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

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!

Snowman Craft & Lacing Activity

Easy Snowman Craft for Toddler (or Preschoolers) plus a project for learning or practicing Lacing.

Need:
2 White Paper Plate (one cut smaller than other)
Hole Punch to punch holes around both plates
Yarn for lacing
Black Construction Paper or Foam
Buttons of various sizes for Eyes, Nose, Mouth (or use pom poms)
PipeCleaner for hanger
Bingo Dabber or marker for Snowman's buttons
Paper cut out Mitts

I think it is pretty self explanatory :-)

Recycled Christmas Cards Magnet Craft

Using any type of lids (pickle jar, salsa, cheesewhiz, baby food, etc.) trace a circle from a cute Christmas card. Cut the circle out a little bit inside the line you drew. Glue inside the lid. Use glitter glue (yes, we use this for almost every craft!) around the edge of the card and could also be around edge of lid too. Glue a magnet on the back. Or turn into a ornament by glueing a string on.

Could also glue ribbon on outside edge of lid.

I think these would look great on the fridge in random sizes. I plan to do random sizes from various Santa cards that we've received this year.

Easy Toddler Made Ornaments

this was from a foam kit but could easily be cut from brown foam and then use various foam stickers to decorate.


storebought ornament covered in stickers.


wooden ornament coloured, glitter glued, and stickers applied.

another storebought ornament with stickers

pinecone dabbed with glue, glitter sprinkled on and a ribbon glued on.

Homemade Yarn Ornament - Toddler Craft Fun!

Make these easy homemade ornaments for your tree. Would be great in any colour and size!

Need:

Yarn

GlueGlitter or Glitter Glue

small Balloon

Blow up the balloons into a small round shape (grapefruit size perhaps). Dip yarn into glue (use a disposable cup, can, etc. so that you can toss after you're done). Remove yarn from glue squeezing some of the excess glue from it. Wrap yarn around and around and around the balloon in multiple directions. Wrap the ends under other strings. Sprinkle with glitter (or wait until dry and then decorate with glitter glue and then allow to dry again. Put somewhere warm to dry.

*tips* i did this craft over a piece of cling wrap (could also use wax paper or aluminum foil) for easy clean up. I used a ice cream pail lid for the balls to dry on.

Once dry, (you may need to turn occasionally as it drys) pop the balloon and remove. Tie a ribbon and hang on the tree.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Baby

Hmm, what to get for my 7m old little boys stocking...
Here are some of the ideas Ive come up with.

Rattle

Socks

Bib

Stacking Cups

Board or Cloth Book(s)

Baby Cookie

Sippy Cup

Tube of FP Little People

Balls

Mega Blok accessories

Blocks

Teething Toy

Spoon & / or Fork

Plate or Bowl (with special design or personalized)

Easy Toddler Kleenex / Tissue Box Craft

* Tissue Box (full - not empty!)
* Various papers, stickers, colouring pages, previously done artwork, buttons, ribbons, Christmas or Birthday Cards etc.

Cover the sides of the box with blank construction paper, previous artwork or coloured colouring pages. Further embellish with whatever! It is now a festive tissue box. :0)

(sometimes I dont want EVERY craft we do to last forever! just want something for an afternoon activity that will be on display short term.)

This can be done for any holiday or as an every day item.

Handprint & Footprint Angel Craft

This craft was done at our Toy Library and thought it was share worthy :-)

Trace child's foot, cut out.
Trace child's hands, cut out.
Glue hands (wings) to back of foot (body)
Glue on Hair and Googly Eyes and draw a mouth.
Shape pipecleaner into halo shape and staple to head.
Glue magnet or piece of string to back.

Paint Stick Snowman

Paint Stick (you get them free when you buy paint)

White Paint

Black Marker

Orange Marker

random Buttons

Small length of fabric or ribbon

Felt

Paint the stick white. Draw a face near top of stick. Tie length of fabric or ribbon as a scarf. Glue small buttons down front. Wrap felt around top of head and glue to back. Tie ribbon or yarn around to make a hat shape.

Button Snowman Magnet or Pin - A Gift a Toddler can Make!

2 white Buttons (large)
Black foam
Ribbon or Yarn (small piece)
Orange foam or paper (small piece)
Magnet

(I like to reuse buttons for crafts and usually save good magnets if they fall off or before I toss the craft that was on it)

Glue the two buttons onto the magnet with the first buttons holes horizontal (looking like eyes) and the second buttons holes verticle (looking like the snowman's buttons)

Cut a small hat shape from black foam and glue onto head of snowman.

Glue small piece of ribbon or yarn around neck of snowman. Plus another small piece as a hat band.

Glue small sliver of orange foam or paper for the snowman nose.

Use a marker or small dab of black paint to dot a mouth.

*If wanted as a pin, substitute the magnet for a pin backing.*


This would be a great gift to give a teacher, Grandma, etc.!

Edible Toddler Craft - Sugar Cone Christmas Tree

* Sugar Cones

* Green icing (could substitute coolwhip & vanilla pudding combo tinted green for a slightly less sugary icing)

* Various little candies, coconut, raisens, etc. (could substitute with fruit loop cereal)

* Sprinkles

Working over a paper plate: Spread the icing on the sugar cone.
Decorate your little Christmas Tree using the candies!

Cotton Ball SANTA Craft - easy for small kids

Materials:
Paper Plate
Cotton Balls
Red Paper
Googly Eyes
small piece of yarn or pipe cleaner or red paper (for mouth)
white paint (with a small toothpick dipped in red paint & mixed in)

Instructions:
Paint plate a skin colour (optional)

Cut triangle of red paper. Glue to top of plate.

Glue cotton balls around perimeter of plate (this will be beard & hat fur) including over the bottom edge of hat. Glue another layer of cotton to 'thicken' the beard.

Glue one stretched cotton ball on as a mustache

Glue yarn or pipe cleaner or piece of red paper for mouth.

Glue on googly eyes

Glue half a cotton ball for each eyebrow.

Puzzle Pieces Wreath

A use for those puzzle pieces that can no longer complete a puzzle (due to missing pieces!)

Materials:
Paper Plate (not styrafoam) or piece of cardboard cut into circle.
Random Puzzle Pieces
Green Paint
Glue
Glitter or Glitter Glue
Ribbon
Buttons

Instructions:
Cut a large circle in center of the paper plate (a wreath shape)

Let child glue the puzzle pieces on overlapping them completely around the circle. Let dry.

Paint green. Let dry.

Paint another coat of green. (if using glitter, apply now) Let dry.

Dazzle it up with glitter glue. Attach random buttoms.

Make a bow from the ribbon and glue on bottom of wreath.

Put a larger ribbon around top of wreath to hang.

Reindeer Crafts

Do these crafts as a random fun Holiday Craft or perhaps part of a Book theme Craft from one of many Christmas books about Reindeer.

Or switch out the red nose for a black one and use these crafts when learning about deer or elk.

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REINDEER ORNAMENT:

Materials:
3 Craft Sticks
2 Brown Pipecleaners
2 Googly Eyes
1 Red Pompom
Brown Construction Paper
Piece of Yarn or magnet

Instructions:
Help child glue 3 craft sticks (or popsicle sticks) into a triangle. Let dry. (Perhaps having you the parent do this with a hot glue gun may be quicker & sturdier).

With flat part of triangle up and point downwards, this will be your reindeer face.

On the top two corners, wrap a brown pipe cleaner on each to serve as antlers.

Glue brown construction paper to back of triangle.

On front, glue on googly eyes and a red pompom nose.

*I didnt have any pipecleaners that werent in neon colours so used two popsicle sticks with puzzle pieces (sticks & pieces coloured black with marker) glued together*

To display, you could glue a magnet to the back or attach a string to hang on your Christmas Tree.
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REINDEER (made with HANDPRINTS & FOOTPRINT)
(turn this guy into a Moose by putting the footprint in the opposite direction and using a black or brown pompom)

Materials:
Brown Construction Paper
Black (or different shade of Brown) Construction Paper
2 Googly Eyes
1 Red Pompom
pencil

Instructions:
Trace your child's foot and their Left and Right Hands.
Cut out the shapes.
Glue the hands to the back of the top of the foot. Glue on eyes and nose. (this one has a magnet on back to display on the fridge)

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REINDEER CUPCAKES:

Materials: Prepare your favourite cupcakes. Bake as per recipe. Tint icing brown and decorate the cupcakes. Insert two pretzels for antlers, half a marachino cherry for the nose, and two small candies (m&ms, hershey kisses, smarties, etc) for the eyes.

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REINDEER (Gift Tag / Plant Poke / Ornament / Magnet)

So EASY & QUICK! (I did this craft at a playdate and it took the kids maybe 5mins. All ages were able to make it)

Materials: Craft Stick, Brown Paint (optional), Brown corrugated Cardboard, Black Marker, Red Marker (or paint or pompom), Ribbon/Yarn

Instructions:

Paint craft stick brown (optional)

Cut antler shape and small circle from corrugated cardboard. Glue antlers at top of craft stick. Glue circle for the mouth area.

Use marker to make eyes just above the brown circle and a little mouth at base of circle.

Use red marker or paint to make rudoph nose.

Tie a ribbon around his 'neck'.

Either leave as is for a plant poke or attach magnet or string on the back for Fridge Magnet or Ornament/Gift Tag.

In a Pinch - Wrapping Paper alternatives

Tablecloth (great for a really LARGE present!)

Beach Towel

Kitchen Towel

Kids Artwork

Fabric

Bath Towel


These could be for any type of present or fun with a theme!
(ie. kitchen towel for baking themed gift)

Advent Calendar Fillers - for a Toddler

I decided to make a mini stocking Advent Calendar - seemed like a project that I could do in short increments of time and wouldnt need any things that I would have to purchase (anything other than groceries are at least an hour away).

Here are some ideas for filling the calendar
(some items may be too large depending on the size of calendar)

* Hershey Kisses
* Box of Raisens
* Small toys (car, mini doll or animals, etc)
* Pencils
* Erasers (so many unique ones)
* Candy Cane
* "Turn the table into a Fort today!"
* "Let's go Skating!"
* jar of Sprinkles and recipe for Cookies
* Christmas Rhyme or Poems
* Snowflake Crafts
* Snowman Crafts http://123mytoddlerandme.blogspot.com/2010/01/snowman-crafts.html
* Ornament Crafts
* Making Wrapping Paper Craft (large pieces of paper & paints or crayons)
* Christmas Socks
* Beads & String to make a bracelet or necklace
* Small book
* Making Bird Treats Craft http://123mytoddlerandme.blogspot.com/2009/04/make-some-bird-treats.html
* Festive Stickers
* "Christmas Lights tour around town!"
* Rubber Stamp

* "Santa Claus Parade!"
* Finger Puppet(s)
* "Stay up 20mins later!"
* Puzzle (a few pieces over a few different days)
* Funky Shoelaces
* Snowman Snack today! http://123mytoddlerandme.blogspot.com/2010/01/edible-snowman-craft-snack.html
* Gingerbread House Craft
* Bag of Snowman Poop (Mini Marshmallows)

* Reindeer Poop (Chocolate Chips or Chocolate rainsens/peanuts)

* "Let's learn a new Christmas Song (or Poem or Joke)!"

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Jokes:
* Where does Santa stay on vacation? A Ho-ho-tel!
* Who delivers Christmas gifts to the pets? Santa Paws!
* What goes "Oh, oh, oh"? Santa walking backwards!
* What do Snowmen eat for breakfast? Snowflakes!
*

Poems
A chubby little snowman had a carrot nose.
Along came a bunny and what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny, looking for his lunch
Ate that little snowman's nose - Nibble, Nibble, Crunch!
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The best gift at Xmas is easy to see
Its not wrapped in paper or under the tree
Cos' the best gift at Xmas and all the year through
Is having a child as special as you!

Many of these items are activities or things that I would have been giving the kids anyhow - such as festive stickers & socks, doing crafts, and making cookies.

By putting them into the little stockings it should be a fun surprise every morning for the kids.

Edible Snowman Craft / Snack

Let's Make a Snowman Snack!

Sweet Version
Spread two Graham Crackers with Icing. Use raisens, marshmallows and small candies or small cereal to create the face and buttons.

Savoury Version
Spread round crackers with cream cheese. Use raisens and small bits of carrots, broccoli, celery etc. for the face and buttons.

Snowman Crafts

I love snowman and like having various creations around the house. We did some before Christmas as part of our decorations but it is a craft we can continue in the new year as well.

Cupcake Liner Snowman -
Let child flatten some cupcake ( or specialty chocolate) liners (a couple in different sizes would be great). G
lue in a snowman shape onto construction paper.
Glue on items for the face and clothing.
To create the look of snow falling, put small daps of glue throughout paper and some on snowman. Let child sprinkle white glitter on the glue drops.

Cotton Ball Snowman -
Cut out two or three circles from paper (could even use the cardboard from a cereal box for a sturdy recycled version).
Let child either dip their cotton balls in glue and apply on circles OR let child paint glue onto circles and then place cotton balls on glued area.

For a picture:
glue circles on paper and then let child decorate with an assortment of odds and ends.
Glue on items for face and clothing.

For a hanging mobile version:
Using the cardboard backing, put a hole on top of largest circle. A hole on top and bottom of medium circle and one on bottom of smallest circle.
Use string, twist ties, etc to attach circles to create the snowman.
The child could even decorate the back of the snowman in the same manner so that it can twist and turn with the air movement.

Chalkboard Snowman -

Glue on snowman shapes & accessories onto black paper. Let the child use white chalk to create snowflakes!

SNOWMAN ACCESSORIES:
Fabric Scraps
Felt pieces
Buttons
Feathers
Foam Stickers
Construction Paper
Wool / Yarn
Bottle Caps
Ribbons

Toddler Christmas Craft - Tin Pie Plate Stars

In researching some ideas of what to use my aluminum pie plates for in a toddler craft, I came across a great idea to use next Christmas!

Cut stars out of the center of the pie plates. Punch a hole in the top and hang several in the window at varying lengths.

Perhaps the toddler could help decorate them with glue and glitter.