Advent Activities for Kids: Free 25-Day Printable Christian Advent Calendar

Advent is the season of waiting and getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas. These Advent activities for kids turn each day of December into a small, joyful step toward Christmas, with a short Bible reading and a simple activity your family can do together. Download our free printable 25-day Christian Advent calendar to follow along.

Ages 3–11 · 10–15 minutes a day · Includes a free printable 25-day Advent calendar with Bible readings and activity cards.

Download the 25-Day Christian Advent Calendar for Kids (PDF) — 6 pages: how-to page, calendar poster, 25 cut-out activity cards and a nativity scene to color. US Letter size.

What Is Advent? A Simple Explanation for Kids

The word “Advent” means “coming”. For hundreds of years, Christians have used the weeks before Christmas to prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. In 2026, the first Sunday of Advent is November 29.

Many families light an Advent wreath with four candles, one for each Sunday, often named hope, peace, joy and love. A fifth candle, the Christ candle, is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Our printable calendar runs from December 1 to 25, so it’s easy for children to count down.

How to Use the Printable Advent Calendar

1. Print the calendar poster and the 25 activity cards.
2. Cut out the cards and put them in numbered envelopes, small bags, a jar or a box.
3. Each day, open one card together. Read the short Bible passage, then do the activity.
4. Color that day’s square on the calendar poster, or stick a star on it.
5. On Christmas Day, read the full nativity story together and celebrate!

Tip: Keep the calendar somewhere you see every day, like on the fridge or by the breakfast table, so the routine is easy to remember.

25 Days of Advent Activities for Kids

Week 1: Hope (December 1–7)

1. God’s promise (Isaiah 9:6). Talk about promises. Make a paper star and write “God keeps His promises” on it.
2. Waiting with hope (Psalm 130:5). Play a waiting game: set a timer for one minute and sit quietly. Talk about what is hard about waiting.
3. Light in the darkness (Isaiah 9:2). Turn off the lights and light a candle (with an adult) or a flashlight. Talk about Jesus as the light of the world.
4. The angel visits Mary (Luke 1:26–33). Draw an angel and color it in.
5. Mary says yes (Luke 1:38). Do one helpful job today without being asked, just like Mary was willing to help God.
6. Mary visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39–45). Call or video-chat a relative you haven’t seen for a while.
7. God’s love for the world (John 3:16). Make a paper heart for each person in your family and hide them for them to find.

Week 2: Peace (December 8–14)

8. Joseph’s dream (Matthew 1:20–21). Talk about dreams and draw a picture of Joseph sleeping.
9. Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Make up with anyone you’ve argued with recently. Practice saying “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you”.
10. The journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1–5). Go for a family walk and imagine Mary and Joseph’s long journey.
11. No room at the inn (Luke 2:7). Collect warm clothes or food to donate to people who need a home or a meal.
12. Peace on earth (Luke 2:14). Write a “peace prayer” for someone who is going through a hard time.
13. Be still (Psalm 46:10). Have a quiet “candlelight minute” before bed.
14. Bethlehem, little town (Micah 5:2). Build a little town of Bethlehem using blocks, boxes or building bricks.

Week 3: Joy (December 15–21)

15. Jesus is born (Luke 2:6–7). Set up a nativity scene, or color the printable one.
16. Good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). Sing a favorite Christmas carol together.
17. The shepherds (Luke 2:8–12). Make a shepherd costume from a towel and a bathrobe belt, and act out the story.
18. The angels sing (Luke 2:13–14). Make paper-plate angels to hang on the tree.
19. The shepherds hurry (Luke 2:15–16). Have a race to put away toys. Talk about how excited the shepherds were.
20. Telling everyone (Luke 2:17–18). Make Christmas cards to share the good news with friends and neighbors.
21. Mary treasures it all (Luke 2:19). Look at old family photos and share happy memories.

Week 4: Love (December 22–25)

22. The star (Matthew 2:1–2). Go outside on a clear night and look at the stars together.
23. Gifts for the King (Matthew 2:11). Wrap a small gift for someone outside your family, like a neighbor or a teacher.
24. God is with us (Matthew 1:23). On Christmas Eve, light every candle on the Advent wreath and pray together.
25. Merry Christmas! (Luke 2:1–20). Read the whole Christmas story together and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

Download the calendar poster and 25 Advent activity cards (PDF, pages 2–5) — opens the calendar at the poster on page 2. Print pages 2–5.

Easy Advent Crafts to Go with the Calendar

These simple crafts make the season even more special. Each one uses everyday supplies.

Paper Plate Advent Wreath

Cut the middle out of a paper plate and glue on green tissue-paper “leaves”. Make four paper candles (three purple and one pink, or any colors you like) and a white one for the center. Each Sunday of Advent, add a yellow paper flame to one candle.

Save

Paper Chain Countdown

Make a chain of 25 paper links in red, green and gold. Write a short Bible verse or a kind deed on each link. Tear off one link each morning until Christmas Day.

Save

Jesse Tree Ornaments

A Jesse tree tells the story of God’s people from creation to Jesus’ birth. Draw simple symbols on paper circles, such as an apple (Adam and Eve), an ark (Noah), a star (Abraham’s promise) and a manger (Jesus), and hang them on a branch.

Star of Bethlehem Window

Cut a big star from cardstock and cover the center with yellow cellophane or tissue paper. Tape it to a window so the light shines through, just like the star that guided the wise men.

Read the Christmas Story Together

Advent is a perfect time to read the stories that lead up to Christmas. Try these kid-friendly retellings:

• The Nativity story: the birth of Jesus
• The shepherds and the angels
• The three wise men Bible story for kids

For a verse each day, see our Advent Bible verses for kids and Christmas Bible verses for kids. You can also end each evening with one of our Christmas prayers for kids.

Tips for a Calm, Meaningful Advent

• Keep it short. Ten minutes is plenty. The goal is connection, not perfection.
• Pick a regular time. Breakfast or bedtime works best for most families.
• Don’t worry about missed days. If you skip a day, simply catch up or move on. Advent should feel joyful, not stressful.
• Let kids lead. Older children can read the Bible passage aloud; younger ones can open the card and color the calendar.
• Focus on giving. Several activities involve kindness to others, which helps children see that Christmas is about more than presents.

Advent Activities for Different Ages

Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2–5)

Choose the hands-on activities: coloring, making paper angels, looking at stars and setting up the nativity. Read the Bible passage from a picture Bible and keep it to one or two sentences.

Early Elementary (Ages 6–8)

Children this age can read short verses themselves and enjoy acting out the story. Let them be in charge of opening the daily card.

Older Kids (Ages 9–11)

Invite older children to look up each passage in a real Bible, write a short prayer, or keep an Advent journal with a sentence about each day.

Using the Advent Calendar in Sunday School

Sunday-school teachers can print one calendar for the classroom and send the activity cards home with each family. Cover the week’s readings each Sunday, and invite children to share which activities they did at home.

FAQ: Advent Activities for Kids

When does Advent start in 2026?

Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, 2026, the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Our printable calendar runs from December 1 to 25 so children can easily count down.

What is a good Advent activity for young children?

Setting up a nativity scene, making paper angels, singing carols and coloring a nativity picture are all simple, meaningful Advent activities for preschoolers.

What do the four Advent candles mean?

In many churches, the four candles stand for hope, peace, joy and love. Some traditions use different names, such as the prophecy, Bethlehem, shepherds and angels candles. A white Christ candle in the center is lit at Christmas.

Is the Advent calendar printable free?

Yes. The calendar poster and activity cards are free for home, church and classroom use.