The best stocking stuffers for toddlers are small enough to fit, safe for a child who still tests everything with their mouth, and useful long after the wrapping paper is gone. These 33 ideas are sorted for 1 year olds, 2 year olds and 3 and 4 year olds, with non-toy picks, free ideas from around the house, a choking-safety check and a free stocking planner to print.
Quick answer: good stocking stuffers for toddlers include board books, stacking cups, jumbo crayons, mini play dough, bath toys, grip socks and a safe snack. Fill each stocking with six things: something to play with, make, read, wear, use in the bath and eat. Skip anything small enough to choke on, button batteries and hard candy.
Free printable Toddler Stocking Planner Printable
Short on time? Start with the top pick for each age: Where’s Spot? for 1 year olds, Crayola Egg Crayons for 2 year olds and Water Wow! for 3 and 4 year olds. All three are popular, well-reviewed picks that fit easily in a stocking.
SaveThe 6-slot stocking formula
Six slots keep a toddler’s stocking full without a pile of plastic that’s forgotten by New Year. One thing from each row is plenty, and it’s exactly how the free planner below is laid out.
| Slot | What it is | 1 year old | 2 year old | 3 to 4 year old |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play | A toy they can use by themselves | Stacking cups | Toy dump truck | Lacing beads |
| Make | Art or fine-motor fun | Egg crayons | Play dough | Water-reveal pad |
| Read | One book, sized for their hands | Lift-the-flap book | Christmas board book | Hidden-pictures book |
| Wear | Something useful they can show off | Grip socks | Mittens | Character toothbrush |
| Splash | A bath-time surprise | Ring-toss bath toy | Bath books | Bath crayons |
| Treat | A snack that’s safe for their age | Snack cup + crackers | Clementine | Mini muffins |
Toddlers tire quickly on a big morning. Six things they can actually use beat twenty they can’t.
Stocking stuffers for 1 year olds
At 12 to 23 months, pulling things out of the stocking is half the fun. Go for sturdy, chunky and mouth-friendly, and look for “0 to 3” or “12 months+” on the package.
Where's Spot? lift-the-flap board book
The First Years Stack & Count Stacking Cups
Melissa & Doug Barnyard Animals Jumbo Knob Puzzle
Baby Einstein Star Bright Symphony Musical Toy
Nuby Floating Octopus Ring-Toss Bath Toy
Munchkin Snack Catcher Cups (2-pack)
ZAPLES Non-Slip Grip Socks
SaveStocking stuffers for 2 year olds
Two-year-olds want to do it themselves. These stocking stuffers for 2 year olds lean into scribbling, squishing and pretend play, all things they can manage without much help.
Crayola Egg Crayons (12 count)
Play-Doh 10-Pack of Colors
Green Toys Dump Truck
Melissa & Doug Safari Buddies Hand Puppets (6-piece)
VTech Spin and Learn Color Flashlight
Little Blue Truck's Christmas
SGILE Magnetic Drawing Board
Stocking stuffers for 3 and 4 year olds
Three- and four-year-olds can handle simple crafts, short “jobs” for their hands and books with more to find. Many of these work as stocking stuffers for preschoolers in a classroom gift swap, too.
Melissa & Doug Water Wow! Under the Sea
Do A Dot Art! Rainbow Markers (6-pack)
Fiskars Training Scissors for Kids
Melissa & Doug Primary Lacing Beads
Tub Works Smooth Bath Crayons (12-pack)
Highlights Hidden Pictures Sticker Fun (4-pack)
Hands that love these tools will love our fine motor activities for toddlers: most of them use the same crayons, stickers and play dough.
Non-toy stocking stuffers for toddlers
If the toy bins are already full, fill the stocking with things they’ll use. Toddlers get just as excited about a toothbrush in their favorite color.
- A toothbrush in their favorite color. Makes brushing feel like a gift instead of a chore.
- Character bandages. The magic cure for every bump in the new year.
- Warm mittens or a hat. Something they need anyway, made special.
- A plate, bowl or cup that's all theirs. Toddlers love owning their own dishes.
- A coupon for an outing. Draw a ticket for the zoo, a library trip or a pancake breakfast.
- A little photo book of family faces. Print a few family photos and slip them into a small brag-book album.
- A library card. Many libraries give young children their own card, so ask at the desk.
Free stocking stuffers from around the house
Toddlers don’t know what anything cost. These cost nothing and get played with anyway.
- A whisk or measuring cups. Kitchen tools are the best bath and sandbox toys.
- A roll of painter's tape. Stick it on the floor as roads for the new toy cars.
- A pad of sticky notes. Peeling and sticking keeps toddlers busy for ages.
- A clementine. The classic toe-of-the-stocking treat. Peel and split it at snack time.
- An empty cardboard box. It will be a car, a house and a drum by lunchtime.
- A new washcloth puppet. A washcloth folded into a bunny makes bath time silly.
SaveAre stocking stuffers safe for toddlers?
They can be, if you check size, batteries and candy. Stocking stuffers are small by design, and small is exactly what makes something a choking risk for a child under 3.
The CPSC small parts rule bans toys with small parts for children under 3. A small part is anything that fits completely inside a test cylinder sized to match the throat of a child under 3. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ choking prevention guide adds the foods and household items to keep away from young children.
| Skip | Why | Swap for |
|---|---|---|
| Toys labeled 3+ in an under-3’s stocking | The label usually means small parts (CPSC) | Toys labeled for their age |
| Hard candy, candy canes, gum, marshmallows, popcorn | AAP lists them as choking risks until age 4 | A clementine or crackers in a snack cup |
| Anything with a button or coin battery | Swallowed, they can cause internal burns (AAP) | Toys with a screw-shut battery door |
| Balloons | AAP calls them a choking risk up to age 8 | Bubbles, played with outside |
| Water beads | They swell after swallowing; we explain why we skip them in our sensory bin guide | Dry pasta or rice in a supervised bin |
One catch: crayons, chalk, play dough, paints and books are exempt from the small parts ban, so a snapped crayon or a pinch of dough is still a choking risk. That’s why every “make” item on this list is used with an adult nearby. The AAP also notes that many choking incidents start when an older sibling shares a small toy or food, so keep big kids’ stocking stuffers out of the toddler’s reach.
SaveHow to fill a toddler’s stocking
- Start at the toe with the treat, then the bath item, the clothes and the book.
- Put the play item on top so the first thing out is the most exciting.
- Wrap one or two things in tissue paper. Toddlers love tearing it off, and it slows the morning down.
- Set a budget per child before you shop. Small things add up fast.
- Clear the wrapping away as soon as everything’s open, along with any packaging pieces.
Looking for more December fun? Try these Christmas activities for toddlers, our advent calendar ideas for kids, and free Christmas coloring pages for the quiet hour after the presents.
Free printable toddler stocking planner
Plan every stocking in one place. The free 2-page PDF has the six-slot planner for up to three children, with a budget and spent box for each, plus a page of ideas by age and the under-3 safety check to tick off. Type straight into it or print it.
SaveStocking Stuffers for Toddlers FAQ
What do you put in a toddler’s stocking?
Use the six-slot formula: something to play with, something to make, a book, something to wear, a bath toy and a safe snack. It keeps the stocking full and fun without overbuying.
How many stocking stuffers should a toddler get?
Five or six is plenty. Toddlers tire quickly on a busy morning, and a few things they can actually use beat a pile they can’t.
What are good stocking stuffers for a 1 year old?
A lift-the-flap book like Where’s Spot?, stacking cups, a jumbo knob puzzle, a soft musical toy, a floating bath toy, a spill-proof snack cup and grip socks. Choose toys labeled for 12 months and up.
Are candy canes safe for toddlers?
Not for young toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists hard candy as a choking risk and suggests keeping it from children until at least age 4. A clementine or crackers make a safer toe treat.
What can I put in a stocking instead of toys?
A toothbrush in their favorite color, character bandages, mittens, their own plate or cup, a coupon for an outing, a little photo book of family faces or a library card.
How much should I spend on stocking stuffers for a toddler?
There’s no right amount. Pick a budget for each child before you shop, because small items add up quickly. The free planner has a budget and spent box for every stocking.
Looking for the main present too? See the best gifts for 2 year olds, from pretend play to big gifts.
