Guide · Christmas with kids · About a 4-minute read
24 advent calendar activity ideas for kids (that cost little or nothing)
An activity advent calendar swaps a chocolate a day for something small to do together. It costs far less than a bought calendar, keeps December screen-free, and children remember it. Here are 24 tried-and-tested ideas, one for each day, with what they cost.
How to set one up in 10 minutes
- Check your diary first. Put quick activities on school nights and longer ones (baking, crafts) on weekends.
- Write each activity on a slip of paper, fold it and pop it in a numbered envelope, sock or matchbox.
- Hang them up on string with pegs, or stick a calendar grid on the fridge and tick each day off.
- Keep a back-up idea (hot chocolate or a story) for days that go wrong.
24 activity ideas, day by day
- Day 1: Write a letter to Father Christmas (free). Post it in the Royal Mail letterbox by early December to get a reply.
- Day 2: Make paper snowflakes (free). Fold a square of paper into a triangle twice, snip shapes, unfold and tape to the window.
- Day 3: Christmas film under a blanket (free). Pick it the night before so there's no argument.
- Day 4: Bake Christmas biscuits (a few pounds). A basic shortbread is just butter, sugar and flour.
- Day 5: Paper chain for the hallway (free). Strips of old wrapping paper or magazine pages work fine.
- Day 6: Christmas lights walk (free). Count the inflatable Santas on your street.
- Day 7: Draw a card for a neighbour (free). Especially someone who lives alone.
- Day 8: Christmas story at bedtime (free). Borrow festive books from the library in late November.
- Day 9: Pine cone decorations (free). Collect on a walk, dab with glue and glitter or paint.
- Day 10: Hot chocolate night (about £2). Marshmallows optional but expected.
- Day 11: Christmas word search (free). Print our free Christmas word search.
- Day 12: Make reindeer food (pennies). Oats and a little bird seed to sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve. Skip glitter, because it harms wildlife.
- Day 13: Carols in the kitchen (free). Put on a playlist while you cook tea.
- Day 14: Wrap a present for someone (free). Let them choose who it's for.
- Day 15: Salt dough ornaments (pennies). Flour, salt and water, baked low and slow, then painted.
- Day 16: Blanket fort and torch reading (free). Leave it up for the weekend.
- Day 17: Donate an outgrown toy (free). Many local food banks and charity shops take good-condition toys.
- Day 18: Make a Christmas playlist (free). Everyone picks three songs.
- Day 19: Decorate a gingerbread person (about £1). Supermarket gingerbread plus a tube of icing.
- Day 20: Draw your dream Christmas tree (free). Pin the best on the fridge.
- Day 21: Family board game (free). Let the youngest choose.
- Day 22: Thank-you card for a teacher or helper (free). Lollipop person, bin crew, nursery staff.
- Day 23: Mince pie and carrot for Father Christmas (pennies). Don't forget one for the reindeer.
- Day 24: Christmas Eve box and early bed (varies). New pyjamas, a book and a hot chocolate sachet are the classics.
Tips that keep it going all month
- Swap days freely. Rain on lights-walk night? Do the board game instead and move the walk.
- Let children "open" the day at breakfast so there's something to look forward to after school.
- Mix giving with getting. A card for a neighbour or a donated toy keeps it from being all about presents.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an activity advent calendar?
- Instead of a chocolate or toy behind each door, every day from 1 to 24 December has a small thing to do together, such as making a paper snowflake or going on a Christmas lights walk. Most cost nothing, so it's a cheaper alternative to a bought calendar.
- How do I make an activity advent calendar?
- Write one activity on a slip of paper for each day, fold it and put it in an envelope, pocket or matchbox numbered 1 to 24. Peg them on string, stick them on the fridge, or use a printable calendar grid and tick each day off.
- What age are these activities for?
- Most work for ages 3 to 10. Younger children need help with cutting and baking; older children can take the lead on things like making a playlist or writing cards.
- What if we're too busy on some days?
- Put the quick ones (hot chocolate, a story, a board game) on school and work nights, and save baking or crafts for weekends. Check your calendar before you fill in the days.
- How much does an activity advent calendar cost?
- Most of the ideas here are free or use things you already have. The ones that cost anything, like baking biscuits or hot chocolate, usually come to a few pounds.
Want it ready to print?
Our Kids' Advent Activity Calendar is a printable A4 PDF with 24 ready-made activity cards to cut out, a 2026 calendar grid with tick boxes for stickers, and a blank version so you can write your own. It's £2.49, the PDF is emailed to you after payment (usually within a few hours, always within 12 hours), and you can print it as often as you like.