The Best Holiday Advent Calendars for Kids

There are many things we love about the holiday season: the overall joy and excitement, the lights, the decorations, the food, the music — and the Advent calendars. Opening a little treat or gift each day leading up to the main event is so fun for all ages, especially for the kiddos in your life.

Best Ready-to-Fill Advent Calendars for Kids

Start a tradition with these beautiful Advent calendars you can use year after year. Personalize the calendar each season by filling the pockets or drawers with your kids' favorite candies or tiny toys. Also, these calendars will add to your holiday decorating, topping your mantel with a wooden train or adorning your wall with a pretty embroidered hanging.

Best Countdown Advent Calendars for Kids

Build the excitement of the approaching holiday with these countdown calendars — no trinkets or chocolates needed. Every day, your kiddo will move a little figure (like an adorable puppy or festive star), add an ornament to the tree or countdown the sleeps to Christmas. We even came across an adorable sweatshirt Advent calendar.

Best Treat Advent Calendars for Kids

Make every day a little sweeter with these calendars full of gummies, chocolates and candies. The Elf calendar makes sure your kid has all of the elves' major food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup. Fighting over chocolate is not in the holiday spirit, so if you're buying for multiple children, opt for the Harry & David Chocolate Advent Calendar Duo that comes in a pack of two. That way everyone gets their own sweet treat.

Best Toy Advent Calendars for Kids

Toys and figurines will always be a win in the kid department. With tons of Advent calendars to pick from, you might be lucky enough to find one that's exclusively for your kid's favorite character: Bluey, Pokémon, Barbie and more. Don't want to go the character route? Look for toys that never go out of style such as rubber duckies and dinosaurs.

Best Activity Advent Calendars for Kids

Give your kids a little activity to do every day of December. These advent calendars are full of fidget toys, crafts, putties and brain teasers. The KiwiCo calendar has everything to build a delightful snowy scene, complete with lights, an ice rink and a motorized sled hill, one day at a time, while the National Geographic calendar gives your kids a chance to perfect their magic skills for a New Year's Eve party.