50 Ideas for A Family Activity Advent Calendar

I have been making activity advent calendars for the last decade, ever since my girls were little. It’s a really fun tradition that I love as much as the kids. I’m glad that I can continue it with the boys, even now the girls are grown up, although they still join in with some of the activities!

We love the Christmas season, and always do lots of fun activities and crafts in the run-up to the big day – this is a great way to spread the fun throughout the whole month. Christmas gifts are a lovely bonus but they are not what I like to focus on. I’d rather think about the memories that we make – having fun as a family, spending time with friends, making traditions, and spreading a little cheer.

I try to keep it fairly simple – from decorating the Christmas tree to making reindeer food, Christmas crafts and a few trips out – maybe to a panto, Christmas market or funfair. You can adapt it to fit your family and what you enjoy doing.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is to have a ‘cheat sheet’ – with all the activities and dates written down. One year I put the activities in sealed envelopes for the kids to open, and then kept forgetting what we’d be doing the next day! I also make sure that I’ve bought any craft kits and supplies before December so I am ready to go for everything!

51 Activity Ideas for Your Calendar

1. Take an evening walk and look at the Christmas lights
2. Read a Christmas Story
3. Make Christmas Paper Dolls
4. Make a Gingerbread House
5. Celebrate the Solstice
6. Make a button ornament for the tree
7. Make paperchains
8. Go to a Christmas Market
9. Make Cinnamon Ornaments
10. Go out for Hot Chocolate
11. Make Bottle Top Snowmen
12. Decorate the Tree
13. Make Reindeer Food
14. Bake Christmas Cookies
15. Make a window garland
16. Make paper snowflakes
17. Watch Christmas cartoons
18. Make Christmas cards
19. Make Paper Lanterns
20. Swap me for the Christmas Eve Box
21. Organise a Secret Santa with your family
22. Go to the winter funfair
23. GO Christmas Caroling
24. Watch a Christmas Concert
25. Watch the Nutcracker Ballet
26. Make Christmas Playdough
27. Make Snow Globes
28. Decorate Pine Cones to make a table centerpiece
29. Make a Pine Cone Birdfeeder
30. Have a living room dance party to a Christmas album
31. Unwrap and read a new Christmas book
32. Check your shoes on St Nicolas Day – {December 6th [Leave a few sweets hidden in the kids shoes.}
33. Watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
34. Watch Elf
35. Watch The Polar Express
36. Watch The Grinch
37. Watch A Christmas Carol
38. Watch Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
39. Watch It’s a Wonderful Life
40. Make a Poinsettia Bouquet
41. Make thumbprint snowmen
42. Colour some Christmas pictures
43. Make thank-you cards for after Christmas
44. Hang some mistletoe and give everyone a kiss
45. Make a popcorn garland
46. Decorate a wreath
47. Visit Santa’s Grotto
48. Deck the halls with boughs of holly
49. Make footprint reindeer
50. Make salt dough ornaments
51. Go to a Panto