Gift ideas for stocking stuffers for little kids ages 0 to 8
Stocking stuffers for little kids don’t have to be extravagant or expensive. In my kids’ stockings, I like to include items like bath toys, travel toys, figurines, and every day items that are a little more special.
In this stocking stuffer gift guide, you’ll find stocking stuffer ideas that are perfect for little kids ages 0 to 8 that they’re sure to love.
Stocking Stuffer Gifts
Boon Pipes Building Bath Tub Toy (Pack of 5)
Boon Pipes Building Bath Tub Toy
Bath toys are a great, inexpensive stocking stuffer for this age group. My kids love this pipes bath toy from Boon. It’s provided hours of fun in the tub – plus it’s good for ages 12 months and up.
We recently purchased these Bath Color Fizzies to make bath time lots of fun – and I’ve been really impressed. They come with a big variety of colors, but don’t stain your tub. These would make a great stocking stuffer!
MAPIXO Light-Up Floating Dinosaur Bath Toys Set 6 Pack
MAPIXO Light-Up Floating Dinosaur Bath Toys Set
Glow stick baths can be fun, but if you’re looking for a reusable option, check out these light-up floating dinosaur bath toys. These dinos light up as soon as they hit the water, and turn off automatically as they dry out. We’ve had this set for over a year, and they’re still working great!
Bath toys are usually my go-to for stocking stuffers, and this magnetic fishing bath toy is great for babies and toddlers. And honestly, both of my kids enjoy playing with this toy.
Teething toys are a great stocking stuffer for babies. The most used teething toy in our house was this set of Teether Tubes. They are durable, easy to clean, and helped my baby a lot when she was teething. And they’re the perfect size to put in a stocking.
My daughter loves wearing bracelets from her toy sets, but most dress-up bracelet sets aren’t safe for kids under age 3. That’s why I like these silicone teething bracelets for her stocking – that way she can still play “dress up”, but I don’t have to worry when she chews on her bracelets.
Fisher-Price Little People Farmer & Animals Figure Pack
Fisher-Price Little People Farmer & Animals Figure Pack
For the littlest ones, you can’t go wrong with a pack of Little People figures from Fisher-Price. There are so many to chose from, and this is something your child will play with for years to come.
Another cute little figurine option are these miniature plush figures from Disney. Our daughter loves the movie Lilo & Stitch, so my husband grabbed these for her stocking.
These small LEGO DUPLO sets are a fun addition to any stocking for a toddler or preschooler. These sets are inexpensive and typically include pieces you don’t find in the larger sets.
For the bigger kids, these LEGO Creator 3 in 1 sets are great because they are usually pretty small, but allow your kid to make 3 different creations with the pieces. We own several sets.
Our son already has a gazillion Pokemon cards, so what’s 50 more? He loves them, and he’s always excited to get new cards. Plus, they will fit perfectly in his stocking.
Colorful Fun Animal Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws for Kids
Colorful Fun Animal Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws for Kids
Stocking stuffers for kids at this age don’t need to be crazy or expensive. Every day items that are a little bit special make great gifts. These reusable silicone straws are colorful and feature cute animals – and conveniently fit easily into a stocking.
Yes, this is a Slinky, just like when we were kids. Yes, it’s still a lot of fun. And yes, you will have to untangle it at least 3 times on Christmas morning – but it’s worth it.
The one thing my kiddo is always grabbing off of my desk are my sticky notes! So this year my 6 year old is getting his own set of sticky notes in his stocking. There are oodles of fun sets out there – but I liked this set for our kitty-loving little guy.
Mini notebooks were such a hit as our son’s birthday treat for his kindergarten class that I plan to pick up a few more to put in his stocking. These notepads are 3x5in and are the perfect size to fit in any stocking.
Rounding out our list of stocking stuffers is another every day item, but fun. This flashlight from Melissa & Doug looks like a colorful lightning bug and is durable enough to survive being dropped repeatedly from a toddler bed. My son loved this flashlight as a toddler, and we got the pink one this year for our daughter.
Thank you for checking out my gift guide for stocking stuffers for little kids ages 0 to 7. I hope you are able to find the perfect gift for your little one’s stockings.
If you enjoyed this gift guide, make sure to check out my full collection of holiday gift ideas for kids, including a Gift Guide for Babies, Gift Guide for One Year Olds, Toddler Gift Guide, Preschooler Gift Guide, School-Aged Kids Gift Guide and Hanukkah Gift Guide.
Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide Stocking stuffers for little kids guide
Holiday Gift Guide for Kids 2026
A guide to our favorite gifts for kids ages 0 to 8
Stumped on what to get your little ones for Christmas and Hanukkah this year and need a gift guide? I’ve put together a of gift guide for kids ages 0 to 8 years old, plus a Hanukkah gift guide and a guide to stocking stuffers for kids. Check out my collection of gift guides below!
One Little Small Gift Guides
Use the banners below to navigate to each gift guide. The guides are broken down into: Hanukkah Gifts, Gifts for Babies (0-12 months), Gifts for 1 Year Olds (12-24 months), Toddler Gifts (for ages 2-3), Preschooler Gifts (for ages 4-5), School-Aged Kids Gifts (for ages 6-8), and Stocking Stuffers.
Everything included in the guides are items we own or have asked for as gifts – or are similar to those items if the originals are no longer available. I hope this collection of gift ideas helps you find the perfect present for your little one.
Hanukkah Gift Guide for Kids
The Hanukkah Gift Guide includes holiday-themed toys and books for children ages 0-6.
The Holiday Gift Guide for Toddlers highlights our favorite toys for children ages 2 to 3. Many of these toys are still well loved in our home.
Christmas Gift Guide for Preschoolers
The Holiday Gift Guide for Preschoolers features our favorite toys for 4 to 5 year olds. Everything on this gift guide for preschoolers are toys that we own or are similar to things we loved when our son was 4 and 5 years old.
Christmas Gift Guide for School-Aged Kids
The Holiday Gift Guide for School-Aged Kids features our favorite toys for 6 to 8 year olds. We own many of these toys or have asked for these toys as gifts this year for our 7 year old.
Thank you for checking out my collection of holiday gift guides for kids. I hope each gift guide for kids was helpful in your holiday shopping. Have a wonderful Christmas and Hanukkah celebrating with your little ones.
Looking for some no-so-spooky fun with your little goblins this fall? Check out my list of Cincinnati kid friendly Halloween events in 2025. From events with candy to Halloween performances to spooky hikes – there’s something fun for everyone, but nothing too scary!
Cincinnati Kid Friendly Halloween Events 2025
Cincinnati Kid-Friendly Halloween Events 2025
Spooky Summit Cinema: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – October 10
Head to Summit Park for a spooky outdoor movie – the Spooky Summit Cinema will be showing Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on Friday, October 10, 2025 at 8pm.
The City of Independence KY is throwing a Boos & Brews bash at Memorial Park on Friday, October 10, 2025 from 6pm to 10pm. There will be trick or treating, games, haunted trail, and more.
Boo Fest 2025 at Chamberlin Park – October 10 & 11
Boo Fest 2025 will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025 & Saturday, October 11, 2025 from 6pm to 9:30pm at Chamberlin Park in Deer Park. This year’s Boo Fest includes a costume parade at 6:30pm, treats, games, prizes, pumpkin decorating and more. Enjoy a walk through the spooky trail for $2 per person – free pumpkin for kids to decorate included in cost.
We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym Cincinnati will be hosting a Trick-or-Treat Halloween Party on Sunday, October 12, 2025 from 12pm to 2pm. The WRTS Halloween Party will have sensory fun, treats, and prizes. Costumes are welcome, but not required.
Middletown’s Hocus Pocus Family Fun Festival 2025 takes place on Sunday, October 12, 2025 from 2pm to 7pm by the Windamere. This free event includes food, fun, shows, local vendors, a creepy car show, and ends with a screening of Hocus Pocus at the Sorg Opera House.
Magical Forest Halloween Hike at Caldwell Nature Preserve – October 17
Magical Forest Halloween Hike: An Enchanted Family Adventure will take place on Friday, October 17, 2025 from 6pm to 8pm at at Caldwell Nature Preserve. Enjoy a walk through the pumpkin-lit woods meeting different characters. This outdoors event is not scary, and is designed for ages 3 to 10 years old.
Tickets are $8 per person ages 3 and older. Register online.
Jack-O-Lantern Hike at Caldwell Nature Preserve – October 18
Jack-O-Lantern Hike – A Magic Forest Halloween Event will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 7pm to 9pm at at Caldwell Nature Preserve. This event is a moonlight walk through the woods decorated with Jack-O-Lanterns and luminaries. The cost is $5 per person for ages 3 and up. Prior registration is required.
This is a family-friendly event, but would be best for kids who enjoy hiking, being outside in the dark, and don’t get crabby staying up past bedtime.
Wandering Monsters Brewery Halloween Party – October 18
Wandering Monsters Brewery will be throwing a Halloween party on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 11am to 11pm. There will be a bounce house, face paint, and trick or treat beers.
Halloween Carnival + Movie in the Park at Erlanger Train Depot Park – October 18
City of Erlanger KY is throwing a Halloween Carnival and Movie in the Park night on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 5:30pm at Erlanger Train Depot Park. Enjoy carnival games before the movie begins at 7:15pm. Please bring your own chairs and blankets for the movie. The city is also collecting non-perishable goods for donation.
Kid Clubhouse will be holding their annual Halloweekend event on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at the Mason location and on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at the Springboro location. The party runs from 4:00pm to 9:00pm, with a 2 hour time limit. There will be games, a not-very-haunted maze, prizes, crafts, and lots of candy. Tickets are $15 for kids 12 and under, and can be purchased at the front desk.
The City of Edgewood, KY is throwing Spooky Sunday at Presidents Park on Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 4pm. There will be a costume parade, magic show, candy, and more.
The City of Fairfield will host Halloween on the Green, a trick-or-treat event on Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 6pm to 8pm at Village Green Park. Please wear your costume and bring a trick-or-treat bag.
Pumpkin Glow at Caesars Ford Park will be open from 6:30pm to 9:30pm on Thursday, October 23, Friday, October 24, and Saturday, October 25, 2025. The trails of Caesar Ford Park will be decorated with hand-painted pumpkins that glow with black light. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own black light flashlight, but there will be some available to borrow.
Fort Thomas will hold its annual Pumpkin Walk at Tower Park on Friday, October 24, 2025 from 6pm to 9pm. This family-friendly event includes a walk through the park, which will be decorated with pumpkins, light features, photo ops, and more.
Little Sprouts: Pumpkin Painting & Trick-or-Treating – October 25
White Oaks Gardens is holding a Little Sprouts: Pumpkin Painting & Trick-or-Treating event on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 10am. Kids can decorate a pumpkin and enjoy a trick-or-treat adventure. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online.
Halloween Family Movie Night at Sharonville’s Depot Square – October 25
Sharonville’s Depot Square will be hosting a Halloween Family Movie Night on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 6:30pm. Bring your own blanket and chairs, and enjoy treats and hot chocolate from Smore Fun Food Truck. A showing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! will begin at 7:30pm.
Kids Spooky Boo Bash at Springdale Community Center – October 25
City of Springdale is having their Kids Spooky Boo Bash on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm at the Springdale Community Center. Activities include a costume contest, haunted room tours, Halloween games, activities, and treats. This event is for ages 10 and under.
Halloween Walk in the Woods at Blue Ash Nature Park – October 25
Halloween Walk in the Woods will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from noon to 3pm at Blue Ash Nature Park. This free event includes trick or treating, a Halloween story, performances, and more. Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory.
HalloWest will take place on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from 12pm to 4pm at Maple Ridge Lodge in Mt. Airy Forest. The festivities include costume contest, games, bounce house, live music, and more.
Howl-O-Ween Hootenanny at ArtsConnect – October 25
Howl-O-Ween Hootenanny will held on the ArtsConnect front lawn in Springfield Township on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from noon to 3pm. This free Halloween event includes trick or treating, scavenger hunt, hay maze, and more. Plus a Halloween pet costume contest at 2pm.
Monster Mash will take place on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from 3pm to 6pm at Liberty Center. This event is free, and includes trick-or-treating, spooky animal exhibit, crafts, and more.
Pumpkin Carving at Fifty West Deerfield – October 25
Fifty West Deerfield will have a Pumpkin Carving event on Saturday, October 25, 2025 from noon to 3pm. Tickets are $10 and include one pumpkin, one pumpkin carving kit, and one regular fry. Tickets can be purchased online, but walk-ups will be welcome as supplies last.
The Behringer-Crawford Museum will host its annual Halloween Hoopla on Sunday, October 26, 2025 from 1pm to 3pm. Families can enjoy trick-or-treat stations, crafts, and a special puppet performance.
Jack O’Lantern Junction at Entertrainment Junction
On-Going Cincinnati Kid-Friendly Halloween Events
Tricks and Treats Fall Fest at Kings Island
Tricks and Treats Fall Fest at Kings Island is open on Saturdays and Sundays beginning September 21 through November 2, 2025. This event runs during the day, while the scary Halloween Haunt event is open at night. During Tricks and Treats, there are fall activities and entertainment, trick-or-treating (kids are encouraged to dress up!), festive foods and drinks, and more. Select rides are open during this time.
Howl-O-Ween at Great Wolf Lodge runs September 25 through October 31, 2025. Spooky activities included in your stay are the Monster Bash Dance Party, Trick-Or-Treat Trail, Howl-O-Ween Crafts, and more.
Haunted Village at Heritage Village Museum is open Fridays and Saturdays beginning October 10 through October 25, 2025. The village and woods are decorated for a spooky good time. Activities include a creepy critter zoo, face painting, games, balloon art, and more. Everyone is encouraged to dress up. Tickets can be purchased online.
This event is a bit scary and spooky, and may be best for kids a bit older.
Jack O’Lantern Glow and HallZooween at the Cincinnati Zoo
Jack O’Lantern Glow is a ticketed exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. It is not included with zoo admission – you must purchase separate tickets to this event, even if you are a zoo member. Timed-entry tickets must be purchased online ahead of time. Jack O’Lantern Glow runs during evening hours on select dates in October.
HallZooween at the Cincinnati Zoo runs weekends from noon to 5pm beginning October 11 through October 26, 2025. This event is included with zoo admission. During HallZooween you’ll find trick or treat stations, special animal enrichment, Hide & Seek Fiona, and more. Plus, the train and carousel have been decorated for some spooky fun!
For an indoor attraction, check out Newport Aquarium’s Underwater Pumpkin Glow. Giant glowing pumpkins are displayed throughout the exhibits from September 19 through November 2, 2025. This attraction is included with membership or admission.
ColorFall at Perfect North Slopes runs October 10 to November 8, 2025. This immersive experience includes light displays and illuminated jack o’lanterns around 1-mile path. Sunday to Thursday are driving nights, while walking nights will be Friday and Saturday.
On driving nights, ColorFall is open from 7pm to 9:30pm. The cost is $9 for adults and $4.50 for kids. On walking nights, ColorFall is open from 6pm to 9:30pm. The cost is $18 for adults, and $9 for kids. Hayrides are only available on walking nights, and the cost of chair ride lifts is included in ticket price.
Each of the 9 family branches of YMCA of Greater Cincinnati will be holding a Boo Fest during the month of October 2025. Head to their website for details on each location’s Boo Fest.
CRC Haunted Trails
Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s Haunted Trails return on October 10 through October 31, 2025. Check their Haunted Trail schedule for dates, times, and locations.
Hope you have a howl-ing good time checking out these Cincinnati kid friendly Halloween events! And for more kid-friendly fun this autumn in Cincinnati, check out my guide of local Cincinnati pumpkin patches.
Looking for an activity to keep your little leprechauns busy and out of trouble? Well, you’re in luck! This St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin is easy to setup and will keep your littles entertained all March long.
And the best part? Most of the items for this sensory bin can be purchased at your local grocery or dollar store. But if you’d rather have it all shipped to your doorstep, check out the shopping links below.
St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin
Here’s what you’ll need for the St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin:
I love an easy, holiday-themed sensory bin, and our St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin is one of my favorites. For this bin, I use dried green split peas as the fill, and throw in some St. Patrick’s Day decorations and rainbow-colored trinkets. The best part about using the green peas as the fill is that it easily transitions to a spring or Easter-themed sensory bin after St. Patty’s Day.
Our St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin
St. Patrick’s Day Bin Supplies Shopping Links
Disclosure: One Little Small is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. I selected the products in this guide because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
You can pick up most of the supplies needed to make this sensory bin at the grocery store. But if you’d rather have everything arrive at your doorstep, you can use the shopping links below. I selected these items based on their similarity to the items I own and used for this sensory bin.
IRIS USA Storage 28 Quart Non-Latching Box
Sensory Bin Container
A shallow, clear plastic container with a lid has worked best for our family when it comes to sensory bins. This IRIS USA Storage 28 Qt Box is similar to the container we use at home at an affordable price. Having a lid is great – just pop it on for easy clean up.
A bag or 2 of dry green split peas makes for the perfect fill for this St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin – in fact we usually keep it around through the en d of spring.
I’m always looking for cool, affordable tools to add to our sensory bin. I like how these scissor tongs add a dash of color and also help kids practice fine motor skills.
I like to add themed cups or containers to our sensory bins, and I love this rainbow set. We keep these cups with our every day play items and use them frequently. Overall they’ve held up nicely, and are available at a price where you don’t feel too upset when you need to replace a crushed cup.
This fun St. Patrick’s Day decorations set includes mini cauldrons, clover gold coins, and shamrock confetti. All things guaranteed to take this sensory bin up a notch!
Another cool container option is this 8″ green cauldron. I love how the green cauldron is a different size and color from what you would typically expect in a St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin.
Fovths St. Patrick ‘s Day Fabric Shamrock Ornaments, 30 pcs
Fabric Shamrocks
No St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin would be complete without shamrocks! I really like how this set of shamrock ornaments is made from fabric and not covered in glitter.
If you don’t already have a bunch of pom poms all over your house (and under your couch), pick up this 300 piece set of rainbow pom poms. It’s the perfect addition to your St. Patrick’s Day sensory bin. And something your kids will use all the time (guaranteed!)
Looking to spend some koala-ty time doing activities with your kids? Here are 5 easy Valentine’s Day themed activities and crafts to do with your little ones this month. Valentine’s Day puns not included (for the most part).
5 Easy Valentine’s Day Activities
[ONE] Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin
An easy, festive activity that can be used all month long is a Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin. For our V-Day sensory bin, I dyed rice red and pink, and added in assorted (durable) heart decorations. We keep our sensory bin in a container with a lid, making it super easy to pull out and enjoy any time.
Our Valentine’s Day sensory bin
[TWO] Toilet Paper Tube Heart Painting
This is the perfect activity for a kid who loves to paint. Here’s what to do: Take an empty toilet paper roll tube. Bend one side down into a point and the opposite side inwards to form a heart. It may help to tape around the circumference of the tube to keep the heart shape.
Pour a palette of Valentine’s Day colors onto a paper plate, give the kiddos a canvas (construction paper), and let them stamp hearts using one end of the TP roll. Soon you’ll have a beautiful masterpiece!
[THREE] Heart Mosaic Craft
I loved this craft for when Ben was a toddler. It was a super easy way to make pretty valentines for our families. And it was a lot less messy than using paint.
Here’s what to do: Cut out hearts from white or light-colored construction paper. Then cut out small pieces of red, pink, and purple tissue paper. Pour some glue or mod podge onto a paper plate. Finally, use a sponge brush to paint the hearts and put the tissue paper onto the heart. You can also use a glue stick depending on your child’s age.
Let the hearts dry overnight before sending them out as valentines – or use as decorations to hang up around the house.
Making heart mosaics
[FOUR] Love Monsters
One craft we’ve had fun making this year is TP Roll Monsters. So much so that we made TP Roll Monsters on Halloween, and then made Monster Turkeys out of paper plates and TP roll tubes on Thanksgiving. Carrying the tradition through, it only makes sense to make Love Monsters out of our stock of empty toilet paper tubes. However, you can easily modify this craft to make “love bugs” instead of monsters, if that’s more your jam.
Here’s what you’ll need: a few empty toilet paper rolls, a variety of age-appropriate art supplies (such as markers, crayons, etc), an assortment of stick-on or glue on decorations (stickers, adhesive gems, small heart shapes, etc.), and googly eyes. Trust me on the googly eyes – it makes the end result so much more fun (and funny).
Then let your kiddos go to town! There’s no right way for a love monster to look, so this is a perfect craft for creative kids!
Our family of love monsters
[FIVE] Make Valentines
This make seem like an obvious choice, but I’ve found that family and neighbors love receiving a Valentine in the mail from my little one – no matter how old he is.
When Ben was a baby, I traced his hand and glued it on top of a heart and then onto card stock. Other years we made a heart mosaic or just colored a heart that I later glued onto a card. The younger they are, the simpler the craft should be.
Now that he is a bit older and actually enjoys spending time making valentines, I will pick up a DIY valentines kit from the store with everything we need. That way I can enjoy making one too – instead of being focused on set-up and clean up.
Making valentines
I hope you liked these easy Valentine’s Day activities a whole guac! Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!
Enjoying our Valentine’s Day sensory bin
If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss our other fun at-home activities! And make sure to follow One Little Small on Pinterest for even more great ideas.
5 Easy Thanksgiving Activities
Looking to gobble up some fun? Here are 5 easy Thanksgiving turkey-themed activities and crafts to do with your little ones this Thanksgiving.
5 Easy Thanksgiving Activities
[ONE] Paper Plate Turkey
Monster Paper Plate Turkey
The Paper Plate Turkey is a fun activity for creative kiddos, and can be used as Thanksgiving decor once it’s complete. For this activity, you’ll need a white paper plate, toilet paper roll tube, glue, art supplies (markers, crayons, paint, etc.), and various decorative craft supplies – such as feathers, pom poms, stickers, googly eyes, and more.
Cut the paper plate in half, and let your child go to town decorating the turkey’s body (toilet paper roll tube) and fan (the paper plate). Once their masterpiece is complete, glue the TP roll to the paper plate. Let dry before displaying.
[TWO] Pumpkin Turkey
Pumpkin Turkey
Have any pumpkins leftover from Halloween? Put them to use with this Pumpkin Turkey activity. For this activity you will need a pumpkin, hammer (we used a plastic toy hammer), golf tees, and art supplies to create a turkey face.
We started by using paint markers to create a turkey face on our pumpkin (the one pictured is a turkey monster pumpkin). Once the face was dry, we created the turkey’s fan by using colored golf tees and hammering them into the back. It does take a certain amount of strength to hammer the golf tees in so that they stay in the pumpkin, so this activity is probably best for ages 3 and up.
For a pumpkin-free version of this activity, use a large ball of play-doh similar dough.
[THREE] Color Match Turkey
Color Match Turkey
There are so many ways to do this activity. The main focus is to match some sort of item or medium to different colored turkey feathers.
I chose to setup our color match turkey activity to focus on cutting and glueing skills. I started by drawing a turkey on a large piece of paper. Next, I drew feathers, outlining each with a different color marker. Last, I gathered scrap paper in all the different colors of the feathers.
To make the turkey come to life, my son cut up the paper into smaller pieces, then glued the pieces to each corresponding feather.
Thankful Turkey Supplies
[FOUR] Nature Turkey
Nature Turkey
Take all those pinecones and leaves that your kiddo insists on keeping in your home and turn it all into a Nature Turkey. For this activity you’ll need a pinecone, a variety of leaves in different sizes, play-doh, piece of cardboard or paper plate, and a turkey face.
To create the turkey’s body, I used play-doh to stick the pinecone upright on a piece of cardboard. You can also use a paper plate or other surface you don’t mind getting play-doh on. I created a simple turkey face with some scrap paper from the Color Match Turkey activity and more play-doh to stick that onto the pinecone.
To create the turkey’s fan, have your child stick the leaves in the back of the pinecone. This is MUCH harder than it sounds! If anyone starts to get frustrated, put more play-doh on the back of the turkey, and then stick the leaves to the play-doh.
[FIVE] Thankful Turkey
Thankful Turkey
I love the idea of creating a Thankful Turkey every year. It’s a great opportunity to teach young children about the concept of being thankful. I started this tradition with my son when he was 3 years old.
To create our thankful turkey, I used two different sized mixing bowls and traced 2 circles on a large piece of brown construction paper. Next, I cut out the two circles, along with feathers I traced on pieces of different colored construction paper. I glued the turkey’s body onto a large piece of construction paper and decorated the turkey’s face and legs.
To create the turkey’s fan, add a feather with one thing your child is thankful for throughout November.
Thankful Turkey
Thankful Turkey Supplies
Thankful Turkey
I hope you have fun doing these turkey-themed activities with your little turkeys this Thanksgiving.
If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss our other fun at-home activities! And make sure to follow One Little Small on Pinterest for even more great ideas.
5 Easy Halloween Activities
Bummed about this lovely, rainy October weather? Here are 5 easy Halloween activities to keep your toddler or preschooler entertained at home.
5 Easy Halloween Activities
[ONE] Halloween Bubble Foam
Halloween Bubble Foam
Break out your sensory bin and body wash for this sudsy fun activity. Bubble foam is an easy activity to whip up, and becomes a Halloween activity by adding food coloring and spooky trinkets. For this activity you’ll need:
Mixer (stand or hand held)
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of body wash
Food coloring
Combine water, body wash (any brand), and food coloring (4 drops of yellow and 2 drops of red to make orange) in bowl. Mix on HIGH until enough foam is made to fill your container. Pour foam into sensory bin or large, shallow container. Add in smaller sized containers and scoops, paint brushes and a whisk. Top off with spooky Halloween trinkets such as eyeballs and spider rings.
[TWO] Toilet Paper Tube Monsters
TP Roll Monsters
You really can’t go wrong with this activity. Grab a few empty toilet paper rolls, a variety of age-appropriate art supplies, and presto – you’re ready to create your own hoard of monsters.
When making TP monsters with my four year old, we used markers, colored pencils, Halloween foam shapes, glue, and googly eyes. The googly eyes were a huge hit during this activity, but really, any art supplies you have around the house will work.
TP Roll Monsters
[THREE] Glow Stick Bath
Glow sticks are an easy way to jazz up bath time. This time of year you can find glow sticks by the Halloween candy or the party supplies at your local grocery store. Just crack 2 or 3 glow sticks, toss them in the tub, and turn off the lights for some spooky splish splash fun.
And it doesn’t have to be pitch black in the room for a glow stick bath to be fun! Just dim the lights slightly for a mid-day bath.
[FOUR] Popsicle Sticks Spider Web
Popsicle Stick Spider Web
This Halloween activity is best for slightly older kids or adults – as I enjoyed making a popsicle sticks spider web, but my son did not. For this activity, you’ll need:
3 popsicle sticks
Glue
Yarn
A decorative spider or spider ring
Arrange the 3 popsicle sticks in an asterisk* shape. Glue together in the center of each stick. Once dried, cut a long piece of yarn and tie to one stick towards the center of the asterisk. Begin weaving the yarn around the shape, looping the string once or twice around each stick. To finish, tie off the end of the web, and welcome your little spider friend to their new home.
[FIVE] Halloween Sensory Bin
Halloween Sensory Bin
This easy Halloween sensory bin takes about 10 minutes to put together and can be used all month long. You’ll need a large container, red lentils, smaller containers & scoops, and some spooky trinkets. You can check out all the details – including shopping links, through the button below.
Rainy days are no fun when you’re trying to squeeze in all that outdoor Halloween fun. But these spooky activities can help make the days stuck indoors a bit less gloomy.
Halloween Sensory Bin
Looking for an easy Halloween activity? Look no further than this Halloween Sensory Bin! This sensory bin is easy to put together and will keep your kiddos entertained for hours.
Most of the items for this sensory bin can be purchased at your local grocery or dollar store. But if you’d rather have it all shipped to your doorstep, check out the shopping links below.
Halloween Sensory Bin
Here’s what you’ll need for the Halloween Sensory Bin:
Large, shallow container
Fill (such as red lentils or dyed orange rice)
Assorted containers and scoops
Halloween / spooky items
Enjoying the Halloween Sensory Bin
The Setup
For our family, I’ve found that the best easy sensory bins have four key elements: a big container with lid (for easy storage), fill (such as beans, dyed rice, water, bubbles, etc.), a variety of smaller scoops and container, and themed-trinkets.
For the Halloween Sensory Bin, I used my large, 28QT container as the base container. This container is great for sensory bins as it is large, but still shallow enough for little ones to use – plus it has a lid for easy storage.
Inside the bin, I used dried red lentils for the fill. Despite the name, red lentils are the perfect orange color for a spooky sensory bin. You could also use orange dyed rice for the fill.
For the smaller containers, I included some Halloween-themed items, such as a witch’s hat, mini pumpkin pail and black cat cup. Lastly, I threw in some spooky trinkets, such a spider rings, plastic bats and rats, eyeballs.
Halloween Sensory Bin
Halloween Sensory Bin Supplies Shopping Links
Disclosure: One Little Small is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. I selected the products in this guide because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
You can pick up most of the supplies needed to make this Halloween sensory bin. But if you’d rather have everything arrive at your doorstep, you can use the shopping links below. I selected these items based on their similarity to the items I own and used for this sensory bin.
Sterilite 28QT Storage Box
Sensory Bin Container
A shallow, clear plastic container with a lid has worked best for our family when it comes to sensory bins. The Sterilite 28QT Storage Box is similar to the container we use at home. Having a lid is great – just pop it on for easy clean up.
A bag of red lentils makes for the perfect fill for this Halloween sensory bin. Alternatively, you could take white rice and use food coloring to dye it to orange perfection.
These plastic tongs are easy for little hands to grasp and helps them develop fine motor skills. Plus, the tongs are a fun tool to use in any sensory bin.
Another way to amp up the fun with sensory bins is to add different types of scoops. These plastic scoops are easy for little hands to maneuver, but are different enough to pique their interest.
These cute little cauldrons make for a fun container for this spooky sensory bin. Plus they can double for a pot of gold for a St. Patrick’s Day bin in springtime.
Another cute container option for this sensory bin are these little pumpkin pails. And there are so many fun ways to reuse these little pails when you’re done with this activity.
And that’s it – a simple setup for a sensory bin you can use all spooky-season long. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to creating a Halloween Sensory Bin for your kiddos. Just follow these steps for creating an awesome bin.
Toilet Paper Roll Fireworks Painting
What’s more festive for the Fourth of July than fireworks? Here’s an activity to create some patriotic artwork with your little one this Independence Day.
Toilet Paper Roll Fireworks Painting
Supplies
2-3 Empty Toilet Paper Roll Tubes
Red, White, and/or Blue paint
Paper plate (to put paint on)
Scissors
Steps
Make the firework stamps from the toilet paper roll tubes. Take toilet paper roll tube and cut about a third of the way up. Repeat, cutting strips all the way around the circumference of the roll. The strips can be as thick or thin as you’d like!
TP Roll with strips cut
Fan the pieces out from the center of the roll, creating the firework shape.
TP Roll ready for painting
Repeat for each roll. 2-3 rolls are ideal to create a variety of fireworks.
Squirt paint on to paint, tray or anything with a flat surface. Add glitter and mix into paint for some extra pizzazz.
Paint + Glitter
Then let the kiddos paint their little hearts out.
TP Roll Fireworks Painting
This activity can also easily be modified to make spiders, suns, flowers, stars and more!
