19 Fun Christmas Countdown Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Christmas countdown ideas have helped us slow down and enjoy the season, especially now that my son’s older and life gets busy fast.

From puzzles and books to acts of kindness, we’ve found simple ways to make each day in December feel special without adding stress.

If you’re looking for low-prep ideas that actually work for real families, even on weeknights, this list has you covered.

Whether you’ve got toddlers, tweens, or teens, these are some of our favorite ways to build connection and holiday excitement.

Collage of Advent calendars and Christmas countdown activities for kids including games, crafts, books, and kindness prompts

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Countdown to Christmas for Kids

These holiday countdown ideas have helped us make December feel a little more intentional and a lot more fun.

From coloring pages and books to scavenger hunts and music, each day brings something small to look forward to, without a ton of prep.

It’s a simple way to build excitement and spend time together before the big day.

Free Advent Calendar Coloring Page

We’ve used this coloring advent calendar for quiet afternoons when things feel a little too busy. Each day has a small holiday-themed image kids can color in, simple, relaxing, and screen-free. When my son was younger, he loved watching the page slowly fill up with color, and it became part of our evening wind-down. It’s a low-effort way to keep the countdown visible and festive without needing to buy anything extra.

Christmas Movie Advent Calendar Printable

This printable movie Advent calendar quickly became a December favorite in our house. It lists 24 family-friendly Christmas films, so you never have to scramble to pick one. We add cozy blankets, popcorn, and sometimes little themed treats (hot cocoa during Polar Express night!). There are even trivia cards to go with each movie, which led to some funny debates about who actually won. It’s the kind of tradition that turns into real family time.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt Clues

Turning a regular day into a treasure hunt makes everything feel a bit more magical. We’ve used these printable clues with the Elf on the Shelf and also just for surprise treats. I usually hide 4–6 clues around the house, ending with something small like candy or a holiday sticker. It’s quick to set up and gets kids moving, thinking, and laughing. Bonus: it works great when energy is high and you need a fun indoor activity.

DIY Advent Calendar

We’ve done the store-bought calendars, but nothing beats making your own. A few years ago, we found a little wooden drawer box and filled each day with a mix of mini gifts, Christmas jokes, and “choose your own activity” cards. Decorating it became part of the fun, and it now comes out with our holiday decor. If you want more control over what goes in each day (and don’t want 24 pieces of candy), this is a great option.

Elf On The Shelf: Countdown To Christmas

Our Elf on the Shelf doesn’t just hide, he sets up mini challenges each day in December. Some days it’s a silly task (like “build a bed for Elf out of socks”), and other days it’s something kind, like making a thank-you card for a neighbor. These Elf countdowns add structure to the chaos and give kids something fun to look forward to each morning. We’ve been doing it for years now, and it still gets laughs from everyone.

Acts of Kindness

This was a game-changer for us. One December, instead of chocolates or trinkets, we filled our calendar with small acts of kindness, things like donating a toy, baking for a neighbor, or leaving a thank-you note for the mail carrier. It gave each day a little more purpose, and my son started coming up with his own ideas. It’s a meaningful way to slow down and focus on giving, not just getting.

Christmas Countdown Gifts

We tried this gift-a-day idea when my son was younger, and now he still asks for it every year. Each morning he’d unwrap a small surprise, nothing fancy: a mini puzzle, a new ornament, a Christmas joke card. One year, we themed the gifts around books and stories, which turned into nightly read-alouds. It’s an easy way to build excitement, and you can keep it budget-friendly by mixing in handmade or experience-based gifts too.

For more ideas check out our Christmas stocking stuffers for boys with gifts under $20.

Book Advent Calendar

This has been one of our favorite Christmas traditions. We wrap 24 books, most from our shelves, a few borrowed from the library, and stack them under the tree. Each night, we unwrap one and read it together. There’s something about unwrapping a book that makes it feel like a gift, even if we’ve read it before. When my son was small, this helped us end each day on a quiet, cozy note.

Christmas Craft Countdown

Some years, we’ve done a different craft every day in December, and while it sounds ambitious, it’s easier than it looks. Simple paper snowflakes, cinnamon stick ornaments, or cotton ball Santas, nothing fancy, just hands-on fun. I keep a little basket of supplies ready so we’re not scrambling. It’s a great way to shift the energy after a long day and makes for lots of fridge-worthy memories.

Puzzle Advent

We tried this last year, and I wish we’d started sooner. We picked a 1,000-piece holiday puzzle and added a handful of pieces to the table each night. Some nights we sat down together and worked for a while, other nights just added a few and moved on, but by Christmas Eve, it was finished. It’s quiet, low-pressure, and oddly satisfying to watch it come together over the month.

Christmas Countdown Jar

This one’s great if you like some structure but don’t want to overplan. We wrote down 24 fun, festive ideas on slips of paper and popped them in a jar, things like “wear Santa hats all day,” “drink hot cocoa,” or “go see Christmas lights.” Each morning, my son pulled one out and we’d go with it. It keeps the countdown flexible, and kids love the surprise element.

Christmas Cookie Countdown

One of our coziest traditions! We pick 12–24 cookie recipes and bake a different one each day, or every few days, depending on how ambitious we’re feeling. Some are old family favorites, others we try for the first time. My son loves cutting out shapes and going wild with sprinkles. The house smells amazing all month, and by Christmas, we’ve got plenty to share (or snack on ourselves). It’s a sweet way to build anticipation.

Christmas Music Playlist

This idea was a hit when we wanted something festive but super low-effort. We printed a Christmas song playlist with 25 different tunes, one for each day. Some days we danced in the kitchen, other days we played it during dinner or car rides. With Spotify codes, it’s easy for kids to scan and play the song themselves. It sets the mood instantly and adds a little cheer without adding anything to your to-do list.

Gratitude Journal

This year we added a daily gratitude journal to our countdown, and I wasn’t sure if my son would be into it, but he surprised me. Every evening, we each wrote down one thing we were thankful for that day. Some days it was silly (“chocolate chip pancakes”), other days it was thoughtful (“time with Grandma”). It helped us focus on the season beyond the gifts and brought some really nice, unexpected conversations.

Countdown Holiday Decorations

Each year, we buy (or make) one new ornament and add it to the tree as part of our countdown. When my son was younger, he loved watching the tree “grow” each day. Now, we’ve turned it into a little keepsake tradition, sometimes we use photos or write the year on the back. It’s a visual way to mark the days and builds excitement as the tree fills up.

Elf The Movie Trivia

If your family loves Elf, this is such a fun twist on the usual countdown. We printed trivia questions from the movie and asked a new one each day, sometimes over breakfast, sometimes during dinner. We kept score (loosely), and the winner got to pick the next movie or dessert. It added so much laughter to our evenings and got everyone quoting lines nonstop by the end of the week.

Countdown to Christmas!: With a Story a Day (Peanuts)

We discovered this Peanuts storybook countdown a few years ago, and it’s perfect for fans of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. The book includes a short holiday-themed story for each day in December, and it quickly became part of our bedtime routine. It’s a nice mix of nostalgia and fun, especially if you grew up with Peanuts. Even older kids enjoy the simplicity and charm of it.

Santa’s Beard Countdown Calendar

This one’s perfect for younger kids who love a hands-on visual. Each day in December, my son would glue a cotton ball onto Santa’s beard until it was completely fluffy by Christmas Eve. It’s simple, mess-free, and adds just enough excitement each morning. We kept it taped to the fridge and it became a little moment of calm before the day started, especially fun when he was in preschool and still loved anything involving glue.

Large Coloring Poster

We’ve used a giant Christmas coloring poster as a countdown more than once, and it’s always a hit. Each day, my son colors in a new section, sometimes just a few ornaments, sometimes a whole scene if he’s in the mood. It’s low-stress and creative, and by the time Christmas rolls around, the poster becomes a kind of seasonal artwork we proudly display. It’s great for solo quiet time or something to do together while chatting.

Need a Calendar First?

If you’re still choosing which calendar to use, check out our favorite Advent calendar ideas:

What festive countdown ideas do you have? Let me know in the comments below.

Last Updated on 23 July 2025 by Clare Brown

Countdown to Christmas for Kids

Need a Calendar First?

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