2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Stocking Stuffers/The Small Stuff

This is one of my most of all my holiday gift guides to put together. I think there are a lot of people who need to pick up little gifts during the holidays and there are so many to choose from. The problem with a lot of the little gifts out there are that they can be used once which can be really frustrating. In this list, I have tried to put together a variety of toys, crafts and activities that can either be used again and again or when created, can be used for a long period of time. Many of them are great for keeping kids entertained when on-the-go or out and about. All of them were hand-picked because I know that they will help the children on your gift-giving list develop a variety of skills. More importantly, they were chosen because I know that kids enjoy playing with them without knowing that they are actually "working". Below, you will find over 20 of my favorite stocking stuffer/small gifts.

Plus Plus Tubes-these manipulative toys are just awesome and make a great stocking stuffer or small gift for those on your list this year. There are several themed tubes to choose from depending on what your child's interests may be and they are all great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improving hand-eye and bilateral coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on a variety of executive functioning skills. Kids can follow the step-by-step directions and create whatever they suggest or can use their imagination and make their own creation. I love how you can throw these into your bag for on-the-go entertainment.





Scratch and Scribble Kits-another great product from my favorite OOLY that would not only make a great stocking stuffer, but also great for keeping kids entertained while on-the-go. Each of these kits (there are a bunch of different ones to choose from and come in two different sizes) comes with 4 illustrated cards and a variety of blank cards that kids can make whatever designs they feel like creating and a special wooden tool. These are great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and graphomotor skills, improves hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination skills.

Gunner and Lux DIY Holiday Ornament Necklace Kit-a perfect little gift for your fashionistas. This adorable DIY Necklace Kit from Gunner and Lux comes with the wooden ornament, beads, tassel, a marker (but you can use any of your favorite markers to complete the ornament) and rope. Kids color their ornament in any way they want, add beads and the tassel and then tie the rope to the desired length. This is a great activity for working on developing fine motor, manipulation and graphomotor skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity while working on developing executive functioning skills.

Squiggle Wiggle Pen-this is something I have loved and used in my therapy sessions for as long as I can remember. The Squiggle Wiggle Writer is a battery operated vibrating pen that allows children to turn straight lines into loops, circles, curves and a variety of other things depending on the amount of pressure you use while drawing. It comes with 5 different color refills that you can switch in and out as you please. While this is a fun writing instrument, it is a great therapeutic tool as the vibrating helps with focus and attention. It is also great for working on developing fine motor and grasping skills and encourages creativity and imagination.





Mad Mattr Quantum Pods-this is one of my 9 year old daughters favorite things in the whole world. I should mention I am kinda obsessed with Mad Mattr as well. From the makers of Kinetic Sand, Mad Mattr is a non-toxic, oderless dough that flows and never dries out. Made out of a polymer-dough mix, this sensory material can be used to help kids with tactile defensiveness, increase grasp strength and manipulation skills and encourages creativity and imagination. Use it with cookie cutters and other tools (I like to use some of my tools from playdough sets) to encourage bilateral coordination skills. For parents who worry about sensory materials making a mess, this is your thing. This is a super clean sensory material that doesn't stain hands or your furniture.

Build-A-Bot Unicorn Robot Toy-I can't speak for anyone else's kids but my daughter is a big fan of all of the small interactive animal toys out there. We have had more Little Live Pets, and even at almost 10 years old doesn't want to part with them, then I can count. As the mother of a huge unicorn fan, I wish this S.T.E.M. kit had been around when she was younger. Kids can build their very own Unicorn robot. Each kit comes with over 20 pieces and stickers for your kid to build their very own pet unicorn that you an interact with. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral and hand-eye coordination and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning, organization and task completion.



Shrinky Dinks DIY Pins Project Pack-I am a long time fan of all things Shrinky Dinks. I love that things from my own childhood are still a thing now and that I can enjoy them with my own daughter. This set comes with some images images of cute animals, food and other things that you can trace onto two types of Shrinky Dinks sheets but you can also trace your favorite book characters or images you like. Cut out the design, color it in and follow the bake and shrink directions provided. Once it is cooled off, you can add a glitter sticker to the back to give it a shiny metallic look, glue on the tie-tack and put it on your favorite jacket, your back pack or anything else you think could use a little extra bling! Great for working on improving fine motor and graphomotor skills, encourages creativity and imagination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and task completion.

NeeDoh Bubble Glob Groovy Glob Ball-I am pretty much obsessed with any and all sensory/squishy balls. One of the most popular things at my gym is this giant container of sensory balls and tools  and many of them are from the NEEDOH line. Thanks to my monthly subscription to Sensory TheraPlay Box, I have learned about a lot of great sensory tools including the extensive collection of squishy balls from Schylling. Color changing, Snowball, Gumball, Cool Cats.....there are so many to choose from and they are all pretty fabulous. Other than the overwhelmingly good feeling of squeezing them, squishy balls are great for reducing stress and anxiety in children while working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills.

Kid Made Modern On-The-Go Drawing Kit-if you don't know about Kid Made Modern On-The-Go kits, you are missing out on some pretty awesome stuff. When my daughter was little, I was always carrying around a bag of random things to keep her entertained when we were out and about. I wish that these little kits had been available to us because we would have gotten so much use out of them. The first kit I will share is the Drawing Kit. This kit comes with a 32-page sketch book with drawing prompts, 12 mini colored pencils and a pencil sharpener which can be stored in the fabric carrying case. This on-the-go drawing set is great for developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, helps with improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills while encouraging creativity and imagination.



Kid Made Modern On-The-Go Jewelry Making Kit-another one of my favorite on-the-go gifts. I actually got a handful of these last summer and brought them to the beach for my daughter and her friends when they needed some down time. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination, works on improving focus, attention and organizational skills while also encouraging creativity. Each kit comes with over 100 multicolored acrylic beads and 2 colors of cording which can be stored in the fabric carrying case.



DIY Charms Accessories Kit-this is another great on-the-go crafting kit that works on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages creativity and can help with letter recognition. This craft set comes with 50 assorted plastic letter beads, charms and multi-colored jewels and string to make bracelets, necklaces, keychains and other accessories.





32 Ways to Dress Wild Animals Book-as the mother of a budding fashion designer and an animal lover, I was so excited to find these at Norman and Jules a couple of years ago. This adorable book is another awesome on-the-go activity book that works on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, encourages creativity and imagination, works on visual motor and visual perceptual skills and helps develop executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and planning skills. This little activity book comes with 32 perforated and removable black and white illustrations with upper bodies and feet/shoes and allows your little artist to draw the perfect outfit for each animal. Can be used with your favorite writing instrument but I highly recommend the ooly Yummy Yummy Scented Gel Glitter Pens  or ooly Sketch and Color Colored Pencil Set.



Kiko + Wakka Game-love this little game that and totally takes me back to my own childhood with our little water games similar to this. The point of the game is simple: there are a bunch of little hoops floating in the water and by pushing the two buttons, you try and get them onto the the spikes. This little hand-held game which you can pick up from Norman and Jules in Park Slope is great for working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, increases grasp strength and manipulation skills and works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and improves frustration tolerance.

Wikkidoodle Fun-these are another item that has made my gift guide year after year. I recently got a fresh new set of Wikki Stix and introduced them to one of my kids who has been really struggling with learning how to write letters. It was so much fun to watch him twist and turn the Wikki-Stix into letters and shapes and I could see his confidence increasing with this simple multi-sensory approach to learning. The Wikkidoodle Fun kit is another great on-the-go gift to keep kids entertained while in the car, on a plane or at a restaurant. It comes with 36 Wikki Stix and a 32 page doodle pad. The doodle pad doesn't require any crayons or markers, just the Wikki Stix and your child's hands. Kids work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination while twisting, turning and bending the Wikki Stix into the shapes they see on the pad. I love how it also encourages creativity and imagination by giving them a prompt with a line or a squiggle and has them turn it into something else.



Disney Princess Magic Clip Dolls-these are easily one of the most asked for toy at my gym and would make your princess loving kid so happy. These little dolls can be purchased individually (I picked up most of mine at Lulu's Cuts and Toys in Park Slope) or in an 8 pack for a larger gift. These tiny little dolls work on developing so many skills such as improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, develops hand-eye coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. I have been using them with my kids in my social skills group and paired them up with Magna-Tiles, having them build a castle with the Magna-Tiles and then watch them play.

Scribble Scrubbie Pets Beauty Salon and Vet Sets-I picked these up on a whim last week at Stationery and Toy World on the UWS of Manhattan and these are now a new favorite of mine. More importantly, the kids absolutely love them. These adorable sets from Crayola work on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, helps to improve bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills while encouraging creativity and imagination skills. Using the special scrubbie markers, kids can color their pets any way they want. When they are done, they can use the little spray bottle to wet the animals down and then scrub them clean with the brush provided. When used in my social skills group, we worked on cooperative play by having them color them together and help each other with cleaning and drying off their pet.



Tiger Tribe Coloring Sets-I have picked up a few of these sets from one of my local stores, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Park Slope, and they have been really wonderful for keeping my daughter entertained in the car and in restaurants. There are a ton of different themes to choose from so you are sure to find one perfect for your kid. Each set comes with a book of 36 coloring pages, 2 handy storage drawers, 3 sheets of stickers 3 double sided markers. I really like the included markers because they are a good size and encourage a tripod grasp. Not only great for keeping kids entertained but also works on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination skills.



Bag of Magic Tricks-looking for something a little off the beaten path for one of the kiddos this year? I love this Bag of Magic Tricks that I have seen at Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Park Slope. The set includes over 15 tricks packaged in a fabric bag making it easy to take on the go to entertain people over the holidays. It also includes a 20-page magician booklet so your child can master the magic. This is great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and is awesome for working on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, sequencing, following directions, planning and organizational skills. While your kids are mastering these magic tricks, they are building confidence and self-esteem at the same time.

Melting Snowman-this simple little gift will bring hours of entertainment to your children while also working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills while also working on learning about body parts and improves body awareness. This melting snowman kit comes filled with reusable melting putty, hat, scarf, eyes, nose and arms for your kids to make their own snowman over and over again. It is so much fun to watch their delight each and every time the snowman goes from standing tall to being a puddle.





Creatibles D.I.Y. Eraser Kit-another one of my favorites from my OOLY is not only great for working on developing a variety of skills, but also a very useful end product for school age kids. My daughter is constantly on the search for erasers and I have to believe (or at least hope) that she's not alone. This easy make and bake eraser kit helps children use their imagination to make their own erasers. Creatibles comes with 12 pliable clay colors that can be mixed together to make any color they want. Kids can use their hands or tools and their imagination to make their very own erasers. Once they are made, they get thrown in the oven to cook and then they can be used to assist with homework! This kit is great for working on increasing fine motor skills, grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills and encourages creativity.

Lee Sticker Puzzles-I discovered these awesome sticker puzzles years ago at another one of my local toy stores, Little Things in Park Slope, and have always had a handful of them in my work closet since. These are one of my most recommended on-the-go/travel activities when people ask. There are many different books to choose from and each one comes with 8 puzzles. I love that they start simple with books that have fewer and larger pieces and go up to more challenging puzzles with smaller pieces and higher numbers. This simple book of puzzles works on so many skills including developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on number recognition and matching skills, works on improving visual motor, visual perceptual and visual tracking skills and helps with developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.




I had so much fun putting this part of my gift guide together. One of the things I thought about when putting it together was how I could support my local small businesses. While I do more shopping online than I am proud to admit, I also do my best to support my local New York City small businesses. I love my local toy stores and encourage you all to support your local toy stores when possible.

If you have any other amazing small gifts/stocking stuffer that the kids in your life have loved, please send them along. If you need some specific recommendations for the kids on your gift-giving list this year, send them along. I am only a click away and love hearing and learning from you all.