We’ll be honest—stocking stuffers aren’t exactly Santa’s strong suit. After spending weeks scouring the web for the best gifts for kids and then staying up until an ungodly hour wrapping said gifts, we usually make a late-night mad dash to the drug store for something—anything— to put into the kids’ stockings (sorry about those chewable vitamins from last year, guys). But this year, our children deserve—nay, need—some fun playthings in their festive socks that have been hung by the chimney with care. So without further ado, here are the 24 best stocking stuffers for kids.

RELATED: 25 Awesome Gift Ideas for Kids (That Parents Will Love Too)

1. Skip Hop Explore and More Roll Around Baby Rattle Toy (Ages 3 months+)

Best for a Baby's First Christmas

Your babe may not technically need a stocking stuffer, but it’s their first holiday season and how can you resist this adorable little hedgehog rattle? Easy to grab, this one also doubles as a teething toy, making it a good investment for the future. It’s also a cinch to clean—simply wipe clean with a damp cloth.

$8 at Amazon

2. Honeysticks Pure Beeswax Crayons (Ages 1+)

Best for Scribblers

These nontoxic crayons are chunky enough so that they won’t break apart in little hands, non-toxic (you know, in case little Jimmy decides to have a taste) and have the added bonus of having a pleasant beeswax scent.

$23 at Amazon

3. TOMY Toomies Hide & Squeak Eggs (Ages 1+)

Best for Learning Colors

It can be hard getting tiny tots a gift that they’ll actually enjoy more than the box itself. But this fun plaything does double duty as fun packaging (the bright yellow carton) plus an interactive toy (the chirping chicks). It also helps kids learn color and shape recognition by sorting the hatching eggs in their own special base in the carton.

$15; $13 at Amazon

4. Blume Petal Pet (Ages 3+)

Best for Your Kid with a Huge Imagination

Instead of getting your kid a piece of jewelry, a toy and an activity in their stocking, gift them this Blume Petal Pet duo that does all three! Each colorful flower magically blooms to reveal a Petal Pet and a collectible charm bracelet (which can be turned into a leash for your pet) inside. With 12 petal pets and 12 charms to discover, your kid can collect ‘em all.

$15 at Amazon for a pack of two

5. Crayola Twistables Crayons Coloring Set (Ages 3+)

Best for Avid Doodlers

Got an artsy kid on your hands? This 50-piece crayon set is a no-brainer. It features so many bold colors for hours of doodling, and the crayons are twistable and compact, so they don't ever have to worry about sharpening them.

$12 at Amazon

6. Snapstyle Printable Mask (Ages 3+)

Best for a Kid Who Doesn't Like Wearing Masks

Struggling to get your kid to keep their mask on? Well, they might be more likely to don their face covering if it’s one that they designed themselves. This high-tech kit allows children to create a customized disposable face mask with the touch of a button. Simply snap or pull a picture on your phone and use the app to adjust and preview the mask. Then print the design out on an inkjet printer and use the heat-activated adhesive to attach it to the mask—no sewing required. All materials needed (except for the printer) are included in the kit.

$18; $8 at Amazon

7. Godiva Chocolatier Limited-Edition Holiday Truffle Assorted Chocolate Gift (Ages 3+)

Best for Any Kid

Everyone knows that the best gift is the one that you can eat. But it is a special occasion after all, so splurge on one of these fancy truffle boxes instead of the usual Hershey’s bar. Just make sure to pick one up for yourself, too, since there’s no way your kid will want to share theirs.

$30 at Amazon

8. Floof Modeling Clay (Ages 3+)

Best for Snow Lovers

No white Christmas this year? Don't worry. They'll be just as content building a snowman out of this foam putty (kids love anything that’s ooey and gooey, after all). And the best part? You won't have to go outside in the cold to get into the holiday spirit.

$27 at Amazon

9. Sky Organics Kids Bath Bombs Gift Set (Ages 3+)

Best for a Kid Who Dreads Bath Time

These bath bombs will make any child excited to get clean. They dye the water, but not the tub, and the scents aren’t too cloying for grown-up noses. And yes, the toy inside is very exciting every time—kind of like fancy Cracker Jacks (but all cleanliness and no corn syrup–coated yumminess).

$25 at Amazon

10. Vtech Kidizoom Smartwatch (Ages 4+)

Best for a Kid Who's Always Asking to Play on Your Apple Watch

OK, so this isn’t the most budget-friendly stocking stuffer. But it sure is a lot cheaper to give your kid one of these instead of letting her play with your own Apple Watch (it’s not entirely crack-proof, after all). This high-tech pick lets kids take pictures and videos, play games and tell time. Genius.

$63; $60 at Amazon

11. Slinky (Ages 5+)

Best for a Kid Who Loves Tearing Things Apart

For a totally retro gift that will keep kids entertained indoors (because you don’t want them dragging all that snow back inside before dinner), you can’t go wrong with a classic. Hey, everyone loves a Slinky.

$8 at Amazon

12. Alexa Leigh Kids Rosegold Butterfly Bracelet (Ages 5+)

Best for a Little Fashionista

If your little one is drawn to anything that sparkles (we don't blame them), they'll be delighted by this 14K gold-filled ball bracelet that's strung on an elastic string. Measuring 5.5 inches, it should fit even the smallest wrists. Plus, if you're looking for even more memorable gift ideas, Les Mini is a one-stop-shop for pint-sized sleepwear, Stoney Clover pouches and everything in-between.

BUY IT ($60)

13. BriteBrush GameBrush (Ages 5+)

Best for a Kid Who Could Use Some Motivation to Brush Their Teeth

OK, so we promised no boring gifts in your kid’s stocking this year, but this interactive toothbrush is actually really fun, promise. How so? The BriteBrush features seven games (including arcade, space attack, dance star and race car rally) and your child can unlock new levels as they brush. Meanwhile, parents will love the Parent Check Light to make sure that those little rascals have actually brushed their teeth properly.

Buy It ($18; $12)

14. Kanoodle (Ages 7+)

Best for Brainiacs

Here’s a game that will keep your kid occupied while you make a special Christmas morning breakfast (or while waiting for her turn to unwrap her next gift). There are hundreds of different ways to play this brain-busting puzzle—all of which can be played solo. No wonder it boasts over 4,800 five-star reviews.

$14; $12 at Amazon

15. VSCO Stickers (Ages 7+)

Best for Sticker Collectors

With 70 colorful stickers to choose from, your kid could spend the entire day adding these to their bedroom, water bottle, computer and more, and still have stickers leftover. But don’t worry, parents—these guys can easily be removed, without leaving any icky residue behind.

$6 at Amazon

16. UNO Emoji Card Game (Ages 7+)

Best for Game Lovers

Chances are that you remember this one from your own childhood, but here’s a quick recap in case you’ve forgotten the rules: The goal here is the usual race to empty one's hand but game-changing action cards (like skip, reverse and color-changing wild cards) can either help or hinder a person’s strategy. But this oldie but goodie has been given a fun upgrade thanks to popular emojis including—you guessed it—the poop emoji (so yeah, your kid will love it).

$6 at Amazon

17. Alex Craft Rock Pets (Ages 8+)

Best for Little Artists

When you’ve exhausted all other craft ideas, this sweet gift will get your kid’s creative juices flowing once again. Available in different animals (a frog, butterfly, fox, owl and turtle), this set comes with a paintbrush and six different colors. Bring on the rainy days, you’ve got this.

$15; $12 at Amazon

18. Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty (Ages 8+)

Best for Any Kid Obsessed with Gooey and Slimy Things

Sure, your kid loves the latest high-tech gadget or super realistic video game, but trust us on this one—ooey, gooey putty never gets old. Especially this non-toxic version that won’t dry out and comes in multiple fun colors including this very cool star dust shade.

$15 at Amazon

19. BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 LED Laser Star Projector (Ages 10+)

Best for Kids Who Loves Anything That Glows in the Dark

If your kid still loves the glow-in-the-dark stars on their ceiling, they'll go crazy for this laser projector. It was designed to transmit a colorful, galaxy-like visual experience to any space. Plus, it's controlled through an app, so it's incredibly easy to use.

$70; $60 at Amazon

20. Heytech Magic Flying Butterflies (Ages 10+)

Best for Pranksters

For the prankster in the family, crank up one of these colorful butterflies (they work with a simple rubber band mechanism), place it in a holiday card and watch your kid squeal with delight when they open it up and get a flying surprise. Maybe just ask that they don’t try to pull the same prank with Grandma.

$9 at Amazon

21. Offidea Mancala Board Game with Stones (Ages 12+)

Best for Game Board Collectors

This deceptively simple board game folds to a compact 8.7 by 5.1 inches, so it's great to take on car trips or in a backpack. And the rules of moving the pieces around the board before your opponent can is a great exercise in strategy and steely patience.

$20 at Amazon

22. Vont Starry Fairy String Lights (Ages 12+)

Best for Tween Girls

Has your kid been asking to hang Christmas lights in their bedroom? If you're on the fence about it, consider these 66-feet fairy string lights. They're durable and flexible, so they won't have a hard time getting them to hang the way they want, plus they're not supposed to leave hot spots on the wall (um, score).

$11; $9 at Amazon

23. Apple AirPods Pro (Ages 12+)

Best for Any Tech-Savvy Kid with a Phone/iPad/Tablet

Want to win the coolest parent of the year award? Slip a pair of these into your teen’s stocking and they won’t even care what else is under the tree. (Psst: This one’s really a gift for you, too—now they can practice their latest TikTok dance without disrupting the entire house.)

$249; $190 at Amazon

24. SIMARI Touch Screen Winter Gloves (Ages 15+)

Best for Tweens That Won't Keep Their Gloves On

The weather outside is frightful, but that doesn’t mean that your teen won’t spend an hour in the freezing cold scrolling through the ‘gram. These high-tech gloves will keep them warm while letting them stay up to date with what their friends are up to this holiday season.

$20; $17 at Amazon

RELATED: 73 Gifts for Teens That Are Actually Cool, According to Real High Schoolers

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