I was challenged on the new advent calendar by the size of the pockets. It would be nice and fun if everything is small enough to fit in the pockets, although I quickly realized that wasn't exactly going to work every time, but I tried. I spent the morning of November 30 accumulating the stuff (and may I say I will definitely look forward to spending a morning doing that again next year). There is a local toy store that has a fantastic party favor section, so handy for something like this, and that's where I started. From there I went on to the local Kinokuniya (so lucky we have one so close, and I did get a little sidetracked by their kid movie collection- My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service are two of my kids favorites, truly delightful). I wanted to mix 'experience-type' advent treats with some tiny toys. I sat down with my calendar, and was sure to put in the activities ideas in pockets on days we will most likely have time to do them, otherwise it will get crazy and I will feel guilty. The other days will be filled with simple small toys, puzzles, things the kids can play with on their own.
Incidentally, Kids Craft Weekly has a ton of Advent ideas on their site from last week, (and as an aside, I highly recommend the Kids Craft Weekly Christmas Craft pdf...there is a whole lot packed into that issue for a mere $5...and paperless too, how great! I keep going back to it.)
So this is what will be in ours...playing on the tiny theme dictated by the pockets as much as possible-
*tiny colored pencils and books (LOVE these myself...we have a collection of tiny children's books I should show you sometime)
*going to see the holiday light display at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens
*making Christmas cookies
*small puzzles (I found very cute and tiny animal ones by Crocodile Creek at my local toy store) The kids opened the tiny dinosaur 3D puzzle this morning and loved them.)
*tiny set of watercolor paints
*small whale shaped erasers (they have great stickers there too, that's where I got the alphabet stickers in the photo).
*miniature plastic animals (a favorite of ours)
*tiny wooden boats they can paint
*making Christmas ornaments
*making catnip fish toys for Gracie
*stickers, tops, silly glasses...
*watching a Christmas movie before bed.
*driving around the neighborhood and seeing the Christmas lights one evening (the kids do this in their pjs, with blankets and hot chocolate, they always look forward to it).
*paper toys & printables (my favorite is the toy maker, but you can google printable paper toys and get other sites that are also good)
*Flickr's printable photo cubes with pictures of themselves.
If you guys have good ideas, things that have been a success (or even ones that weren't), I'd love to hear about them.
