Before motherhood, I used advent calendars as a way to introduce mindfulness into the holiday season. It was born out of the wish to slow down the pace as the year ended. It entailed a list of activities that Mike and I had to do. Activities such as see holiday lights, drink hot cocoa, or play a boardgame. It got us away from the whirlwind of holidays past – with the frenetic shopping and saying YES to every party or get-together. It kept us home, instead of searching for things to do, which usually required money during this season. The activities weren’t always tied to a date. We would pluck a notecard from the calendar and choose to do a simple activity that day. Here are a few posts I wrote about advent calendars before kids.
- My Free Advent Calendar 2022
- My 2023 Activity Advent Calendar
- An Advent Calendar for a Slow Holiday Season
Advent Calendar IDEA for Parents with Toddlers
Now that we have kids, my attention has shifted a bit. Mike and I still do advent calendars but we started a new tradition. Since my son’s birth, we have been ordering the Coffee Advent Calendar from 19 grams. We get the espresso box, and every morning, we make a shot of espresso for each of us. Using our coffee tasting skills, we try to discern the process, country of origin and tasting notes. I know it’s a bit nerdy, but it is a beautiful way to connect before the kids wake up in the morning. It also forces us to slow down before the day’s rush and hone in on our senses. Coffee tasting requires us to breathe, sip, and think. We get so much joy when we get it right!
Advent Calendar For Toddlers
Wanting to carry the tradition of advent calendars to the next generation, we purchased this reusable Heirloom Canvas Advent Calendar from Cotton Lane. There are many other brands out there. I know some moms really like the Gathre Advent Calendar. There is also this festive one from Pehr that I really like. But to be honest, anything that has compartments works. Depending on what you do for the calendar, even a large basket can old daily wrapped goodies!
What’s different for the kids is that I use the calendar as a way to foster joy. As they grow older, I want it to instill excitement for the BIG day. Looking forward to a new surprise each morning is so fun, especially in toddlerhood when their attention is in the here and now. Of course, as they get older, I can introduce mindfulness in my own way. Such as tying activities that spread Christmas cheer or promote giving or goodwill.
To be honest, the advent calendar still functions as a reminder for ME to slow it down. Except now, I need to slow it down and cherish these little memories in this fleeting pocket of time. I already see how differently my oldest experiences the holidays every year. And he is only 2.5 years old.
So how do you fill or make an Advent Calendar?
Advent Calendar IDEAS for Toddlers
Once you’ve decided how the Advent Calendar can best serve you and your family (whether it be instill joy, create excitement, slow it down, teach mindfulness, spread goodwill, etc), you can fill each day with something that promotes that. Here are a few advent calendar ideas for toddlers! Most of these ideas are FREE by the way. Most of them are easy and require little prep work.
- LIBRARY BOOK ADVENT CALENDAR. I introduced advent calendars to Casey the year he was born in the form of library books. We went to the library and I checked out 24 books. I placed them in a big basket and stuck a post-it with a number (1-24) on each one. I wanted to share with him my love of books from day one! Every day, we read one of the books from the library. I have done it every year since. This year, I wrap the books in a bit of paper with a bow and place it at the breakfast table. He loves to read in the mornings, sometimes while eating breakfast! I will collect them in a basket so we can enjoy the books we have already opened in the evening. This idea does not require a reusable advent calendar!
- ORNAMENTS FOR A LITTLE TREE. Big Little Universe sold an advent calendar that had a felt ornament for each day leading up to Christmas. On the packaging, there were also little mindful messages for the toddler! They sold out of them but going to a local store and buying tiny ornaments for the kids is easy to do. Even a vintage store or a dollar store will have options that are affordable! Or you can make paper ornaments if you like to craft and have time. I then went to World Plus Market and bought a tiny fake tree for $10. Every morning, they get to see which ornament they have and hang it on their tree so that by Christmas Eve, they have a fully decorated tree! I found this book, How to Decorate a Tree, in the library so this is what we are reading on the first day.
- ACTIVITY CARDS. This is in line with what I had done before kids. Every day, have them discover an activity card in the calendar pocket. Depending on the function you want the advent calendar to serve, you can choose activities that elicit joy, spread goodwill, or introduces mindfulness. While there are cards readily printable available on Etsy, you can easily make these at home with stock paper or notecards and a pen. It does not have to be fancy.
- RECIPES. Does your toddler love to cook? Having a recipe to be made every day is a great way to introduce cooking to your little one. Our son has loved his Piccalio Kitchen Ladder since he was 1.5 years old! Last Christmas we got him this Chef hat and coat from Pottery Barn too. This is a great way to have your toddler help meal prep and connect with them. This also teaches them important life skills. And if you wish to incorporate good will, share the food you make with neighbors when there is extra! Go on a walk and deliver the treats to their doorstep.
- YEAR’S OVERVIEW PHOTO ALBUM. I love this idea of printing 24 photos from the year past. Some of the best memories such as vacations, birthdays, or just every day moments! Every morning, reveal the photo and ask the child what their favorite part about that memory was. Write it down on the back of the photo. And then place the photo in a small photo album. I like polaroid pictures or even tiny photos printed from CVS is good. Mochi Things has a bunch of cute options! Oh and if you need a stocking stuffer idea for you camera loving toddler, check out this Mini Mickey Mouse camera from Kiimento!
As always, I love to hear ideas so please feel free to share yours in the comments below!
Photo by Charlotte Cowell on Unsplash
