Stocking fillers - what is fun that isn't chocolate or 'tat'?

[Iknowitisheresomewhere]

Really trying hard not to buy for the sake of it. Kids are 4-14. They will get 'necessary but nice' stuff like socks, soap and toothpaste. They will get an apple, an orange, a book, and chocolate. But I am seaching for something that they will enjoy and play with lots, rather than just a novelty.

The fact that I can't think of anything obviously means whatever it is they don't 'need' it, but - well it is Christmas!

Bookmarks for the older ones - my dd’s favourite is a doctor who one I got her a few years back.

Lego mini figures. Everyone loves a blind bag or two 😀, and the figures are obviously kept and played with (if not Lego, then search around. The amount of different blind bags is truly astonishing. Obviously some are more tat than others, but there are good ones out there)

Top trumps or other card games line monopoly deal etc.

I got my ds a cool nightlight last year. He still wants a dim light on, and there was a themed one he loves, so he got that.

I’ve made dolls clothes before now for much loved toys, and they went down really well (nothing fancy, and not particularly well made, tbh, but the dc loved them).

One year I got them some seeds to grow throughout the year, which again went down well.

The fact that I can't think of anything obviously means whatever it is they don't 'need' it, but - well it is Christmas!

This is what I always come back to, it's so hard!

For my two (4 and 6) I have bought things like card games, bike streamers, whoopie cushions (which is tat but I know it will appeal to the 4 year olds sense of humour), binoculars. When DD1 was small I got her a nice tin of plasters and packets of patterned tissues from Flying Tiger. They went down well.

Jacks

Bottle of bubbles (can be replenished with washing up liquid)

Lip balms!

My two are obsessed with them and loose them at least once a week. They usually turn up in the house a few days later.

Top Trumps! Can't go wrong with them!

I've got mine umbrellas this year.

Usable stuff, so novelty soaps, character toothbrush. Dsis used to buy her kids those mini boxes of cereal that they didn't have at any other time. Old fashioned sweeties - things like rhubarb and custard or Soor plooms. Homemade voucher for a trip to a cafe with cake. French knitting dolly. Quiz game.

It sounds like they’ve already got lots of nice things in their stockings!

We don’t do stockings but for small gifts we give Harry Potter Lego figures and similar things. I’ve also got dd some cute animal crossing socks that she’ll love - I had to order them and couldn’t find anything animal crossing in the shops. We had the horrible histories card game in the past as well, plus these little puzzles I got from WH Smith, they were like wooden things that you took them apart then had to put them back together. Not a great description but they kept them busy for a long time.

Some of ds (age 4) stocking could be described as tat I’m sure but it’s all things he would love and that I’ve thought through rather than things just for the sake of it.

Lego mini figures (Wilkinson’s knock off version)
Mini Lego ice cream van set (Wilkos again)
A whoopie cushion,
A reusable sticker book,
A stencil colouring art set,
A bath bomb,
Character socks and pants (lion king and Spider-Man)
Magic bubbles that you can catch,
Avengers temporary tattoos,
And some chocolate.

Stationery is useful and can be fun, including calendars. Also magazines, although obviously drifting into the 'not useful' territory there.

A purse
Bath bombs
Mini science/nature kit - they sell stuff like that in some of the museum shops online
Audio story cards (e.g. yoto) if they have a player
Pocket binoculars/mini telescope/magnifying glass/kaleidoscope
Spinning top
Mini etch a sketch
Card game or something like dobble. There are good card games for older kids if you check on board game shops online.
Mini fancy dress kit - e.g eye patch, large handkerchief and fake moustache for a pirate
Invisible ink pen
Yo yo
Mini magic set/card tricks
You can get tiny really difficult jigsaw puzzles for the older ones
Hexbugs
Craft kit like Hama beads, make a necklace, starter knitting kit, etc.
Really weird and interesting dice with e.g. 26 sides
Giant bubble kit - like Dr Zigs
Juggling balls

Can you tell I’ve been giving this some thought and have lots of kids in the family?!

Seed bombs they can plant out
Craft kits
Magic flannel

Agree with Lego mini figures (or the poly bags that have small sets). For older girls Lego Dots bracelets or bag tags.

Other things DD has loved and particularly plays with:

— books or audiobook CDs;

— notebooks and stationery, rubbers etc;
— hair things like scrunchies
— you can get small board/card games (last year I got DD Sussed which fits nicely in a stocking, and there are sets of eg Gruffalo game cards which would be suitable for a 4 y o);
— science toys like a gyroscope, insect eye, kaleidoscope, mini hand microscope (National Geographic do a good quality mini hand microscope for around £13); bug viewers; ultraviolet spy pens;
— bath bombs or bath crackles for younger ones
— LED torches (I just bought DD a tiny solar powered torch for her stocking)
— musical things like a harmonica, castanets, mini pan pipes
— juggling ball sets
— a good quality light up yo-yo
— an issue of an interesting magazine
— art supplies, eg a tin of double-ended or sparkle, pastel or neon pencils
— light up bouncy balls
— paper making or origami kits (just got DD a little paper kit for making a fairy door from a national trust shop);
— bird whistles that sound like different birds;
— Crystal growing kits.

Museum shops and National Trust shops always have great stocking things; also John Lewis normally has a pocket money toys section with loads of science-y and interesting bits. I also look at Rex London, especially in the sale, and they have a great “classic kids toys” section with all sorts of little kits.

I'm a big fan of the Gamewright card games - would highly recommend.

Mini boxes of cereal, as suggested by a PP, is a great idea! I've also bought mini jars of Nutella in previous years - they LOVED those.

Other things that have gone down well here are little solar torch keyrings, buffs/neckwarmers, UV pens etc.

Stationery
Head torch
Compass
Mini torch
Mini duplo/lego/nanoblock kit
Pack of cards

Oh and also agree with a French knitting dolly, Hama bead kits, seeds (seeds is a nice idea)!

Just remembered I’ve also got a mini Fimo kit for DD for this year - search on Amazon as they have small ones with a couple of colours that you use to make eg. black and white cat models.

I absolutely love doing stockings and spend quite a bit of time during the year picking up little things for DD’s stocking when I see them.

And is your 14 a girl or boy? (I’m better at buying for teenage girls!) For that age, what about bath bombs, mini fairy or LED strip lights for their room, a book, a CD of music they like, ear buds, a mini Bluetooth speaker, travel jewellery case, decorative things (try Sass&Belle, Oliver Bonas, Lisa Angel, Rex London), art supplies eg. glass or stone painting pens, mini perfume bottle, LED multicolour tealights, hot chocolate spoon and bombe?

I confess I’m more at a loss for a 14 y o boy though!

Rubik's cube. Poppers, slime, joke book, bath stuff, bookmarks, game console phone cases, ring lights for phone, funky headphones, wordsearch books, tamagotchis, body sprays. Maybe a new personalised tree decoration each.

Card games
Small sets of lego or playmobil
Colouring book
Stationery
Craft kits

Yes to small lego set or polybag, torch that clips to their book for late night reading and something like magic putty or slime. Card games or very small board games (Waterstones have lots) are great as well if you are happy to spend a bit on that component.

Good suggestions above.

I've also added things like seed packets for fun flowers or veg - so they can grow them next year. Perhaps sunflower seeds to have a height competition, or similar?

Sweets
Toiletries
fun socks
book
novelty toys - e.g. whoppie cushions, stress balls, face paint
mini box cereal
satsuma
chocolate santa or similar
stickers
stationery - notebooks, novelty pens and pencils etc.
small cuddly toy of some variety
ear phones (they're endlessly tangling or losing them)

I put in magic tricks last year - old school joke shop stuff like you might remember like those little devices that vanish a coin, roses that squirt water, fake dog turd, fortune teller fish, chewing gum packet that snaps your finger etc, trick packs of playing cards. Was really successful with my 5 and 7 yo girls. Quite a lot are under £1.
Got them at:
magicbypost.co.uk/joke-shop

Also if worried about general waste and excess, charity shops are good for dress up jewellery for little kids and often mini toys.
When I was a young teenager I always loved getting nice versions of toiletries - stuff that I was surprised mum had bought and made me wonder if Santa really did exist after all…

Wow thank you all SO much! Some of these things I have done before but I was just having a brain freeze. So yes they will now get Lego minfigures, seeds, headphones, mini cereal and a magazine, and I will take a look at some of the other amazing suggestions as well. At least one would love bike streamers!