Finally a homemade LEGO Advent Calendar for Christmas that will keep the kids busy! I have always wanted to get my act together and do a 25 Days of Christmas countdown with my son. However, I always remember a hair too late and then scrap the idea. This year I am on top of it, and I am keeping it inexpensive with my own themed mini builds from our own bricks! This is a fabulous, frugal, countdown calendar and fun LEGO activity for families.
It’s a great way to combine easy science experiments for kids with a ton of Christmas fun as well! Finding the perfect experiments for kids doesn’t have to be hard!
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR FOR KIDS!
LEGO CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CALENDAR – SIMPLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS
Each day, my son will receive a new packet containing just the bricks he will need to build a specific holiday-themed item. Since we don’t have a printer, I will use his iPad to take a picture of each LEGO creation so he can have a look at the finished product.
Whether he makes it the way it is shown or a new variation, is up to him. The fun is in the challenge, and I am excited to see what he will build with his LEGO countdown calendar.
SUPPLIES NEEDED TO CREATE A LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR
NEW! Printable Christmas LEGO Building List or Calendar! Scroll down to print your own copy.
Small {not clear} white paper bags
Labels, gift tags, paper cut-outs and clothespins to seal bags
LEGO!
HOW TO MAKE THE LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR BAGS
Get your bags set up! You can see here that I chose to cut out circles of red and green construction paper, number them, and glue them to clothespins.
What else could you do? You can label the bags directly, stick gift labels on the bags, or write on the clothespins. It’s a fun opportunity for you to get creative or just use our idea!
The best part of our 25 Days of Christmas LEGO advent calendar builds is that you can make ideas using the LEGO bricks you already have. I have a list of suggestions to get you started and will show you the different designs we came up with.
My son is still young and I want this to be a fun, independent as much as possible, project for him to do each day. I will keep our LEGO designs simple and manageable. Older kids can make their builds as complicated and intricate as they wish.
25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR- EVEN MORE FUN SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS IDEAS!
My husband and I have either come up with these ideas, surfed around the web looking at older Christmas LEGO sets, or checked out eBay. We have modified what we have seen to work with what we have. Some of the more elaborate LEGO ideas have their own post.
Suggestions for filling your LEGO advent calendar bags:
Add the exact bricks for very simple LEGO building ideas such as the ones you will see here like a candy cane, hat, tree, snowflake, or snowman. Take a few pictures with your smartphone or print them out and include them. This works well with younger kids.
You could also supplement with a few new Christmas LEGO sets. A larger LEGO Christmas set will have small elements kids can build and place out as a Christmas scene. This is more expensive. However, you will have plenty of supplies for years to come. I will put some suggestions at the end of this article.
OPEN-ENDED LEGO BUILDING IDEAS
Many of our ideas are open-ended like building Santa a car, boat, sled, or airplane. You can either include a selection of pieces for the younger kids or leave a note for older kids. Include a mini challenge such as the vehicle has to be carrying a Christmas tree or present. For older kids, adding bricks ahead of time isn’t necessary.
Leave a LEGO note including the day’s building challenge. This is great for older kids and easy for parents.
Leave a LEGO note for a building challenge that you and your young child will do together. This will save you prep work beforehand but make sure you follow up on your offer!
Don’t forget to grab your FREE set of Christmas STEM challenge cards…
LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR BUILDING SUGGESTIONS
Candy Cane
Christmas Tree
Star
Present {large and minis!}
Reindeer
Reindeer with sled
Snowflake
Mini mailbox, letters, and mini figure
Fireplace {large and small!}
Wreathe
Snowman
Santa’s chair or workshop
Stocking
Candle
Holy
Mitten
Santa Hat
Cookies
Carrot
Snowy Family scene
Vehicle building challenges
I just created a separate post to showcase some of the larger building ideas. Click here or picture below.
I am by no means a master LEGO builder. These simple ideas will get you thinking and creating! See what you can do with the pictures below.
BUILD A LEGO CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN CALENDAR!
Days 1-4
Our first few days of LEGO building include a candy cane, Christmas tree, Santa’s hat, and Rudolph
Days 5-8
The next set of LEGO building challenges includes presents, a small Rudolph pulling a sled, snowflakes, and a different style Christmas tree. You can challenge your kids to see how many ways they can build a LEGO Christmas tree.
Days 9-12
The LEGO building fun continues with fireplace models, a snowman, and a wreathe! How can you get creative with the bricks you already have in your collection. here’s how we store all our bricks.
DAYS 13-16
There are so many Christmas tree building ideas along with another candy cane idea. We also created Santa’s mailbox.
DAYS 17-20
This set of Christmas LEGO builds includes another tree! How about a delivery of presents, a snowman challenge, and an invitation to build Santa a boat to round out the ideas. Seriously, can this experiment for kids be any more fun?
DAYS 21-25
The vehicle building challenges are quite fun. Santa has to be able to carry a tree or a present! Build a truck, an airplane, a rocket, or whatever you can think of to help Santa! You can also build Santa’s office! My favorite is a LEGO family picture. C
Check out our basket below of pre-made 25 Days of Christmas LEGO Advent calendar building bags. I have numbered them 1-25. I can’t wait for us to get started.
Happy LEGO building! Have a terrific holiday with your family.
ENJOY OUR CHRISTMAS LEGO ADVENT CALENDAR THIS SEASON!
Click on the pictures for more fun ideas to try this season with your family and friends!
amy c
Are there directions for these that could be printed?
littlebins
I am sorry at this time I don’t have directions. With in the next few days I will be coming out with some close up shots of the more complex building ideas. I had hoped you could see enough from the pictures for the simpler ones. If you have a question about one feel free to email me [email protected] put LEGO Advent in subject!
littlebins
I have just posted another article with some close ups of the larger scenes. The small ones you should be able to get an idea from the picture. I am sorry to say that I have no step by step directions, but it will be fun to use your imagination.
littlebins
I did add a supplemental post with some closeups. I had designed it simply for ideas. I have had moms print out the pictures for kids.
Beatriz Azevedo
This idea is great, fun! for this year’s advent calendar I bought the Lego Advend Calendar set 60024 and still I would love to mix it with the create yourself ideas.
littlebins
Great idea! That’s also a perfect way to do it!
Georgia
Shared this idea on my Instagram feed today – used your ideas in a slightly different way. If you want to see, I’m https://www.instagram.com/georgiasetzer/
Your blog is awesome Sarah!
Happy Christmas season!
JN
This is great! I am going to use it this year to make an advent calendar for my son… much better than buying the expensive Lego one! Thanks!!
littlebins
So glad to hear it! Plus it gives him something more to do or build then the purchased calendar provides!
lori mcwilliams
awesome idea…thank you for sharing!!
cyndi
Is there a parts list for each build? I see what looks like it should be the parts list or instructions, but the links wont open
littlebins
Hi, there isn’t a parts list because I encourage kids to use what they have instead and you the pictures as inspiration. Thanks!