How to Make an Easy Halloween Advent Calendar for Toddlers

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to add a little whimsy to your kids' lives.

Or ways to, as my friend always says, be extra.

One great way to be extra this fall is to put together an easy Halloween advent calendar! I picked this one up from Michael's: pink haunted house.

Unfortunately there’s nothing small enough to fit in these little boxes that isn’t a certified choking hazard. My solution is to use little pieces of paper to make my own prizes. I used a lot of toys, treats, and things we already play to make it into something fun and unique!

Download a copy of the main icons I used here:

Advent Calendar Icons.pdf

Download PDF • 1.75MB

The goal was to give us something fun to do every day without the terrible stress that goes with it. So I started with a base of a few fun things we already have and do at home:

Coloring, painting, beads, bubbles, blocks, bicycles, cookies, snacks, and a game we play called Hide from the Monster.

Next I did a little shopping (my favorite!).

I found a cute Halloween blanket, stamps, pencil bags, shaker keychains, and mini projectors.

I made my own little labels for these and scattered them throughout the month.

I also added some daily fun things: A monster: play the game "a monster is coming" - a creature of our own invention in our house. My eldest declares, usually in either a whisper or a yell, "A monster is coming!!" and we all go hide, usually from my husband. There's quiet trembling and then lots of tickling. It's great fun.

The rest are pretty straightforward: Crayons (coloring), paints (painting), rainbow hand (crafts), bubble wand (bubbles), stamps, blocks, fruit snacks, cookies, beads, and a tricycle. All easy things we can do after a long, arduous day at preschool.

I add one more label - costumes! That one goes on the 31st, of course.

The goal is not to treat the kids every single day but to add a little whimsy, a little glow to the children’s eyes when they find out the awesome thing they get to do today. 

Even if it's as simple as pulling out some fruit snacks or some coloring pages.

I printed out extras of every little slip so if we aren’t feeling like hauling out paints one day, we can swap it for something easier. 

The goal is not to treat the kids every single day but to add a little whimsy.

I folded two of each slip into each day so each of my kiddos can open one.

My advice is to write down what you're putting in each box as you go (I did not do this. Don't ask me why.) so you can make adjustments and plan out your week ahead of time.

Overall, I'm excited to get started with our magical Halloween Advent Calendar!

This is my first time trying this, so I'll do a wrap-up at the end of October to let you know how it went.

I should note there are simpler Halloween advent calendars out there like this one.

You could make this project as simple as adding a Halloween sticker to every row/every few days and give your kiddos a special surprise on those days. But, as my buddy says, I'm extra.

What fun ideas, crafts, or activities would you add to your Halloween advent calendar?

Let me know if you give this little project a try! Thanks for reading!