Fun Keepsake DIY Advent Calendar Ideas

We love making DIY Advent Calendar Ideas – whether you are making them WITH the kids or FOR the kids, a homemade advent calendar makes a great family keepsake! This is part of our extensive list of fabulous Christmas Crafts for Kids.

Advent Calendar Ideas and Activities - If you like making your own Advent Calendar, now is a good time to start browsing and planning, so you have plenty of time to get it down in a nice and fun (and not stressful way!!). So many great ideas here to suit all interests! — First shared in November 2013, updated and republished for your covenience!

DIY Advent Calendar Ideas

We are hurtling towards the most magical season of the year: Christmas.

Explore these Advent Calendar Ideas to see how you can make the big “count down” to Christmas special. Remember, advent calendars do NOT have to be about chocolate and toys and gifts… but I love some of the ideas discussed in this video (below) – from decorating windows and branches to filling your advent with activity ideas.

In the advent calendar ideas video we of course also discuss how to make your own calendars – from knitted, to newspaper, to loo rolls… lots of ideas – something for everyone!

Also, we have a post from a couple of years ago, where 24 bloggers each share an activity for every day of the advent season. Let yourself be inspired by their Advent Activity Ideas and pop notes into your calendar! Also, we share our own Family Advent Traditions (that go beyond “just” the calendar). Have you got traditions typically to YOUR family?

Advent Calendar Ideas

Many of these ideas are shared in the video linked below.. but in the meantime..

Paper cup Advent Calendar – this one is super easy to set up and there is plenty of space for small gifts!

Similarly Little Bags in a Basket can be used in different ways – hang on some twigs, hang as a garland etc. One simple “craft”, with 4 ways to display!

Best memory maker – the Photo Advent Calendar! I love this advent calendar ideas, as it is all about making memories with the kids. A wonderful way to “force” yourself to print off some photos from the year gone by and also remember the best bits! The kids adore this one!

Adorable set of crochet ornaments - make these as individual crochet stocking ornaments or as a stocking advent calendar! So cute and easy!

How cute is this Stocking Crochet Pattern? Make 24, either in different colours or all in red.. and you have the most adorable little advent calendar to keep!

Printable Countdown Snowman – one printable, lots of ways to use it – from Bookmark to greeting card!

Another photo based advent calendar idea, is this Artwork Advent combining photos from the year with your children’s artwork. We gave this one to Granny as a gift and she LOVED it!

These Felt Stars (video 3min 40sec) are from my Red Ted Art, Cute and Easy Crafts for Kids book! Hope you like them!

Toilet Paper Fairy Houses – these are a great craft to involve the kids. Make 24.. add numbers and you have yourself an Advent Calendar display!

Here are more Advent Calendar Ideas from around the web!

Book Bairn has a lovely book advent calender idea.. this is a great one for little ones when still building a picture book library. Go to a school fair and stock up on second hand books!

Here is a handy Free Printable Calendar from Living Locurto. Nice and easy and looks great!

Tinkerlab has some simple homemade envelopes (+activity ideas) that the kids helped make.

Check out this super sweet paper doll advent calendar (+ activity list) from The Artful Parent.

The Artful Parent also has a wonderfully arty Christmas Tree Calendar.

Kirsty Wiseman shares this wonderful Peg Calendar on http://limegreenbogiegirl.blogspot.com/ (Update: unfortunately this post is no longer available – they have stopped blogging!)

I have always adored this Advent Calendar from se7en , as it reminds it isn’t about “things”, but about just looking forward to the day and seeing the decorations being revealed.