40 Best Toy Advent Calendars for Kids Who Are Counting Down the Day Until Christmas
Because everyone wants a little treat each day.
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In my house, advent calendars are a big deal. Last year, we had six advent calendars going at one time. In fairness, some of them were gifts, and one (but only one) was chocolate. Still, my family loved the uplifting moment each night when we got to open our (many) doors and see the trinkets inside.
For families looking for a great gift for kids or who want to start a similar ritual in their houses, these are the best toy advent calendars for kids. Some are full of their favorite characters and collectibles. Others offer an activity to do each day in addition to a gift. And some are even educational, with little science lessons or brain-boosting puzzles to do every day. Grab one—or six?—and make the countdown to Christmas feel less long.
Kids who love to build with magnetic construction sets can add 34 small pieces to their collection with this Magna-Tiles advent calendar. They'll get the pieces they need to make a Santa figure and a conductor figure, too. Ages 3+
When they're done opening all the doors of this advent calendar, they'll have a whole play set of pieces they can use to pretend to bake cookies with their 18-inch American Girl dolls. There are play gingerbread cookies, cookie cutters, ingredients, cooking tools, dishware, and a festive apron for the dolls to wear. Ages 6+
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With this set, kids can help the Heeler family celebrate Christmas by putting up a tree, wearing holiday sweaters, and having all sorts of holiday fun! It comes with figures of Bluey, Bingo, Muffin, and Socks in their holiday outfits, plus cardboard cutouts of other characters and accessories. And for Bluey completists, there's also a calendar with a "Christmas Swim" theme, or a classic Bluey advent calendar. Ages 3+
It's party season in Barbie Land! On the first day of this calendar, they'll open a full-size Barbie doll, and the rest of the days are full of outfits and accessories kids can use to dress her up for a holiday or birthday party. Or, for kids who like to keep things small and cute, there's also the Barbie Mini Land Collectible Advent Calendar. Ages 3+
Kids who like stuffies will get a lift opening up a new, adorable plush every day. There are five different shapes, including seasonally appropriate ones like wreaths, and foodie favorites like fries and nuggets. Then there are five different variations on each shape, for 25 fuzzy friends in all. Each one has a loop so it can hang from a tree (or backpack). Ages 0+
For real little ones, this one offers 24 wooden farm animals, so they can practice their "baas" and "moos." The pieces are almost block-like, so toddlers can set them up themselves and use them for imaginative play. Ages 2+
Dino fans will really dig this calendar, which will add 18 miniature dinosaur figures to their collection. The largest one comes in three pieces that snap together. There are also environment pieces, so they can set up a whole play scene. Ages 4+
This one gives kids interlocking Plus Plus pieces every day that they can use to make snowmen, reindeer, a sleigh, and Santa Claus, among others. Then, when the holidays are over, kids can disassemble them and use the pieces for open-ended play, since every piece fits with every other piece, and they can be used however kids like. Ages 5+
Fill their days leading up to Christmas with palatial, princessy thoughts. This calendar comes with three princesses dolls in their holiday dresses, plus plenty of friends and other accessories. Or, if only one royal's name is on their lips, there's also the Disney Frozen Advent Calendar. Ages 3+
In my house, the unveiling of the LEGO advent calendar slate is a highly anticipated event every year. This time around, there are six LEGO advent calendar sets: LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Minecraft, LEGO Frozen, LEGO Harry Potter, LEGO City, and LEGO Friends. Each one comes with a mix of minifigures and small builds that fit the theme, and also have some seasonal touches. Ages 6+
For the littlest revelers who might want to try their first advent calendar, this one comes with chunky, perfect-for-toddler-hands figures of their favorite Disney characters. There's also an ornament included that they can hang on the family tree. Or, if Disney princesses aren't their fave, theres's a Little People advent calendar for Barbie figures. Ages 18 months+
Whether their favorite is Tuxedo Sam, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, Kuromi, or Badtz-Maru (my personal choice), they'll get to collect their favorite Sanrio characters with this calendar. When it's done, they'll have 18 two-inch figures, plus decorations and accessories. In addition, there's a Hello Kitty BLDR advent calendar, which comes with figures that can be built like a construction toy. Ages 6+
After A Minecraft Movie this year, this advent calendar is going to be hotter than Steve's Lava Chicken. It comes with three figures—Santa, a reindeer, and a snow golem—plus fun stickers and accessories, all done up in that pixleated Minecraft style. Ages 6+
Playmobil figures, accessories, decorations and treats come together to make a Christmas scene set at a holiday market. This one is rated for kids ages 4+, but there's also the Playmobil Junior Snowy Christmas advent calendar with chunkier pieces for 1- to 4-year-olds that come together to make a reindeer plane set. In addtion, there's Christmas Under the Rainbow for kids who love unicorns and fairies. Ages 4+
There are some families who look forward to the Disney storybook advent calendar every year—and every year it sells out fast—and this year, with its Stitch theme, should be no exception. There are 24 little stories intended to be read in five minutes each, all about everyone's favorite Experiment 626. If they're not Stitch fans (shocking!), they also have storybook advent calendars for Spidey and His Amazing Friends and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Ages 4+
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When they open all 24 doors of this advent calendar, they can say they caught them all! This calendar features some of their favorite Pokémon characters, including Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and others, along with some accessories to make a holiday scene. Ages 4+
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For kids who love Hot Wheels, this advent calendar will add 10 cool cars to their collections. Better yet, there are also 10 ornament clips so they can hang their favorite vehicles from the tree! Ages 3+
If they love working out puzzles or trying escape rooms, they'll dig this brain-teasing advent calendar. The story centers on an intergalactic race across space, with a very lucrative prize. In order to win, they must solve a riddle or a puzzle every day, each of which brings them closer to escape. Want more brain-boosting fun? There's a similar mystery advent calendar from Clue. Or, for younger kids, Thames & Kosmos also has a science advent calendar. Ages 10+
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If the kids are into at-home science experiments, this will give them a different science-themed activity or trick to do each day. The Purple Cow also has an advent calendar for non-shocking science, or, if they're not into STEM, they have ones for magic tricks and Mr. Men or Little Miss. Ages 8+
If re-watching the Harry Potter movies is a yearly tradition, this advent calendar lets kids re-create their favorite moments at home. It comes with 24 mini figures by Schleich, which is known for its incredible details. Ages 6+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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