath items that kids can play with while cleaning up. The bathtub crayons, bathtub paint, and Bath Dropz add a bit of washable color to bath time, while not staining your bathtub. Little Mister really love the bathtub paint. He smears it all over himself like war paint. At the very least, it helps us make sure that we got him all clean!
Note: I have read reports that if your bathtub is not surfaced with a coating, there is a chance that the Bath Dropz may stain your tub, so be aware of that.