The tradition of stuffing stockings goes way back. Many families today still practice stuffing stockings. If you are planning this tradition, there are a few things you need to know. First, plan early. If you wait until the last minute you may end up getting a lot of junk and spending a lot of money. Second, set a budget. Before going out know how much you are allowed to spend and stay in that budget. Third, have a plan. Make a list with ideas of what you are planning to place in each stocking, and lastly, shop for items throughout the year. There are lots of great sales on items you can pick up throughout the year that can be used for stocking stuffers. Spending a little on the items throughout the year will help prevent spending a lot of money at one time. Here are some ideas for budget friendly stocking stuffers for kids.

Homemade Play Dough

Making play dough at home is easy, fun and can be cheaper than regular play dough at the store. Here are some recipes to try: chocolate play dough, gingerbread play dough, pumpkin spice play dough, and Kool-Aid play dough. Kids love play dough and it is really easy to make these pretty. You can get some cheap plastic containers with lids to place the play dough into and then add a pretty ribbon. You can also get some cheap cookie cutters to add to the package.

School Supplies

School supplies like crayons, coloring books, notebook, pencils, personalised pens, and erasers make great stocking stuffers. School supplies can be costly so look for these items at Dollar Stores. I like to buy extra supplies during the back to school sale that I plan to use for stocking stuffers. This is a great way to save money. If you have a lot of broken crayons you can turn these into muffin tin crayons. These make a cute gift.

Toothbrushes

Kids love getting new toothbrushes. I have found toothbrushes on sale for as little as fifty cents. I have also found some nice kids’ toothbrushes at the Dollar Tree. I also like to give my kids nice new power toothbrushes. I keep a look out for coupons to make these more affordable for me during Christmas. Kids also enjoy getting character toothpaste, so make sure to check those out when you are searching for toothpaste.

Books

I have found really cute books for a dollar at my local Dollar Tree. You can also find some nice books at Thrift Shops. Older kids also enjoy puzzle books and you can find those for real cheap during the holidays too.

Homemade Treats

If you enjoy baking, you can make treats and place them in nice containers. Homemade candy or cookies are always a nice treat for a kid on Christmas morning.

Store Bought Candy

Kids love candy bars, gum and hard candies bought at the store. You can use candy you bought on clearance at Halloween especially if it does not have a Halloween theme. I have also noticed coupons for candy that could make it even cheaper to buy.

Wearable Gifts

I like to add things to my kids’ stockings that they will need and use. This is a good time to get them a new set of gloves and a winter hat. I also like to give sunglasses and my kids love them too. Socks or slippers are also another item that your kids may need that would fit nicely into a stocking.