Are you looking for an alternative to the usual chocolate kids advent calendar this year?
I love Christmas and I love the countdown but I do feel as if the chocolate can get a bit much. Plus, though they love opening up the little windows, it’s just nice to shake it up a bit every couple of years and see how creative you can get.
Thus began my search to find out if there were decent kids advent calendar alternatives that were as exciting as chocolate for three expectant little girls looking for their chocolate fix.
Thankfully, I wasn’t struggling for inspiration. There are loads of alternative kids advent calendar ideas. From diy-ing it yourself to religious inspired pin ups, candle lighting, crafts and more.
Last year, I was so inspired in fact, I decided to do two. For the visual countdown that both my two year old and four year old could understand, I decided on a Santa’s beard calendar. Each day, they glued on a cotton ball to Santa’s beard marking one more sleep closer to Santa’s arrival. Click the photo below for an instant printable.
Playmobil Christmas Nativity Stable with Manger
Advent Around the World
Here is another idea from Thirdculturemama which is about exploring advent globally and remembering others across the world.
“So, each day in December, we will locate the country on a map, the kids will get unwrap one small object (tiny items from around the house..surprise, that’s where your toy orange was!) and if we can get our act together, we’ll complete the activity and outreach as well as pray for people we know in that country. You can see how this thing took on a life of its own. Oh dear. Time to recenter on the advent season again.”
Playinchoc Kids Advent Calendar
This PLAYin CHOC advent calendar is sooo cute! The advent contains 24 drawers, each calendar drawer contains: 10g organic chocolate with coconut + 3D puzzle & fun facts card. A sweet little 3D puzzle that the kids can play with and put together makes this soo worth it! Once each drawer is removed, replace back to front to form a new picture which will be completed on Christmas Eve.
Disney Snow White 12 Days Beauty Kids Advent Calendar
Mad Beauty’s Snow White Advent calendar features 12 individual products to enjoy as each window is opened featuring a range of bath and body products all with the a fresh apple fragrance. A great gift to give or receive with classic images from Disney’s’ iconic Snow White & the Seven Dwarves. Open a window a day to enjoy one of these hidden surprises – hand cream, body lotion or body wash, lip balm , bath fizzers , nail file or a body puff.
Coppenrath Victorian Christmas Chest Large Advent Calendar
This Victorian Christmas Chest Large Advent Calendar by Barbara Behr is full of festive fun. The countdown to Christmas begins here with traditional Christmas images the whole family is sure to enjoy.
LEGO City Advent Calendar Construction Toy
Gemstone Geological Advent Calendar
A unique and original Advent Calendar with a difference. Our Gemstone Geology Advent Calendar introduces a new gemstone every day – educational and fun. An alternative advent calendar. The personalised box is full of 24 individually packaged and numbered gemstones and fossils, all with an information card. One to open for each day of advent. There is also a drawstring cloth bag to keep the contents in once opened.
Pins And Patches Kids Advent Calendars Christmas Stocking
This Pins And Patches Advent Calendar is something completely new. It is a ‘treat’ calendar, but one which doesn’t contain anything edible.
This badge and iron-on embroidered patch calendar is full of daily fun (all the badges and patches come on a backing card with a fun fact or joke), and on opening each day the contents can be used to create something original and useful.
Disney Christmas Advent Book
If you are looking for something a bit different than chocolate to countdown to Christmas this year, then this Disney Christmas Advent Book is perfect! Great value and fun, this lovely advent gift features 24 different mini-books from the Disney storybook collection in a cased wallet. Great for children aged between 6-10 years, this will be sure to give them hours of fun this Christmas!
‘Christmas Reindeer Balloon Kids Advent Calendars
A fun and unique balloon advent calendar, the perfect way to count down to the big day! The advent calendar is made up of 24 5-inch balloons each pre-stuffed with a Christmas chocolate. The kit includes the gold cord, 24 red mini balloons pre-stuffed with Christmas chocolate and 24 gorgeous red nosed reindeer’s ready to be inflated to create this unique Christmas Advent Calendar with.
Mouttop Kids Advent Calendars ,24 Charms DIY Necklace Bracelet
Christmas Gingerbread House Kids Advent Calendars
A large 3D gingerbread house advent calendar with 24 cubby holes to fill with treats for the christmas countdown. This large wooden gingerbread house is painted in traditional reds and greens with a sparkling snow trim. It is decorated with lots of fun sweetie detailing from candy canes to sprinkles and gobstoppers on the roof.
The Colour In Christmas Kids Advent Calendars
Open the door to days of crafty Christmas fun, with this colour-in advent calendar with a difference. Inspire a crafty Christmas! Children will love the visual representation of this advent calendar. With each day of advent the calendar fills with colour and adds to the excitement of ‘how many more sleeps there is to go’! Choose the personalised option, making this advent extra special and a keepsake memory for years to come.
Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Advent Calendar 2018 (Contains 24 x 5g bags of popcorn)
Christmas Activity Kids Advent Calendars
A set of 24 Advent Activity Cards. A fun pack of high quality cards for toddlers and children to celebrate the countdown to Christmas. This unique set of cards is a lovely way to prepare for Christmas in a fun and thoughtful way. Each card states an activity for your child to do that day.
Advent Candle
A grown-up version of the traditional advent calendar – the advent candle is lit every day on the run up to Christmas and burnt down to the following date. A lovely tradition for those chilly winter evenings spent in front of the fire. Small red glass Candle holder also available.
VTech Toot-Toot Animals Kids Advent Calendars – Multi-Coloured
Crayola Christmas Kids Advent Calendars Kit
24 Pack Item with Kids Advent Calendars 2018 Geocaching
And finally… I couldn’t leave this one out!
Multicultural Book Kids Advent Calendars: Books for STRONG Girls
First of all, If you haven’t done a Book Advent before, you have one book for each day of your countdown to the holiday of your choice. You can buy the books, check them out from your local library, or simply incorporate book titles already in your home library. If you want to add an element of surprise, wrap and date each book and let your child(ren) open one each day. These books are also critical for raising boys who believe in gender equality. Teachers and parents: we need to be explicitly teaching gender equality through reading aloud and the books we share with boys and girls. Every child needs to see everyday female role models, as well as on TV/movies. By doing this, we teach tolerance and empathy, while breaking down harmful stereotypes. This multicultural book advent list below is appropriate for ages 0-10.
50 Acts of Kindness by Kids for Advent
Finally, this year I want to incorporate more of the giving part of Christmas than the receiving. I found this list of 50 acts of kindness for kids at advent on pinterest which is great. It includes ideas like: bake goodies and give them to your neighbours; write a letter telling your brother/ sister how much you love them and; make a christmas card for your teacher. I intend to add a few of my own and make it personal to my child(ren).