Stocking stuffers for toddlers: small ideas that get used
A toddler stocking does not need to be full to be magic. At 1, 2 or 3, pulling one small thing out at a time is the fun part, and the wrapping paper is often as exciting as what is inside. Here are 25 small ideas that get used, sorted by age, what to leave out for safety, and how to fill a stocking without a pile of plastic by lunchtime.
This page is run by Amor Picture Books (Nova Group), publisher of the Amor picture books by Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell.
Around 1: soft, chunky and made for little hands
- A lift-the-flap board book with thick card pages.
- Stacking cups that also work in the bath.
- A suction bath toy that sticks to the tiles.
- A soft finger puppet on your own hand, for a game of peekaboo.
- A chunky wooden knob puzzle with big pieces. Check the age label.
- A crinkly fabric book to squeeze and chew.
- A tumbler or beaker cup in a favourite colour.
- Warm socks with grips for the first steps.
Around 2: big, chunky and easy to open
- Chunky crayons and a pad of thick paper, and a promise to draw together.
- Washable dot markers. Check the label, as some are for 3 and up.
- Big stickers on a sheet, easy to peel off.
- A board book small enough to fit, to read on Christmas morning.
- Bubbles to blow outside after breakfast. Check the label, many are marked 3+, and hold the bottle yourself.
- A new toothbrush in a favourite colour, ready for the first evening.
- Mittens or a hat. Toddlers like putting on something new straight away.
- A clementine in the toe, an old tradition that costs almost nothing. Peel it for them and cut the segments in half.
Around 3: things to do, not only to hold
- Bath crayons for drawing on the tiles. Check the label, many are for 3 and up.
- A sticker sheet and a blank notebook. Peeling stickers is great practice for little fingers.
- A few printed colouring pages, rolled up with a paper band or a sticker, plus chunky crayons.
- Play dough in one or two colours.
- A paperback picture book to read together that evening.
- A chunky torch with AA batteries and a screwed-shut battery door, no button cells, for a "find the teddy in the dark" game at bedtime.
- A small cloth bag for collecting treasures on walks.
- A home-made voucher: "One extra story tonight, you choose."
- A card that says "You can help me decorate the biscuits", with a cookie cutter inside.
Three example stockings
- 1
For a 1 year old
Grip socks on top, then a lift-the-flap book, stacking cups and a suction bath toy. Four parcels, all bigger than a fist.
- 2
For a 2 year old
Mittens on top, then a board book, chunky crayons with paper, a new toothbrush, and a clementine in the toe.
- 3
For a 3 year old
A chunky torch on top, then bath crayons, a sticker sheet and notebook, rolled colouring pages with crayons, and the voucher for an extra story in the toe.
Safety: what to leave out
Stockings tend to collect small things, and small things and toddlers are a tricky mix. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission advises following the age guidance on toy packaging and keeping small balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than 3 (CPSC: Toys).
- Leave out button batteries and anything with a loose battery compartment. Swallowed button batteries are an emergency: get medical help straight away.
- Leave out magnets. If you think your child has swallowed a magnet, the American Academy of Pediatrics says to contact your paediatrician or the closest emergency department right away (HealthyChildren.org).
- Leave out balloons. The CPSC advises keeping deflated balloons away from children younger than 8 (CPSC: Toys).
- Leave out marbles, coins, small balls, hair clips, hard sweets, nuts and whole grapes for this age.
- Some parents use a toilet roll tube as a rough small-parts check. The CPSC notes the tube is wider and longer than the official tester, so treat it as a rough guide only (CPSC OnSafety).
- Long ribbons and cords are for decoration, not for the stocking. Take them off before the morning.
When in doubt, leave it out and save it for when they are older.
How to fill a toddler stocking
- 1
Fewer things, wrapped one by one
Four or five small parcels are plenty. Each one is its own little moment.
- 2
Put the big thing on top
Toddlers dig from the top. A bigger, softer item first means they see the stocking working right away.
- 3
Keep one thing for later
Save the colouring pages or the book for the quiet hour after lunch, when the house is loud and everyone needs a pause.
- 4
Say what is next
"There is one more thing in the toe. Can you find it?" A small hunt keeps the stocking going longer than the gifts themselves.
- 5
Let them help next year
From about 3, a child can fill a small stocking for a parent or grandparent with a drawing and a clementine. Giving is part of the fun too.
Stocking stuffers vs bigger gifts
A stocking is for small things that get used up or used every day. If you are looking for a main gift that is not another toy, see our Christmas gifts for toddlers that aren't toys. For a book that fits, see our Christmas picture books for toddlers, sorted by age. Our own Amor and the Great Big NO! is a paperback picture book for children aged 3-8 on Amazon UK.
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Get it
Our printable Christmas Coloring Book for Kids: 30 printable Christmas colouring pages for ages 3-7, in US Letter and A4. Print a few, roll them up with a paper band or a sticker and add chunky crayons. This is our own product, not an affiliate link.
Questions parents ask
What are good stocking stuffers for toddlers?
Small things that get used: chunky crayons, stacking cups, bubbles, a small board book, warm socks, a sticker sheet or a few printed colouring pages.
What are good stocking stuffers for a 1 year old?
Soft, chunky things like a lift-the-flap board book, stacking cups, a suction bath toy, a finger puppet or grip socks.
What are good stocking stuffers for a 2 year old?
Big, chunky things that are easy to open, like a board book, chunky crayons, big stickers, mittens or a new toothbrush. Check age labels for small parts.
What should I not put in a toddler's stocking?
Leave out button batteries, magnets, marbles, coins, small balls, balloons, hard sweets and anything with a warning that it is not suitable for children under 3.
How many things should go in a toddler stocking?
Four or five small parcels are plenty. Opening them one at a time is the fun part.