Online Advent Calendar Maker

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advent calendar fillers and ideas for kids

Advent calendar fillers and ideas for kids: 24 activities

A kids' advent calendar works better with something to do than something to eat. The activity pack ships with 31 short ideas, and you choose which one sits behind each door.

How to choose what goes behind each door

Think of the calendar as an agenda of 24 small appointments rather than 24 gifts. Alternate the types of idea: making with hands, like paper snowflakes; moving the body, like dancing to three songs; helping, like setting aside a toy to donate; and being together, like reading a page each. Alternating keeps every door from asking for the same effort and gives your busiest days a five minute idea.
Tune it by age. Between 3 and 5, prefer short ideas with a grown-up alongside, 5 to 10 minutes, such as decorating a cookie or building a little cardboard house. Between 6 and 9, you can propose 15 to 20 minute activities with a bit of planning, such as the treasure map. Beyond that, let the child write the doors for a younger sibling. Scissors, ovens and candles always call for an adult nearby, and the suggestions that use those items say so in the text.
In practice, the grown-up edits and the child opens. Pick the Activities with kids pack, tap Fill empty doors and swap two or three doors for things only your house has, such as the dog's name or grandma's. Keep the link on a tablet or on a parent's phone, and the child sees the door pulsing on the right day. Because each door opens only on its own date, they cannot burn through everything on day one, which is the reason this format exists.

Five ideas from the pack

Door 1

Input: #1
Expected output: ✂️

Cut out paper snowflakes and tape them all over your bedroom window. Paper and scissors, with an adult nearby.

Door 2

Input: #2
Expected output: 🍪

Cookie time! Everyone decorates their own any way they like. Pair it with a free weekend.

Door 7

Input: #7
Expected output: 🌟

Make a paper star and hang it where you will see it every day. Paper and string are enough.

Door 20

Input: #20
Expected output: 🧸

Choose a toy to donate. Ask a grown-up how to deliver it. A generosity idea for close to Christmas.

Door 24

Input: #24
Expected output: 🤗

Give three good-night hugs today and tell each person one thing you like about them. Closes the calendar on Christmas Eve.

Full tool FAQ

How do I make an online advent calendar and send it to someone?

Fill in the doors (or tap Fill empty doors to use the ready-made suggestions), copy the link or tap WhatsApp, and send it. Whoever opens the link sees the calendar on their own phone and can open each door only on its day. There is no sign-up, account or email.

How does the link hold the calendar without a server?

Can someone open all the doors early?

When does the advent calendar start?

Can I make a calendar with fewer or more than 24 doors?

How much fits in each door, and why does the link get long?

Does the link work on WhatsApp? What about the QR code?

Are the doors I already opened saved?

Can I edit the calendar after sending the link?

Do my texts go to any server?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy treats or toys for every door?

No. The 31 ideas in the pack use what most homes already have, such as paper, socks, cushions and music. If you want a treat, choose two or three days, like the first and the last, and leave the rest to the activities.

How many ideas do I need for a 24 door calendar?

You need 24, one per door, and the pack offers 31, which leaves 7 spare to swap out any that do not suit your family. If you make a short calendar, covering the 12 days before Christmas, just 12 will do.

Does it work for a group, like a school class?

It does: send the same link to the families and each child opens the doors on their own device. Opened doors are remembered per device, so one student never affects another's calendar.

What if a child cannot read yet?

The grown-up reads the door aloud, and the large emoji helps the child recognize the theme. You can pick an emoji for each door that sums up the idea, like the star or the cookie, and the child will soon spot them alone.

Next steps

How to choose what goes behind each door

Think of the calendar as an agenda of 24 small appointments rather than 24 gifts. Alternate the types of idea: making with hands, like paper snowflakes; moving the body, like dancing to three songs; helping, like setting aside a toy to donate; and being together, like reading a page each. Alternating keeps every door from asking for the same effort and gives your busiest days a five minute idea.

Tune it by age. Between 3 and 5, prefer short ideas with a grown-up alongside, 5 to 10 minutes, such as decorating a cookie or building a little cardboard house. Between 6 and 9, you can propose 15 to 20 minute activities with a bit of planning, such as the treasure map. Beyond that, let the child write the doors for a younger sibling. Scissors, ovens and candles always call for an adult nearby, and the suggestions that use those items say so in the text.

In practice, the grown-up edits and the child opens. Pick the Activities with kids pack, tap Fill empty doors and swap two or three doors for things only your house has, such as the dog's name or grandma's. Keep the link on a tablet or on a parent's phone, and the child sees the door pulsing on the right day. Because each door opens only on its own date, they cannot burn through everything on day one, which is the reason this format exists.

Five ideas from the pack

Door 1

Input: #1
Expected output: ✂️

Cut out paper snowflakes and tape them all over your bedroom window. Paper and scissors, with an adult nearby.

Door 2

Input: #2
Expected output: 🍪

Cookie time! Everyone decorates their own any way they like. Pair it with a free weekend.

Door 7

Input: #7
Expected output: 🌟

Make a paper star and hang it where you will see it every day. Paper and string are enough.

Door 20

Input: #20
Expected output: 🧸

Choose a toy to donate. Ask a grown-up how to deliver it. A generosity idea for close to Christmas.

Door 24

Input: #24
Expected output: 🤗

Give three good-night hugs today and tell each person one thing you like about them. Closes the calendar on Christmas Eve.

Full tool FAQ

How do I make an online advent calendar and send it to someone?

How does the link hold the calendar without a server?

Can someone open all the doors early?

When does the advent calendar start?

Can I make a calendar with fewer or more than 24 doors?

How much fits in each door, and why does the link get long?

Does the link work on WhatsApp? What about the QR code?

Are the doors I already opened saved?

Can I edit the calendar after sending the link?

Do my texts go to any server?

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy treats or toys for every door?

How many ideas do I need for a 24 door calendar?

Does it work for a group, like a school class?

It does: send the same link to the families and each child opens the doors on their own device. Opened doors are remembered per device, so one student never affects another's calendar.