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What to Put in an Advent Calendar for a Toddler

For a toddler, fill an Advent calendar mostly with things that are too big to choke on and with simple activities: stickers, a board book, chunky crayons, bath toys, a new song to sing, or a slip that says “dance party in the kitchen”. Anything small enough to fit inside the official small-parts test cylinder, 1.25 inches wide and 2.25 inches long, is not safe for a child under 3.

At this age the fun is the opening, not the prize. One surprise a day, even a very small one, is plenty.

The size rule for under-3s

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission bans small parts in toys made for children under 3. A small part is anything that fits entirely into a test cylinder 2.25 inches long by 1.25 inches wide, which approximates the size of a young child’s fully expanded throat. The CPSC guidance for businesses adds that pieces which break off during use count too.

What that means when you fill a calendar:

  • Skip loose beads, marbles, small balls, coins, tiny figurines and capsule toys.
  • Skip anything with a button or coin battery, including small light-up toys and flameless tea lights. The CPSC warns that a coin battery lodged in the throat can cause fatal burns in as little as two hours. If you think one has been swallowed, get medical help immediately.
  • Check the age label. The CPSC notes that a toy marked “not for children under 3” is not safe for young children, and that an older sibling’s toys should stay out of reach.
  • A cardboard toilet paper tube is sometimes used as a stand-in tester, but the CPSC points out it is wider and longer than the official one, so treat it as a rough check only.

Many fabric calendar pockets are only a few inches across, which is why activity slips work so well for this age.

What to put in an Advent calendar for a 1 year old

A one-year-old will mostly enjoy pulling things out of the pocket. Keep it simple and soft:

  • A board book or a fabric book (put a note in the pocket if it does not fit)
  • A bath toy or a new washcloth
  • Stacking cups, handed out one cup a day
  • A chunky board puzzle or a shape sorter for the last day
  • A pair of socks or a little hat
  • A photo of a grandparent or a family pet to point at and name

What to put in an Advent calendar for a 2 year old

Two-year-olds like to do something with what they find:

  • A sheet of large stickers
  • Chunky crayons or one washable marker
  • A large wooden puzzle piece a day, with the frame on day 24
  • Bubbles for a bath-time surprise
  • A large animal figure for a toy farm, one new animal at a time
  • A new bedtime book on the weekend days

Non-sweet ideas

Candy is easy, but it is also one of the trickiest fillers for toddlers. The CDC lists round or hard candy, jelly beans, gummy candies, marshmallows, popcorn and whole nuts among the foods that can be choking hazards for young children. Stickers, bath toys, books and activity slips avoid the issue, and they do not add a daily sugar argument to December.

Activity slips for toddlers

Write one short activity on a slip and do it together that day. These suit one- and two-year-olds:

  • Dance party to one Christmas song
  • Read a Christmas book in a blanket fort
  • Look at the lights on our street
  • Call or video-call Grandma
  • Bath with bubbles
  • Make a handprint card
  • Choose a decoration to hang on the tree (an unbreakable one)
  • Bake cookies, with you doing the oven and the toddler doing the sprinkles
  • Find all the red things in the room
  • Feed the birds
  • Sing “Jingle Bells” with pots and spoons
  • Pajamas and hot milk by the tree

For a printable set of 24 more prompts, see our Advent calendar filler ideas for small pockets. Pick the ones a small child can join in.

Quick answers

  • Is chocolate OK in a toddler Advent calendar? Many parents skip it. Hard, round and gummy candies are on the CDC choking-hazard list, and non-food fillers avoid the question.
  • How big should toddler fillers be? Bigger than the CPSC test cylinder: if it fits inside a 1.25 by 2.25 inch tube, keep it away from under-3s.
  • Do I need a gift every day? No. Activity slips on most days and a small item on a few are plenty at this age.
  • Should a toddler open it alone? Open it together, so you can see what comes out.

From the shop

For a first calendar, the Toy Shop or Ballerina fabric Advent calendar has 24 numbered pockets in a tree shape, with the child’s name printed at the bottom. Hang it out of reach and fill the pockets with slips.

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