35 Cheap and Fun Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers in 2023
Buying stocking stuffers for kids is easy. Candy. Fidget toy. Latest iPhone. You’re golden. But stocking stuffers for toddlers? That’s a little trickier. You need to find something indestructible that actually entertains them for more than five seconds. That sounds easy…until you try to do it.
After raising a couple toddlers myself, I think I have a few pretty good ideas to share with you. Or rather, my husband thought of these gifts, my daughters loved them, and now I will happily share these stocking stuffer ideas with you 😉
RELATED POSTS:
- 25 Memorable Gifts for Baby’s First Christmas
- 20 Christmas Traditions to Start with a Baby
- 20+ Christmas Photo Ideas for Newborns
The Best Toddler Stocking Stuffers Ever!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of the links I will make a small commission at no charge to you. Blunders in Babyland does not diagnose, treat, or give out any professional advice for any medical conditions.
1. Toddler-Friendly Puzzles
Aim for the puzzles with large, chunky pieces. Perfect for little hands. They not only provide entertainment but also enhance cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination.
Have you tried out Melissa and Doug products? I love their selection of toddler-friendly puzzles, like this Micky and Mini Mouse.
Of course, you can always opt to buy a personalized one on Etsy if you have the time.
2. Character Slippers
My daughters’ most prized possession was their Frozen slippers (I would show you a picture, but trust me, you don’t want to see it in its current state.)
Aside from being cozy, they encourage independence as toddlers learn to put on their own shoes. Win-win!
3. Dinosaur Toys
This is the gift that keeps giving. Dinosaur figurines are fun to bring along in the car, provide endless entertainment at home, and even double as bath toys.
Plus, they’re super cheap. These toys promote imaginative play, fostering creativity and storytelling skills.
4. Toy Cars
Even if your toddler is too young for a hot-wheel track, a few toy cars can provide endless entertainment. Pair it with a mat-track, and watch their imagination go wild.
Believe it or not, there’s actually quite a few you can choose from:
- The Hot Wheels: I think this is what everyone thinks of.
- The Wind-Up Cars. Pull it back and let it go. Watch it zoom across the floor.
- V-Tech Smart Wheels: I like these because they light up, play sounds, and don’t permanently damage your foot if you step on them.
5. Water Paint Book
Two words: Mess. Free.
Water paint books allow toddlers to explore their artistic side without the mess. Simply add water to the brush and watch the colors appear.
6. Play-Doh Tubs
Play-Doh is pretty much a staple of childhood. You can use it to entertain, educate, adn stimulate fine motor skills.You can totally just purchase the tubs as a toddler stocking stuffer, but I also recommend buying one of the molding kits as well. My girls’ love the ice cream set the best.
7. Bath Color Fizzies
Think of this as a toddler’s version of a bath bomb. Bath fizzies are awesome! Basically, it’s a little tablet that you drop into the bath. Some fizzle and dye the water. Others just color it.
Pro tip: get the non-toxic kind, like this one.
8. Sticker Sheets
I’m talking hours and hours of fun. Amazon and Walmart are my two favorite retailers to shop for these. For older toddlers, you could try a sticker activity book. Or, you can buy 1000+ sticker pad for little ones that just want to peel it off and place it on your dining room furniture.
9. Bath Toys
Does your toddler hate the bath? My youngest used to feel this way. We had to invest in some really fun bath time toys, like these water wheels. These wheels are education, fun, and distract your little dude from their discomfort.
10. Tub Paint
Speaking of bath time! Turn the bath into a canvas with tub paint. These washable paints allow toddlers to get creative in the bath, making it an enjoyable and artistic experience. Crayola also sells tub crayons, but sometimes these can be a bear to clean up with prefabricated tubs.
11. Character Toothbrush
Sometimes getting your toddler to brush his teeth is a little bit like alligator wrangling. Character toothbrushes transform a daily routine into a playful one! Bonus–less cavities and dental bills for you!
12. Finger Puppets
Just a fun little element to add to your bedtime routine! These little guys bring stories to life, promoting language development.
13. Stuffed Animals
Soft and cuddly. Cheap keepsakes. Stuffed animals are an easy stocking stuffer for toddlers that easily become cherished companions.
14. Toddler-friendly Nail Polish
Safe and non-toxic, toddler-friendly nail polish adds a touch of glam to playtime. It allows for creative expression without any worries.
Just don’t spill it on the carpet. Trust me on this one.
15. Flashlights with Fun Shapes
Is your little guy afraid of the dark? Turn bedtime into an adventure with flashlights featuring fun shapes. I remember playing with this constantly as a kid!
16. Mini Board Books
Okay, this might not actually fit in your toddler’s stocking, unless you take them out of the box. Mini-board books are so fun. They’re like five pages, features adorable pictures, and fosters a love for reading.
17. Musical Toys
Your ear drums may not survive this experience, but at least your kid will love it! Introduce your toddler to music with interactive musical toys.
Here are a few of my daughters’ favorites (but not entirely fittable into stockings…):
- Kids Musical Piano Mats
- Toddler Musical Instruments
- Kids Microphone
- Love&Mini Piano Toy Keyboard
18. Soft Bath Towels
Character towels are the best! I bought these for my oldest and (at age 6) she still insists on wearing them. They’re also so, so soft.
19. Toddler-friendly Makeup
Do you have a princess in the house? *Raises hand*. My daughters are obsessed with makeup. My youngest began this obsession when she was a toddler. Her grandma bought her a package of toddler-friendly makeup and…well…you see the picture above, right?
This toddler makeup is washable and non-toxic.
20. Lip Balm in Fun Flavors
Playing outdoors in the chilly weather can wreak havoc on those tiny lips. Keep those them moisturized with chapstick in fun flavors. A totally practical stocking stuffer for toddlers!
You can’t go wrong with the candy-flavored chapstick. For the kids, I mean…
21. Kazoo
Introduce your toddler to the joy of making music with a kazoo. They’re ridiculously cheap. Which is good, because your toddler will probably lose it or break it within about five minutes. But, it’s a glorious five minutes before they do.
22. Mini Bubble Purse
I can’t claim to understand this one, but kids love it. It provides entertainment on the go, at the doctor’s office, in the car, and at restaurants (should you ever be so bold).
23. Bouncy Balls
Bouncy balls provide endless entertainment and promote gross motor skills as toddlers chase, catch, and bounce them. Go for the light-up. They’re the best.
24. Sensory Balls
Which brings us to our next idea: sensory balls! Enhance tactile exploration with these textured balls.
25. Dot Markers
Sometimes coloring can be a tedious, frustrating process for uncoordinated toddlers. Dot markers are a little easier to handle, and with the right activity book, they create beautiful pictures!
Before either of my daughters became interested in coloring, they loved using dot markers. Get the washable and non-toxic kind, like this brand.
27. Toddlers’ Underwear with Characters
Planning on potty training soon? Buying character underwear was actually a trick I used with my daughters. They did not want to “pee on their princesses.”
28. Mini-Vacuum
You might have to take this out of the box in order to fit it into a stocking. But! This hand vacuum is so fun! It features realistic sounds and swirling balls.
29. Scented Playdough
Another fun thing you’ll find in the Target budget aisle. 😉
26. Surprise Balls
I’m not going to lie, I don’t understand the appeal of surprise balls. My oldest discovered them on Youtube and for some reason, she’s been obsessed ever since. Something about the excitement of unwrapping and finding an unexpected toy.
Which, to me, is kind of the whole point of Christmas presents?
But I digress.
Here’s a few of our favorite boy/girl surprise ball brands:
- Pet Rescue Series (shown in the picture above)
- Surprise Monster Trucks
- Mini Brands (like…why, though?)
- Dino Strike
- Smashers Dino Egg (there’s around 25 items in their. Plus slime. You’ve been warned.)
30. Picture Slider
You know you’re a 90s kid if you owned one of these! I still remember my Ariel and Lion King picture slider. Yes, they still exist! They’re affordable and so much fun!!
31. Mini Memory Card Games
I was shocked when my toddlers actually played this game with me! Sharpen memory skills with mini memory card games. You’ll want to start of small, like with this one, and eventually you can purchase more advance games.
32. Glow Sticks
They’re fun, they’re cheap, and they fill up the stocking!
33. Foam Bath Toys
If you want to get educational, you can buy the alphabet series. Otherwise, there’s a lot of sea creatures (that come with a fun net), and also some dinosaurs.
These toys encourage exploration, daily hygiene, and sensory fun!
34. Sunglasses
They’re cheap and practical for when the sun decides to return to the sky again. My toddler loved wearing her sunglasses indoors and outdoors!
35. Magnetic Alphabet Letters
Make learning the alphabet a hands-on experience with magnetic alphabet letters, and decorate your refrigerator (you know it needed it!)
36. Mess-Free Markers
Have you heard of Mess-Free Markers yet? They’re amazing. These markers only color on special paper, allowing toddlers to create without the worry of stains.
Target sells them in the budget aisle. I think they’re like $3 for a pad.
Actually, now that we’re talking about it, you can just peruse the entire budget aisle at Target for all of your toddler stocking stuffers.
Tell Me About Some of Your Toddler Stocking Stuffers!
I sincerely hope that these best stocking stuffers help you with your shopping. My girls legitimately own most of these and loved them. I hope your kids do too!
Really, the trick to great stocking stuffers is just having fun with it. It’s Christmas morning. There’s a lot of excitement. Younger kids are not picky! They’ll be happy with almost anything you put in front of them.
Veteran moms, if you have some best stocking stuffers for toddlers, share them below! We’d love to know!
