Filling the Christmas stockings is usually the last thing I think about for the holidays. I tend to focus on the gifts that go under the tree that I basically overlook what goes in the stocking until the last minute.
Every. Single. Year.
When you have a baby, though, stocking stuffers can be a little easier. A baby is more likely to enjoy the act of pulling the gifts out of the stocking just as much as they would playing with the gifts inside.
Below, I’ve collected my favorite stocking stuffer ideas that are suitable and safe for your baby to open over the holidays. Sometimes, it’s the smallest gifts that will light up your baby’s face the most!
Shop This Post on Amazon!
Teething Toys
Teething comes and goes all the time in that first year, so an awesome thing to have is a great teething toy. Plus, some babies just like to chew on things, which makes teethers a good option for them as well.
I recommend the Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether. It is made of soft silicone and is sized appropriately for babies. It has multiple points for grabbing and chewing, making it a much more exciting toy than some of the other options on the market.
Mushie also makes the cutest teething toys that look and feel more like a toy than a teether. These would make great gifts, especially stocking stuffers! For example, they make a teether ball, a super cute pretzel teether, a floral teether, and a dog-shaped teether.
For more baby teethers, check out my full review on the best and safest teething toys and even more on my Amazon store here.
Clutching Toys
One of the most entertaining toys you can purchase for your baby is one that involves clutching. Honestly, even I find them to be interesting! They are SUCH cool little toys.
Babies are fascinated with using their hands as they learn how to pick up, drop, and set down objects, which is why clutching toys can be a huge hit! Anything they can grasp, manipulate, and investigate will keep them busy while helping them to work on their fine motor skill.
While there are many clutching toys out there, I recommend the HABA Wooden Baby Clutching Toy. This brightly colored toy encourages clutching and is interesting enough to hold a baby’s attention.
Related: The Best Non-Toxic Baby Toy Brands
Baby Moccasins
Shifting gears to something more practical… Moccasins are a great option for baby shoes. Until babies are walking, soft-soled shoes are optimal for warmth, comfort, and protection — whether crawling, pushing, or standing.
They allow your baby’s feet an optimal range of motion, allowing them to extend their toes freely without feeling constricted. The soft sole also encourages your baby to really feel the ground and learn proper balance as he learns to crawl, stand, and walk.
I love the soft soles collection by Freshly Picked. They are made of buttery soft leather and come in a variety of styles. Even ones that don’t look like traditional moccasins. Perfect for cooler months, the Italian leather will keep toes warm! Trust me, these moccasins will outwear multiple children and are ideal hand-me-downs. The elastic opening allows for super easy on-and-off so there’s no parent-frustration when it comes to stuffing those cute chubby toes inside!
Sensory Balls
Similar to the clutching toys, sensory balls are a reliable option for your baby’s stocking stuffers. Babies love to roll, toss, and chase balls.
Some sensory balls offer different textures and colors like this brightly colored one by the Caaocho brand. I also love the OgoBolli teething ring tactile sensory ball. It’s great for discovering hand-eye coordination.
For even more sensory fun, you can choose these Fat Brain Toy sensory rollers. This pack comes with three smaller sized balls. Each one has a different texture, so they are sure to keep your baby entertained for a while. These balls can also be squished, grasped, and chewed on safely.
Baby Booties
Booties are another way to keep your baby’s feet warm – especially indoors! These basically act like slippers for babies. And they are especially good if you have one of those ninja babies who can take off socks in the blink of an eye.
I love the Zutano Lightweight Organic Cotton Baby Booties. These strap around your baby’s ankle and snap closed, making it virtually impossible for your little one to fling them off. Warm toes are happy toes!
Bath Toys
If your baby loves bath time, then choosing some bath toys for their stocking is a fun idea! Most bath toys are relatively small, so you should be able to fit a few in your baby’s stocking.
You do have to be careful when choosing bath toys. Many are not incredibly safe, and they can be made with toxic materials. You definitely want to do your research to make sure they are quality, non-toxic toys.
I have always liked bath toys from the Caaocho brand. They have a bunch of varieties that are all safe and non-toxic. For example, I like this whale and this adorable duckie! You can also read more about bath toys in my guide to non-toxic bath toys.
Books
One of the best things you can do is to build up your baby’s library of books early on. And, Christmas is a perfect time to stock up on books because they can be a great stocking stuffer!
Not all board books will fit into a stocking, but you can find some baby books that are small enough to easily fit into larger stockings.
For example, this one is small enough for the average-sized stocking. I also love the Indestructible books. They can withstand all the wear-and-tear without falling apart. These are great for babies who might gnaw on books or try to rip the pages.
Want to Save This Post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
You can also read my baby book guide for a variety of book titles to choose from. Just note their measurements or plan to wrap them up. Books are a great gift idea for your baby’s first Christmas.
Organic Baby Pajamas
So, maybe you don’t think pajamas are as fun as an interactive toy or book, but I assure you, your little one will appreciate some comfy, cozy jammies to play and sleep in.
There are a number of great brands and options out there. Burt’s Bees Baby offers organic cotton baby clothing that is GOTS-certified, and long-lasting with great patterns and prints. I also love Hanna Andersson’s organic pajamas. They have bold-colored pajamas that are really well-made.
Be sure to out my guide to Certified Organic Baby Clothing Brands for more adorable, organic baby clothing brands.
Pacifiers
A cute little pacifier makes another great stocking stuffer for babies. For supervised paci use, there are some super cute plush animals that come with an attached pacifier, which makes it easier for your baby to keep the pacifier in their mouth.
Babies tend to really love having a plush cuddle on-the-go, and these are SO cute. If you’re looking for pacifiers without the plush, read more about my favorite non-toxic pacifiers for babies!
High-Contrast Flashcards
For newborns, high-contrast flashcards are really fun and stimulating. These cards feature high-contrast images and colors that support your baby’s visual development and learning.
Of course, there are many out there that you can choose from, but I like the Banana Panda flashcards on a ring. Show your baby the pictures and talk about what they see! You might even see that your baby reaches for her favorites.
Wooden Rattle
Wooden rattles are great grasping options for babies. They make noise and are usually much more durable than cheap, plastic rattles. Plus, you don’t have to worry about dangerous toxins.
This Montessori-style rattle by Bannor Toys is a good option. It comes in a few different natural colors, like maple and walnut, and it’s made entirely out of wood without toxic paints, dyes, or sealers. Play a song and shake along! These will fit perfectly in your baby’s Christmas stocking.
Keyrings
There is something so alluring about keys. Babies love to hear them jingle and dance. But of course, you should never give your baby your car keys to play with— they can contain lead and are probably pretty gross!
Luckily, there are some really great key toys that provide the same sensory experience. Babies love to grab, rattle, and mouth the keys.
I like the My First Keys by Green Toys. They’re free of potentially harmful toxins and well-made. For a set of keys that are more similar to adult keys, you may want to try these stainless steel toy keys. Believe it or not, babies LOVE these.
Hair Bows and Bands
While your baby probably doesn’t care about hair bows, these are a practical idea that can easily be fit into most stockings. Buy a few bows that match outfits your child currently has, or choose one that matches their holiday outfit.
There are tons of options out there. However, you may be interested in this particular set by Touched by Nature. These bows are organic and made with cotton and spandex.
The Banana Toothbrush
The Banana Toothbrush is an adorable toothbrush/teether/toy. It is designed very similarly to a toothbrush, which helps to massage your baby’s gums and help your baby learn good oral hygiene. Made of flexible silicone, it is super soft. There are many different shapes and styles available including unicorns, sharks, and dragons.
There’s also a cute toothbrush from EZPZ that is great for 3+ months.
I know it seems practical to gift a toothbrush, but everything at the baby stage is new and novel. So this could make a surprisingly fun stocking stuffer idea for babies.
HABA Shakin Eggs
These HABA Shakin Eggs are the perfect size for a stocking.
Each set comes with five different colored eggs, and each makes a slightly different sound when shaken. The variety is sure to help keep your baby interested and engaged—three of the eggs rattle, one jingles, and the other twitters. Most eggs require shaking, but the blue egg needs to be twisted.
Crinkle Paper for Babies
If your baby loves crinkly noises, you may want to consider adding some crinkle paper to your baby’s stocking. I particularly like this one, which is made with a 6-inch square of cotton crinkle paper.
Chewbeads
While these may look like a teething toy, they’re actually silicone links that are great to attach toys to strollers, car seats, high chairs, and other similar objects. These are a great replacement for most plastic link toys, and are overall super popular with babies.
You can also use them to link up to your baby’s favorite toy. They’re particularly useful so that toys don’t fall on the floor or get lost while on a walk.
Happy Stocking Stuffing
I hope this stocking stuffers for babies guide helps you fill your little one’s stocking full of useful and fun gifts! Enjoy all those sweet baby smiles as your little one discovers opening new presents! Merry shopping!
What did you decide to put in your baby’s stocking? I’d love to know!
Leave a Reply