The links in this Best Advent Calendars for All Ages post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link.
When I was little, advent calendars were part of our holiday tradition. Starting on December 1, my brother and I would open a little door that revealed a small piece of chocolate. I loved opening a door every day in December, with the final one being opened on Christmas Eve.
Even with a college junior and recent college grad, the tradition of advent calendars continues but have branched out from the chocolate ones. I’ve sent my daughter face mask advent calendars and ones for a beauty product a day when she was in college. My son has enjoyed a different coffee for his Keurig on December days before flying home for the holidays.
Best Advent Calendars for All Ages
This new guide features some of the best age-appropriate advent calendars. There are 12- and 24-day ones for preschoolers, early elementary ages, tweens, teens, and college students. You’ll also find ones for adults towards the end of the list!
The ones for preschoolers through teen are designed to keep brains working, fingers busy, and minds learning as they eagerly anticipate the arrival of Christmas. Advent calendars for college students are designed to provide a joy in the days leading up to finals as they eagerly anticipate winter break.
Since I started my gift guides, the list of best advent calendars for adults has exploded exponentially so I purposefully curated this year’s list into a very short list of ones you’ll want to gift yourself.
Be sure to order now to have in time for December 1 to enjoy the tradition of advent calendars in your home!
Advent Calendars for Preschoolers
Magna Tiles Advent Calendar ($39.66)
The Magna Tiles Advent Calendar combines the fun of an advent calendar with a favorite toy and STEM learning as the holidays approach. 34 holiday-themed Magna Tiles, including a Santa, conductor, 10 decorated square microMAGS, 3 decorated isosceles triangles, and a microChassis that rides on the track inside the back cover of the package. Magna Tiles’ first ever advent calendar is sure to be a hot item among preschool families! Best for ages 3+
Christmas Countdown from Workman Publishing ($9.99)
Preschoolers will love counting down to Christmas with the Countdown to Christmas advent calendar. This fold-out calendar features 25 festive and fun sticker activities. Best for ages 4+
Countdown to Christmas Wooden Advent Calendar from Melissa and Doug ($23.99)
Preschoolers are naturally excited about Christmas coming but this darling Magnetic Tree Advent Calendar from Melissa & Doug incorporates numeracy along with the holiday. Kids will love hanging each of the 24 ornaments on the tree as Christmas nears. The shining star can be placed at the top on Christmas Day. Best for ages 3+
Hot Wheels Advent Calendar ($26.99)
The Hot Wheels Advent Calendar features 24 days of surprises to get your car enthusiast geared up for the holiday season. Behind each door lies either a super cool 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car or a holiday-themed accessory kids will love. The front panel converts into a playmat on which the vehicles and accessories can be used to inspire creative play, exploration, and storytelling skills in kids. Best for ages 3+
Advent Calendars for Elementary Ages
Mechanical Ornaments Calendar from KiwiCo ($49.95)
This 12-day advent calendar gives kids a hands-on introduction to simple mechanisms like levers, gears and linkages as they build their own ornaments. Best for ages 5+
Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty Santa’s Reindeer Advent Calendar ($86.16)
Crazy Aaron’s tactile Thinking Putty is always a favorite sensory toy but is even more fun in advent calendar form. This year’s Thinking Putty Advent Calendar is designed for kids to build a brand-new custom putty every 3 days using a shimmering putty base, festive mix-ins, and holiday charm. When Christmas comes, kids will have 8 totally unique putty designs of their own to squish, stretch, bounce, pop, tear, and sculpt. Best for ages 5+
Santa’s Railroad Advent Calendar from KiwiCo ($49.95)
Countdown to Christmas with 24 days of projects! Every day for 24 days, kids will love opening an envelope to reveal a new creation to build, decorate and add to their snowy scene. Their winter railroad will be complete just in time for Santa’s arrival. Best for ages 5+
Around the World Advent Calendar ($17.99)
This 24-day advent calendar allows kids to circle the globe as they count down to Christmas and meet people from around the world and complete a fun, holiday-related activity inspired from that culture. Each day’s window includes a figurine that can also be used as a tree ornament and a card with a DIY craft, challenge or activity inspired by that country’s holiday traditions. Best for ages 5+
Snowy Sports Ornaments Advent Calendar from KiwiCo ($49.95)
For 12 days, kids can slide, twist, and click together ornaments to create a gingerbread figure skater, a ski-jumping reindeer, a gnome that’s into curling, and more! Make and hang one new build each day and you’ll tree will sport a whole team of 12 tiny winter athletes. Best for ages 5+
Christmas Village Advent Calendar from KiwiCo ($49.95)
Elementary ages will love building a festive holiday village one day at a time. Each of the 24 numbered envelopes contain everything needed to build and customize a new feature of their Christmas village, plus extra supplies to add a personal touch. Best for ages 5+
Space Rocket Advent Calendar ($26.99)
Elementary aged space enthusiasts will love opening a door to find a new space vehicle to assemble each day. Vehicles include a lunar Rover, space shuttle, space station, lunar Probe, lunar sample return probe, manned space craft, rocket, orbital shuttle, and more plus 12 of the small models can be assembled into a large space rocket and space station. Pieces are also LEGO compatible. Best for ages 8+
Advent Calendars for Tweens
12 Crafts of Christmas Advent Calendar from Petit Collage ($25)
Slide open a drawer to reveal a felt or pom-pom activity. Inside the calendar is everything they’ll need to make twelve holly-jolly decorations like a candy cane ornament, a fluffy Christmas pudding, an adorable snowman, and more! Included are 23 pre-cut shaped felt pieces, 6 bundles of colorful yarn, 4 colors of embroidery thread, a child-safe needle, a wooden pom-pom maker, and string to hang your creations. Simple, easy-to-follow illustrated instructions for how to complete each craft are also included. When the season is over, tuck each ornament back inside the drawer for storage. Best for ages 9+
Emotional Support Plush Advent Calendar ($29.99)
A new emotional support plush toy each of the 25 days leading up to Christmas provides a great mental health boost for tweens. Daily surprises come in the form of emotional support plush Fries, Gingerbread plush toys, and plush Nuggets. These, along with a few new favorites are all dressed up in and ready for the holidays. Best for ages 9+
Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar from KiwiCo ($99.95)
Tweens will love counting down to Christmas by unwrapping a new gift each day to engineer a new part of their winter wonderland. Create a battery-powered conveyor belt to help sledders climb a hill, connect Christmas lights to decorate mini cottages, and build an ice rink where skaters can leave real tracks. After the holidays, buildings double as storage to pack away this snowy scene for next year. Best for ages 9+
LEGO Countdown to Christmas Puzzles from Chronicle Books ($24.95)
LEGO lovers and fans of advent calendars will love opening and building 12 LEGO minifigure-shaped puzzles as part of their Christmas Day countdown. Behind each of the 12 perforated windows is a mini jigsaw puzzle featuring beloved Christmas LEGO minifigure designs, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Gingerbread Man, Frosty, and more! Best for ages 9+
Motorized Christmas Train Advent Calendar from KiwiCo ($74.95)
Build a working train that delivers 12 days of fun! Hook up an electric motor and assemble a locomotive with an engine, two passenger cars, and two cargo cars. Set up the hinged track in an oval, circle, or line. Open a new mini-build each day for 12 days to make your railroad festive and holiday-ready. Best for ages 9+
Advent Calendars for Teens
12 Puzzles in One Box: Twelve Days of Catmas from Chronicle Books ($15.95)
Like a giant puzzle, 12 Days of Catmas is actually one bag of 576 puzzle pieces mixed together to be sorted through and assembled into 12 separate rectangular cat puzzles. It’s a great screen-free activity for teens wanting to put down their phones and maybe they’ll even engage parental assistance! Best for ages 13+
Cookie Advent Cookbook from Chronicle Books ($16.95)
Baking teens will love discovering a new cookie recipe each day, starting on December 1 through Christmas Eve. Peek under the ornament flap to discover the cookie of the day then turn the pages to find the appropriate recipe. Beginner and experienced bakers alike will enjoy simple recipes for beautifully decorated homemade cookies. Familiar and global Christmas treats will create new cookie-baking traditions this holiday season. Best for ages 13+
Crochet Advent Calendar ($22.99)
This advent calendar contains everything a crafty teen needs to get started with crochet. Each day’s numbered drawer will reveal crochet supplies like yarn, hooks, accessories, and project patterns. Beginner friendly patterns provide step-by-step instructions to teach basic stitches while offering fun seasonal challenges for experienced crafters. Best for ages 13+
Advent Calendars for College Students
Sock Advent Calendar ($49.99)
A pair of gender-neutral novelty socks is sure to help your college student start even the most stressful December days with a smile and this is a far more fun way to gift socks than wrapping and gifting them when they come home. Socks fit shoe sizes US 6-12.
Clue Advent Calendar from Hasbro Gaming ($34.99)
Who killed Boddy Black at his winter gala? As finals approach, stress levels rise, and your college student eagerly looks forward to winter break, give them something to take their mind off studying with the Clue Advent Calendar. Each day they’ll open a daily puzzle to collect clues, and deduce who killed him, where, and with what winter-themed weapon. The daily puzzles are also part of a larger mystery that they can involve friends to help solve, perfect to increase social interaction and reduce stress as their friend group works to solve the mystery together.
Auto Repair Tool Advent Calendar ($42.99)
This practical advent calendar makes a useful gift for car-owning college students. It includes pliers, screwdrivers, tire repair strips, tow rope, warning triangle, safety vest, work gloves, car cleaning brushes, ice scraper and more that fit in an included storage bag. It contains items to help them be prepared for roadside emergencies and detailing supplies to keep their car looking its best.
Best Advent Calendars for Adults
12-Day Jewelry Advent Calendar from Dune Jewelry ($695, value over $1000)
I was recently introduced to Dune Jewelry and absolutely love this woman-founded small business that handcrafts beautiful pieces from cherished memories of specific locales and places in our lives from a “bank” of over 6,000 authentic sands and elements.
If you’re looking to gift yourself or a loved one a luxurious advent calendar with 12 days of gorgeous daily surprises that will be treasured for years to come, look no further than the Dune Jewelry Advent Calendar. Dune Jewelry has curated 12 special handmade pieces of jewelry in signature styles and metals, along with Dune swag and a few unexpected extras. Featuring designs with sand, earth and natural elements from all seven continents, the calendar brings together 12 days of discovery, meaningful keepsakes and a little wanderlust.
Holiday Movie Advent Calendar (25 pc) from Delysia Chocolate- $89.95
This incredibly delicious 25-day chocolate countdown inspired by classic holiday movies, makes the best gift for chocolate loving holiday movie enthusiasts. Each handcrafted truffle captures the flavor of an iconic scene or memorable moment, with a movie quote and interactive website revealing the film behind each flavor. Flavor combinations are incredibly creative and include:
- Pinstripe Peppermint (The Nightmare Before Christmas) – Layered bittersweet chocolate with smoked salt and peppermint vanilla white chocolate.
- Lime Jello Mold (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) – White chocolate with fresh lime, roasted pistachios, and coconut.
- Cheese Pizza (Home Alone) – White chocolate with Italian herbs, Parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Sesame Banana Lime (How the Grinch Stole Christmas) – Banana-lime ganache with black sesame praline crunch.
- Chinese Turkey (A Christmas Story) – Milk chocolate with Chinese five-spice cream and a blackberry-hoisin swirl.
- Spiced Hot Cocoa (The Polar Express) – Dark chocolate infused with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.
- Raspberry Rose Petal (It’s a Wonderful Life) – Milk chocolate with raspberry purée and rose petals.
- Rosemary Orange (A Charlie Brown Christmas) – Rosemary dark chocolate ganache with a blood orange caramel center.
- Additional flavors are inspired by Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, Frosty the Snowman, and more.
Christmas Countdown Deck from Chronicle Books ($19.95)
If the thought of the holidays makes you feel bah humbug and less than excited, The Christmas Countdown Deck features 25+ festive ideas for creating Christmas magic in an interactive advent calendar form. Each card in the deck features a beautiful photo on the front, playful illustration on the back, clear instructions for each craft, recipe, or activity, and fits in the pop-up stand in the box for display. Ideas include:
- Bake buttery shortbread and package in a cookie tin to gift to friends and neighbors.
- Craft paper snowflakes and beautiful garlands to hang in your entryway or wrap around your tree.
- Serve up a festive cocktail while you set a holiday tablescape and listen to a Christmas playlist.
- Invite birds to visit your garden with a homemade pinecone bird feeder.
- Mix up a batch of festive popcorn to munch on while enjoying a cozy movie marathon.
The best part is this advent calendar is reusable so favorite activities can be done each year for your family to create meaningful holiday memories and traditions.
Bibliophile Advent Calendar for Booklovers from Chronicle Books ($45)
Based on Jane Mount’s beloved bestseller, Bibliophile, this advent calendar features a new themed prompt every day that’s folded like an adorable miniature book. As Christmas nears, the little library shelf inside will get filled with tiny books and the mini keepsake journal can be used to record and reflect on your literary life.
FAVORITE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDES FROM PAST YEARS
2026 gift guides will begin publishing the first week of November. In case you wanted to start your holiday shopping now, here’s a look at last year’s gift guides that are full of great ideas:
- Favorite Advent Calendars for All Ages
- Best Gifts College Students (inspired by my own college students!)
- Best STEM Gifts for All Ages (preK-teen)
- Best Subscriptions Boxes for All Ages
- Best Host and Hostess Gifts
- Gifts for the Best Dogs and the People Who Love Them (inspired by Goldie and Murphy, of course)
- Favorite Gifts for Outdoor Lovers (inspired by our family’s love of skiing, hiking, backpacking, water sports, and National Parks)
- Best Teacher Gifts for Favorite Teachers
- Favorite Ways to Teach Kids to Give Back
Note to PR: If you have a client whose products fit the above categories AND can send a sample to arrive by October 28, I would be willing to consider including it. I am accepting pitches for sponsored product reviews in December. Please be specific about the products you’d like me to consider reviewing. Samples are required for sponsored reviews and gift guides. Thank you!
The post Best Advent Calendars for All Ages appeared first on Tech Savvy Mama.
