There are lots of ways to keep your children entertained over the festive period. This December, follow our advent calendar for ideas!
Scroll to the bottom to download a PDF version.
Christmas Advent Calendar
24 fun ideas to help you chat, play and read with your child this December.
-
Read Have fun with ice and water nowHave fun with ice and water
Provide children with containers and waterproof toys - they will create their own play!
-
Read Make a festive decoration nowMake a festive decoration
Use materials that would otherwise be thrown away to keep your child busy and develop their creativity.
-
Read Visit your local library nowVisit your local library
Can you find a book or story about the festive season?
-
Read Sing a winter song! nowSing a winter song!
Explore our collection of top nursery rhymes for ideas!
-
Read Make a hedgehog house nowMake a hedgehog house
Build a home for hedgehogs out of dry leaves, twigs and newspaper.
-
Read Make a den and snuggle up for a story nowMake a den and snuggle up for a story
Make your own cosy den by hanging a blanket over a table and adding cushions.
-
Read Make up your own winter song or rhyme nowMake up your own winter song or rhyme
You don’t need to remember the words, you can make up your own songs about anything!
-
Read Paint a winter or Christmas-themed picture nowPaint a winter or Christmas-themed picture
Support your child’s creativity, imagination, thinking skills and coordination - and get them chatting too!
-
Read Choose a recipe together and enjoy some winter baking nowChoose a recipe together and enjoy some winter baking
What letters or numbers can you spot in the recipe?
-
Read Crunchy winter leaves! nowCrunchy winter leaves!
Use your senses to explore just how much fun you can have playing, jumping, and printing with leaves.
-
Read Make your own seasonal sock puppet nowMake your own seasonal sock puppet
Make a puppet with things you already have at home, for example odd socks.
-
Read Find a stick and go on a Stick Man adventure! nowFind a stick and go on a Stick Man adventure!
Have you read the Stick Man story? Watch the video online and follow some fun activities.
-
Read Wrap your teddies up for a picnic nowWrap your teddies up for a picnic
What will the teddies talk about over the picnic?
-
Read Make your own Christmas cards or pictures nowMake your own Christmas cards or pictures
Not only is it fun, but whoever receives your child’s card will appreciate and cherish your little one’s handmade artwork!
-
Read Try some sparkly mark making nowTry some sparkly mark making
Pour some glitter and salt into a tray and use the end of a pencil or paintbrush to make patterns and shapes.
-
Read Play 'guess the animal' together nowPlay 'guess the animal' together
‘I’m thinking of an animal who lives in a cold place and is very good at swimming…
-
Read Make your own binoculars nowMake your own binoculars
You can do this by using cardboard tubes and collecting natural ‘treasure’. You could use it to make a collage.
-
Read Make up your own seasonal story nowMake up your own seasonal story
When you’re out and about use things around you as ideas to help create a story. You can do this anywhere!
-
Read Wrap up warm and go for a winter walk nowWrap up warm and go for a winter walk
What signs of winter can you spot?
-
Read Winter playdough nowWinter playdough
Follow our simple recipe to make your own playdough.
-
Read Play Christmas 'I spy' nowPlay Christmas 'I spy'
This could involve letter sounds or be adapted, such as ‘I spy something shiny’…
-
Read Go out and about on a Christmas colour hunt nowGo out and about on a Christmas colour hunt
Chat about what you can see: ‘I see a dark green holly leaf’
-
Read Wrapping fun! nowWrapping fun!
Use recyclable materials to have fun wrapping/hiding toys and objects – can you guess what’s inside?
-
Read Enjoy a Christmas Eve story and sing Christmas songs together nowEnjoy a Christmas Eve story and sing Christmas songs together
Spend a cosy afternoon singing and reading.
-
Read Download a PDF advent calendar nowDownload a PDF advent calendar
Print your copy and follow along at home