The Best Stocking Stuffers

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I do earn from qualifying purchases.

Every year, parents all around the world struggle with the best Christmas stocking stuffer ideas for kids. Maybe you are just looking for something to fill the stocking last minute or maybe you are actually trying to fill in the gaps because you didn’t buy many presents. In our house, it is usually the latter. While we haven’t “splurged” on Christmas for years, our children are not destitute. However, it would be nice to have some small items that will entertain them beyond the first moment they open the gift. And this is where the perfect stocking stuffers come in.

I personally have had many many years of filling those stockings. Some years I have failed miserably and felt like The Grinch, and all the kids got were a few candy bars and some socks. Other years, their stockings are overflowing. And yes, there have been years where one child had an overflowing stocking and another one had barely anything. To say that I in my early years of Christmas shopping that I have failed at the Stocking Stuffer Idea is an understatement. But I have learned much through the years, and so will you!

STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR KIDS 5 And Up

So without further ado, I present to you the best Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for this holiday season..Many of these ideas make great stocking stuffers, but more importantly, they are classic items that are tried and true. Some of these items are newer, but sometimes it is the little things that fill children with glee.

NEW to MY LIST THIS YEAR!

Sensory Items Make Excellent Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids:

Push Bubble Toys:

Push Pop Bubble Fidget toys are fairly new-to-the-scene and make a great addition to your sensory bin arsenal. Kids (and adults) love bubble wrap, and this gives you the same type of sensation of “popping bubbles,” but you get to do it over and over again.

Smencils:

Smencils are pencils that smell. I have known about Smencils for years, but they never go out of style. For a child who loves to smell everything, these pencils come in such a wide range of scents.

Slap Bracelets:

While it may not seem like a sensory toy, slap bracelets come in all sorts of textures now. This is a toy that has been a favorite for several generations. They also come in a variety of bright colors that kids love.

Shasibo Shape Shifting Toy:

Shasibo Shape Shifting Box is a unique block toy that can be twisted and turned into new shapes. This is a great “quiet” toy that will amuse children who are unusually fidgety and it makes a great Christmas stocking idea for kids of all ages.

Instant Snow:

Whether you live somewhere that traditionally has a white Christmas or you live in a sunny destination, you can still bring the snow inside. Instant snow can be a great sensory experience for kids, and it even “feels” cold. This fluffy white snow is magical. You will be asking, “How do they do that?”

Mad Mattr:

This moldable mixture is fun and has a unique texture. The bonus features are that it isn’t as messy as some of the other types of moldable sand, and it never dries out!

Hog Wild Popper:

Poppers are fun and delightful. They come with foam balls and shoot the balls up to 20 feet. Just make sure to set boundaries so your children are aiming them at each other.

Wikki Stix:

In the category of “I can’t believe this hasn’t appeared on my list before” is Wikki Stix. They are a wonderful sensory item and a great way to keep little hands busy when at a restaurant and waiting for food. They are also great to teach letters and numbers and since they really can be bent, twisted, and then made straight again and again, Wikki Stix are good for hours and hours of use.

Squishies:

Kids love these little pocket toys. Squishies are just what they sound like – little squishable toys shaped in delightful characters, animals, and even food such as ice cream cones.

Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids: Bath Items

Boys and girls love bath items. One of the best gifts I received each year was a box of Mr. Bubbles. However, there are so many new bath time items on the market now that your children will love all the great gifts that you come up with. Additionally, bath items can be a great source of fun for children.

Wind-Up Bath Toys:

Whether you buy animals such as sharks or turtles, wind-up boats, or a wind-up diver, these are popular toys. Most the ages say, “toddler,” but I know even my older kids loved winding up these toys and watching them swim around the bath.

Bath Bombs:

Young kids love the bath bombs with “surprise toys” inside such as dinosaurs or jewelry. You can also find bath bombs for holidays. This may be the perfect way to entice your reluctant child to take bath. These also make great gifts for your teen daughter. Da Bomb Fairy Bath Bombs have a surprise inside, and there is even one that makes your water glow!

Bath Squirters:

Compress these plastic toys underwater and when you release your grip, they fill up with water. While there isn’t that much water inside the toy, it is enough for your kids to love squirting at the sides of the tub (or at an unsuspecting parent). They come in all shapes too! Just be sure to replace them often because they do grow mold inside.

Plui Rain Cloud Tub Toy:

This unique toy looks like a cloud. Submerge it in water, and when you lift it up, rain falls down. Put your finger over the top hole, and the rain stops. This was a favorite toy in our house for years!

Bath Crayons:

I would be absolutely lying if I said I never wrote on the tub with these Crayola Bath Crayons. While they didn’t have these when I was a little girl, I have enjoyed watching my children write on the tub with these through the years. In addition to bath crayons, there are bath markers too. This is really a mess-free activity as all the mess washes away easily.

More of the best stocking stuffer ideas

Food Items

Honestly, I think food items make the best stocking stuffers. You can find a lot of little gifts that reach down in the toe of the stocking. Furthermore, kids love candy, gum, and you can even make some of these yourself. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box – beef jerky, Slim Jims, sour gummies, gummy bears, or Caramel apple suckers are items that fit easily into a Christmas stocking.

Hot Cocoa Bomb:

These are all the rage. Hot Chocolate bombs are excellent what they sound like. A round ball of chocolate filled with yummy good things. Additionally, they can be filled with hot cocoa and when placed in hot water (or milk), they will dissolve and leave your loved one with a great glass of hot chocolate.

Candy Bars:

Make sure to keep a list of all your child’s favorite candies. I thought I knew my kids, but I admit that I can’t always keep track. While I know my husband’s favorite candy bar is the Payday bar, and he also loves peanut butter cup candies, I don’t always know my kids’ favorites. In this same vein, suckers, bubble gum, mints, Tic Tacs, and small candy bars are a great way to add filler to a stocking. I have one child that loves Chocolate Oranges that are hard to find outside of Christmas and Easter.

Furthermore, this is the time to splurge on candy that you wouldn’t normally buy throughout the year.

Pez Dispensers:

I have one child who collects these fun candy dispensers. There are so many different designs. The best part of Pez Dispensers is that they are the perfect size for stockings. Many adults like Pez Dispensers too, because of the variety of characters that have been made throughout the years. From Star Wars, Disney, Looney Tunes and more can be found in this unique collectible.

ChopSticks:

While chopsticks are not a food item, they are used to eat food so I have put them in this category. Children love to play with chopsticks, and besides being used for eating food, they can also be used to play games such as “pick up the items the fastest” and other such eye-hand coordination games. Additionally, this is an item that you can find in some of your child’s favorite themes such as Star Wars lightsabers or your favorite Disney princess.

Card Games

There are so many unique card games on the market now that some deck of cards seems like it should be in every stocking. Besides an everyday normal deck of cards, there are so many card games out on the market. If your child likes to play games, there is a card game for every interest, age range, and skill level.

UNO:

Uno makes a great gift for all ages. There are games such as Toy Story Uno, Disney Frozen Uno, Disney Pixar Uno, Uno Avengers, Uno Baby Animals, Uno Cars 3, Uno Color Rule, Uno Emoji (I am not making this up), Uno Retro, and each of these UNO games can be easily placed in a stocking.

Phase 10:

Phase 10 is a great card game for ages 7+. This card game is a Rummy-type game with a twist. There are 10 phases, but you cannot move on to the next phase until you have completed the last phase. Our family loves this game.

Magic Card Decks:

This is a great gift idea for the budding magician in the family. In addition to various types of magic card decks, there are also small magic tricks that can easily be placed in a stocking. Learning how to perform a magic trick and convince everyone of the magic can occupy your child for hours at a time!

Five Crowns:

This is another favorite game in our household. Five Crowns suggested age is from 8-99, but I think it is a little hard for those younger ages. I would say age 10-12 and up. Each hand has a different wild card, and it is a rummy-style game.

Sushi Go:

Another fun card game with a recommended age range of 8+ and for 2-5 players. This card game is considered a pick and pass. Everyone chooses a card from their hand, and then they pass their hand to the left. Each type of sushi has different point values and you need a different number of cards to win those points.

STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR KIDS, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS:

Some of the easiest items to buy are for older kids. You can find a lot of great stocking stuffers at a drug store. Rite-Aid, CVS, and Walgreens all have unique small gifts for kids of all ages.

Gift Cards:

Gift cards are always the perfect fit for everyone on your shopping list. Gas gift cards make a wonderful present for the newly driving teens, college-age kids, and those just out of college and getting on their feet. Restaurant gift cards are another favorite, and of course, a gift card for their favorite retail store is always welcome.

More Costly Stocking Stuffers for Teens:

A refillable special pen can be a wonderful lifelong gift that a young adult holds on to forever. Furthermore, a nice watch or special piece of jewelry will be an unexpected surprise if you don’t usually put items of great value in the stocking.

Other Items for Young Adults:

Jewelry, new phone chargers (really those things break so easily or they get lost when you are transporting them back and forth), socks, gloves, mugs, coffee, tea, and lip balm make great gifts. However, even more, practical items such as deodorant, nail polish, nail files, perfume, shampoo, body wash, and scrubbies can be inexpensive gifts for the stocking.

More Unique Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

FIDGET STICK or TUMBLE WONDER

While the kids love this toy that does just what it says – it tumbles, my adult children love it too! This sensory toy is great for young and old. While you may not be able to get the official tumble wonder, most of the tumble fidget sticks perform the same way.

Perpetual Drinking Bird

I don’t understand the appeal of this bird, but my kids have all loved having one. This is just simple a bird that moves up and down. Kids do love perpetual motion machines!

Astronaut Ice Cream

This is one of my favorites! Kids love Astronaut freeze-dried ice cream. So do mom and get – get extra so you can have some too!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids: Classic Favorites

Putty of Any Kind

Hands down, our favorite putty in this house is Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty. It is amazing and comes in different colors. There are so many different options such as Liquid Glass, Unicorn (that glows in the dark),metallic, shimmery, shiny goodness. Stretch it, pull it, bounce it. It comes in a tin and doesn’t dry out. Made in the USA and the manufacturer employs individuals with disabilities. My kids have played with this brand for years and years. Additionally, we have numerous tins.

 

Slinky

What children don’t love slinky? You probably had a Slinky as a child. Did you walk it down the stairs? Did you set up stacks of books or blocks to see it move so gracefully over objects? Slinky makes such a fun gift and even adults enjoy tossing the springy toy back and forth between their hands. Additionally, some Slinkies come in plastic and vibrant colors. This really is a great toy for all ages.

Classic Duncan Yo-Yo

I remember my first Duncan Yo-Yo like it was yesterday. And I remember buying my oldest son a yo-yo when he was young. If you think buying a Dollar Store Yo-Yo is fine, you have probably never played with a Duncan Yo-Yo. This is a must for children of all ages. Additionally, they make yo-yos for every age and skill level. The trick yo-yos are fantastic! Furthermore, this stocking stuffer idea is excellent for kids of all ages. Don’t be surprised if the adults try playing with this one! A quality yo-yo is a favorite toy for everyone in the family!

Magnetic Gyro Wheel

These magical wheels will 1) Entertain for hours, and 2) Your chill will be convinced that the Magnetic Gyro Wheel is truly magical. For added fun, make sure to purchase one that lights up too! 

Magic Loops

This 4″ piece of metal and beads can be manipulated and moved into different shapes. Did you have Magic Loops as a child? The best toys are the ones that invoke memories for children and parents! These fun playthings are just loops of wire that can be rolled and turned over and over into different patterns.

 

Plastic Bubbles

Excellent stocking stuffer ideas for kid is bubbles of any type. These amuse adults and children, but these plastic bubbles are goodness in a tube. The aluminum tube houses a substance that when placed on the tip of the straw, transforms into a delightful bubble. Once the bubble is made, you can toss it, and try to keep it in the air, but as soon as it pops or deflates, you can make another one.

Whoopie Cushion

Okay, this one is a little goofy, but I can guarantee you that this toy will have your children thinking of ways they can convince you to sit on the chair that the Whoopie Cushion is hidden. This toy enables your children to hone in on their thinking skills and makes an excellent stocking stuffer idea for kids. Get a 6 pack because these do break easily.

Rubber Party Poppers Pop-Up Toy

When you think of pop-up toys, what do you think of? Is it the little animals attached to springs? You push them down and then when the energy releases the animal springs to life. Or maybe you think of the little rubber half circles that you turn inside out and they pop back into shape. Either toy is fun for hours of play.

Wind-Up Chattering Teeth

While wind-up chattering teeth are awesome, children will love finding just about any wind-up toy in the Christmas Stocking in the morning. Another fun item along the same lines is the wind-up walking toys. This is one of those toys that makes cool stocking stuffers. You will be the best mom (or dad) of the year!

The Original Whizzer or a Spintop

Some of the toys on the list were toys from my childhood and others were toys that I purchased for my own kids. The Original Whizzer is another great stocking stuffer ideas for kids. This was in my own stocking on Christmas morning one year. This toy is better than a traditional top in every way! Sadly this toy is currently unavailable! However, one idea is a spinning top, and you can still find the Spintop by Duncan.