Last year, we started using a DIY Advent Calendar that my mom made for us and it was the cutest thing ever! It required that we find our own Advent Calendar fillers, which is a challenge, but also one of the best aspects of doing one of these Christmas activities.
Advent Calendar fillers for 5-year old boys are so much fun to shop for and if you think outside of the box (or calendar), there are so many fun ideas you can incorporate!
No matter what you choose, Advent calendars are one of the best ways to really experience Christmas the whole month of December and nothing is more exciting than doing that with 5-year old boys!
So if you can get all of your Advent calendar fillers ahead of time, you’ll be the happiest family on the block and you’ll get to see that Christmas excitement every single morning.
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Christmas-Themed Advent Calendar Fillers for 5-Year Old Boys
I don’t know about you, but I have a huuuuge list of things that I want (or need) to buy for my 5-year old son anyways and it just can’t wait until Christmas…or it becomes pointless then (like Christmas-themed books).
So Advent calendar fillers are the perfect way to turn those Christmas-themed items into fun gifts!
A lot of these gifts are way too large to fit into an Advent calendar pocket, so what you can do is have a cute basket with these gifts next to your Advent calendar and give each gift a symbol or design that matches one that you put inside their Advent calendar pocket.
Or, if you really want to blow your 5-year old’s mind, you can create a little treasure map leading to the gift hidden somewhere (this requires a little more work on your part, but it’s up to you)!
Many of these are larger than your average Advent Calendar filler, but like I said, you will probably want to get these anyways, so it’s just a great idea to use up a day on your Advent calendar!
Christmas Pajamas
This is one of my favorite Advent calendar fillers for 5-year old boys and is thus making its debut on Day 1 in our house!
For lots of people, this is a Christmas Eve tradition, but if you like to stretch out the holiday, then these are a perfect early gift to kick off the Christmas season!
You can find Christmas pajamas everywhere, but if you want the most adorable ones (or if you need to coordinate with siblings), then I highly recommend you start your search on Etsy.
There you can find adorable Christmas pajamas that you can personalize (these are my favorite) or that coordinate boys and girls (we’ll be doing these!).
Christmas Books for 5-Year Old Boys
Most 5-year old boys are really into reading books, so there are a lot of great options, but here are some of the best:
- The Polar Express (a serious classic and a MUST for train-lovers!)
- The Night Before Christmas (another big classic)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ok, 3 classics to pick from!)
Related post: The Best Christmas Books for Preschoolers
Christmas Socks
These are also a great idea because you can purchase a set of 3 or 4, which will not only fill up multiple days on your calendar, but also ends up being an inexpensive option for those days.
Christmas-Themed Lego Set
The great thing about these Christmas-themed LEGO sets is that once they’ve put them together, they actually make cute little Christmas decorations!
There are a lot of options, but here are the cutest (and cheapest):
Melissa & Doug Decorate-Your-Own Ornaments
Not only is this a fun gift for them, but it’s an activity to fill up your afternoon.
And they will be so proud to hang their own creation on the tree!
Christmas Ornaments
This is a great time to get fun Christmas ornaments that you know they’ll love – ones that are trains, cars, super heros, dinosaurs, and even Paw Patrol!
If you want personalized ones, you should definitely check Etsy’s personalized ornament section because they always have the cutest!
Small and Inexpensive Advent Calendar Fillers for 5-Year Old Boys
Even after you’ve gotten all the adorable stuff that you can’t wait for your kids to see, you will still inevitably have many days that need to be filled….because 25 is A LOT!
So here are some inexpensive and/or classic Advent calendar fillers that 5-year old boys will really love…and they won’t break the bank.
Christmas-Themed Temporary Tattoos
And, of course, they are the perfect size for any Advent calendar!
Mini Playdoh Tubs
If there’s too many in your pack, save them for their stocking or even their Easter basket!
Kinder Eggs
They’re a good size for most Advent calendar compartments and you can usually find them in your grocery store.
Legos
Oh boy. What good is an Advent calendar for 5-year old boys if it doesn’t include LEGOs??
There are endless options for LEGO sets, but since we’re focused on inexpensive options that are small, you really want to stick to a few sets that are always inexpensive LEGO options (these are also good for stocking stuffers). They still may be too large to fit into an Advent calendar compartment, but they’ll be a fun activity for your child that day!
Christmas Stickers
There are tons of cute Christmas stickers and they’re the perfect size and cost to fit in a few of your Advent calendar days.
These are also great to use if your 5-year old is going to be sending out their own Christmas cards!
Non-Gift Advent Calendar Fillers for 5-Year Old Boys
If you don’t want to go the gift route, you can still have so much fun with an Advent calendar!
These non-gift Advent calendar ideas are also perfect to mix within a “gift” Advent calendar, not only because they’re fun, but also because many are free.
Instead of a present being inside your Advent calendar compartment, you simply add a little note with an activity you will do that day.
Here are some fun ideas:
- Read a Christmas book
- Make a snowman
- Decorate the Christmas tree
- Visit Santa Clause
- Create a DIY Christmas ornament
- Make a Christmas gift for grandparents
- Sing Christmas carols
- Bake Christmas cookies
- Visit the library
- Drive around to see Christmas lights
- Watch a Christmas movie
Related post: Adding Hygge to Your Christmas: 10 Ways to Make the Holiday Even Happier
I hope all of these Advent calendar fillers ideas help make your Christmas extra special this year! There’s nothing better than celebrating Christmas with a 5-year old boy, so I hope the whole experience is one you’ll never forget!
You may also be interested in:
- How to Make a DIY Train Ornament with Your Kids
- The Best Train Books for Preschoolers
- The Best Gift Ideas for 4-Year Old Boys
If you’d like more tips, tricks, and inspiration on parenting and raising happy kids, subscribe to my Parenting Mailing List for notification when new posts are published. Or, if you want to receive notification for all new posts from MBAsahm, join my Main Mailing List and receive tips on achieving financial freedom and living a fulfilled life in addition to parenting and raising happy kids. I hope you enjoy everything you read! Thanks for your time!
