Advent Calendar Activity Ideas For Toddlers and Kids

Advent Calendar Contents Ideas

100+ Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

We love Christmas in our house so we really look forward to starting our official Christmas countdown with the homemade Advent Calendar I made years ago.

Usually traditional advent calendars contain chocolate. Actually, when I was a kid ours was simply a window with nothing but a picture inside!

But, gone are the days when that was considered “good enough” and now parents are feeling the pressure to go bigger and better.

These last few years I’m noticing more and more calendars that include small toys and gifts behind every window. Some parents also wrap a book a day for the 25 day countdown.

Whilst I’m sure my boys would adore a calendar full of lego or playmobil, we simply can’t afford/don’t want to spend double figures on two advent calendars right before Christmas.

I’m also keen to encourage my boys to appreciate non-gifts too as I’m aware that they get a lot at Christmas time.

They are growing up in a society that constantly sends the message that nothing is enough and that they should always push for more…even if they don’t really want it.

So, last year we put advent calender activity ideas in our home made calendar. Little tasks that we can enjoy together and get us feeling Christmasy.

Some involve baking or crafting, while other activities are designed to encourage gratitude and spread joy.

I love seeing how excited they are to read what the card says each day and I love spending special time completing a Christmas activity with them each day.

I started recording ideas thinking that I’d struggle to come up with 25 but I ended up with a lot more…as you’ll see!

Advent Calendar Activity Ideas for Toddlers and Older Kids

Kindness and Gratitide Related Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

Bake homemade cookies for the local residential home.
Bake dog treats for some neighbourhood pets (always ask owners permission first).
Fill a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child or donate a gift to a local charity.
Donate food items to a local food bank.
Write a thank you card for your doctor’s surgery, library or fire station.
Make a gratitude dice and play together.
Visit a local beach or park and collect some litter. While you’re there have a play too!
Make some homemade fudge or coconut ice for your postman or bus driver.

Baking Related Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

Make Christmas cookies.
Build a gingerbread house.
Make stained glass cookies to hang on the tree.

Invite some friends over to decorate Christmas muffins.
Fill Christmas molds with chocolate.
Bake Mince Pies.
Make Christmas fudge (with red sprinkles).
Make a Yule log.
Make a Christmas cake.
Make hot chocolate.
Make mulled apple juice.
Make some Chocolate Bark to give as gifts.

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#ad Something a little different today! I’ve always wanted to try making chocolate bark, so when @sincerelynuts sent me some of their fruit and nut bags- I knew it would be the perfect time to give it a go! I am actually quite selective about the types of dried fruit I enjoy eating, but (completely honest review) after trying the dried mango and pineapple, I can’t get enough of it! I love that they are chewy, but not rock solid or rubbery. I’ve never enjoyed these very much, but this is a game changer! ( my kids also ate half the bag before I could even make the video 😬😂) For this chocolate fruit and nut bark, I used- Dried mango Pineapple chunks Cranberries Macadamia nuts Chopped pistachios Gold beads Dried rose petals Chocolate Bark Instructions- I melted dark chocolate and poured it out onto a piece of baking paper. I then added each topping, one at a time. It was refrigerated for 10 minutes before slicing. It’s so easy to make, and can be eaten right away! . . . . Track:Rise-Airixis | Audio library Release (music provided by audio library plus on YouTube) . . . . . #sincerelynuts #nuts4nuts #healthysnacks #nutrtionalworld #video #chocolate #darkchocolate #foodvideo #buzzfeedfood #tastyfoods #instafood #fruitandnut #chocolatebark #cake #cakes #cakecakecake #cakeart #cakeinspo #cakeboss #cakedesign #prettycake #cakedecorating #beautifulcakes #cakedecoration #cakegoals #caketrends #funcake #cakesofinsta

A post shared by Cake Design by Sheri (@sheri_wilson_) on Oct 1, 2019 at 8:36am PDT

Outdoor Related Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

Make a bird feeder to hang in your garden. Tie string around a pinecone. Mix peanut butter with oats and spread over pinecones. Roll the peanut butter covered pinecones in bird seed until covered. Hang in a tree and wait!

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Someone likes the pinecone feeder! . . . . . . . . #nikond3400 #outdoorphotography #birdcloseup #pineconefeeder #wintercompany

A post shared by Erin (@ekphotographs_) on Nov 25, 2018 at 10:15am PST

Plant a Christmas tree (or any tree).
Make peanut or popcorn garlands and hang outside for the birds.
Go on a winter Scavenger Hunt
Walk in the woods and collect wood for the fire.
Collect pinecones to hang on your tree.
If it dips below freezing blow some bubbles outside and watch as they crystalize.
Create a winter collage.
Make a mini beast palace.
Make snow angels.
Go sledding.
Build a snowman together.
Get bundled up and go ice skating.

Zero Waste Christmas Gifts | the best for 2019

Creative Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

Paint snow scenes.
Decorate the tree!
Deck the halls with boughs of holly collected on your winter walk.
Make some Christmas cards.
Make a Christmas ornament for someone special.
Make a Christmas gift for someone (like this rice heating pack)
Make paper snowflakes to hang from the ceiling.
Write a letter to Santa.
Shoot a video to send to family on Christmas Day.
Make some homemade play dough in white and make snowmen.
Decorate a wreath together.
Make a snow globe with an old jar.
Make paper chains to decorate the house.
Colour a Christmas picture.
Make reindeer food using only edibles so it’s wildlife safe (no glitter!).
Make some gift tokens e.g. I’ll do the washing up/ Give hugs etc

Zero Waste Stocking Fillers | Ideas For A Waste Free Christmas

Advent Calendar Special Experiences

Go and choose a Christmas tree.
Visit Santa.
Go to the Christmas Panto.
Sing Christmas carols around the neighbourhood.
Take a ride on the Christmas Steam Train.
Drive around in your pj’s to see the Christmas lights.
Go to see some Christmas lights being switched on.
Take a look around a local craft fair.
Go ice skating together.
Write to Father Christmas.

Fun Advent Calendar Activity Ideas

Sing Christmas Carols.
Play with ice or snow on the messy play tray. Chuck in some toy penguins and polar bears if you can!
Have a dance party to your favourite Christmas album.
Unwrap and read a new Christmas book.
Wrap gifts for family.
Make a pillow fort and drink hot chocolate.
Enjoy a movie night.
Play a board game together.
Make a pillow mattress under the tree and read a book together with the fairy lights on or watch Christmas cartoons.
Make a gift for Mummy with Daddy etc.
Celebrate Saint Nicolas Day (December 6^th) by secretly doing somehing kind.
Put up the outdoor Christmas lights.
Roast marshmallows inside over the fireplace.
Have a Christmas picnic under the tree.