Kindness Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids: 24 Days of Calm and Feelings

December is exciting for children, but it can also be loud, busy and overwhelming. Late nights, school plays, visiting relatives and a lot of sugar all add up, and big feelings often follow. A kindness advent calendar swaps (or sits alongside) the daily chocolate with a tiny daily moment of calm, kindness or feelings talk. It takes two minutes a day and works at home or in the classroom.

Below are 24 simple ideas you can use straight away, plus tips for making it work with little ones aged 3 to 8.

Why a feelings and kindness advent calendar works

• It builds a routine. Children love opening a door each day. Pairing that ritual with a short feelings activity makes emotional check-ins feel normal and fun.
• It gives December some calm. A few minutes of breathing or quiet talk each day balances out the excitement.
• It grows empathy. Kindness challenges help children notice other people's feelings, not just their own.
• It gives children words for feelings. Naming a feeling is the first step to managing it, and December offers plenty to practise with.

24 kindness and feelings advent ideas

Week 1: Noticing feelings

1. Draw a face showing how you feel today.
2. Name three feelings you had this week.
3. Think of something that makes you feel excited about Christmas.
4. Take five slow "blowing out the candles" breaths.
5. Tell a grown-up about a time you felt proud.
6. Make a "feelings face" in the mirror and guess each other's feelings.

Week 2: Kindness to others

7. Say thank you to someone who helps you.
8. Make a card for a neighbour, grandparent or teacher.
9. Share a toy or take turns without being asked.
10. Give someone a compliment.
11. Help tidy up at home or in the classroom.
12. Draw a picture for someone who might feel lonely.

Week 3: Calm and big feelings

13. Find a cosy spot and have five quiet minutes.
14. Talk about what you can do when you feel cross.
15. Try "snowflake breathing": breathe in, then breathe out slowly as your snowflake floats down.
16. Name something that worries you, and one thing that helps.
17. Squeeze and relax your hands ten times.
18. Listen to a calm song with your eyes closed.

Week 4: Gratitude and joy

19. Name three things you are thankful for.
20. Tell someone why you are glad they are in your life.
21. Remember your favourite moment of the year.
22. Do a secret kind thing for someone in your family.
23. Talk about how it feels when someone is kind to you.
24. Christmas Eve: share one wish for someone else.

Tips for making it work

• Keep it short. Two minutes is plenty. The aim is a gentle habit, not a lesson.
• Join in. When grown-ups share their own feelings, children learn that every feeling is okay.
• Don't worry about missed days. Doubling up is fine. There's no wrong way to do it.
• In school, use it at circle time or as a calm start to the morning. It also fits nicely into PSHE.

A ready-to-print feelings advent calendar

If you'd like everything ready to go, the Feelings Advent Calendar is an instant PDF download featuring the 15 friendly feelings creatures from the That's Okay picture books. It includes a countdown chart to colour in each day, 24 advent activity cards to pop into pockets, envelopes or boxes, a "My Christmas feelings" worksheet, 12 feelings gift tags, and simple tips for grown-ups on big feelings at Christmas. Print it at home or school on A4 or US Letter.

Looking for more? Browse all the printable feelings resources, or start with the free Feelings Starter Pack.