2016 Mega Holiday Wish List: Bonus Stocking Stuffer Edition

For many kids, the highlight of Christmas morning is waking up, running to the living room, and seeing their stockings so overloaded that Santa had to lay those cornucopias of goodies on the ground for everyone’s safety.

But when it comes to selecting the best stocking stuffers for creative Nerds, aside from finding things they’ll cherish, one of the biggest hassles for you, Santa, and his helpers is finding useful stuff that will actually fit into a stocking.

To that, we at Raising Nerd simply say, “No problem. Get a bigger stocking!”

Once you see all the fantastic, smaller-scale STEM- and STEAM-related gift ideas we’ve curated just in time for Cyber Monday, we’re sure you’ll agree.

So, get your stocking shopping done by choosing among the 20+ items on our bonus Mega Holiday Wish List: Stocking-Stuffer Edition below. All but three are under $20!

Happy Nerdy Holidays, everyone!

Mega Holiday Wish List: Stocking-Stuffer Edition

Under $10

Wright Brothers Airplane 3D Metal Model Kit

Each model starts as 4-inch square metal sheets. Nerds 14 and older can pop out the pieces using wire cutters to assemble. No glue or solder needed.

Rory’s Story Cubes , Story Cubes Mix , Story Cubes Intergalactic, Fright, and Animalia

Rory’s Story Cubes is a pocket-sized creative story generator, providing hours of imaginative play for all ages. With Rory’s Story Cubes, anyone can become a great storyteller and there are no wrong answers. Simply roll the cubes and let the pictures spark your imagination! Play with them solo or combine both sets to kick-start your creativity. The expansion dice give added flavor to the game.

Wikki Stix for Doodlers

Makers like to doodle in 3D. A few packs of these bendable, stickable, creative construction “noodles” will keep their hands and imaginations busy for hours!

Moon Torch Kit

They can use it as a flashlight or to explore the full moon by shining it on walls or ceilings anytime, anywhere. For ages 5+

Backyard Safari Magnifying Glass

Get up close and personal with this 3-inch lens that magnifies up to four times the original size. The Magnifying Glass is the perfect piece of field gear for your backyard, the playground, family vacation, camp or wherever your next safari takes you.

LEGO Mixels

Downright funky LEGO characters that seem to be made of spare parts but that just makes them all the more lovable!

Zero Gravity Fridge Rover

It’s like exploring the Moon or Mars…in your kitchen! Great way for your Nerds, young or old, to liven up any fridge or magnetic surface.

Scratch Art Rainbow Mini Notes

This artsy notepad adds flare to your Nerds’ notes, doodles, or even plans jotted down for their next great invention.

Nature Sand Dino Fossil Dig

Your Nerds can excavate mini dinosaur bones from solid sand using tool & brush, and then re-assemble the dinosaur skeleton just like a real archaeologist. For ages 3+

Backyard Safari 6 in 1 Field Tools

This set lets little ones shovel, brush, grab or poke around the yard like an experienced explorer. Whether gathering samples or excavating that dig site, up close or in hard to reach spaces, these sturdy tools will handle hundreds of field tasks. Includes a carabiner ring with quick release tools: telescoping magnet, angling mirror, field tongs, excavating pick and brush, and a field safety whistle.

$10 – $20

Brain Fitness Solitaire Chess

Features an 80 challenge booklet with solutions and 10 solid chess pieces. Four levels of play, from beginner to expert. Helps improve logical deduction, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking. Perfect if you enjoy a challenge – even if you’ve never played chess before.

Thinking Putty

While you do whatever you want with it, your brain relaxes and opens up to all kinds of creative thinking.

The Original Miracle Melting Shark

From the same folks who brought you the Original Miracle Melting Snow Man, comes this shark that…also melts, over and over again. We like to think that with this little guy around, your young scientist will gain an appreciation for this amazing creature; one that’s vital to the aquatic ecosystem but burdened with a bad rap since back in the 70s when Jaws hit the silver screen. Besides, not everything has to be hardcore science all the time. So, let our Nerd have a little fun reassembling this alpha predator, fin by fin, and then watching it melt beside their Original Miracle Melting Elf !

Water Rocket Kit

Everything your Nerd needs to launch a plastic bottle rocket into orbit – just add a bicycle pump, H2O, and a little imagination. It’s rocket science made easy!

$20 to $30

LEGO Technic Power Functions Motor Set

Bring your LEGO Technic models to life with the exciting Power Functions Motor Set. This supplementary power set comes with a medium motor, battery box, switch and a light cable with 2 bright LEDs.

Flux Capacitor Wall Charger

Doc Brown’s greatest invention, the flux capacitor, is good for more than just time travel, apparently. This electrical gadget also helps recharge two of your smart devices at a time via USB. Head Back to the Future and grab one, Daddy-O (or mom)!

Air Burst Air Powered Rocket with Launcher

We may have cheated a little on this one, but we don’t think you’ll mind. This rocket’s packaging may be slightly bigger than the typical stocking can hold, but we just couldn’t resist this sleek, beautifully simple machine. Oh, and the refill rocket 2-pack will definitely fit in your Nerd’s stocking (that qualifies it on a technicality – science wins again!). Made of plastic and rigid foam, the rocket’s air hose connects it to any stand-up bike pump. After a few pumps, the air pressure bursts a replaceable booster disc in the launcher and sends a 10″ x 3/4″ diameter rocket 250 to 1,000 feet into the air. It doesn’t get any more Nerd-approved than that!

In case you missed them, jump over to our Main Mega Wish List  and Books Wish List to find dozens of other Nerd-worthy gifts to satisfy Nerds of all ages.

Shop and Nerd on!