Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids: 75 Things to Put Inside (Non-Candy, DIY and Activity Ideas)
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Filling 24 little doors sounds fun until you’re standing in the store on November 30 wondering what to put in them. Chocolate every day gets old fast, and small toys add up. The best advent calendar ideas mix three things: a few tiny treats, a few activities to do together, and a few “coupons” kids can cash in.
Below you’ll find 75 things to put in an advent calendar, sorted into non-candy treats, activities, coupons, books and learning, and ideas by age, plus 7 easy DIY calendars you can make tonight, a budget plan, safety tips for little ones and free printable advent coupons and number tags.
Quick answer: Good non-candy advent calendar ideas for kids include stickers, temporary tattoos, mini notebooks, hair clips, playdough, a puzzle piece a day, Christmas socks and small craft kits. Mix them with activities (bake cookies, see the lights, movie night) and coupons (stay up 15 minutes late, pick dinner, a one-on-one date). A simple rule: one-third treats, one-third activities, one-third coupons, and save the bigger surprises for weekends.
Key takeaways
- Use the 1/3 rule: treats, activities and coupons. It keeps cost and clutter down.
- Fill all 24 days in one evening, then forget about it.
- Put bigger surprises on weekends and smaller ones on school days.
- For kids under 3, skip small parts, small candy and balloons.
- Coupons and activities are free, and kids often remember them most.
In this guide
When do advent calendars start?
Most kids’ advent calendars run from December 1 to December 24, one door a day until Christmas Eve. The church season of Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which in 2026 is Sunday, November 29, so some families start their calendar then. Either way, prepare the fillers by the last weekend of November.
Non-candy advent calendar ideas (small treats)
These fit in a small bag, box or envelope and cost about $1 to $3 each. Ages are a guide; check the label on anything with small parts.
- Sticker sheets (Christmas, animals or their favorite theme)
- Temporary tattoos
- Mini notebook and a fun pen
- Hair clips, scrunchies or hair ties
- Small tub of playdough (ages 3+)
- One puzzle piece a day of a 24-piece puzzle they finish on Christmas Eve (ages 3+)
- Christmas socks
- Mini craft kit (foam ornament, bead kit for older kids)
- Washable markers or gel pens
- A small building set or mini figure (ages 4+ for small bricks)
- Bath crayons or bath fizzer
- Glow sticks for a pajama walk (ages 6+, with an adult)
- Christmas ornament for their own corner of the tree
- Lip balm or kids’ nail polish (older kids)
- Trading cards or a small pack of game cards
- Bubbles for an outdoor day
- Mini coloring book
- A bookmark to go with a new book
- Slime or putty (ages 6+)
- A toy car (ages 3+)
- A Christmas cookie cutter for baking day
- Hot cocoa packet for an after-school treat
Advent calendar activity ideas (things to do together)
Write the activity on a slip of paper and fold it into the pocket. These cost little or nothing, and they turn the calendar into family time. For 50 more, see our Christmas activities for kids.
- Bake and decorate cookies
- Drive or walk to see the Christmas lights in pajamas
- Family Christmas movie night with a blanket fort
- Make paper snowflakes for the windows
- Write a letter to Santa
- Build a gingerbread house (graham crackers work too)
- Hot cocoa and a Christmas story by the tree
- Make an ornament with the year on it
- Christmas dance party in the kitchen
- Call or video-call a grandparent
- Play a board game after dinner
- Make a bird feeder from a pinecone
- Have a Christmas picnic on the living-room floor
- Go ice skating or sledding (weekend day)
- Wrap a gift for someone in the family
- Christmas scavenger hunt around the house
- Sing carols or make a family Christmas playlist
- Make a gratitude chain one link per thing you’re thankful for
- Decorate the tree or a mini tree in their room
- Visit a Christmas market or Santa
- Make a sock snowman with rice and buttons (older kids)
- Do a Christmas puzzle together
- Make reindeer food from plain oats, no glitter
- Play Christmas bingo
Advent calendar coupon ideas (free and kids love them)
Coupons cost nothing and kids feel like they’re getting a real treat. Print our free coupon sheet or write your own.
- Stay up 15 minutes late
- Pick what’s for dinner
- Breakfast in bed (cereal counts)
- Skip one chore
- One-on-one date with Mom or Dad
- Extra bedtime story
- Choose the family movie
- Pajama day on a weekend
- Have a friend over
- Dessert first for one meal
- Skip bath night once
- Choose the music in the car
Book and learning advent calendar ideas
- A Christmas book a day wrap books you own or borrow a stack from the library
- A joke of the day on a slip of paper
- A riddle to solve before breakfast
- Christmas around the world one fact about how another country celebrates
- A science mini-experiment like the candy cane dissolving test
- A drawing challenge “Draw a reindeer on a skateboard”
- A new word of the day for early readers
- A family question “What’s your favorite Christmas memory?”
- A Christmas audiobook for the car ride
- “Merry Christmas” in another language
Advent calendar ideas by age
| Age | Great fillers | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Toddlers (1–3) | Board books, chunky crayons, large bath toys, stickers, a big wooden block, a mini plush | Small parts, small candy, balloons, button batteries |
| Preschool (3–5) | Playdough, puzzle pieces, sticker scenes, a mini coloring book, toy cars, hair clips | Hard candy and marshmallows for under-4s |
| Kids (6–9) | Mini building sets, card games, gel pens, slime, craft kits, joke cards | Tiny magnets and button-battery toys |
| Tweens (10–12) | Nail polish, cool pens, mini puzzles, trading cards, fun socks, small gift cards | Too much candy every day |
| Teens (13+) | Snacks they love, phone accessories, a $5 gift card, skincare minis, coupons for screen time or a later curfew | Nothing too babyish |
For more toddler-safe gift ideas, see our best toys for 3-year-olds.
Kindness advent calendar ideas
Swap a few doors for a good deed. Many families do one kindness day a week, or go all in with a full kindness advent calendar (24 acts plus a free printable).
- Make a card for a neighbor
- Pick a toy to donate
- Add food to a reverse advent box for the food bank
- Bake for a helper like the mail carrier or a teacher
- Draw a picture for a grandparent
- Make a thank-you video for a teacher
- Family compliment circle at dinner
7 easy DIY advent calendar ideas (homemade in one evening)
You don’t need a store-bought calendar. These homemade advent calendars use things you already have. Our free printable includes number tags 1 to 24 for any of them.
- Paper bags on a string: 24 small paper bags, clipped with mini clothespins to a string or branch. You need: paper bags, string, clothespins.
- Envelopes on a ribbon: perfect for coupons and activity slips. You need: 24 envelopes, ribbon, tape.
- Toilet-paper-roll tree: fold the ends of 24 rolls, stack them in a tree shape and add numbers. You need: cardboard rolls, glue, paint.
- A jar of 24 slips: roll up activity and coupon slips, tie each with string and pick one a day. You need: a jar, paper, string.
- Matchbox drawers: glue matchboxes into a block and number each drawer. Great for tiny treats. You need: empty matchboxes, glue.
- Socks or mittens line: hang 24 small socks along the mantel or a curtain rod. You need: socks, clothespins.
- Punch box: cover cups in a box with tissue paper; kids punch through to find the surprise. You need: paper cups, a shallow box, tissue paper.
A 24-day plan and budget
Use the 1/3 rule to keep cost and clutter down: 8 small treats, 8 activities and 8 coupons. Put the bigger surprises on weekends.
| Type | How many | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small treats | 8 | About $1–3 each |
| Activities | 8 | Mostly free (cookie supplies, cocoa) |
| Coupons | 8 | Free |
| Total for 24 days | 24 | About $10–30 per child |
Busy month? Write all 24 slips in one evening, number them with the free tags, and fill the calendar on November 30. If your family also does the Christmas elf, the elf can “deliver” the calendar on December 1; see our elf arrival ideas and easy elf ideas.
Advent calendar safety for little ones
Small fillers and small children don’t mix. Under U.S. rules, children’s products intended for kids under 3 that present a choking hazard because of small parts are banned, so always check the age label. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists hard candy, marshmallows, popcorn and nuts among foods to hold back until at least age 4, and warns that balloons are a choking risk for children up to 8.
- Read the age label on every toy filler.
- Never use button or coin batteries or small magnets.
- Hang the calendar out of reach if younger siblings might help themselves.
- Give each child their own calendar when ages are far apart.
Handy advent calendar supplies
- A reusable wooden advent calendar you can refill every year
- A fabric pocket advent calendar
- Small kraft bags and mini clothespins
- Christmas sticker sheets
- A 24-piece Christmas puzzle (one piece a day)
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Frequently asked questions
What can I put in an advent calendar instead of candy?
Try stickers, temporary tattoos, mini notebooks, hair clips, playdough, a puzzle piece a day, Christmas socks, small craft kits, activity slips (bake cookies, see the lights) and coupons (stay up late, pick dinner).
What are good advent calendar ideas for kids?
Mix small treats, activities and coupons: stickers and mini craft kits, a family movie night or cookie baking, and coupons like breakfast in bed or a one-on-one date. Save bigger surprises for weekends.
How do you make a DIY advent calendar?
Number 24 paper bags, envelopes, small boxes or socks and hang them on a string, ribbon or curtain rod. Fill each with a small treat, an activity slip or a coupon.
When do you start an advent calendar?
Most kids’ advent calendars run from December 1 to December 24. The church season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which is November 29 in 2026.
How much should I spend on an advent calendar?
With one-third treats, one-third activities and one-third free coupons, many families spend about $10 to $30 per child for all 24 days.
What are safe advent calendar ideas for toddlers?
Choose large items with no small parts: board books, chunky crayons, big bath toys, stickers, a plush toy, and activities like a lights walk or a dance party. Avoid small candy, balloons and button batteries.
Is there a free printable advent calendar coupon set?
Yes. FamilyDecode’s free Advent Calendar Coupons printable has 24 kid coupons and number tags 1 to 24 for any homemade advent calendar.
Sources
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Small parts for toys and children’s products
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Choking prevention
Keep going
Read next: 50 Christmas activities for kids · Family Christmas traditions · Easy elf on the shelf ideas
Free printables: Christmas advent activity calendar · All free printables