Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids: 24 Simple Activities (+ Free Printable Cards)

The best advent calendar ideas for kids are small things you do together, one a day from December 1 to 24: a dance party, a drive to see Christmas lights, a pajama movie night, baking cookies, a letter to Santa. An activity advent calendar costs almost nothing, has no candy to ration, and gives little kids something to look forward to every morning.

Quick answer: pick 24 activities, mix in plenty of five-minute ones for busy days, and put one card in each envelope or bag. Our free activity advent calendar printable has all 24 ideas below as ready-to-cut cards, each marked with prep time and the youngest age it suits, plus blank cards, a December plan, and number tags.

Free printable Activity Advent Calendar Printable PDF · 7 pages, no email needed →

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24 advent calendar activity ideas for kids

The prep column is how long a grown-up needs to set it up. A star (★) marks busy-day picks: little or no setup, good for school nights and travel days.

Cozy ideas for evenings at home

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These need almost no setup, which makes them perfect for weeknights.

• Pajama movie night. Christmas pajamas, a pile of blankets, and one holiday movie. Pop some popcorn for older kids.
• Hot cocoa picnic. Spread a blanket on the living room floor and serve cocoa cooled to warm, not hot.
• A book under the tree. Turn off the big lights, leave the tree lights on, and read one Christmas story together.
• Blanket fort stories. Drape a sheet over two chairs and read by flashlight inside.
• Christmas Eve quiet night. A new or favorite book, cozy pajamas, and an early bedtime.

Christmas crafts for the calendar

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• Paper snowflakes. Fold a square of paper into a triangle twice and snip small shapes along the edges. A grown-up cuts for under-4s, and the child gets the best part: unfolding it.
• Paper chain countdown. Tape or glue strips of paper into loops and tear one off each night until Christmas.
• Handprint card. Paint a hand green and press it upside down for a Christmas tree, then add fingerprint ornaments.
• Simple ornaments. Paint a pinecone or decorate a paper star with stickers and hang it on the tree.
• Coloring pages. Print our free Christmas coloring pages for a calm afternoon.

Toddlers love these too. See our Christmas activities for toddlers for more sensory and process art ideas.

Outings and kindness days

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• Christmas lights. Drive or walk around after dark in pajamas and count the lit-up houses.
• Kindness day. Let your child pick a toy to donate, or bake simple treats for a neighbor.
• Thank-you cards. Draw cards for the people who help every day: the mail carrier, a teacher, a neighbor.
• Feed the birds. Hang a bird treat outside and watch from the window to see who visits.
• Call family. Sing a carol to grandparents on a video call.

How to make an activity advent calendar

You don’t need to buy a calendar. Any of these hold one card a day:

1. Envelopes on a string. Number 24 envelopes, put a card inside each, and peg them along a piece of twine.
2. Paper bags. Fold the tops of small paper bags, clip them shut, and stick on a number tag.
3. A jar. Fold the cards and let your child pick one each morning (fine if you don’t mind the order).
4. A box with 24 pockets. An old egg carton or a shoe organizer works.
5. A plain calendar. Write the activity on each day of a wall calendar and let your child cross it off.

How to plan it so December doesn’t take over

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• Look at your real calendar first. Mark the school concerts, work events, and travel days before you place any cards.
• Put the big ones on free days. Baking, outings, and crafts go on weekends. Busy days get a ★ card.
• Keep a backup card. If today’s plan falls apart, swap it for a dance party or a book under the tree. Nobody under five will notice.
• Repeat the favorites. It’s fine to have two movie nights. Kids love repetition.

The printable’s December plan page has a box for each day from December 1 to 24, so you can write the card number for each date.

Non-candy advent calendar fillers (optional)

The activity is the gift, but if you want a small extra in the envelope:

• Under 3: a sticker sheet, a board book, a new washcloth for bath time, a sock to turn into a puppet.
• Ages 3 and up: crayons, a mini coloring book, stickers, a hair clip, a card with a joke on it.
• Free: a coupon for an extra story, choosing dinner, or ten more minutes at the park.

Safety notes

• Small items and under-3s: keep anything small enough to fit in a toilet-paper tube away from children under 3. The Consumer Product Safety Commission bans small parts in toys for children under 3 because they are a choking hazard.
• Skip balloons: the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that balloons are a choking risk up to age 8.
• Grown-up jobs: scissors for young children, the oven, and hot drinks.

Free activity advent calendar printable

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The free activity advent calendar printable is 7 pages, US Letter, with no email sign-up:

• How to use it, safety notes, and filler ideas
• 24 activity cards (3 pages), each with prep time, ages, and a star on busy-day picks
• 8 blank cards you can type into before printing
• A fillable December 1–24 plan
• Number tags 1–24 for envelopes or bags

Print on cardstock if the cards will be handled a lot, and turn on “Fit to page.”

Advent calendar ideas FAQ

For the big day itself, here are stocking stuffer ideas for toddlers by age, including non-toy picks.

Need an easy advent day? Pull a page from our free Christmas printables for kids, from I spy to a letter to Santa.

For the last night of the countdown, try a Christmas Eve box: pajamas, a story, a movie, a treat and a keepsake.