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I’ve put together a list of the best stocking filler ideas for kids. The list is full of toys, games, treats, gadgets and other stuff that kids will actually LOVE, rather than things that will end up discarded in the blink of an eye.
Stocking filler ideas for kids
In our Christmas family tradition, the Christmas stocking is for giving kids some small gifts that they can open the second they wake up.
This gives all the adults in the household slightly longer to wake up before Christmas day really kicks in.
But is there anything more tricky than creating perfect Christmas stockings for the kids?
Especially given that Christmas is expensive and filling stockings is usually done on a budget of what’s left after bigger gifts have been bought.
Which means we can often end up feeling out of money and out of clever ideas.
I’m always keen to avoid the kind of cheap plastic stocking fillers that kids have lost interest in within seconds.
So I’ve put together a list of great stocking filler ideas for kids that they can craft, create, or stimulate their minds with.
I used my post on alternative party bag ideas for kids for inspiration, as it’s one of the most popular posts on Mums Make Lists.
There are making kits, brain teaser style games, fun games all the family can play and art materials for budding artists.
Oh and I’ve made sure that the stocking filler ideas are all well priced, so they won’t break the Christmas bank.
Children’s stocking filler ideas list
Art and craft stocking fillers
Craft gifts make great stocking fillers, they can provide instant entertainment for the lulls in the Christmas day festivities.
Lulls such as when the Christmas meal is being prepared or after everyone has eaten and all the adults want to flop in a comfortable chair for an hour or two.
Sloth keyring making kit
Sloths are having a bit of a moment which means this sew-it-yourself sloth keyring making kit is sure to be a big hit.
Make your own super-hero mask
This super-hero mask kit is perfect for kids aged three years and upwards. Children can use the mask base, cut outs, felt embellishments and gems to create their favourite superhero mask.
Origami making kit
Djeco is one of my favourite kids’ brands, they create beautifully coloured, beautifully crafted games, kits and toys for kids.
This Djeco paper planes origami kit is an absolute classic.
Perfect for making and playing with the grandparents on Christmas morning!
Personalised ‘Save Our Oceans’ craft kit
I adore this gift with a message! The current generation of kids is hugely environmentally aware, so this ‘Save our oceans’ craft kit should go down a treat.
Personalised coloured pencils
What better than a set of 12 coloured pencils for art loving kids? A set of 12 PERSONALISED coloured pencils. That’s what.
Sock unicorn craft kit
This crafty sewing kit has everything you need to make an adorable Sock Unicorn. Children under 12 may need supervision.
Munchkin bath crayons
Now these bath crayons are just brilliant. What better way to make a Christmas day bath both desirable for over-excited kids and fun?!
Sidewalk chalk
Sidewalk chalk gives kids the chance to get creative outside.
It’s amazing that even in winter my daughter and her friends love to get drawing on the paving stones with her giant chalk sticks.
Of course it’s super useful when the rain comes to wash it all away.
Play-doh party pack
Play-doh is always a sensory winner with kids of all ages.
I love this Play-Doh Party Pack, it’s a tube filled with 10 small cans of Play-Doh.
Games stocking fillers
I know that it’s all about the tech for kids these days.
But give them some fun analogue games and you might be surprised by just how much fun they have with them, without even noticing they aren’t staring at a screen.
Qwerkle travel set
We bought the full-size version of Qwerkle four years ago and we still love it.
In fact it’s an extended family favourite, with adults and kids alike.
So I can whole-heartedly recommend the Qwerkle travel set as a stocking filler.
Qwerkle is all about building lines of tiles that match in either shape or colour.
It’s a LOT harder than it looks and there is a lot of strategy to work through.
Dobble
Dobble is fast becoming a modern classic of the games world.
It’s a game of speed, observation and reflexes in a race to find the matching cards ahead of your competitors.
The images can be different in size and are placed on any part of the card, plus every card is different and has only one picture in common with every other card in the deck.
There are five mini games within the pack, so you can literally never get bored of Dobble.
Uno
Uno is another modern classic, it’s a card game of matching colours and numbers.
We love Uno for long lazy family lunches at our local gastropub.
There are special action cards and also wild cards for extra elements of fun and challenge.
STEM stocking stuffers
4M Lemon clock
Set the kids up creating energy with this 4M Lemon Clock.
It’s a great way to learn about electricity and chemical reactions.
Please note, the lemon is NOT included!!!
Rubik’s Twist
Back in the day we called this the Rubik’s ‘snake’, but apparently it is now the Rubik’s Twist.
Unlike the original Rubik’s Cube, there are no wrong answers with the Twist!
There are also unlimited possibilities. Great for getting those synapses sparking!
Outdoor adventures microscope
See the great outdoor world in a different way with the Outdoor Adventure Microscope.
It’s great for looking for wildlife as it has 20x to 40x magnification with built in LEDs which will illuminate small objects so you can see them clearly. There’s a detachable lanyard, so it is easy to carry around outside.
Tangram puzzle set
Tangrams are Chinese geometrical puzzles that consist of a square cut into seven pieces which can be arranged to make various other shapes.
Tangram puzzles promote imagination and improve eye-hand coordination. Plus they promote colour and shape recognition for younger children.
IQ Puzzler Pro
This IQ Puzzler Pro game is suitable for kids from 6+ and has 101 progressive challenges that develop logical ability.
We’ve had this game for a couple of months and it comes with us on all our travels, it is such a mind twister for kids of all ages!
Don’t worry though, there is a booklet with all the solutions – so you can cheat if you’re finding your child is way ahead of you!!
Random other ideas
Story-time dice
These handmade engraved wood story-time dice come in a lovely personalised bag. They are a super fun way to make story-time flow more easily, giving added inspiration and fun.
There are three dice: one with six different places or settings on it; one with six different characters; one with six different objects or items.
I really hope you find this stocking filler ideas list useful and that your kids love the ideas you choose for their Christmas stockings this year.
I’ve got a whole bunch of other useful Christmas posts in the Christmas section of Mums Make Lists.
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