50 Advent Calendar Activities for Toddlers
This list of advent calendar activities for toddlers is full of ideas! Start a new tradition this year with family advent calendar activities, and choose one to do each day in December. Choose from more than 50 family advent calendar ideas on this great list.
The Christmas season is full of so much fun! From decorating the Christmas tree to baking special cookies, Christmas activities are such a wonderful way to get into the spirit. This time of year is so special, especially if you have young children at home!
I have always loved advent calendars and the sense of anticipation they help build. From ones you can buy to ones you make yourself, an advent calendar is such a fun way to count down to Christmas. It’s also a great way to make visual countdown calendars that little ones can wrap their minds around!
Since becoming a mom I’ve rediscovered a lot of those old traditions that I thought were so special. Last year was the first year we did a Christmas advent calendar with our boys (we have 2 toddlers), and it was so much fun! We chose to create a paper chain as own DIY advent calendar. I glued ideas inside each loop!
This list of advent calendar activities for toddlers is perfect if you’re in our shoes and is full of so many fun ideas. These are activities the entire family can get in on, and are so easy to use to create your own list of family advent calendar activities.
PIN this list of Advent Calendar Ideas & Activities for Toddlers to Try Later!
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Family Advent Calendar Activities
It can be hard to figure out family advent calendar ideas, so if you’re struggling with what to do, you’re not alone. With two very young children, I knew I wanted to be intentional with what our advent calendar looked like. I also didn’t want to give them a bunch of cheap toys or candy, as it’s just not for us.
Personally, I think one of the most special parts of the holiday season is spending time together as a family. While this year will be different for all of us, one thing remains the same: family advent calendar activities are a great way to build special memories with your own children!
This year we are creating a basic paper chain advent calendar since our boys are so young, and incorporating 24 of these ideas into that. We are also starting the 24 Days of Christmas Books For Advent book advent calendar, which I know is something that will become a family tradition year over year.
If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to create your own homemade advent calendar with these advent calendar ideas for families, be sure to also check out Homemade Advent Calendars for Toddlers.
Want a creative twist on an advent calendar that also helps to teach your kids about giving back and the meaning for the season? Check out the Reverse Advent Calendar (Start December 1!)!
Family Advent Calendar Ideas
I like having an actual calendar of some kind to put the advent calendar activities on/in, as opposed to picking randomly from a jar. This lets us schedule certain activities for certain days or nights, like cooking Christmas cookies with their grandma or reading The Night Before Christmas on (you guessed it) the Night Before Christmas.
With that being said, I also totally reserve the right to make changes and switch the days’ activities if needed when my boys aren’t paying attention! As a mom I know that some days go off the rails really quickly, so we might need to create a spontaneous Christmas movie marathon on the day I originally planned for us to wander the Christmas lights display.
Below is a list of 50+ advent calendar activities for toddlers that you can use to help create your own family advent calendar Whether you choose to countdown until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, this list is full of ideas that will provide the perfect advent calendar filler. From small activities like coloring a Christmas picture, to more involved ones like building a gingerbread house, you’re sure to find some that you love on this list!
Some of the advent calendar ideas below are pretty general and generic, while others are more specific. These are also presented in no order! A great idea is to let each family member pick out a few that are on the list.
Feel free to customize any of these advent calendar ideas for your own family and maybe start some new Christmas traditions while you’re at it!
50+ Advent Calendar Activities for Toddlers
Advent calendar activities are a fun and simple way to make every single day leading up to the BIG day feel extra special. Read on for more than 50 ideas for your own family advent traditions!
Trim the Tree
Make Christmas Cards
Perform a Random Act of Kindness
Create Giant “Gingerbread” Men
Enjoy a Hot Chocolate Bar
Create a Special Christmas Craft (for some ideas, check out DIY Christmas Crafts for Toddlers!)
Open One Present Early
Spend the Day Doing Random Acts of Kindness
Go Ice Skating
Make a Handmade Gift for Grandma/Grandpa/etc
Write a Letter to Santa
Spend All Day in Christmas Jammies
Cook Special Christmas Cookies with Grandma
Choose Toys to Donate to Kids in Need
Make a Snowman with Construction Paper and Cotton Balls
Make a Gingerbread House
Read a Christmas Book (for some ideas, be sure to check out The Best Christmas Books for Babies and Toddlers)
Make Birdseed “Ornaments” (Just cover pine cones in peanut butter and bird seed, and hang outside!)
Drive Around and Check Out Christmas Lights (always fun in Christmas jammies, too!)
Make a Handprint Ornament
Make Christmas Cookies
Go Shopping for Canned Goods and Donate Them Together to the Local Food Bank
Deliver Christmas Cookies to Neighbors
Make Salt Dough Ornaments
Take Pictures With Santa
Set up the Nativity Scene
Create Your Best Whoville-inspired Hair Styles and Watch the Grinch
Watch One of Mom and Dad’s Favorite Christmas Movies
Adopt a Family for Christmas, and Pick Out Gifts Together
Do some random acts of kindness for kids (or choose from this list of 100 acts of kindness for kids)
Build a Snowman
Make Candy Cane Ornaments
Go Sledding
Make Paper Snowflakes
Color a Special Christmas Picture
Help Wrap Mommy/Daddy/Sibling’s Christmas Gift
Make a Paper Chain
Mail Christmas Cards
Host a Cookie Swap
Need inspiration for what to put these advent calendar activities for toddlers IN? Check out Homemade Advent Calendars for Toddlers for some great ideas!
Create a Handmade Gift for Teacher
Learn a New Christmas Song
Decorate Your Bedroom Door for Christmas
Have a Christmas Music Dance Party
Pick Out a New Christmas Ornament
Make S’mores
Go to a Christmas Event (like The Nutcracker, parade, holiday lights at the botanical garden, etc)
Go Caroling (great social distancing activity singing from the sidewalk!)
Bake Cookies for Santa
Make Christmas Pancakes (using cookie cutters and sprinkles)
Read The Night Before Christmas (we just ordered this one)
Read the Christmas Story in the Scriptures (Luke 1:1-20)
Make a Birthday Cake for Jesus
Play a Family Board Game
Sprinkle the Yard with Reindeer Food (make with dry oatmeal & biodegradable glitter!)
Watch a Christmas Special on TV
Make Paper Plate Christmas Trees
Create Your Own Lyrics to Christmas Songs
Fun Advent Calendars for Kids
Still need to order an advent calendar for your family? Check out these great ones you can snag online and have delivered right to your door!
These are just a few fun advent calendar activities for toddlers and family advent calendar ideas! There are so many more activities you can add to your own advent calendar to get into the Christmas spirit, but I hope this list gave you a great starting place.
This list of advent calendar activities for toddlers is full of ideas! Start a new tradition this year with family advent calendar activities, and choose one to do each day in December.
What activities would you add?
These are great! I’ve been trying to think of different things, and these ideas are an awesome addition to any advent calendar! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
Great ideas! I’m doing a homemade advent calendar for my two toddlers this year too and needed some inspiration, lots of great ideas to take here! Thank you
You’re so welcome!
At what age did you start this? I am thinking about starting this but my daughter will turn 2 in January. I am kind of afraid she will just try to eat the paper with the name of the activity or not really understand what’s going on?! We usually prep her for activities the day before like “tomorrow we are going to the theatre/pick-up the tree, etc”… So I am honestly a bit weary.
I love the idea though!
We started this the Christmas my now middle son was 1, and my oldest was 2.5. We chose easy activities, and at that age it was more abotu the fun of something new each day!