Make Your Own Advent Calendar Filler Ideas

Susan Luxford
Nov 2, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Oct 20

I've never personally, been a fan of giving my sons chocolate everyday of December for Christmas Advent, so have always sourced alternatives to still make it special, along with the occasional chocolate coin added! With my eldest son now 8 years old, I'm sharing the different things we have done over the years to fill our advent, and offer suggestions for how you can fill yours! All the toys in store that we think make suitable advent fillers can be found here, under Advent Calendar Fillers.

Nativity Set

For the first couple of years, I placed our wooden Nativity Set pieces into the advent, and we slowly built up the nativity scene during December. At the shop we stock wooden animals and nativity sets from Lanka Kade. For babies and toddlers, only doing the last 7-10 days of advent is possibly enough for them.

For those wanting to do a full advent, animals associated with travellers, shepherds and Kings from around the world and barn animals, can also be used. Artisanal nativities depict animals such as camels, sheepdogs, oxen, peacocks, hens, doves and robins, horses, goats, and also exotic animals such as elephants, monkeys and parrots.

Christmas Advent Book

If you have never had a Christmas Advent Book then I highly recommend one. There are many different ones on the market now and we've had the same advent book we've used for a number of years, which the kids love, forming our own family tradition. In stock we have the delightful Christmas Is Coming by Chronicle Books, Letters From the North Pole and Christmas Is Coming To Town. An advent book features traditional Christmas activities that can be done daily such as recipes, games, songs to sing, stories to read and Christmas crafts such as snowflakes and garlands. They are a wonderful way to build the excitement during December, and if you do not manage to do all the activities included, it doesn't matter as there is next year to do the ones you miss! These advent books are also a fantastic alternative to the waste of Elf On The Shelf.

Jigsaws and Puzzles

Puzzles, jigsaws and magnetic sets make great advent fillers. Children enjoy seeing their creation come to life one piece at a time; guessing what the final picture might be and taking in the details of each individual piece. Small children will enjoy 6, 12 or 24 piece jigsaws whilst older children will enjoy a bigger detailed puzzle of 48 (2 pieces/day) 96 (4 pieces/day) or 100 pieces in their advent.

To see our full range of Jigsaws and Puzzles in stock browse here.

Colouring Books

My son loves maze puzzles, so one year I bought a book of them and removed all the pages to use in his advent! He then received a maze puzzle every day for advent that he enjoyed doing at breakfast before school.

So whether it be colouring books, puzzle books, tattoos or stickers. consider if they can be broken up and spread across an advent for a fun small daily activity.

Themed Play Sets

Last year I made my own DIY advent play set using a regular play set I could separate out over 24 days. Playpress Play Sets work well for advent calendars in this way. Their Santa's Midnight Sleigh Ride set is 42 pieces, but any playset in the Playpress range can be used to create an advent. If you have a set with too many pieces, you can always do days where they receive two small pieces together. If you have not enough, the advent can be supplemented with chocolate!

Games and Flash Cards

Card based games and sets also work well in advents. All children love to collect things! Children will eagerly anticipate the next card and what it might be!

Christmas Figures

Build up the excitement to Christmas day with Christmas characters in their advent.

There are 16 Christmas figures from Lanka Kade and there are also 6 Arctic Animals that would compliment: Polar Bear, Brown Bear, Narwhal, Walrus, Seal and Whale.

A Keepsake collection for years to come.