As a kid, one of the things you probably looked forward to every December (apart from Christmas Day, of course) was having chocolate with breakfast, courtesy of your Advent calendar. Finding the date, pulling back the little paper flap and checking the design on your candy square more than made up for the fact that the chocolate tasted a bit…weird.
As much as we love those classic chocolate calendars, this year we’ll be taking our Christmas countdown to a whole new level, thanks to these DIY ideas that are fun for kids and adults alike.
1. Magnetic Advent Calendar
We love this sweet and simple idea from Makoodle that uses metal tins to create a reusable Advent calendar filled with candy treats and daily activities. You can design your own numbers and activity cards, or make one that looks just like this using Makoodle’s handy printable.
Visit Makoodle for instructions, list of supplies, and printables.
2. Santa’s Beard Christmas Countdown
It may not be a traditional Advent calendar, but this Christmas countdown from La Classe Della Maestra Valentina is too cute to be overlooked! Kids can trim a piece of Santa’s beard each day leading up to Christmas, which is a great way for little ones to work on scissor skills and number recognition.
Note: this site is written in Italian, but the instructions are pretty straightforward.
3. Cotton Ball Advent Calendar
For another twist on the Santa’s beard countdown, try this super-cute printable from graphic designer Sarah Preston at Tomfo. Visit Tomfo to download the free template.
4. Book Advent Calendar
This sweet Advent calendar is the perfect option for little bookworms. Simply wrap up 24 different holiday or winter-themed books and let your kiddo select one to read each night before bed. Don’t forget to include The Night Before Christmas as number 24!
Jackie at My Little Bookcase has details for building your own book tree Advent calendar.
5. Paper Bag Advent Calendar
This Advent calendar from Courtenay at The Creek Line House may be our favourite of the bunch, due to its style and simplicity. With a few basic materials from the hardware store, you can easily create your own sturdy calendar board that can be used year after year. Kids will love getting a new goodie bag of surprises each morning!
Head over to The Creek Line House for step-by-step instructions.
6. Toilet Paper Roll Advent Calendar
Don’t toss your toilet paper rolls just yet! Put those cardboard tubes to better use with this ultra-easy advent calendar craft from The Country Chic Cottage. Cover tubes with festive paper, fill with little gifts and voila!
Visit The Country Chic Cottage for a breakdown of this craft.
7. Cardboard Tube Santa Advent Calendar
For another twist on the toilet paper roll idea, check out this version from The Crafty Swedes. Graphic designer and blogger Karin has made her colourful Santa template available as a free download, and even includes a black-and-white option that doubles as a colouring activity for little ones. The little paper hats make this Santa-themed calendar extra adorable.
Head over to The Crafty Swedes for instructions and templates.
8. Cloth Bag Advent Calendar
In this beautifully simple countdown from The Inspired Room, hand-painted fabric bags are filled with ornaments that can be added to the tree each day until Christmas. This one is sure to become a favourite yearly tradition.
Visit The Inspired Room to read more about this idea.
9. Advent Calendar Wall Chart
If you’re feeling extra crafty this year, spend a little time recreating this wall calendar project from Kristine at The Painted Hive. With its faux-chalkboard pockets and festive twine, this advent calendar is a great addition to your holiday décor (and you’ll be proud to tell guests that you made it yourself!).
To make this calendar more kid-friendly, include a fun daily activity on each of the paper tags, like watching a holiday movie or baking Christmas cookies. Head over to The Painted Hive for directions and free chalkboard-pocket downloads.
Looking for more DIY holiday ideas? Here are 11 Gifts Kids Can Make (That You’ll Actually Want to Keep!)
