Advent calendar fillers for toddlers

[Wurfit]

Go easy on me please if this is an overdone topic. I'm an MNer of old but haven't been on here for a while as my PFB, my one and only, is well into adulthood.
Anyway, I have been a stepnana since DSD had her first baby just over 6 years ago. Her second is 18mo. I thought it would be a super idea to make a shared advent calendar for the DGCs without thinking through that while the oldest is easy to cater for, her little bro is only way too young for most plastic tat or stickers or whatever.
I am committed now. Any suggestions? Please?

Wow toys are really good for little ones, I know my kids played with them for years and years so older one might still be happy. Duplo. Fluffy slipper socks. I’d pop in edible treats too, chocolate lolly , malteser reindeer tupe stuff.

My two had a shared calendar for years despite an age gap- particular successes were , small interesting rubber ducks( the best year and they have half (12) each that they protect as collectibles!) , a large jigsaw broken into so many pieces a day to be completed on Christmas Eve, a charade each a day, and a tiny build a Christmas village a day until the completion on the eve .

Difficult age gap, would a very small book fit inside each bit?

Last year we were gifted a big advent book, that contained 24 very small square story books, all either Christmas or fairytale themed. I think 6 + 18 months would both be happy sitting and listening to a story.

These are fantastic suggestions, thank you everyone. Will report back at a later date when the thing's finished 🙂

Christmas balloons, bubbles, a decoration for the tree and chocolate coins are all going in my two year olds advent calendar.

Mine loved it when I did a silly festive joke for each day. Also if they have some Christmas books already then writing the title on paper to read that day works well.

I used to buy bigger toy sets, Happyland people, farm animals or pretend fruit, and just put one bit in for a day.

My children, (18, 16 and 12), still love their shared advent calendar! I put a Chrstmassy chocolate in each pocket- there’s loads in Lidl, Aldi etc. I used to put a piece of a jigsaw in each pocket too when they were smaller. There’s lots around with 24 pieces that make a Christmas picture.

I did

• Duplo (animals, a door, a window, a crane, a sink & toilet, etc - bought it all second hand and put it through the dishwasher)
• Finger crayons, a colour a day, with those half-waxed papers that reveal a picture when you scribble a crayon over it. I split up a fire engine booklet for that.
• Wooden toys for toy kitchen/ shop.

Later on I moved on to Playmobil/ Lego/ Gravitrax, as well as fun stuff for the bath, and art supplies.