24 Inexpensive Ways To Make Christmas Memorable With Your Toddler
If you’re looking for a fun way to make December feel extra special with your toddler, a Christmas advent calendar is such a lovely idea.
They might not understand all the Christmas traditions yet, but they know something exciting is going on. There are lights everywhere, Christmas music playing, decorations going up, and somehow they keep finding the presents you thought you’d hidden well!
An advent calendar is a lovely way to make the countdown to Christmas even more exciting.
But instead of filling 24 little doors with toys and sweets, why not fill them with little things your toddler can actually do and enjoy?
Toddler-Friendly Activities to Try From December 1 to Christmas Eve.
December 1: Open a Christmas Story
Let’s start the countdown with a little Christmas magic.
Wrap up a favorite Christmas book and let your toddler open it on the first day of December. Find a cozy spot, snuggle up together, and read it.
You could even make this your December 1 tradition every year.
Your toddler may not remember the exact book when they’re older, but they’ll remember that December started with cuddles and a story.
December 2: Decorate a Mini Christmas Tree
Give your toddler their own little tree to decorate.
It can be a small tabletop tree, a paper Christmas tree, or even a cardboard one you make together.
Let them choose what goes on their tree. It might look nothing like the one in your living room and that’s exactly the point.
Put their finished masterpiece somewhere they can see it.
December 3: Have a Christmas Dance Party
You don’t need to leave the house for today’s Christmas fun.
Put on some Christmas music, turn up the volume and have a little dance party in the living room.
Let your toddler jump, clap, spin, march, or make up their own dance moves.
You can even let them choose the next song.
This is one of those advent activities that costs nothing and takes almost no preparation.
December 4: Bake Christmas Cookies
Today is a good day to make something delicious.
Make a simple batch of Christmas cookies and let your toddler help with the parts they can safely manage.
They can help pour ingredients, stir with your help, press cookie cutters into the dough, or decorate the cookies once they’re cool.
And if the kitchen ends up covered in flour?
That’s part of the Christmas memory.
December 5: Go on a Christmas Color Hunt
Turn a simple color game into a Christmas activity.
Choose a Christmas color like red or green and walk around the house looking for things that match.
“Can you find something red?”
“Where’s something green?”
For younger toddlers, stick to one color at a time.
It’s a fun little way to practice colors without making it feel like a lesson.
December 6: Make a Christmas Ornament
Make a simple ornament that your toddler can add to the Christmas tree.
It could be a simple paper ornament, a painted cardboard shape, or another easy toddler-friendly craft.
Write your toddler’s name and the year on it before you hang it up.
Imagine opening your Christmas decoration box years from now and finding all those little ornaments they made as a toddler.
December 7: Make a Christmas Snack
Give your toddler a little Christmas surprise at snack time.
Use foods your toddler already enjoys and arrange them into a simple Christmas shape.
Try a Christmas tree made from fruit, a snowman made from yoghurt and fruit, or simply serve their usual snack on a festive plate.
You don’t need to make complicated food.
Toddlers can be surprisingly impressed by the simplest things.
December 8: Try Christmas Sensory Play
Set up a simple sensory activity for your toddler to explore.
Use materials that are suitable for their age and let them scoop, pour, touch, move and investigate.
You could use colored water, fabric, paper, or larger Christmas-themed objects.
Keep small objects away from toddlers who still put things in their mouths, and stay close during play.
December 9: Go See Christmas Lights
Tonight, go looking for Christmas lights.
Take a walk around your neighborhood or go for a little evening drive.
Point out the colorful lights, Christmas trees, stars and decorations as you go.
You don’t need to plan a big outing. Sometimes driving slowly around the neighborhood with Christmas music playing is more than enough.
December 10: Make a Christmas Card
Let your toddler make a Christmas card for someone special.
Give them paper, crayons, stickers or washable paint and let them create a Christmas card for a grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend, or another special person.
It might end up covered in scribbles.
That’s okay.
Those scribbles are probably going to mean much more to a grandparent than a perfectly printed card ever could.
December 11: Have a Christmas Pajama Night
Tonight is all about being cozy.
Put your toddler in their Christmas pajamas, turn on the Christmas tree lights and read a story together.
You could have a simple snack and play some quiet Christmas music before bed.
It doesn’t have to be a big event.
Just cozy clothes, cuddles, and a little extra Christmas magic.
December 12: Make Reindeer Food
Toddlers love activities that feel like they’re part of the Christmas story.
Let your little one help make a pretend treat for Santa’s reindeer.
Let them help mix the ingredients and put the mixture into a small container.
If you plan to put it outside, make sure the ingredients are safe for local wildlife.
Then save it for Christmas Eve.
December 13: Make Something for Breakfast
Turn breakfast into today’s Christmas activity.
Make pancakes, muffins, toast, eggs, oatmeal, or another breakfast your toddler already enjoys.
You could cut fruit into simple shapes or use a Christmas plate.
Nothing fancy is required.
A little change to the usual morning can make it feel like an occasion.
December 14: Have a Christmas Reading Day
Gather a few Christmas books and create a little reading corner.
Then let your toddler choose which story to read.
Don’t have many Christmas books?
No problem.
Use their favorite everyday books too.
Toddlers don’t need a huge collection. They usually just want the story they already love.
December 15: Make a Handprint Christmas Keepsake
Today is for making something you’ll want to keep.
Use your toddler’s handprint to create a Christmas picture.
You could turn it into a Christmas tree, reindeer, snowman or another festive design.
Add their name and age to the back.
Those tiny hands won’t stay tiny forever.
December 16: Have a Christmas Treasure Hunt
Hide a Christmas decoration somewhere your toddler can easily find it.
Then give them simple clues.
“Can you find the Christmas star?”
“Where is the red stocking?”
“Can you find the little tree?”
Keep it easy enough for them to succeed.
The fun is watching them search and seeing that excited little face when they finally find it.
December 17: Make Christmas Music
Today, let your toddler make some noise.
Bring out toddler-safe instruments, or use safe household items that are suitable for your child’s age.
Put on Christmas music and let them clap, tap, shake and dance along.
It might get loud.
It might get chaotic.
But your toddler will probably have a brilliant time.
December 18: Do Something Kind
Christmas is a lovely time to introduce little acts of kindness.
Help your toddler do something thoughtful for another person.
They could make a card, help choose a gift, share something, help tidy up, or call someone they love.
Keep it simple.
You’re just showing them that Christmas is also about making other people feel special.
December 19: Christmas Playdough
Bring out the playdough and make it Christmas-themed.
Your toddler can make Christmas trees, stars, pretend cookies, snowmen or whatever they can think of.
Add Christmas-shaped cutters if you have them.
And if your toddler makes a blue Christmas tree with three heads?
Let them.
This is their Christmas creation.
December 20: Christmas Movie Afternoon
Today can be a slow and cozy day.
Choose a toddler-friendly Christmas film or short Christmas program, make a simple snack and settle down together.
You don’t have to entertain your toddler every minute of the day.
Sometimes sitting together and enjoying a quiet afternoon is exactly what you both need.
December 21: Make a Christmas Garland
Make a simple decoration for your home.
Cut large paper shapes and let your toddler decorate them with crayons, stickers or paint.
Then connect the pieces to make a simple garland.
Hang it somewhere your toddler can see it and let them admire their work.
December 22: Have a Special Christmas Breakfast
Make breakfast feel a little different today.
Prepare something your toddler already loves and serve it in a fun way.
Put on Christmas music, use a festive plate, or let your toddler eat breakfast near the Christmas tree.
December 23: Let Your Toddler Pick
The countdown is almost over, so let your toddler choose today’s activity.
Give them two or three favorites from the past few weeks.
“Do you want to bake?”
“Do you want to read a book?”
“Do you want to dance?”
Let them decide.
You might be surprised by the activity they loved most.
December 24: Make Christmas Eve Special
It’s finally Christmas Eve!
Keep tonight simple and cozy.
Put your toddler into their Christmas pajamas, turn on the Christmas tree lights and read a favorite story together.
You could sing Christmas songs, leave out treats for Santa, or simply sit together and talk about Christmas morning.
Then have some extra cuddles before bedtime.
Tomorrow is Christmas morning.
The Best Part of a Toddler Advent Calendar
The lovely thing about this type of advent calendar is that you don’t have to buy 24 things.
You’ve made 24 little Christmas memories.
Your toddler probably won’t remember whether you bought an expensive advent calendar. They may remember dancing with you in the living room, making Christmas cookies, looking at twinkling lights, or reading the same Christmas story over and over again.
And honestly, that’s what makes these little December traditions so special.
You don’t have to make every day perfect.
If you’re busy one day, skip it.
If your toddler isn’t interested, move on.
If they absolutely love one activity, do it again.
The advent calendar is there to make December more enjoyable — not to give you another 24 things to feel guilty about.
Pick the moments that work for your family and enjoy them.
That’s the real Christmas magic.
