In Germany (and various other countries) children are given an advent calendar to help them count the days until Christmas. For those making their own for their little dinosaur fan, we’ve got some suggestions for the perfect gifts for your dinosaur advent calendar.
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What is an advent calendar?
Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas. The world comes from the Latin word adventus, which means coming. It heralds the coming or birth of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated at Christmas.
Advents calendars count down the days until Christmas. They were first used by German Lutherans in the 19th century. An advent calendar always starts on 1 December and has 24 or 25, depending on when Christmas is celebrated.
Originally, advent calendars revealed pictures and Bible verses each day. Nowadays they will be filled with chocolates or toys or even beer or nail polish. You can buy one that finished and ready to use, or make one yourself.
Ready to use dinosaur advent calendars
The easy solution to your advent calendar needs for those who are strapped for time is to buy a calendar that is already made and stocked.
Chocolate calendars are simple and easy. Chocolate calendars can be found at most supermarkets and department stores and come in all price categories. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one with dinosaurs on it.
Our LDA normally gets at least one chocolate calendar. Many businesses here give them away as advertising gifts, though I am not sure how true that will be this year.
Some calendars also come full of small dinosaurs – one a day. How long will your LDA have to wait until their get their favourite dinosaur?
- This one comes with a play mat.
- We love the Schleich dinosaurs and know this one would be good.
- This calendar has the 12 dinosaurs and 12 dinosaur fossils.
Make your own dinosaur advent calendar
I prefer to make our own advent calendar, wrapping up 24 little presents for our LDA each year. Most gifts are things that she needs – like socks and bubble bath – with a few dinosaur gifts thrown in.
If you wanted to make your dinosaur advent calendar truly RAWRsome and fill it with all dinosaur gifts for your little dinosaur lover, here’s a few ideas.
Did I mention that these also make great stocking stuffers.
1. Lego set
Why not start with a small lego set, such as this velociraptor set? Or this small Playmobil set?
2. A dinosaur keychain
A dinosaur keychain is a great inclusion in your dinosaur advent calendar. If your little dinosaur fan is not yet old enough to have their own keys, they can hang it on their bag. Our LDA has one on her kindergarten bag and one on her dinosaur experiment backpack.
There are a variety of keychains available. Some are cute, some are scarier and some you might even want yourself.
3. A book
A dinosaur book is always a great addition to any dinosaur advent calendar. Check out our list of dinosaur Christmas books here.
4. Underwear
Useful and cute: add some dinosaur underwear to your dinosaur advent calendar. There’s some for girls and some for boys.
5. Socks
While you’re looking at undergarments, add some dinosaur socks to your dinosaur advent calendar. I like these grippy ones with a Triceratops and a T-Rex.
6 and 7. Hat and gloves
Over here it’s winter, so anything to help keep our LDA warm is a good thing. This hat and gloves would be perfect for your dinosaur advent calendar.
Or 6 and 7. Bathing suit and swimming cap
Or is it summer where you are? If it is, try a bathing suit and swimming cap.
8. Sticker book
A dinosaur sticker book will keep your little dinosaur fan entertained for hours. Make sure you add one to your dinosaur advent calendar.
9. Another book
Add another book – because you can never have enough.
10. Tattoos
Some temporary tattoos are a great addition to your dinosaur advent calendar. These ones glow in the dark.
11. Magnifying glass
Is your little dinosaur fan an avid investigator? Try a magnifying glass. You can also buy an explorer kit and split it into a number of small gifts.
12. Excavation kit
Add a dinosaur excavation kit to your dinosaur advent calendar.
13. Torch
Add a simple flashlight – it’s good for more than just dinosaur experiments and shadow puppets.
14. Card game
Add a box of cards – dinosaur cards of course. There’s dinosaur UNO. We love this game of snap with a twist – the dinosaurs and their fossils are also a match!
15. Colouring book
Our LDA loves colouring at the moment. Add a colouring book to your dinosaur advent calendar. We’re looking at giving our LDA a paint by stickers book.
16. Felt-tipped markers
Of course, what good is a colouring book without some markers to colour it in?
17. A small dinosaur
Grab a set of dinosaurs and divide them up – some for your dinosaur Advent calendar, some for the stocking, perhaps some from Santa. This set of large dinosaurs would work, this Jurassic World set is good for a child who is a fan of Camp Cretaceous, or for a younger child try this set with a sound book.
Alternatively, you might like to try some of IKEA’s new JÄTTELIK range, which is all about dinosaurs. The Brontosaurus featured in our Pilgrim Dinosaurs post.
18. Dinosaur mug
Start the day right each morning or snuggle with a hot chocolate in a dinosaur mug. Our LDA wants a Brachiosaurus mug, but I’m rather partial to this geologic time mug.
19. Dino cookie cutters
Some dinosaur cookie cutters work well in the kitchen and for crafts and are a fun addition to a dinosaur advent calendar. We have this set, and some of these fossil cutters too. We’ll be sharing some recipes and craft ideas soon!
If you don’t want to buy a whole set, the Christmas markets in Germany and other places often have stands selling cookie cutters and other fun kitchen gadgets. They often have dinosaur cookie cutters for sale.
20. Dinosaur apron
A dinosaur apron might encourage your little dinosaur fan to get creative in the kitchen.
21. Dinosaur bath bombs
We’re going to be making our own dinosaur bath bombs soon. However, if you don’t have the time, you can get some here. Perfect for your dinosaur Advent calendar and for bath time!
22. Paintable dinosaur
Encourage your budding artist with a paintable dinosaur set.
23. Dinosaur game
We’re loving this Dinosaur Bingo game. And this Dino Dump game is on our LDA’s wish list. Perhaps it will end up in her dinosaur advent calendar.
24. Ticket to a dinosaur museum
Get some tickets or a voucher for your favourite dinosaur museum or park, or perhaps one that you are eager to try out. This not only ensures that you are supporting your local museum, but it also promises your little dinosaur fan a day out at one of their favourite places (when the museums open again).
The Dinosaur Park in Münchehagen has vouchers, for example. You can buy tickets online for The Children’s Museum Indianapolis or the Field Museum in Chicago. The Natural History Museum in London is free to visit, but you can adopt a dinosaur, or even buy a ticket for Dino Snores, the Museum’s sleepover with the dinosaurs.
Make it a dinosaur Advent calendar
Even if your Advent calendar is not filled with dinosaur goodies (ours is not – at least not for every day), you can still make it a dinosaur Advent calendar by adding dinosaurs to the way you wrap it.
Some ideas:
- Number some small gift tags (or just some pieces of coloured card) with the numbers 1 through 24 and tie each tag to the neck of a small toy dinosaur. If you want to colour coordinate your calendar, spray paint your dinosaurs in the right colour(s). Here’s some inspiration.
- If you can’t find enough small dinosaurs at short notice, how about dinosaur pictures? Wrap your presents in uni-coloured wrapping paper (like brown paper). Use some dinosaur stickers and number stamps to label and dino-fy each gift. Check out this set for inspiration.
- This requires a little more creativity but is still simple. Gather together your little dinosaur fan’s dinosaurs, grab your polaroid camera and take 24 photos. (Alternatively, take 24 photos with your phone and print them out). Write a number on the back and attach each photo to a gift. You could even string them up like a clothes line and use some of the dinosaurs from your dinosaur Advent wreath as decoration. Grab some inspiration here.
- Another option – and this is what I plan to do this year – is to wrap the gifts in plain wrapping paper and to cut 24 dinosaurs out of coloured card to use at the numbers. I plan to simply trace around our dinosaur cookie cutters to get a nice dinosaur shape without the hassles.
Dino-fy your Advent calendar this Christmas!
The best dinosaur gifts to use for your Advent calendar or as stocking stuffers and simple ideas to dino-fy your Advent calendar. Make your child a dinosaur Advent calendar – with as much dinosaur as you can stand – and watch their excitement.
Are there any dinosaur gifts that we missed?
Check out our other Christmas posts
The best dinosaur books for the Festive season
How to make your own unique dinosaur Advent wreath
Great dinosaur gifts from your favourite museum (that support the museum too)
Festive dinosaur sugar cookies (with homemade edible glitter)
Angelsaurs and Reindinos: 2 simple dinosaur Christmas decorations to make with your dinosaur fan
Save the ideas for later:
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