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journalism → support → readers
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we → purchase → commission
Assuming they can resist the urge to tear open every door on day one, opening a little morning surprise – whether it’s a new Hot Wheels car, a mini LEGO set, or a bedtime story – is pure holiday joy.
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it → assume → surprise
While chocolate calendars will always have their place, there are so many brilliant alternatives now.
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calendars → have → place
From much-loved Marvel characters and collectable Clickeez toys to creative activities, the best children’s Advent calendars offer plenty of fun beyond the initial unwrapping.
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calendars → love → unwrapping
With the help of my toddler and an array of friends’ kids of varying ages, we put this season's offerings to the test, noting everything from product quality to value-for-money.
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we → vary → money
Whether you’re shopping for a toddler who loves getting hands-on, a budding builder or an older child with a favourite character they can’t get enough of, there’s something to suit all ages, interests and budgets.
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they → shop → ages
Because if there’s one thing that makes the run-up to Christmas even more exciting for kids, it’s having a little something to look forward to every day.
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it → ’ → something
Little People, BIG DREAMS Advent calendar
★★★★★
I was thrilled to find an Advent calendar with contents that are both fun and educational, and this one is perfect for avid readers whilst still feeling like a little treat.
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one → find → treat
Untie the ribbon and the calendar opens out into a giant book.
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calendar → untie → book
Each of its 24 pockets hide a mini book about a different notable person, making it a fun and engaging way to teach children about inspiring figures from history and the modern world.
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it → hide → history
There is a varied range of people to discover, from David Beckham and Agatha Christie to Harriet Tubman, with each short story introducing children to their lives and achievements.
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story → be → lives
My little one has enjoyed reading these at bedtime, and it’s great knowing these will be well-loved, long after Christmas is over.
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these → enjoy → bedtime
Barbie Advent calendar
★★★★★
As a huge Barbie fan growing up, I would have been thrilled to open this Advent calendar as a child.
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I → grow → child
It starts strong, too, with a full-sized Barbie doll with long pink hair behind the first door, giving children something to play with straight away.
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It → start → something
The remaining doors bring outfits and accessories to transform the doll into a mermaid, fairy or princess, alongside extra surprises including a mini unicorn and other small friends for Barbie.
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doors → remain → Barbie
A bonus is that it isn’t Christmas-themed, so while it makes a lovely countdown treat, it won’t feel out of place once the decorations come down, and little ones can keep dressing her up all year-round.
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ones → theme → her
Clickeez Advent calendar
★★★★★
Collectables and sensory toys are big hits with kids at the moment; Clickeez ticks the box on both fronts, making this calendar particularly appealing.
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calendar → tick → fronts
Just like keyboard keys, each toy has a satisfying click that gives it a fidget-like quality, and the individual characters make them something fun to collect or swap with friends.
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them → have → friends
The Advent calendar comes with 20 Clickeez, including four exclusive Christmas-themed characters that you won’t find elsewhere.
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you → come → that
My little tester was very excited to carry them about using the provided keychains, and they can also be attached together, giving children plenty of ways to play and organise their growing collection.
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they → carry → collection
☆
My family loves a good board game, although somehow I’d never actually played UNO before trying this Advent calendar.
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I → love → calendar
Behind the 24 doors are cards and unique game pieces, with a full deck included so you can get playing straight away.
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you → include → doors
It’s worth noting, though, that the cards aren’t full-sized, which may be discouraging for players used to having a regular deck.
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which → ’ → deck
Rather than just filling each door with bits and pieces, the calendar builds on the game itself, so it’s not only a great pick for existing UNO fans, but also a fun way to introduce the game to the uninitiated, like me.
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it → fill → me
Monsoon jewellery Advent calendar
★★★★☆
Ideal for a child who loves a bit of sparkle, this is an exciting twist on a traditional Advent calendar.
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this → love → calendar
Rather than discovering a different gift each day, the 12 doors reveal beads and charms that gradually build a Christmas-inspired bracelet; the snowy house packaging makes it feel extra festive, too.
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it → discover → bracelet
The best part is that this is a gift they can continue to enjoy, long after all 12 days have been opened.
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days → continue → ?
LEGO Marvel Advent calendar
★★★★★
LEGO is a classic brand, and pairing it with Marvel feels like a pretty foolproof combination.
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pairing → pair → combination
My young tester was very excited to play with the familiar characters, with Spider-Man, Iron Man and Wolverine all making an appearance alongside festive mini builds.
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Man → play → builds
The box unfolds into a colourful Marvel-themed play scene, giving kids somewhere to bring all their little characters and creations to life.
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box → unfold → life
You get something different behind every door, and it’s a great choice for children who love building, superheroes, or a bit of both.
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who → get → both
A little different from the regular countdown-style calendars, this one feels particularly geared towards younger children.
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one → feel → children
Mine loved discovering a new character each day and gradually building the nativity scene.
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Mine → love → scene
Each piece has a Velcro back, so they can stick the characters onto the calendar and move them around to create their own scenes and stories, making it more of a toy than a standard Advent calendar, and as a bonus, it also doubles up as a lovely festive decoration.
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it → have → decoration
Bluey Fuzzies Advent calendar
★★★★☆
Bluey has become a firm favourite in our house, so my toddler was ecstatic to discover his beloved characters in toy form.
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toddler → become → form
This Advent goes beyond the characters of Bluey and Bingo to include other familiar faces, alongside festive accessories, stickers and trading cards.
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Advent → go → accessories
With 24 surprises to open, including eight exclusive mini figures with a soft, fuzzy finish, it’s a fun pick for kids who love to recreate favourite moments from the show, or come up with their own adventures.
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who → open → adventures
★★★★★
Any parent knows how quickly the excitement of Christmas can build, and a calendar that gives kids something to look forward to and do each day, without adding more toys to the house, gets my stamp of approval.
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that → know → approval
This activity book is unlike a traditional Advent calendar and instead has 25 festive activities to work through, including puzzles, colouring, and creative challenges.
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book → work → puzzles
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
