Non-Toy Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers and Kids They'll Actually Use

Stockings fill up fast with candy and small toys that get lost by New Year's. These ideas are small, useful, and keep little hands busy on Christmas morning and through the slow days after.

Everything here is screen-free and works from about age 2, with a grown-up nearby for anything that needs cutting, tying or hanging. Pick two or three favorites, add a snack, and the stocking is done.

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Coloring Books Sized for Little Hands

A coloring book fits a stocking better than almost anything else. It is flat, it is light, and it keeps working long after the wrapping paper is gone. Birdie's Cozy Cottage books are bold and easy, with thick lines and simple shapes, so a toddler can color a whole page without needing help.

The four books share the same cozy cottage world, so a child can start with Christmas and keep going all winter. Each one is a paperback sized for small hands and small laps. If you want a few ideas for what to color first, our easy Christmas crafts for toddlers use the same pages.

The big stocking pick is Birdie's Jumbo Coloring Book: all four Cozy Cottage books in one 200-page volume. It is the one that fills the toe of the stocking completely and keeps a child coloring well into January.

Jumbo Crayons and Washable Markers

A coloring book needs something to color with, and a fresh box of crayons is the easiest pairing. Jumbo crayons are the better first set for 2 and 3 year olds: a wider barrel is easier to hold, and the thicker core survives being pressed hard on the page.

Washable markers suit slightly older kids who want brighter color and finer lines. Put a sheet of cardstock underneath, since markers can soak through thin paper. If you are choosing a first set of supplies, our toddler coloring guide covers what to buy and how to set up a table.

A Letter from Santa

A letter from Santa is the one stocking stuffer children keep. Ours arrives with a color-me-in copy of the letter and two name ornaments to color, so it becomes an activity as well as a keepsake.

Choose the printable if you want to print it at home tonight, or the mailed version printed on parchment and sent to your child by real mail. Mailed letters: order by December 12 for Christmas delivery in the US.

A Craft Kit to Make Together

Paper ornaments are the easiest Christmas craft to do with a 2 or 3 year old, because the coloring is the child's job and the building takes a grown-up about a minute. Kids color the pieces, you cut them out, and the two halves slot together into a 3D ornament. Loop a piece of ribbon through the top and it hangs on the tree the same afternoon.

The printable set has 20 ornaments to choose from. The mailed kit arrives already printed on cardstock with ribbon included, which is handy if your printer is out of ink in December.

Color-Your-Own Christmas Cards

A card a child colors is the one that ends up on the fridge. It also keeps a small person busy for twenty quiet minutes in the middle of December, which is its own gift.

Print the four designs on cardstock so the cards stand up on their own, then let your child color one for a grandparent, a teacher or a neighbor. The mailed version arrives personalized with your child's name and ready to color.

Printable Coloring Pages for After Christmas

The days between Christmas and New Year are long, and the new toys are already boring. A stack of fresh coloring pages is the quietest thing you can hand a child on December 27.

If the pages are going in the stocking, print them, stack them and tie the stack with a piece of ribbon. It reads as a gift, and it costs you a sheet of paper and five minutes.

Other Small Non-Toy Ideas

No links needed for these. They are the small useful things that get used every day:

• Stickers, especially a sheet of simple shapes for a toddler to peel and stick.
• A child-size apron for baking and crafts.
• Bath crayons for the side of the tub.
• A small flashlight for reading under the covers.
• A favorite snack, tucked in the toe of the stocking.
• A new toothbrush in a color they picked.

Tips for Filling a Toddler's Stocking

• Skip small parts for under 3s. Choose items that are too big to swallow, and keep anything with loose pieces or magnets for older children.
• Mix one "big" item with a few small ones. A book or a mailed letter plus two or three little things feels generous without being overwhelming.
• Add something to do together. Ornaments, cards or a coloring book give you a shared job on Christmas afternoon.
• Keep it simple. Four or five items are plenty for a toddler, and most of them can be useful rather than plastic.
• Include one thing for the car or travel. A small coloring book and a few crayons in a pouch live in the car all year.

A stocking also works as a Christmas Eve box companion: one item to color on the night before, the rest on Christmas morning. We have a full list of Christmas Eve box ideas for kids if you are putting both together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good non-toy stocking stuffers for toddlers?

Coloring books, jumbo crayons, washable markers, printable or mailed letters from Santa, 3D paper ornaments to color and build, color-your-own cards and printable coloring pages. Useful everyday things like stickers, an apron, bath crayons and a small flashlight work well too. Choose items sized for your child's age.

Are coloring books good stocking stuffers for 2-year-olds?

Yes. A coloring book is flat, light and fits easily in a stocking, and bold and easy pages with thick lines suit a 2-year-old who is still learning to hold a crayon. Pair it with jumbo crayons and color together at first. Choose age-appropriate, non-toxic supplies.

What can I put in a stocking that isn't candy?

Coloring books, crayons, markers, a letter from Santa, paper ornaments to build, color-your-own cards, printable coloring pages and small practical items such as stickers, an apron or a new toothbrush. A favorite snack is fine too, in a small amount.

When should I order mailed Christmas items?

Order mailed letters, ornaments and cards by December 12 for Christmas delivery in the US. Printable items are instant downloads, so they can be printed the same day you order them.

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