Every October the question comes back: which advent calendar should we get this year? Rather than recommend one product, here’s an honest comparison of every kind of kids’ advent calendar, so you can choose what fits your family.
The quick comparison
| Type | Typical price (US) | Best ages | Time each day | What’s left after Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | $5 to $20 | 3+ | 1 minute | An empty box |
| Toy (brand) | $25 to $50 | 5 to 10 | 5 to 15 minutes | A small play set (and packaging) |
| Books | $20 to $40 | 3 to 8 | 10 minutes at bedtime | A shelf of small books |
| DIY / reusable | $0 to $40 | Any | Up to you | The calendar, ready for next year |
| Activity | Free to $10 | 4+ | 10 to 60 minutes | Memories (and some glitter) |
| Digital / online | Free to $15 | 5 to 10 | 2 to 10 minutes | Nothing to store |
Prices are rough ranges and vary a lot by brand and store.
Chocolate advent calendars
Why kids love them: instant reward, every single day. There’s a reason they’ve been around for decades.
Why parents hesitate: chocolate first thing in the morning, and a quality range from lovely to waxy.
Choose one if you want something simple, cheap and traditional. Skip it if you’re trying to cut down on sweets, or you have a little one who will find the box on day 3 and eat the lot.
Toy advent calendars
Why kids love them: something new to hold every morning, and by Christmas Eve the pieces make a whole scene to play with.
Why parents hesitate: the price, the small parts, and that day 14 is sometimes “a tiny plastic cup”.
Choose one if your child already loves a particular building or figure range. Skip it if you have a toddler around, or your house is already overflowing.
Book advent calendars
Why kids love them: unwrapping something every night and snuggling up for the story.
Why parents hesitate: 24 books is a commitment to buy, wrap and store. Pre-made sets save the wrapping but cost more.
Choose one if bedtime reading is already part of your evening. Tip: borrow a stack of Christmas books from the library and wrap those. Return them in January.
DIY and reusable advent calendars
Why kids love them: they see it go up on the wall, and every pocket can hold something different: a treat, a note, a coupon for “pick the movie tonight”.
Why parents hesitate: filling 24 pockets is real work in an already busy month.
Choose one if you like a little project and want to control exactly what goes in. Make it easier by mixing small treats with activity cards (see our 25 Christmas countdown activities).
Activity advent calendars
Why kids love them: time with you. Baking, crafting, a hot cocoa walk to see the lights.
Why parents hesitate: a big activity on a Tuesday night in December can feel impossible.
Choose one if you’d rather give memories than things. Tip: plan the big activities for weekends and keep weekdays small (a joke, a dance party, a phone call to grandma).
Digital and online advent calendars
Why kids love them: something new and animated every day, often building into a bigger story or world. The good ones feel like a game they look forward to.
Why parents hesitate: screen time, and the worry about ads or in-app purchases.
Choose one if you want no sugar and no clutter, you travel over the holidays, or your kids are already excited by games. Look for no ads, no chat, a one-time price and short daily sessions. Our guide to digital advent calendars has a full checklist.
In Cubemas, every door adds something to your child’s island. By Christmas Day it’s a whole world.
So, which is best?
There’s no single best advent calendar for kids, but there is a best one for your family. A few questions settle it quickly:
- Do you want stuff at the end? Toys and books leave something behind. Chocolate, activities and digital calendars don’t.
- How much time do you have each day? If mornings are a rush, pick something that takes a minute.
- How many kids? Two of everything gets expensive fast. Shared activity calendars and digital calendars with sibling pricing are easier on the budget. (More ideas in advent calendars for siblings.)
- What will they still be excited about on day 19? Calendars that build toward something (a scene, a story, a world) hold attention better than 24 unrelated surprises.
And you don’t have to pick just one. Plenty of families pair a small chocolate calendar with an activity or digital one. The point isn’t the calendar. It’s the countdown you share.
