28 Best Advent Calendars for Kids to Countdown to Christmas 2024
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Advent calendars bring excitement and anticipation all through December. The best Advent calendars for kids are filled with fun surprises like jewelry, toys, art supplies, and limited-edition collectibles. Sure, most of the modern, goodie-filled Advent calendars cost a bit more than your average chocolate Advent calendar, but the presents inside arenât throwaways. These Christmas Advent calendars come from big-name brands like Pokemon, Lego, Disney, and Barbie. Thereâs something to suit every hobby and interest, too, whether theyâre a car-obsessed toddler or a tween coveting skin care products.
To help you find a good the best gift for your little oneâs Christmas countdown, we evaluated almost 50 popular Advent calendars for kids before landing on these below.
The best Advent calendars for kids, at a glanceBest Overall Kidsâ Advent Calendar: Jazwares Squishmallows 24-Day Micromallows Holiday Advent Calendar, $65Best Toy Advent Calendar: LEGO City 2024 Advent Calendar, $33Best DIY Advent Calendar: Yinder Christmas Advent Calendar Boxes, $12Best Advent Calendar for Preschoolers: Bluey Advent Calendar, $25Best for Older Kids: KiwiCo Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar, $1001/30
Jazwares Squishmallows 24-Day Micromallows Holiday Advent Calendar
Everyone from preschoolers to hard-to-shop-for tweens will enjoy counting down the days until Christmas with Micromallowsâ2.5-inch versions of the beloved Squishmallows. Each door delivers a unique holiday favorite including Nick Santa Claus, Manny Snowman, and more.
2/30
Lego City 2024 Advent Calendar
Looking for a gift for your neighborâs kids? You canât go wrong with Lego. As kiddos make their way through this holiday Advent calendar, theyâll uncover 24 mini builds that all complement one another. By Christmas, Lego enthusiasts will have enough goodies to create a seasonal vignette ripe for pretend play. The box doubles as a festive winter village.
3/30
Mindware 12 Days of Spa Science
Budding skin care gurus will appreciate this beauty Advent calendar, which dishes out everything they need to make their own cosmetics, like bath bombs and fragrances. Itâs a 12-day STEM-based activity the whole family can enjoy.
4/30
Yinder Christmas Advent Calendar Boxes
A DIY Advent calendar not only gives you more flexibilityâfill it with an assortment of your kidsâ favorite toys or treats from various brandsâbut itâs also more cost-effective in the long run, since you can reuse the boxes from year to year.
5/30
Bluey Advent Calendar
Fans of the hit TV series will be excited to bring Bluey IRL with this 24-day Advent calendar. Open each door on the box that depicts Blueyâs own family Christmas to reveal exclusive figurines you canât get anywhere else.
6/30
Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar
For kids who like to tinker, KiwiCo offers a STEM-based Advent calendar thatâll keep them busy all month long. Each day, your little one will uncover a gift that helps them build a winter wonderland scene complete with moving figurines.
7/30
National Geographic Gemstone Advent Calendar
For budding geologists, this Christmas countdown calendar boasts 24 doors that all open to reveal a unique gemstone. By the time Santa arrives, theyâll have an entire rock collectionâall of which can be corralled in the included reusable pouch.
8/30
Peppa Pig Kidsâ Advent Calendar
Youâd be hard-pressed to meet a three- or four-year-old who isnât delighted by Peppa Pig, which makes this option such a great gift idea for the preschool set. Each window in the cardboard countdown includes something recognizable from the hit show, including four holiday-themed Peppa Pig family figures, character stickers, and more.
9/30
Disney Cars Mini Racers Advent Calendar
Race toward Christmas with this special Advent calendar featuring cars, track pieces, and accessories all inspired by favorites from Disneyâs Cars: Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, and Doc Hudson.
10/30
Fisher-Price Imaginext Jurassic World Advent Calendar
Dino-loving kiddos will have a roaring good time opening this holiday Advent calendar, which contains 24 Jurassic World toys: eight dinosaurs, four character figures, one push-along vehicle, one launcher and projectile, and 10 additional play accessories.
11/30
Madrigal Family Surprises Advent Calendar
With the prospect of opening a new door on this Disneyâs Encanto-themed Advent calendar, your little one will be singing for joy all month long. It houses 24 surprises, including 14 Madrigal family member figurines and 13 accessories to help them recreate their favorite movie moments.
12/30
Playmobil Advent Calendar
Both kids and adults alike will appreciate this classic. Each door opens to reveal a single accessory in a complete holiday-themed play set that includes a family baking at home, a boy building a snowman, and Santa and his sleigh.
13/30
Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas Wooden Advent Calendar
For parents who prefer to put a plug in the infusion of toys during the holiday season, consider this wooden Advent calendar from famed toy company Melissa & Doug. The tree doubles as a holiday decoration for your home and features a fun array of magnetic ornaments for kids to place onto the Christmas tree each day.
14/30
Lego Duplo Santaâs Gingerbread House
Another fun find for ages six and above, this Lego Advent calendar holds bigger versions of the beloved blocks that are easier for preschoolers to manipulate. By Christmas, your toddler will have toys and mini figures enough to construct a gingerbread house (complete with a Christmas tree) for their Lego cityâwith a little help from you or the whole familyâall for under $50.
15/30
Fidget Toys Advent Calendar
If theyâre constantly asking âWhen is Santa coming?â this Advent calendar is a great gift idea to help keep them occupied until the big day. Each door hides a unique Christmas-themed fidget toy: poppers, a water-bead ball, stretchy noodles, wall climbers, pull-back cars, and more.
16/30
Super Mario Advent Calendar
Hidden behind each numbered door, kiddos will find one of 24 popular Super Mario characters or accessories. For collectors, there are even a few exclusives in the mix, like the never-before-seen Santa Mario, Snowman Mario, and Snowman Luigi that theyâll enjoy for imaginative play.
17/30
Barbie Advent Calendar
You canât go wrong this holiday season with a calendar whose surprise toy is arguably the yearâs most trending character: Barbie herself. Lucky kids will get a full-size Barbie doll, plus 23 accessories or pieces of clothing to enhance play time.
18/30
My Little Pony: A New Generation Movie Snow Party Countdown Advent Calendar
This fun Christmas countdown has 25 gem-shaped cardboard doors, all with a 1.5-inch mini pony figurine inside.
19/30
Vermont Christmas Company Christmas Tree Fabric Advent Calendar
Another toy- and treat-free Advent calendar, this fabric version doubles as holiday decor and features ornaments that your little one can cherry-pick and place on the tree each day. For an added element of surprise, each spot has a little pocket for you to tuck a small trinket inside.
20/30
L.O.L. Surprise! Advent Calendar
Mark the 25 days of Christmas with an Advent calendar made for the hardest-to-please tweens. Each day theyâll unbox a special surprise, starting with an LOL Surprise doll they can accessorize with all kinds of clothing, jewelry, shoes, and handbags.
21/30
Funko Pop! Holiday Calendar
Toddlers and kids with dreams of becoming a Pokemon trainer will love this Advent calendar containing 24 unique Funko Pocket Pops characters. Yep, all of the most sought-afterâlike Pikachu and Charmanderâare in the mix.
22/30
Butter Slime Advent Calendar
If one thingâs for sure, kids love slime. And this 24-day Advent calendar comes packed with twelve little jars of the good stuff, plus a dozen play thingsâsprinkles, Christmas figurines, and moreâto round out the rest of the month with all the mix-ins theyâll need.
23/30
Great Pretenders Build-a-Bracelet Advent Calendar
Little girls who love to accessorize will get a kick out of this make-your-own-jewelry Advent calendar. Inside theyâll find one chain necklace and one chain bracelet plus 22 Christmas- and winter-themed charms (Christmas tree, Santa hat, gingerbread man, candy cane, and more). Itâs all made of acrylic, clay, and metal alloy thatâs resistant to fading, providing them a holiday keepsake theyâll wear for years.
24/30
Mini Brands 24-Door Advent Calendar
Looking for a Christmas gift for a hard-to-please tween? The wildly popular Mini Brands is a good place to start, and this holiday countdown will give their collection an edge over their friendsâ. It contains 24 iconic minis, including six never-before-seen exclusives.
25/30
Squishy Toys Advent Calendar
Another affordable toys preschoolers canât seem to get enough of? Tiny squishiesâthink of them as the little cousin to Squishmellowsâmade of a soft rubber material they can poke, stretch, and squeeze for hours on end.
26/30
Hot Wheels Advent Calendar
This isnât your average Advent calendarâthe box doubles as a play mat (itâs designed as a race track) for the eight cars and 16 holiday-themed accessories inside.
27/30
Play-Doh Advent Calendar
Itâs hard to go wrong with a kid classic like Play-Dohâespecially when itâs as jam-packed with goodies as this advent calendar is. When your kiddo opens each of the 24 doors, theyâll discover a mini can of Play-Doh and accessories for molding and shaping. Think: a rolling pin, cutters, and even accessories to craft their own clay snowman.
28/30
Disney Storybook Advent Calendar
We get itâyour house is probably already full to the brim with toys. And thatâs exactly why we like this unique option. Instead of playthings, each window reveals a small paperback story (each book measures 3.94 by 4.72 inches) featuring their favorite Disney characters, providing the perfect way to unwind as a family each night. At the end of the season, theyâll have a brand new storybook collection.
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Mudpuppy Ho Ho Howl! 12 Days of Puzzles
What makes this advent calendar so special is that each of the 12 windows open to reveal a bagged 48-piece mini puzzle. Each one is simple enough for elementary school-aged kids, but challenging enough to keep mom or dadâs interest too.
