20 Best Advent Calendars for Preschoolers That Are Bound to Sell Out

HABA’s Advent calendar is a great way to introduce the idea of a Christmas countdown. Each day includes a chapter of a story that tells the tale of lost holiday gifts and the animals who help to retrieve them. Oh, speaking of, each day also reveals a wooden animal figurine. Some reviewers did note that the animals appear on the outside of the box (so they’re not technically surprises), but this doesn’t take away from the fun of opening the calendar doors or enjoying the animal figurines.

Looking for a crafty Advent calendar that your entire family can enjoy? Parents in the WTE community love KiwiCo’s assortment, but the Winter Wonderland Advent calendar is particularly popular. Each box contains a different craft that, by the end of the month, comes together to create an adorable winter wonderland scene. Together you’ll build trees, cottages, people and a sledding hill that can not only be decorated by your little one, but one you can also add to your decoration collection to put on display year after year. 

Because the pieces are small and patience is required to follow the directions, this is a top Advent calendar activity that parents or older siblings can enjoy alongside preschoolers.

I adore that Pottery Bran’s wooden train Advent calendar is designed to grow with your family, eventually becoming part of your regular holiday decor. You can add tiny toys, stickers or candies for little ones, and as they get older, transition to items like lip balm or nail polish. Each box numbered one through 24 measures 1.75 x 2.75 x 1.5 inches, so they’re just big enough for a toy like a Matchbox car. Box number 25 is slightly larger for a special Christmas Day treat. Altogether, it’s about 32 inches long as an amazing statement-maker on a fireplace mantle. 

P.S. Pottery Barn Kids has an array of other kid-friendly Advent calendars that are also perfect for adding trinkets and treats to for many more seasons to come.

This tree-shaped wooden Advent calendar is perfect for little ones to master independently. Each day, they can select a magnetic, holiday-themed ornament from the box below the tree to cover that day’s number, very much like the awesome puzzles Melissa & Doug is known for.Some parents note that, despite the included box to store the magnetic ornaments when not yet on the tree, single pieces can go missing during playtime, and no replacements are available to purchase.

If reading is a part of your little one’s bedtime routine, this book Advent calendar is the perfect pick. I gifted this to my kids one year and it was such a joy to read a new story together in the nights leading up to Christmas. Like other parents, I was surprised to discover not every book was a holiday book; illustrated versions of classics like Beauty and the Beast and Swan Lake come to mind. But these ended up being fantastic year-round additions to our bookshelf. That said, the holiday books come with QR codes to scan for fun sing-a-longs!

Another advent calendar with daily books is Disney’s 5-in-1 Advent Calendar — a favorite new release on Amazon. Not only is there a book each day featuring popular Disney and Pixar characters, but also a fun activity like a quiz, mazes, word puzzles and more. For preschoolers, these stories and activities are a creative way to keep them excited about the holiday season and engaged with the Advent calendar. If your little one is inspired by Disney’s leading ladies, there’s also a Disney Princess Advent calendar available in this same book and activity design.

Each cardboard square of the Little People Barbie Advent calendar reveals a new Christmas-themed Barbie figure or accessory that they can play with all season long. As you’d expect from Fisher-Price, the toys are all incredibly durable and designed for little hands. While the set focuses exclusively on Barbie characters in the Little People universe, kids will love adding these holiday-themed pieces to their toy collection.

A great option for families who prefer crafty Advent activities, the Play-Doh Advent calendaroffers 24 days of creative fun for preschoolers. Each window reveals either a new tool or a Play-Doh tub to help kids shape holiday-themed creations like trees, snowmen and candy canes. It's perfect for little ones to express their creativity throughout the winter season and beyond. Parents who have used this calendar note that it’s important to be mindful of storing the Play-Doh properly to prevent it from drying out, or else your kids won’t be able to complete all of the activities leading up to December 25.

Ideal for future geologists, this National Geographic Advent calendar is a wonderful way to combine holiday cheer with a love of learning. Each day, your child will receive a new rock, gemstone or fossil with an interesting fact card. I recommend it for kids who love nature and getting outdoors, as it provides an educational twist to the holiday countdown. Because these gems and stones are small and delicate, it’s important to note that this is a calendar you’ll want to enjoy together as a family.

For preschoolers who love toy cars, you can’t beat the Hot Wheels Advent calendar. Behind each door is a new car or accessory to build a festive scene to play out on the included track mat. Some parents say that they were disappointed that not every day has a car (only eight are included). However, they liked that the cars could also be enjoyed and played with long after the holiday season ended.

If you’re looking for 25 days of cute and cuddly surprises, this adorable Build-A-Bear Advent calendar offers exactly that. With six mini plushies and 19 outfits and accessories to dress them in, it’s a great choice Many parents in the What to Expect community say they don’t always love the quality of toy Advent calendars, but this pick provides the same top-notch craftsmanship you expect from Build-A-Bear. However, because it contains mini plushies and accessories, you may want to keep track of the smaller pieces (they may go missing during playtime).

Each day of this LEGO City Advent Calendar reveals a new figure, vehicle or holiday-themed piece to build, adding to an overall collection that eventually comes together to create a holiday mini-scape by the end of the month. Though this calendar is great for encouraging creativity and fine motor skills, it is intended for older children (ages 5 and up). I recommend it for siblings of mixed ages to enjoy together and as a tool to introduce slightly older preschoolers to LEGO.

As far as reusable and fillable Advent calendars go, this Crate & Kids option is a lovely contender. Crafted from natural, undyed cotton, it features 24 embroidered pockets perfect for tucking in small surprises like toys, treats or a slip of paper revealing a family activity. The charming bear and bunny design is pleasantly neutral but still festive enough to make a beautiful decoration for your home. It’s customizable to boot, so you can add your family’s surname or your child’s name at the bottom to build a unique Advent tradition of your own.

Part of the Festive Friends collection at West Elm, this beautiful, heirloom-quality hanging Advent calendar is ideal for hanging in your little one’s room. You can get them matching sheets for their bed or a garland to hang and really go all-out with their personalized holiday decor. Plus, the design is not so young that it will be quickly outgrown, making it worth the price. Though they may not hold items that are too large, this canvas calendar is perfect for filling with small surprises like treats, stickers and little toys.

My kids have loved playing with Magna-Tiles since toddlerhood, so I’m especially excited about this Gingerbread Advent calendar Magna-Tiles set. Combining the magic of the holidays with STEM-based learning, the set is perfect for introducing preschoolers to the concept of an Advent calendar through building and problem-solving. Each day, they’ll get a new magnetic tile to add to their collection, eventually leading to a full gingerbread house build. When fully assembled, it looks pretty enough to eat — but don’t let anyone actually take a bite!

How adorable is this set of Christmas activity tokens from Etsy? While there’s not an actual calendar to hold them, they’re sized to fit inside a calendar you may already have. You can also add them to a bag and have your preschooler draw a token out each day in December to create your own fun countdown. The activities are customizable, so you can add your own favorite holiday traditions, like baking cookies or driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights). The activities may require some pre-planning on your part, but this is a foolproof idea for families who want to spend quality time together during the holidays.

Another Etsy find,this unique Advent calendar takes the form of surprise balls where each layer of crepe paper, when peeled back, reveals a new trinket or treat. It’s perfect for families looking for something unique, and I expect the novelty of peeling back layers to add to the excitement. Whether your preschooler is into nature, arts and crafts, music or something else entirely, there are several fun themes to choose from, including those that work well for older kids. And if you’re late to the game ordering this year, you can pick the 12-day countdown option as a last-minute solution.

Step2’s My First Advent Calendar is a delightful option that introduces even the littlest members of your family to the tradition of Advent. This sturdy, reusable calendar is shaped similarly to a dollhouse and allows toddlers to open a drawer each day. The filler items are not included, but the drawers are spacious enough to hold small toys. It’s interactive but durable, so it will withstand rough handling from little ones. The design is simple and sturdy, but it does take up a bit of space wherever you choose to display it.

Accio, candy! Perfect for Potterheads, hiding behind each door of the Harry Potter Advent calendar is a range of Wizarding World candy like Butterscotch Buttons, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and more. However, the youngest children in your family may not be able to safely consume some of the smaller hard candies included, so it’s better for slightly older kids.

Did you really think I would get through this entire list without a Bluey-themed pick? Not a chance. Each day of this Amazon-exclusive Advent calendar reveals a bright new figurine, accessory or sticker representing Bluey's world. Some parents say they wish for a bit more variety in what’s revealed each day, but it’s sure to bring smiles to your Bluey-loving little ones.

Psst: There are tons more of themed Advent calendars on Amazon, depending on what your child's favorite cartoon show is come December 1. For instance, I also spotted Sesame Street, Thomas the Train, Peppa Pig, Super Mario and Baby Shark, to name a few. And all are $50 or less.