Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas from Animal Planet (Review)

Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone. 

Christmas is not complete without going through your overstuffed stocking to see what goodies Santa has left for you.  And, this year, Animal Planet has you covered with fun items that will teach children about animals including coloring and sticker activities, animal shaped candies and even Hatch 'Ems eggs.

Shh, don't tell the girls, but I ended up snatching up the Animal Planet Gummy Bears to eat when they were in bed, as one of my all-time favorite candies and guilty pleasures is gummy bears.  And, I was not disappointed!  They tasted great!. :-)

I did end up leaving the coloring and activity book for the girls, which comes with markers, for on-the-go fun for kids.  This was one item I ended up picking up another one for, as well as a few extra to put in the girls' stockings, as they really took to them.  They are both animal lovers and love to color.  And, with the bonus of stickers, this all-in-one activity/coloring book set is great to keep in the car, or bring along while waiting in the doctor's office, etc.

But, out all of three Animal Planet stocking stuffer gifts I was set to review with my girls, I have to say that everyone's favorite was the Hatch 'Ems eggs.  Perfect for kids ages 3+, each box contains three eggs that you drop into a bowl or cup of water, wait and watch grow.  Just be advised, that it takes some time for the eggs to start hatching and the dinosaurs to grow to full size (about 2-4 days)  My girls were a little disappointed when they weren't seeing any initial changes once they dropped their eggs into their cups.  But, it did end up making for a fun daily check-in activity, where they would wake and run to look at while I was prepping breakfast.  

Once the eggs began to hatch, then the fun really began, as the girls tried guessing what was inside.  Thanks so PBS Kids' animated series, Dinosaur Train, both of my girls love dinosaurs and have their own collection of dinosaur toys to play with.  But, they never actually saw a dinosaur egg hatch...until now!

It took about three days for the eggs to hatch and the dinosaurs inside to grow in size.  But, once the hatching and growing was complete the girls had fun playing with their new dinosaur friends, which were a little squishy and slimy feeling. :-) And, there were also fun fact cards about their new friends that are included in each of the Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems series boxes, that share facts about the different animals, as kids wait for them to hatch.

Is your child not a fan of dinosaurs?  Don't worry, as the Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems also come in a variety of animals, from sea creatures, rain forest animals and even an assortment of safari animals.  You are sure to find a box of Hatch 'Ems that will excite your child, as they eagerly await for their three eggs to hatch.

Each set contains 3 hatching eggs -- and, is only $12.99/set

In addition to picking up a few more of these Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems to add to my girls' stockings, I also plan to make note and pick up more come Easter, as these would make the Easter eggs hunts more fun, and are a great alternative to putting candy inside a plastic egg.

To learn more about Hatch 'Ems, including their holiday line of eggs featuring a snowman, polar bear and cute little penguin, visit http://hatchems.com/.

These hatch into ornaments you can hang on your tree -- what a novel idea!

Visit the Animal Planet Store for all your stocking stuffer and under the tree gift needs this holiday season -- http://store.discovery.com/?v=animal-planet.

Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.