41 Advent Calendar Fillers for Kids (Not Candy), by Age

By Jess Harper Updated 10 min read

Looking for advent calendar for kids fillers that aren't candy? Here are 24 tiny toys sorted by age (toddlers, preschoolers and big kids) plus 17 free activity slips you can write on scrap paper tonight. Mixing the two keeps the cost down and the excitement up, and every toy comes with a quick small-parts note.

Advent calendar for kids fillers that aren't candy: numbered kraft envelopes and boxes with a coloring book, stickers, play dough, a felt ornament, a toy car and activity slips Save

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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.

Key takeaways

  • Mix tiny toys with free activity slips. Kids love opening a door to find "pajama breakfast by the tree" as much as a toy.
  • Sort fillers by age. Toddlers need big, chunky items; big kids love a small LEGO set split across several days.
  • Do the toilet paper tube check on every filler if a child under 3 will open the calendar or share the house.
  • Cheap fillers add up fast: felt advent sets at Target and many Five Below or Dollar Tree items cost about $1 to $3 (prices vary by store and season).
In this post9 sections
  1. How We Picked These Advent Calendar for Kids Fillers
  2. The Small-Parts Rule for Advent Fillers
  3. Advent Calendar Fillers for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)
  4. Small Advent Calendar Fillers for Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)
  5. Advent Calendar Gift Ideas for Big Kids (Ages 6 to 8)
  6. Free Activity Slips: DIY Advent Fillers That Cost Nothing
  7. Cheap Advent Calendar Fillers: Price Examples
  8. How to Mix Tiny Toys and Activity Slips Over 24 Days
  9. FAQ

How We Picked These Advent Calendar for Kids Fillers

A good advent filler is small enough for a pocket or envelope, cheap enough to buy in a batch and fun for more than a minute. Candy fails the last test, which is why this list has none.

We sorted the toys by age because a 2 year old and an 8 year old need very different fillers. Then we added a list of free activity slips, so you only need to buy about half as many things.

We haven't tested these hands-on. Prices are past-season or undated snapshots, so read them as about, prices vary by store and season.

The Small-Parts Rule for Advent Fillers

Tiny fillers and toddlers are a risky mix. The CPSC small parts rule keeps small parts out of toys made for kids under 3, so many little toys say "not for children under 3" on the label.

The AAP also warns that button batteries and small, strong magnets are dangerous if swallowed, and that balloons are a choking risk up to age 8. Leave latex balloons out of every advent calendar. If you think a child swallowed a battery or magnet, go to the ER and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

An adult's hand holding a toilet paper tube next to advent calendar fillers, a tiny brick, an eraser, a toy figure, a felt ornament and a board book Save
The tiny brick and eraser fail the tube check. The felt ornament and board book pass.

Advent Calendar Fillers for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)

For toddlers, the opening is half the fun. Pick chunky items that can't fit through the tube, and repeat favorites. Nobody minds a second sticker sheet.

Toddler advent calendar fillers on a cream rug: a chunky board book, egg crayons, puffy stickers, a felt ornament and a bath duck by numbered paper bags Save
Big, chunky fillers are the safest pick for ages 2 to 3.

Fillers for ages 2 to 3

A big green felt Christmas tree on a playroom wall decorated with large felt ornaments, a toddler's hand adding a felt ornament Save

Small Advent Calendar Fillers for Preschoolers (Ages 3 to 5)

Preschoolers love collecting. Fillers that build on each other, like a sticker tree or a building set split into bags, keep them excited all month.

Fillers for ages 3 to 5

A set of chunky building bricks split into small numbered zip bags on a white table, with a half-built house and a child's hand adding a brick Save
Split one building set into bags and the final day becomes the big reveal.
A green paper Christmas tree on a kitchen wall decorated with ornament stickers, a preschooler's hand peeling a sticker from a sheet Save
Small red, green and white play dough tubs with star and tree cutters next to a numbered kraft bag, a preschooler's hand pressing a cutter Save
A water-reveal coloring pad with a Christmas tree turning colorful under a child's water pen, next to a small numbered envelope Save

Advent Calendar Gift Ideas for Big Kids (Ages 6 to 8)

Big kids want fillers that feel grown-up. These are great for ages 6 to 8, but many have small parts, so store them away from younger siblings.

Fillers for ages 6 to 8

A small building brick set sorted into numbered paper envelopes on a kid's desk, a big kid's hand snapping a brick onto a little cabin Save
Number the bags by build step, so the model grows day by day.
Shrink plastic ornament drawings of a star, stocking and tree with colored pencils and finished shrunk charms on ribbon loops Save
Gel pens, a doodled notebook, rainbow animal sticker sheets and a spring coil toy on a white desk, a child's hand drawing with a gel pen Save
A magnetic Christmas tree board on a fridge with chunky magnetic ornaments, a child's hand placing a magnetic star Save

Free Activity Slips: DIY Advent Fillers That Cost Nothing

Activity slips are the secret to a cheap, low-clutter advent calendar. Write one on a scrap of paper, fold it, and tuck it into the pocket. Here are 17 that aren't on our 24-day Christmas countdown list, so you can use both.

A glass jar of folded paper activity slips tied with red twine, numbered kraft envelopes, a pencil and small hands opening slips on a white table Save
Activity slips cost nothing and leave no clutter behind.
17 activity slips for your advent calendar (activities 25 to 41)
Activity slipAgesPrepMessSuppliesSafety note
25. Pajama breakfast by the tree2 to 85 minLowA blanket, breakfastKeep hot drinks out of reach
26. Call a grandparent and sing a carol2 to 8NoneNoneA phoneNone
27. Ten extra minutes before bed2 to 8NoneNoneA favorite bookKeep the rest of bedtime the same
28. Kitchen dance party, everyone picks a song2 to 8NoneNoneMusicClear toys off the floor first
29. Thank-you note for the delivery driver3 to 85 minLowPaper, crayons, tapeTape it inside the door; kids don't go to the street alone
30. Colored ice cube bath2 to 85 min the night beforeLowIce cube tray, water, a drop of food coloringAn adult stays within arm's reach in the bath
31. You pick dinner (from two choices)3 to 8NoneNoneNoneCut food to a safe size for little ones
32. Hide the toy reindeer2 to 82 minNoneAny stuffed animalHide it low, never where kids would climb
33. Sock puppet show3 to 810 minLowOld socks, markers, a box stageNo buttons or googly eyes for kids under 3
34. Paper airplane contest5 to 85 minLowPrinter paperFly them away from people's eyes and pets
35. King or queen for the day crown3 to 810 minLowPaper, tape, stickersUse tape, not staples, for little ones
36. Look at baby photos from past Christmases2 to 8NoneNonePhoto album or phoneNone
37. Camp out under the tree3 to 810 minLowSleeping bags, pillowsTurn off tree lights before sleeping; keep glass ornaments up high
38. Board game night3 to 8NoneNoneA family gamePut small game pieces away from babies after
39. Draw your Christmas wish on the window3 to 85 minMediumWashable window markersTest markers on a corner first
40. Breakfast for dinner2 to 815 minMediumYour usual breakfast foodsLittle ones stay away from the stove
41. Make a holiday sign for the front door3 to 810 minMediumCardboard, markers, tapeAn adult hangs it

Want them pre-written? The Christmas Activity Pack below has 24 printed activity cards with supplies and age tweaks, ready to cut and fold into any calendar.

Cheap Advent Calendar Fillers: Price Examples

These are the real price examples we found. They're past-season or undated snapshots, so your store may be different.

Price examples (about, prices vary by store and season)
FillerWhereAbout
Felt advent setsTarget, Bullseye's Playground$3
Play doughTarget, Bullseye's Playground$1
Coloring bookFive Below$1
SlinkyFive Below$1
Lisa Frank stickersFive Below$3.25
Gel pensFive Below$2.25
Most itemsDollar Tree$1.25
A cardboard box of cheap advent calendar fillers on a kitchen counter: coloring books, stickers, play dough, felt ornaments, gel pens and a spring coil toy Save

How to Mix Tiny Toys and Activity Slips Over 24 Days

There's no rule here, but a mix keeps costs down and stops the calendar from feeling like a toy pile. Here's a simple starting point for each age.

A suggested 24-day mix (adjust to your family)
AgeTiny toysActivity slipsTip
2 to 3About 10About 14Toddlers love opening, so wrap slips around a sticker
3 to 5About 12About 12Put collect-a-day fillers (sticker tree, split brick set) on school days
6 to 8About 14About 10Save a split LEGO set for the last week to build up to Christmas Eve

Before you fill the advent calendar

Need the calendar itself? Our guide to making a DIY advent calendar for kids shows three easy ways with paper bags, toilet rolls or cardboard. For stockings, see our stocking stuffers for kids 3-5, and for something to do every December day, try these Christmas activities for toddlers at home.

Frequently asked questions

What can I put in a kids' advent calendar instead of candy?

Stickers, a mini coloring book, play dough, felt ornaments, gel pens, a small building set split across days, and free activity slips like pajama breakfast by the tree or a kitchen dance party.

What are good advent calendar fillers for a toddler?

Chunky items that won't fit through a toilet paper tube: board books, egg crayons, big puffy stickers, felt tree ornaments, a bath toy, a jumbo animal figure and grippy socks.

How do I make a cheap advent calendar for kids?

Mix about half small toys with half free activity slips. Many fillers cost about $1 to $3 at Five Below, Dollar Tree or Target's Bullseye's Playground, though prices vary by store and season.

How do you split a LEGO set for an advent calendar?

Open the set, sort the pieces by the build steps in the booklet and put each step in a numbered bag. Tiny bricks are a choking risk, so keep them away from kids under 3.

Are small advent calendar toys safe for kids under 3?

Many aren't. Use the toilet paper tube as a rough check, read the age label, and skip anything with button batteries, loose magnets or latex balloons. The tube is a rough guide, not the official CPSC test fixture.

Pin with four photos of a felt Christmas tree, a sticker ornament tree, numbered bags of building bricks and gel pens with stickers, text reads 41 Fun Advent Calendar Fillers for Kids, not candy, sorted by age.

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About the author

Jess Harper, Founder & Editor

Jess Harper is the pen name of the independent publisher who founded Puddles & Play, used for its holiday crafts and for editing every post. Jess isn't a teacher or childcare professional, so posts are checked for age range, supplies and choking hazards against published child-safety guidance, with AI tools helping on research, drafts and images. Each post is checked against those sources before it goes live and updated when they change. Every activity is meant for adult-supervised play.

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