Kids Stocking Fillers for a More Sustainable Christmas

The mental load of Christmas shopping can easily lead us to rushed decisions and wasteful purchases: such as stocking fillers that are single-use, poor quality, packaged in excessive plastic and destined for landfill.

If you are an ethical shopper hoping to reduce your environmental impact this Christmas, choosing sustainable stocking fillers is a great place to start.

Let's explore how we can continue gift-giving traditions in a more mindful and sustainable way.

What To Consider When
Choosing Stocking Fillers for Kids

Environmental Credentials : Look for products made from recycled, organic, or renewable materials. Avoid single-use plastics and wasteful packaging.

Ethical Practices : Take time to consider the source. Support fair labor practices.

Conscious Consumption : Avoid unnecessary buying altogether. Let's normalise gifting pre-loved and homemade items. Choose quality over quantity. Anything purchased new should aim to be genuinely enjoyed or needed.

Local and Handmade : Buying from local artisans and businesses reduces transportation emissions and supports your community.

When sourcing our product offerings at The Toy Chest Australia, all of the above considerations are treated as priorities. The guesswork is taken care of, so you can rest assured your purchase will be a mindful one.

Secondhand Finds for Kids' Stockings

Check your local thrift store or online marketplace for items in good condition, such as matchbox cars, books, action figures and animal figurines. Hand-me-downs or heirlooms are also a great idea.

Homemade Stocking Stuffers

The most thoughtful, cherished and affordable gifts are often those we make with our own hands. Here are just a few examples :

• baked goods
• handmade chocolates
• recipe jars
• artwork or handmade ornaments
• recycled crayons
• friendship bracelets
• lotion bars
• body scrub
• lip balm
• clouddough or kinetic sand
• seedbombs
• bookmarks

Vouchers & Experience Gifts for Kids

Gift cards make excellent stocking fillers. Consider your child's favourite toy stores, book shops, gaming platforms, or clothing brands, or gift them a treat from a local donut or icecream shop.

Giving the gift of an experience has also become very popular in recent years.

• Visit the Spark Pop website to see an amazing range of experience gifts available for Aussie kids. Add a Spark Pop gift card to your child's stocking so they can choose their own adventure!
• Or, check out Class Bento, where you can book arts & crafts or food & drink workshops that are available in your city or online. Class Bento also offers a gift card option.

Mini Books Under $10

Books are always a classic choice as gifts for kids. The following are some examples of books for kids that will easily fit into their Christmas stockings.

• Spy Mazes - from collecting code words to cracking safes, there are plenty of puzzles here to keep budding secret agents busy.
• Jokiest Joke Book - featuring hundreds of hilarious jokes for kids, along with clever black-and-white illustrations.
• Classic Aussie Christmas - a high contrast board book to engage your baby, featuring cute Aussie animals.

• Doodling Animals - a full-colour activity book with space to copy and colour each animal.
• Space Puzzles - keep budding astronauts entertained with these outer-space-themed puzzles.
• Spot the Difference - each pair of pictures is bursting with rich details for children to discover as they search for what's not the same.
• First 100 Soft To Touch Christmas Words - board book featuring colourful photographs with labels to read and learn.

• Busy Reindeer - children can have fun pulling, pushing and turning the mechanisms as they read about Ruby Reindeer's Christmas journey.
• Grug And His First Christmas - Ted Prior's beloved character Grug experiences his first Christmas ever!

Practical Stocking Fillers for Kids

LUNCH BOX SUPPLIES

• drink bottle
• Keepie reusable straw
• reusable utensil sets
• mini snack box

TOILETRIES

• bath bombs
• bamboo toothbrush
• bubble bath
• lip balm
• soaps
• deodorant

TECHNOLOGY

• chargers
• smart watch
• ear buds
• book light
• phone case
• consider refurbished tech

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

• sunglasses
• bandana
• swimwear
• swim goggles
• jewellery
• hair accessories
• key chain
• coin purse
• bag tag

STATIONERY & ART SUPPLIES

• recycled notebook
• art journal
• stickers
• pencil case filled with fun markers etc.
• paints & brushes
• sticky notes
• washi tape

Crafty Ideas for Christmas Stockings

Craft activities are fantastic on Christmas Day to keep kids busy in their down time and are also handy throughout the remaining school holidays. Here are just a few suggestions for crafty bits and pieces that will fit into stockings.

• Playdough (try this Aussie brand)
• Dough cutters
• Dough "sprinkles"
• Bio Glitter
• Plaster painting kits
• Origami kit
• Reusable Colouring Mats
• Eugy 3D model kits

Eco Friendly Toys

The Toy Chest stocks a wonderful range of ethical and eco-friendly gifts for kids, including the following collections of toys that would make perfect (and sustainable) stocking fillers.

• Mini Plushies - we have 12 cute mini animal plushies to choose from, made from recycled PET.
• Handmade Crochet Toys - this range of plushies and rattles are ethically made and eco-friendly.
• Felt Play Food - the majority of our pretend play food collection are small enough to pop into a Christmas stocking. They are beautifully handmade from natural wool felt.

• Fairy Dust - these mini jars of colourful fizzy dusts are part of our handmade magic potion range by The Little Potion Co - their "mini" kits will also fit into a Christmas stocking.
• Finger Puppets - we stock a variety of beautifully handmade felt finger puppets that young children will adore.
• Reusable / Portable Colouring Mats - these wipe-clean silicone colouring mats feature designs on both sides and come complete with a set of 12 markers.
• Wooden Animal Figurines - exquisitely handmade in Brisbane, these Australian animal figurines are heirloom quality keepsakes and are just part of our fantastic range of Australian made gifts.

More Kids' Stocking Filler Ideas

By being more mindful about our Christmas purchases, we can make a significant difference in reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Let's embrace the spirit of giving while minimizing our environmental footprint. This Christmas, let's fill stockings with joy, not waste.

• seed packets
• "Play Cards" with fun activity prompts
• mini planter kit
• snacks (being mindful of packaging)
• quality fidgets (check out Aussie brand Kaiko)
• affirmation cards
• a new decoration
• card or travel games
• Calm Down Bottles
• mini puzzles
• Scratch-Its
• Our full collection of stocking fillers for kids

DISCLAIMER : Some links in this article are customized affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase within a certain time frame, The Toy Chest Australia will earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you.