17 Sustainable Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

No matter what your family celebrates, the holiday season is full of giving. With so many presents being wrapped and stockings stuffed, the season can quickly become wasteful. In an effort to keep stockings (and the holidays) fun and enviro-friendly, we've put together a few ideas for more sustainable stocking gifts!

1. Notebooks & Sketchbooks

Browse for brands that print on recycled or post-consumer waste paper. We love the colorful covers on these spiral sketchbooks by Ecojot!

2. Seed or Garden Kits

Plant a seed and a love for gardening with a sweet garden starter kit. National Geographic has a selection of cute gardening kits.

3. Wikki Stix

Made from simple, non-toxic ingredients (just yarn and food-grade wax), Wikki Stix inspire endless kid (and parent) creativity. These sticky strips are also useful for quick fixes around the house (like opening stubborn jar lids!).

4. Hats, Mitts and Socks

Go good or go home. Buying quality clothes from social and environmentally-minded companies goes a long way - both for your family (hand-me-downs!) and the planet. We love the selection for kids at Patagonia.

5. An Animal Adoption

Now, we don't recommend welcoming a mountain gorilla into your home, but "adopting" one through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund goes a long way toward protecting this endangered species and their habitat. Give a gift and give back at the same time. EnviroKidz is a 1% for the Planet member, meaning every time you buy an EnviroKidz product, a portion of sales are donated to support endangered species, habitat restoration, and environmental education for kids worldwide. Learn more about our partners here.

6. Tasty (Ethical) Treats

We can all appreciate a good chocolate bar in our stockings - whether you're an 8, 18, or 85-year old! But kids of any age should snack on chocolate that is socially and environmentally sustainable. Check out the selection by Theo, another company that weaves social responsibility into everything they do.

7. Paperback Books

Divert young eyes from the screen and towards the page with a well-chosen, inspiring or interesting read for your young reader. Thrift stores and library book sales are a good way to buy like-new and gently used books while reducing waste. If you're not sure what book to get, instill a love for animals in your child with some of our favorite animal books!

8. Cool, Quality Lip Balms

Look for the USDA organic balms by EOS and you'll tick both the 'cool' and 'quality' boxes.

9. Art Supplies

Whether you've got a painter, sculptor or artist in your house - some colorful, eco art supplies can create fun for the whole family on a rainy Sunday. We love the selection at Imagine Childhood.

10. Word Play & Board Games

Get the gears turning with a fun, skill-building game like this one by Storymatic.

11. Useful (or Experiential) Gift Cards

Give the gift of music or movies (like adventurous animal movies) - something that will never go to waste.

12. Water Bottles

Keep the kids hydrated with a water bottle they'll want to carry around. Klean Kanteen is another 1% for the Planet member!

13. Wildflower Seed Bombs

A seemingly rebellious way to add some beauty to the neighborhood - buy a seed bomb pack (we love the ones at Uncommon Goods) or try making your own.

14. Tegu Blocks

Tegu magnetic blocks are not only an ethical toy for kids aged 2 to 8+, they’re really cool. Using sustainably-sourced materials, supporting reforestation initiatives and paying central American employees a living wage, Tegu aims to “make the world better than they found it”.

15. Smencils

Made from 100% recycled newspapers, these smencils by Educational Insights make writing, drawing and sketching a little ... smellier.

16. Mindfulness Coloring Books

Do double duty - promoting artistic expression and mindfulness with gorgeous, mindful coloring books. Millie Marotta creates some beautiful books, available through Amazon.

17. Reusable Straws

Reduce the waste of plastic straws and opt for a straw that can be used over and over again. We recommend these Simply Straws, who are also 1% for the Planet partners!

Would you like to be the first to hear about our new products and more? Sign up for our Nature’s Path Newsletter.