I've left it a little late... kids advent calendars

[springbabydays]

Normally I have this sorted by now. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Ideas for a 10 and 7 yo please. We used to have just picture ones but they need something a bit different now they are older.

I looked at the jigsaw ones but the ones I saw are for adults i think.

No chocolate needed, they will get a chocolate each morning anyway.

We like the pop up scene ones and have had Hot Wheels/ wooden toy sets in the past.

Just looking for inspiration really.

Seriously? Adventbis 3 weeks away.

My daughter is currently deciding between lego Harry Potter or a Nat Geo one where she gets a different gemstone each day

The Lego ones are always good?

Sorry for not actually responding to your question but where did you get your picture advent calendars from please?

My 7yo DD has got the Playmobil Wiltopia one and it seems good value for the toys you get if they're into Playmobil. There's 25% off all Playmobil advent calendars on their website at the moment too I noticed yesterday, not sure how long for. There's also lots of different advent calendars in Boots this year, I found a better selection in store as the one I wanted for older DD was out of stock online.

We just do a tub of heroes instead

We had the gemstone one a few years back and it was dreadful! They were all just grey bits of rock that you could have picked out of a field. Very disappointing!

Traditional advent calendars

Sorry that link was for @StepIntoXmas

@psuedocream3 they get chocolates as well but it's nice to have a door to open too, don't you think?

@Toddlerteaplease I normally have decided and bought them in October!

1st or 2nd December is leaving it a bit late - not the beginning of November. 😂

How about a refillable one from somewhere like TheWorks or Hobbycraft? You can fill those with whatever you like.

DD8's favourite advent calendar is the Jacquie Lawson online one, which we get every year. This year it's an Edwardian theme. There is a different activity each day.

https://www.jacquielawson.com/advent/edwardian

@StepIntoXmas

The card shop and gift shop in our local town both sell basic advent calendars with appealing pictures.

Well, it's still sugar but not chocolate. Mine have got Candy Kittens ones this year, and they look nice.

Dd got the tom gates one last year she was 9 and really enjoyed it. Maybe some kind of book one?
Most years it's Lego but this year she just wants a chocolate one.

Do they have any specific interests? I think pretty much everything has it's own advent calendar these days. My daughter is 10 and loves pokemon cards and they do a pokemon TCG advent calendar which looks brilliant but unfortunately I can't justify the cost.

My husband and I got one of the paintable wooden advent houses from The Works a few years ago. Spent the first day of advent painting and decorating it, and filling it with fun activities.

Some examples of what we've done together:

• Ice skating
• Light trails
• Homemade mulled wine/cider
• Crazy hot chocolate night (cream, marshmallows, the lot!)
• DIY Christmas wreaths
• Visiting Christmas markets
• Doing a local walk to find Christmas lights
• Christmas cocktails
• Cheese and wine night
• Christmas movies (Nativity, Elf, etc)
• Gingerbread house

Some other ones you could do for kiddies:

• Visit Santa
• Go to a Christmas tree farm / pick a tree
• Homemade tree decorations/home decorations
• Cookie decorating
• Visiting a local farm
• Christmas carol service
• Melted snowmen (icing sugar and marshmallows on rich tea biccies)
• Hot chocolate evening
• Making Christmas cards for family
• Writing letters to Santa
• Torch-lit walk around the block

You can make it as cheap or as expensive as you like! :) Enjoy!

So?

https://www.youloveit.com/dolls/2910-harry-potter-gryffindor-advent-calendar-with-12-inch-harry-potter-doll-from-mattel.html
Dgd (7) is getting this Harry potter one (£29.99 Amazon and Very). She usually just gets a choc one from her mum and dad, although last year I did buy her a book one. But I knew she would love this and it ties in with her Christmas gift from us this year.

I've made advent calendars for my 3 DC for the last few years & I decide on a theme & choose about 12 - 15 themed items & the rest are chocolate coins, £1 coins or a note for an activity.

Themes have been:
Harry Potter jewellery
Pokemon cards, sleeves & coins
Fossils & gemstones
Dinosaurs
Lego
Make up & nails
Mini brands & other miniatures
Xbox Accessories inc thumb & trigger grips, stickers & skins

I use the same set of small hessian bags & wooden numbers & they are placed in a crate with an Christmas decoration on the front suited to the recipient.

I started it when I had more free time & although it takes some effort it's good fun, my DC love it & they'll grow up soon enough so I won't be doing it forever.

Thank you so much for all these ideas!

B&M have book ones the two I paid attention to were marvel and Disney but they have one or two other options too.

I'm going to do my own this year for my dd10 & ds7, so lots of days of coins but then a lego blind bag or bracelet, another day a trip out etc, they've had lego but it was a bit boring getting the pieces that weren't figures.

I always do my own advent calendar, we have re-usable one that I fill with a Lindt chocolate (their Christmas ones) and a little decorated note for each child. Depending on their ages it had:

Date (obvs)
Anything special about that day e.g if they had a special activity at school or event.
A Christmas fact for them to find out e.g 'where did the first Christmas tree come from', 'Why do we bring holly in to decorate' etc
At the weekend it would be something to do like PP e.g decorate the tree, make a gingerbread house, go on a night walk to see the Christmas light
A Christmas joke

I did this because I didn't want to spend out for lots of gifts, I think it's wasteful unless it's going to re-used eg Lego. Children get enough at Christmas, they don't need a gift every day - only I need that with my beauty advent