Good ideas! I'm doing stickers, extra fisher price little people, and a couple finger puppets for my 22 mon olds. : )

flash cards, new underwear, play dough

For our 2 yr old we are putting in a wooden stitching block. Great for fine motor development. I bought it from for forsmalhands.com

I was going to say stickers too. Tattoos are good. Those little rubber monster puppets are cute http://www.funservicesinc.com/catalog/images/monsterfingerpuppet.jpg Circo makes a little baby doll that's not too expensive http://www.target.com/Circo-Mini-Baby-Doll-8/dp/B00298VOWO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=circo-baby-doll&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-2&qid=1292524875&rh=&searchRank=target104545&id=Circo%20Mini%20Baby%20Doll%208&node=1038576|1287991011&searchSize=30&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576|1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

sorry that link was insanity.

When my girls were two, I put animal crackers and apple juice in their stockings and both were a big hit. I also put some wooden animals in their stockings, which they still play with two years later.

my 3 year old is getting underwear, pair of slippers, pj's, yellow nail polish (that will then be stored out of her reach and can only be applied by mommy), a few toothbrushes (because she fights us wayyyy less when she has a semi-new toothbrush to use) and whatever her grandparents give her. in the past i've also had a few finger puppets for her stocking. we are of the overflowing stocker stuffer household.

I'm putting in little games for the car, crayons shaped like pebbles, some tights and fun underwear, while my husband bought some little vehicles at the airports he was transiting through yesterday.

A few schliech animals, finger puppets, a set of stockmar crayons. (buy crayons once!)

Some ideas:
--tiny books (like the Nutshell library)
--a CD of fun music
--something that makes noise (a bell, an egg shaker, etc.)
--something related to a new skill--for example, fun flatware or a cup without a sippy lid, if that's what s/he is working on now
--something "adult" that is usually forbidden (a whole pad of Post-Its to waste! an entire roll of toilet paper to unwind!)
--an animal-shaped washcloth/mitt
--stuffed animals
--fake tattoos
--"boosters" for a toy set (extra fake food for the play kitchen, another train for the train set, etc.)

I think with a kid that small, you can get away with giving something useful and calling it a gift (like the utensils.) The fun seems to be in the surprise, more than in the item itself! (If only that would last...)

Bath toys - I've seen floating memory games, water squirters, and bath crayons at the FAO Schwartz website - and I'm sure you can find that sort of thing in most stores.

The best reaction to any christmas gift last year was the bag of yogurt melts in my son's stocking. This year he is getting playdough, underwear and a few small trains.

koosh balls (you can make quite a few Montessori'sh activities with them or they are fun as is)

I love the post it idea! My boys loved a little notepad with a pen or crayon on a string. As 2 year olds delight in grown up activities, a small set of cleaning supplies like a chamois, spray bottle for vinegar and water or maybe a small soft scrub brush can be a hit. A lot of the child-scaled kitchen gear sold at Montessori supply houses would fit the stocking and the price point. I recommend a crinkle chopper.

Doesn't everyone put an orange in the toe?

bbt,
My pre-2 year old loves nail polish and will be getting a few bottles in her stocking. Here is the non toxic offering that I went with.
Happy Holidays :)
K

okay, I am feeling almost mean saying this, but my 2 year old got WAY excited by getting things like: her own mini pack of kleenex, her own box of bandaids to do whatever she wanted with, her own roll of paper towels, etc. Plus some clementines.
This year she's 3, but if you ask her what she's going to ask Santa for, she'll still say "kleenex and bandaids". ha! Now I wonder if she thinks this is what all kids are getting?
Oh, I'm also throwing in some scotch tape this year. : ) More stuff that I'm normally trying to get her not to waste but on Christmas will let her go to town with.

Our daughter will get stickers, crayon (can she have enough set?), coloring book in her stocking (however, only if she is a good girl)

My 2 year old is getting: stockmar block crayons, markers, a holiday book, a small mouse softie, train-shaped cookie cutters, smartwool socks, Japanese rice candy, animal crackers, and a candy cane.

I did a post on this. My son is 15 months old - he thinks hes 5 lol... But I have some fun ideas on her that have worked out for a 3 and 4 year old, too. http://houseofwoyaks.blogspot.com/2010/11/almost-done.html

How about a photo book? Something not too expensive you can fill with family photos and opposite the pics you can write in the names.
This is great for learning names and faces to family members who live far away.

Oh, and I second The Little People. These are great to act out life's lessons. I'm fascinated when watching my niece tell "the kids" they have to wait to have their turn on the slide.

Ha! I was going to say washable crayons and a new toothbrush, but you beat me to it.

So many things! I found a little accessory kit for Mr Potato head, plastic animals like schleich, stickers, Crayons, small playdoh, Barnums animal crackers by nabisco makes a special holiday box that is small enough for a stocking. The ideas are endless!

Our gal is getting some Hello Kitty socks, HK notepad & coloring book, chalk & crayons to go with her new easel and some hand puppets I picked up at IKEA.

The little ones in my family are getting Matchbox cars...and mustaches made from fun foam that slide on to lollipop sticks or straws...have you seen them? Super easy to make! And cheap! Also, I found some of these fizzies that turn the bath water colors, there are smaller packs of I think 6 that are only about $1: http://www.amazon.com/Sesame-Street-Fizzy-Colors-Count/dp/B000AA5VM2

I love Splitty's comment about something "adult" and normally forbidden. It brought back memories of the Christmas I gave my son rolls of tape in his stocking! He loved that gift more than anything as he proceeded to make complicated webs of tape everywhere! He loved tape & string! Someone else mentioned bandaids- YES!
Cool socks & Babylegs. Depending on the size of your stocking- a Laurie Berkner DVD or CD. A handmade stuffed animal hanging out the top would be perfection!

Another vote for the practical and seemingly mundane (unless you are two!). My son is getting: a utensil set, bubble bath, a tooth brush, toothpaste.
Also another vote for the sets of Little People. My son calls them "the kids" too!

We got Ikea finger puppets, a wood spinning top, Mama K's play clay, non-toxic nail polish and a wood yoyo (she's 2 1/2), I have NO idea what to do for my 8 month old though!

My 2 yr old son's stocking has:
a copy of Eric Carle's 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?',
a pair of pull-back and release Thomas trains,
A tube of little people
a foam plane to assemble with his dad's help and a toy car.

For the 8mo old...I remember when I was a kid and my little sister was about that age at Christmas, santa put a HUGE candycane in the my sister's stocking and that was all. I thought it was the coolest thing and I still remember that 30 years after.

Our two year old will be receiving mini child safe measuring tapes, a chocolate bar, a natural dyed candy cane, stickers, and a set of watercolor washable paints.

Our almost 20 month old will be getting things like raisins, crayons, a book, and little treats and sweets. Going to hit up the $1 area of Target!

I think stockings are perfect for recycled crayons made into whatever your little one is into.

Maracas are also great for a lot of ages - my 5 month old and 2 year old are getting them in their stockings.

Wow, seems like a lot of us have very similar ideas! My son just turned two in August and his stocking is going to consist of:
- art supplies for his easel (crayons, chalk, paint)
- 3 pack of small wooden cars from plan toys
- a harmonica
- a few mini Robert Munsch books
- a colouring book
- stickers
- candy
- toothbrush/paste
- socks/underwear
- small pack of kleenex
- a battery-free kids flashlight
- extra playmobil figurine for a larger set he is receiving

This year I have really tried hard purchasing gifts that meant something instead of buying something just because it's Christmas. I also love the idea of putting things in the stocking that they will use everyday but that are still fun. I have a 2 year old boy and 3 yr old girl...

They are getting cute snack containers, new cups/sippy cups, expanding washcloths, fun toothbrushes and new tooth paste, lip gloss for my gal and cars for my boy, mittens, a flashlight, bath squirt toys, a little book, and a few sweets. It's mostly stuff we needed any way, but still fun for them to receive!

I LOVE the idea of tape and such!

I'm with you Marissa... I did some wool socks, some nesting cups for the bath tub, some vintage christmas golden books, a new sippy cup, a sock monkey, a rubber ducky, and... a clementine ;)

Does anyone know where you can get the old school animal crackers in a box? I've searched and searched...

Nothing, they're 2...

really, Berae? Two year olds are much smarter than people give them credit for, and if the rest of the family is receiving gifts then they will not understand why they're left out. It would be psychologically traumatizing; little details matter so greatly to young children.

I do have an idea though: I used to love it when my mom gave me those little foam-rubber animals that get bigger when you put them in a cup of water. Such fun!

The kids meals at Chic-fill-a right now have mini Eric Carle books that are super cute and perfect for stockings, btw!

oh god these gifts are so cute! i'm imagining little babies everywhere with faces lit up at finding rolls of tape and underwear in their socks! oh the innocence :)
this is a really sweet post and i love all the responses too.

Wow, I gasped outloud at Berae's comment. Brooklyn2189 is right. Two year olds are smart. Mine would ask in a complete and clear sentence why his stocking was empty when his brother's was not!

There are so many great ideas on here. So far I've got similar items..socks, some candy, a small toy (plane for one, grow animal for another), a craft kit, mini flashlight (boys love these!). Those mini lego kits (usually in the stocking isle at Target) are always a hit with my boys as well. I like the toothbrush idea a lot! And they would love to get a juice box as they only ever get those at parties. :)

I saw another idea for those little boxes of sugar cereal (fruit loops, etc) and then they can eat it for breakfast. My would love that since they never get that kind of cereal.

Merry Christmas!