100+ Advent Calendar Filler Ideas (No Candy)

The days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning, and Advent is not far away. For many kids, waiting for Christmas is made sweeter by an advent calendar. Supermarkets offer endless versions packed with sugar and chocolate – but lots of parents would rather fill the advent calendar themselves. The challenge: coming up with 24 little fillers on top of everything else on the Christmas to-do list. That’s why I’ve collected more than 100 advent calendar filler ideas here – all without candy. Happy browsing!

Top tip for advent calendar fillers: team up

Many of the small gifts on this list get a lot cheaper when you buy several at once. So ask your friend group or the class chat whether you want to team up for the advent calendar shopping. You’ll save money and trade ideas with other parents.

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Coupons for time together

I’d love to open this list with the fillers that cost nothing but mean the most: shared time. Yes, most kids love little “things” and surprises – and those are coming below. But maybe your child will be just as happy to find one of these coupons in their calendar:

• Bake cookies together (these slice-and-bake cookies or pinwheel cookies work great with kids)
• Movie night with homemade popcorn
• Explorer walk / night walk with flashlights
• Trampoline park or climbing gym visit
• Board game afternoon
• Ice skating or sledding together
• Campfire with stick bread (or a picnic when it’s warmer)
• Canoe or paddle boat trip
• Trip to the movies
• Day trip to a lake or the mountains
• Treetop walkway or zoo visit
• Crafting together (paper stars, salt dough, candles, soap…)

#1 Toys

• Travel games
• Quiz games (trivia, “what is what” style)
• Mini mystery or story games
• Story cubes
• Card games (Go Fish, Uno, quartet…)
• Card holders
• Animal figurines
• Playmobil or LEGO minifigures
• LEGO Creator winter train mini-set* 
• Game dice
• Toy cars
• Forest animal finger puppets (set of 8)* 
• Accessories for the play kitchen or grocery store (sets split nicely across several days)
• Play money set* 
• Patience and brain teaser puzzles
• Fidget cubes and similar
• Pop-its

#1a Toy sets (great for splitting)

These toys usually come in sets, which makes them perfect for sharing with other calendar-fillers, see the tip above:

• Foam gliders (50-pack)* 
• Yo-yos
• Finger skateboards (set of 12)* 
• Mini water squirters
• Marbles
• Spinning tops
• Magic snake twist puzzles* 
• Rainbow coil springs (30-pack)* 
• Soft balls / stress balls
• Bouncy balls

#2 Craft supplies and creative gifts

• Mini diamond painting keychains*  / paint by numbers / mosaic pictures
• Stamps and paper punches
• Craft supplies: colorful feathers, foam shapes, acrylic gems, pompoms, pipe cleaners, buttons, ribbons, patterned paper…
• Notepads
• Mini coloring books
• Beads
• Modeling clay / magic sand / slime
• Small Christmas-themed craft kits
• Wooden ornaments to paint yourself
• Fuse bead boards and beads
• Glitter gel pens* 
• Stickers
• Fun pencils and multicolor pens
• Shaped erasers and sharpeners
• Bookmarks
• Washi tape rolls
• Scratch pictures
• Accessories for the dress-up box (masks, scarves…)

#3 Decor

• Mini string lights
• Motif candle or tealight carousel
• Window clings
• Small snow globe

#4 Discover, active and outdoor

• Sidewalk chalk
• Compass
• Magnifying glass
• LED poi balls for kids* 
• Juggling scarves or balls / hacky sacks* 
• Bubbles
• Finger lights*  / mini flashlights
• Gemstones
• “Excavation kits” (dino eggs, gem digs)
• Reflector bands / shaped reflectors
• Bike spoke reflectors (36-pack)*  and clips
• Elastic twist games
• Reusable pocket hand warmers* 

#5 For girls

• Lip balm / nail polish / eyeshadow
• Doll clothes, shoes, diapers and other accessories
• Scrunchies / hair ties / hair clips / combs / headbands
• Earrings / necklaces / bracelets

#6 Even more ideas

• Theater makeup sticks
• Mini worry eaters
• Shower gel minis
• Mini wallet / coin purse
• Cozy socks
• Tea
• Amigurumi (Etsy has a wonderful selection if you’re not a crochet wizard yourself)
• Painted rock
• Puzzles / sudoku books
• Trading cards
• Mini magic tricks
• Sweatband
• Glow sticks
• Fun balloons
• Keychains
• Bath bombs
• Slap bracelets / silicone wristbands
• Magic pressed towels*  (the tiny ones that grow in water)
• Cookie cutters / cookie stamps
• Temporary tattoos or tattoo pens
• Backpack patches and keychains
• Mini books
• Buttons and pins
• Sew-on patches

If you’re also looking for small gifts to send in the mail, check out my list of Christmas in a jar gift ideas – and homemade fruit bars make a lovely edible filler too.

Whatever you fill the calendar with: I wish you a relaxed and joyful Advent season!

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