2024 Best Advent Calendars for Kids: 15+ Exciting Choices for Christmas Countdown
In this post: Discover the best advent calendars of 2024 for kids! Check out these exciting choices for Christmas Countdown with little ones. Post contains affiliate links.
The holiday season is full of magic and anticipation, and what better way to count down the days than with a fun-filled, educational, and engaging advent calendar? From science kits and LEGO sets to chocolate treats and storybooks, and even a Spanish advent calendar for bilingual kids, these calendars are perfect for kids with a variety of interests. Below, I’ve gathered 15 of the best advent calendars for kids in 2024 that will add excitement to every December morning!
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Tips for Choosing the Perfect Advent Calendar for Kids
When searching for the perfect advent calendar for your little one, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices out there. I always want to make sure an advent calendar adds to the magic of the season, not just to a pile of forgotten trinkets. Here are a few tips to help you choose one that’s truly meaningful, exciting, and enriching for your child:
Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
- Look for calendars that emphasize quality items rather than simply filling each day with random trinkets. Thoughtfully designed calendars with durable pieces, whether they’re mini-books, toys, or craft supplies, ensure that each day’s surprise is something your child can enjoy and keep using even after the holidays.
Spark Daily Excitement
- The best advent calendars build anticipation, offering something genuinely exciting each day. Choose calendars with surprises that align with your child’s interests, like favorite characters or themes, so each morning reveal feels special and motivating.
Learn New Things
- Advent calendars can be an incredible way to create learning moments that feel magical. From science experiments to geography-based calendars, look for options that inspire curiosity and open the door to new discoveries. These types of calendars make it easy for your family to explore fascinating topics together, adding depth and wonder to the holiday season.
Encourage Hands-On Activities
- Consider calendars that promote hands-on learning or creativity, such as building sets, crafts, or DIY kits. These interactive options keep kids engaged and give them something to look forward to working on each day, sparking creativity and keeping them busy over the winter break.
With these tips in mind, you can choose an advent calendar that won’t just be a fleeting holiday novelty but something that sparks joy, encourages exploration, and adds meaningful value to each December morning.
2024 Advent Calendar Top Picks
Short on time? Check out the top 5 most popular advent calendars for 2024!
1. National Geographic Gemstone Advent Calendar
- This calendar is perfect for kids who love exploring the natural world. Each day reveals a unique gemstone, like tiger’s eye and amethyst, leading up to a final excavation where kids can dig out a beautiful rose quartz. It’s a hands-on way to discover geology, bringing the excitement of uncovering treasures right to your home.
2. KiwiCo Santa’s Railroad Advent Calendar
- This festive, creative advent calendar from KiwiCo allows kids to build their own North Pole-inspired train set! With 24 daily projects, kids add pieces to a snowy railroad scene, complete with elves, lampposts, and even a light-up furnace. Each envelope holds a new craft or decoration to add, making it an ideal choice for kids who love pretend play, art, and design. Plus, the adorable envelopes double as holiday décor!
3. LEGO Harry Potter Advent Calendar
- For young witches and wizards, this calendar is pure magic. Each day features a new Harry Potter mini-figure, prop, or scene from Hogwarts, letting kids build and play in the wizarding world throughout December. From characters to iconic items like the Hogwarts Express, it’s a magical addition to the holiday season that Harry Potter fans will love.
4. LEGO Disney Princess Advent Calendar
- This enchanting calendar invites kids into a Disney princess wonderland. With mini builds and characters like Elsa, Moana, and Tiana, each day offers something to bring classic Disney stories to life. It’s perfect for princess fans who want a mix of building fun and imaginative play with a holiday twist.
5. Spanish Book Advent Calendar
- Of course I had to find a Spanish advent calendar for kids! A gem for bilingual families, this advent calendar includes 24 mini-books with Spanish stories, activities, or vocabulary. It’s a wonderful way to practice language skills while cozying up for storytime each day. Perfect for adding a cultural and educational dimension to your holiday countdown, making learning Spanish a festive, family tradition.
Shop the Top Advent Calendars
More Fun-Filled Advent Calendars for Kids to Brighten the Season
6. Polly Pocket Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar
- This calendar transforms into a miniature winter wonderland playset, featuring four levels and eight rooms for festive play. Each day, kids reveal new surprises, including micro Polly and Shani dolls, holiday decorations, and winter-themed accessories. It’s a perfect choice for fans of Polly Pocket and adds a cozy, magical vibe to the season.
7. Playmobil Christmas Under the Rainbow Advent Calendar
- Imaginative play takes center stage with this charming Playmobil set. Kids can build a festive holiday scene featuring princesses, a prince, Pegasus, and even a little charm bracelet. Each day adds a new character or accessory, letting kids bring their own holiday fairytale to life.
8. Play-Doh Advent Calendar
- Perfect for creative play, this calendar includes 24 cans of Play-Doh and daily surprise tools to help kids build a snowy scene. With colorful play mats and festive activity cards, it’s ideal for hands-on fun and artsy holiday projects, keeping kids entertained all season long.
9. LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar
- Star Wars and LEGO fans alike will love this galaxy-inspired countdown. Each day unveils a mini figure or build that’s iconic to the Star Wars universe, from droids to starships, creating a mini galactic adventure that brings a bit of space magic to the holiday season.
10. National Geographic Science Kit & Rock Collection Advent Calendar
- For young scientists, this calendar combines STEM activities with rock collecting. Each day, kids will uncover a science experiment or gemstone specimen, leading to a final dig for pyrite (fool’s gold). From glowing test tubes to crystal growing, it’s a hands-on experience that’s as educational as it is exciting.
11. Bluey Advent Calendar Book Bundle
- This calendar is perfect for Bluey fans, featuring 24 mini-books with stories like The Beach and Grannies, along with coloring and activity books. Kids can enjoy a new Bluey story each day, and the reusable design makes it a holiday staple for years to come.
12. National Geographic Kids Magic Set Advent Calendar
- Budding magicians will love this calendar, which features props for classic tricks like cups and balls, card tricks, and even a magic wand. Each day introduces a new trick with video instructions, making it perfect for kids eager to learn and perform their own magic show.
13. Playmobil Christmas Baking Advent Calendar
- This sugar-free advent calendar lets kids set up a holiday baking scene with adorable Playmobil characters and accessories. It even includes full-size cookie cutters, making it a sweet addition for young bakers who want to get creative in the kitchen.
14. Shocking Science Advent Calendar by The Purple Cow
- For curious kids, this calendar reveals science tricks and experiments that explore physics, illusions, and chemistry. Each day offers a new mind-bending activity, perfect for hands-on learning and family fun with a STEM twist.
15. My World Advent Calendar
- Travel the world without leaving home! Each day, kids “visit” a new country, stamp their passport, and complete a unique arts and crafts project inspired by that culture. It’s an engaging way to learn about different places, perfect for fostering curiosity about the world.
16. Family Games Advent Calendar by The Purple Cow
- This calendar is packed with classic games and family favorites, from dice and card games to mini bowling and hopscotch. Each day reveals a new game, making it a fun way for families to bond, unplug, and enjoy screen-free activities together throughout December.
17. LEGO Marvel Spider-Man Advent Calendar
- Marvel fans can count down to Christmas with Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Miles Morales, and Venom. Each day reveals mini builds inspired by New York City scenes from the Spider-Man movies, including a hot-dog cart and Electro’s winter tree. It’s perfect for creating Super Hero adventures long after the holiday season.
Want to make your own instead?
For a cozy, nature-inspired advent countdown, try making your own DIY winter spiral with acorn cap candles. This craft is a beautiful way to bring light to the dark winter days and create a memorable family tradition. Using salt dough to shape a spiral, we placed acorn cap candles along the way, lighting one each evening as we count down to Christmas. Each morning, a tiny surprise appears by the spiral, making the countdown extra magical. This project is also a great way to bring Spanish learning into your winter activities by practicing words like espiral (spiral), vela (candle), and calendario de adviento (advent calendar).
Give the gift of Spanish this season!
Want to invest in a gift that keeps on giving? My Spanish curricula and bilingual workbooks are designed to make Spanish learning fun and memorable for kids and families of all ages. With hands-on, nature-inspired activities, these resources help you and your children immerse in Spanish in ways that feel natural and engaging.
Whether you’re homeschooling, adding Spanish to your family’s daily life, teaching in a classroom, or simply enriching your children’s language skills, these resources make thoughtful, meaningful gifts. Each workbook and course is crafted to be flexible and supportive of diverse learning styles, providing families with the tools to make language learning an exciting part of everyday life. This holiday season, give the gift of Spanish and support your family’s journey with resources that make every step rewarding!
Explore Spanish Curricula
Explore Spanish Workbooks
Advent calendars are a magical way to make the countdown to Christmas exciting for kids of all ages. From LEGO sets and Play-Doh surprises to hands-on science kits and storybook collections, these popular advent calendars will make each December morning feel a little more special.
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