Advent Calendars for Kids

The countdown has officially begun! You can answer the question "How many days until Christmas?" every day between now and December 25th. Or you can help your kids celebrate this season of waiting and anticipation with an advent calendar. Take a look at some of our favorites.

christianbook.com

This cute little house not only makes an attractive Christmas decoration, it also has 25 tiny doors, a surprise behind each one. Personalize it with your family's name for an instant family heirloom. Pottery Barn Kids, $89.99

potterbarnkids.com

Got a little builder in the family? Then let him or her construct their own advent calendar. Once it's complete, kids can count down to Christmas with 24 little doors, complete with a Lego surprise behind each one. Lego, $29.99

shop.lego.com

The perfect calendar for the low-tech family, this magnetic set clings right to your refrigerator. It's an easy, visual way to mark the days until Christmas, without a lot of fuss. Bronners, $14.99

bronners.com

Here's something completely different -- the advent spiral. Put a candle or other decoration into the first hole, and move it one space each day. This attractive, wooden decoration can be throughout the year to countdown the days to other special events as well. Myriad Online, $47.16

myriadonline.com

Little ones won't be able to stop playing with the Playmobil advent calendar. Pockets on the back contain a new play piece for each day of the season, until the little holiday scene is finally complete. Amazon, $169.99

amazon.com

These little cardboard boxes by Haba make an attractive Christmas tree. Inside, kids will find a small wooden toy and a memory game to play. Refill it next year with candy or small treats. Amazon, $34.99

amazon.com

Santa, Santa what do you see? Eric Carle fans are sure to fall in love with his advent calendar, based on his book Dream Snow. Kids open one door each day to finally reveal a beautiful winter wonderland scene. Hearthsong, $10.95

hearthsong.com

A colorful and cute wooden nativity scene helps kids remember what the season is all about, while 24 drawers below help them mark the days while they wait. Fill the drawers with small chocolates or surprises for kids to find. Amazon, $48.88

amazon.com

Santa is s-l-o-w-l-y making his way down the chimney, one day at a time. This unique countdown to Christmas will tickle kids as they watch Santa get a little closer to his goal each day. Oriental Trading, 10.99

orientaltrading.com