We have SO MUCH FUN planning advent activities for our family each Christmas season! Brainstorming ways to spend time together, celebrate the season, and sprinkle the month with a little extra holiday magic is such a happy creative pursuit– but we realize not everyone feels the same way about this planning process. So, we thought we’d help out and share 100+ advent activity ideas for your family to enjoy this season!
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To Give:
Donate outgrown toys and clothes (we suggest looking for local women’s shelters accepting donations first)
Shop for a child or family from an angel tree
Make a donation to a charity of your choice
Gift socks and mittens to a shelter
Donate supplies to an animal shelter
Shop for (or make) a gift for your pet
Make reindeer food for Santa’s reindeer
Donate to a food pantry
Create a gift for your teacher
Make a treat for your neighbors
To See or Experience:
Walk/drive around your neighborhood to look at lights
Attend a tree lighting ceremony
Go to The Nutcracker
Go to a light festival
Visit Santa
Holiday train ride
Go to a nativity play
Attend a holiday play
Go to a candlelight service
Check out a Christmas Bazaar
Go to a holiday parade
To Make:
Design Christmas wrapping paper (buy a roll of kraft paper from the dollar store and give it to your kiddos with markers, stamps, and stickers!)
Candy cane cardboard craft (tutorial coming soon!)
Make snow ice cream
Cut paper snowflakes
Make Snowman Soup
Reindeer pancakes for breakfast
Sew stockings for your pets
Compile a Christmas Music Playlist
Popsicle stick snowflake ornaments (tutorial coming soon!)
Holiday bird feeder ornaments (we use this recipe, but omit the corn syrup)
Craft your own Christmas cards
Make a Christmas wreath (tutorial coming soon!)
Make a winter collection with things you find outside
Bake and decorate Christmas cookies
Make Christmas bark
Draw a Christmas picture
Make a plate of treats for your mail carrier
Christmas tree waffles for breakfast
Make a countdown to Christmas paper chain
Make holiday shirts (tutorial coming soon!)
Build a snowman or snow fort
Glitter pine cones
Holiday footprint craft
Pipe cleaner and bead snowflakes
Make Puppy Chow
Salt dough snowmen (or baking soda dough snowmen– we use this tutorial for the dough)
Invent a new holiday cookie
Make jingle bell bracelets (tutorial coming soon!)
String a holiday garland
Make Christmas candy
Play dough Christmas trees
Make reindeer antler headbands
Build your own snow globe (tutorial coming soon!)
Make a cardboard gingerbread house
See our favorite Christmas Craft ideas HERE
To Receive:
New Christmas/winter books (Our favorite Christmas books HERE)
Christmas Craft Box (this year’s Christmas Craft box coming soon!)
New Christmas jammies (we open ours on Thanksgiving so we can enjoy them all season!)
Holiday stickers
Festive holiday accessories (nail polish, hair clips, socks, hats)
New room decorations (garlands, lights, prints, pillows)
Holiday cookie cutters
New ornament
To Do:
Write a letter to Santa
Grinch Night (All green dinner and movie marathon)
Cut down your Christmas tree
Take a Winter walk
Go caroling
Decorate your Christmas tree
Christmas music dance party
Decorate your door
Host a Christmas karaoke party
Dinner by the Christmas tree
Put Christmas lights up
Decorate your room
Go ice skating
Mail Christmas letters
Cozy up and watch your favorite Christmas movie
Christmas sing along
Festive manicure or pedicure
Snuggle up and read through a stack of Christmas books
Host or attend an ugly sweater party
Go sledding
Visit a book store to look for a new holiday book
Look through/display photos of past Christmas seasons
Decorate a Gingerbread House
Host a Christmas wrapping gathering
Take Christmas photos
Slumber party by the Christmas tree
Go sledding
Host a holiday party
Make up a Christmas play
Leave candy canes on your neighbors’ doors
Decorate an ice cream cone Christmas tree
Home Alone Night! (Cheese pizza, ice cream sundaes, watch the movie)
To Play:
Play in the Snow
Have a Sock “snowball” fight
Christmas matching game
Build a Holiday mini obstacle course
Eye-spy Christmas lights game
Spot it! Holiday game (perfect to carry in a purse or bag and use throughout the day)
Work on a Christmas puzzle
Holiday Mad Libs
Candy cane hunt
Play peppermint candy tic tac toe
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Tomorrow we’ll share our best tips for simple and stress-free advent activities!
See recaps from our 2018 Advent Activities HERE and HERE!
You can follow along with our daily Advent Activities on Instagram!
