Have you started preparing for Christmas yet? The thought of it being only 6 weeks away might be filling you with a combination of excitement and dread - I know it is for me! There is always so much to organise around this time of year. Shopping, cleaning, cooking, coming up with ideas for presents... but also lots of fun stuff!
I have found that since having kids, I actually enjoy Christmas so much more, even if it is busier! Last year, I shared some helpful ideas in my Christmas series for preparing early (read part 1, part 2 and part 3 here). Today it's all about getting the Advent Calendar prepared nice and early with some fantastic activity ideas.
One of the things I made last year was an activity-based Advent Calendar for the kids. It was a relatively quick DIY project, and one that I enjoyed doing because I got to be creative. Here's a little flashback...
I filled each envelope with a fun Christmas activity card. My son (who was 3 years old last year) absolutely loved it and was so excited to open a new envelope each day.
The trick with having activities (rather than chocolates!) was to map out the month of December as much as possible. Activities like seeing the Christmas lights or going to see Santa at the shops, were planned in advance so when the card was selected, it could actually be achieved that day. On the days when I was at work, I selected a simple activity card like 'read a Christmas story', 'colour a Christmas picture' or 'snuggle in Mummy's bed with a favourite story'.
I've created a list of 70 fun Advent Calendar activities for you to choose from that will best suit your family and work/home situation. Some are Christmas-related, and some are just fun things to do! If you need little envelopes to put the activities in, you could make your own (via this tutorial like I did), or if you're strapped for time, you could buy them here, here or Etsy (which has an awesome range). Order now!
Click below for the FREE printable of all the activities, so you can pick and choose which ones you would like, or mix it up each year. Just print, cut and go! I've divided them into the following categories:
In the kitchen
Outings
For others
Crafty
Family
In the kitchen:
1. Make gingerbread men
2. Melt chocolate into Christmas molds
3. Make some 'magic' food to leave out for the reindeer
4. Make hot chocolate
5. Decorate a gingerbread house
6. Bake cookies to leave out for Santa
7. Make popcorn garlands to string on the tree
8. Have a red and green-themed dinner
9. Make snowman and Santa-shaped pancakes
10. Help make the Christmas pudding
Outings:
11. Go get ice-cream after dinner
12. Go see the Christmas lights
13. Visit Santa
14. Have dinner in the park with friends
15. Go to the zoo
16. Go for a swim
17. Go into the city to see the Christmas windows
18. Go to the beach
19. Go to local Christmas carols
20. Buy/choose an outfit to wear on Christmas Day
21. Borrow some Christmas-themed books from the library
22. Attend a Christmas concert
23. Go to the movies
24. Shop for a new Christmas ornament - each child can choose one
25. Ride a Santa train
For Others:
26. Buy a present for someone else and place it under the Wishing Tree (or similar charity)
27. Do something nice for someone else
28. Clean out the toy boxes and donate good-quality items to charity
29. Make gifts and special cards for teachers/babysitters
30. Host a Christmas morning tea party with friends
31. Visit the elderly and hand out some home-baked treats
32. Give gifts to the neighbours
33. Invite a few friends over for a cookie decorating party
34. Put some of your pocket money coins in a charity collection bucket
Crafty:
35. Make homemade presents for others
36. Write a letter to Santa
37. Colour a Chrismas picture
38. Create Christmas cards
39. Mail a Christmas card to a friend or relative who lives overseas
40. Make homemade play dough in Christmas colours (this is my favourite recipe!)
41. Create a paper chain for the tree
42. Make presents for a pet
43. Snow-spray the windows
44. Go on a pinecone hunt and spray-paint them gold to decorate with
45. Make salt dough ornaments (try this recipe)
46. Make a fun Christmas craft (cute ideas here)
47. Make paper snowflakes (try these great templates)
48. Make and decorate an ornament for the tree
Family:
49. Have a family Christmas photo taken
50. Christmafy the house!
51. Read a Christmas story
52. Choose a Christmas tree and decorate it
53. Have a family Christmas-themed movie night
54. Make a silly Christmas video (like this or this - the kids will love it!)
55. Put fairy lights on a tree in the garden
56. Snuggle in Mummy's bed with a favourite story
57. Have a dance party to some Christmas tunes
58. Unwrap and read a new Christmas book
59. Make Christmas wrapping paper
60. Help wrap the Christmas presents
61. Watch home movies from throughout the year
62. Help choose your favourite photos and make a photo book of the year
63. Have a bubble bath with candles and Christmas songs
64. Spread out some blankets in the backyard and do some star-gazing
65. Have a games night
66. Do a Christmas puzzle
67. Read 'The night before Christmas'
68. Make a pillow bed in the lounge room and watch some Christmas cartoons
69. Have a shopping day with mum or dad to buy a present for a sibling/grandparent
70. Watch a personalised video from Santa!
