What tiny things to put behind doors of wooden Advent calendar?

[Wigeon]

For the first year, we're doing a wooden Advent calendar for the DDs (2yrs and 5yrs). It has tiny little boxes behind little doors and I am running out of ideas of how to fill them - and it's only December 8th! Each box needs to fit two small things; one for each girl.

So far, we've done:

A teeny tiny letter to the DDs in a teeny tiny envelope, from the Christmas Elf (not the Elf on the Shelf....!).

Two different kinds of sweets.

A little decorated letter (their first initials), made by DH and coloured in by him!

Two photocopies of a funny Edward Lear limerick (from the anthology we've got), with the illustration coloured in.

Two little reproduction Roman coins (on the day we went to a Roman museum).

I am thinking of writing a joke on a little bit of paper for each of them as DD1 is quite into jokes at the moment.

Any other creative ideas? Ideally that I can make or find around the house, rather than buy?

instructions how to make paper chains and a tiny reel of sellotape? then find magazines and scissors and make them together?

voucher for a story/walk/trip to park/whatever floats their boat on their own with parent of choice?

recipe for biscuits - which you then make and give to neighbours for Christmas?

Those are great ideas! The spaces to put things really are very small - think 2cm x 2cm x 2.5cm, so even anything written has to be pretty tiny. DD was asking what paper chains are and if we could make them actually, so I'm sure she'd like that.

Small magnifying glasses Like these? Or little torch keyrings Like these?
My DS has one each of these and he has hours of fun with them.

So far I've been putting in chocolates, finger lights, magnetic bookmarks. For days that I'm planning on doing something Christmassy with them, I'm going to print off a clipart-style picture e.g. a tree for the day we are decorating the tree, ice-skates on the day we'll go to the outdoor ice rink etc. No reason why you can't put in pictures of paper chains. Pictures better as my younger one can't read.

I've put Christmas hair slides in my daughters calendar. And a clue sending them on a mini treasure hunt around the house so I could effectively include bigger craft ideas.

One of these tiny decoratyons to decorate their own tree

A small photo from a past Christmas
A note describing a favorite Christmas memory

My mum has bought a set of books from the book people. Behind each door is the name of a different boom and DC (5) gets to choose and read it. They are biff and kipper ones but he is loving the excitement of seeing which one to read! Sneakily educational!

A clue to where to find a bigger gift!

Special glass beads.

Semi precious stones.

A poem.

A crossword or other puzzle.

Nail gems.

Tiny pom poms

Tiny marsh mallows.

Tiny charms related to their favourite thunks.

Nano blocks.

Special pins for pin board.

Special paper clips.

Shaped elastic bands.

Hair bands.

Tiny japanese rubbers.

Nail art shapes: fruits/flowers/animals

Tiny fimo models..could make into badges or bag charms...

Great ideas! Thank you. We are doing a little photo of last Christmas for tonight's opening - thank you callmekitten. Have got sone 40p finger lights ordered a while ago, intended for stockings, but actually ideal for this - thank you MajorMinor. Will enjoy planning the others! More ideas also welcome!

We came up with another idea - Christmassy jokes printed out inside a snowflake shape (just put together in Word). Seemed to go down well with the DDs!

A little dice and have a printed games ready to play downstairs. Just google boardgame template. You could write on things e.g when you land on a square sing or something

Good old fashioned beetle is good too for another night. Lots of fun for you all too

Clue for a little chocolate coin teasure hunt around the house

USB with nice message from santa or PowerPoint of their special photos

Mini choc muffin or recipe for Christmas baking or sat afternoon

One pound to go to them to shop with

Stamps to send a special letter (with help obv!)

My three year old races down the stairs every morning to open hers

I've done chocolate coins, a gravy bone for the dog, some sort of small thing like hair clips or Disney fridge magnets or a small bouncy ball and the best thing of all is a very folded up letter from Santa giving us an outing or activity every day

We've done...

Watch a Christmas movie, go to Peppa pig live, go and see frozen, go to painshill park, write a Christmas list, go to longleat, go to the circus, go and see Santa, go for Christmas dinner with... X ( a number of different groups!) go to a few pantos, go swimming, have friends over to play, have a Christmas party...

The letters say like "Go to longleat with Mummy, Daddy and lots of friends and wish all the animals a very merry Christmas!"

It's SO good! ( though DH looks at me every morning like why didn't you just get her a chocolate one???)