110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (2024)

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Advent calendars are a unique way to count down the days until Christmas. For kids, they’re a magical time of year where you get to open one surprise each day and anticipate December 25th, although those surprises do not need to be treats or gifts!

Why not create an activity Advent Calendar instead this year? These advent calendar activities are fun for the whole family to get into the Christmas spirit!

An Advent activity calendar is a perfect way to spend quality time together during the busiest month of the year, making new favourite memories on the countdown to Christmas morning.

We are sharing fun advent calendar activity ideas for kids and families as well as printable advent activity cards so you can print off your favourites and save time during this busy festive time of year!

110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (1)

What Is An Activity Advent Calendar

There are so many different types of advent calendars available for the holiday season – from chocolate advents to small gift advent calendars and even those you can make yourself – that there is something for everyone.

Instead of the treat-filled advent calendars, you may be most familiar with, the focus of an activity advent is to instead give daily tasks or Christmas activities to complete.

This is a special way to create new family memories and Christmas traditions each December with tasks you can complete as a family, or by giving your kids their own special activities each day.

Best of all, your activity advent doesn’t need to be fancy!

You can use a reusable advent calendar to pop your daily advent activities in or you can keep it really simple and use numbered envelopes or any of these simple DIY advent calendars!

Activity Advent Calendars

If you do not already have an advent activity calendar and would prefer to purchase one rather than make your own, here are some wonderful options for pre-made advent calendars that are perfect for use with Christmas countdown activities.

These advent calendars also make a wonderful extra festive decor in your home as they look beautiful while still serving their fun function throughout December!

You can add your advent activities on slips of paper or use the printable advent cards instead.

It’s up to you if you decide to add small gifts each day along with your activities or keep them just to activities. An activity advent can also make a great gift for the whole family.

Check out these advent calendar options:

JOYIN Wooden Advent Calendar – This simple wooden advent calendar is a beautiful reusable Christmas countdown that is perfect for fitting your activity cards and a little treat too!

Juegoal Countdown to Christmas Calendar– This Christmas tree-shaped advent calendar is made from wood making it durable for use year after year.

Christmas Tree Fabric Advent Calendar– This fabric advent calendar is a compact hanging option if you don’t have a lot of space. It’s just the right size for pieces of paper with your daily activities.

Advent Activity Ideas For Families

110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (8)

It’s always fun to do something new and different every year, and advent activities can be a great way to not only try new things but also fit in your favourite December traditions as well!

We like to change up our ideas each year with a few new ones while keeping some the same, such as putting up the Christmas tree on the 1st and making our favourite Christmas treats sometime during the month.

It can also help to have a few backup activities for when the weather doesn’t cooperate or your schedules change.

That is why you will love this huge list of advent activities for your Christmas countdown, with plenty of fun activities to choose from that suit different ages – from young kids to older kid activities and activities for the whole family!

  1. Decorate the Christmas tree
  2. Decorate the house
  3. Hang Christmas lights
  4. Bake Christmas cookies
  5. Make rum balls
  6. Do a random act of kindness for a neighbour
  7. Write a letter to someone
  8. Write a letter to Santa Claus
  9. Do a Christmas craft
  10. Watch a Christmas movie
  11. Go for an evening walk to look at holiday lights in your neighbourhood
  12. Go ice skating
  13. Go for a family hike
  14. Play Christmas carols
  15. Play a card game
  16. Read a Christmas book together
  17. Have a game night
  18. Make gingerbread cookies
  19. Visit Santa Claus at your local mall
  20. Go Christmas carolling or attend a local carol night
  21. Bake and decorate sugar cookies
  22. Make a new Christmas ornament
  23. Go on a festive nature walk to collect greenery for your holiday decorating
  24. Make a hot chocolate with extra treats
  25. Do some Christmas colouring pages
  26. Make a handmade gift for a friend
  27. Write out Christmas cards
  28. Have a family Christmas photo shoot
  29. Watch a Christmas concert
  30. Build a gingerbread house together
  31. Make a special breakfast
  32. Start a Christmas scrapbook (or add to an existing one)
  33. Create handmade gift tags
  34. Write a list of everything you are grateful for this year
  35. Donate a gift to a Christmas charity
  36. Declutter toys & donate to charity
  37. Tell funny Christmas jokes
  38. Make up your own Christmas story
  39. Take a drive to look at Christmas displays
  40. Learn a new Christmas carol
  41. Make a Christmas dish from another country
  42. Learn about Christmas traditions in another country
  43. Call a distant friend or family member to chat
  44. Buy a special new ornament for your tree
  45. Have a candy cane scavenger hunt
  46. Organise a play date with friends
  47. Host a brunch or lunch
  48. Try a new festive drink
  49. Make eggnog
  50. Do a puzzle together
  51. Give someone a compliment
  52. Play Christmas minute to win it games
  53. Plan your festive menu
  54. Donate old towels and bedding to an animal shelter
  55. Volunteer in your local community
  56. Make hot cocoa bombs
  57. Have a festive family dance party with Christmas songs
  58. Have a picnic under your Christmas tree
  59. Get a photo with Santa
  60. Decorate Christmas t-shirts
  61. Make Christmas crackers
  62. Help wrap gifts
  63. Take a gift to an elderly neighbour or relative
  64. Write each family member a letter with reasons why you love them
  65. Make a bird feeder or leave out water for wildlife
  66. Have a YES day
  67. Make cards for the school support staff
  68. Attend a Christmas parade
  69. Give the house a deep clean
  70. Create Christmas-themed crazy hair styles
  71. Tidy your bedroom
  72. Hang Christmas stockings
  73. Watch Christmas TV episodes
  74. Make cookies for the neighbours
  75. Make Santa & reindeer food for Christmas Eve
  76. Do a science experiment
  77. Go for a family bike ride
  78. Throw a frisbee at the park
  79. Do a Secret Santa gift exchange
  80. Give out candy canes with positive messages on them to school friends
  81. Have a backyard picnic
  82. Go stargazing in the backyard
  83. Learn a new skill
  84. Do something you’ve “been meaning to try”
  85. Make a traditional dessert
  86. Donate food to a local charity drive
  87. Leave a gift for your postman or parcel delivery person
  88. Visit a festive market in your area (such as craft markets)
  89. Make friendship bracelets
  90. Build a Christmas scene with LEGO
  91. Enjoy some self-care doing something you love
  92. Have a pamper session
  93. Get new Christmas pjs
  94. Make (or open) a Christmas Eve box
  95. Learn a Christmas song on an instrument
  96. Write your own list of favourite traditions
  97. Start a new family Christmas tradition
  98. Have a Christmas movie marathon
  99. Plan an amazing New Year’s Eve party
  100. Host a festive dinner with friends
  101. Organise your home for the holidays
  102. Do something that makes you feel cozy and warm (or cool and refreshed)
  103. Make frozen hot chocolate
  104. Host a holiday book club
  105. Build a snowman or a sandcastle (depending where you live)
  106. Do your Christmas shopping
  107. Host an ornament exchange with friends or family
  108. Organise gift wrapping party for friends and family members
  109. Host a cookie decorating party
  110. Play Christmas charades

These activities for advent calendars are so much fun either on their own or paired with a daily treat or funny Christmas joke.

In fact, on the days that your activity involves certain ingredients or materials, you can wrap those up along with the daily activity!

Choosing Ideas For Advent Calendar Activities

The best way to choose the advent activities to include for your daily tasks is to pull out your planner or family calendar for the month if you have one and check what you already have scheduled through December.

If you have a busy day planned, choose advent family activities that are quick and simple to fit into your day.

If you have a day that is a little more open, these are good days to plan more elaborate tasks or outings.

Make sure you’ve got everything you need for the daily activities as well! The last thing you want is to have a festive pancake breakfast planned yet not have the ingredients needed.

Free Printable Advent Calendar Activities

110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (9)

We know how busy this time of year is for everyone!

To save you time we have created this free printable advent calendar activities sheet for you to print and off and choose which activities you want to do.

Pop them into envelopes or into your family advent calendar and you are ready for a December full of fun and special memories!

The printable sheet also includes some blank advent activity cards so you can add your own ideas.

GET THE FREE PRINTABLE HERE

The great thing about an Advent calendar is that you can make it age-appropriate and fun! This list has plenty of advent activities perfect for kids, no matter how young or old they are. There’s something for everyone, so go ahead and pick your favourites!

I hope these Christmas advent activities help you plan lots of fun as you count down how many days until Christmas!

Need more Christmas inspiration? Check these out:

  • DIY advent calendar ideas
  • Advent calendar fillers for kids and adults
  • Free printable Santa gift tag
  • Fun Christmas games
  • Tech free activities
  • 100+ Fun ideas to do with kids at home
  • Photo Christmas cards with candy canes
  • Fun Christmas day activities for families
110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (10)
110 Fun Advent Calendar Activities For Families + Printable (2024)
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