The holidays are finally here! This is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year and nothing rings in Christmas better than a really fun Advent calendar! These Advent calendar fillers for kids are great ideas if you want to make your own calendar this year…which is a really, really fun choice!
The best part about using your own DIY Advent calendar for your kids is that you have complete control over the fillers that you use. They can be elaborate monogrammed gifts or completely free activities that you do as a family, candy and trinkets, or games and arts and crafts!
You can go in any direction…and more importantly, you can incorporate all of these ideas to mix things up a bit!
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Where to Get a DIY Advent Calendar
If you already have a DIY Advent Calendar from years past, then you can skip right over this section!
If this will be your first year, then you’ve got a lot of options. One of the best parts of using a DIY Advent calendar is that you can use the same one over and over again…you don’t need to buy a new one every single year.
Without a doubt, the best place to head for Advent calendars that can be used every year is Etsy’s Advent calendar section. You can find everything from large wooden box calendars to Advent bags for your mantle to pdf patterns to sew a calendar! There are tons of fresh ideas and your calendar will always be one-of-a-kind (and last forever).
Christmas-Themed Advent Calendar Fillers for Kids
Christmas-themed Advent calendar fillers for kids are my absolute favorite! These are the ones that become really great keepsakes and help to build some really fun memories for the coming month.
It’s also a lot of fun to be able to get a full month of use out of these items, which never really happens when you wait until Christmas morning.
**For some of these items that are larger than the calendar space, just put in a cute rolled piece of paper that tells your child where the item is. They can be numbered in a basket near the calendar or you can set up a fun scavenger hunt. This can be a really fun part of the Advent calendar for your kids!
Christmas Pajamas
Christmas pajamas are a must-have for kids, so why not put them in their Advent calendar?
My favorite are always matching ones for siblings, so I opt for them every single year.
These are the ones making an appearance this year…they work for boys and girls!
You can also get really amazing personalized sets right here on Etsy that will have each of your child’s names on the front.
Christmas Socks
Christmas socks are one of my absolute favorite Advent calendar fillers for kids and they are always something that they get really excited about!
This set is really cute AND warm. And as an added bonus, since you get more than one pair, you can spread them out over different days. 😉
Christmas Books
Christmas Books are another GREAT item for your kids’ Advent calendar, especially because they can be read all month, but also just because books in general are always a great choice.
There are so many great Christmas books to choose from, but here are some of the absolute best:
Related post: The Best Christmas Books for Toddlers
Related post: The Best Christmas Books for Preschoolers
Gingerbread House Kit
A gingerbread house kit is another one of my absolute favorite Advent calendar fillers for kids!
This is such a fun activity to do as a family, so I always add this as one of their Saturday fillers to open…and they are always SO excited.
If you’re ambitious enough, you can simply add a note that says you’ll be making a gingerbread house and then create it from scratch with them!
Or – if you’re like me – you can find a great kit like this one (it actually comes with mini houses perfect for little kids!) that already includes everything, so you can minimize the amount of work and just focus on the decorating parts!
Christmas Ornament Kit
Christmas ornament kits are another one of my favorite Advent calendar fillers for kids.
They make great holiday activities that can fill an afternoon and better yet, you can use them to hang on your own tree OR as creative gift ideas!
There are a lot of really cute ornament kits out there for kids, but here are some of my favorite:
Related post: Amazing Christmas Ornament Kits for Kids
Christmas Lights Necklace
For kids, nothing is more fun during the days leading up to Christmas than a Christmas Lights necklace…and they are such a simple, easy addition!
They are also really festive and make for some great photo ops, so you’ll be glad you bought them (get a set for you as well!) ;-).
Personalized Christmas Ornament
Often a personalized Christmas ornament is a classic Christmas gift for kids, but this can be a really fun Advent calendar filler because then you get to enjoy it on the tree THIS year!
There are a lot of places to get cute ornaments, but I’m a huge fan of Etsy’s handmade personalized ornaments, so check those out if you haven’t found one you love yet.
Inexpensive & Small Advent Calendar Fillers for Kids
Amidst the really fun Christmas-themed gifts and non-gift Advent calendar ideas (more on those below), you need some fun, but inexpensive, ideas to fill some of the other days!
These are the bread and butter of your kids’ Advent calendar and some are just as exciting for them as the expensive stuff, so fill up on these to relieve your budget a bit!
Temporary Christmas Tattoos
Temporary Christmas tattoos are such a fun and easy Advent calendar idea and you can definitely spread these through a few different days!
There are a lot of designs with this set, so you’ll get a lot of use, plus you can easily divide these between siblings..
Bagged LEGO Sets
If you have a LEGO-lover on your hands, then some of the small, bagged LEGO sets are perfect as Advent calendar fillers!
You can get some that are Christmas-themed and some that are generic. Here are some of the best:
Chapstick and Lip Gloss
If you have a little girl on your hands (and certainly some boys too!), then fun chapstick or lip gloss is such a great Advent calendar filler idea!
Chapsticks for kids are almost always sold in sets, so break them up to spread over a few days OR divide them between siblings.
Matchbox Cars
It doesn’t get easier than matchbox cars!
This is another toy you can get as a set, but then divide up over different days or for different siblings.
If you have a little boy that loves cars, you know this will be an easy winner. 😉
Stickers
Christmas stickers (or ANY theme stickers) are another really fun Advent calendar filler for kids that are inexpensive, but will still get a lot of use.
And again, this is another filler idea that can be divided between days or siblings.
Play-Doh
Play-doh is a great classic that is perfect for a few different days of your child’s Advent calendar!
You can get different sets that are easily divided, so you can spread them between siblings AND on different days.
Nail Polish
Nail polish is another great Advent calendar filler for little girls, especially if you add fun colors for the holiday!
Stick-On or Snap-On Earrings
Christmas jewelry is one of my favorite Advent calendar fillers for kids and stick-on earrings (for toddlers) OR snap-on earrings (for little girls) are a lot of fun!
They can be used for playing around with dress-up or a festive addition to their outfits over the holiday season.
Kinder Eggs
Candy in general is an easy Advent calendar filler idea for kids, but mine go crazy for these kinder eggs!
They’re part chocolate, part toy, so it’s no wonder that they love them.
It’s a really fun surprise on the days they get these.
Non-Gift Advent Calendar Fillers for Kids
Non-gift Advent calendar fillers for kids are the absolute best fillers you can possibly use! They don’t cost a thing, but more importantly, they’re all centered around spending time together and really enjoying the holiday season.
Whether you fill your entire Advent calendar with these non-gift ideas, or just scatter them throughout, they’re sure to make amazing memories!
- Read a Christmas book
- Send out Christmas cards
- 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 to read Christmas books
- Drive around to see Christmas lights
- Watch a Christmas movie
- Build a Gingerbread house
I hope these Advent calendar filler ideas for kids help you create an amazing holiday month to remember forever! Merry Christmas! And good luck with the rest of your shopping. 🙂
You may also be interested in:
- The Best Advent Calendar Fillers for Toddlers
- 10 Ways to Add Hygge to Your Christmas
- How to Make Salt Dough Train Ornaments with Your Kids
If you’d like more tips on living a fulfilled life, reaching financial freedom, and raising happy kids, subscribe to MBAsahm for notification of new posts!
