Stocking Stuffers for the Montessori-ish Toddler
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
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Unless you’re an overworked, stressed out work-at-home-and-homeschooling mom who’s trying to be as faithful to the Montessori philosophy as possible while also retaining some shred of sanity. In which case, it’s kind of a stressful time. With Little Guy’s birthday right before Christmas, this is a doubly stressful season in terms of gifts. We firmly believe in separating his birthday from Christmas, even though it’s the day before, so that means celebrating both with all the birthday joy and Christmas cheer I can muster.
Last week’s mama meltdown was over stocking stuffers. Yes, that’s right, stocking stuffers. For a toddler. Since I can’t be the only one worrying about how to fill a stocking while staying true-ish to Montessori principles, I thought I’d share the results of my frantic midnight brainstorming sessions.
As a bonus, most stocking stuffers could also double as Advent calendar gifts! Though you might want to lean heavily on your little’s favorite candy to keep the cost from getting out of control.
1-6 years old
These open ended toys and practical life materials are sure to be a hit with any young child, Montessori or not. Who knows, maybe some of these could even spark joy for bigger kids.
Realistic animal figurines - We love Schleich and Papo, and Safari Ltd. has some truly excellent Toobs. This year, we’re filling the Advent calendar with figurines and popping a penguin Toob in Little Guy’s stocking. Bonus: These can be incorporated into Montessori Language Baskets and themed units. Warning: Some of these may be choking hazards. Make sure that you buy larger figurines for toddlers who still put things in their mouths.
Cookie Cutters - When a certain someone was several days past due, I decided that we’re going to make it a family tradition to get a new fancy cookie cutter from Williams Sonoma each year and also give one to each set of grandparents from the Little Guy. This is like gifting an activity, but with the fun of unwrapping something.
Small baking supplies - Festive spatulas, miniature rolling pins with engraved designs, and aprons are all small enough to go in a stocking, yet extremely practical. Personally, I’d go winter themed instead of Christmas themed, since it feels a little silly to make cookies with a Santa spatula on January 5th, but a spatula with snowflakes on it makes perfect sense until March.
Hats and Mittens - A hat and mitten set is appropriate for any stocking, from a newborn to great grandma! I plan on knitting a set for the Little Guy this year, since I can do that during Zoom meetings.
Crayons - There are so many different crayons to choose from! Go with bulkier, egg shaped crayons for the 1-3 range. Bonus: a small pad or notebook to color on.
Tasty Treats - Every year, my aunt would stick a little Godiva chocolate bar in my stocking. My husband’s grandmother would stick Andes mints in his, and he still talks about how special it was. I don’t necessarily advocate for stuffing a stocking full of sugar, but a simple treat that can become a little tradition could be a nice touch. It doesn’t even have to be candy, it could be a juicy satsuma!
Books, books, books - I will never not gift books. Board books for babies, novels for kids and teenagers, cookbooks for the aspiring home chef. A good book is never the wrong thing to give someone of any age.
Self-Care Set - A special washcloth, a cute little soap, a new toothbrush and some toothpaste, maybe even a pretty comb or brush can make a delightful self-care set for a toddler (or a mama!). If you’d like to join me on the extra train, you could even hand knit the washcloth, especially for older recipients.
0-1 year old
This age group is hard. They don’t really understand that there’s a holiday, they get overwhelmed quickly with all the hustle and bustle, and they grow out of things so quickly. Here are some ideas of things that you can get the infants in your life without worrying that they’ll be stuck in the attic within a month.
Books - Books about everything and anything. There are so many excellent board books with realistic pictures and delightful illustrations. For a more Montessori approach, pick out books with photos of real babies, animals, and objects. At this age, many infants prefer books with less text, but don’t let that scare you away from an excellent book that happens to be a little text heavy. After all, you don’t have to read the words, you could just talk about the pictures!
Balls - O-balls are great for helping babies practice grasping objects, balls with different textures are a fun way to explore their sense of touch, and balls that make noise delight their little ears. As a good rule of thumb, try to make sure the ball is bigger than your fist. Absolutely NO little bouncy balls!
Dolls - Try to go with a more realistic doll. My Little Guy loved his Hape doll. Babies can snuggle dolls, obviously, but you can also use them to begin talking about body parts like arms, legs, etc.
1-3 Years Old
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This age group is challenging, but for different reasons. They’re so independent and capable, but they also occasionally pop bouncy balls in their mouths even though they stopped putting everything in their mouth months ago (ask me how I know). They’re unpredictable, fickle, and just overall perfect in every possible way, because there’s no reason why all of those things can’t be true at the same time. You know your toddler best, but I would still recommend keeping the choking hazards to a minimum and ensuring that they’re supervised with anything small enough to pop in their mouth.
Realistic Figurines - Nothing brings Little Guy as much joy as farm and ocean animals, so guess what his Advent calendar will be stuffed with! We’re putting a Safari Ltd. Penguin Toob in his stocking, because what 2 year old doesn’t need a dozen penguins? These are choking hazards, he will be supervised, and I recommend that you supervise your little one with these.
Play Silks - I’ve seen mixed reviews on Sarah’s silks, mostly that the quality varies widely from order to order, and no one likes spending the same on something mediocre that someone else spent on something fantastic. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could pick up some lightweight fabric from your local fabric shop and hem the edges.
Playdough - All. The. Playdough. Whether you buy it or make your own, this is a lovely way to get some nice messy, sensory play in.
Flashlights - Do you remember the joy of your first flashlight? Suddenly, you could look in dark corners or see under the couch! Toddlers love to be helpful, so ask them to use their flashlight to help you next time a toy rolls under the couch and you can’t see just where it is.
Flashcards or other Matching Activities - No, not sight words flashcards. Print out some pictures of animal figurines that they already have, laminate them if you can, and watch them match up their animals to the pictures! Little guy loves finding figurines to match pictures in his books, so this is really just an extension of that. You can also find some great matching activities on Etsy!
Travel Sized Blocks - We got a travel size set of Tegu Magnetic Blocks for LG at 1 year old, and it was such a hit that we’re getting him another one this year!
