Where to get cheap stocking fillers that are actually cheap?

[PippyLongTits]

Any ideas for stocking fillers for children that don't cost the earth? Single parent to 2 children (4 & 6) so budget is not huge. All ideas welcome, especially if you could include the rough price and which shop to find them in.

Thank you!

If there's a Flying Tiger close to you then that might be worth a look - lots of smaller things that should fit in a stocking and aren't too expensive.

I've picked up some big playing cards and a mini crocodile dentist for my 5 year old from there this year - along with a big chocolate coin from Lidl, some Minecraft pants and a couple of Hot Wheels then I think that's the stocking pretty much done!

Socks- pound store

Lidl has a ton of stocking sized packs of biscuits/ chocolates etc

Markers / colouring pencils and colouring books from the Range. They have some great craft things too.

Are you crafty? Can you make them each their own Christmas bauble?

I love the Polish shops for chocolate, crisps and other treats

An orange- obvs

Santa in my house loves a bathroom
gift.
toothpaste, flannels, toothbrush, bathbombs (B&M for multipacks, split and wrap separately), chocolate coins, bubble bath, new sponge, and a cheap bath toy.
Santa also loves a bath snack so will slip in some of those flavoured straws you use with milk and some hot chocolate sachets or stirrers to enjoy (all B&M)

At those ages, tubes of glow sticks(pound shops) went down well, bubble wands, new tooth brush, the big tubes of smarties(pound shop), some fun bubble bath or foam. Festive socks(Asda,£1.25). An orange to fill out the toe of the stocking, gold coins.

B and m and home bargains have lots of reasonable price craft stuff, baking sets etc. baker ross online have a fantastic selection of drawing coloring craft stuff......not too expensive either x

Socks primark

Arts and crafts pound land

Books Tkmaxx

Chocolate Aldi

Bubble baths/Bath bombs B&m

Small toys like Slime/puzzels The Works

Magic painting books- not too pricey and they take up space and will be enjoyed
Bubble mixture? I often had bottles left over from parties that I bunged in
A pack of their favourite biscuits/crisps

Bath toys from Poundland or similar

Toysforapound.com

I second Baker Ross, though many of their small items come in packs of 5 (aimed at nurseries/infant schools/playgroups) Paper Moon is another one. Good value but there is some tat.

Temu

A packet of football cards / stickers / Pokémon cards - couple of quid

This will be a very useful thread for a lot of people OP.

I used to start in the pound shop and work my way up via The Works, B&M or Home Bargains, and the local newsagent's pocket money toy section.
Look in pound shop for sweets, glow sticks, those magic drawing boards, mini sets of bath bombs or bath slime, novelty sponge or flannel. A water bottle (not necessarily pence but if they need one anyway...) filled with marshmallows or strawberry pencils. A soft toy to put in the top. A magazine, colouring book or kids' puzzle magazine rolled up. If there's a little toy section of the pound shop see what's in - I've got some nice little beading sets and knitting Nancy in there before, and toy cars. A little Christmassy thing like a light up decoration or badge.

The Works for craft sets, stationery, books.

eBay can be good for fidgets.

Second hand can be fine. I've found sets of books which are literally unopened on Facebook and my work's electronic noticeboard.

What not to do - pound shops can be not that bargainous for chocolate, and be a bit careful of buying things there that can dry up like playdoh, glue and pens.

Home bargains.

Individual play doh tubs- I've seen 'smoothie' and 'ice cream' ones instore in the Game concessions in House of Fraser/ Sports Direct.

Playmobil/ lego blind bags. Or any toy blind bags/ mashems- normally about £3.

As PP said, bath stuff- can get dinosaur sponges in supermarkets in the baby section. Or Poundland and Home Bargains do Christmas pouffe thingys like reindeer, Santa, elf. Or one of those expanding flannels. Bath foam. Dunelm do a set of little Christmas bath toys for about £5. Bath bomb.

Home Bargains- I got a small tin of gingerbread men for £1 I think.

As PP said- Flying Tiger are great for little stocking fillers, as are the Works. Think Christmas pencils with toppers, mini games...

Mr Men/ Little Miss books.

Socks- Asda has a Candy cane pair for £1.50 for example.

Tube of sweeties, choc coins.

Flashing toothbrush- again, places like Home Bargains.

B&M do cute initial jewellery boxes- see photo.

https://toysforapound.com/

Home Bargains. Lots of cheap mini games and toys, sweets and Christmas themed things.
Get bulky items so you don’t need many. The tubes of sweets/chocolate are great for this

Shein

Temu, lots for 1 or 2 pound and comes within a week.

Primark: www.primark.com/en-gb/c/christmas/christmas-gifting/gifts-for-kids#sorting=%22low_price+asc%22

Flashing bouncy ball, spinning tops etc.

Bulk it out with things that they need anyway - pants, socks, toothbrush, gloves, etc.
Practical treat type things - bath stuff, etc. Bath bombs are pretty expensive, would they go for (bulkier and longer lasting) character bubble bath instead?
Sweeties.
Colouring book rolled up, with pens or crayons in the middle. Or puzzle book. Bulky and keeps them occupied. If youve access to a printer (your own, a friends, library, etc) you can print off from online, staple the pages together, costs nearly nothing.
Then 1 or 2 little toys - I always found they lost interest in the novelty items really quickly so they were just a total waste of money, so would buy one slightly more expensive thing - eg a yoyo, whoopy cushion, playdoh, dominoes, hand warmers, card game etc were all good. Shouldnt cost as much as £5.

Temu have kaleidoscopes, a wooden game of tic tac toe, and you'd get both for £5. Matey/Miss Matey Bubble bath is £1.99 at Morrisons. B&M have a Cadbury selection box for £1.20. They have candy canes too I forgot the price but they are cheap. Felt pens, dot to dot book, both are cheap. I got a Where's Elf and a Where's Reindeer books on Amazon (like Where's Wally only Xmas themed. I think about £5 each. Toy cars if either like cars are usually £4 at Asda.

Poundland had chocolate stirrers to make hot chocolate very cheap £1. Aldi sell mini marshmallows to go on top for about £1 a big bag.

A snow globe usually only cost about £4.

I agree with all the above. I also used to do breakfast in the stocking and make it something they weren’t normally allowed - for example buy a pack of pop tarts and split them up. And a little bottle or can of juice of some sort.

My parents always used to add a mini pack of a cereal they wouldn't allow- still feel like it's posh!

Agree with all.the above suggestions, but don't forget chocolate coins.