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I’ve put together a list of the 65 best stocking filler ideas for kids for Christmas 2022.
The list is full of toys, games, treats, gadgets and other stuff that boys and girls from toddlers through tweens and teens will actually LOVE, rather than things that will end up discarded in the blink of an eye.
STOCKING FILLER IDEAS FOR KIDS THAT THEY WILL LOVE
When I’m shopping for stocking fillers I always aim to buy things that kids will actually use. I feel very much the same about party bags for kids birthdays.
I can’t bear the idea of buying things that will get briefly looked at and then never touched again, just for the sake of stuffing a stocking full.
With this in mind, I avoid cheap plastic junk and things that come in a tonne of packaging that aren’t actually very substantial.
I also avoid cheap games and go for road-tested classics or games that are proven popular through reviews or word of mouth.
I also try and think of practical ideas for stocking fillers, things that the kids actually need.
These might not be the most exciting things, but if you find fancy or special versions of them it can be a great way of ticking two things off of your shopping list at once.
Socks are an example that comes to mind. Another is stationery.
THAT FIRST MOMENT OF CHRISTMAS JOY
In our household Christmas stockings get left at the foot of each child’s bed once they are safely asleep.
We have bigger gifts ready and waiting by the Christmas tree, but leaving their Christmas stockings filled with little gifts on the end of their beds is a sure fire way to make sure that kids get the first thrill of Christmas magic the moment they open their eyes on Christmas morning.
STOCKING FILLER IDEAS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL AGES
Finding great stocking fillers for each child you are shopping for can be a real chore.
You’ve no doubt already spent time buying their main Christmas gifts and sometimes it is hard to find the brain bandwidth to come up with a list of wonderful stocking filler ideas as well.
I also know from experience that it can be really hard to buy for kids once they get to the tween and teen years. I am also well aware that it can be really hard to find great ideas for boys of all ages.
So I have put together this list of 65 really great ideas that will either give you the chance to buy things right now or will hopefully spark your own ideas.
With this in mind, I’ve divided the list up into sections for arts and crafts, games, retro classics, STEM ideas, sweets and chocolate, pampering ideas and soft cuddly stocking filler ideas.
There are filler ideas that will work for boys and girls. There are ideas for kids of all ages, from toddlers, through to tweens and teens.
I’ve put links to a selection of things you can buy in each list and I hope that the categories and ideas will help spark further ideas for you.
THE BIG LIST OF 65 CHILDREN’S STOCKING FILLER IDEAS
1. ART AND CRAFT STOCKING FILLER IDEAS
Art and craft gifts make great stocking fillers. They can provide instant entertainment for excited kids, especially useful at times when you need to get on and prepare the Christmas meal or simply want to sit and relax for a while on Christmas evening.
2. MINI GAMES MAKE GREAT STOCKING FILLERS
I know that it’s all about the tech for kids these days. But give your kids 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!
2. Soundiculous
3. Qwerkle
5. Tangram
8. Articulate
9. Junior Colour Brain – questions with colourful answers
3. CLASSIC RETRO GAMES & TOYS BRING A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA TO CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
How about a classic retro game from yesteryear? Here are a few true classic kids games that would work really well as stocking fillers.
1. Rubik’s Cube
2. Jenga
3. Slinky
4. STEM STOCKING FILLERS
There’s no reason why you can’t pop a little educational something in as a stocking filler, just as long as it’s fun! Here are some ideas that are bound to be appreciated.
4. Glow in the dark Smart Putty
5. Outdoor Adventure Microscope
5. SWEET TREATS ARE ALWAYS A STOCKING FILLER HIT
Chocolates and sweets/candy are always a safe bet to add to a Christmas stocking, go for the classic gold chocolate coins or the more recent classic of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange or go for special Christmas editions of your child’s favourite chocolate or sweets. And there’s reindeer poop…
2. Candy Kittens Christmas Jar
3. Boomf personalised mallowpops
5. Cadbury’s Christmas Stocking
6. PAMPERING STOCKING FILLER TREATS
It’s not just adults who dream of pampering goodies to land in their Christmas stockings, tweens and teens are very fond of skincare, lip balms and pampering beauty products and what kid doesn’t love a bath bomb?!
1. Spots & Stripes Boys Facial Wash
3. Florence by Mills Dreamy Dew Moisturiser
5. 7th Heaven Unicorn Sheet Face Masks
8. Lippy Pals Unicorn Lip Balm
7. SOFT AND CUDDLY STOCKING FILLERS
Either cute and cuddly soft toys or snuggly socks and hats and scarves make brilliant stocking fillers. We have a tradition in our house that there is always a little cuddly toy popping its head out of the top of a Christmas stocking. I guess this year it has to be Paddington (heart emoji!)
1. Classic Paddington with red boots
Kaloo Tendress soft fabric doll
Totes Toasties Dino Slipper Sox
8. STATIONERY AND JOURNALS
Stationery and journals are always really safe options to put in Christmas stockings for kids. They always need stationery for school, you can make it more appealing by going for pretty or cool designs. Journals are a real thing at the moment, there are plenty to choose from, so I’ve selected some I know are really popular.
2. Cat shaped highlighter pens
5. Transparent grid pencil case
8. Hey Girl! Empowering Journal for Girls
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Hil
Sunday 27th of September 2015
What amazing ideas!! Thank you!
Kyla Herbes
Wednesday 15th of October 2014
THIS is a great list!!!!! Thanks for all the ideas! Found you on the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! Kyla @ http://houseofhipsters.com/
Alice Emma Thompson
Thursday 16th of October 2014
So glad you like it Kyla. I just hopped over to House of Hipsters and love it :-)
Blair Lonergan
Tuesday 14th of October 2014
Great list, Alice! Pinned and tweeted so that I can refer back to this when shopping season rolls around!
Alice Emma Thompson
Thursday 16th of October 2014
So glad you like Blair ... I keep coming back to it year after year. Big big thanks for tweet and pin x
Rosemarie Groner
Thursday 9th of October 2014
This is so perfect! Exactly what I've been searching for! We do a $10 christmas that we adore but we do stockings for the kids in addition.
Alice Emma Thompson
Saturday 11th of October 2014
So glad it helped Rosemarie :-)
Miranda @ Someday Crafts
Wednesday 6th of November 2013
What an awesome list! I never would have thought to put some of these things in as stocking stuffers, but they're such good ideas. Thanks for linking up at Whatever Goes Wednesday. This was the most viewed link at last week's party, so we'll be highlighting it at tomorrow's party. Thanks for always coming over and linking up. Your links are consistently in the top 10 most viewed. We hope you'll keep coming back to party with us!!