It’s time! I poured my heart into these, scouring the Internet for weeks to find things kids and teens will actually use and love. We make a big deal out of stockings and love them just as much as opening the big gifts, if not more. With no further ado…51 Stocking Stuffers for Kids, Tweens & Teens!

1. Movie Bingo Cards – These are going in Nella’s stocking this year, but they’ll benefit all of us on movie night. They’re such a fun way to level up a family movie night and work for all movies. Bingo squares include movie sightings like New York City, a baby, someone riding a horse, a car chase, etc.
2. Reverso – We are a family of fidget lovers. This one combines fidget love with Tetris skills.
3. Magnetic Fidget Set – Another great fidget I haven’t seen yet–magnet sliders. Dash is getting these this yar.
4. Animal Clinic and Police Ticket Notepads – I would have lost my mind with these fun play notepads when I was a kid. From vet and dental exam forms to police tickets and teacher report cards, there’s a pad for every play need.
5. Flamingo Socks – Girls will be looking forward to going back to school after winter break just so they can show off their cool flamingo socks.
6. Barbie Sticker Book – Nella’s getting this one in her stocking this year–great Barbie dress-up entertainment without actually playing with the doll.
7. Shimmer Puff Powder – Beat winter dulls with a little dusting of shimmer powder.
8. Octopus Fidget – Suction cup tentacles–say no more.
9. Kids Poetry Kit – Be still my teacher heart. This kit offers so many fun games to get your kids started writing poems. Kit includes 500 word cards, a spinner with linguistic techniques like simile, metaphor, personification, etc. and more.
10. Light-up Slingball – Outdoor fun for all ages with a light-up bonus for long dark winter days.
11. Prime Suspect Game – This one looks so fun, and I’m excited to add to our collection this year. You arrange tiles and follow the clues to solve cases and reveal the prime suspect. I love that there are different difficulty levels (I think Nella will enjoy this one too!).
12. Puffer Coat Hand Sanitizer Keychain – The cutest way to keep hand sanitizers (we’re big fans of these ones) on hand…pun intended.
13. Light-up Yo-yo – It’s been a while since we’ve had a good yo-yo in our house, and it’s time for Dash to learn new tricks.
14. Kids Whittling Knife – This was a big hit for Dash one year and a great way to entertain kids screen-free.
15. Market Days Sticker Book – I pre-ordered this earlier this year and so delighted by the pages when it came. It makes a great addition to the restaurant/travel entertainment bag.
16. Tracerbot – Have you seen these? They’re so fun, and kids are fascinated by them.
17. It’s Magic Card Deck – Ten great card tricks included in one magic deck.
18. Minibrands Fill the Fridge 2-pack – Don’t get me started on our Minibrands obsession in this house. Dash has an entire wall shelf dedicated to the miniatures we’ve collected over the years. The Fill-the-fridge ones are so much fun, especially if you buy the retro fridge that stores them,
19. Flying Wish Paper – Christmas is the perfect time to buy these because they’re really great to have on hand for New Year’s Eve rituals.
20. Magnetic Trick Shot Puck Shooter – This has Dash’s name all over it.
21. Flip 7 Card Game – A reader introduced me to this game this year–it’s a hit!
22. Nook Nooks – The newest miniature blind box in the viral trends–it’s a light-up home for the cutest critters.
23. Go Farts Card Game – I could not buy this fast enough for Nella’s stocking. She’s going to love it, and there’s no doubt what we will be playing Christmas afternoon.
24. Word Teasers – I’m always on the lookout for good conversation card boxes. This one is such a great one for the dinner table, introducing idioms and funny sayings.
25. Mini Brands Pets – Cannot get over how cute these are–fingers crossed for the axolotl!

 

TEEN & TWEEN

1. Junk Journal Sticker Book – Lainey’s going to love this one–so many great scrapbook embellishments.
2. Shoelace and Charm Kit – Remember our cute beaded safety pins on our shoes in the 80s? We’re bringing them back…and then some.
3. Irrelevant Celebrity Trivia – I know my kids are going to love this one, and if celebrity trivia isn’t your thing, you can find other versions under this same link including bizarre video game trivia, sports facts, etc. They’ll be ready for Jeopardy in no time.
4. Kodak Charmera Digital Camera The cutest camera keychains–and they really work!
5. Babe Original Lash Serum – This is Lainey’s favorite given every full-lashed friend’s answer when you ask them, “Oh my God, what do you use on your lashes?” The answer is always Babe Lash.
6. Earbud Cleaning Kit – I mean, have you ever examined well-loved ear buds? They need some TLC, and this kit has all the tiny tools to do it.
7. Car Crevice Cleaning Gel – Teen drivers will need this. It works perfectly to clean dust, crumbs, etc. out of hard-to-reach places in their cars.
8. One Trip Nick Game – Clever and cute. This balance game will be a great one to bring to the table for all the holiday gatherings to follow (as well as college parties).
9. “Overstimulated Do Not Approach” Hair Clip – Could you find a better hair clip for a teen girl studying for finals?
10. Writing Down the Bones Writing Deck – This one’s for Lainey, and I can’t wait to do it with her. Natlie Goldberg is one of my favorite writing mentors. I was delighted to discover she offers a deck of writing exercises.
11. Lil Weiners Jar of Erasers – What teen wouldn’t chuckle at a jar of weiners?
12. Ice Face Roller – I use this thing every morning and cannot start my morning without it. I got Lainey hooked on it now too.
13. Brain Dump Notepad – The perfect way to organize thoughts and tasks for busy teens.
14. Three Things Conversation Game – There’s something about the “List 3” theme of this game that makes it fun and unique,
15. I’ve Venn Thinking Game – Have you played this? It’s a great brain challenge and so much fun.
16. Shoe Cleaning Kit – Dash is obsessed with having clean shoes. Now he’ll have the right stuff.
17. Portable Power Bank – I swear by this one and take it on every trip, but my kids end up asking to use it. It has built in cords for whatever port you need and can charge Apple watch, iPhone, Airpods and Android devices simultaneously.
18. “Stop! Color Time” Mini Coloring Book – The cutest simple hip-hop themed creativity starter in mini size.
19. Lace Boot Socks – Lainey loves the look of a lace edge peeking out of a tall boot. These ones are perfect.
20. The Dopamine Deck – 75 Uplifting Activities for Everyday Joy
21. Oil Paint Tab Notes – Great to use as post-its as well as book marks.
22. Watercolor Paints – We are big fans of watercolor and take them on all our trips. These ones are great (currently on sale) and work beautifully with our favorite watercolor workbooks.
23. Needle Felting Snowman Starter Kit – The perfect creative way to beat the post-Christmas blues.
24. Cremo Men’s Body Spray – For Dash’s stocking, but I’ll steal it because we are all obsessed with Cremo’s scents–especially Italian Bergamot and Palo Santo. My cousin turned us on to these.
25. Hacky Sack Foot Bags – I have vivid memories of my brother playing with these when he was a teen. Dash will join the club this Christmas.
26. Vapo Sticks 2-pack – These are so soothing for colds in the winter, and this 2-pack covers multiple kid stockings.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time. I may not bring you much on this blog anymore, but stocking stuffers? Reporting for duty. I will not fail you on delivering stocking stuffer ideas every year because what else would I have done with the 22 hours I spent scouring the Internet for cool little treasures and linking each thing up one by one? It’s okay because you know I am weirdly delighted by the thrill of the hunt. I speak fluent stocking stuffer. There are some really good ones this year–56 in all. I bought a lot of these for my own kids and cannot wait to stuff their stockings once they’re all tucked under the covers on the best night of the year. Happy Shopping!

1. Liquid Chalk Markers – These are really fun to use to draw on windows. Snowflakes! Holiday scenes! My kids will surely be drawing butts.
2. Secret Box Magic Trick – Easy little magic tricks are always a win for stockings (and some fun Christmas Day entertainment).
3. Sonneten Visual Timer – This timer is designed with a time bar visual display proven more effective for ADHD time management. We love using timers in our home to motivate us for quick tasks (15 Minute Shakedown!).
4. Magic Trick Finger Smoke – Another fun smoke trick for a Christmas Day Magic Show.
5. Bath Soap Slime – This is a pack of 6, so great for families with multiple kids.
6. Prank Invisible String Snake – This has Dash’s name all over it. Have you seen the reels of people falling for this and running while they’re being chased by the snake? So funny.
7. Fun Fish Socks – K.Bell makes great socks. These are sure to get noticed and invite some “Those socks are so cute!” comments from teachers and friends.
8. Colorful Initial Necklace – Simple but colorful–the best kind of jewelry for kids.
9. Unicorn Whipped Body Butter – Moisturize for winter, but make it fun and pretty.
10. Light-up Pop Tubes – Fun when you turn all the lights off at night and play with these.
11. Car Disco Ball – Music activated tiny disco ball to turn any small space into a party.
12. Light-up Beanie – We did some late night snowball fights and sledding adventures last year. This is the perfect way to stay warm and illuminate the scene.
13. Hedgehog Mittens – This was on one of my stocking stuffer lists several years ago and landed in Lainey’s stocking. We still have these and fight over them in the winter. They get so many comments!
14. Glow-in-the-Dark Sticky Balls – Fun to throw on the ceiling while you’re lying in bed (they stick for a second and then fall back down).
15. 2-Minute Tooth Brushing Timer – Getting my kids to brush their teeth past a quick 10-second *swish-swish* is always a challenge. Enter this cute tooth timer.
16. Dog Book Light – This bendable light comes in so many cute characters and is so handy for reading in the car or in bed at night.
17. Cat Hug Bandages – Life is too short not to treat a boo-boo with a cute Band-aid.
18. Butter Crew Socks – How fun are these?
19. Lovable Dogs Game – I’m excited to add some new restaurant card games to the stockings this year. My kids will love this one–rating dogs on rarity, size, temper, cutenessm, etc.
20. 100 Pics Game – Another fun restaurant card game, this one comes in several categories. Santa’s bringing us the optical illusion one.
21. Daily Kids Joke Calendar – Nella and Dash love a good joke. This little calendar offers a new one every day.
22. Cha Cha Chocolate Toothpaste – I mean, I don’t veer from peppermint toothpaste, but kids? They love anything chocolate.
23. Dual Tip Markers – This set is a great one for adult coloring books, journals and sketching.
24. Simply Dogs Coloring Book – We are always on the lookout for good coloring books that aren’t cheesy. This one is so cute!
25. Happy Salmon – The cutest game for a group of people and easy enough for young ages.

1. Word Nerd Calendar – I’m excited to start the year with this on our counter–introduces a new obscure word, phrase or forgotten slang every day.
2. Custom Cord Bracelet – The bubble letter charms on these are so fun, and they come in so many different colors.
3. Vinyl Milk Crate Notecard Holder – The most unique way to display blank note cards!
4. Chopsticks Set Here me out here. We discovered @zenheads_asmr on Instagram, and we’re all obsessed with giving each other scalp massages now. Chopsticks are one of the favorite tools, so we promptly bought these and use them frequently. Bonus–doubles for sushi night (after you run them through the dishwasher, of course).
5. Scalp Massage Brush – Per #4, this is the most desired brush for scalp massages. It will not disappoint.
6. Charging Cord Organizer – Finally! No more cords dangling everywhere and no one able to find the one they need.
7. Guided Venting Letters – These are new from Knock Knock this year (one of my favorite stocking stuffer brands), and they’re SO good for teens and tweens who need to vent some steam after a bad day.
8. “Evidence” Zipper Pouch – My kids use these to store markers, watercolors and paintbrushes when we travel.
9. Car (and Keyboard) Cleaning Gel – Great for teen drivers who want to clean out the crumbs in tight car spaces, but also keyboards, laptops, etc.
10. Candy Shaped Highlighters – Lainey loves using highlighters for reading and studying. These ones are anything but boring.
11. Ritz Carlton Hotel Scent Oil – Mask the mess in any teen’s bedrooms with a diffuser and one of these hotel scent oils. We love the Marriot one.
12. Blue Metallic Playing Cards – Winter and holiday breaks call for card games. These ones are so pretty!
13. Wool/Cotton Winter Crew Socks = I’ve bought this sock set for so many gifts–they’re warm, cozy, cabin vibe socks for a great price.
14. Thermal Portable Mini Printer – The easiest way to turn photos, lists, screenshots, etc. into stickers. Connects to ipads, phones, etc.
15. Morning Mantras Affirmations – This is my favorite brand of affirmation cards. They deliver deep truths in the cheekiest way with the tiniest inappropriate edge that makes teens smile.
16. Watercolor Paint Set – Our family’s favorite way to decompress. Every teen needs a good watercolor set (pair it with one of Emily Lex’s watercolor workbooks!)
17. Watercolor Paper Trading Cards – The perfect little size for individual watercolor drawings. I’ve been doing quick illustrations on these lately and love how they turn out.
18. JBL Portable Speaker – A splurge for a stocking stuffer, but this is the BEST bluetooth speaker for tweens and teens. Lainey takes hers everywhere, and the sound is superb.
19. “Open All Night” Bookmark – Not going to lie–having a cute bookmark makes me want to read more.
20. “Resist Conformity” Mug – Only $10.99 and a great reminder for all teens.
21. Elf Blush Stick – My girls stockings are full of E.l.f. goodies, this blush stick one of our faves.
22. Mishy Match Card Game – I’m so excited to play this one with the family this holiday! The challenge is similar to rubbing your stomach while patting your head.
23. Miniature People Figurines – These have been a big hit in our house. We place them on top of picture frames hanging in the house (and have hidden some out in public as well) and have created a whole dramatic story line for the lives of the Tiny People living in our home.
24. Burt’s Bees Chapstick Set – This Amazon link reads “Purchased 6 times” in my cart. We’re all addicted. This is a stocking staple for us.
25. Gratitude Citations – A clever way to combat those days when everyone’s complaining. All you have to do is issue a gratitude citation to be filled out and reminded of all the little things we have to be grateful for.
26. Burt’s Bees Almond Hand Cream – The perfect size for backpacks. We love this for winter!
27. Nail Clipper Set – I’m tired of looking for mine because the kids took them, so they’re getting their own this year.
28. Word & Thought Bubble Stickers – Write funny things on them and stick them on displayed photos in the house. Teens will write some good ones.
29. Thank You Cards – Every teen needs a good set of their own.
30. Milk Frother – This is giving, “No, we aren’t going to Starbucks again. Make your own damn cold foam.”
31. Mini Stanley Purse Charm – Way cheaper than a real one!

Tomorrow’s entrance into March begins the countdown to Spring Break. We’re heading back to Naples for break and will be happy to soak up some sun and warmth. In the meantime, we’re dreaming of spring things and delighted that Easter falls in March this year. Time to start getting those baskets ready. I got you covered. Here are 30 fun Easter Basket Stuffers your kids will actually love and use.

1 – Ultimate Quick Quizzes Book – Nella is going to be all over this–twenty fun personality quizzes you can take by yourself or do with a friend.

2 – Affirmators! Creativity Affirmation Card Deck – We have two different Affirmators! card decks. They’re such great affirmations that build you up but written in cheeky ways to make you laugh. These are also a fun thing to add to your morning routine–read one aloud together before everyone heads out the door.

3 – Mechanical Pencil Set for Sketching – Dash is really into sketching lately. This extra special pencil set comes in a nice case with extra lead and erasers.

4 – Sketch Book – A blank sketch book–perfect kid size–to use with those pencils (I ordered a new drawing book for Dash’s basket as well)

5 – Free People Dupe Sock Set – Lainey and I have long been fans of these darling ruffle floral socks from Free People, but they’re $12 a pair. This set of five looks and feels just like them, and they’re $15.99 for a set of five.

6 – Sea Stax Puzzle Packing Game – A cute take on Tetris, this game challenges you to stack the sea shapes in certain configurations.

7 – Laptop Compact Mirror – Nella loves keeping a little pouch of makeup in her backpack and often pulls out a little mirror on the way to school while she reapplies her lipgloss. This mirror is disguised as a cute mini laptop.

8 – Hell No Button – It’s not Easter in our house unless there’s a mildly inappropriate gift in someone’s basket. Nella sometimes answers questions that deserve emphatic “No”s with “Hell No.” This button says “Hell No” in ten hilarious different ways.

9 – Archie McPhee Bravery Bandages – There hasn’t been an age my kids haven’t gone through BandAids like water. We love us some cute Bandaids, and these are *chef’s kiss*–plus the cute retro tin is a keeper.

10 – 3-pack Grump Notebooks – The perfect little list making journals for tweens and teens going through stuff–“Things That Annoy Me,” “Daily Disappointments” and “Fresh Rants.”

11 – Snail Face Wash Headband – I swear I buy cool face wash headbands every 6 months, but they always disappear. Kids are going to love this one–those snail eyes!

12 – Molin Roty Coloring and Sticker Book – The perfect coloring book doesn’t ex—WAIT. I cannot with this coloring book. The pages are the most charming drawings of rooms inside a tree cottage, and it comes with cozy furniture and decor stickers.

13 – Colored Pencils – To go with that coloring book. We have this set of colored pencils, and they’re great. Affordable, lots of colors and comes in a cute round case.

14 – Satin Pillowcase – Lainey’s been asking for one of these–all the rage with the tween and teen crowd.

15 – It’s Bananas! Monkey Tail Game – We are always on the lookout for fun games we can play together as a family. This one looks like so much fun. I ordered it and tested the size–box fits in an Easter basket.

16 – Bow Earrings – No bow, no go. These simple gold earrings are the perfect way to rock the bow trend and cute for any age.

17 – Rainbow Acrylic Cubes – These little cubes make a lovely display in any kid’s room. Stack them and play with the way they catch and throw colored light.

18 – Guess in 10 USA Game – I recently realized all three of my kids need a U.S. Geography brush-up. I promptly ordered this for Easter baskets as well as this puzzle.

19 – Ice Roller – I’ve invited the kids to join my morning ice rolling ritual as it never disappoints. We added this new one to this one we already have. The silicone mold one really delivers a cold plunge for your face–great for waking you up, soothing tired eyes, depuffing skin and calming aches and pains.

20 – Emoji Window Clings – A fun art activity that transforms included paints into emoji gel clings for your windows.

21 – Unisex Polarized Aviator Sunglasses – Classic Top Gun style for any age kid.

22 – Vivid Sidewalk Chalk – We buy this a few times a year–the best chalk for creating vibrant colored art on sidewalks (and it lasts longer). A must for upcoming sunny spring days.

23 – Talking Hamster – This little hamster repeats anything you say in its squeaky hamster voice. I already know where this is headed. Hamster’s going to be talking potty talk, and Nella & Dash are going to think it’s so funny.

24 – Would You Rather Book – Would You Rather is all the rage in our home right now. The book form allows the kids to circle their choices and quiz family members–always a hit.

25 – Mini Simon – The pre-phone entertainment we loved in our youth and still a hit with kids today.

26 – Burn After Writing Book – The best reflective journal for tweens and teens with so many great thought-provoking questions and writing experiments. This one’s going in Lainey’s basket.

27 – Picasso Paint By Number Kit – I searched high and low for a not-cheesy paint-by-number kit that wasn’t too easy or too difficult for the kids and would be fun to display when they’re finished. The answer: Picasso!

28 – Prime Croc Jibbitz – The first fashion trend my kids embraced in Michigan–Crocs. All the kids wear them here–even on snowy winter days. Dash is way into accessorizing with Jibbitz. He’s going to love these Prime ones.

29 – Band Posters – These band posters are Lainey’s favorite, and there’s always a few she wants on her Amazon Wish List–an easy pick for her Easter Basket.

30 – People Pens – How cute are these pens? Perfect for the quiz books in the baskets.