Our Advent Calendar (Cheap/Free Ideas for Toddlers)

Ooooh I am so excited about this post! I have been working on our Advent calendar since like… August. I can’t help myself. This year especially because it has just been… well, you know. I needed something to keep busy and look forward to and this is it.

Now that Willow is 3 she pretty much gets it and I figured now was a good tine to start this tradition. Fiona is still a bit young but honestly, she will still be excited. She definitely feeds off of Willow’s excitement!

I invested in this Advent calendar. When I saw it, I just knew… it is so stunning! It has a vintage charm to it and it’s going to look beautiful on our shelf year after year. I really hope that the girls love our tradition so much that this will become a family heirloom.

I really love how it is battery-operated so the lights can be enjoyed year after year. Ah, I can’t even tell you how much I love this!!

I wanted to share what we have planned for this year. I planned out the events beforehand on a month of December print-out, typed out the activities, and then cut into strips to put into each drawer on the calendar. For days that have trinkets/gifts, I wrapped or tied up pretty and placed in a bin. I’ll take out what we need as we go!

So here is what we have going on this year…

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Our Advent Calendar

DECEMBER 1: Christmas Pajamas

The thing is, I am always going to buy them Christmas pajamas, so might as well kick the calender off with them. Now they can wear for the whole month. :)

DECEMBER 2: Book

I have a few new Christmas-themed books to give them this year so why not add to the calendar? They will be getting This Is Christmas.

DECEMBER 3: Reindeer Ears

I found cute headbands with reindeer ears at the Dollar Tree. This is a great addition to add to their dress-up basket, too.

DECEMBER 4: Movie Night

Family movie night on a Friday night! We’ll be watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (claymation forever) with all the snacks. I also have the figurines as our usual decor but I thought I would include in the calendar for a little extra magic. Not necessary but, we have them already so why not!

DECEMBER 5: Wooden Ornaments

Time to get creative and paint some wooden ornaments! You can find them at your local craft store or even the Dollar Tree. This will be a fun activity that will also double as a momento. Break out the paint and glitter glue! And try not to worry about the mess. ;)

DECEMBER 6: Toy Cars

I found wooden toy cars for cheap at Target (and the trees, too!)

DECEMBER 7: Candy Cane Lip Balm

Anyone else’s kid obsessed with lip balm? Candy cane/peppermint is a treat.

DECEMBER 8: Make Paper Snowflakes

Another fun craft that is easy and magical – all you need is white paper and kid-friendly scissors! You can also add glitter if you are brave.

DECEMBER 9: Red Mittens

Mittens are something that they already need so I added to the calendar. Find some festive ones!

DECEMBER 10: Book

Another book for our collection, but this time it will be The Little Reindeer.

DECEMBER 11: Candyland

I actually bought Candyland for Willow for her birthday but I decided to hold off until Advent because I thought this would be really fun to teach her how to play one night. Her first board game and family game night – a classic! Fiona is too young but I know she will love it once she is older, too. On this day, I will probably give Fiona some kind of treat.

DECEMBER 12: Glow Stick & Christmas Music Party

The Dollar Tree sells red and green glow sticks. Stock up on an assortment and blast those Christmas tunes when the sun goes down. I am really looking forward to this… both girls are going to be very excited. We love dance parties.

DECEMBER 13: Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows

I grabbed cute toddler-friendly mugs for hot chocolate and a package of Dandie’s mini marshmallows. I used this recipe for mason-jar hot chocolate mix. I love that these mugs are not fragile, have stainless steel inside, and have lids. I highly recommend. They are perfect for little hands.

DECEMBER 14: Christmas Craft

Another craft day that is cheap and fun for littles. I grabbed a few holiday-themed wood/paint crafts at the Dollar Tree.

DECEMBER 15: Book

This will be our first year reading The Polar Express and I am SO EXCITED. I think Willow has the attention span for it now (Fiona is iffy but… we will see).

DECEMBER 16: Peppermint Play-Doh

Homemade peppermint play-doh fun! I used this recipe and stored in a mason jar.

DECEMBER 17: Christmas Stickers

Grab some at your local Dollar Tree or the Target Dollar Spot. It’s something inexpensive yet exciting to toddlers.

DECEMBER 18: Movie Night

Another family movie night planned. On this night, we’ll be watching Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.

DECEMBER 19: Christmas Cookies

We love baking! I bought some Christmas sprinkles and wrapped a few cookie cutters that we already had stored away. We’ll be making gingerbread or sugar cookies – I will let them choose. Mentally preparing for some messy decorating. ;)

DECEMBER 20: Night Drive Looking at Lights

Time to make some hot chocolate to-go and bundle up for a drive through the neighborhood. Looking at lights is one of the most magical parts of the season for me and I hope my kids appreciate them growing up, too.

DECEMBER 21: Chocolate Chips

Not every single day has to be something grand. It can be as simple as a little handful of dark chocolate chips. Everyone loves treats. Especially toddlers.

DECEMBER 22: Bubble Bath

We never really use fancy bath bubbles in the tub so this will be a treat.

DECEMBER 23: Movie Night

Another family movie night! The Grinch (original) is another classic in this house. They both enjoy Dr. Seuss books so I am sure this will be a hit.

DECEMBER 24: Book & Red Nail Polish

The book is for both and the polish is for Willow because she is very into getting her nails done lately, lol. And I figured that we could do them red the day before Christmas. She is going to be VERY excited about this. Fiona is still too young, womp womp. BUT we will be reading The Night Before Christmas together before bed. A great end to our countdown.

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So there you have it – our 2020 Advent calendar! I am really excited for this tradition to grow and evolve over the years. It just adds a little more magic to an already beautiful time of year. I think after this year especially, this is going to be even more special.

Let me now if you guys do Advent calendars and what you include in yours. I am compiling all the ideas for the future! x