You want your favorite toddler to experience the joys for their own Christmas stocking, but finding stocking stuffers for toddlers can feel so overwhelming. It seems like everything is either a chocking hazard, candy, or plastic junk that will be broken and forgotten by New Years.
That’s why I’m here to help you with the best stocking stuffers for toddler’s that aren’t plastic junk or food.
These toddler stocking stuffer ideas are mom and toddler approved. Many of them are things I’ve personally purchased or used over the years. I hope you (and your little one) enjoy!
This post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases made through links at no additional cost to you.
If this is your first visit to The Artisan Life – welcome!
I want to let you know that 1) I hold a Masters of the Arts in Teaching so I’m very big on developmentally appropriate, open-ended toys and 2) I only recommend things I would personally actually give my own toddler.
Most of the selections in my toddler toy guides and toddler book guides are items we’ve actually used. I put a lot of thought and effort into picking the best stocking stuffers for toddlers that aren’t junk and I hope you find this list helpful!
Alright, let’s get started!
Stocking stuffer ideas for toddlers
Crayons make fantastic stocking stuffers. You can take them out of packaging, if you want to, and tie them in a bundle with ribbons.
There are several types of crayons to pick from. My favorite crayons for toddlers include triangular crayons (easy to grip and don’t roll), Crayola Twistables (no paper to eat and you don’t have to sharpen them), and beeswax crayons (natural and creamy).
Washable markers are another fun option. Be careful, though, because marker tops can be a choking hazard. My daughter’s favorite markers are Crayola Supertips and Do a Dot markers.
Toddler coloring books are usually flexible enough to bend and put into a stocking.
I Can Color Toddler Coloring BookLetters, Shapes, and Animals toddler coloring bookNumbers, Colors, and Shapes Toddler Coloring Book
For mess-free drawing, grab a clip-on DoodlePro. It’s super easy to bring along in your purse for doctor’s appointments and other times when you’ll need to wait!
- Draw & erase…over & over again
- Magnetic pen with spring-loaded screen-saver tip
- Tethered pen stores securely on the Doodle Pro Clip
Mini board books make a good stocking stuffer that isn’t junk. Look for a themed book block set so you have plenty of options! You can open the block and put the books in the stocking individually (this means you can set a few aside for later, too!).
Hair bows (and headbands) are another useful stocking stuffer. My daughter went from hating bows to demanding multiple bows at a time. Like many little kids, her eyes light up when she sees a new, colorful bow. The best place to shop for cute bows is, of course, Etsy.
Handmade Hairbows
There are too many cute hairbows in the world to list them all, but these are all on my personal short list for holiday shopping this year.
Dinosaur Hair Bow Clip or Headband
This dinosaur bow is on our shopping this year. It's perfect for dino-loving little girls!
Reindeer Hair Bow
Spread holiday cheer with this adorable Christmas bow featuring a reindeer feltie.
Unicorn Bow
This unicorn bow is so sparkly that your toddler will squeal with delight.
Winter Velvet Bow
Velvet bows are a classic! Dress them up for a speical occasion or wear them every day for a classy touch with any winter outfit.
A set of large lacing beads for toddlers makes a great stocking stuffer. Make sure to get a set with big beads so they’re safer and easier for your toddler to use.
I prefer the Hape shaped beads for several reasons. Hape is a reputable toy company who I trust to make non-toxic toys. Also, the different shapes also provide the opportunity for additional open-ended play and imaginative play.
Wood cars and other play vehicles are lots of fun for toddlers! My daughter is endlessly fascinated by a rolling wood duck that was my sister’s. Again, I prefer Hape’s toy vehicles to plastic ones. Wood is more durable and eco-friendly, too!
Smaller bath toys make good stocking stuffers. I love Caaocho natural rubber bath toys because they’re non-toxic and sealed (so they don’t get full of mold!)
Stickers are hugely popular at our house! A roll or pad of stickers is sure to delight almost any toddler.
Cute socks make an adorable and practical stocking stuffer.
A battery free echo microphone is a lot of fun without being too loud and annoying for adults.
- Battery free mighty Echo microphone: do you dream of being a famous singer? With the high-quality, battery-free mighty Echo microphone toy, everyone...
- Echo-effect: Hope mighty Echo microphone ensures hours of fun for the little musicians. Kids can sing their favorite songs and add Echo to the voice...
- Attractive colors: This Microphone toy features attractive primary colors with musical note graphics. Whether you are singing alone or playing with a...
A small stuffed animal is the perfect stocking stuffer. Place it at the top so it’s visible to catch your toddler’s eye and get them interested in their stocking! Jellycat and Aurora stuffed animals are always soft and well-made.
Maybe it sounds odd, but an electric toothbrush makes an awesome gift for a toddler. My husband and I use electric toothbrushes and our daughter used to imitate us by making humming noises while brushing her teeth. She tolerates toothbrushing way better now that she has an electric toothbrush!
- ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE: Turn the fight to brush to a want to brush with our fun light up brush head that will not only entertain your little one but...
- GENTLE & EFFECTIVE CLEANING: The gentle sonic vibrations soothe sore gums and new baby teeth while the BPA free ultra-soft brush bristles, designed...
- FORM GOOD HABITS: The small grip and simple ON/OFF button make it possible for your little one to eventually brush on their own while the smart 2 min...
Toddlers are little people with big emotions. The Hape Eggspresions toy can help teach toddlers about emotions and the egg cup stands are good for working with colors.
- Emotions feeling scrambled? Then this is the perfect toy for you!
- This set includes six expressive wooden eggs with an idea book
- Promotes emotional maturity as children identify their feelings
Chunky wood puzzles can keep toddlers entertained for ages. If your child is new to puzzles, show them how to remove the pieces first. As they learn how to “do” the puzzle, store it on their shelf “undone” with the pieces in a basket or tray nearby. My daughter can’t resist a puzzle when it’s taken apart, but usually ignores them when they’re completed.
If you’re wiling to hear a little noise, wood instruments for toddlers are great stocking stuffers. I’ve never met a toddler who didn’t enjoy banging on things!
My daughter adores her music classes and happily bangs her claves together to her own beat whenever she has the chance. Although it seems like you could easily buy and cut your own dowel to make music sticks, I don’t recommend it. We tried this route before buying them – the dowels immediately dented and started to splinter. Learn from my mistake and get real hardwood claves.
- Constructed of environmentally hardwood
- Deliver bright, resounding, and rich tones
- Bring a unique worldly sound to enhance an acoustic set of music when playing on a cajon, djembe, bongos or congas
Toddlers love being independent. Grabease forks and spoons are my daughter’s favorite utensils because they’re designed for little hands. They’re also my favorite for meals on the go because they come with a convenient reusable zip pouch to keep them clean in my purse.
The ezpz Tiny Cup is another great tool for promoting toddler independence. It’s a tiny silicone cup that’s perfect for introducing an open cup to younger toddlers. Although my daughter can handle a larger cup now, we still enjoy using our Tiny Cup because it’s super easy to pack in my purse when we’re eating out or at a friend’s house.
- THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED: The Tiny Cup fits baby’s mouth and hands and features a non-slip silicone grip to make movements to the mouth more...
- DESIGNED + TESTED BY A PEDIATRIC FEEDING EXPERT: All ezpz products are designed to help children meet milestones safely and effectively. The Tiny Cup...
- WHY TRANSITION FROM BOTTLE TO CUP: Open cup drinking supports healthy oral and speech development, aids with teething, helps baby learn to have a...
Reusable snack bags are a stocking stuffer idea that will see plenty of use! You can get reusable fabric snack bags and ones made from silicone.
If you’d prefer soothing a little harder to dump out, a cute Skip Hop snack cup is the way to go!
We purchased these silicone straws a few months ago and use them frequently. Silicone straws are safer and more eco-friendly than hard plastic straws, and my toddler enjoys playing with them when we’re out and there’s nothing else for her to do.
Straws are one of the leading causes of mouth injury for young children and soft silicone straws are much less likely to hurt your little one.
Related: Free printable Christmas bingo
Christmas stockings for toddlers
So they’re not actually stocking stuffers, but I couldn’t resist adding a few Christmas stockings, too!
This dinosaur Christmas stocking is seriously cute! My daughter is really into dinosaurs right now, so it’s on my shortlist for this Christmas.
- IMAGINATIVE DESIGNS: Colorful designs & cute characters make hanging up stockings fun for kids. With our wide selection of designs to choose from,...
- SPECIAL FEATURES: Felt applique pieces with embroidery accents add the sweetest touch to each stocking. A handy cloth loop makes it easy to hang for...
- HIGH QUALITY: Measuring 17.5”x 8.5” and made from 100% cotton twill, each stocking is machine washable.
This Rudolph stocking has a light up nose that will delight your toddler.
- Large Rudolph stocking
- Satin finish fabric with plush cuff
- Features led blinking lights
This sweet owl stocking has sparkly sequins that are sure to catch your toddler’s eye.
- DECORATIVE XMAS STOCKING 1 Pc Set, 18" Classic Hand Embroidered Sequined Cute Animal Christmas Stocking, 03 Owl
- DIMENSIONS 18 Inches tall, 7" Opening, 10" Footing
- THICK AND WELL MADE Christmas Stocking are thick and made well out of good material The animal patterns are hand-embroidered
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