40 Advent Calendar Activities

Every year during the month of December, we do an activity advent calendar. It’s become a favourite family tradition and something the girls look forward to each day. 

Since we don’t do any homeschooling during December, this activity calendar helps keep us busy and entertained. 

It does take a little planning. I try to match activities to plans we already have during the month. For example, Friday night is usually movie night, so it makes sense to schedule a holiday movie night on a Friday. Or maybe we have a concert coming up. Then I make sure that the activity calendar has “Go to a concert” on that day. While it’s a surprise for the girls, I write all the activities in my planner to help keep me organized so it’s not a surprise for me. I can also make any “educational connections” in my planner too. If we are writing letters to Santa, then it’s literacy. Baking cookies is all about math and science. Buying Christmas presents is about math, money and budgeting. 

If you are looking for some ideas, I’ve got 40 here for you! Pick and choose which ones you like. You can also click here to download printable cards with the activities. Just print, cut out and fill your calendar. Done!

40 Advent Calendar Activities

1. Make a gingerbread house
2. Bake and decorate cookies
3. Write a Christmas wish list
4. Send out Christmas cards
5. Have a picnic under the Christmas tree
6. Go to a concert
7. Take holiday pictures with Santa
8. Make paper snowflakes
9. Attend a holiday storytime at a mall or library
10. Go shopping for Christmas presents
11. See the lights around the neighbourhood
12. Have a Christmas carol dance party
13. Set up the nativity and read the nativity story
14. Trim the tree
15. Go on a winter walk
16. Go sledding
17. Go ice skating
18. Make an ornament
19. Wrap presents
20. Build a snowman
21. Draw or paint a winter picture
22. Go to a holiday party
23. Build a fort and read a seasonal book
24. Attend a Christmas Eve service
25. Have a holiday movie night
26. Hot Chocolate and the Polar Express
27. Visit the neighbours with a treat or a card
28. Make a bird feeder
29. Go on a Jingle Bell or Candy Cane hunt
30. Have a snowball fight
31. Have a do nothing/relax/PJ day
32. Christmas Tree campout
33. Video chat a friend or relative
34. Send a nice thank you note to pastors/teachers/coaches
35. Donate to a charity
36. See the Nutcracker
37. Christmas carol sing-along
38. See a Christmas play
39. Volunteer
40. Make snow angels

What’s your favourite holiday tradition? Is it on the list? Let us know! We would love to add some other fun activities to our calendars in the years to come!