7 Advent Calendar Crafts for Kids

Instead of buying an advent calendar at the store, make one of these easy advent calendars with your kids this year. The seven ideas below range from the traditional candy-and-trinket calendars, to more creative options to help your family make priceless holiday memories. Most of these advent calendar crafts are simple enough for even the youngest ones in the family to assist with, and you probably have most of the materials on hand already.

If your kids are having trouble looking past the presents to see the true meaning of Christmas, an advent blessing jar can help them reframe the holiday and celebrate what they already have, rather than focusing on what they want. It's easy to make and rewarding to do with your family––and we're always looking for an excuse to break out our stash of washi tape.

Need a super easy advent calendar craft for kids? Try this paper chain advent calendar. The blogger's instructions are to take a link off of the tree every day until there's only one left on Christmas morning, but you could also do the opposite and add a link a day until you have a finished Christmas tree!

How fun is this multi-colored Christmas light advent calendar? So fun! Fill each bulb with a little something special––they're the perfect size for a small piece of candy or sticker. Hang the calendar on your mantle and use it year after year. 

Gather 24 paper cups and some bakers twine and you're halfway to making the cutest advent calendar for your home. Have your kids write the numbers on each of the cups, but don't let them see the goodies you hide inside––it's a surprise!

After buying the 24 cotton muslin bags for this project, you only need a few more things for this festive Christmas advent calendar and you probably have them around the house already. Your kiddos will love opening each little bag every day during December. Not only is this calendar adorable, it's another option that can be used year after year too.

If you're looking for a children's advent calendar that doesn't involve chocolates or candy, take a peek at this project. You'll fill a jar with 25 days worth of holiday activities, like making cookies together or writing a letter to Santa. This advent calendar needs almost no preparation, you're guaranteed to have all of the materials on hand already, and it takes only minutes to make.

Turn paper cups into Santa's reindeer with this project, then clip them to a ribbon or string to create a festive garland that doubles as an advent calendar. Don't forget to put treats or trinkets into each cup for your kids to discover!