Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Activity Advent Calendar
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Activity Advent Calendar is a free printable Christmas countdown with a twist. Instead of opening a door for a sweet, children get something to do and make. It is a gentle way to get creative in the weeks before Christmas, and it needs no special equipment to start.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print the sheet, put it somewhere everyone can see it, and use it with your child, your class or your home education group.
What is on the sheet
This is a calendar for the run up to Christmas, built around things to do rather than things to eat. Children work through it over the Advent season, taking each activity as it comes and using their own ideas to make it theirs. It suits shared time with a grown up, but many children will enjoy leading it. Colouring, making and talking all fit well alongside it.
Getting ready to use your calendar
Make a small supplies tin
Collect paper, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, safety scissors, string and scraps of wrapping paper in one box. When an activity needs something, children know where to look.
Choose a display spot
Stick the calendar on a fridge door, a classroom wall or the back of a door. A place you pass every day helps everyone remember to use it.
Look ahead on Sundays
Spend two minutes reading the next few days together. Swap an activity if it clashes with a busy day, so the calendar always feels easy to do.
Keep what you make
Use a folder or a shoebox for finished work. By Christmas, your child will have a small collection to share with family.
What is Advent?
Advent is the season before Christmas in the Christian calendar. The word comes from a Latin word meaning arrival. Advent starts on a Sunday near the end of November or the start of December, and it runs up to Christmas Eve. Many families and schools use it as a time to count down the days and get ready.
Advent calendars are a well loved tradition in the UK. Most begin on 1 December and finish on 24 December. An activity version keeps the excitement of the countdown but puts the focus on doing something together. Children practise planning, making and sharing, and they have something to look forward to each day.
Some Christmas activities involve scissors, the kitchen, candles, hot glue or anything hot. Adults do the dangerous part every time. Children can help with safe jobs, such as decorating, choosing or tidying up. Keep real candles and heat sources well away from paper decorations.
Quick Advent facts
- Christmas Day is on 25 December.
- The word Advent comes from a Latin word that means arrival.
- Many advent calendars start on 1 December and end on 24 December.
- Advent is a time of waiting and getting ready for Christmas.
- People in many countries use advent calendars, and they come in many different styles.
Skills and curriculum link
- Creativity
- Following instructions
- Fine motor control
- Planning ahead
- Speaking and listening
- Sharing ideas
Ideas to make the calendar work
- Keep it shortTen to twenty minutes a day is plenty. A short activity that gets finished feels better than a long one that gets dropped.
- Let children chooseOffer two ways to do an activity and let your child pick. Ownership keeps children interested.
- Use what you haveRecycled card, old wrapping paper and cardboard tubes all work well. Few activities need anything bought.
- Make it a habitDo the activity at the same time each day, such as after breakfast or before story time. A regular slot helps it stick.
Key words
- AdventThe weeks leading up to Christmas.
- CalendarA chart that shows days in order.
- CountdownCounting the days left until something happens.
- TraditionSomething families or communities do year after year.
- CreativeMaking up your own ideas and trying new ways to do things.
- DecorationSomething made or hung up to make a place look festive.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and put it where everyone can see it.
- Look at the calendar together and talk about what your child is looking forward to.
- Gather what you need before you start each activity, and ask a grown up to do any cutting with sharp tools or anything hot.
- Do the activity, and let your child lead where they can. Praise effort and ideas, not just how it looks.
- Talk about it afterwards. Ask what they liked, what they would change and who they might share it with.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose the activity for the day with your child and gather the materials first. Give a clear first step, then step back. If an idea feels too big, shrink it. A simple drawing or a short card is a fine result.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to design an extra activity for the calendar. They write instructions, list what is needed and test it on someone at home. Then they ask for feedback and make one change to improve it.
Make it a game
Hide a few small festive objects in a room, such as paper stars. Children search for them while you count down from a number you choose. Swap roles so they can hide the items and count for you.
Talk about it
- Which activity are you most looking forward to, and why?
- What could you make that would make someone smile?
- How would you change an activity so it feels like your own idea?
- What do you like about counting down to Christmas?
- Who could you share something you have made with?
- What was the trickiest part today, and how did you solve it?
Take it off the page
Paper chain countdown
Cut strips of coloured paper, write a kind thought on each and link them into a chain. An adult does any cutting with sharp tools. Remove one link a day.
Christmas story corner
Make a cosy reading spot with cushions and a blanket. Choose a festive book to share a little at a time.
Thank you cards
Fold paper to make cards. Children draw a picture and write a short message for a friend, neighbour or relative.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first few days, then let them lead. Keep materials in one place and keep activities short. If a day is busy, do a quick version or swap it for another day.
Teachers
Use it as a calm morning task, a Friday choosing activity or a countdown routine in December. Pick activities that fit your lessons and adapt them for your class. Check school rules before using food, heat or glue.
Home educators
The calendar works well as a flexible part of a December timetable. Children can link activities to art, writing, speaking and listening or design and making. Keep a folder of finished work as a simple record of what they have done.
Where this fits
Before using a calendar like this, children benefit from practising simple routines, such as counting days, following short instructions and finishing a small task. Plenty of creative play with paper, pens and craft materials helps too.
After Advent, children can build on these habits by planning their own projects, making their own calendars for other events and writing instructions for others to follow. Those skills support art and design, English and design and technology at primary level.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is the Activity Advent Calendar free?
Yes. It is a free printable from the Mini Minds Hub by Jaques of London. You can download it, print it at home or school and use it as many times as you like.
- What do I need to use it?
You need a printer, paper and some basic craft supplies such as pencils, crayons and glue. Check what each activity asks for before you begin, so you can gather items in advance.
- Can I start it after 1 December?
Yes. Start when it suits you and do the activities in a way that works for your family or class. You can catch up on missed days or simply skip them.
- Do children need an adult to help?
Often yes, especially for younger children. Adults should always do cutting with sharp tools and anything involving the kitchen, candles or heat. Older children can do the safe parts alone.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes. It works well as a December routine or a calm end of day activity. Choose activities that suit your class, and follow your school's rules on materials, food and safety.
- How long does each activity take?
That depends on the activity and the child. Keeping each one short helps. If something takes longer, split it across two days or finish it at the weekend.
- What if my child does not want to take part?
Do not force it. Offer a choice between two activities, or let them pick which one to do next. Joining in yourself often helps, and some days can be easy and quick.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.