Stockings are often the most delightful surprise on Christmas morning.

We believe the best stocking stuffers are a mix of practical and fun for children. This list features our favorite items that children will genuinely use and love long past the holiday season. From tools that build real skills to supplies for their favorite hobbies, find the perfect small treasures broken down by age, from babies to young teenagers.

In this blog post:

• Practical stocking stuffers for babies
• Practical stocking stuffers for toddlers (Ages 1-4)
• Practical stocking stuffers for big kids (Ages 5-8)
• Practical stocking stuffers for older kids (Ages 9-14)
• Intentional Christmas activities from Treehouse Schoolhouse

Practical stocking stuffers for babies

Gifts for the littlest members of the family focus on items that are not just fun, but functional. These stocking stuffers are designed to help your baby’s sensory development, soothe teething pain, and make daily feeding and bathing routines easier.

1. Our favorite pacifiers for soothing fussy babies.
2. Pacifier clip to keep baby’s paci in place.
3. Silicone sippy cup that is easy to grip.
4. A delightful peas-in-a-pod rattle.
5. Wooden egg shakers.
6. Crinkle book that is noisy, sensory, and tactile.
7. Plip Grip sensory toy for grasping and new textures.
8. Oibo elastic baby ball, a stretchy and lightweight ball.
9. Push pop feeder, a safe way to introduce fresh fruits and vegetables.
10. Long sleeve bib for baby led weaning.
11. Teething toy tool set.
12. Hot and cold teether to soothe painful gums.
13. Tissue box toy that mimics the fun of pulling tissues out of a box.
14. Honey bear straw cup to teach straw drinking skills using a sweet, squeezable design.
15. Sprinkler bath tub toy, a fun and interactive toy for bathtime.
16. Toddler training toothbrush with soft bristles for learning brushing.
17. Muslin lovey, an ultra-soft breathable blanket.
18. No slip grip socks for new walkers.
19. Nylon headbands, a comfy accessory for stylish babies.
20. Muslin bandana bibs to protect against drool and feeding spills.

Practical stocking stuffers for toddlers (Ages 1-4)

These items for toddlers encourage developing fine motor skills and their sense of self. This list includes small toys, items for creative play, and more. These stocking stuffers helps them master the world around them while staying safe and engaged.

1. Glo Pals water-activated bath toys light up bath time with fun characters and sensory water play.
2. Bath crackles create a fun, fizzy, popping sound for engaging bath sensory play.
3. Kalidescope creates mesmerizing, colorful patterns that inspire visual wonder.
4. Paper money for early counting and imaginative store role-play.
5. Play scarves, lightweight, colorful fabric for imaginative dress-up and dancing.
6. Little hands card holder, an easy tool that helps small hands hold and manage playing cards.
7. People magnets for matching, sorting, and fridge play.
8. Parachute toys that gently float down. 
9. Learning chopsticks to teach proper form easily and neatly.
10. Bright bandaids with fun designs to turn tears into smiles.
11. Mini cooking utensils (whisk and spatula) for helping in the kitchen.
12. Finger puppets, simple, expressive characters for imaginative, interactive storytelling.
13. Wooden lacing toy, a classic, hands-on activity that boosts fine motor coordination.
14. Board books like this one or our other favorites.
15. Bath squirt toys, fun, squeezable characters that encourage grasping and water play.
16. Water Wow! activity pads for mess free painting.
17. Beeswax crayons that are non-toxic and easy to grip.
18. Binoculars for observing nature and giving purpose on nature walks.
19. No spill bubbles for independent bubble fun without messy spills.
20. All-natural bath color drops, vibrant drops that turn bath water into a colorful adventure.

Practical stocking stuffers for big kids (Ages 5-8)

For elementary kids, these stocking stuffers support their emerging hobbies, education, and physical activity. These stocking stuffers encourage creativity, outdoor adventures, and more. They are compact, useful items children will love.

1. NeeDoh Nice Cube that squeezes and stretches.
2. Bike handle streamers add flair to any bicycle.
3. Monkey String, bright, wax-coated string that bends and holds any 3D shape.
4. Colored pencils for detailed artwork and vibrant, focused coloring.
5. Jump Rope to build coordination and rhythm.
6. Non-drying clay, a soft, reusable clay perfect for endless 3D sculpting and modeling.
7. Wooden slingshot, a safe, classic wooden toy for target practice and aiming skill.
8. Modeling beeswax, warm-to-model material for tactile, focused creation.
9. Merino wool socks, ultra-soft, temperature-regulating comfort for cozy, warm feet.
10. Card games that teach strategy, memory, and quick thinking.
11. Road tape to create custom roads for imaginative car play anywhere.
12. Sun Art paper that uses light and nature to create unique, beautiful photographic prints.
13. Math Dice Jr., a fun, simple game that builds fast mental math skills.
14. Toob animals are detailed, themed animal figurines perfect for creative habitat play.
15. Bicycle bell that adds a fun sound and enhances safety for confident bike riders.
16. Compass to teach basic navigation and inspires outdoor exploration and discovery.
17. Kid’s apron to protect clothes during fun cooking, painting, or crafts.
18. Holiday LEGO kit.
19. Fidget bracelet, a discreet, wearable sensory tool for focused, calm concentration.
20. Scrub Daddy, to encourage kids to help with chores.
21. Retro magic rail twirler, a classic, mesmerizing toy that demonstrates magnetic physics.

Practical stocking stuffers for older kids (Ages 9-14)

These gifts for middle schoolers reflect their unique personalities, challenge their brain, connect with others, and more. This list of practical stocking stuffers balances aesthetics, utility, independence, and fun.

1. Bread elastic shoelaces are stretchy, no-tie laces.
2. Pencil pouch for organizing pencils and pens.
3. Headlamp, a hands-free light for reading, camping, or exploring outdoors.
4. Sushi Go! is a fun, fast-paced card game where you try to make the best sushi combinations.
5. Bookmark corner, a stylish, simple way to keep your page marked neatly and securely.
6. A multitool pen functions as a ruler, level, and screwdriver.
7. Holiday Mad Libs, the classic fill-in-the-blank game.
8. Coggy Brain Teaser is a flexible puzzle that requires spatial thinking to match the patterns.
9. Pocket blanket is an ultra-compact, water-resistant mat for spontaneous outdoor seating.
10. Rubik’s Cube Phantom, a challenging cube where colors are only visible when warm.
11. Bananagrams, a fast, competitive word game that builds vocabulary and speed.
12. Book light, perfect for quiet, late-night reading without disturbing others nearby.
13. Karaoke microphone, a wireless mic for singing, performing, and family entertainment.
14. Guitar pick maker that recycles old cards into personalized, custom guitar picks instantly.
15. Mini, handheld fan will keep kids cool anywhere they go.
16. Gel pens for drawing, writing, and colorful notes.
17. Glow in the dark zip string, a fast, glowing loop of string that creates mesmerizing, fun light tricks.
18. Smart Sweets are a delicious and low-sugar candy.

Intentional Christmas activities from Treehouse Schoolhouse

If you are looking with ways to connect with your family this holiday season, enjoy these intentional advent studies from Treehouse Schoolhouse.

A Connected Christmas

A Connected Christmas is our original, three-week advent study designed for the whole family. Gather your family and celebrate beauty and delight through festive carols, stories, poetry, art, baking, and handcrafts. It’s about family, it’s about Him. It’s about connecting hearts to the heart of Christmas–to the truth of Jesus coming to earth to seek and save the lost.

A Connected Christmas, Volume Two

A Connected Christmas, Volume Two continues the same holiday tradition of carols, stories, poetry, art, baking, and handcrafts, designed to bring your family together during this holiday season. Share in the love of Christ by revisiting the Nativity story along with new stories and heartwarming activities to enjoy this season together.

is an invitation to gather your family and celebrate beauty and delight through festive carols, stories, poetry, art, baking, and handcrafts. It’s about family, it’s about Him. It’s about connecting hearts to the heart of Christmas–to the truth of Jesus coming to earth to seek and save the lost.

A Connected Christmas: Around the World

Travel around the world this holiday season and connect hearts to the truth of Jesus while experiencing how Christmas is celebrated across the globe through A Connected Christmas: Around the World. This study has a special focus on geography and cultural traditions as you learn how Christmas is celebrated worldwide during this special time of year.

Happy holidays from all of us here at Treehouse Schoolhouse. I hope this gift guide gets your wheels turning for your children this season! For a full list of gifts, check out my Amazon storefront. If you have any favorites from these lists, or something you’d add, I’d love to hear. Let me know in the comments below.