Counting the days till Christmas is a fun activity to do with your kids and these awesome homemade advent calendars for kids are a great way to count down to Christmas.
Get crafty with the kids and make one of these fabulous homemade advent calendars together, or make one of these Christmas countdowns as a special surprise for your family at the start of the holiday season.
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If you are an organised person you are probably reading this post sometime in November, or even October, and you have plenty of time to make one of these homemade advent calendars for your kids. But, if you are a not so organised person, like me, then maybe you are reading this at the end of November, or possibly even at the start of December? Don’t worry! It’s not too late!
There are lots of really great ideas for making amazing advent calendars on this list, but there are also lots of quick and easy advent calendar crafts to try, and even some ‘print and go’ advent calendars that you can have ready in a matter of minutes. And the kids won’t mind if you have to do the first three days all at once to catch up!
With all these great ideas for homemade advent calendars, you are sure to find a fun, crafty, or quick way to countdown to Christmas!
Homemade Advent Calendars for Kids
Printable Advent Calendars
These printable advent calendar ideas are the perfect last minute solution for a fun homemade advent calendar that the kids will love. There are lots of ‘print and go’ options that don’t require you to do anything else, and even more that just need basic cutting and assembly to make a really quick and easy Christmas countdown.
- Colouring Advent Calendar from Picklebums.
These free printable advent calendar colouring page is the ultimate ‘print and go’ Christmas countdown, all you need is the printable and some coloured pencils! - Colour In Advent Calendar from Mum in the Madhouse.
This is another fabulous printable colour in advent calendar that the kids will love! - Christmas Kindness Chain from Coffee and Carpool.
Christmas is a great time to think about being kind to others and this free printable kindness countdown is a great way to encourage kids to join in. - Printable Be Kind Advent Calendar for Kids from Kitchen Counter Chronicles.
This is another lovely, super easy, ‘print and go’ option for a Christmas kindness calendar. - Advent Kindness Calendar for Older Kids from Mumlyfe.
This free printable kindness advent calendar is perfect for older kids and teens. - Advent Activity Cards from Picklebums
These free printable advent activity cards are a fun and easy way to switch the usual advent chocolate for a fun Christmas activity. - Printable Color and Countdown to Christmas from A Little Pinch of Perfect.
This is another fun printable advent calendar that the kids will love to make and colour. - Free Printable Christmas Tree Countdown from The Gingerbread House.
This print and go advent calendar is a great way to count the days. - Free Countdown to Christmas Coloring Page from 3 Dinosaurs.
Colour in the number of each day as you count down to Christmas. - Free Printable Christmas Book Advent Calendar from Picklebums.
If your kids love reading you’ll love this printable book advent calendar and the Christmas book ideas to go with it. - Printable Christmas Tree Advent Calendar from Willowday.
Use the free printable template and some coloured paper to make this lovely Christmas tree advent calendar. - Printable Advent Drawing Prompt Cards from The Craft Train.
These free printable drawing cards are such a great way to bring a little art to your advent activities! - Countdown To Christmas Bookmarks from 3 Dinosaurs.
Print a new bookmark to use each day to help you remember how many days are left until Christmas! - Printable Christmas Countdown Calendar from Kiddy Charts.
Make this free printable Christmas tree advent calendar with your kids - Christmas Countdown Printables from Simply Bessy.
Take your pick from a colouring in calendar, or an advent activity calendar, but are ready to print and use. - Nativity Advent Coloring Page from My Joy-filled Life.
This nativity focused advent calendar is a lovely activity for kids to do each day until Christmas. - Lift the Flap Advent Calendar Craft from Arts and Crackers.
Use the printable template to make a lift the flap style advent calendar with your kids. - Art Prompts Advent Calendar Printable from Art Bar.
Print this brightly coloured advent calendar to inspire the family to be creative every day in the lead up to Christmas. - Game Board Printable Advent Calendar from Modern Mom Life.
Move along the game board as you count down each day till Christmas with this fun printable calendar. - Trim A Tree Christmas Countdown from Laly Mom.
The kids will love cutting off a little strip of tree each day in the lead up to Christmas. - Santa’s Beard Christmas Countdown from Artsy Craftsy Mom.
Add a cotton ball to Santa’s beard for each day with this free printable advent calendar.
Easy Advent Calendars to Make With Kids
These advent calendar ideas use basic supplies and are easy enough to make with your kids. Get everyone together and make one of these lovely homemade advent calendars to kick off the holiday season.
- Snap Lock Bag Advent Calendar from Living At Home.
This advent calendar is easy to make with supplies you probably already have, but it still makes for a great wall display. - Muffin Tin Advent Calendar from Down Redbud Drive.
This is such an easy and clever idea for making and advent calendar! - DIY Takeout Box Advent Calendar from Studio DIY.
Fill little take out boxes with a treat (or use our advent activity cards), add a number, and you’ve made an adorable advent calendar! - Easy Christmas Tree Advent Calendar from Pink Stripey Socks.
The kids will love helping to make this simple Christmas tree advent calendar. - Christmas Carols Advent Calendar from Mama Smiles.
Crank up the music and sing a different Christmas song each day as you count down to Christmas with this fun idea. - Homemade Advent Candles from Kids’ Craft Room.
These DIY advent candles are a great project to make with the kids. - Paper Pockets Advent Calendar from Rainy Day Mum.
These cute little numbered pockets are easy to make from wrapping paper r scrapbook paper. - Photo Advent Calendar from Red ted Art.
I love this simple idea for using family photos as a Christmas countdown. - Photo Advent Calendar Gift from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots.
This is another idea for using photos to make an advent calendar, and this one makes the perfect gift to send to grandparents or family. - Envelope Advent Calendar from Crafts By Amanda.
This is a super easy way to make a great looking advent calendar. - Lego Advent Calendar from Little Bins for Little Hands
This will take a bit of organising but if your kids love Lego they will love this advent calendar idea! - Santa Beard Christmas Countdown Craft from I Heart Crafty Things.
The kids will love making this fun Santa countdown craft - K-Cup Advent Calendar from Teach Mama.
Start collecting those k-cups (or similar) and get the kids to help you make this fun advent calendar. - Punch Pinata Advent Calendar from Made With Happy.
Everyone is going to love this Christmas tree punch pinata advent calendar! - Balloon Advent Calendar from School Time Snippets.
Pop a balloon to countdown to Christmas, what a cool idea! - Toilet Paper Roll Advent from Danya Banya.
Collect up some cardboard tubes and have fun making this advent calendar.
Amazing Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas
These advent calendars will take a little bit of crafty skill and some time, but with a little effort you’ll have an amazing homemade advent calendar that you can use year after year.
- Magnetic Advent Calendar Wreath from Artsy Fartsy Mamma.
You’ll need a few supplies to make this advent wreath, but the free printables and easy instructions make this quite simple to put together. - Christmas Cookies Advent Calendar from Kitchen Table Chronicles.
Get busy baking and make this sweet sugar cookie advent calendar. - DIY Wipe Lids Advent Calendar from No Time for Flashcards.
Start collecting those wipe lids so you can make this fun advent calendar. - Nativity Christmas Countdown Calendar from Messy Little Monster.
This Christmas countdown calendar is a lovely nativity craft to make that you can use year after year. - Mini Pine Tree Farm Holiday Countdown from Barely and Birch.
Get the kids to help you make this adorable display which could be used to count down to any winter holiday. - Little Advent Boxes from Art Bar.
With a little time and effort you can make these adorable advent boxes. - DIY Lego Advent Calendar from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.
This is awesome DIY Lego advent calendar may take a while to put together, but it will be lots of fun to build and to use. - Magnetic Advent Calendar from Hey Let’s Make Stuff
Use your cutting machine to make this gorgeous magnetic blackboard advent calendar. - Shoe Organiser Advent Calendar from A Girl and a Glue Gun
This cute advent calendar hangs on the back of a door and you can use it over and over. - Advent Christmas Tree from Let’s DIY It All.
Turn your whole Christmas tree into an advent calendar with this cool idea. - DIY Paper Bag Advent Calendar from Tell Love and Party.
Brightly coloured paper bags turn this simple idea into something special! - Advent Calendar Treat Bags from Fox and star
Make some simple paper treat bags to fill for this lovely advent calendar. - Felt Stocking Advent Calendar from A Beautiful Mess.
If you can sew, you can make this gorgeous heirloom advent calendar. - Crochet Advent Calendar from My Poppet Makes.
If you are handy with a crochet hook, you can make this amazing modern crochet calendar!
Store Bought Advent Calendars
If you get to the end of November and you just don’t have the time to make an advent calendar, that’s ok. Sometimes it’s good to know where your crafting limit is and just buy an advent calendar, especially since there are so many cool ones on offer these days!
Here are a few my kids have loved, or they have on their wish lists currently!
- Lego City Advent Calendar
My Lego lover adored this advent calendar! - Fidget Toy Advent Calendar.
This would be lots of fun to open each day and discover a new fidget toy. - Rock Mineral and Fossil Advent Calendar
Science living kids will love this National Geographic advent calendar. - Play-Doh Advent Calendar
This is a great options for preschoolers. - Melissa & Doug Wooden Advent Calendar
This is a lovely Christmas countdown tree that can be used year after year.
Whether you are making a fancy advent calendar, printing something quick and easy, or buying one, your kids will love counting down to Christmas, no matter how you do it!
Don’t forget to check out our printable advent options:
Do you make an advent calendar for your kids?
If you love making homemade advent calendars I’d love it if you’d share some of your awesome ideas in a comment below.
I spent over a year stitching an advent calendar and now we use it every year. I wrap up little gifts and we get in lots of practice saying ‘thankyou’ in the lead up to Christmas Day.
http://www.stuffwiththing.com/2010/11/advent-calendar-goodness/
4 WEEKS?!
Is that all we’ve got?
Crikey, I’ve got no time to make one but those ones you’ve posted about have given me an idea :)
On Dec first our children receive a small photo album on their advent calendar. Then for each child I put a photo in an envelope for each day of advent. The photos are of things our kids did over the past year or of people special to them. By the time Christmas day arrives the children each have a lovely album of memories. All you really need is a photo album, envelopes and photos.
Oh that is an awesome idea! I might just have to steal that for next year! thanks so much for sharing!
That is so clever. I love it :) What a great tradition!
Fabulous ideas! I like advent bags filled with a Christmas activity…
Thank you for the lovely comment on my blog. It made my day!
ooohhh… i really like the snap lock bag one! so cool!
I have another one for you that I am making. You use little craft pegs and peg children socks onto xmas ribbon. We even have number stickers to stick on. very easy and kids can help!
I love Maya Made’s toilet roll calendars.
I’m planing on making my quick and easy leaf calendar again this year http://www.littleecofootprints.com/2010/11/green-eco-nature-advent-calender-tutorial.html