10 of the best kids’ Advent calendars
With December a matter of weeks away, CLAIRE SPREADBURY rounds up some of our favourite ways to count down to Christmas
1 PEPPA PIG ADVENT CALENDAR £25, Asda
Featuring Peppa, George, Mummy and Daddy Pig and lots of Peppa’s pals, little ones will love this Advent calendar. It is pricier than your usual chocolate variety, but you get a new toy every day and as well as mini figures there are festive items like sledges and Christmas trees.
2 UP TO SNOW GOOD CHOCOLATE ADVENT CALENDAR, £8, Hotel Chocolat (hotelchocolat.com)
Depicting a cute snow scene, Hotel Chocolat’s brand new kids’ calendar is set to be a popular addition to its festive collection, containing 24 40% milk chocolate characters.
3 PLAYMOBIL CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM ADVENT CALENDAR SET, £20, John Lewis (johnlewis.com)
Suitable for kids aged four and upwards, Playmobil offers tots a chance to build a festive farmyard scene every day of Advent. With 72 pieces in total, including a tractor, animals and people – this will last way beyond Christmas.
4 THOMAS & FRIENDS MINIS 2017 ADVENT CALENDAR, £35, direct.asda.com
Christmas on the Island of Sodor is the most festive time of all. Packed with 24 Thomas minis, including six exclusive Christmas themed toys, this is selling out as fast as it hits stores. Appropriate for aged three plus.
5 THE ADVENT CALENDAR, £25, Smiggle (smiggle.co.uk)
If your child is aged seven or over, look no further than the Smiggle Advent Calendar. Bursting with 25 stationery surprises, it’s guaranteed to make those last few weeks at school so much more exciting.
6 MEGA BLOCKS DESPICABLE ME MINIONS ADVENT CALENDAR, currently reduced from £19.18 to £11.72, Amazon
Go bananas with 24 awesome elements that you can build and add to your Minions collection. Behind each door is a holiday-themed surprise including three never-seen-before Minions.
7 WOODEN ADVENT CALENDARS, £8.99 each, Aldi
Aldi has released a set of three beautiful wooden advent calendars for Christmas to the delight of many a savvy seasonal shopper. The beautiful, traditional calendars are painted wood, with 24 individual drawers which you can fill with your own Advent treats. While you still need to buy the treats themselves, the lasting calendar itself is one of the best on the high street, so you’ll need to be quick.
8 LEGO STAR WARS ADVENT CALENDAR, £25.39, Jadlam Toys & Models at eBay (ebay.co.uk)
Containing a whopping 309 pieces and suitable for kids aged six to 14, this is a must for any Star Wars and Lego fans. It even contains a mini Millennium Falcon.
9 THE ROCKING HORSE ADVENT CALENDAR, £22.50, Prestat (prestat.co.uk)
Said to be the chocolate choice of royalty, Prestat’s Rocking Horse edition contains award-winning recipes and the box comes with a Christmas tale.
10 MOO FREE ADVENT CALENDAR, £2.99, Aldi (in store only)
Organic, dairy-free and award-winning, there’s a lot to love about Moo Free chocolate. This Advent calendar is perfect for children with a dairy allergy or intolerance, as well as vegans.