Advent calendars for preschoolers

[JassyRadlett]

Advice please, o wise MN Christmas experts!

I have DS1’s advent calendar - a Lego Star Wars one, after a few years of Lego City. DS2 has just turned 3 and I’m a bit stumped.

He’s a bit small for Lego City, and he’s not a Lego nut like his brother anyway. I’d like to get him a toy one, but the range for his age seems a bit limited for things that aren’t total tat. I’ve seen the Playmobil one which might be my fallback but I’m not mad keen.

He loves animal figurines and his toy farm, and making up stories with the various wee figures/animals/dinosaurs we have dotted around the house. There are however no shortage of these so I don’t mind spending a bit more for quality and —secretly— tossing the front-of-magazines stuff.

And before anyone asks, yes I’m regretting not sticking with chocolate a few years ago!

Start with chocolate/pictures this year and stick to it from now on.

Someone gifted ds a playmobil advent calendar 2 years ago and he was just angry:
That he couldn't open all the windows at once
That if you turned it over you could see what you get everyday
That some days it was a thoroughly boring thing like a haystack and a pitchfork.

I have never bought one myself and never will. Ours is reusable and we can put in a chocolate, chupa chup, joke, activity or whatever every day. I'd rather spend 25 quid on a lego/playmobil set to be opened xmas day.

Start with chocolate/pictures this year and stick to it from now on.

Not a chance! Lego one already purchased and previous years much loved and valued.

Actually - despite my throwaway line - I’m not a massive fan of the choc ones. We have lovely picture ones from our local bookshop that we did first thing in the morning last year, Lego one was for home time.

A reusable one with small toys isn’t a bad idea - will give it some thought. The hassle factor is high and I’m not sure it would be much cheaper.

Playmobil!

I bought a second-hand one years ago on eBay and it's still going strong.
It's really lovely and the kids still treasure it. My eldest is 16, youngest is 4. It's held up really well and I love that my eldest still helps put it all together. It was bought for him originally.

My youngest DC (the 4 year old) was obviously 3 last year and had a tendency to open up the boxes and play with the figures but you know, life is short. He'd play around a bit and I'd pop them back in their boxes later. It wasn't too tricky and it didn't bother me.

Milky bar, he'll love it - if anyone has dairy free/vegan kids Aldi had moo free ones this week and selection packs

Happyland from Mothercare is fab

Argos is selling Schleich animal ones.

These are great! I had no idea Schleich did one - he makes a beeline for the Schleich display in every toy and museum shop we visit.

The Playmobil 123 one is fab

I'd go with the make your own. You can buy big tubs if animal figures in Argos which you could split and put into the pocket each morning. Or buy those stripy sweet bags seal up and number for each day. Will be cheaper than the Lego one!! Peg the bags on a piece of string or keep in a Christmas box :)

My 3yo had playmobil last year and still plays with it now. There is a good range and a farm one i think. We got Santa's workshop and it was amazing. All the pieces were lovely and she wasn't disappinted any day. Getting another from the same range this year!

I wouldn't recommend the schleich one. This is coming from mum of a dd who is obsessed with schleich and all animals. The calender is overpriced and you only get about 4 animals. Some days she got a small piece of fence and some days a picture/sticker??

We've just bought a big wooden light up calander from Aldi with drawers for £10. We're going to put playmobile or schleich animals and chocolate in each drawer but only one each night so if she opens the other drawers prematurely there wouldn't be anything in it yet.

What about the duplo Santa set and dividing it up to make an advent calendar?

My LO is 2 at Christmas but I'm thinking i might just give them it on the 1st rather than an advent calendar. My logic is Santa is still a bit over his head so might help him to get the concept

Ah, that’s a pity about the Schleich one! I looked at it and it does seem a bit ‘it’s the 16th of December, here is your lettuce’.

I quite fancy a trip to Aldi now.

Morrison's sell a Peppa Pig one.