gifts

Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

December 7, 2018 by Stacy Craft 6 Comments

Our elf has been hanging around our house for the last 3 Christmas seasons. Lots of days she just moves to a new location and does not do much else. But on a few special days, she brings a little treat or gift to the kids.

Here are several elf on the shelf gifts under $5 that our littlest member of the family has brought to our home in the past.

Also remember, the elf is fun just to find. My daughter (just turned 5) gets the biggest kick out of searching for her every morning. So don’t get tied up in thinking that the elf needs to bring a treat every day.

Ours usually brings a small treat a few times a season.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

When thinking about elf gifts, there are lots of options. I like small gifts because well the elf is small.

Also, since it is so close to Christmas, we don’t want to overdo it. But a fun little surprise from the elf is a great way to increase the anticipation and magic of the upcoming holiday.

Here are some of my favorite small elf on the shelf gifts under $5 for your elf to bring.

Breakfast with the Elf

The elf moves at night. So breakfast is one of my favorite elf on the shelf gifts under $5 to bring. I mean, your kids have to eat breakfast so a fun Christmas inspired breakfast delivered by their elf is oh so special.

Your kids will think your elf is the coolest for bringing these special breakfast treats! Throw in a banana or something to add a little nutrition! Of course this is just a treat – I don’t want the organic breakfast police on me!

Christmas Crunch Cereal – This is the breakfast treat that our elf brought this year.

Gingerbread Spice Oatmeal – I am not sure if my kids would eat this but it sounds good to me!

Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Mini Donuts – I found mine at the grocery store. And can I just tell you, I broke my diet for one of these. And then I noticed the serving size was 4, so I went ahead and had a serving. I got these for the kids and the combo did not even sound that good to me but they are really yummy!

Sugar Cookie Poptarts – We had these at Halloween and they are so fun.

Clif Bar Peppermint Bark – What a fun flavor for a holiday granola bar.

Books from the Elf

The Littlest Elf – What is cuter than the elf bringing an elf book? We read this during our 24 Book Christmas Advent Countdown! It is a cute book about a tiny elf looking for his purpose.

Stained Glass Christmas Coloring Book – This is a small book with 8 pages that you color and then hang in a window for a stained glass effect. Cool concept and great price (especially if you need to get a couple to prevent fights).

A Christmas Celebration Sticker & Activ ity Book – This is by The Beginner’s bible which we own and love. We don’t have this activity book but it gets good reviews and looks like a fun way to remind kids of the reason for the season!

Disney Princess Christmas Eve Coloring Book – With 40 pages, this is a big coloring book of Princesses in Christmas settings. If your little one is Frozen obsessed or princess obsessed like mine, this might be a good choice.

Check out this cool 24 Days of Christmas books Advent Calendar for Kids.

Candy from the Elf

Candy Canes – We did a candy cane hunt this year during our A to Z Christmas countdown. My 4 year old searched around for candy canes hidden in our living room and had a blast. Your elf could hide the candy canes!

LOL Surprise Finders Keepers Eggs – My daughter would probably eat broccoli if it had an LOL Surprise doll on it. I made a huge list of LOL gifts because she loves it so much. The toy in these is very small but it is still a fun little treat and the chocolate egg gets eaten quickly!

Magic Seed & Candy Cane filled Candy – Our crazy little elf did this the other day. She brought two magic seeds (you could use M&M’s, cheerios, dried beans, raisins, tic tacs) and a bowl of powdered sugar. The note instructed that we plant the seeds and wait to see if they would grow. When we got home from school, the seeds had grown into two candy canes filled with candy! So fun and easy.

Hot Cocoa & Snowflake Shaped Marshmallows – We like to do hot cocoa and a Christmas movie a few times during the month of December. I would usually buy this anyway but it is a little more magical coming from the elf.

Other Cute Elf on the Shelf Gifts Under $5

Good to Grow Character Top Juices – My kids go bananas for these.

Frozen $1 Bill – Fill a 4 oz Glad container with water. Put a $1 bill in a snack size ziplock bag and seal it. Roll up the bag/dollar combo and stuff it in your water filled container. The elf will deliver a frozen $1 bill in the morning for the kid’s piggy bank. The elf should sit with an Elsa doll if you have one!

Christmas Grinch Bandaids – Kids love bandaids. Your elf could get into this box of cute bandaids & put a couple on herself. She leaves the rest for the kids. My kids always get bandaids in their stocking too and they are thrilled.

Rudolph PJ Pants – You can find cute pajama pants for $5 at Target. Our elf has even brought Elf on the Shelf pjs for our kids before (but those fall out of the $5 range).

Holiday Goldfish – The elf goes fishing and leaves some special goldfish for snack! Use a toothpick, lollipop stick or even a skewer for the “fishing pole.”

Hopefully this list of elf on the shelf gifts under $5 gives you some new ideas to make the magic of the elf come alive on the cheap!

18 Dollar Tree Gifts from Elf On the Shelf

Check out my other gift guides while you are here to make your Christmas shopping even easier!

We have LOL Surprise dolls and Frozen II gift guides. Stuff your stockings for under $5 for your 1 year old and your 3-5 year old.

Toys That Get Played With From 24 Months to 3 Years

November 2, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

There is nothing worse than spending money on toys that get played with for a couple of hours and then go to the corner of the room to die a slow death.

I’ve put together a list of tried and true toys that get played with from 24 months to 3 years old.

My youngest just turned 3 and with Christmas coming up, toys are on the brain. I was doing a review of the things in my house that have really been played with over the last year and thought I would share with ya’ll.

So if you have a 2-3 year old or are shopping for a grandchild or niece/nephew, this will give you some ideas of products that will bring lots of joy at play time.

Get value for your money with this list of toys that get played with from 24 months to 3 years! Since I have a boy and a girl, you will find options for both and gender neutral gift ideas as well.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Toys That Get Played With From 24 Months to 3 Years

Getting a good, quality toy doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive. Here you will find a wide range of toys that range from inexpensive to splurges. These toys are tried and true gifts that have been used in our home for at least the last year (some for a lot longer than that).

Find something that fits in your budget and enjoy the entertainment that it provides to your little one.

Budget Friendly Gifts for Toddlers

Little Tikes You Drive Remote Control Car

This is a great first remote control car for toddlers! It is easy to operate and didn’t get stuck like I thought might be an issue with a 2-3 year old using a remote control car.

LeapFrog Sweet Treats Learning Cafe

The play that this one gets may be a result of my coffee obsession but he loves making coffee for me. It is also a great way to have the feel of a play kitchen if you don’t have room for the whole big setup.

Melissa & Doug Scoop & Serve Ice cream Set

Lots of Ice cream shop has been played since we got this cute set.

Cleaning Toys

My littles have both enjoyed doing tasks like mom. So the Fisher Price Vacuum and a broom just their size both get a lot of use. When I’m cleaning, they go get their tools to help.

Bouncy Hopper

My 3 year old is getting another one of these for Christmas because after riding his for approximately 900 hours (lol) he popped his old one.

Mid Range Toys That will Get Played With from 24 Months to 3 Years

Little Tikes Trampoline

My kids (3 & 6) love jumping on this trampoline. There favorite time is when I am exercising & they like to do their “exercise.” It is also a great way to get some of their energy out during the cold and dreary winter months.

Cozy Coupe Car

This is an old classic that kids still love. We have played with this outdoors and even indoors when the weather is bad. Don’t forget the gas station pump to go with it.

Step 2 Vanity

My daughter really enjoyed this from about 3-5. It is recommended for 2 & up but she didn’t get it until 3. We still have it and she turns 7 next month. She enjoys using it while playing dress up.

Check out this simple dress up station to organize dress up clothes, jewelry, make-up and more.

Black & Decker Toy WorkBench

Some of the activities on this bench may be too advanced for a young two year old but they will still enjoy the tools. As they get a bit older, they will be able to adjust the bolts and screw the screws.

My little boy loves to grab his tools whenever we have people working on something around the house.

Toy Splurges for 2-3 Year Olds

6 Volt Paw Patrol Ride On Chase, Marshall or Skye

My little guy got this for his 2nd birthday and at 3 it still gets used a couple of times a week. Even our almost 7 year old gets in on the action. While this toy is a little large, it works indoors and he has a path that goes through the house.

You can read a full review of this toy here.

Pottery Barn Personalized Anywhere Chair

While this might not qualify as a traditional toy, kids love furniture that is just their size. These chairs get used when we watch movies and they love them.

Little Tikes Inflatable Bounce House

We bought 4 years ago for my daughter’s birthday party instead of renting a bounce house. Since then, we have used it for several more birthday parties and my kids jump on it frequently throughout the year.

It is a bit bulky but when I know the weather will be nice, we will put it out on a Friday and leave it out all weekend. The kids love it and it keeps them active.

I hope this list of toys that get played with from 24 months to 3 years helps make your Christmas shopping a little easier this year.

More Toy Guides

Best Outdoor Toys For Preschoolers

Active Play Sports Toys for Toddlers

10 Toys that You can Get a 3 Year Old That They Will Still Play with At Age 5

Little Tikes Water Slide Review

Gifts for the Goldendoodle Lover

December 2, 2018 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

If you need gifts for the Goldendoodle lover in your life, look no further. We have scoured the internet for the cutest doodle merchandise out there.

Meet Murphy. He loves to steal things that don’t belong to him, act scared of inanimate options, and bark when a leaf blows by. He was a gift that I gave to my mom a couple of years ago.

It is safe to say that she would love any of these gifts for the Goldendoodle lover. She is officially obsessed with this big ball of fur.

Murphy is probably what most would consider spoiled.

He has every dog toy available. A deluxe dog bed is waiting for him in the corner of the room (although he opts for the bed or couch typically).

Murphy loves to go to doggy day care while my mom works so that he stays occupied and can see his friends. Yes, he has his own friends. He is the product of an empty nest mother and he is proud of it.

Since he doesn’t want for much so as the upcoming holiday season approaches, I thought I would look for some Goldendoodle gifts that my mom might like that would portray her favorite doodle.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Gifts for the Goldendoodle Lover

These gifts for the goldendoodle lover are unique, fun and economical. The Goldendoodle Mom or Dad in your life will love that you thought of their fur baby when selecting a gift for them.

Shop Small – Etsy Doodle Finds

Remember when shopping Etsy to allow a little extra time for production and delivery. Many of these small shops run with just one or two people and many items are made to order.

I love shopping small at Christmas time!

Doodle Mom Distressed Hat – A cute and casual hat for the Doodle mom.

Doods Before Dudes Tee – Know a single dood mom? This T-shirt is the perfect gift.

Custom Doodle Address Stamp – Great for those Christmas cards you need to send.

Custom Doodle Earrings – I haven’t purchased dog earrings, but I did buy some Nick Saban earrings for a University of Alabama gift basket that I made from this same shop. They were good quality and hilarious. I highly recommend!

Under $20

All You Need Is Love & A Goldendoodle – This cute box sign decor is perfect to set on a tabletop of the Goldendoodle Mom or Dad.

Goldendoodle Christmas Ornament – The dangling legs make this so adorable to me. You can also easily personalize this with a Sharpie to feature the name of the puppy.

Doodle Mom Pop Socket – These pop sockets are super popular and this one is adorable for the doodle mom.

Doodle Mother Wine Lover Shirt – Goldendoodle clothing is one of those must have gifts for the Goldendoodle lover. Does she love to drink a glass of wine and cuddle her doodle? This cute long sleeve shirt comes in a few color options so that you can choose her Dog Mom style.

Home is Where the Doodle is Tea Towel – This would be a cute little stocking stuffer or even hostess gifts for the Goldendoodle lover.

Goldendoodle Memo Pad – A great stocking stuffer for the Goldendoodle mom’s desk at work or the fridge to make quick lists.

Goldendoodle Wall Calendar – Keep track of the year while seeing 12 cute Goldendoodles.

Goldendoodle Socks – Fun socks are always cute stocking stuffer gifts for the Goldendoodle lover.

Under $50

Pet Monitor – The pet monitor allows you to see what your Goldendoodle is doing during the day while you are away. You can even talk to your pet through the monitor!

Merry Christmas Doods – This would be great for an ugly Christmas sweater party!

And don’t forget to get the Dood the best gift of all: exercise, freedom and entertainment all in one.

I hope you find some fun gifts for the Goldendoodle lover in your life!

Stocking Stuffers for 1 Year Old

November 25, 2018 by Stacy Craft 7 Comments

12 stocking stuffers for 1 year old to include this Christmas season. All items are under $5 and fun for babies age 12 months to 24 months.

Finding stocking stuffers for 1 year old babies should be easy. They can only say a few words. He/she doesn’t care about the hot new toy this year. They are mostly interested in boxes and tearing up wrapping paper. Yet it seems easy and hard all at the same time.

This list gives 12 stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddlers that will be useful, entertaining and budget friendly. All of these toys and baby items are less than $5 and can be purchased online. So now you have your toddler stocking filled easily and without any junk.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

12 Stocking Stuffers for 1 year old Toddlers Under $5

Here is the list of stocking stuffers for 1 year old babies this Christmas season.

Munchkin Baby Bath Ball – Bath toys are a favorite of mine to buy as gifts because bath toys seem to have a shorter life span in our house (if you are not diligent about cleaning, which I am not). This is a great price point and my little boy would love this!

Winter Baby Touch & Feel Book – Touch and feel are our favorite books for little ones (& my 5 year old still touches too. If we are being honest, I do too!).

Goldfish Crackers – My one year old’s stomach is probably 50% full of Goldfish crackers at all times. He would be delighted to see “fish” in his stocking! You can find these at the grocery store for a couple of dollars or buy in bulk on Amazon.

Munchkin 360 Cup – this is the best sippy cup ever. I switched my daughter to this when she was a little older but my 13 month old is already using these. I like them because they can’t bite through the spout like other sippy cups & these are better for their developing teeth. This is a 2 pack that makes each one just over $5 each. I love practical stocking stuffers.

Kids Divided Plates – Ok, so maybe your 1 year old may not be thrilled over a plate, sometime soon they will like it. I like buying things that will be useful in the coming year, especially since they don’t care about this year’s hot toy.

Kiddy Forks – We have a ton of tiny baby spoons but pretty soon our baby will be looking to use a fork like his big sis! Stock up now for the coming year.

Hair Bows – Bows are stocking stuffers for 1 year old or 5 year old! Bows have been in her stocking every year for 5 years! They are inexpensive and cute!

Toddler Snack Bars – a fun snack is a great treat to add to a stocking for a 1 year old without having to add candy. Although I will likely put in a pack of M&M’s because my little one loves them!

Duplo My First Bus – How cute is this first Lego set? Perfect for little hands.

Munchkin Bath Letters – These are a great way to discuss letters, numbers and even colors with your child.

Cookie Jar Mega Bloks – This is the cutest thing ever! It is on sale right now for just over $5.

Character 10″ Ball – Toddlers love chasing balls around! This one would fit perfectly at the top of the stocking.

Hopefully this list of stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddler helps you get your shopping done. If you have a 3-5 year old little girl, be sure to check out this list of stocking stuffers for her under $5.

What do you plan to use for stocking stuffers for 1 year old toddler?