Want an advent calendar full of moments instead of stuff? Write these activities on little cards, tuck one in each pocket of a DIY calendar, or just pick one a day.
We’ve mixed big and small on purpose. Weekdays get the quick ones, and the bigger projects land on the weekends. Shuffle them to fit your calendar.
Week 1: Getting into the spirit
- Decorate the tree (or a tiny one). Even a small branch in a vase with paper ornaments counts.
- Write a letter to Santa. Little ones can draw their wish list.
- Make paper snowflakes and stick them on the windows.
- Hot cocoa and a Christmas story under a blanket.
- Have a Christmas music dance party in the kitchen. Loser of musical statues does the dishes (or not).
- Make a paper chain with one link for every day left until Christmas. Tear one off each morning.
- Go on a lights walk after dark to spot the best-decorated houses.
Week 2: Making and baking
- Bake and decorate cookies. Gingerbread, sugar cookies, or shop-bought ones with icing and sprinkles.
- Make homemade wrapping paper with potato stamps or handprints on brown paper.
- Build a blanket fort and watch a Christmas movie inside it.
- Craft a salt dough ornament with their handprint and the year on the back.
- Make a bird feeder from a pinecone, peanut butter and seeds (check for allergies).
- Write Christmas cards for grandparents, teachers or neighbors.
- String a popcorn garland (eat at least half of it).
Week 3: Kindness and giving
- Pick a toy to donate to a local charity or toy drive.
- Leave a thank-you note for the mail carrier or delivery driver.
- Call or video-chat a relative you won’t see over Christmas.
- Make a “kindness jar”: write a kind thing someone did each day and read them on Christmas Eve.
- Bake an extra batch and give it to a neighbor.
- Make a gift for a sibling or cousin. Drawings and handmade cards count.
The final countdown
- Have a winter picnic on the living room floor.
- Read “The Night Before Christmas” (or your family’s favorite) in pajamas.
- Track Santa’s preparations. Talk about what the elves might be doing today.
- Christmas Eve box: new pajamas, a book and a hot chocolate. Leave out a snack for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.
- Christmas morning: look back at the whole countdown together. What was the best day?
Tips for an activity advent calendar
- Write the activities on cards in advance. On a busy morning, you’ll be glad you did.
- Keep a few “swap” cards with easy options (a joke, a dance, a story) for days when the planned activity just isn’t happening.
- Match activities to the weather. If it snows, move “build a snowman” to the top of the list.
- Let kids choose sometimes. Put two cards in a pocket and let them pick.
- Mix it with a small daily surprise. Some families pair an activity calendar with a small chocolate or a digital advent calendar so there’s still a “door” to open every morning.
Want more ideas for choosing a calendar? Our ultimate guide to advent calendars for kids covers every type, from chocolate to digital.
