Advent calendar ideas for children
Ideas for filling Advent calendars for children
Here are our gift ideas for your homemade Advent calendars for children:
Our Advent calendar ideas especially for toddlers:
· Bathtub animals (yellow rubber duck, boat, etc.)
· Cuddly animals, little cloth animals
· Wooden puzzles / puzzles for toddlers
· Sandbox toys / Bath toys
· Coloring book
· Pixi books
· Other little books, e.g. Roger Hargreaves’ “Mr. Men and Little Miss” series
· Kinder chocolate
· Little window decorations
· Playmobil 1.2.3
· Lego Duplo sets
· Hello Kitty (starter set)
· Building blocks
· Wooden fruit and vegetables
· Bubbles
· Animal figures
· View master
· Play Dough
· Kaleidoscope
· Clay
· Fimo
· Tinti bath accessories
· Accessories for a play shop or kitchen
· A story or a book from which a chapter can be read aloud each day (also
see „Books and stories“)
· Bathtub animals (yellow rubber duck, boat, etc.)
· Cuddly animals, little cloth animals
· Wooden puzzles / puzzles for toddlers
· Sandbox toys / Bath toys
· Coloring book
· Pixi books
· Other little books, e.g. Roger Hargreaves’ “Mr. Men and Little Miss” series
· Kinder chocolate
· Little window decorations
· Playmobil 1.2.3
· Lego Duplo sets
· Hello Kitty (starter set)
· Building blocks
· Wooden fruit and vegetables
· Bubbles
· Animal figures
· View master
· Play Dough
· Kaleidoscope
· Clay
· Fimo
· Tinti bath accessories
· Accessories for a play shop or kitchen
· A story or a book from which a chapter can be read aloud each day (also
see „Books and stories“)
Since all children like to play, here are our ideas for calendar fillings:
· Puzzles and brain teasers
· Lego sets (small package / accessories)
· Fischer Price sets (small package / accessories)
· Playmobil (small package / accessories)
· Quartet card game (also known as Happy Families)
· Card games, e.g. Uno
· Memory
· Dominos
· Travel games (Bingo, Yatzee, Boggle, Scattergories etc)
· Directions for magic tricks, magic trick accessories
· Tops
· Silly Putty
· Yo-yos
· Pocket kites
· Squirt guns, water balloons, Splash Bombs
· Frisbees
· Little ball
· Marbles
· Poppers (a type of bouncing half-sphere which you turn inside out, set on
the floor and watch it pop)
· Clicking frog
· Paper sword (Coiled paper streamers wound around a handle)
· Puzzles and brain teasers
· Lego sets (small package / accessories)
· Fischer Price sets (small package / accessories)
· Playmobil (small package / accessories)
· Quartet card game (also known as Happy Families)
· Card games, e.g. Uno
· Memory
· Dominos
· Travel games (Bingo, Yatzee, Boggle, Scattergories etc)
· Directions for magic tricks, magic trick accessories
· Tops
· Silly Putty
· Yo-yos
· Pocket kites
· Squirt guns, water balloons, Splash Bombs
· Frisbees
· Little ball
· Marbles
· Poppers (a type of bouncing half-sphere which you turn inside out, set on
the floor and watch it pop)
· Clicking frog
· Paper sword (Coiled paper streamers wound around a handle)
For all enthusiastic crafters, here are some ideas for Advent calendar gifts:
· Craft kits (e.g. to make friendship bracelets, kites, mosaics, Shrinky
Dinks)
· Beads, jewelry-making materials
· Small puzzles
· Puzzles, perhaps with different parts spread out over multiple days, e.g.
made with your own photo
· Finger paints
· Little pictures to paint and hang in the window
· Outdoor chalk
· Crayons
· Clay
· Nice pens, pencils or erasers (Pens, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
· Little notebooks
· Directions for making a paper airplane, or other origami shapes
· Watercolors, also available individually
· Glass paint for windows
· Finger paints
· Stamps
· Colored pencils
· Little coloring books
· Markers
· Sharpener
· Craft kits (e.g. to make friendship bracelets, kites, mosaics, Shrinky
Dinks)
· Beads, jewelry-making materials
· Small puzzles
· Puzzles, perhaps with different parts spread out over multiple days, e.g.
made with your own photo
· Finger paints
· Little pictures to paint and hang in the window
· Outdoor chalk
· Crayons
· Clay
· Nice pens, pencils or erasers (Pens, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
· Little notebooks
· Directions for making a paper airplane, or other origami shapes
· Watercolors, also available individually
· Glass paint for windows
· Finger paints
· Stamps
· Colored pencils
· Little coloring books
· Markers
· Sharpener
The following gift ideas for your Advent calendars are especially suited to girls:
· Earrings
· Hair ties
· Barrettes
· Skipping rope
· Coin purse
· Make-up
· Nail polish, nail decals / gems
· Hair decorations
· Necklaces
· Bracelets
· Charm bracelets
· Rings
· Finger rings
· My Little Pony figures
· Hello Kitty accessories
· Costume accessories
· Earrings
· Hair ties
· Barrettes
· Skipping rope
· Coin purse
· Make-up
· Nail polish, nail decals / gems
· Hair decorations
· Necklaces
· Bracelets
· Charm bracelets
· Rings
· Finger rings
· My Little Pony figures
· Hello Kitty accessories
· Costume accessories
And here are our Advent calendar ideas for boys:
· Car-shaped balloon
· Toy cars
· Pull back car
· Star Wars (Stickers, figures, notebooks, etc.)
· Little pocket knife
· Little pirate flag, eye patch, etc.
· Model airplanes, rockets, etc.
· Trading cards
· Car-shaped balloon
· Toy cars
· Pull back car
· Star Wars (Stickers, figures, notebooks, etc.)
· Little pocket knife
· Little pirate flag, eye patch, etc.
· Model airplanes, rockets, etc.
· Trading cards
If your children are little explorers or discoverers, here are some suggestions they might like:
· Garden cress seeds
· Bird feeders (or other kinds of birdseed)
· Brine shrimp (one can breed them in a glass)
· Ant farm
· Butterfly net, bug habitat
· Magnifying cup, play binoculars
· Invisible ink pen
· Little flashlight
· Magnets
· Chemistry set / science kits
· Book of simple science experiments
· Children’s telescope, constellation maps
· Garden cress seeds
· Bird feeders (or other kinds of birdseed)
· Brine shrimp (one can breed them in a glass)
· Ant farm
· Butterfly net, bug habitat
· Magnifying cup, play binoculars
· Invisible ink pen
· Little flashlight
· Magnets
· Chemistry set / science kits
· Book of simple science experiments
· Children’s telescope, constellation maps
Gift certificates to put in children’s Advent calendars:
· Movie theater tickets for children’s films
· Baking cakes / cookies together
· Tickets for a children’s theater production
· Gift certificates for a special outing together, e.g. boat ride, amusement
park, zoo
· Gift certificates for eating out at McDonalds / Burger King / ice cream
parlor
· Homemade tickets for a movie night (at home)
· One hour of play on the iPad / Xbox / new game etc.
· Movie theater tickets for children’s films
· Baking cakes / cookies together
· Tickets for a children’s theater production
· Gift certificates for a special outing together, e.g. boat ride, amusement
park, zoo
· Gift certificates for eating out at McDonalds / Burger King / ice cream
parlor
· Homemade tickets for a movie night (at home)
· One hour of play on the iPad / Xbox / new game etc.
Or perhaps a gift that is also practical? Here are our ideas for children:
· Reflectors for bikes, school backpacks, jackets etc.
· Bells for a scooter, training bike or bicycle
· Bike gloves
· Knee and elbow pads
· Sharpener
· Children’s toothbrush
· Ruler, geodesic triangle
· Personalized labels
· Reflectors for bikes, school backpacks, jackets etc.
· Bells for a scooter, training bike or bicycle
· Bike gloves
· Knee and elbow pads
· Sharpener
· Children’s toothbrush
· Ruler, geodesic triangle
· Personalized labels
Something sweet belongs in every child’s Advent calendar
· Candy canes
· Lolly pops
· Fun Dip / Pop Rocks
· Reese's
· Chocolate Santa Claus
· Mini Nutella
· Mini honey
· Christmas cookies (homemade?)
· Miniature candy bars
· Gummi bears
· Sour Gummi worms
· Jelly Belly jelly beans
· Licorice
· Candy jewelry, Ring Pops
· Bubble gum
· Roasted almonds
· Gingerbread heart / gingerbread man
· Popcorn (perhaps popcorn kernels to prepare yourself?)
· Pudding package to make yourself
· Jello to make yourself
· Gold chocolate coins
· Small pack of raisins
· Trail mix
· Rice crackers
· Candy canes
· Lolly pops
· Fun Dip / Pop Rocks
· Reese's
· Chocolate Santa Claus
· Mini Nutella
· Mini honey
· Christmas cookies (homemade?)
· Miniature candy bars
· Gummi bears
· Sour Gummi worms
· Jelly Belly jelly beans
· Licorice
· Candy jewelry, Ring Pops
· Bubble gum
· Roasted almonds
· Gingerbread heart / gingerbread man
· Popcorn (perhaps popcorn kernels to prepare yourself?)
· Pudding package to make yourself
· Jello to make yourself
· Gold chocolate coins
· Small pack of raisins
· Trail mix
· Rice crackers
You could give a whole book on one day (e.g. on Saint Nicholas Day or Christmas Eve), or one could spread the stories out over multiple days (copies).
· Charles Dickens, „A Christmas Carol“ (text available for free online, for
example on Amazon Kindle)
· Chris van Allsburg, “The Polar Express”
· Dr. Seuss, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
· Charles M. Schultz, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
· L. Frank Baum, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus”
· Robert E. Barry, “Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree”
· Cornelia Funke, "When Santa Fell to Earth“
· Astrid Lindgren, "Christmas in the Stable”
· Astrid Lindgren "Christmas in Bullerby"
· Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Match Girl”
· Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram, "Guess how much I love you"
· Jan Brett, “The Mitten”
· Roald Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
· Other stories to read aloud
· Write your own story, include a sequel each day
· Charles Dickens, „A Christmas Carol“ (text available for free online, for
example on Amazon Kindle)
· Chris van Allsburg, “The Polar Express”
· Dr. Seuss, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
· Charles M. Schultz, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
· L. Frank Baum, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus”
· Robert E. Barry, “Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree”
· Cornelia Funke, "When Santa Fell to Earth“
· Astrid Lindgren, "Christmas in the Stable”
· Astrid Lindgren "Christmas in Bullerby"
· Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Match Girl”
· Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram, "Guess how much I love you"
· Jan Brett, “The Mitten”
· Roald Dahl, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
· Other stories to read aloud
· Write your own story, include a sequel each day
Here are some more Advent calendar ideas for kids:
· Giant balloons
· Pictures from a family vacation
· Bubbles
· Band-Aids with fun pictures
· Temporary tattoos
· Cap bombs
· Stickers
· Flip books (you can also make them yourself)
· Bouncy balls
· Sparklers
· Glow-in-the-dark stars for the bedroom ceiling
· Stones (quartz etc.)
· Cookie cutters (car, princess, etc.)
· Snow globe
· Little glider (available for €1 in toy or craft stores)
· Mini towel that expands in water (magic towels)
· Travel kites
· Little parachutist (figure with a small parachute)
· Rose of Jericho
· Comics (Lucky Luke, Donald Duck, Popeye, Yakari, Asterix etc.)
· Children’s magazines
· Stress ball (you can also make them yourself with a balloon and sand)
· Music box
· Animal figures, Smurfs or other figurines
· Cartesian devil (also called a water devil)
· Little packet of nuts
· Little packet of granola
· Giant balloons
· Pictures from a family vacation
· Bubbles
· Band-Aids with fun pictures
· Temporary tattoos
· Cap bombs
· Stickers
· Flip books (you can also make them yourself)
· Bouncy balls
· Sparklers
· Glow-in-the-dark stars for the bedroom ceiling
· Stones (quartz etc.)
· Cookie cutters (car, princess, etc.)
· Snow globe
· Little glider (available for €1 in toy or craft stores)
· Mini towel that expands in water (magic towels)
· Travel kites
· Little parachutist (figure with a small parachute)
· Rose of Jericho
· Comics (Lucky Luke, Donald Duck, Popeye, Yakari, Asterix etc.)
· Children’s magazines
· Stress ball (you can also make them yourself with a balloon and sand)
· Music box
· Animal figures, Smurfs or other figurines
· Cartesian devil (also called a water devil)
· Little packet of nuts
· Little packet of granola
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Would you like more ideas? In our other categories you can find ideas for adults, men and women:
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