These Trendy Stocking Stuffers for Kids Will Prove That You’re a Gift-Giving Guru

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Just like you’d dig into some sweet desserts after a big, satisfying holiday dinner, stocking stuffers are like bonus treats for kids after they’re done diving headfirst into their Christmas gifts under the tree. They might be tiny, but these treasures are just as memorable as the bigger splurge-worthy items that Santa sent. The key to finding the best stocking stuffers is all about knowing what your kids are into this year and finding the right toy to fit their vibe.

Today, with Christmas drawing ever closer, there’s more cool stuff to fill their stockings with than ever before with a huge price range of options, so we made sure to have a little something for everyone on our list. From the latest Fingerlings to retro reboots that are all the rage this year, get ready to fill up their stockings with popular toys that they’ll obsess over and have fun showing off to friends.

These are the best stocking stuffers that are small, sweet, and sure to make the perfect gift for kids. And to make sure you can find something perfect on any budget, we've handily broken down this list by price!

Under $10

Infinity Cube

Fidget toys are as popular as ever, and this one is more satisfying than most. It’s an infinity cube, which allows your kid to open and close it in — you guessed it! — nearly infinite ways. And since there are four in a set, it’s perfect for families with multiple kiddos.

Sequin & Faux Fur Cat Ear Scrunchies

Perfect for the kiddo who loves accessories, kitties, or just a little bit of bling, this set of four unique and sparkly scrunchies are peak "elementary school chic." Set comes with three sequin and one faux-fur cat eat scrunchies.

Kinetic Sand Surprise Wild Critters Play Set with Storage

There are two things kids these days are just wild over: sensory toys and surprise toys. This stocking stuffer has both! Dig through the oh-so-satisfying sand and find a surprise character to play with.

165 Holographic Silver Scratch Mini Art Notes

Whether they want to write notes to their friends or just have something portable to doodle on at restaurants or on car trips, this pad of rainbow scratch paper (just scrape away the black with a stylus to reveal the bright colors) is just the thing.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Christmas Trees

In the hierarchy of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (the greatest of all candies, we said what we said), this Christmas tree iteration might be our favorite. The ratio of chocolate (substantial) to peanut butter (bountiful) is heaven on earth.

I Dig It Dinos

Your kiddo will love playing paleontologist with this fun toy, which allows them to dig a dino toy out of an egg with a chisel. When they’re done, they’ll have one of 12 different dinosaurs.

Flavored Lip Balm, 8 Count

These are the best lip balms, hands down. I don’t know if they’re the best at moisturizing or protecting, but for the smell alone, these win.

Don’t deprive your children of the utter joy of slathering on vaguely root beer-scented lip balm — instead, show them how cool you once were by telling them all about how you got a cold sore from your friend because you shared your lip balm and make sure they don't do the same.

Kanoodle Game

This brain-twisting solitary game will keep your impatient kid busy while his siblings are taking their time unwrapping all of the gifts from Santa. From simple to complicated, there are hundreds of different puzzles to play with and patterns to create.

Holiday Smencils - HB #2 Scented Fun Pencils, 5 Count

Scented pencils are just as cool now as they were when we were in school. These feature all the greatest hits you remember and love. This holiday set features gingerbread, cocoa, peppermint, sugar plum, and snowberry!

If you’re feeling extra nostalgic, you can even get a set for yourself for your WFH setup, too.

Sensory Fidget Toys

Give your child’s wiggly hands something to do with these snap-and-click tracks. As your kiddo molds and manipulates these tactile pieces, they will engage their senses while they refocus.

Slimygloop Stretch Sand

Once you get to play with this, you’ll realize why it’s on this list. It’s so satisfying. It’s stretchy, sandy, slimy, and makes a wonderfully crackly feeling under your hands. For under $7, it’s a high-quality ASMR toy for any stocking.

Scribble Scrubbie Safari 2 Pack

Paintable animals are an art staple. But for so long, they’ve been pretty one-step. Once you paint it, it’s done. Not with these Scribble Scrubbie pets. They use washable markers that wipe off, again and again, letting your kids’ creativity go wild.

Winter Wool Touchscreen Gloves Mitten

Whether your children want to wear mittens or gloves, these panda gloves are a snuggly, warm, and absurdly cute stocking stuffer for kids. Don’t worry — they’re touchscreen-friendly — so your little one won’t lose their mind trying to operate their phones or tablets.

Black Velvet Choker Set

Everything old is new again, and tweens and teens are obsessed with this style of necklace. This is a six-piece set of necklaces that are sturdy enough for everyday wear, but if one gets broken, no one is going to be losing sleep over it.

Beaker Creatures Reactor Pods

Pick up a four-pack of these beaker creatures and sprinkle them into all of your kids’ stockings and they can trade and collect the tiny creatures once they hatch.

A perfect surprise-style toy for kids, the collectible toy by Learning Resources will inspire your children to learn some cool new facts about science.

My Squishy Little Dumplings

Few toys have delighted the author of this article as much as these little dumplings. They’re soft and squishy, and when you squeeze the sides? Their little legs pop out. They each have an accessory like glasses included, and they’re just so sweet we can’t take it.

Vsco Stickers (70-Pack)

Trendy, colorful, and cool stickers are super popular. Your kid can decorate their water bottles, electronics, and just about anything else that they want to spruce up with them.

These stickers have an extra durable material that is water-resistant, won’t fade under the sun, and can be removed without that icky white residue left behind.

Kinetic Desk Toys

Arguably one of the weirder toys on this list, it’s also one of the most fun. Is it a sphere? A top? In short, it’s both — and we love it. The shape is kinetic, and so is the basis of the toy's movement. It’s a stocking stuffer for kids that will occupy your kid for a long time — and best of all, it’s a quiet toy!

Magic Mixies Mixlings

What can you your kiddo conjure up this Christmas? Maybe a new magical companion. Mix together the included ingredients (they bubble and fizz!), say the magic words, and reveal your mixling!

Christmas Mad Libs

To date, humanity has not found a better way to teach kids what adjectives are or have a laugh. This holiday themed assortment of fill-in-the-blank stories is a great Christmas activity for the whole family.

Under $15

Mini Twistables Crayons

This isn't your mother's crayon (though it comes from the same trust brand). Easy for little hands to hold, they never have to be sharpened or peeled (and therefore get harder to use). You just twist the bottom and more crayon comes out.

Wintertime Polar Bears Kit

This set is the perfect festive build for your Lego-obsessed child (of any age--no judgment). Two adorable polar bears gather around their very own Christmas tree in adorable little scarves. Perfect for annual display after building!

Toy Keys

Tired of your baby, toddler, or even big kid snatching your kids to play pretend (or chew on them)? This set of realistic but child-safe keys is just the thing. The key fob even makes real car sounds.

Fluffy Slime Kit

This is one of the easier-to-clean slime kits — music to every parent’s ears. It includes everything you need, so you don’t need to worry about making a trip to Walgreens for contact lens solution, borax, or whatever else the recipe your kids googled requires. There are also simple instructions that aren’t hard to follow.

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Easily the best trend to take over any social media. Hot cocoa bombs are equal parts delicious and fun. You just pop this milk chocolate ball into hot milk, and it opens to reveal marshmallows and other goodies. What could be better on Christmas morning?

Reindeer Barf Candy

Obviously reindeer barf rainbow. They also toot cotton candy — it’s a little-known fact! Get your children a bag of barf! It’s delicious.

Much like a Red Vine or pull-apart Twizzler, but with multiple flavors, this is a silly gift that kids will love just because of how utterly ridiculous it is.

Tabletop Bowling Game

Unplug and have fun with this charming wooden toy, which is just like bowling but on a much smaller scale. Great for mini-tournaments or solo play for kids overwhelmed by big Christmas crowds.

Happy Salmon Family-Friendly Party Games

If you’ve played Exploding Kittens or Unstable Unicorns, you know how fun this company’s games are. Happy Salmon is a quick-play, fun-for-the-whole-family game that just screams to be played on a cold winter’s night. Will your kids get super competitive? Probably, but that’s half the fun.

Riverside Bluey Bottle With Straw and Built-In Carrying Loop

Bluey is one of the cutest little characters — and kids absolutely adore her. So when you put her and her brother, Bingo, on water bottles, it makes for a great stocking stuffer.

The best part? This is a two-pack perfect for siblings or kids who are harder on their water bottles.

Building Bath Pipes Toy Set

Let’s be honest — bath time is already fun. But throw in this super cool pipe toy set, and your little one will turn into a raisin before they’re ready to stop playing and get out of the tub.

Your kid can set up the pipes however they want to create endless water-flow patterns. The five-piece set suctions to the wall of your tub and can be easily removed once your kiddo finally hops out!

Cat & Dog Pet Animal Mismatched Socks

Who says that the perfect pair of socks must match? While they aren’t an identical set, these socks go together like PB&J.

Great for lounging around the home, Pals Socks are thicker and cozier than your average pair. The grip on the bottom eliminates that Risky Business kind of sliding, which you will appreciate. Designed to be collected, your little one can make their own mismatched sets, too!

Ultra DLX Fingerboard

Personally, as adults, we may have problems understanding the draw of finger skateboards, but trust us, kids love them. They slide them in their backpacks, keep them in their pockets, and play with and trade them with their friends. They’re huge right now.

XXL Mega Magic Grow Hatching Dinosaur Eggs

Chances are, if you have a child between the ages of 4 and 7, you know all the different dinosaurs of each time period, what they ate, what they looked like, and probably who their best friends were on the train. Well, parents, make your kids whole freaking winter with this hatching dino egg.

Just put it in water and leave them be for a day or two, and the shell dissolves, leaving a dino toy behind.

500-Piece Pack of Monkey String

If you’ve ever played with candle wax, you know how utterly satisfying it is. Monkey Wax sticks are similar to that, but instead of just cool wax, it’s yarn coated in wax. So, it’s completely maneuverable and posable. This pack has 500 pieces, and it’s the best thing for long car rides... or while waiting for food at a restaurant.

The Interactive Smart Kids Toothbrush

A toothbrush as a stocking stuffer can seem like the world’s lamest kid’s gift, but the BriteBrush is anything but boring. Preloaded with interactive games, your child can unlock new levels as they brush. To gain points and discover all seven of the fun games, your little one has to clean their chompers regularly and efficiently.

With replaceable heads and a light indicator at the bottom to confirm that your child has done a good job, keeping their oral health in check will be a lot more fun.

Dots Sparkly Unicorn Bracelet

Since she’s always playing with Mom’s jewelry collection, get your kid her own wearable LEGO bracelet that gives her the freedom to change up and customize her look.

It comes with an adjustable band and 32 colorful, sparkly unicorn tiles, so she can switch it up to create another when she gets bored of one pattern.

The Original Reversible Octopus Plushie

You’ve never seen a sillier cephalopod. A reversible octopus with happy and angry faces, this toy is a hit on TikTok — so you know it’s good.

It’s funny and goofy, but we’ve also noticed that kids turn to this toy as a chill way to express emotion, having an angry octopus when they’re mad and a happy octopus otherwise.

Bluey and Family Poseable Figures

As beloved by parents as kids, the Bluey tells charming, hilarious, relatable stories about family and growing up. This set comes with all four Heelers – Bluey, Bingo, Mum, and Dad – and is a perfect stocking stuffer for kids of any age!

Holiday Flavored Jelly Beans

Not all jelly beans are created equal–when it comes to truly unique flavors, Jelly Belly is your best bet, and we love this assortment of candies in all our favorite Yuletide flavors, from pumpkin pie to egg nog.

Glow Star Stickers

Introduce the next generation to these whimsical, glow in the dark stickers, guaranteed* to keep away bad dreams. With 200 per pack, there’s plenty to plaster their entire ceiling. (*Not really, but they do let you go to bed with a nice cozy feeling.)

Booster Packs

You might be thinking “Are kids still into Pokémon?” We asked and, it turns out Pokémania is going strong after all this time. With three packs of 30 cards, these cards will level up your kids’ deck and impress all their school friends after winter break.

Under $25

Ramune Japanese Soda Variety Pack

Ramune is a Japanese classic not just because the unique flavors, but because opening the bottle feels like a game. Puncture the top with the included apparatus and listen to the satisfying sound of the marble that's been sealing it from the inside drop. A perfect stocking stuffer for families with multiple kids.

Kids' Thermal Balaclava

How many a-snow day has been thwarted by too-cold cheeks and noses? Kiss those days goodbye with this colorful balaclava, made of 99% recycled materials. Perfect for protecting little faces who just want to spend more time frolicking in the snow.

Limited-Edition Insta-Dri That's A Wrap Set

Deck your nails with lots of color! This set is perfect for a nail-art loving kiddo and includes five festive colors to keep the season merry and bright long after the last present has been opened.

onn. Mini Rugged Speaker with Bluetooth Wireless Technology Yellow

This speaker may be a mere 3.6 inches tall, but it doesn’t skimp on sound. This is a great stocking stuffer for teens and tweens, because you never really know when they might need to have an impromptu dance party.

Hair Chalk

So, they want to dye their hair green this week (or pink, purple, blue, orange, or fire-engine red). You might not be quite ready to let them head to the salon, but with this set of hair chalk, they’ll be able to try their cool new look and wash it out the next day.

BrickHeadz Nutcracker

Small, fun Lego kits make great stocking stuffers. This one is a BrickHeadz of a nutcracker, complete with a tree and presents. BrickHeadz are easy-to-build sets designed to replicate minifigures on a grander scale. They only take about 30 minutes to complete, and they really look fun on a shelf.

Secret Decoder Ring

How cool is this? A real decoder ring! I saw these in movies when I was a kid but never got to see one in real life before now. There’s a secret code with every turn. It’s part game, part jewelry, and full of tons of fun. Your kids will get a kick out of being miniature sleuths with this decoder ring.

WhatchamaDRAWit

If you’ve never thought about drawing an alligator in a tutu, you should because your kids will be super into it. WhatchamaDRAWIt is a wild romp of a card game where you draw a card from the pile and then draw whatever it describes, which is sure to bring on a lot of laughs.

Magnetic Putty

I personally get way too much excitement from throwing pieces of this putty directly at my fridge and watching it stick. Your kids will likely have more creative uses for it, like hanging stuff on their mirrors and in their lockers. But no matter what, this stocking stuffer for kids is a sensory delight with multiple uses and ways to play with it.

Kids Winter Grip Socks (2-Pack)

If you have a kid constantly zooming around the house, they’re going to need grippy socks — and lots of them. Crafted from quality materials, Sticky Be socks feature a stylish grip and are made to support your little one on any adventure.

Ziggy the Lanky Cat

Ziggy is a little lovable lanky cat who deserves a home on a special kid’s shoulder. The plush has incredibly soft fur to pet, and the oversized paws, ears, and eyes are adorably unique. It’s a perfect stocking stuffer for kids, especially if they’re cat lovers.

Toys Walkie Talkies for Kids

Calling your kiddo down for dinner will be totally different — and probably easier — with these fun walkie-talkie toys. With a satisfyingly crisp sound and anti-interference technology built-in, your message will come through loud and clear. Lightweight enough for your kiddo’s tiny hands, you can use these in the house or while outdoors.

Snow Castle Kit

We know what you’re thinking– why give a sandcastle toy in the winter? Here’s the fun thing about Create-A-Castle molds: they work in the snow. Your child will spend the season perfecting realistic spires and fortresses.

Temporary Tattoo Markers

Your tween or teen will get a giggle giving Grandma and Grandpa a scare over Christmas dinner when they casually reveal their new “tattoo.” Don’t worry: these body markers wash off (eventually). They even come with stencils for a professional look.

Pick-Up Sticks

The premise of this timeless game is extremely straightforward: drop the sticks, pick up the sticks, but don’t move any of the other sticks. And yet you’d be surprised by just how much fun (and how competitive) this game can get! Perfect for Christmas afternoon with the whole family.

Youth Gripper Slipper

Have a comfy Christmas with these wool-lined sock-style slippers from Bombas. Available in a variety of cozy patterns, these slippers are complete with anti-slip, grippy bottoms (because we know kids need all the help they can get in that department).

Under $60

AirTag - 1 Pack

This is the perfect stocking stuffer for kids who are constantly losing their stuff, both to the kids themselves and the poor parents who are constantly trying to find (or having to replace) missing items. More than one kid? There's also a 4-pack available!

Kids Bath Bombs Gift Set

For your sweetie who made Santa’s nice list, swap out the dusty coal for these colorful bath bombs. With six different kid-friendly scents, your little one will be rushing to get to bath time. The best part is that each bath bomb comes with a surprise toy inside.

Pixies Crystal Flyers

Crystal Flyers are the very first Hatchimals Pixies toy that can really fly! To get her going, simply launch her from the included base or lift her into the air. She’ll sense your movement, so use your hands to guide her high or low and watch her sparkle as she air-dances through the sky.

Original Tamagotchi

If you’re a kid of the late ’80s or ’90s, you don’t need to be introduced to Tamagotchi. These tiny digital pets ruled an entire generation, and they’re back, new and improved, to steal the heart of your kiddo.

They’re also a lot more affordable than they were when millennials were kids, which is a huge bonus.

Wireless Earbuds

These earbud headphones were a winner for our tech editor, Stefan Vazharov. He compared them to the original Apple Airpods in both quality and comfort. They’re not pro-level, but because the asking price is so much lower, you’ll likely be more comfortable buying them for younger kids who might lose or break them within a year.

Ninja Bots (2-Pack)

Watch Red Dragon and Black Tiger battle it out with their own sets of weapons and over 100 sounds and movements. Each bot has its own silly personality, and they become stronger fighters as they train and win battles. The more you play with them, the better they'll be!

Youth Gripper Slipper

Have a comfy Christmas with these sherpa lined sock slippers from Bombas. Available in a variety of cozy patterns, these slippers are complete with anti-slip, grippy bottoms (because we know kids need all the help they can get in that department).

Lucky Fortune Blind Collectible Bracelets

The best part of take-out food is the fortune cookie at the end of the meal. While this one is not the kind that your little one can eat, she will totally enjoy the cute bracelet, fun fortune cookie charm, and positive note that she finds inside.

This stocking stuffer for kids comes in a four-pack, so your little one can share it with friends.

TMNT Mutant Mayhem Plush

The long-awaited Mutant Mayhem gave Ninja Turtles fans young and… not as young… a fresh look at their favorite heroes on a half shell. These plush toys feature the teen turtles in their latest iteration (emphasis on teen)-- pick their favorite or surprise them with all four!

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