There's so much about the holidays that is endlessly exciting for kids. And anticipation is part of the excitement — the sheer joy of counting down the days until Christmas is huge.
Of course you can't go wrong with the traditional chocolate advent calendar. But if you're trying to cut back on sugar, or you want something really memorable, here are some other advent calendar options your kids will love.
1. Paw Patrol
Of course the wildly popular "Paw Patrol" franchise would offer this option. There are 24 mini action figures per day leading up to Christmas, so expect lots of tiny dog figurines around your house.
Age: 3+
Price: $34.95
Where to buy it: Indigo
2. Hatchimals Egg Colleggtibles
Hatchimals are interactive creatures that hatch from eggs, and kids seem to love them. This calendar includes small accessories, craft decorations, stickers, and exclusive holiday characters "both in-egg and out-of-egg."
Age: 5+
Price: $25
Where to buy it: Amazon
3. Playmobil horse farm
Each day fills out an accessory for the scene of an instructor caring for her horses and their foals.
Ages: 6 - 12
Price: $29.95
Where to buy it: Indigo
4. Lego Star Wars
Mini figurines, starships and vehicles are all part of this calendar, which also comes with a Lego playmat.
Ages: 6 - 14
Price: $40
Where to buy it: Indigo
5. Melissa and Doug Countdown to Christmas
This magnetic wooden calendar includes 24 different magnetic decorations, which kids will enjoy moving and rearranging as much as they want.
Ages: 3 - 5
Price: $24.95
Where to buy it: Indigo
6. Crayola Christmas Countdown
This calendar is activity-based: every day gives kids suggestions for different crafts or colouring project. Ornaments, finger puppets and colouring pages are all included.
Ages: 4+
Price: $22.99
Where to buy it: Amazon
7. Play-Doh
Several tubes of Play-Doh are included (both regular and glitter) in this calendar. It also includes several holiday-themed stampers and molds, and other accessories.
Ages: 3+
Price: $45.99
Where to buy it: Amazon
8. Barbie
Day one gives you a Barbie, and the subsequent days provide career-themed outfits and accessories. By Christmas, Barbie will be fully equipped to be a baker, ballerina, pop singer, vet, and skier.
Ages: 3+
Price: $55
Where to buy it: Amazon
9. Fisher Price Little People
Small children will love this calendar, which includes several Christmas toys (Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves) as well as everyday figures and animals.
Ages: 3+
Price: $99
Where to buy it: Amazon
10. Woodland creatures (reusable)
Go with this one if you'd rather buy a reusable advent calendar that can you fill up with you own treats. It's a bit pricey on the first purchase, but you can use it year after year.
Ages: Custom
Price: $81
Where to buy it: Pottery Barn Kids
BONUS: Funko Harry Potter advent calendar (...if you can find it)
This wildly popular calendar, which includes figurines of the major characters from the "Harry Potter" series, is sold out from just about every major retailer. It doesn't seem to be on the Canadian version of Amazon, but if you're willing to shell out the big bucks, there are a few sets available from American resellers on Amazon and eBay.
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