KIDS love the magic of opening advent calendar windows each day to reveal a surprise gift in the lead-up to Christmas.
You can make the festive season extra magical with the best kids' advent calendars for 2023.
Whether you're shopping for a daughter, son, niece or nephew, there are so many options to choose from.
The good news is that you no longer have to feed your child chocolate every morning before breakfast, as there are plenty of other non-confectionery advent calendars around these days.
There are loads of unique advent calendars on the market right now catering to childhood obsessions such as LEGO, Haribo, Disney, The Gruffalo and many more.
If you're feeling imaginative or you're struggling to find something you feel your child would enjoy, there's even an option to add your gifts to a DIY calendar, though do bear in mind that you'll need to have 24 gift ideas to make one of these work well.
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Read on for our round-up of the best kids' advent calendars… we can feel that Christmas anticipation building already.
Best kids’ advent calendars at a glance
- Best overall kid's advent calendar: LEGO City Advent Calendar 2023
- Best advent calendar for 10-year-olds: Trends Magic Advent Calendar
- Best kids sweets advent calendar: Haribo Advent Tree Calendar
- Best advent calendar for girls: L.O.L. Surprise Advent Calendar
- Best advent calendar for boys: Hot Wheels Advent Calendar 2023
We tested: Pokémon TCG: Holiday Calendar
- Pokémon TCG: Holiday Calendar,
£44.99£39.92 at Amazon – buy here
The perfect present for Pokemon fans, this advent calendar features Pokemon card booster packs, as well as coins, stickers and a key ring.
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If your child loves to trade Pokemon cards, this is a great early Christmas gift with a total of 76 cards included.
For younger Pokemon fans who haven't started card trading, there are other Pokemon calendars, such as the Pokemon advent calendar that contains little figures to play with – and the Pokemon Festive Advent Calendar, with story books, riddles and crafts.
You can read more about what's inside it in our Pokemon advent calendar review.
Dimensions: 15.24 x 38.1 x 15.24 cm Amount of products: 25 Age range: 6+
Peppa Pig Advent Calendar
- Peppa Pig Advent Calendar, £10 at Argos – buy here
This cute Peppa Pig advent calendar contains 24 mini storybooks, including a special Christmas Peppa Pig story for Christmas Eve.
Little Peppa Pig fans will love having so many stories for bedtime, including Hide and Seek, Daddy Pig's Birthday, School Play and New Shoes.
This is a great gift idea for toddlers and preschoolers who can enjoy their favourite Peppa Pig stories during the festive period and beyond.
Amount of products: 24 Age range: 0+
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Personalised Children’s Activity Advent Calendar
- Personalised Children’s Activity Advent Calendar, £37 at Not on the High Street – buy here
A sweet alternative to a traditional advent calendar, this wooden calendar allows you to suggest special things to do together during the festive season.
Choose 24 activities and simply slot them into the numbered holes on the calendar for the recipient to open each day leading up to Christmas Eve.
The calendar can be personalised with names and it comes with a sheet of activity suggestions to use or you can make up your own.
Dimensions: 30 x 30cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 0+
- Haribo Advent Tree calendar, £6 from Ocado – buy here
Haribo sweets are a perennial favourite with the kids and let's face it, many adults can't get enough of them either – whether it's the chewy Maoams, sour Tangfastics, or those seriously addictive cola bottles.
So what could be better than a Haribo advent calendar to chomp your way through every day in the run-up to December 25? As an alternative to a conventional chocolate-filled advent calendar, it's sure to make any child's day as inside there's an array of Haribo delights including seasonal mini bags, a variety of jellies, and some Christmas-themed special editions.
It's worth reminding you that this sadly isn't veggie, so keep that in mind when you're shopping for kids with dietary requirements!
Amount of products: 24
L.O.L. Surprise! Advent Calendar 2023
- L.O.L. Surprise Advent Calendar, £19.99 at Very – buy here
L.O.L. Surprise! is a major force to be reckoned with in the kids' toys arena, and this glamorous advent calendar has Christmas smash hit written all over it.
Fans of the brand will receive a Makeover Babe 2.0 and then open a new window every day of December to reveal a selection of mix-and-match looks.
With a new L.O.L. surprise every day, gifts include clothes, accessories, charms, shoes, headwear and much more.
Dimensions: 8.9 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm Amount of products: 25 Age range: 3+
Marvel Advent Calendar
- Marvel Advent Calendar, £10 from Argos – buy here
Marvel fans will be all over this advent calendar, which has an epic storybook behind each of the 24 doors.
It promises to feature 'all your favourite Marvel Characters' – think Loki, Black Panther, Spiderman, Avengers and plenty more.
A must for keeping the kids entertained, encouraging them to read and avoiding the advent choccies.
Amount of products: 24 Age range: 5-8 years
Playmobil Advent Calendar
- Playmobil advent calendar, £26.95 at Amazon – buy here
For children who love to create scenes and stories with little figures, this Playmobil advent calendar will provide hours of fun over the festive season.
The calendar includes 4 figures and 123 accessories, to create scenes with knights, shields, swords and catapults – plus, the box provides the castle background.
Kids will love opening the windows to collect a new item to add to their play each day.
Specs: 14 x 10 x 5.5 cm Age range: 4 – 10 years
Thomas & Friends MINIS Advent Calendar
- Thomas & Friends Minis Engine Advent Calendar, £17.99 at Amazon – buy here
Little Thomas the tank engine fans will love this great value advent calendar, containing 24 mini push-along engines.
Aimed at children aged three and above, they will find all their favourite characters as well as some festive specials and the box converts into a train track too.
This is one that kids will still be playing with well into the New Year.
Dimensions: 2.5 x 5 x 3.5 cm Number of products: 24 Age: 3+
Harry Potter LEGO Advent Calendar
- LEGO Harry Potter 76418 Advent Calendar 2023, £25.99 from John Lewis – buy here
Featuring 24 exciting Harry Potter-themed presents to play with in the run-up to Christmas, this Harry Potter LEGO mash-up is sure to be a hit with fans.
The calendar includes mini figurines of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and Dudley Dursley. Kids can recreate the scene of Hogwarts letters arriving through the fireplace, and save up gold to deposit at Gringotts bank – as well as meet Hedwig the Owl, and much more in the countdown to the big day. Each door reveals a colourful spinner that eventually unlocks the fun board game printed behind the calendar, too.
It also includes two random wizard cards, out of 16 collector's edition cards, so we recommend getting one in early as this calendar is sure to be a sell-out. Don't sweat if you don't have Harry Potter fans in the house either, as LEGO offers Star Wars and Marvel sets available at Argos, too.
Amount of products: 24 Age range: 7 years
Brio Advent Calendar
- BRIO World 2023 Christmas Advent Calendar, £31.31 at Amazon – buy here
There's a timeless charm to Brio that parents and even grandparents will get a kick from and this wooden train scene that's unveiled throughout December is a lovely way to celebrate the season.
There are 24 toy pieces included that are compatible with any Brio you already have in your toy stash, but that also create a fun festive scene all on their own.
Cleverly, the box folds out to create a base and complete the Christmassy picture.
Dimensions: 44 x 8 x 29.5 cm, Amount of products: 24 Age range: 3+
Magic Advent Calendar
- Trends UK Ltd 4942 Magic Advent Calendar, £17.99 at Amazon – buy here
Christmas is a magical time of year, so what better advent calendar for the kids than a magical one? Learn 24 new magic tricks throughout December and delight your family members with a magic show on Christmas day.
The recommended age range is six to 60 years old, so this advent calendar isn't strictly for children only. Dust off your top hat, and find the family pet rabbit and abracadabra… best Christmas ever!
Dimensions: 53.5 x 6.1 x 32.9 cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 6+
Hot Wheels Advent Calendar
- Hot Wheels Advent Calendar 2023, £28 from Amazon – buy here
Kick your traditional, boring advent calendars to the curb and buckle up: the Hot Wheels advent calendar will take you for a ride this Christmas.
Each window reveals a daily Hot Wheels surprise gift, including eight vehicles and sixteen accessories.
There's even a foldout play mat inside for kids to take their new toys for a spin on.
Dimensions: 8.9 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 3+
Toot-Toot Drivers Advent Calendar
- Vtech Toot-Toot Drivers Advent Calendar, £49.99 from Amazon – buy here
Filled with fun toys from a Toot Toot truck to the trailer, this special advent calendar is perfect for your son or daughter.
The little truck responds to SmartPoint locations with different phrases, festive tunes and sound effects so it's fully interactive and ideal for engaging little ones.
All of the treats come together to create the ultimate Christmassy neighbourhood that will keep them busy for hours. We love it.
Dimensions: 25 x 63 x 44 cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 1+
Minecraft Advent Calendar
- Minecraft Advent Calendar 2023, £24.99 from Amazon – buy here
If you know a child deep in the world of Minecraft, this advent calendar will keep them smiling every day of December.
24 items are hiding behind each door including pens, pencils, sticker sheets, keyrings and more and each one features some of the most popular characters and designs from the game.
Young Minecraft gamers will be eager to get the festive season underway with this fun calendar.
There are two calendars to choose from with a different selection of Minecraft surprises included in each.
Dimensions: 20.3 x 20.1 x 20 cm Amount of products: 24
LEGO City Advent Calendar 2023
- LEGO City Advent Calendar 2023, £19.99 at Amazon – buy here
You can't go wrong with a Lego advent calendar for kids of all ages and there are plenty to choose from, including Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lego Friends.
We love this Lego City calendar with festive characters such as Santa, a reindeer, a snowman and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Kids will love discovering a new Lego surprise each day and playing with the Christmas characters. By December 25th, they'll have collected the whole set to add to their Lego haul at home.
Plus, the advent calendar box is also a play mat with a winter wonderland scene to play with the Christmas Lego characters on.
Dimensions: 7.05 x 38.2 x 26.2 cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 5+
Pokemon Festive Advent Calendar 2023
- Pokemon Festive Advent Calendar 2023,
£21.99£10 from The Works – buy here
Calling all Pokemon fans! This great value advent calendar features books, activities and surprises to keep Pokemon lovers entertained throughout the festive season.
There are Alola-themed story books, guides, activity books, riddles and crafts – including 3D Poke Balls, DIY decorations and learn how to draw your favourite Pokemon.
The calendar includes 24 Pokemon gifts and is currently on offer with 50% off – don't miss out.
Dimensions: 32 x 37.1 x 2 cm Amount of products: 24
Disney Frozen Advent Calendar
- Disney Frozen official musical advent calendar,
£25£23.99 from Amazon – buy here
Frozen is the ultimate Christmas film for children, which is why Danilo's musical advent calendar is perfect for fans. As they count down the days, kids will be able to collect stickers and characters and assemble them to create an enchanting festive decoration.
The Anna, Elsa and Olaf characters magnetically attach to the mechanism in the base, which allows them to glide around the ice rink as Winter Waltz from the Frozen soundtrack plays.
Dimensions: 310mm X 310mm X 40mm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 3+
Polly Pocket Advent Calendar
- Polly Pocket Advent Calendar, £23.99 from Amazon – buy here
Polly Pocket has been a staple of childhood for decades – and she's still delighting kids today with her compact size and endless accessories.
Little girls will love this advent calendar, which is an interactive dollhouse of sorts: the playset boasts four floors and eight rooms for hours of fun.
There are 25 gifts to discover behind each door: from furniture and accessories to micro Polly and Shani dolls.
Dimensions: 8.89 x 15.24 x 21.59 cm Amount of products: 25 Age range: 4+
Tinkerbell Beauty Advent Calendar
- Tinkerbell 12 Days of Christmas Advent calendar, £14.95 from Amazon – buy here
Children love nothing more than rummaging around in a make-up bag and playing with lipstick and nail varnishes, so what could be better than a beauty kit of their own?
Disney fans will love this Tinkerbell-themed 12-day Christmas countdown, which will see them open a new treat every other day.
Dimensions: 29.6 x 21.6 x 4.8cm Amount of products: 12
Baby Shark’s Big Show! Advent Calendar
- Baby Shark’s Big Show! Advent Calendar by WowWee, £47.74 at Amazon – buy here
An ideal choice for younger children, this Baby Shark advent calendar includes six Baby Shark’s Big Show figures as well as Under the Sea accessories, stickers and more.
Little ones will love discovering a new surprise behind each window every day leading up to Christmas, with 24 to collect.
The calendar packaging also doubles up as a play set so kids can fold open the front panel to use it as a pop-up play area for the figures from the show.
This a great advent calendar for encouraging imaginative play and would make a lovely gift.
Dimensions: 20.32 x 20.32 x 15.24 cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 3+
JoJo Maman Bébé Advent Calendar
- Christmas Advent Calendar Chest, from £22 at JoJo Maman Bébé – buy here
If you're trying to cut down on your child's intake of sugary treats in the run-up to Christmas, a DIY advent calendar is a great solution.
JoJo Maman Bébé allows you to add your choice of contents to each of the doors, whether that's toys, craft items, jokes or beauty miniatures. It says it's for toddlers, but we think the Christmas gingerbread-style house or Christmas tree advent calendar blocks are suitable for all ages.
It's a thoughtful way to add an extra special personal touch to your child's Christmas experience in the run-up to December 25.
Dimensions: W38 x H41 x D6.5cm Amount of products: 24 Age range: 0+
Where to buy advent calendars for children in the UK?
We found great selections of children's advent calendars at the following online retailers:
- Amazon
- The Works
- John Lewis
- Argos
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How much do advent calendars cost?
You can buy chocolate or confectionary calendars for around £5 and you can often find a good deal to get a book or stationery advent calendar for £10.
However, the majority of kids' advent calendars with toys and collectables retail between £20 to £40.
Want to find more savings on your online shopping? Then head to Sun Vouchers where you can get discounts and voucher codes from hundreds of top retailers including B&Q, Boots, Iceland, Lookfantastic, Dunelm, Adidas and more.
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