Not keen on a chocolate advent calendar this year? Cast your eyes upon our finest selection of non-chocolate advent calendars for kids, hailing from esteemed brands such as LEGO, Playmobil, GraviTrax, Haribo, and a host of others.
Advent calendars serve as a splendid means to infuse exhilaration into the Christmas countdown. Conventionally, children often revel in chocolate advent calendars. However, if your offspring possess a distaste for chocolate or seek a novel experience, an ever-expanding array of non-chocolate advent calendars awaits your perusal each passing year.
In our quest to assist you in unearthing the optimal advent calendar for your little one, we meticulously surveyed the market landscape, identifying a gamut of advent calendar choices to cater to diverse preferences. Not confined solely to the realm of children, advent calendars extend their appeal to teenagers as well. Furthermore, for those seeking a personal indulgence, we have curated an assortment of the finest advent calendars designed with adults in mind.
Top Ten Advent Calendars For Kids At A Glance
- Best advent calendar for book lovers: Usborne Advent Calendar Book Collection, £19.99
- Best fill your-own advent calendar: Christmas Advent Calendar House, £20
- Best advent calendar for Christmas LEGO: LEGO CITY Advent Calendar, £21.99
- Best advent calendar for giving back: Advent of Change Children’s Charity Advent Calendar, £17.95
- Best advent calendar for Pokémon fans: Pokémon Advent Calendar, £57.99
- Best advent calendar for baking: Playmobil Christmas Bakery Advent Calendar, £21.99
- Best advent calendar for crafting: ToucanBox The Very Merry Advent Calendar, £35
- Best advent calendar for Peppa Pig lovers: Peppa Pig’s Advent Calendar, £24.99
- Best sustainable advent calendar: GLT Woodland Christmas Advent Calendar, £45
- Best advent calendar for LEGO Friends: LEGO Friends Advent Calendar, £21.99
1.Usborne Advent Calendar Book Collection, £19.99
Appropriate for: 3+ years
For youngsters with an affinity for reading, this advent calendar proves to be the quintessential choice. It unfurls akin to a tome, revealing within its pages a collection of timeless tales. Nestled behind every door lies a treasure trove of classic stories, encompassing enchanting narratives like Jack and the Beanstalk, Pinocchio, and the Nativity.
Moreover, it presents a heartwarming opportunity for shared moments. As the days unfold in anticipation of Christmas, you and your little ones can come together each evening to immerse yourselves in the captivating narratives contained within these volumes.
Available from: JoJo Maman Bebe and The Works
2.Christmas Advent Calendar House, £20
Appropriate from: 0 months (depending on contents)
This delightful Christmas house advent calendar provides you with the creative freedom to curate its contents according to your preferences. It offers a wonderful opportunity for sustainability, as it transcends the concept of a disposable advent calendar. Instead, it can be cherished and utilised across multiple years, each time brimming with an assortment of distinct delights. Crafted from cardboard, the charming house structure boasts 24 drawers of assorted dimensions, eagerly anticipating to cradle an array of enchanting surprises.
Available from: JoJo Maman Bebe
3. LEGO CITY Advent Calendar, £21.99
Appropriate for: 5+ years
LEGO advent calendars hold considerable popularity, imparting more than mere daily treats to your child. Each day, your little one relishes the joy of constructing the captivating contents.
Concealed behind each door, a treasure trove of minifigures and dainty festive constructions awaits discovery. Enhancing the allure, the advent calendar boasts an expanse of snowy playmat, which gracefully unfurls onto the surface, conjuring a magical winter tableau.
For those who possess additional LEGO sets, the scope for creativity widens as you blend these sets to conjure grander festive dioramas.
Should you desire a themed LEGO advent calendar, Very proffers an array of choices, including Harry Potter, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars. This ensures a LEGO advent calendar tailored to cater to every inclination.
Available from: Very, LEGO, and Amazon
4. Advent of Change Children’s Charity Advent Calendar, £17.95
Appropriate for: 0+ years
Christmas encapsulates the spirit of generosity, encompassing charitable contributions as well. The introduction of a unique approach transforms the act of unveiling each window in the festive countdown into a delightful and enlightening journey.
Upon unveiling each door, you will be introduced to the charity that has benefitted from your support that day. Acquiring this advent calendar translates to the equivalent of 24 charitable donations of 50 pence each, directed towards family-oriented causes. This serves as an endearing method to instil in your child the virtue of giving. Moreover, the advent calendar seamlessly integrates amusement into the process, enabling children to aid Santa in locating his misplaced gift by embarking on a quest to unearth decorations that spell out something truly special.
Available from: Advent of Change
5.Pokémon Advent Calendar, £30
Appropriate for: 3+ years
Enthusiasts of Pokémon can embark on a journey to amass a delightful array of Pokémon figures, ripe for engaging in captivating battles and imaginative play. Nestled within this advent calendar lie a trove of 24 holiday-themed figures and accessories, each boasting an exclusive glistening finish that imparts a sense of merriment and festivity.
Upon the culmination of the countdown, you shall find yourself in possession of a splendid assortment of Pokémon collectibles, ready to fuel playtime adventures throughout the entire year.
Available from: Argos and Smyths Toys
6.Playmobil Christmas Bakery Advent Calendar, £21.99
Appropriate for: 3+ years | Awards: Gold – Best Christmas-Themed Toy, MadeforMums Toy Awards 2022
This Playmobil advent calendar seamlessly melds playtime with real-life enchantment. Much akin to the LEGO CITY advent calendar, it extends the invitation to craft a personalised festive tableau using the figures concealed behind each door. You might chance upon a jovial snowman or even the venerable Santa Claus himself.
Yet, the pièce de résistance of this advent calendar emerges in the form of baking accoutrements. Among its treasures lie cookie cutters, poised to aid your little ones in conjuring delectable festive treats.
Emma, an esteemed tester of our accolade-winning advent calendar, embarked on an expedition alongside her 6-year-old collaborator (pictured above). In her own words, “I am enamoured by the provision of cookie cutter shapes that encourage playful engagement and culinary creativity. It’s an experience that seamlessly merges baking and imaginative play. The heartwarming depiction of Father Christmas delivering gifts to the abode and the whimsical spectacle of the snowman adorning the sleigh are particularly delightful touches.”
Available from: Boots, Very and Selfridges
7. ToucanBox The Very Merry Advent Calendar, £35
Appropriate for: 3+ years
This advent calendar proves to be an absolute delight for entertaining young ones, particularly during the Christmas interlude when an abundance of festive tasks beckon. Enclosed within each compartment lies a captivating pursuit tailored to engage your child’s imagination. This could span a spectrum from engaging crafts to recipe cards, enthralling storybooks, or even spirited elf challenges.
Among the enchanting crafts featured, one might find instructions for crafting a snowball-juggling bear bauble or assembling snowmen puppets, among an array of other captivating options.
The presentation within the box itself is nothing short of enchanting. The central highlight is a generously proportioned bag, replete with an elf plushie and an assortment of accompanying accessories.
A wealth of discoveries awaits within this trove, providing an ample source of engagement to captivate and engross your child throughout the festive season.
Available from: toucanBox
8 Peppa Pig’s Advent Calendar, £24.99
Appropriate for: 3+ years
Calling all Peppa Pig enthusiasts! This advent calendar has been designed with you in mind. Unveil the 24 windows to reveal a delightful Peppa Pig toy tucked behind each door.
Immerse yourself in the joy of crafting a festive tableau using the myriad figures and objects that grace each passing day.
Within, a host of endearing characters awaits your discovery. Encounter none other than Peppa herself, accompanied by George and Santa Claus. Complementing this delightful cast are a plethora of charming accessories, including an adorable Christmas tree.
Available from: Booghe and Amazon
9. GLT Woodland Christmas Advent Calendar, £45
Appropriate for: 3+ years | Awards: Silver – Best Christmas-Themed Toy, MadeforMums Toy Awards 2022
For those who espouse eco-conscious values, The Great Little Trading Company unveils an advent calendar that resonates seamlessly with your ethos. Behold a splendid wooden reusable Christmas tree, adorned with an assortment of winsome woodland and festive-themed embellishments.
Each embellishment is thoughtfully inscribed with a corresponding number, aligning harmoniously with the tree, thus facilitating an engaging countdown to Christmas.
Sienna, a young and discerning tester aged 4 (depicted above), embarked on a voyage of discovery with this esteemed advent calendar. In her own words, “I find it incredibly fascinating; there’s an undeniable allure to the menagerie of animals adorning it. The Christmas ambiance it exudes is rather heartening. When the tree reaches number 24, Santa’s arrival is an event eagerly anticipated.”
Available from: GLTC
10. LEGO Friends Advent Calendar, £21.99
Appropriate for: 6+ years
Yet another entrancing addition to the LEGO advent calendar repertoire, and this time it takes the form of LEGO Friends, offering the chance to revel in a Christmas celebration with Olivia’s delightful family. Embark on a culinary expedition, exploring delectable food stalls meticulously crafted and concealed behind each door.
Similar to its LEGO counterparts, this offering bestows a treasure trove of minifigures and objects destined for construction. Once assembled, these elements grace the festive playmat, seamlessly affixed to the exterior of the advent calendar box.
