Toddler stocking stuffers have to pass one test first: no small parts for a child under 3. For a baby, that points to an echo microphone, and for a 1 to 2 year old, wooden egg shakers too. At 3, more of the shelf opens up: light up wands, stacking spinning tops and a fishing game.
Everything below is from our stocking stuffers for kids collection. Filling stockings for older kids too? See our list of stocking stuffer ideas for every age in the house.
What makes a good toddler stocking stuffer?
The best pick is big, sturdy, and does one thing a small child can make happen: shake it, sing into it, press a button. Five checks before you buy:
- Read the age on the listing. Under US federal rules, a toy intended for children under 3 cannot have small parts that are a choking hazard. That is the CPSC small parts rule, and it is why we treat a 3+ label as a safety line, not a skill level.
- Think large. The American Academy of Pediatrics, in How to Buy Safe Toys, says every toy and every part should be larger than your child's mouth.
- Check the battery door. The same AAP page warns about button and coin batteries, because if they get loose, young children may put them in their mouths, noses or ears. On anything that lights up, look at how the battery compartment closes before it goes in the stocking.
- No loose ribbons. The AAP also says to take off loose ribbons and strings, to avoid strangulation. That goes for the bow on the stocking too.
- Know where the magnets are. The same AAP page warns about high-powered magnets. Our 45-fish fishing game is sold as a magnetic game, and both fishing games are listed for 3 and up.
Baby and 1 year old stocking stuffers
For a baby or a one year old, the best stocking stuffer makes a sound when it moves. These are the two picks whose listings name babies or toddlers.
Egg shakers (6-pack). Six wooden egg-shaped maracas, finished with paint designed for children's use. The listing gives the age as toddlers and kids 1 to 3. A 6-pack also splits well: one or two in the stocking, the rest for a sibling or the music basket. Check them now and then for cracks or chipped paint, and retire any that split.
Echo microphone (blue), also sold as a pink echo microphone. The listing says it is for babies, toddlers and kids. It echoes the child's voice without excessive loudness, has a built-in rattle, and throws a multicolored flashing light onto walls and ceilings. The listing does not say what powers the light, so check the battery compartment before it goes to a baby. A one year old may shake it long before singing into it.
Both are in our musical toys for toddlers collection.
Toddler stocking stuffers for a 2 year old
For a 2 year old, the same two picks still lead. The egg shakers become a band, and the echo microphone gets used for what it is for: singing, and hearing the echo come back.
What about light up wands? The diamond and swirl wand listings mention toddlers, but neither gives a specific age range. The wand from the same range that does give one, the LED ball, is labeled 3 to 7. The microphone is different: its listing names babies, and it is built as a rattle. So we would wait until 3 for the wands, and that is why they are in the next section.
Toddler stocking stuffers for a 3 year old
Three is when the 3+ labels start to apply. One rule for the house: 3+ toys can have small parts, so keep them away from younger siblings.
Spinning light up wand, LED ball. The listing gives ages 3 to 7. It is 7.5 inches, the AA batteries are included, and the listing states ASTM and CPC certification. Press the button and the LEDs spin.
Spinning light up wand, swirl. Also 7.5 inches, short enough to go inside most stockings. Press the button and the lights swirl. It suits dark rooms and quiet play indoors. Its listing does not state the battery type, so check the compartment.
Light up spinning diamond wand. The long one, 13.5 inches, with rotating LED lights and a diamond top. It comes in a gift box, as a single or a pack of 2. At that length it goes in standing up, sticking out the top of the stocking. Like the swirl, its listing does not state the battery type.
Spineez stacking spinning tops. Three tops, 15 pieces in total, for kids 3 and up. The listing says the plastic is ASTM-certified. Twist the handle to launch, or stack the pieces into mega tops. Fifteen pieces is a lot, so this one suits a 3 year old who no longer puts toys in their mouth.
Fishing game, 21 fish. Ages 3 and up. It has a rotating board, 21 fish and 4 poles for up to 4 players. A switch turns the music off. It measures 10 x 11 x 1.8 inches, so it is the gift under the stocking, not in it. It needs 2 AA batteries, not included, so tape a pack to the box. The 45-fish game with 8 poles is listed for ages 3 to 5. It has 8 poles, but the listing says up to 4 players at a time, and it needs 3 AA batteries, also not included.
What not to put in a toddler's stocking
Some of our own toys stay out of a toddler's stocking. Our squishies, water growing animals and rocket poppers are not listed for toddlers. Their listings give ages 3 to 12 (rocket poppers) or 6 to 60 (Flippy squishies), or do not name toddlers at all. They belong in an older sibling's stocking.
Also leave out toys with parts that could break off, toys where a button or coin battery could get out, and ribbons or strings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to put in a toddler stocking?
Put in toys whose listings name the child's age. For a 1 or 2 year old, that means egg shakers from the 6-pack and an echo microphone. For a 3 year old, a light up wand or a set of spinning tops, with a fishing game as the bigger gift under the stocking.
What should I put in baby's first stocking?
Choose one thing whose listing names babies and that makes a sound when it moves. Our echo microphone's listing names babies, toddlers and kids, and it has a built-in rattle. The egg shakers are listed for ages 1 to 3, so they suit a first Christmas that falls after the first birthday.
What are good stocking stuffers for 2 year olds?
Good stocking stuffers for 2 year olds are toys listed for children under 3 that make a sound when the child shakes or sings into them. Egg shakers and an echo microphone both fit. Toys labeled 3+ should wait for the third birthday, even when they look simple.
How many stocking stuffers does a toddler need?
Three or four is plenty, fewer than for an older child. Many toddlers stop at the first toy and want to play with it right away. Fewer items also means fewer labels to check.
See every toy in our stocking stuffers for kids collection, and check the age on each listing before it goes in a toddler's stocking.