The Best Advent Calendars for the Whole Family From Sephora, Lego, Barbie, & More

A kids’ advent calendar is an easy way to sprinkle in a little more magic as you countdown to your favorite holiday event: buy just one calendar, and you get anywhere from 12 to 24 different gifts to help you get into the holiday spirit. If you ask us, that kind of multitasking is exactly how savvy parents survive the holiday season with their sanity intact.

Beyond being a smart gift choice, advent calendars help families connect and get excited about the holidays together despite all the hustle and bustle. They “provide an opportunity for families to engage in play together,” notes Lisa Lohiser, EdD, manager of early childhood development research at the Fisher-Price Play Lab.

Whether you’re looking for a simple kids’ advent calendar that can be reused year after year or one that will delight the heart of your favorite Bluey or Barbie fan, there’s something for everyone on our list here—including the grown-ups, because we deserve a little magic, too (or wine…or chocolate…or candles…we’re not picky!).

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Our Favorite Kids’ Advent Calendars

Advent Calendars for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Toddlers and preschoolers are just starting to understand what all the holiday anticipation is about. You can help them count how many more “sleeps” until Santa arrives with an advent calendar full of age-appropriate toys, like the Play-Doh Advent Calendar, or one that allows them to create their very own holiday scene, like the Playmobil 2024 Advent Calendar – Trip to the Christmas Market.

Advent Calendars for Kids

Grade school kids are usually the most excited about the holidays, but with excitement comes a lot of difficulty being patient! Kids in this age group will appreciate having something small to look forward to each day in the run-up to the holidays. You can make this even more special by choosing an advent calendar featuring some of their favorite toys and characters, whether that’s with the Squishmallow Advent Calendar, the Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar, or the American Girl Advent Calendar.

Advent Calendars for Teens and Tweens

Just because they’re getting older and claim they’re “too cool” for holiday traditions doesn’t mean your tween or teen won’t secretly love having their own advent calendar this year. Cater to their growing independence and desire for self-expression with a fashion- or beauty-focused calendar, like the Pura Vida Advent Box or Sephora Advent Calendar, or go in the other direction and encourage them to embrace their inner child with the whimsical Slime Advent Calendar 2024.

Advent Calendars for the Whole Family

As Lohiser said, the daily “opening of the advent calendar” can be a time for families to get together before the holidays and bond. What better way to do that than with an advent calendar designed to please every member of the family, no matter how old? The Michael Storrings 12 Days of Christmas Advent Puzzle Calendar and Purple Cow Family Games Advent Calendar are all-ages crowd-pleasers, while the Pukka 2024 Herbal Tea Advent Calendar and Bonne Maman Limited Edition Advent Calendar are perfect for families with more discerning taste. Finally, don’t forget about Rover with the Merry Makings Advent Calendar Chew for Dogs.

Our Review Process 

We reviewed and researched the top-rated advent calendars available while considering price, quality, and a variety of gift categories. We also had input from the following experts: 

• Lisa Lohiser, EdD, manager of early childhood development research at the Fisher-Price Play Lab
• Reena B. Patel, LEP, BCBA, parenting expert, positive psychologist, and licensed educational board-certified behavior analyst
• Tess Bell, founder and creator of the Sharing Kindness advent calendar 
• Hannah Bartlett, blogger and co-founder of Jolly Festive 

How to Choose the Best Advent Calendar for Kids

• Themes: Patel notes that advent calendar themes range from teaching children specific skills—like STEAM or puzzle-building—to focusing on virtues or even family time together: “It’s a great way to have a group activity that everyone can be a part of and look forward to all month long,” Patel says. 
• Recommended Age: You can find an advent calendar for pretty much every age, says Bartlett, but starting an advent calendar tradition around the age of 4 can be “a tremendously useful tool to help your child visualize the time before Christmas arrives and give [them] a focal point.”
• Interests: Know a child obsessed with Legos, Bluey, or Marvel? There’s an advent calendar for that! Advent calendars can be a great way to cater to someone’s specific interests, and instead of giving just one gift, they get multiple gifts in one. 
• Educational Value: Not just for tiny toys anymore, recent advent calendar trends have shifted toward learning experiences, says Lohiser: They not only provide kids with a fun way to countdown to Christmas, they encourage important skills like curiosity (as they wonder what will be in the window that day) and patience (as they learn to wait for ‘today’s turn’ at opening the advent calendar). 

Who We Are

Chaunie Brusie, RN, BSN, is a nurse turned writer as well as a mom of five. She grew up with a reusable Christmas countdown calendar, and her kids enjoy the same tradition. They also have their beloved affordable Aldi chocolate advent calendars because well, five kids.

Sarah Bradley is a freelance health and parenting writer from Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and three sons. As a homeschooling mom with kids ages 9 through 14, she understands the importance (and challenge!) of finding that “just right” gift when shopping for the holidays, whether it’s for her sons, her husband, or her extended family members.