I have some good ideas, just "small" toys for the stocking stuffers, like small Chuck trucks and 4-5" My Little Pony toys and two plastic hand clappers that cost a buck. I have a 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 boy and girl. I am tossed between the partially fun 18mos toys and the three yr old toys that are either too small or just not that appropriate. Of course I am able to find more boy things than any girl toys, staying away from ones that are too small that her younger brother might try to eat.
I did get a Discovery Tunnel, large truck, tea set; I am just stuck on any other ideas. I figured, if I could get something big that Santa brought and full stockings for Christmas day, and a couple presents we would be set. Unfortunately I am less than half full of my idea, and no, I don't want to go crazy, money is a bit tight.
Any suggestions?
Do you put the snacks crackers in something special, or a bag, do you need to buy something or just put a ribbon on around a bag? These are really good ideas, snacks, fruit, socks bathroom things, etc., and of course the cardboard boxes! all great responses. I am glad that you shared your ideas. Thank you! :)
How about toothbrushes and toothpaste in the stockings... as well as bubble bath, tub ducks, and even a pair of socks or two? How about small books? Board books?
YMMV
LBC
Bubble bath, board books, magic grow washcloths (at dollar tree), holiday stuffed animals, toy dinosaurs or animals, I agree with the fruit snacks or crackers, teddy grahams, cheez its, etc.
For gifts you could go with a little tykes shopping cart, play food, wooden peg puzzles, etc.
Small stuffed animals / soft rag dolls work well for stocking stuffers.
Our Nana used to sew them from scraps of cloth and yarn and then stuff them with dryer lint.
With small kids, you'd be surprise how many of them ignore the gifts for awhile and play with the boxes the gifts came in for hours.
It might be worth it to decorate a few boxes expressly for the purpose of being played with. A cardboard box can be a play house, space ship, fire truck, race car, fort, etc. A few markers, some construction paper and some glue and some creativity and you are all set.
A box of bandaides with characters, Fruit snacks, shoe laces, hair accessories, socks, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, scarf.
We do not wrapp the items that are in the stockings.. I go to Walgreens and purchase the small snack sized individual gold fish, teddy grahams.. etc..
We put lots of fun stuff in the children's stockings, but I also put stuff like a Batman t-shirt or Buzz Lightyear socks. Things they want and like because of the design or logo -but that they also need! Rolled clothing also takes up a lot of room! Last year my oldest son LOVED his superhero undies he got out of his stocking, as well as his Spiderman toothbrush and Spiderman bath soap.All of that stuff is practical and he needed it -but with favorite cartoon characters or story characters -your toddlers will like it. Plus -they're still little enough just to get a thrill out of being handed a stocking or a present and finding anything inside! Coloring books, crayons and washable markers are also great and inexpensive. Play doh is great too.
If they like fruit strips or that type of thing, you can get Frut a Bu all-natural 100% pressed fruit strips in the health food section of your grocery store and dump a box in each stocking -they're individually wrapped. Dried fruits are good too -but at their age I would stick with dried berry mixes because larger things may choke them.
I also have 2 small children (16 month old girl and 27 month old boy). So far for their stockings I have gotten dinorsaurs and a few board books for my son. For my daughter I got a bottle for her baby dolls a little pony and some board books. We are not big on candy either so I will be filling them up with goldfish crackers and fruit snacks.
I use to get my daughter small books, bath toys, for the girl a barabie doll. Those usually filled up the stockings pretty well. Good luck and happy holidays :)
We also always got fruit in our stockings, like an apple, orange, or something like that. My favorite is a pomegranate, but sometimes they are hard to find right before Christmas. We also got practical things, like a new toothbrush or paste. Kids just find the "discovery" fun. We never wrapped our stocking stuffers growing up, but my husband's family always wraps all of them, so I've gone along with the wrapping. You can get those cute Circus boxes of animal crackers, and I'm thinking of that for the boys. It makes an everyday snack a little more fun.
we get our girls useful stuff for their stockings with their fav characters on there:
toothbrushes and paste
hair brushes and accessories
underwear
bandaids
juice cups
utensils with their names on them
lipgloss and nail polish
Our stockings always had an orange, an apple, and a baggie of pretzels in the toe, because 'Santa wanted us to eat healthy'. :) The toys and stuff would be on the top part.
Some ideas for stockings..
books (small board books)
hairbrush or comb
hair ties, clips, etc
toothbrush
shampoo (get the kind that comes in a specialty bottle with a character)
bubbles
snacks (special treats that they don't get on a regular basis)
small stuffed animal
small doll
fun socks
I also like these gifts that are appropriate for both children
mega blocks
shape sorting toy
New pj's, hats and mittens, are always nice for Christmas.
My BFF taught me this one. Wrap the stocking gifts in tissue paper. It costs less, and this way the kids get the fun of unwrapping. You may want to use a different color tissue for each child.
Remember at this age, they don't know how much anything costs.
I think the small chuck truck sounds good and a small doll for the girl. You should not feel like you have to buy alot for them in their stocking at this age. They will not remember the stocking this year nor even next year. I totally disagree getting them something too small. They are too young to have hand clappers and will only leave them laying around on the floor.
What about snacks? Do they have particular snacks they like to eat? Something yummy... maybe even some type of candy like M&M's or even fruit.
we do arts and crafts in our stockings. It's preactical, b/c they always need new stuff anyway.
Crayons, markers, watercolors, etc...
what about toothbrushes, shampoo. baby bubbles..target and cvs has lots to chose from and they are also fun but practicle...good luck
My girls (4 1/2 and 1 1/2) both love trains and cars, along with dolls and ponies. Imaginarium has a great train table that comes complete with tracks and train cars. You can also buy extra train excessories. I am not sure how small the pieces are for your 1 1/2 year old. My kids are pretty good about not putting things in their mouths (including food - haha). Toys R Us sells this and has been putting it on sale off and on for between $99 and $140. But this could be a joint gift from Santa if that is something you were looking to do. Have a great Christmas - enjoy the little ones!
