Sustainable stocking fillers for kids that wont break the bank

November is already whizzing past which only means one thing. Christmas will be here before we know it! I always like to be prepared with my Christmas shopping and have it all finished in November so I need to get a move on. This year I am only giving sustainable gifts. No plastic in sight at all!

One thing I still love getting is a Christmas stocking. As a kid it was so much fun waking up and seeing if your stocking was on your bed yet. If it was it meant it was time to wake up! The magic of Christmas could start and a day of fun, love and laughter would commence. Now I fill stockings for my parents and boyfriend but today I am giving you all tips about great things you can put in kids stockings.

The children I meet now actually amaze me. When I was a child I played with my barbies and didn’t know about anything that was going on in the world. Now kids come into the shop and tell me they want metal straws because they know plastic ones hurt animals. I’ve met kids who have decided themselves to stop eating meat. Kids who are boycotting plastic bags and kids who just want to make a difference. Never underestimate children, they are so clued on and lets face it its their world too. Start them young on the importance of sustainability.

Satsumas are super tasty and a great wee snack when you first get up. We sell lots of Satsumas at the Little Green Larder because they are sweet and juicy and lovely. A little bit of goodness in the morning makes up for all of the chocolates later on right!

I am now so addicted to these little eco toys. It seems similar to a well know egg shaped plastic filled toy treat. However Play In Choc is allergen free, eco-friendly and educational. You get 2 little bars of chocolate, a build and play character and a fact card. All of the packaging is compostable and the characters are made of recycled cardboard!

These are perfect in a stocking or even on the Christmas table as a little pre-dinner treat and something to keep the kids occupied in between courses. These toys teach children about climate change and the adverse effects of single use plastic in a fun and chid friendly way.

We sell these on our website so click here to get one delivered to you. 

Toothbrushes may not be the most exciting things to find in a stocking but we all need them so why not switch to bamboo. At The Little Green Larder we have both kids and adults bamboo toothbrushes. We also have a recycling scheme with Terracycle for your old plastic ones.

When I was a kid we used to grow sunflower’s in the garden. Me and my brother would have a competition to see who’s would grow the tallest and we would get excited when they grew even taller than us. Get your kids back into the garden with a gift like this.

Here at The Little Green Larder we love play press toys. These toys are affordable and less harmful to the planet than plastic buildable toys. Play Press are made from sustainable playboards that is completely recyclable and sustainable. There are lots of characters and sets available. There are larger sets but we also have a collection in that are the perfect size for a stocking.

I explain these as a jigsaw like toy but better. Once you have built your characters you can then play with them as toys! My nephew absolutely loves the space set!

This year I am gifting every child I know a book. You are never too young to have your parents read to you, and why not learn something along the way. 

At The little Green Larder we have lots of amazing and inspiring sustainably focused books. There are some on our website here and even more in store. 

We love these recycled pencils here at The Little Green Larder. They are made from recycled newspapers and fit perfectly into a stocking!

It’s no secret that I am a huge Smelleez soap fan! Their winter range is out and with scents like Snow fairy, Unicorn Poo, Elf Sweat, Candy Cane and Santa’s beard you are bound to find a scent your kids will love. Reduce plastic waste from shower gel and encourage your kids to use a bar of soap instead.

Every one loves sweets, they are a great Christmas day treat. Try and find some in compostable packaging like seed and bean chocolate bars. At The Little Green Larder we have loose vegan pick and mix so you can bring a jar or nice box and fill up! We also have chocolate coated raisins and banana chips etc if you prefer a slightly healthier option.

I am seeing lots of shops now selling wooden toys which are much more eco friendly than plastic ones. Wooden blocks, dolls houses, kitchens you name it. Try and source these instead.

When your kids are young they don’t know or care what's new and what's old. You can pick up great second hand toys in charity shops. Also you can get hand me downs from friends. Give them a bit of a wash and they are as good as new. You can organise a toy swap in your local community or even just with your friends.

I hope this has been useful for you and helped you make your kids stockings eco friendly as well as budget friendly. Do you have any kids stocking filler ideas I have missed? 

Jillian

Owner

The Little Green Larder