Disclaimer: Mamas Uncut and Fat Brain Toys are in an exclusive partnership.
Traditionally, Christmas stocking stuffers include mostly candy, maybe some school supplies, and if the kids are lucky, a small toy or two. We at Mamas Uncut believe that your kids’ Christmas stockings could hold the key to learning and developing skills. There are so many excellent small, educational toys out there that kids will love to play with because they are challenging or provide a sensory experience. No matter what age your kid is from baby to teen, there are exciting toys that require some problem-solving with plenty of fun along the way.
We decided to round up dozens of educational stocking stuffers that are big on fun but still will fit inside your children’s stockings. The vast majority of these toys will cost you less than $20 which means they are easy on your wallet. Who doesn’t love that? Scroll through our inspired finds to uncover the gift that’s going to be right for your kids’ age and maturity level. Stuff those stockings full of the thrilling toys below!
Ivan’s Hinge
$14.95 at the time of publication.
Are you looking for toys that foster curiosity, logic, and determination? Kids can play with this toy as a way to keep their hands busy or they can try some of the challenges like matching pattern cards that come with it. The hinged pieces really are a delight to play with and a challenge, if your kids are up for it. This one is best for children ages 8+.
Dimpl Wobbl
$12.95 at the time of publication.
Are you looking for stocking stuffers for a baby’s first Christmas? The Dimpl Wobbl allows kids to grab, chew, wobble, and pop these fun toys. The textures on these items are irresistible for babies who love the feel of the silicone that offers a popping sensation. They will be fascinated by the ways in which these toys wobble around on the floor. These are ideal for babies ages 0-16 months.
Tiltago
$12.95 at the time of publication.
Perfect for children ages 8+, the Tiltago encourages spatial reasoning, logic, problem-solving, and calmness. The brainteaser is a challenge to solve at first but the more kids play, the easier it gets. It becomes a fidget toy after they get a knack for it.
Tugl Cube
$15.95 at the time of publication.
This rounded cube contains silicon bubble-like shapes with tabs for young learners to pull and press and play with. It’s great for teaching cause and effect and kids will have trouble taking their hands off of it. This fun toy can be enjoyed by all but it’s perfect for kids and toddlers ages 2 years+.
Dimpl Clutch
$9.95 at the time of publication.
Another amazing stocking stuffer for a baby’s first Christmas, this sensory toy features bright colors and fun textures for sensory stimulation. Babies love to chew, poke, rattle, and explore this educational toy.
Coggy
$15.95 at the time of publication.
Through trial and error, kids will find themselves puzzled as they try the challenges on the cards that come with this cog, puzzle toy. Think of this toy as a sort of Rubik’s cube but with many different ways to play and more than one goal. This stocking stuffer is best for kids ages 6+.
Shake & Make – Words
$5.95 at the time of publication.
Kids give the dome a shake and the dice with letters on them will land into their cubes. The rules of the game are simple. The first to call out a 4-letter word that’s made up of those four letters earns a point. Whoever earns the most points wins. There are also a variety of ways to play to make it even more challenging and fun. This stocking stuffer is best for players ages 6+.
Shake & Make – Dice
$5.95 at the time of publication.
This is a pocket-sized dice-rolling game that players shake to try and achieve the highest sum. The game can be played a number of ways and players can earn extra points by getting 1 pair, 2 pair, straight, 3-of-a-kind, 4-of-a-kind, etc. This stocking stuffer game is best for children ages 6+.
Klutz Cat’s Cradle
$9.95 at the time of publication.
A classic game that most of us played as kids is secretly educational. It encourages dexterity, concentration, focus, and bi-manual activity. This small booklet comes with a colorful string and instructions for how to make popular shapes. This stocking stuffer will be perfect for children ages 6+.
Holly Jolly Jixelz
$4.95 at the time of publication.
In the above picture, take a look at the ornament on the right that has tiny pieces in it. Each ornamental globe is filled with at least 150 precision-cut, micro jigsaw pieces for building one festive holiday-themed design. We chose Santa but there are several different holiday puzzles for kids to build. You could put more than one in their stocking! Due to the small pieces, this puzzle toy is best for children ages 6+.
Silly Rings
$14.95 at the time of publication.
Expect some serious sensory fascination from this stocking stuffer toy that is great for babies and toddlers ages 1 year+. The rings are colorful and coated in a soft, rubbery material with a textured surface for little fingers to explore. Further, these rings contain rattles which young ones love to make noise with. There are magnets inside these rings that will further captivate your child.
Dado Cubes
$29.95 at the time of publication.
This deceptively simple activity for kids is an absolute blast for young builders to create unique structures. 10 cubes scaled from 1 to 5 inches that connect via slits along edges combine to build whatever young imaginations desire. The possibilities are endless for this educational and fun stocking stuffer. Kids over the age of 3 will get the most out of this set.
Sensory Rollers
$19.95 at the time of publication.
Each of these three, high-quality, bright, silicone spheres features a unique design that fascinates and captures the imagination. Excellent for babies and toddlers under the age of 2, these balls contain pretty chimes inside that kids can’t get enough of. Though they may look simple, these balls foster sensory exploration, fine motor skills, experimentation, cause-effect learning, and imaginative play.
Brain Food
$8.95 at the time of publication.
Now, it’s time for some goo. Each one of these tins contains a stretchy goo that is irresistible to children. The putties come in bright colors with sparkling glitter inside. This stocking stuffer keeps their hands and imaginations busy while reducing stress and anxiety. While each putty is made with 100% kid-safe materials it is not meant to be ingested. For this reason, these goos are best for kids ages 3+.
Simpl Dimpl Glow-in-the-Dark
$4.95 at the time of publication.
This keychain can be enjoyed by folks of all ages but kids over the age of 3 will get the most out of it. It’s a sensory keychain with hard plastic that houses two silicone bubbles inside. If your kid likes to keep their fingers busy, this would be the right toy as it feels good to poke, pop, and handle it in general. Turn off the lights and it glows like magic.
Corners Up
$14.95 at the time of publication.
“Each player gets 20 game pieces of one color,” Fat Brain Toys says of this game. “On each turn, players have to place one of their pieces adjacent to or on top of the other pieces within a 4×4 grid, building a pyramid as they go.”
“When a 2×2 square is completed, whoever has the most pieces within that 2×2 square gets to place one of their pieces on top of those four,” the brand continues.
“The game continues until the last piece of the pyramid is placed. Then, start counting up the corners. – Whoever is occupying the most corners wins the game!”
How fun does that sound? This stocking stuffer game is great for children and adults but it’s best suited for children over the age of 8.
Hey Clay Claymates Mr. Pi
$5.99 at the time of publication.
Here is a really fun stocking stuffer for kids ages 3+. In the kit, kids will find 5 cans of soft, lightweight, non-sticky, nontoxic, and stain-free clay for molding. The goal is for kids to sculpt the cute monster named Mr. Pi. It comes with instructions but there is also an app with even more detailed ones. Isn’t Mr. Pi just precious?
Plui Rain Cloud by MOLUK
$13.95 at the time of publication.
Kids can get an understanding of a basic principle of physics with this bath toy that is shaped like a raincloud. Children submerge the cloud in water to fill it up, then they must put their finger over the hole in the top to hold the water inside. When they release their finger, water falls like rain. Younger kids can play with this stocking stuffer but those ages 3+ are going to get the most out of it.
Timber Tots Pawpaw Family Set of 4
$9.95 at the time of publication.
These precious figurines stand no taller than 2″. They encourage young minds to use their imaginations by creating stories for these characters to play out. All four come in a set that will easily slide into a stocking. These toys are best for children ages 2+.
Lil’ Swimmer Tub Buddies
$8.95 at the time of publication.
An excellent stocking stuffer for babies and toddlers, these bath toys are so much fun! The toys are wound on the back and then they swim in the bathwater. How fun is that?
Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Loopsy Teether and Clutching Toy
$16.94 at the time of publication.
The Wimmer-Ferguson Teether and Clutching Toy has three wooden beads that are intertwined with soft, pliable BPA-free loops for teething or gumming babies designed to help with hand-eye coordination and motor skill development. Again, this is made of non-toxic materials to keep your teething little one safe. It’s a great stocking stuffer for a baby’s first Christmas.
Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball
$149 at the time of publication
Sphero SPRK+ is designed to be a robot that “inspires creativity and curiosity through coding and play.” The best part is that this piece of tech is so fun, your kids will not even know they are learning valuable information that could help them later in life. According to Amazon, Sphero SPRK+ “programmable sensors include a gyroscope, accelerometer, motor encoders, and colorful LED lights to create countless play experiences and coding conditions for all levels.” If you’re looking to spoil a kid 8 years+, this is the stocking stuffer of their dreams.
16 Balancing Wooden Blocks
$17.99 at the time of publication.
This excellent, wooden toy set features oddly shaped blocks that can be stacked and balanced on top of one another. It comes with 16 colorful (yet kid-safe) blocks that help children with skills like counting, stacking, matching, and shape and color recognition. These sensory toys are best for children ages 3 and over. They will fill a stocking nicely!
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Lil’ Gamer
$6.50 at the time of publication
Lights, sounds, games, songs, phrases, this little handheld game by Fisher-Price has it all, fun and education. This little toy teaches kids direction, colors, numbers, and shapes! This stocking stuffer is perfect for kids 6 months +.
Promise Babe Organic Wooden Baby Push Toys (2-Pieces)
$13.99 at the time of publication.
Best for children ages 3 and over, these push wooden toys are excellent for fine motor development and sensory skills. Promise Babe’s wooden toys are made from natural beech wood, with no paint, only sanding. Unlike silicone, wood will not easily absorb dust and does not need to be washed with water. Vroom vroom! Throw these in their Christmas stocking and never look back.
$11 at the time of publication.
This puzzle ball is extremely hard to take apart. Through trial and error, kids will have to figure out the weakest link to disassemble the ball. That’s only half the fun. It’s even harder to get this ball back together again. For this stocking stuffer, we recommend use by kids ages 5+.
Svengali Magic Card Deck
$14 at the time of publication.
For older kids and teens, these card decks can be their gateway into the world of magic. These classic magician decks with instructions will teach kids how to perform some of the most impressive card tricks.
Classic Farkel Game
$20 at the time of publication.
This dice game that encourages kids to put their math and probability skills to the test is a great stocking stuffer. The game is fun for the whole family but kids ages 8+ are going to enjoy it most. The game is quick-paced and exciting, just the thing your kids and teens will love.
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Rory’s Story Cubes
$10 at the time of publication.
A perfect stocking stuffer for kids ages 6+, but also fun for the whole family, are these story cubes that are used to create narratives. Kids will need to use their imagination (and sense of humor) to build stories using these great blocks.
There you go! What did you think of these educational stocking stuffers for kids? We have shared with you so many toys that kids will love because they are equally as challenging as they are fun. We hope you found some to order today. Happy holiday shopping!
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Contents
- 1 Ivan’s Hinge
- 2 Dimpl Wobbl
- 3 Tiltago
- 4 Tugl Cube
- 5 Dimpl Clutch
- 6 Coggy
- 7 Shake & Make – Words
- 8 Shake & Make – Dice
- 9 Klutz Cat’s Cradle
- 10 Holly Jolly Jixelz
- 11 Silly Rings
- 12 Dado Cubes
- 13 Sensory Rollers
- 14 Brain Food
- 15 Simpl Dimpl Glow-in-the-Dark
- 16 Corners Up
- 17 Hey Clay Claymates Mr. Pi
- 18 Plui Rain Cloud by MOLUK
- 19 Timber Tots Pawpaw Family Set of 4
- 20 Lil’ Swimmer Tub Buddies
- 21 Manhattan Toy Wimmer-Ferguson Loopsy Teether and Clutching Toy
- 22 Sphero SPRK+: App-Enabled Robot Ball
- 23 16 Balancing Wooden Blocks
- 24 Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Lil’ Gamer
- 25 Promise Babe Organic Wooden Baby Push Toys (2-Pieces)
- 26 KINGOU Wooden Puzzle Magic Ball Brainteaser Toy
- 27 Svengali Magic Card Deck
- 28 Classic Farkel Game
- 29 Rory’s Story Cubes
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