Stocking fillers for under 5s

[Postmanbear]

Does anyone have any suggestions for stocking fillers (gifts under £10 that take up room!) for under 5s?

Last year I did what my mum did for us and bought the extra things they needed like bath wash etc and it went down badly! I think I could do this with more exciting varieties of boring things, like maybe character socks?

So far I’ve got them reusable stickers, a sticker book and I’m going to get a big chocolate selection box. Any other ideas please?

I did character socks and knickers one year and my DD was so confused, she kept asking why Father Christmas would give her those I think she was 3. I sometimes stuff the bottom with a big teddy or a cute cushion. I also get the milkybar and smartie tubes which take up quite a bit of room for £1. And a colouring book and pencils can be quite bulky. Card Factory usually has good things like big light up wands.

Go to the pound shop. A few cheap plastic toys, some craft stuff and a book. Easy! Also check their party section for little pots of bubbles and party bag fillers. They'll love it!

Also hair accessories for girls are a good filler.

Hi OP is it for DD or DS? I have just ordered clip on earrings and rings for my 4yo DD they were £2.50 each for a pack of 5 from accessorize. For 6yo DD I've picked up frozen hair chalk and nail polish from superdrug for less then £5 each. When DS was around 5 we picked up a bucket of dinosaurs one year then art materials another. Also individual magic tricks from John Lewis I think.

Bit sticking filler for my four-year-olds was their own sellotape dispenser. It’s still used every day!!

Skip Hop snack pot (currently in Aldi)
Crazy foam soap
Bath crayons
Joie egg cup
Foam bath shapes/letters
Orchard toys dominoes
Novelty hat www.next.co.uk/g81472s13/302117#302117
Playdough cutters
Bubble wand

Ball popper.
Fake snow in a can.
Cup with curly straw filled with chocolate coins/sweets.
DC favourite drink, to pour into cup.
Glow sticks.
Novelty sponge on a stick.
Sometimes we add in snack food that we don't ordinarily buy.

The works is really good for stocking fillers.

Bubbles, cans of Pringles, tubs of play dough and slime, glow sticks, fidget toys, light up bouncy balls, paint sticks, small lego/duplo sets, favourite character t shirts (seems more acceptable than pants for Christmas!), little craft sets, plain t shirt and a set of fabric paints, little cuddly toy (home bargains have the small squishmallows for £3.99 just now)...
I can’t wait till DS is old enough for this stuff

For my 2 (almost 3) year old I've got her things like bath bombs, chocolate, a hatching dinosaur egg (one of the small ones) some tiny dinosaurs, some glow in the dark stars to stick on her wardrobe and socks which me and dad have matching ones.
She likes dinosaurs and space so it was quite simple to just get small things in that theme

hair accessories, playdoh, crayons, pens, chocolates, suprise bags

Some of you must have enormous stockings.

DD (3) is getting a squishy, flashing toothbrushes, kaleidoscope, kinetic sand tools, bath sponge, stickers, gloves, water bottle and necklace. Total just under £12.

DS (1) will have bath glove, light up spinner thing, mini football, Lanka kade figures, water bottle, bath toy and small book. Total £13.

Some things we've had success with over the years...

Stacking cups
Sensory toys
Flashing/soft ball
Soft toy
Inflatable ball/animal stick (not inflated)
Musical instrument - shaky egg/bells/maraca/harmonica/recorder
Bath bombs/Colour changing bath tablets
Character water cup
Books
DVD
Water magic painting book
Zoo/farm/train in a tin
Flower/vegetable seeds to grow in the spring
Scratch art book
Small pouch of fossils/gemstones
Children's rubiks animal puzzles
Mini jigsaw
Character clothing
Character toothbrush
Threading Apple and worm/cheese and mouse toy
Small character figures
Mini Lego figures/small set
Toy trains/cars/any other vehicle
Toot toot vehicles
Torch
Fine motor skills set (tweezers etc)
Children's safe knife for cooking together
Small craft set
Binoculars
Small baking set/cake mix in a jar
Superhero capes/other small dressing up set
Pencil case
Nesting dolls
Tubes of plastic animals/knights and dragons/pirates/whatever else they might like
Stickers
Paint sticks
Balloons to blow up and play with

Over the years here:
Rolled up magazine
Second hand Brio trains
Seeds to plant in spring
Xmas socks (then worn all year)
Charity shop books
Art supplies
Small Lego sets
Torch (they were 2 for 1 and all four of us had one, very handy)
Pack of cards

I got a lot at the works - books, little puzzles, colouring books and sticker books. Bath toys, bath crayons, grow your own sloth, chocolate coins, other little sweets.

Glitter tattoos were popular last year. Plus some little Ben & Holly figures (one year when that was pretty much the only thing they watched!)

A bubble sword is pretty big and usually only 50p-£1

Teddies could work well

Chocolate orange, Chocolate coins, Toblerone, Tubes of smarties/rolos and Rainbow Drops are bulky

Maybe a bath items like a rubber duck, bath crayons or a water pistol.

Finger or hand puppets could work (poundland sell hand ones)

Honestly I wouldnt put toiletries or socks/pants in even with characters on.

I put character plasters in one year. They lived them (we get through a lot of plasters!)
One of the small orchard games or a card game like Happy Families
Colouring book and crayons/pencils
Craft kit (Hobbycraft pocket money section!)
Book
Cuddly toy

I do include useful things like bubble bath but one I wouldn't usually buy so a bottle of matey or you can get glittery/colour changing bubble bath. That takes up a fair bit of room.

Some good ideas above though, I'd never thought of putting a rolled up magazine in there but DS would love that.

A skipping rope?

I’ve got a just turned 4 and a nearly 2 year old. Some of theirs include;
Whoopee cushion
Fart whistle
Moon ball
Stickers
Keyring notebooks
Mini book
Mini game (soundalicious)
Woolly hat
Character socks
Character figures (Ben and holly)
Bath toys
Skipping rope
Playfoam
Fuzzy pen
Calculator
Jellycat toy
Peppa toothbrush

My nearly 4 year old has:
Lion puzzle (Rex London)
Bear shaped bubbles (Rex London)
Bear crayon eraser (Rex London)
Bird whistle (Rex London)
Kaleidoscope (Rex London)
Snap cards (Rex London)
Unicorn bath fizzer (Rex London)
Whale cookie cutter (Rex London)
Disney Cars mini diecast blind box
Rainbow bath bomb
Jelly tots tube
Chocolate coins
Lollipop in a toy phone

These are all amazing ideas, thank you! I’m going to make a list from this of the ones I think they will like best. (2 sons 2+3 years old for those who asked)

My 2 and 4 year old have got chalk bombs and mini bags of kinetic sand so far

Good Bubble Zog bubble bath
Net bag of bouncy balls
Net bag of chocolate sprouts (running joke that he is getting sprouts for Xmas!)
Gruffalo snap cards
A mini joke book
Some reusable straws in a wriggly shape (we are down to our last one and DS loves them)
Foam shapes for bath
Bath crayons
Sponge or magic flannel
Bubbles
Personalised water bottle
Uno

DS is 4

These have been over a couple of years I must add! Not one stocking!