50 Stocking Stuffers for Kids

When do you open the gifts in the stockings at your house? Christmas Eve? Christmas Day? Before the gifts under the tree? After all the madness? No matter when you choose to open these tiny treasures, remember that they can be a lot of fun, not necessarily last minute junk that you "have" to get. From toy balls to jewelry, stockings can sometimes even offer the nicest, most thoughtful gifts of Christmas.

When shopping for stocking stuffers for kids, definitely keep an eye on your bottom line, heeding to your budget. Little gifts (even ones with small price tags) can add up fast. If you are buying multiple stocking gifts for multiple people, this is especially true. To that end though, definitely pay attention to sales. While dollar-type stores and the Oriental Trading Company catalog and website are places that can offer a wealth of great items to choose from, (this time of year especially) you can sometimes purchase "big" items that you might not necessarily consider for a stocking (a book, DVD or a LEGO play set for example) at a great price and viola! a stocking suffer is born. Think outside the box too -- a gift card for a movie or game rental or even one for $5 to a local fast food restaurant, pizza or bagel shop, or ice cream parlor will definitely make for a fun surprise! (When you go to redeem the gift card, be sure to let your preschooler "pay" for the treat.)

This list of 50 fun ideas of stuffers will definitely help you fill the stocking of your preschooler and any other child you might be buying for. Just be sure that when you are choosing gifts for young children you pay attention to safety labels, buying toys and goodies that are age appropriate, watching small pieces and other choking hazards.

1. Slinky
2. Art supplies: Crayons, markers, or colored pencils with a drawing pad or construction paper
3. Toy cars
4. Glow sticks
5. Candy
6. Tube Toys (Manufacturer's site)
7. Costume jewelry
8. Paperback and board books
9. "Makeup" like chapstick and kid-friendly nail polish
10. Silly Putty
11. Stickers
12. Movie gift certificate
13. Baseball or other type of sporting or trading cards
14. Slippers
15. Puzzles
16. Stuffed animals or dolls
17. "Lump of coal" chocolates or candies (compare prices)
18. Craft supplies -- pipe cleaners, googley eyes, sequins, glitter, etc.
19. Temporary tattoos
20. Bubbles
21. Fun bath soaps or shower gels (check in your supermarket or local drug store for ones featuring favorite characters)
22. A two-dollar bill or one-dollar coins or even money from another country
23. Silly or collectible magnets for the refrigerator
24. Hair brush or comb and hair clips and pony tail holders
25. Ornament for the Christmas tree
26. Paper dolls
27. Deck of cards (check out this list for great card games for kids)
28. Play-doh (compare prices)
29. Slippers
30. Gift card or certificate to a favorite restaurant (some fast-food chains start as low as $5!)
31. Blank notebook or journal
32. Hat, scarf, and mittens or gloves
33. Fun utensil set
34. Flavored candy canes
35. LEGO Minifigures (compare prices)
36. Funny-shaped bandages such as pickles (compare prices) and cupcakes (compare prices)
37. A book and a stuffed animal (just $5 each!) through the Kohl's Cares for Kids program or a stuffed toy from IKEA
38. Flip-flops off the bargain rack -- hey, summer isn't THAT far away!
39. Jump rope
40. Yo-yo
41. Pinwheel
42. Plastic plate or cup decorated with a favorite character
43. My Little Pony dolls (compare prices)
44. Finger puppets
45. New toothbrush
46. Sidewalk chalk
47. Shaped ice-cube trays like dinosaurs (compare prices) and hearts (compare prices)
48. Activity placemat
49. Supplies for school--safety scissors, pencils, glue sticks, maybe a new back pack found on sale?
50. Gift card to Redbox--movie rentals start at just $1 for one night!