Advent calendars build excitement for Christmas. A coloring advent calendar adds a calm, creative moment to each day of December.
What you need
- 24 coloring pages or a holiday coloring book
- 24 envelopes, bags or a binder with numbered dividers
- Optional small surprises: stickers, a new crayon, a gel pen
How to make it
- Choose 24 pages. Trace Then Color: Cartoon Christmas Characters has Santa, elves, reindeer and snowmen. Add winter animals from Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon Animals.
- Number envelopes or bags 1 to 24.
- Put a page (or a bookmark to a book page) in each.
- Add a small surprise to some days.
- Hang the envelopes on a string or put them in a box.
Daily ideas
- Day 1: Color a snowman
- Day 6: A character card for a friend
- Day 12: A page to send to grandparents
- Day 18: A gift tag
- Day 24: The biggest, best page for Christmas Eve
Keep it easy
Pages should take about 10 to 20 minutes. Busy days can double up later.
Make a keepsake
At the end, staple or bind all 24 pages with a cover. Add the year and the child’s name.
Not Christmas?
Use the same idea for any countdown: birthdays, Hanukkah, a trip or the last day of school.
See Christmas coloring activities.
Siblings can each have their own calendar, or share one and take turns.
Questions parents ask
When do advent calendars start?
Usually December 1, ending on December 24.
What if we miss a day?
Color two pages the next day. No pressure.
What age suits a coloring advent calendar?
Ages 3 and up. Toddlers can color simple pages with help.
About Kevin Coulston
Kevin Coulston is a cartoonist and member of the National Cartoonists Society who has written and illustrated more than 100 drawing, tracing and coloring books for kids, including the Trace Then Color series. Meet Kevin or browse all his books on FirstArtBooks.com.
