Christmas stockings don’t have to be packed to the brim with chocolate and other candy. Why do we feel we have to load the kids with sugar on every holiday? Think about it, on Valentine’s Day, we give them chocolate. On Easter, it’s a basket filled with candy. Do we really need to give the kids a sugar rush for them to enjoy a happy holiday?
Here are small gifts that fit perfectly inside a stocking. None of which contain sugar! Each one will be fun for children of all ages to receive on Christmas morning, and you can enjoy knowing they aren’t eating obscene amounts of sugar-filled treats.
Card games – Go Fish, Old Maid, Uno, Crazy Eights, War. They’d all make great gift basket inserts.
DVDs – This idea works for children of all ages. Consider giving your child a new Christmas movie each year.
Jacks – Your child may have never played Jacks, which would make this idea even more appealing.
Jump Rope – Gets your child active with a colorful jump rope in their stocking.
Tech Deck boards – Tech Decks are finger sized skateboards that kid’s like to collect and play with. They typically come in a box of three and work well as stocking stuffer ideas.
Play-Doh – You can buy a variety pack of Play-Doh for around $ 3.00.
Disposable camera – By getting a disposable camera, children can take pictures throughout the day and create their own memories.
Mini Photo Album – A small photo album will give kids a place to display the photos they took with their disposable camera.
Frisbee – Another great idea to get your kids active outside.
Books – If your child is a reader, they’d enjoy a good book or two.
Bookmarks – Bookmarks are small and slide easily in between other items.
Army men – Younger boys can entertain themselves for hours with a bag of Army men.
Stickers – Purchase stickers with your child’s favorite characters.
Paddle Ball – You either love these things, or hate them. But I think everyone starts out liking them.
Music CD – Tweens and teens love music. Surprise them with their favorite CD.
Trading cards – Think baseball, basketball or football cards for boys. And iCarly or Hello Kitty cards for girls.
Perfume or Cologne – A small bottle of perfume or cologne would fit nicely inside a stocking, and be a practical small gift idea too.
Bug Catching Set – Kids love bugs. Purchase an inexpensive bug catching set for less than $ 3.00 that includes a container, small net, and magnifying glass.
McDonald’s Gift Certificates – Children young and old like having their own “money” to spend. McDonald’s Gift Certificates are a great idea for kids of all ages.
Crayons – Crayons make great kid’s stocking stuffers, especially those with a built-in sharpener.
Color books – Of course, you have to get a few Christmas color books to go with a new box of crayons.
Construction Paper – Colorful and durable, this paper is great for arts and crafts.
Scissors – Around Christmas, you can even find scissors in the shape of candy canes.
Crossword Puzzle Book – Older children can be difficult to buy for, but a crossword puzzle or word search book makes a unique idea.
Flashlight – Let your child’s imagination run wild with the things they can do with a flashlight.
Locker Mirror – Another great idea for your older boy or girl.
Sunglasses – Select a colorful pair of sunglasses with your child’s favorite character.
Yo-Yo – No matter what age the child you are buying for is, you can find a colorful yo-yo that they can use.
Stuffed animal – Toddlers and younger children love stuffed bunnies, chicks, or puppies.
Matchbox cars – For less than $ 1.00 a piece, these make great stocking stuffers for boys.
Costume jewelry – Little girls love to play dress up. Some small pieces of play jewelry would look adorable sprinkled around and inside her Christmas stocking.
There you have it. Thirty different kid’s stocking stuffers that can be found just about anywhere. I’ve purposely listed items that wont cost a lot of money either. And the best thing is, you’ll be giving your child things that will last much longer than candy.
More from Jennifer Wagner:
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