Best kids' Advent calendar 2026: toys, treats and traditional buys

Topping this year’s list of the best Advent calendars for kids is the LEGO City Advent Calendar 2026, a brilliantly festive pick for children who love a daily build. While we haven’t reviewed this exact version yet, we have tried and tested previous LEGO Advent calendars, including the LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar and LEGO Disney Frozen Advent Calendar, and this one looks set to deliver the same winning combination of excitement, creativity and ongoing play value - plus it's actually cheaper which is definitely a bonus!

Behind the 24 doors, children will find a mix of seasonal characters, mini builds and accessories, including Santa, Mrs Claus, three elves, a snowman and a baby reindeer. The box also folds out into a Santa’s workshop playmat, giving children somewhere to play with each day’s build as the countdown goes on.

As with the LEGO Advent calendars we’ve tested before, the instructions are printed inside the numbered flaps, so children can build each surprise as they open it. LEGO recommends this calendar from age five, though younger builders may still need a bit of help with the fiddlier bits. And, because this is LEGO, there are inevitably lots of tiny pieces to keep track of. One for a clear table rather than the back seat of the car on the school run.

At £23 RRP (and currently on sale at just over £18), it’s cheaper than many toy Advent calendars and has more lasting appeal than a quick chocolate fix. If you want a festive calendar that encourages creativity, imaginative play and a little bit of STEM learning along the way, LEGO City is a strong all-rounder for 2026. After all, as Mumsnetter OchonAgusOchonOh says, "Everyone needs a LEGO Advent calendar in their life."

Tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

What with the Elf on the Shelf, Nativity plays, Christmas parties, presents to buy and wrap, Secret Santas and the day itself to plan and prep for, Christmas is a lot. Sometimes the thought of adding a fancy Advent calendar to the proceedings - whether it's a toy you need to help them work out when you're already late for school or a DIY one you have to fill yourself - might not fill your heart with festive joy. Enter Cadbury.

As relative newcomers to the toy Advent calendar scene, we've been buying these simple £2 Cadbury Daily Milk Advent Calendars for our kids every year for as long as I can remember. They never change, they're always cheap and they're often still in stock at most supermarkets when it's November 30th and the Elf is looming... Plus it's Cadbury, so you know it's always going to taste great.

It might not have the bells and whistles of a toy or activity calendar, but there’s something comforting about its familiarity, not to mention the novelty of getting to eat a little piece of chocolate with breakfast (what else says it's Christmas, after all?) A solid choice year after year for fans of the humble chocolate Advent calendar (and at just £2 you don't get much more humble), as well as those who just can't be faffed to add to the towering stress pile of December.

Tested by Mumsnet Deputy Head of Content Laura Westerman and her three-year-old

If you want a kids' Advent calendar that’ll actually earn its keep beyond December, The Gruffalo and Friends Advent Calendar Book Collection is a strong contender. The 24 mini books aren’t overly festive, which means they won’t be packed away with the decorations - instead, they’ll slot nicely onto your child’s bookshelf and get read throughout the year.

The calendar itself feels suitably special. It opens out into a display-style case and ties shut with a ribbon. Inside, you get a good mix of Julia Donaldson favourites as well as themed extras, including reimagined tales, songbooks, games, colouring and activity books. It’s a bigger variety than you usually see in book Advent calendars, which helps to keep enthusiasm going past the first week. My three-year-old loves The Gruffalo, The Snail and the Whale and Room on the Broom in particular, so the excitement levels were high.

Once your child has opened all 24 envelopes, they can match up the back covers of the mini books to create four special puzzle scenes. It’s a sweet way to round off the countdown and gives kids another activity to enjoy.

The only niggle is that the paper envelopes tear fairly easily and the flaps are hard to close, particularly for eager toddler hands. However, the books themselves are sturdier than expected and stand up well to repeated reading. All in all, it’s a charming, good-value pick that delivers plenty of storytime joy well beyond the festive season.

Tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

Many a Mumsnetter recommends assembling a DIY Advent calendar on our boards, and I can see why. Sure, it takes a bit of forward planning – especially if you’re sharing it between kids and want everyone to have something each day – but given it costs roughly the same as the LEGO and Playmobil options, the value really speaks for itself (just remember to factor in the cost of filling it).

JoJo Maman Bébé is a well-respected baby and child brand on Mumsnet, known for its high-quality products - and this fabric calendar is no exception. Featuring 24 evenly sized pockets all with a cute Christmassy design, its colours are nice and muted, plus the fabric is soft - perfect for little fingers.

The numbered pockets are arranged one after another, which may suit some, though my kids marked it down for this, saying that part of the fun of an Advent calendar is looking for the door (or pocket in this case) which comes next! But I can also see why arranging them this way would help younger kids learn number recognition and counting in a less-chaotic way.

The pockets themselves are a decent size, and you can fit a couple of chocolate coins or mini toys, such as a LEGO figure or a tiny collectible toy. If you're sharing between a few kids, you might have to get creative - but remember 24 can be divided by two, three, four and six, so you can always take it in turns!

Tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

BRIO is one of those toy brands which costs a little more - but for good reason, as the quality is always excellent (speaking as a parent who has experienced both the original BRIO train sets and the cheaper IKEA knock-offs). This Advent calendar is a delightful way to treat little train fans, whether they're just starting out in the world of BRIO or adding to their collection.

The concept is nice and simple with this calendar - each door reveals either a dinosaur, a piece of train track or an accessory. The fold-down play mat is beautifully designed and provides a fun base for a whole world of BRIO dino adventures.

My little boy and his toddler cousin (drafted in to help test this one) loved unboxing the different tracks and figures, playing with them as they went - and the red T. rex was a particular hit. The Advent calendar is well thought out, with the first door revealing a dinosaur so little ones have that to play with initially. However, they may need to be prepared to play the long game if they're keen to build a train track right away (this is where a back up set of BRIO came in handy for us!)

If you’re looking for a Disney Advent calendar with more staying power than a set of one-and-done trinkets, the LEGO Disney Princess Advent Calendar 2026 is a lovely option. We haven’t reviewed this exact version yet, but we did test last year’s LEGO Disney Frozen Advent Calendar and found that the combination of daily builds, familiar characters and a fold-out game board worked brilliantly for ongoing play.

This year’s version swaps Arendelle for a broader Disney Princess line-up, with Ariel, Cinderella, Moana and Mulan, plus much-loved sidekicks including Sebastian, Gus, Pua and Mushu. There are also plenty of mini builds behind the doors, from a micro Christmas tree and toy train to a spinning dance floor, stage, drums and other accessories.

The big bonus is the game board. Once opened out, the box becomes part of the play, giving children a reason to return to the calendar after the daily door has been opened. That makes it a good shout if you want something that feels more substantial than a basic toy countdown.

It is pricier than the LEGO City calendar, and it won’t have the same universal appeal for children who aren’t already Disney fans. But for kids who love Disney Princesses and LEGO, this is a strong update for 2026.

If there was ever a toy that stood the test of time in my childhood, it was Playmobil. If a Playmobil Advent calendar had existed back in the nineties, I’m sure my sisters and I would have begged for one. Now that I’m a mum myself, I love that Playmobil is still going strong – and that, unlike many toys from my own childhood, the quality is every bit as good as I remember.

Known for its detailed playsets, distinctive figures and imaginative accessories, Playmobil offers endless opportunities for storytelling and creative play – and the Playmobil Advent Calendar: Christmas Baking at the Rider Café is no exception.

Behind each of the 24 doors, children will discover a new surprise that builds into a charming festive scene, complete with a cosy café, horses and riders, a Christmas tree and plenty of baking accessories. As the days go by, the set comes to life – from decorating the tree to preparing treats in the café kitchen – creating a heartwarming world that’s perfect for imaginative play throughout December and beyond.

The figures and accessories are beautifully detailed and sturdy enough to last well past Christmas, making this a great-value choice for Playmobil fans. It even includes real cookie cutters and a Playmobil biscuit stamp, so little bakers can join in the festive fun in the kitchen too. Not bad for £30!

For children who love colouring, drawing and making things, the Crayola Kids Advent Calendar 2026 is a strong creative alternative to chocolate or plastic-heavy toy calendars. Behind the 24 doors, children get a different festive art or craft activity, with Crayola stationery and colouring supplies designed to keep them busy during the run-up to Christmas.

We haven’t tested this calendar in-house, but Crayola is a well-established brand for children’s art supplies, and this feels like a useful pick for families who want an Advent calendar with a bit more mileage. Rather than opening a tiny toy that disappears under the sofa by breakfast, children can use the contents for cards, decorations, pictures and general festive faffing.

It’s worth noting that some activities may need a bit of adult help, particularly for younger children, and it’s not quite as grab-and-go as a chocolate calendar. You’ll probably want a clear table and a few spare minutes rather than trying to squeeze it in before the school run.

At £24, it’s not the cheapest calendar on the list, but it offers decent value if your child enjoys arts and crafts. A good choice for creative kids, rainy December afternoons and parents who would rather not add another 24 tiny plastic things to the toy box.

2025 edition tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

£65 is pretty expensive for an Advent calendar (unless you're checking out a beauty one), but when I asked my kids which calendar was their favourite out of all the ones we tested, this one was one of the top contenders, particularly with the preteen.

This mega-sized calendar isn't quite as decorative as some of the others we tested out (such as the Littlest Pet Shop or even the Squish-a-long calendar), featuring two simple fold-out parts with consecutive numbered doors. Each one contains a Micromallow, which is basically a Squishmallow but in miniature. And let me tell you, they are gorgeous. Intricately designed with minute attention to detail, each one is unique and Christmassy, velvety soft and comes with a little tag that includes their name and a short write-up about them.

Because each Micromallow is so beautifully made and they're all the same size (so no arguments about whose is better!), it's a great choice for a shared calendar if you've got more than one child - making the the price a little easier to swallow. Having said that, I can see this appealing to adults as well as kids, so if you're a collector of Squishmallows and have the cash to splash, it won't disappoint.

Alternatively, another option is to buy a bundle of Micromallows and stick them in a DIY calendar, or opt for the 12-day version which is slightly cheaper at £35.

If you’re looking for high-quality Swiss chocolate that not only tastes creamy and delicious, but is fun and enticing for little ones to open each day, then you can’t go wrong with the Lindt Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar.  

This calendar contains 24 little windows, each hiding a delightful Lindt chocolate treat, including creamy milk and white chocolate snowdrops, a mini gold reindeer, the classic melt-in-the-mouth truffles and a milk chocolate Santa. In addition, buying one of these calendars will help support the sustainability and ethical sourcing of cocoa beans through the Lindt Foundation

Although the chocolate quality is top notch, we marked this calendar down slightly because of its price, which is quite steep considering it's just chocolate at the end of the day.

Tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

This super-cute Nativity-themed reusable Advent calendar is a beautiful keepsake that your little one will look forward to seeing every year, and it’s a good option if you’re steering away from sweet or chocolate calendars.

It offers a great introduction to the concept of an Advent calendar as it’s fairly simple for little kids to use and teaches concepts such as counting, number recognition and cause and effect. While toddlers may struggle a bit with the one-at-a-time idea, there’s no harm in letting them place all the characters out at once and then return them to the individual pockets afterwards.

Made from high-quality fabric, each day your child can remove a soft little character from the numbered pocket to place on the stable scene above, eventually creating the familiar Nativity scene.

Although he's well beyond the toddler years, my six-year-old absolutely loved this calendar - especially searching for the different numbers (they aren’t in order, which makes finding the right one more fun) and discovering which character came next. He also spent quite a bit of time putting them all back and deciding which ones to place on which days. So, while this calendar works well for preschoolers, it also has strong appeal for school-aged children, particularly once they’ve had it for a while. Christmas is all about tradition, after all, and there's nothing that says that more than a keepsake Advent calendar you get out every year.

Tested by Mumsnet baby & child editor Jenny Wonnacott

It might not have the same “wow” factor as the LEGO or Playmobil calendars, but if you love puzzles (like I do), you’ll appreciate the high-quality design of this Ravensburger jigsaw advent calendar.

I enjoyed testing it with my preteen daughter - each puzzle took a little time to complete, but it made for a calm, stress-relieving activity at the end of the day. Jigsaws are brilliant for kids: they encourage problem-solving, improve hand-eye coordination, keep little hands busy, and even spark conversation (kids always seem to talk more when their hands are occupied!).

With this one, they learn a little something too - the calendar features 24 individual cardboard boxes, each containing a puzzle with a traditional festive scene from a specific country. Once all 24 puzzles are complete, you can remove the outer border pieces and combine them into one large, magical puzzle. There’s no plastic waste, and while you’ll need a bit of space to build and display the puzzles, you can easily pack them away at the end of the season to enjoy again next year.

Book Advent calendars are a hugely popular choice on Mumsnet, and this one is a lovely classic option for a good range of ages. It gives you 24 short and sweet stories, from classic fairy tales to festive fables, each behind its own little door. For kids aged three to eight, this kind of slow-unfolding joy works especially well: there’s anticipation every morning to see which story is next, and you end up with a little library you can dip back into next year.

The stories are charming, and the comforting selection makes the countdown in December feel more meaningful than simply opening up a sweet. If you’re prepared for smaller, simpler books (they’re thin, and the windows need careful handling), this calendar is a top choice for long-term enjoyment and for nurturing a love of reading, rather than just ticking off the days.

This Eight Innovations Electronic Games Advent Calendar is ideal for gaming enthusiasts, young scientists and kids who adore computers.

Each December day, your child will discover an electronic component that will help them to build various computer games, including Whack-a-Mole, Codebreaker and Ping Pong. This is an excellent choice for teenagers and adults alike who love to discover how electronics work. Plus, we like that this calendar comes with a clear and concise instruction guide to make the building process a breeze.

Little ones with food allergies or a dairy intolerance shouldn’t have to miss out on the fun of chocolate Advent calendars. Happily, more and more brands are making Advent calendars that suit all dietary requirements.

Moo Free is one of our favourites, and the delicious, dariy-free chocolates in this cute calendar are sure to make your child smile. Each creamy chocolate in this Advent calendar has been created using ethically sourced ingredients and is also vegan-friendly, gluten-free and palm oil-free. (And if your little one prefers white chocolate, Moo Free does a white chocolate version too!)

Kinnerton is also another fantastic brand to look out for if your child has a nut allergy, and their Paw Patrol Advent Calendar is bright and cheerful for kids to enjoy.

A traditional illustrated Christmas Advent calendar without chocolates or toys can be a source of nostalgia and joy. They are also beautiful for celebrating the festive season without adding extra ‘stuff’ to your home.

This Vermont Christmas Company Advent Calendar features a gorgeous, detailed Christmas Eve scene that your child will enjoy looking at, plus behind each window, they’ll find a fun picture and corresponding text from the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

This sturdy Advent calendar sits easily on any tabletop or flat surface, and the front is accentuated with glitter. Open the doors carefully, and this excellent value calendar could last for years.