Advent Studies for Your Homeschool

Advent Calendar Activities

If you have a reusable countdown Advent calendar, like a wooden box with cubbies, banners with little pockets, or any of the other varieties out there, you may have struggled with ideas of how to fill it. Those little drawers and things are meant to hold little treats to be dispersed as you countdown to Christmas Day, but what if you could make it something more meaningful? Try introducing a family devotional or Advent study and spending a little time each day studying, reading, and praying together. These printable 25 Names of Jesus Advent cards are a great place to start.

Another way to use your countdown calendar is with this twist on the modern Advent calendar that focuses instead on the aspects of giving and serving. Many of the ideas suggested in this 25 Acts of Random Kindness Advent calendar involve spending money, which isn’t always plentiful–especially this time of year. With a bit of creativity, you could come up with lots of ideas that cost very little or nothing, but which bless the receiver just as much. Take the opportunity to brainstorm with your family and come up with new ideas.

This printable Christmas story from DLTK’s Growing Together includes 24 coloring pages, each with a corresponding Scripture passage. Children of all ages will enjoy coloring the intricate illustrations, which could then be bound together creating an Advent story book.

This free printable Advent wreath devotional for families is meant to tie into the traditional Advent wreath, with candles for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas (plus a fifth candle for Christmas!) representing hope, faith, joy, and peace. This is a beautiful, simple Advent study to do with your family. Make it a point to set aside some time each Advent Sunday.

For the youngest children, creating or even following a calendar may be difficult. This sensory Nativity box from The Fairy and the Frog gives them a chance to experience the Christmas story, and could even be used as an Advent “calendar” of sorts, by dividing up the items in the box and presenting the story in parts each week. Items could be added to the sensory box–or bag–to represent new events, and the older items used to recap the earlier events.