Fun (yet practical) Stocking Stuffers for Toddler, Preschooler, pretty much any age!

So here are some ideas for Santa to fill the stockings with items that are useful, creative, and fun without adding to the landfill with items that dont last past one day of use (you know those plastic items that were a last minute purchase)

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Previous Post on BABY STOCKING STUFFERS:
http://123mytoddlerandme.blogspot.com/2010/12/stocking-stuffer-ideas-for-baby.html
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Think of things that the kids need and can use - keep the colours bright & fun. Buy good quality (and from local vendors when possible) to last!

A themed stocking would be fun (all ART, or all BATH for instance)

• Band Aids (so many funky designs)


• Toothbrush


• Toothpaste


• Hair Brush


• Hair Clips or Elastics


• Lip Gloss or Chapstick


• Compact Mirror




• Paints


• Crayons


• Markers


• Brushes


• Craft items (pom poms, googly eyes, papers, embellishments, etc)


• Stickers


• Smock


• Scissors that cut freaky designs


• Pencils


• Pencil Case


• Beads & Bracelet String




• Cute Belt


• Funky Shoelaces


• Shoe Charms


• Socks


• Underwear


• Slippers


• Necklace


• Ring


• Bracelet




• Book(s)




• Doll Clothes, Hat, Shoes, Bracelets, blanket & pillow, etc.




• Bath Toy(s)


• Bath Crayons


• Bubble Bath


• Wash Cloth




• Apron


• Recipe Book for kids


• Measuring Spoons


• Mixing Spoons


• Fun Cupcake Wrappers




• Gardening Gloves


• Trowel


• Spade


• Seeds




• Tool Apron


• Measuring Tape


• Carpenter Pencil


• Appropriate Tools


• Hard Hat




• mini Shovel


• mini Rake




• Chocolate


• Candy Canes


• Christmas Orange

Textile Alphabet Binder

My Aunt Florence created and brought this over for my 4yr old but would be great for a younger child as well when learning letters.

It is a binder filled with letters for the entire alphabet that the child can glue items on from an item beginning with that letter. You could draw your own letters or print them out from the internet. These ones were printed from http://www.quality-kids-crafts.com/

Here are the ideas she had listed in the back of the binder for each letter (or try and come up with others - it's hard!!)

A aluminum foil

B band-aids

C cotton batting or balls

D dots punched from coloured paper with hole punch

E eggshells crushed (coloured with food colouring for a more colourful picture)

F coloured feathers

G grass or green +/or gold glitter

H hair or happy face stickers

I insect or instrument stickers

J jello powder

K kleenex

L lace

M masking tape

N newspaper

O octagon shapes or small O shaped pasta

P puzzle pieces

Q quarters or question marks

R ribbon

S sand or sandpaper

T toothpicks or tinsel or toothpaste

U umbrellas (mini ones for drinks)

V velcro or velvet

W wallpaper or wood

X wax (for the ending sound)

Y yellow yarn

Z zippers

Snowman

We do a lot of snowmen pictures (I love snowmen!) I give her some different sized circles (in a year perhaps she can cut out her own) and various craft supplies (pompoms, buttons, ribbon pieces and glitter glue!

Ginger Bread House Picture

I assembled a variety of items and let my 4yr old create a gingerbread house.
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Brown construction paper - one large square & one large triangle
small squares & rectangle (doors & windows)
White Glue
Old Christmas Garland of plastic candies
coloured pasta
Pom Poms

other item ideas:
fruit loops
Glitter or Glitter Glue
Buttons
coloured Rice
Dots punched from coloured paper
Stickers
Ribbons or Yarn
Coconut
Coloured Sand
Stale spices (draw a line of glue and let them pour some old flavourless spice on and shake off excess)
Cinnamon (to give a Christmassy Scent!)

etc! Raid your Cupboards & Drawers!