The Best 2025 Advent Calendars For Kids
Because you can’t take any more unnecessary junk in your house.
I adore an advent calendar. There are few things more fun than counting down to the holidays, but adding in a little treat for each day? Pure bliss. The problem is, advent calendars have become incredibly popular, and there are a million options out there, especially for kids. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel like your kid is missing out if they don’t have the latest and greatest advent calendar, but the truth is, many of them just feel like unnecessary junk cluttering your house. Finding the best advent calendars for kids means finding the ones your kid will actually be excited to open — and where the items are actually worth opening each day.
Because listen, I’ve been there with my kids: Sometimes they are completely over their advent calendar before they ever really get started. Too much candy, too much stuff, it’s all just too much sometimes. But if you want a fun way to count down to Christmas, these 2025 advent calendars for kids are the best of the best. From toys they’ll keep playing with long after Christmas to sweet treats you can feel good about them munching on, there is something here for every single Christmas-loving kid. (And something for every easily overwhelmed and overstimulated holiday mom.)
Color Your Own Cookies Countdown
I love a good Christmas cookie, and while many cookie “kits” out there feature dry, bland cookies, this Color-In Cookie Advent Calendar from Williams Sonoma is actually delicious and fun. With 12 sugar cookies featuring vanilla royal icing, the calendar also comes with edible ink pens so your kids can color in the sweet Christmas-themed designs on top. The cookies are so good and just the perfect size for a little creativity and treat.
A Mini Build-A-Bear Countdown
I love Build-A-Bear so much, and their sweet little advent calendar is such a fun way to count down to Christmas. Featuring 25 mini gifts, this calendar includes six mini plushes with 19 mini clothing and accessory items so they can outfit their new friends for the season. These are just small enough to not clutter up your house, but are actual toys a kid will happily play with. This is a really great option if you have multiple kids and want them to share an advent calendar as well!
The Craftiest Countdown
I am always impressed by Mondo Llama crafts, but they’ve really outdone themselves with this 25 Days of Christmas Crafts advent calendar. This calendar includes everything from googly eyes to craft sticks, and each little set of materials makes a hanging holiday craft, either for your tree or just to display around the house. These are actually really sweet and cute and include things like adhesive backs, so that you don’t have to find a bunch of tape or glue to make them happen.
An Easy, Reusable Advent Calendar
I love an advent calendar you can pull out year after year, and this adorable Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas wooden calendar is the perfect option. With magnetic, wooden ornaments to put on the tree for a Christmas countdown, even the littlest hands can join in the fun. Mix all the ornaments up for kiddos to dig in and find, and they’ll love the visual number representation as the holidays get closer and closer. Plus, you can store it all away for next year and make it a new family tradition.
A Sweet Treat Countdown
YumEarth has so many fun, sweet treats for kids and adults alike, so I had to jump on the YumEarth holiday advent calendar. With just a 12-day countdown, this is great for kids who get a little overwhelmed, and it features nice, big treats like fruit snacks, chewy candies, and sour delights.
Mini Baking Countdown For American Girl Fans
For the American Girl fans, it doesn’t get much better than the American Girl Baking Spirits Bright advent calendar. Featuring 25 mini items, from tiny gingerbread cookies to an apron for your favorite 18-inch doll, there is tons of fun here for acting out and pretend play. And the best part is, all of these items are made to last and can just become part of your kid’s American Girl toys forever.
Tiny Plush Friends Countdown
Whether your kids are into Smoko Friends or not, this adorable Tinsel Town bag charm advent calendar is a must. Featuring 12 days of surprises, each door is hiding a tiny plush charm that can hang just about anywhere for some Christmas cheer. These are such cute little seasonal friends, but aren’t so overly Christmas-y that your kid won’t want to hang onto them all year.
An Heirloom-Quality Advent Calendar
How gorgeous is this Mickey Mouse & Friends fillable advent calendar? Fill in the 24 little doors with whatever tiny surprise or treat you want, and enjoy a gorgeous advent calendar that lights up as part of your holiday decor. This is heirloom-quality and the kind of advent calendar your kids can enjoy forever, passing it down to their own babies one day.
The Advent Calendar For Miniature Fans
Polly Pocket is an icon, and so is the Polly Pocket advent calendar. Open up the calendar to reveal a sweet little gingerbread Polly Pocket playset, and then each door opens up to find a mini accessory to fill out the gingerbread house. A mini doll is also included! The best part? Your kids will play with this long after the Christmas countdown is over.
An Advent Calendar For The STEAM Kids
Got a kid who loves to tinker? They’ll love the mechanical ornament advent calendar from KiwiCo. Each door features a new build, and your kids will learn simple mechanisms, from levers to gears, as they create sweet movable ornaments. Bonus: These ornaments will last forever and are just such a dynamic way to count down to Christmas.
The Ultimate Frozen Advent Calendar
Frozen obviously gives Christmas vibes, and you just can’t go wrong with the Lego Frozen advent calendar. With 24 doors to open, kids get to build their favorite characters into minifigures, along with some mini accessories and playset pieces. Again, this will last long after Christmas, and it’s one of those advent calendars that feels extremely worth it.
