Last updated: November 5, 2026
Quick Summary
An advent calendar for kids can turn the Christmas countdown into a simple shared activity each day, such as reading a story, making a card or taking a winter walk. Choose prompts that fit your family’s time and energy, and swap, repeat or skip activities when plans change.
- Write each prompt, its time and one fallback on a short activity card.
- Offer younger children two activity choices rather than the whole list.
- Prepare only the supplies needed for the next few days.
- Let children join in by watching, choosing music or handing over supplies.
Table of Contents
- Advent Calendar Activities for Kids: A Flexible 24-Day Plan
- Free Advent Calendar Activities for Kids on Busy Days
- Advent Calendar Activity Ideas for Family Time
- Advent Calendar Craft Ideas for Children of Different Ages
- Non-Candy Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids That Build Kindness
- Make Your Own Activity Advent Calendar: Simple Setup and Flexible Swaps
- Choose a Sharing Kindness Advent Calendar for December
- Frequently Asked Questions
Advent Calendar Activities for Kids: A Flexible 24-Day Plan
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ Christmas safety advice, simple planning can help families enjoy seasonal activities safely. Advent calendar activities for kids work best when they fit the family’s actual day, rather than adding another task to an already full December. An activity Advent calendar is a Christmas countdown with a simple shared activity for each day.
Use this flexible plan as a menu, not a test. Swap days around, repeat favourites or skip an activity when everyone is tired.
| Day | Activity | Easy alternative |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Put up a decoration | Draw one instead |
| 2 | Read a Christmas story | Share a favourite book |
| 3 | Make a paper ornament | Colour a festive picture |
| 4 | Take a winter walk | Spot things from the window |
| 5 | Bake or decorate biscuits | Decorate toast together |
| 6 | Make a card for a neighbour | Draw a thank-you picture |
| 7 | Choose a Christmas film | Listen to a seasonal story |
| 8 | Make a paper chain | Add one reusable decoration |
| 9 | Have hot chocolate together | Share a warm drink |
| 10 | Wrap a present | Make a gift tag |
| 11 | Try a scavenger hunt | Find three festive objects |
| 12 | Sing a Christmas song | Listen to one together |
| 13 | Decorate the tree | Choose one special ornament |
| 14 | Write a letter to Santa | Draw a wish-list picture |
| 15 | Make a kindness card | Leave a kind note |
| 16 | Look at festive lights | Spot decorations on a walk |
| 17 | Read together | Tell a family story |
| 18 | Make a simple craft | Reuse clean scrap paper |
| 19 | Help plan a meal | Choose a side dish |
| 20 | Give someone a compliment | Say thank you |
| 21 | Have a family game night | Play a quick guessing game |
| 22 | Make a festive picture | Use crayons or pencils |
| 23 | Share a favourite memory | Look at a holiday picture |
| 24 | Choose tomorrow’s family tradition | Pick a story for bedtime |
Free Advent Calendar Activities for Kids on Busy Days
Free Advent calendar activities for kids can fit into a few minutes between school, clubs and tea. To make the choice easier, use the guide below: each idea needs only ordinary household items, and the alternatives work when the weather or energy levels change. When the weather or energy levels call for a change, screen-free sibling activities can keep the Advent calendar feeling like time together rather than another task.
| Activity | Time | Preparation | Indoor or outdoor alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share one good thing from the day | 5 minutes | None | Take turns naming something you noticed on a short walk |
| Read a Christmas story or a few pages of a book | 5 to 10 minutes | Choose a book | Tell a familiar story from memory |
| Draw a festive picture together | 10 minutes | Paper and pencils or crayons | Draw what you can see from a window |
| Make a paper snowflake | 10 to 15 minutes | Scrap paper and child-safe scissors | Look for frost or winter shapes outside instead |
| Have a kitchen singalong | 5 minutes | Choose a song | Listen to a Christmas song on a walk |
| Find three festive things | 5 to 10 minutes | None | Spot decorations at home, in a shop window or on a local street |
| Leave a kind note for someone at home | 5 minutes | Reused paper and a pencil | Say the message aloud if writing is difficult |
| Choose a family game | 10 minutes | None for a guessing game | Play indoors if it is wet or dark |
Keep the activity card short: write the action, the time it takes and one fallback. For younger children, offer two options rather than the whole list; older children can take turns choosing or adapting an idea.
Mix ready-to-go prompts with crafts and outings, and keep the simplest ones for evenings when plans change. If a child does not want to join in, let them watch or choose another prompt. For more ways to make kindness engaging for children, read our guide to kindness activities.
Advent Calendar Activity Ideas for Family Time
Family activities are easier to share when everyone has a role, and when there is a simple alternative for anyone who would rather not take part in the main event. British December plans can include a local Christmas market, a school or community nativity, a pantomime, a neighbourhood lights walk or a winter visit to a park. Check local opening times and access details before setting an outing as the day’s prompt, then keep a home option ready in case of rain, crowds or tiredness.
Try these adaptable ideas:
- Look at Christmas lights: Walk a short route, use a pushchair-friendly path where needed, or spot lights from a window. Agree on a meeting point and keep the outing brief if cold or noise is difficult.
- Visit a Christmas market: Choose one stall or decoration to look for, and go at a less busy time if possible. A festive picture book or a pretend market game at home can replace the trip.
- See a pantomime or community performance: Let children know what to expect, including the length and audience participation. For a child who finds loud sound uncomfortable, consider ear defenders or choose a story and songs at home instead.
- Make cards for someone: Younger children can choose colours or add stickers; older children can write a message. Offer drawing or dictation for anyone who finds handwriting tiring.
- Decorate biscuits: Give children separate tasks, such as choosing a topping, arranging biscuits or drawing a design first. Keep a non-food option, such as decorating paper biscuits, for children who do not want to handle or eat the ingredients.
- Take a winter nature walk: Look for bare branches, birds or evergreen leaves, without needing snow. If the ground is muddy or the weather turns, make a window-based spotting list instead.
For mixed ages, give each child a part that suits them: a preschooler can choose the route or colours, a primary-aged child can follow a simple list, and an older child can take photographs or help organise materials. Participation can also mean watching, choosing the music or handing over supplies.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies’ guidance on family relationships is a useful starting point for thinking about connection through everyday routines.
Advent Calendar Craft Ideas for Children of Different Ages
Advent calendar craft ideas work best when the materials and steps suit the child, not an idealised picture of family craft time. Keep the setup simple and let children choose whether to join in, watch or adapt the activity.
- Toddlers: Stick large paper shapes onto a card with adult help.
- Preschoolers: Colour a Christmas picture or decorate a paper ornament.
- Primary-aged kids: Make gift tags, cards or a paper chain.
- Tweens and teens: Design a festive playlist cover or help plan decorations.
Offer a choice of tools and textures, and avoid making glue, glitter or cutting essential. Keep crayons and plain paper nearby as an alternative, and let children stop when they have had enough.
Kindness Advent Calendar | Japan Express →
Non-Candy Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids That Build Kindness
Non-candy Advent calendar ideas for kids can centre on kind actions, shared stories and small ways to notice other people. An act of kindness might be thanking someone at home, making a card for a neighbour or helping with a simple household task. Keep each invitation specific and manageable.
The Australian Government’s Raising Children Network advice on helping children develop empathy offers further ideas for talking with children about feelings and other people. We suggest treating kindness as an invitation, not a scorecard. A child can choose another helpful action if the suggested one does not suit that day.
For a ready-made option, our guide to the Sharing Kindness Advent Calendar explains that it uses a daily kindness activity.
Make Your Own Activity Advent Calendar: Simple Setup and Flexible Swaps
A DIY activity Advent calendar is a set of daily prompts that you can tailor to your family’s time, interests and energy. Write each activity on a small card, place the cards in a jar or envelope, and prepare only the supplies needed for the next few days.
Use this quick checklist:
- Mix crafts, stories, kindness and outdoor ideas.
- Mark activities that need adult help or supplies.
- Add a low-energy alternative beside each outing.
- Let children swap or repeat a favourite.
- Reuse cards next year and replace only what no longer fits.
Our printable kindness calendar offers a ready-made option.
Choose a Sharing Kindness Advent Calendar for December
Choose a Sharing Kindness Advent Calendar for daily prompts centred on kindness. The physical calendars invite children to practise being kind to themselves and others through fun, interactive activities.
Explore the Sharing Kindness Advent Calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I put in an activity Advent calendar for kids?
Mix short activities with a few bigger plans: make a Christmas card, read a festive story, decorate biscuits, add an ornament to the tree, take a neighbourhood walk or do a small act of kindness. Keep a few indoor alternatives ready for wet weather or tired evenings. For a non-candy option, Sharing Kindness calendars use daily acts of kindness as the activity.
What are some free Advent calendar activities for kids?
Try reading a Christmas story you already own, making a card from spare paper, singing a festive song, choosing a toy or book to pass on, or leaving a kind note for a neighbour. A walk to look at decorations can also become a daily activity without needing special supplies. Keep a short list on the fridge so you can choose an idea when December gets busy.
How do you make an activity Advent calendar for kids?
Write 24 simple prompts on slips of paper and place them in numbered envelopes, pockets or a reusable calendar. Balance home-based ideas with outings, crafts and acts of kindness, and label each prompt with a short time or preparation note. Add a swap option beside activities that depend on weather or schedules. Sharing Kindness also offers printable kindness Advent calendars.
How can I make Advent activities suitable for different ages?
Keep the shared activity the same and adjust each child’s role. Younger children can choose colours or help decorate, while older children can write cards, read instructions or plan a kindness activity. Offer a choice between two versions, such as drawing a Christmas picture or writing a festive message. This lets siblings and visiting grandchildren join in without expecting them to enjoy the activity in exactly the same way.
Involving children in the plan can be harder than finding activity ideas, especially when December is full. Sharing Kindness calendars offer daily kindness prompts designed to encourage conversation and connection. Choose a calendar that suits your family and get started with Sharing Kindness to make kindness part of your Christmas countdown.
