Christmas is just around the corner. As a child, did you open boxes on the advent calendar daily and count down the days until Christmas? Every day is one day less until Christmas. More and more boxes are open, and you get a piece of chocolate every day. But today, Advent calendars contain not only sweets but also toys, makeup and jewelry. Because of their content, they can be quite expensive. Don’t worry, you can always make your own calendar. So how can you make your own calendar?
Creating your own calendar is simple. Instead of a one piece calendar, you can put gifts in boxes, envelopes or bags. Whatever you choose, mark each one with a number and decorate it. In every one of them place a gift that can be toys, sweets, stationery or anything that will put a smile on your kid’s face.
Creating a calendar doesn’t have to be expensive, nor is it demanding. The boxes in which you will put gifts can be made of toilet paper rolls or thicker paper. You can make envelopes and bags yourself too. This is a great activity you can do with your child. If your child is still very small, make gift boxes yourself, and then decorate them together. Who wouldn’t love to have a calendar which has its own design? However, choose the gifts that go into it yourself. If you run out of ideas, here is a list of things you can put in the calendar for kids.
Needless to say, children love to have their own Advent calendar with small gifts every day. When I make an Advent calendar for my children, I do not want it to contain candy every day. I want to give the children things they need, activities, something good mixed with fun toys.
I also know that there are many who usually give the bar a little more substantial Advent gifts, but then choose instead to just give the children a gift on Advent. So every Sunday in December until Christmas.
I have also written a page with lots of gifts under $5, where you can also find tips on what you can put in the children’s Advent calendar.
THINGS TO PUT IN YOUR OWN ADVENT CALENDAR FOR CHILDREN
Here I have collected many small and cheap gifts to fill the children’s Christmas calendar with. Some things are a little more expensive but can be divided into several days, and then it will not be so expensive per day as well. Here I have suggestions for gifts to put in the Advent calendar, even for slightly older children.
Things to put in your own calendar for kids
Coloring book
Coloring book with birds and butterflies is a gift that a small child will love to get in there calendar.
Despicable Me art case
If your child is a fan of Despicable Me, this set is ideal for him or her. This art case was created for little creatives and will excite their imagination. In case you can find stickers, watercolors, markers, coloring pencils, a ruler and eraser, and a pencil and sharpener. There are 52 items in the competition that will awaken your child’s imagination.
Dinosaurs 250 stickers activity book
Is your child interested in dinosaurs? In this book, you will find beautiful illustrations of dinosaurs. For your child to learn more about dinosaurs that once walked the Earth’s surface, in addition to the illustrations in the book, there are also stickers that your child sticks to the illustrations on their own.
Glitter glue
Who doesn’t love sequins? Everything is nicer when you add a little glitter. This set of glitters will allow your child to let their imagination run wild. The package consists of 25 glitter glue of different colors that are not harmful to children.
Stickers emoji
Stickers are a real sensation right now. Especially when it comes to emoji stickers that everyone uses. Why not have your child use emoji stickers to express their thoughts and feelings in the real world as well? These cute emoji stickers can serve as a decoration, but also as a tool to learn more about your child’s feelings.
Moomin stickers
Moomin is a very interesting cartoon. This set of 35 Moomin themed stickers is an ideal gift for your child. They will be able to decorate their belongings with characters and events from the Moomin cartoon. These smooth stickers stick easily to any surface. A laptop, desk, notebook, whatever comes to mind, can become a home for these cute stickers.
Fragrance yummy pen
These pens are not only beautifully colored but also have a great scent that will awaken all the senses of your child. With this pen, you can draw, paint, but also decorate because each pen contains glitter. The set contains 12 glitter pencils of different colors and scents. Each pencil has the scent of a certain fruit, so you will also find scents in this set: orange, banana, apple, lime, raspberry, coconut, pineapple, cherry, blueberry, grape, strawberry and watermelon. Your child will want to use them all to make a real fruit salad.
Tattoo gel pen
Does your child want a temporary tattoo? Now there are tattoo gel pens that will allow him to do that. In this set, there are 12 tattoo gel pens of different colors. Pence are not harmful, so your child can paint as much as he wants. When he gets bored of the tattoo, he doesn’t have to remove it with a laser, but simply washes it with a little soap and water and the skin is completely clean. Tattooing has never been easier and painless.
Pecils colors Lyra 24
If your child loves to draw and color, you need to put Lyra pencil colors in the Advent calendar. This set contains 24 pencil colors of beautiful colors that will allow the child to draw everything his heart desires. Pencils are triangular with 2.8 mm crayons. The triangular grip allows for a comfortable and relaxed drawing. You will get the crayons in a beautiful metal box with a nature motif.
Diary Horses dreams
Does your child write a diary or just like to scribble in notebooks? Horses’ dreams are the perfect gift for your child. In it, you will find a notebook with a horse motive she can coloring.
Wallies dinosaur world
These dinosaur motif wall stickers will make a child’s room a real dinosaur habitat. Realistic stickers are an ideal gift for little dinosaur lovers. Among the stickers, you will find famous dinosaurs such as T-Rex, Stegosaurus and Triceraptor. Stickers are easy to place on any surface and you can easily move them from one place to another. They are resistant to moisture, water splashes, and in case of stains, it is enough to wipe them. They do not leave stains on the wall, but it is not recommended to put them on paper wallpaper as it can break when the decor is removed.
DIY Straws
What kid doesn’t love straws? Just imagine how much they will love them when they make their own straw. This set contains 40 parts that can be joined however your child imagines. He or she can make a straw for one person or make a small maze from which they can drink with friends. It is possible to drink from several different glasses at the same time. In short, the possibilities are limitless and your child will be thrilled. We know that this gift is made for children, but we adults can also play with it and enjoy it.
Whoopee cushion
Does your child like to do pranks? Or are you the one making jokes with your child? With this gift, you will be able to make fun of your family and have a good laugh. This cushion is self inflant so you don’t have to blow it yourself. It is also pretty small, only 16 cm in diameter, so you can hide it anywhere and make the whole family laugh.
Fake dog poo
Another thing to put in the advent calendar if your child likes pranks, fake dog poo. Aside from looking realistic, it’s pretty slimy on hand so it’s sure to shock the victim. Fake dog poo comes in a plastic wrap so you can feel how jelly-like consistency yourself before you put it in the Advent calendar. Dog poop is only 5 cm in diameter so it will not take up much space in the calendar.
Fusible beads
Fusible beads with cars and other wehicles is a fun gift in an andvent calendar for small children.
Rubik’s Cube
A Rubik’s cube is a gift that will encourage children to use their brains. Rubik’s Cube is one of the most famous, but also the most difficult puzzles. Turning parts of the cube, while each side consists of only one color, can be very demanding for adults as well, let alone for a child. Nevertheless, solving a Rubik’s cube encourages the child to think. If your child can’t put the cube together, you can help him/her to put it together and make it a joint activity. If you are having a hard time solving it, there are numerous videos on Youtube to help you come up with a solution. Try letting the child solve the Rubik’s cube alone first. They will be overjoyed when they succeed.
Prank gifts
Prank gift will scare and chock everyone! Classmates and teachers in your child’s school will also get a fair amount of pranks. However, this is gift children will love!
Lightbands
If your child likes to spend time outside playing or cycling, this light band is an ideal thing to put in an advent calendar. It is also an ideal gift for you as a parent because with this light band your child will be safer. The light band is a reflective bracelet that is easily placed around the arms, legs, or wherever it fits. The battery work for about 50-70 hour.
Nail Polish Grease
Grease-themed nail polish packaging is an ideal gift for all girls. It contains 4 mini nail polishes in retro colors. With this gift, you can make a whole family activity. Before the date in the advent calendar where Grease nail polish is placed, watch a Grease movie with your child. When she gets a gift she will be thrilled because she got something related to a movie that, miraculously, you remembered to watch just before she got it.
Football keychain
Apart from being cute this pendant has another purpose. It’s reflective. Also, it is pretty small and is made of soft plastic that can be attached to anything. It may be better to put it on a child’s backpack or somewhere where it will be visible, to make your child at least a little safer in traffic.
Unicorn Stickers
Who doesn’t love unicorns? These wonderful magical creatures are every girl’s dream. Now they can have 12 of them. Unicorn stickers can beautify any notebook, mobile phone, laptop, whatever comes to your mind. You can also use these stickers to create themed invitations for a birthday or celebration and to organize the whole birthday in the theme of unicorn and princess. That would be amazing!
Spider Web Tattoo
Does your child want a tattoo? Of course, they will not go through the painful process of tattooing. There are temporary tattoos. The Spider Web is an ideal tattoo for Halloween because it is always associated with something scary like a spider or an abandoned house. With this tattoo, your child will be ready for the next Halloween.
Hair accessories
Girls love to style their hair. Cute erasers are a real hit now. Scrunchies, bows, butterflies, flowers, all of these can be found on a girl’s hair. Let’s not forget the clips, buttons and ribbons. Whatever you put in the Advent calendar you won’t go wrong. Erasers and other hair accessories are never out of the question.
Cooking equipment
It’s also fun to get some new stuff for your doll kitchen in the advent calendar.
Dinosaur Park
Another toy for dinosaur lovers! The dinosaur park set consists of seven dinosaurs, a safari house with a removable roof, a ladder, a safari cat, two guards, trees and eight parts with fences. Make a park with your child, then take the figurines and use them to tell the story. One dinosaur escaped from the park or may have gotten lost. Help him find his way home. This set will awaken your child’s imagination, and the possibilities for play are truly limitless.
Candies
Candies are, of course, always popular gifts in the advent calendar for kids.
Cute stress balls
Do you think your child is under stress or do you just want to give him something to relax him? There are cute stress balls. You can find them in a variety of shapes and colors. Stress ball could be rainbow, toilet paper, poo, flower, octopus, anything you think your child will like the most. The balls are extremely soft and always return to their original state. Squeezing a stress ball has a calming effect on the child and helps him calm down.
Swimming Goggles Crocodile
Why not add a few things to your Advent calendar that your child will be able to use in the summer months? Swimming Goggles with crocodiles are fun goggles that will allow your child to watch underwater. If your child is not a big fan of water, these glasses will surely help him relax through the game and dive into the water like a real little crocodile.
Inflatable arm rings
A pair of arm pushes makes the bathhouse visit a little less dangerous. Select according to the child’s weight.
Uni-Cone Notebook
The Uni-cone notebook is a funny notebook with an illustration of a horse from the zone on its head. With this notebook be sure to leave your child a note with a joke: What do you get if you drop an ice cream cone on a horse’s head? Uni-cone. The notebook contains 200 pages. Each opening of this notebook will bring back the joke to your child’s memory and put a smile on her/his face. After all, you can’t go wrong with unicorns. There are never enough unicorns!
Cars set
If your child is a fan of cars and other vehicles, which is better to put in a calendar than a car set. The set includes three vehicles: garbage truck, Renaut and Mercedes-Benz. Also, you will receive 4 traffic lights and traffic signs. Make your own road with your child, set up signs and traffic lights and teach him how to navigate traffic. The car set is both educational and interesting.
Key chain stress ball
Speaking of stress balls, they also come in the form of key chains. This stress ball is in the net. When you squeeze it, small bubbles come out of the net, which makes it a bit slimy. This pendant is perfect for play, but also stress management.
Keychain Mini Lightbox
Now your child can make their own keychain. Not only that, he can write whatever comes to his mind. This keychain mini lightbox comes in a package with 75 stickers with letters, numbers and symbols. U tiny lightbox kids can put together any words, quotes and messages that will shine in the dark. This gift is a great way for your child to learn letters and compose words on their own, and if they already know this, you will allow them to express their thoughts and hang them on any bag or keys.
Metal puzzle
A metal puzzle is a great thing to put in a calendar. Even if your child does not like classic puzzles, this metal puzzle will capture his attention. The child will have to turn on the brain when putting together this puzzle. The puzzle is not easy to put together so it will take him a long time before he can figure out how to solve this puzzle. You can choose between different models of metal puzzles in varying degrees of difficulty.
Bubbleezz
If your child loves slime, this toy should definitely stand in one of the gift boxes of the calendar. Bubbleezz is a slime shaped fruit or monster. They are so cute and there are hidden symbols on each of them that describe his personality. They consist of liquid-filled pearls and they are kind of slimy. When you squeeze Bubbleezz, the figure changes, but when you release it returns to its original shape so it can also serve as a stress ball.
Sense Yatzy
Yatzy is a great game for kids. The game consists of 5 dice, writing paper and a pencil. This is an ideal game for the whole family. Teach your child how to play this game and we are sure they will want to play with you all the time. The game also encourages your child to think so it has a place in the calendar.
Harry Potter Hogwarts Keychain
If your child has always wanted to be a part of the Harry Potter world, this little pendant will allow him to feel at least a little more like a wizard. With this cute pendant, it will be easier for the child to keep track of the key.
Bath bombs
We all love fragrant and sparkling baths, especially our youngest. Why not put bath bombs in the Advent calendar? In addition to having a wonderful scent of strawberry, raspberry or blackberries, they will also color the water and make swimming a real pleasure.
Pencil kit
Another good gift that can be divided into several gifts for the Advent calendar.
Card deck
Cards can be a great way to play with children. If your child does not yet have a card deck, put it on the Advent calendar. Teach him some simple games and make a game night with your child.
Lipstick Eraser
Kids often lose erasers, but this is sure to keep them going. This eraser comes in the form of a lipstick, and also has a wonderful scent. You can find them with the scent of strawberry, cherry or grapes.
Harry Potter Movies
Another idea for Harry Potter fans is a set consisting of all the movies. The movies come with a variety of audio and Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish or Icelandic subtitles. Take a day off, prepare popcorn and watch a Harry Potter movie marathon with your child.
LEGO DOTS Jewelry stand with rainbow
Kids love LEGO bricks. This package of LEGO bricks will entertain your kid, and when they put it together, they will get his own jewelry stand. This set is very simple and will allow the child to awaken his imagination and decorate his own jewelry stand. The stand has 5 hooks to hang jewelry, decorative parts and a tray to store accessories.
Fish poop game
There used to be games where kids fish for fish, but now they can also fish cute poop characters. Simply place the floating poop figures in the tub, prepare the pecan and let the game begin. This game is a lot of fun, and also, it will help your child develop motor skills.
Ducks
A bath duck is almost as fun as the poop fishing game. They also make it easier to take the evening bath!
Soap bubbles Unicorn
It’s wonderful to watch soap bubbles float in the air. They are suitable for playing, birthdays, children and adults and they never get too old. Soap bubbles are pretty magical themselves, and the unicorn package makes them even more special. Soap bubbles are very simple, but they will bring a smile to every child’s face.
Mini cards
Mini card games are also an ingenious gift to add to the Christmas calendar.
Puzzles
Puzzles are always fun to get as a gift. Maybe you can find a nice one for the Advent calendar.
Puzzle Solar System
If your child loves the universe and also likes to solve puzzles, these puzzles must be found in their Advent calendar. The Solar system puzzle consists of 200 parts so it is not demanding to assemble. Later it can serve as a great decoration for a children’s room.
Puzzle for older children
For the older children, a Harry Potter 3D puzzle might be a good gift to give in the advent calendar.
Carrot sharpener
A vegetable sharpener usually makes the children eat more vegetables, so it is a useful gift.
Dog bag
A small dog bag to have money and other important things in is a good little gift in the children’s calendar.
A crown for the princess in the advent calendar
A princess crown is the finest thing you can give a little princess as an Advent gift.
Dinosaur skeletons
Really good Advent calendar gifts for older children are 3D puzzles.
Puzzle for small kids
For the youngest kids, this puzzle will be a great gift in the advent calendar.
Activity book Findus
Activity books are good toys to lighten in the Advent calendar. This one is about the mischief cat Findus and his old man.
Crafting box
Here is a large craft package that you can distribute on many days of Advent calendar gifts.
Ball
A ball with sea animals is something that children would like to have as a gift.
Crafting kit
The craft of making your own jewelry is a fun thing to find in the Advent calendar gift.
Play doh
Playdoh clay are also small cheap gifts that can be divided into several days.
unicorn
Unicorns are lovely advent calendar gifts. A squishy toy that is so cute!
Create cards
For slightly older children, it’s fun to give some scrapbooking items in the Advent calendar gift.
THINGS TO DO THAT YOU CAN PUT IN AN ADVENT CALENDAR FOR CHILDREN
Instead of buying a lot of things it is also lovely if you can give of your time to your kids and suprice them with an adventure or a fun thing to do every day. Here are some ideas.
- Bake gingerbread cookies
- Watch a movie together
- Buy a Christmas tree
- Christmas crafts
- Visit a playground
- Treasure hunt
- Snowball fights
- Go to a playground
- Skating or sledding
- Make Christmas cards
- Go to the bathhouse
- Make fridge magnets
- Make snowflakes
- Make candy
- Bake your own dough
- Write a wish list for santa
- Cinema
- Go to a museum
- Play your favorite game
- Bake lollipops
TO WRAP THE GIFTS FOR THE ADVENT CALENDAR
It’s extra fun to find 24 boxes of the same size and wrap them in various papers. Here you can, e.g., take empty toilet paper rolls that you wrap in a fine piece of paper. Matchboxes can also work if you have small items for the Advent calendar. I have seen other ideas to take cardboard mugs with lids and wrap the stuff in small homemade boxes, 24 small buckets, etc. But the more children you have, the more packages!
DIFFERENT WAYS TO WRAP YOUR OWN ADVENT CALENDAR FOR CHILDREN
Wrapping up 24 small gifts takes a while. If you then happen to have 3 children, there will be a LOT of packages! 72 pieces, to be exact. It’s unsustainable. Making your own Christmas calendar for children and wrapping 72 different packages is unsustainable. Therefore, I have a few more suggestions for you who have more than one child to turn to.
- Paper bags that you fold up and write today’s date on.
- Fabric bags that you sew, but the nice thing here is that you will be able to use these for many years to come. In fact, there are also ready-made fabric bags to buy.
- Newsprint cones are easy to make and actually very beautiful. It will be extra nice to attach a Christmas tree ball or some other small decoration to the cone.
- Pre-purchased Advent calendars for children with ready-made pockets where you can put in the gift.
TIPS FOR YOUR OWN ADVENT CALENDAR FOR CHILDREN!
A tip for the Advent calendar if you give away fresh produce or activities is to fill the calendar gradually. This makes the whole thing more flexible and you do not have to decide already in November when to bake gingerbread and the fresh produce will not be bad.
When you make your own Advent calendar for children and use a ready-made calendar, it sometimes happens that the gift does not fit. Then, depending on the child’s age, you can turn it all into a treasure hunt. Put a map in the calendar, a clue, or a note with a bird/fish / in between – and the child can look up today’s Advent calendar gift.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Are there ready-made Advent calendars for children to buy? There are many very nice Advent calendars for children. There are calendars with sweets, books, small gifts, Lego or Playmobil.
How do I make my own Advent calendar for my boyfriend? If you are going to make your own Advent calendar for your boyfriend, good gifts to put in the packages are socks, small love letters, movie tickets, iq-puzzles, sweets, perfume or soap. More tips on gifts you can put in your own Advent calendar for a boyfriend can be found here.
What are good gifts in my own Advent calendar for my girlfriend? Good gifts to put in your own Advent calendar for a girlfriend are sweets, a nice mug, nail polish, lip gloss, Kama Sutra creams and gift cards for cleaning, washing and cooking. If you want more tips on what you can put in your own Advent calendar for a girlfriend, I have written a whole page for you!
What are the ready-made Advent calendars for adults? There are many great Advent calendars for adults: chocolate, licorice, sexy Advent calendars, Advent calendars for couch potatoes. You will find this year’s Advent calendars for adults here.
