Advent Traditions with Kids

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The word advent means “the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event”, and the season of Advent is the time leading up to Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Christ. He is the notable person, and his birth is the event that was waited for!

Advent is naturally a great time to highlight Christ’s birth and the reality that God became a man, took on flesh, and lived among us (in advance of his death and resurrection at Easter.) There are sooo many ways that you can do this with your family. There are tons of resources out there to help you do it. (I will link a few at the bottom of this post to help you get started.) I want to share 3 ways we have sought to do this over the last few years. For reference, our kids are 7, 4, and 1.

Read Christ-centered Christmas books

This is such a simple way to bring the true meaning of Christmas into your home—read Christ-centered Christmas books. You can do it on whatever schedule works for you—bedtime, read aloud time during the day, skip a day when you are out and about, whatever works for you. You really only need 1 or 2 good books to get your collection started.

Here’s the thing, though. There are many, many Christmas books out there, and many of them are cute/beautiful/fun. We have many of them, and they make for a beautiful collection that we love to read together. But, you also have to intentionally choose books that point to Christ. Our very favorite is The Christmas Promise Storybook: A True Story from the Bible about God’s Forever King’ by Alison Mitchell. Another great one is Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones. (Both are linked at the bottom.)

Jesus Storybook Bible Advent Plan + Ornaments

If you have not heard of The Jesus Storybook Bible, it is a wonderful, wonderful children’s Bible! It is written by Sally Lloyd-Jones for children ages 2–6. Here’s the description from the publisher: “The Jesus Storybook Bible invites you and your children into the story of God’s Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will clearly see that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation—and at the center of their story too. Every story whispers His Name. ”

All that being said, it is a great resource throughout the year, but at Christmas, Sally Lloyd-Jones puts together an Advent Kit on her blog. It includes a selection of stories for each day of December that start in the Old Testament and lead up to Jesus’ birth. The part I like best is that there are printable ornaments that have an illustration from the book as well as the story name that you can easily print out and use throughout the season. You could do this on its own or as part of an Advent calendar. When our son was 4 or so, we did this, and it was a really nice, intentional time to make sure we were reading the Bible regularly with him and to really clearly go through a selection of Bible stories and end, pointing to Jesus’ birth. If you’re looking to do some sort of Advent Calendar or daily activity during Advent, I think this is a great option for younger children. It is simple to set up, a pretty small time commitment each day, and very accessible for children ages 2–6.

Advent Wreath

This year, in conjunction with my DIY Advent Calendar, I wanted to incorporate an Advent Wreath. Our Advent Calendar is largely gifts and fun activities, so I wanted to build in a way to be intentionally talking about Jesus during this season. For each Sunday of our calendar, our ‘activity’ is that we read a short devotional and then light the corresponding candle on the Advent Wreath. We usually do this at dinner.

Each candle has a different meaning and highlights a different aspect of the Christmas story. There are some resources out there, but in general, it seems that you have to pull together the content you want to use for your advent devotional each Sunday. I think you could definitely do this as part of a broader Advent study and just read the daily reading for that day. I wanted to do a more traditional Advent wreath, so I looked up the meanings for each of the candles and put together a small write-up, with the Bible verses written out so we didn’t have to flip between pages, and then just printed them out on our home printer. It isn’t pretty, but it is simple and was easy to execute. I just tuck the paper into the pocket of our Advent Calendar to grab easily when we are ready for it.

One note on how it went for us this year. Our son, age 7, seems to really track with the readings and enjoy them. I think they are a bit over our 4 year old’s head. I think for next year I will try to use different content that could better engage with our two younger children. I might try to incorporate a couple of the Jesus Storybook Bible stories for each Sunday, or I’ll look into another resource we could use. I haven’t decided yet. I think it was still a worthwhile and meaningful time together each Sunday for sure, so I don’t consider it a waste by any means.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET STARTED

  • Lots of families like The Jesse Tree during Advent. I’m not very familiar with it, but it may be worth looking into.

  • New Growth Press has several Advent Devotionals for Families. You could do the devotional on its own or as part of a broader Advent calendar.

Diy Advent Calendar + Ideas for Filling It!

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This is our second year doing an Advent Calendar. For several years I have wanted to create one but wasn’t sure where to start, or waited too late to get it pulled together. Last year, at the tail end of my pregnancy with our third child, I decided I really wanted to pull something together to make the season special and help my two older kids not feel lost in the shuffle of the new baby. It was super bare bones, but we had a lot of fun with it. I made a few tweaks for this year, but overall I kept the structure and many of the ideas the same as last year. I don’t know if we will do it every year, and it will probably change as my kids are older or our schedule changes or whatever, but the thing I love about this type of Advent calendar is that you can make it whatever you want/need for that year.

Here’s the basic set-up I used, and then below I have ideas for filling up each day. This is more of a basic structure to get you started, not really a recipe. I think the advantage of creating an Advent calendar with this system is that you can have fun with it. Treat it like a craft project and adjust it to what fits with your decor, your style, etc. Also, for what it’s worth, it’s ok to to start with something really basic and then add embellishments throughout the season or in future years. That’s totally what I have done, and I’m glad I started it even though I wasn’t ready to fully embellish it the first year. ‘Done’ was better than ‘perfect’, in this instance, for me.

Diy Advent Calendar

Supplies

  • Over the Door Shoe Organizer in Natural Linen; via Amazon

  • Printable Numbers (1-24); I used the Black Printable Number Tags from Live Laugh Rowe on white cardstock.

  • Embellishments—little wreaths, bells, ornaments, poinsettias, other cards

  • Mini Brads (I used these, but any mini brads would work.)

  • Scrapbook Adhesive Mounting Squares

  • Scissors

  • Safety Pins, various sizes

Directions

  • Gather all your supplies. Cut out your number tags.

  • Lay out or hang up your shoe organizer.

    • I found it was easier to hang it up to work with it, but you could lay it out on your table if that’s easier for you.

  • Attach your number tags to the shoe organizer using the brads—poke a hole in your paper tag using the sharp point of a safety pin. Gently push the brad through the hole and then poke it through the linen fabric of the shoe organizer.

    • You could use a small hole punch, but I thought it looked better with a very small hole that was hidden by the brad.

  • Add your embellishments—Using your safety pins, attach any embellishments that you want to mount directly to the fabric of the shoe organizer. Then, using your adhesive mounting squares, add any embellishments that go on the number tags.

    • For me, it helped me to see everything on the shoe rack, and then to remove a number tag, add the embellishment, and then reattach it. That way I could make sure the whole thing was looking balanced. I also left some number tags plain so it didn’t look too busy overall. I think I’d like to add a couple of mini wreaths to my calendar, but otherwise I really like how it has come together.

  • Fill your DIY Advent Calendar with notes and goodies and have so much fun with your kids!

A Few Thoughts on Filling Your Advent Calendar

Before we get into the list of ideas, I have three thoughts about filling your Advent Calendar.

First, be intentional about how you fill your calendar. It can be so easy to buy a bunch of random things at Target or the Dollar Store to fill each day. But, will you actually use those things after the season?! Will they just add clutter to your house/life?! Think about your family’s values, what’s important to you, your kid’s needs/wants, and use that to craft your list of items to fill your calendar. Just because they are on my list doesn’t mean they are right for you. Use my list as a jumping off point to make your own list. For example, maybe your child doesn’t care about legos, but they love their play kitchen. Think of something small you could make (or buy) to use with their play kitchen.

Second, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to fill your calendar. Every day doesn’t have to be a gift, and the ‘gifts’ can be small. Think of ways you can use what you have, leverage the thrift store, or incorporate something you were planning to do/buy for the season already.

Third, take your schedule into account when you plan how to fill each day! Go through your calendar—make note of any special events you have already; use those as your ‘activity’ for that day of the calendar. For example, we have a December birthday, and this year we were planning to host a Christmas Party. Those were our ‘activities’ for those days. Also, note any busy days/evenings and choose something simple (or a gift) for those days. There’s nothing worse than planning an activity and not having enough time to actually do it. You will be stressed and your kids will be bummed. Finally, try to intentionally build in calm nights. It’s already a busy, full season; do yourself and your kids a favor and build in some calm nights at home to enjoy each other’s company.

Without further ado, here are my Advent Calendar Filler Ideas!


Ideas for Filling Your DIY Advent Calendar

Advent Readings

Christmas is about Christ after all. Building Advent readings into your calendar is a great way to keep your eyes on Jesus during the Christmas season.

  • Sally Lloyd-Jones has an Advent Kit on her blog that includes printable ornaments for each day of December that correspond to The Jesus Storybook Bible. You could do all of them or just a selection, depending on what fits your schedule.

  • Lots of families like The Jesse Tree during Advent. I’m not very familiar with it, but it may be worth looking into.

  • New Growth Press has several Advent Devotionals for Families. You could write the verses for that day onto a notecard and tuck that into your calendar.

  • Advent Candles for each Sunday of the month—This year we have been lighting Advent candles as part of an Advent wreath on each Sunday of the month. I tuck the reading for those days into our Advent calendar, but it could also work to tuck the candles into the corresponding pockets until you are ready to light them.

Gifts

  • Christmas Pajamas—I love to do this for the first day of the month!

  • Twisty Straws

  • Small Lego Sets

  • Bath Bombs or Bubble Bath

  • Open a gift from under the tree—My aunt has a tradition of sending books for each of the kids, and I decided this year to make it part of our Advent calendar. I thought it would make it really special, and this way they won’t get lost in all of the presents on Christmas Day. You could pick a present from an extended family member to use for this day.

  • Books (Christmas or otherwise)

  • Bookmarks (my son is forever looking for a bookmark!)

  • Stuffed Animals

  • Socks

  • Glow Sticks

  • Temporary Tattoos

  • Stickers

  • Markers (or other art supplies they are running low on)

  • Coloring Books (The ‘Paint by Sticker’ books are pretty cool too.)

  • Playdoh

  • Games—This Animal Kingdom Card Game has been a huge hit, and my four year old can play herself. I got the Silly Monkey Card Game for this year. A checkers or tic tac toe set would also be fun!

  • New ornaments (either one for each kid or a family ornament)

  • Lip balm

Food / Treats

Activities

  • Decorate the Christmas Tree

  • Go see Holiday Lights

  • Pull out a special blanket and read Christmas books

  • Make Christmas cards for extended family

  • Blast Christmas Music

  • Popcorn and a Movie

  • Make Christmas cookies together (or just decorate some!)

  • Attend a holiday party!

  • Family Game Night

  • Make Paper Snowflakes or Paper Christmas Stars to decorate the house

  • Homemade Gifts for family or friends

  • Homemade ornaments—There are tons of homemade ornament ideas on Pinterest, but here are 2 that I hope to make.

  • Special visit to the Zoo, Children’s museum, Art museum, or Science museum (whatever your family is into!)

  • Listen to a Christmas Story

  • Attend a special Christmas performance (a play or recital or concert)

Do you do an Advent calendar with your kids? If so, what’s your favorite gift or activity you’ve done?

Our Favorite Halloween Books for Kids

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Over the years we have collected a number of Halloween books for our kid’s library. Finn has always loved Halloween, and he has passed that joy on to Penelope. Throughout the year, Penelope will randomly ask, “what do you think you will dress as for Halloween?” or “What costume do you want for Halloween this year?” It’s so adorable! Needless to say, she was so excited to pull out our Halloween books again this year. After a few readings through our favorite books for Fall, I added these to the book basket too.

No Such Thing

No Such Thing is hands down my favorite Halloween book. I love Ella Bailey’s illustrations, and the storyline is really sweet. There are so many details to the illustrations, and Penelope and I had a lovely time looking closely at every page to spot the little ghosts causing mischief. Sadly, it is out of print, but sometimes copies come available on eBay. I also highly recommend checking if your library has a copy! That’s where we first discovered it.

Ghosts in the House!

Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara is such an adorable book! I really like the simplicity of the color palette, which really enhances the illustrations. It’s a simple story for toddlers/preschoolers. Penelope originally planned to dress up as a witch for Halloween this year, so she liked that the little girl was wearing a witch’s hat. Finn loved this one when he was younger.

Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party

I discovered Mr. Pumpkin's Tea Party by Erin Barker at the library last year, and it is so cute! Penelope is big into setting up tea parties, so this was perfect for her for Halloween. It is a simple counting book with beautiful illustrations. It’s fun and festive but not overly spooky.

The Scariest Book Ever

When Finn got home from school and saw The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea one in the book basket, he declared, “Oh yes! I love this book!” and promptly sat down and read it. He giggled all the way through. :) I read it to Penelope as well, and she liked all the illustrations. It’s been a favorite for a few years now.

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween

Penelope loved the Little Blue Truck books so much when she was younger. I added Little Blue Truck's Halloween to our collection two falls ago. She was excited to pull it out and read it this year, but I think it is geared much more toward toddlers and preschoolers. It is really cute, and I am excited for Azelie to enjoy it as she gets a little older.

Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show

These—Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show and Grimelda the Very Messy Witch—have been a very fun addition to our library. They each have a fun, festive, rhyming story featuring Grimelda, a little witch with big hair and a messy house. My personal favorite is the Spooktacular Pet Show, but both are good. (I bought my copies on eBay, but you can also check if Amazon has them.)

I have one honorable mention, not pictured above, that I would be remiss to leave out. Finn went through a big Curious George phase, and one of his favorites (year-round) was Curious George Goes to a Costume Party by Margret Rey. It is included in A Treasury of Curious George. It is a cute story for toddlers and preschoolers and definitely captures the magic of dressing up in costume!

Do your kid’s have any favorite Halloween books we should add to our collection?

Our Favorite Fall Books for Kids

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Autumn: Leaves Fall From the Trees

I first discovered Autumn: Leaves Fall From the Trees by Lisa Bell book at the library, and it is so fun! Not only are the illustrations wonderful and totally evoke feelings of fall, but the best part about it is that it comes with a cd to listen to the book sung as a song. My son loved this book as a preschooler, and I just got a copy for our home that I’m so excited to share with my daughter, who is 4. It seems to be out of print (sadly), but I have seen some copies floating around used on Amazon and eBay. You could also check out the publisher’s website, Cantata Learning, to see if they are still selling copies.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pan is a really simple book with pretty illustrations. It definitely brings fall to life across its pages, and of the author’s “Goodbye, Hello” series, this one is by far my favorite! It’s worth an addition to any toddler or preschooler’s bookshelf.

The Artists

So many books that I love have come from the library, and The Artists: Tales from the Hidden Valley by Carles Porta is no exception. One day while I was browsing the children’s section, I came across it, and I love, love, love the whimsical story of this book! Plus, the illustrations are so beautiful! It is really colorful and definitely evokes feelings of fall. I love the other books in this series as well: Hello Mister Cold, The Band, and Under the Water.

These next 3 are anthology books. They have stories/sections for each season.

Nature’s Day

Nature’s Day: Discover the World of Wonder On your Doorstep by Kay Maguire and Danielle Kroll is a nonfiction book with sections for each season. I really like the illustrations, and then it has little snippets about the different topics in that season. Fall focuses on the changing leaves, birds and butterflies that go south for the winter, and harvest items. Penelope’s class was talking about butterflies going south for the winter, and we saw a big flock of geese earlier this week, so I’d like to pull this one out again to look at and talk about. The nice thing is that each page is pretty self-contained, which I like because sometimes I only want to read one page at a time, rather than feeling like I have to read the whole book at once.

Little Witch Hazel

Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl was a gift for Penelope last Christmas. I recently added it to our pile of fall books, and I really enjoyed the Autumn story. The illustrations definitely evoked fall, and I thought it was a very sweet version of a spooky story for kids. I think Finn and Penelope enjoyed it. :)

A Year in Brambly Hedge: Autumn Story

I don’t have any photos of this one because I got this from the library a few years ago and then forgot about it. Then, earlier this summer I got a copy of Wilfred’s Rescue from the library, and I could not shake the feeling that I had seen this book before. Well, it turns out I had not seen this particular book before, but I had read a different Brambly Hedge story, the Autumn Story. All of Jill Barkley’s Brambly Hedge books are adorable! There is a beautiful 40th Anniversary edition, The Complete Brambly Hedge, that I put on our Christmas wishlist, but you can also get a set with just the four seasons books—A Year in Brambly Hedge.

Do you have any favorite kid’s books for the fall season?

Spooky Stick Wreath

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Years ago, I saved an image of a spooky wreath made from sticks. Last year I came across it again and decided it was high-time I make my own. Here is the inspiration image…

From Earnest Home Co via Pinterest.

All said and done, this was a really simple project that I made over the course of an afternoon. I’m really happy with how it turned out! I haven’t put it up quite yet, but I wanted to share it for anyone who wants to make their own in preparation for the spooky season ahead.

Spooky Stick Wreath

Supplies

  • Sticks, in varying sizes, see step 1 below

  • Glue gun and extra glue sticks

  • Cardboard or kraft paper (to work on)

  • Sharpie or other black marker

  • Black spray paint

  • Ribbon or a wreath hanger

Directions

First, collect sticks to use for your wreath. In general, I recommend thinner sticks. I think they add to the aesthetic better than a big, thick stick would. Our yard is full of sticks on any given day, so I spent a little time wandering around to pick up a few armfuls. I found it was helpful to get a bunch and then I sorted them later.

Second, sort your sticks. I put them into 3 piles—short, medium, and long. Each size range is a bit arbitrary, but it was helpful to start with the longer sticks, then add in medium sticks, then add the final touches with the smallest sticks as I was gluing. I also broke some sticks to better fit into my three categories and make them all a bit more uniform. I chose to use individual sticks, not branches, for my wreath.

Third, lay out a big piece of cardboard or kraft paper, grab a sharpie or other black marker, and get your glue gun ready. I chose to do my project outside on our big patio table, but you could definitely do this inside at your dining room table. You just need somewhere you can spread out a bit to work and that you don’t mind if it gets some dirt/mess on it.

Fourth, draw a circle on your cardboard to use as a guide for your wreath. I chose a circle that is about 14” in diameter. Then, lay out an initial layer of sticks to get your wreath started and your circle size set. I started with the longest sticks for the base of my wreath. Using your hot glue gun, glue sticks together where they touch. Continue to add sticks until you get to the size and fullness you desire for your wreath.

Fifth, once you’ve got your wreath glued, you’re ready to paint! I took a minute to remove lingering strings from the glue gun, and then gave it a light first coat of glossy black spray paint. I let that dry while I did a few other things, came back and gave it another coat to make sure I had covered all the nooks and crannies. Once you’ve gotten coverage you are happy with, set it aside to dry. I let mine sit overnight.

Sixth, using a ribbon or a wreath hanger, put your new Spooky Stick Wreath on display! I used mine in our dining room, but I also think it would be super fun on our front door.

Cheers to fall nights and spooky vibes!