13 Best advent calendars to buy for babies in 2021

MAKE the countdown to Christmas totally magical with our selection of some of the best advent calendars for babies.

An excellent gift in the lead-up to Christmas, advent calendars for babies should be safe, visually interesting and include treats or toys they’ll love.

The best advent calendars for babies let little ones get in on the Christmas actionAlamy

For babies, you want to make sure that the advent calendar you choose is age-appropriate and doesn’t have any small pieces that could be a choking hazard.

Look out for advent calendars with wooden toys, or musical advent calendars, which will delight young children.

If your baby is still too young to play with an advent calendar, but you’d like a special keepsake to remember their first Christmas, you’ll find baby advent calendars that let you record special occasions throughout the month of December.

And for hungry babies, edible advent calendars work a treat. Here’s our selection of the best advent calendars for babies.

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Disney Book and Festive Felt Advent Calendar

The WorksBabies will love playing with this cute Disney felt tree[/caption]

Disney Book and Festive Felt Advent Calendar, £12 from The Works – buy here

A cute Christmas tree for babies and children to decorate – this felt creation invites little ones to open a new festive pocket every day to discover one of their favourite Disney characters hiding inside.

They can then pop them on the tree until it’s fully decorated on Christmas Eve, when excited children get to open the biggest pocket of all and discover a festive Disney book.

The perfect countdown for all ages, it’s the type of calendar that can be enjoyed for years to come.

VTech Toot-Toot Drivers Advent Calendar

AmazonAn advent calendar for budding drivers[/caption]

VTech Toot-Toot Drivers advent calendar, £44.99 from Amazon – buy here

VTech’s popular baby toys combine fun with education, and this driving themed advent calendar aimed at children aged one and above won’t disappoint.

It requires 2AAA batteries to come to life with Christmas songs and festive sound effects and toys include a Christmas sleigh, truck and trailer.

The box even folds down to become a road giving it appeal long beyond December 25th.

Toucan Box The Very Merry Advent Calendar

Toucan BoxThe Very Merry Advent Calendar is full of festive fun[/caption]

The Very Merry Advent Calendar, £45 (pre-order now) from Toucan Box – buy here

Toucan Box’s advent calendar is suitable for babies aged 36 months and up, and includes 24 boxes filled with lovely festive ideas for you to enjoy with your little one.

Simply construct a chimney chute and discover a Christmas craft, recipe, challenge or storybook in every box. You’ll also find a Merry Mischief Elf who will no doubt get up to lots of hilariously naughty things this December.

Lokipa Christmas Advent Calendar Boxes

AmazonYou can fill these advent boxes with your own treats for babies[/caption]

Lokipa 24 Kraft Paper Advent Gift Boxes, £8.99 from Amazon – buy here

These fill-your-own advent calendar boxes with merry motifs work a treat for babies.

For starters, you don’t even need to fill them – babies will love stacking them and knocking them over.

Of course you can fill them, too, with baby’s favourite things: healthy snacks, bubbles, small toys…

This set of 24 kraft paper boxes comes flat-packed – simply assemble and you’re good to go.

Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas Wooden Advent Calendar

AmazonLet children decorate their own special tree with this wooden advent calendar[/caption]

Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas Wooden Advent Calendar, £16.99 from Amazon – buy here

A wholesome option for kids aged three to seven, this Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar includes 24 charming wooden ornaments that little ones can use to decorate their tree every day in December, with a shining gold star for the last day.

This calendar is a simple idea, but kids and parents can’t get enough – it’s reusable, it comes with a cute storage box for the ornaments and even builds numeracy skills as children countdown to that all-important day.

‘It gets redecorated at least once a day and has helped massively cut down on how much my son tries to play with the big Christmas tree’, writes one reviewer.

Peppa Pig Advent Children’s Book Collection

AmazonGo on a festive adventure with Peppa and her family with these 24 mini story books[/caption]

Peppa Pig Advent Children’s Book Collection, £15.99 from Amazon – buy here

If your baby’s first words were “Peppa” (we know a few), then this cute advent book collection will light up their world this Christmas.

Every day of December brings with it a brand new mini story book filled with tales about the energetic pig and her family.

There’s even a brand new special book for December 24th called Peppa’s Christmas Eve.

The Gruffalo’s Child Official Music Advent Calendar

Calender ClubMusic, movement and beloved characters from The Gruffalo’s Child… what more could baby want?[/caption]

The Gruffalo’s Child Official Musical Advent Calendar, £25 from Calendar Club – buy here

We’ll wager that one of your baby’s favourite author-illustrator combos is none other than Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

So The Gruffalo’s Child scene of this advent calendar will be something they enjoy building each day throughout December as new characters are unveiled.

Just add 3AAA batteries to power the calendar’s magnetic movement and music, sure to delight even the youngest of babies.

Play-Doh Advent Calendar

AmazonLittle ones will love creating their own festive masterpieces[/caption]

Play-Doh Advent Calendar, £29.85 from Amazon – buy here

We haven’t yet met a preschooler who doesn’t enjoy the squishy joy of Play-Doh, which is why this advent calendar is guaranteed to be a hit with little ones.

Each of the 24 doors hides a surprise that will delight young makers – five pots of Play-Doh are included (two of them sparkly) as well as a whole host of festive cutters, stampers and moulds, so children can get creative to their heart’s content.

Orange Tree Toys Noah’s Ark Advent Calendar

Orange Tree Toys This advent calendar for babies contains a lovely wooden play scene[/caption]

Orange Tree Toys Noah’s Ark Wooden Toys Advent Calendar, £30 from Orange Tree Toys – buy here

This Noah’s Ark scene with wooden animals comes to life for each day of advent, with 24 chunky pieces suitable for babies aged one and over.

This advent calendar for babies is one they’ll play with — and treasure — for years to come.

Max Made Me Do It Keepsake Baby’s First Advent Calendar

Not On The High StreetTrack your baby’s milestones with this advent calendar[/caption]

Max Made Me Do It Keepsake Personalised Baby’s First Advent Calendar, £20 from Not On The High Street – buy here

OK, OK, this is more an advent calendar for parents than babies, but it is a lovely illustrated memento of your baby’s first Christmas.

The personalised advent calendar lets parents record their baby’s December movements and milestones, and it makes a gorgeous gift for anyone expecting around the festive season.

“My friend adored this calendar for her first child. Very special and thoughtful”, wrote a reviewer.

Bethlehem Advent Stable

Lakeland Teach children the story of Christmas with this advent stable[/caption]

Bethlehem Advent Stable, £79.99 from Lakeland – buy here

For parents keen to tell the nativity story to children, this charming advent stable is a magical way to do it.

A new nativity figure is revealed behind each of the 24 doors and the scene spins on a base for easy access to all the doors.

This is undoubtedly a pricey investment, but it has family heirloom written all over it.

Thomas & Friends Minis Engine Advent Calendar

Fisher PriceThomas fans will adore this toy-packed advent calendar[/caption]

Thomas & Friends Minis Engine Advent Calendar, £19.99 from All Advent Calendars – buy here

Christmas starts early for Thomas fans with this fantastic advent calendar, which is packed with 24 mini push-along engines.

Aimed at children aged three and above, a number of classic characters feature as well as some festive specials and the box even converts to a train track at the end.

“My sons enjoyed opening each day and seeing which Thomas & Friends train they would find. The trains all link together to make a giant parade of trains,” explained one reviewer.

Mr Men Little Miss Advent Calendar

Harper CollinsThese iconic books can be read year after year[/caption]

Mr Men Little Miss Advent Calendar, £19.99 from Harper Collins – buy here

For fun tales the whole family will enjoy, you can’t go wrong with this selection of 24 mini books featuring your favourite Mr Men and Little Miss characters.

Mini editions of iconic tales like Mr Tickle Saves the Day, Mr Bump Goes on Holiday and Little Miss Sunshine Cheers Everyone Up are all featured and hide behind individual pockets.

How much are advent calendars for babies?

They vary in price, but the most popular advent calendars for babies and children tend to sit between £10 and £30.

For more high-end calendars, or those that can be used again and again each year, prices can reach up to £100, but this price point is rare for children’s calendars.

Where to buy advent calendars for babies?

We found a fantastic selection of advent calendars on Amazon for children of all ages.

Shops like The Works, WHSmith, The Entertainer also have a great selection of advent calendars.

What to look for in an advent calendar for a baby

The best advent calendars for babies are most importantly safe, so always check the age range the calendar is aimed at. Many start at age 3, so it’s always best to double check if they come with any small parts.

Book advent calendars are a fantastic option for babies as they can be enjoyed for many years, are baby friendly and will introduce your child to the wonder of books.

How many days are there in an advent calendar?

The majority of advent calendars have 24 doors to open or pockets to explore and the fun starts on December 1st.

Occasionally, there are 25 doors to open for a bonus present.

Sun Selects is here to help you to choose the right products to suit your needs.

If you enjoyed our round-up of the best advent calendars for babies, read our feature on the best family Christmas pyjamas.

Or have you got a milestone birthday coming up? If your baby is turning one, don’t miss our selection of the best first birthday gift ideas.

This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links which are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue.