Stocking Stuffers to Inspire Creativity

After many years of filling stockings with the most weird and wonderful of purchases, I've finally focused in on some awesome gifts to inspire my kids to get creative.

This post contains affiliate links. Some of the products were kindly gifted to us (Glo Pals, Plus Plus, Bumkins bags, and Playfoam). All opinions and images are genuine and our own.

I love shopping for stocking stuffers! Unfortunately in past years that has resulted in my kids getting quite a lot of poor quality novelty gifts. Yes they are fun, but they don't last long and they tend to not be very open-ended. So this year I have been strict and steered clear of the Target dollar bins and the dollar stores. This has of course meant spending a little more, each stocking totaled approx. $35, but I know the investment will be well worth it! Here are some ideas of quality stocking stuffers which will inspire creativity in your kids. 'W' is my 5 year old son, and 'L' is my 22 month old daughter.

A few Things Artsy...

Ok so these are pretty basic supplies but giving my kids their own set will get them really pumped! The mini sketch book is from Melissa & Doug and the pages easily tear out- perfect for displaying masterpieces created on-the-go. There's something pretty cool about having your own sketch book!

We are huge fans of Kwik Stix as they are bright, bold, and most importantly, washable! My kids have never used the Thin Stix version and I know my 5 year old will enjoy exploring using these in his sketch book and for other projects. I opted for a set of the chunky Neon Kwik Stix for baby sis as they are much sturdier for toddlers.

You can't go wrong with stickers, especially festive ones! These sticker pads are $1.50 from Michael's, but literally any type of stickers will work. They are such a great drawing prompt, and awesome for fine motor skills too!

Something to Build...

There are tons of options for this one, but I opted for Plus-Plus mini maker tubes. These little tubes are so fun. A building project is enclosed but inevitably your child will just enjoy getting creative and building their own creations. They have some awesome festive ones, including a Christmas Tree and Elf. I also love that Plus-Plus make the tubes in the big size which is perfect for baby sis!

Something Useful for On-The-Go Creativity...

If you follow us on Instagram, you will notice how often my kids are tucking into a busy bag activity when we are out and about. Bumkins snack bags are the perfect way to keep supplies organized and activities portable. I love that they have such a wide range of patterns, my kids are going to love their Batman and Winnie the Pooh busy bags!

Something with a Wow Factor...

This is a really fun one. Think about what really gets your kids' creative juices flowing. My two LOVE water play! Whether it's in the bath, at the sensory table, or just in small containers, my kids will happily play for hours with water. So when I saw Glo Pals I was super excited! These are cute liquid-activated light up sensory toys. Cool eh?! So basically when your kids put them in water they glow a certain color, and when they take them out they stop glowing! There are five colors to choose from, each with a fun personality. They have a total glow time of 8 hours and automatically turn off when out of liquid. Can't wait for my kids to get a pack of their favorite colors!

Something Novel...

When it comes to inspiring creativity in my kids, the novelty factor is big. When given a new sensory material to explore, they are 100% engaged. They've never experimented with play foam before so these little Playfoam Pals by Educational Insights are perfect. Each pack contains Playfoam and a surprise toy (are your kids totally obsessed with surprise toys too?!). They will love making accessories and homes for their new little pals out of the foam. Recommended age is 5+ so make sure you fully supervise and don't give to children who still put things in their mouth.

I can't wait for Christmas morning to come and for my kids to open their stockings. There will be creativity for days after with these fun products!