Tuesday 18 December 2012

Homemade Toddler Advent Calendar: A No Sew Project

pretty scrapbook paper in Christmas colours
supplies

Now what to put in it? Cookie cutters, a stamp set, bouncy balls!

Natural options; a wool roving ornament, a wooden car, a hand dyed play silk

the finished product, it hangs over a door!





I decided that since Lily is almost two that we should start some Christmas traditions. I knew that I wanted to make an advent calendar for her that we could use for years to come. My main problems with making an advent calendar was that for firstly, I don’t have a sewing machine and secondly, I don’t know how to sew. I tried looking on Pinterest for ideas but I just couldn’t find something that fit. I knew I wanted it to be big enough to put enough things for two kids in the future and also be something that would last year to year. After a few nights of searching I came up with the idea to use a shoe organizer with 24 slots. I didn’t even know if those existed but as I started searching, I saw other people had done the same thing and there were lots of bloggers who had made them. Perfect! I went out and got one that day, as well as all of the other supplies. Not including what I had on hand, I think this project cost around $30. 

Here’s what you need:
  • a shoe organizer with 24 spots
  • some pretty paper, I used scrapbook paper
  • craft paper
  • some ribbon
  • clothes pegs
  • a hot glue gun
  • a glue stick
  • scissors
  • a marker/pen
  • items for the 24 days of advent!

Here’s what I did; I cut the paper the correct size to fit over each pouch on the shoe organizer. Then I cut circles in coordinating paper and smaller circles out of craft paper, I then wrote out each number on the craft paper. i did this by hand but you could print them or use stamps. Glue them all together and use the clothes peg to attach each number card to the pouches. I prettied the clothes pegs up a bit by hot glueing some ribbon to each. Then find some fun toddler items to put in! You could do all natural toys, conventional toys, dollar store items, treats, or write an activity for each day. We did a combination of all of those. 

Here’s a few things we had in ours:

Activities:
  • make hot chocolate with marshmallows
  • go look at the Christmas lights
  • go visit Santa
  • make Christmas cookies with mom

Items:
  • bouncy ball
  • stickers
  • farm animals
  • stamp set
  • Christmas ornaments
  • play food
  • Christmas cookie cutters
  • play dough
  • Christmas PJ’s (this will be for X-mas eve!)

You could do anything really, it doesn’t have to be expensive or cost anything at all. The fun of it is the excitement and involving your toddler in the magic of Christmas. I can’t wait to see what happens next year when there are two little girls to participate in advent!

1 comment:

  1. Such a good idea to use a door organizer! It looks so great! You are such an amazing momma.

    ReplyDelete