It’s so much fun to count down to Christmas with a DIY LEGO Advent Calendar that you built yourself!
Here are five awesome ways to use the bricks you have to make a super cool advent calendar.
These ideas are meant to be a launching point for kids to create their own cool countdown! Please don’t feel like your construction has to look exactly like ours. Kids can use whatever colors they have and substitute different bricks where needed.
However, I will link to some of the key pieces on BrickLink in case you really want to order some things for this project!
This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. This post was originally published in November 2014 and updated in November 2024.
Calendar #1: Gingerbread Path Countdown
My 12 year old son and I built this together, and we had SO much fun doing it! When we finished, he commented, “I’m really proud of this.”
Move Santa (or whatever figure you choose) down the path – one square each day. When he reaches the house, it’s time for Christmas! What I love about this calendar is that it’s easy for kids to see at a glance how much time is left until Christmas. And building it is such a fun family project – might be a good activity for Thanksgiving weekend!
For this calendar, you will need:
- A Santa minifigure – there are many options on BrickLink. (Or use any minifigure you want!)
- Two 32 x 32 baseplates
- Brown and tan bricks
- 2 x 4 lime green plates for the path
- Green and red 2 x 2 bricks for the date markers
- Whatever white bricks and plates you have
- Trees – this link is for the smaller pine trees. The large size was discontinued in 2018, but we have several of them!
- Mailing labels
I used mailing labels for the date markers. They peel off the LEGO bricks really easily!
Here’s a close up of the house. I love the little door. Here’s the door on BrickLink in case you want to order the same one!
It would be fun to make this calendar a tradition and build a different gingerbread house and path layout each year!
Calendar #2: Decorate the Christmas Tree
This calendar is simple – add an ornament to the tree each day. Add a star on top on December 25th! Or make the star the 24th, if that works better.
We put the ornaments in a cute Christmas bowl – all ready to start decorating on December 1st!
I built the tree myself out of green bricks with a brown trunk. There is a 4 x 10 green plate at the bottom of the branches holding it all together. Here’s what it looks like undecorated:
Calendar #3: Candy Cane Tower
Here’s another simple idea that will definitely work with the bricks you have! If you don’t have enough red and white bricks, you can truly use any color. Make a pattern that still looks Christmassy with red, green, white, and yellow, for example. That way you’ll need less of each color!
The concept is simple! Create a tower with 24 bricks. Remove one brick each day in December. When you get down to the base at the bottom of the tower, it’s Christmas Day!
Calendar #4: Build a LEGO Advent Calendar with Doors and Candy
This project has its own post with instructions! This advent calendar is soooooo fun and everyone should build this at least once.
See it here: LEGO Advent Calendar with Doors and Candy
Calendar #5: Count Down to Christmas with a LEGO Project Each Day
Print 24 LEGO Christmas challenge cards! There’s a new project to try each day in December. Build a snowman, elf, mitten, gingerbread house, reindeer, and more.
Head over here to see the ideas: LEGO Advent Challenge
The cards are numbered #1 – 24, but they don’t have dates on them. So you can use them for a library maker space or at a LEGO club and the projects don’t have to be tied to any particular day.
LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® group of companies which does not sponsor. authorize, or endorse this site.
16 Comments
Nichole {youclevermonkey} Nov 8, 2014
I love these ideas! We usually make our own Advent calendar but was very tempted last year to buy the Lego one but this year I think we might make one of these. Sharing :)
Anna McDonald Nov 8, 2014
Great ideas, might try it next year! Already have this year's Advent calendar as they fly off the shelves here in NZ. As an alternative for those who are tempted by the commercial calendar, my 3 boys know that the Lego Advent calendar is part of their Christmas present and they get one between them (we decided years ago that all Lego belongs to all, doesn't matter who got it for birthday or Xmas, once it's out of the box and built by the recipient, it's communal). Luckily 24 divides by 3 and they get to choose numbers in turn, we write their initial on the doors that correspond and they each get to open 8 doors across the month. Other 2 are always watching with great excitement to see what their brother will get each day.
zekesmom10 Dec 1, 2014
We share one calendar amongst them all, also. Littlest punk gets to join this year and 24 divides easily by 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 12 kids. :D
Wallis Nov 10, 2014
Do you maybe have instructions on how to make the Christmas tree?
Denis Ciobotar Nov 22, 2016
Yep that is what I also need for the Christmas tree. I tried copying it and even bought the green pieces for it, but failed many times. It would be very, very helpful. Thank you!
donna Nov 13, 2014
any ideas to make this a nativity type advent calendar ?
Shawndel Nov 14, 2014
For the path to the gingerbread house, you could use a horse and put a girl mini figure riding on it. She goes through the path then at the end she arrives at the stable. You'd have to construct that and put a couple mini figures inside and a baby in a manger.
JJ Nov 14, 2014
Soooooo happy you shared these ideas!!! My 8 year has been really, REALLY wanting to do a Lego Advent calendar this year.
JJ
www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com
gina Nov 16, 2014
3 Cheers for Legos and hand made Lego advent calendars. I have 2 boys, too, and have noticed myself pinning you and thinking of the fun we'd have! I've been making a handmade Lego calendar since the kids were small and had such fun doing this. I hope you have too! In fact, one of my very first Christmas posts ever was for a Lego Christmas Tree Advent Calendar, too!! What a fun coincidence! Have Fun. Happy Creating!
Sharon Jouret Nov 18, 2014
I downloaded your advent Jesse's tree and somehow have trouble loading it. I received 1032 pages. Obviously something happened and the text was spread out with only a few words on many pages. Please help. I received a popup InstallX and downloaded that thinking it was needed to run the program. I have changed operating systems recently from Windows 8 to Windows 7 so I am trying to unlearn all I learned in Windows 8 in order to use the new one. Please advise.
Sharon Jouret
TheBargainBabe Nov 25, 2014
These ideas are FANTASTIC! Like you I have seen the Lego store-bought Advent calendars and cringed at the price. I may try to do the build-a-set for this year. Thanks!
Sophie Nov 28, 2014
Great !!!
My younger daughter made one for his brothers : http://sophiebonheur.canalblog.com/archives/2014/11/28/31004250.html
thanks a lot for the idea ;)
Sarah Nov 28, 2014
Do you have more specific directions for the Decorate the Tree? I'd love to try it!
Sarah Nov 29, 2014
The tree is just a bunch of green 2 x 4 bricks. I don't have more specific instructions - we actually built it twice after a little person broke it (oops!) and it turned out a little different each time! I used a green flat piece on the bottom (4 x 8 or 4 x 12, I think) and then built up the tree from there.
Sarah Nov 29, 2014
Thanks! Could you post a pic front and back?
Jeb Nov 30, 2014
I am so frustrated with the name of your site. I refuse to share any of your ideas. Girls like to have fun too! Please reconsider changing the name. We don't need toys for girls or boys. Just toys for kids.
Thank You
Kristi Nov 30, 2014
I'm sure she's not prejudiced. She probably just only has boys. Sheesh! Calm down! There are too many real things to get offended by in life. This should DEFINITELY not be one of them!
Laura Nov 30, 2014
We've been building a new LEGO set during Advent for the last several years. My son looks forward to the new SRT each year and we like the tie in between building the set over 25 days and the anticipation of the season.
Charlise Grisham Dec 22, 2014
This is SO cute! I wish I would have seen this earlier. I have 5 boys who LOVE legos. We actually just went to Legoland yesterday. I will definitely have to create one of these for next year!
Stephanie Oct 11, 2015
Honestly, I bought a Lego advent calendar several years ago, and we use it again each year. When the calendar is all finished, I take each figure apart & wrap in it a small sandwich bag, tape the door shut with Scotch tape, and it's good for the next year. My kids enjoy reliving the calendar each year. "Who's going to get the hotdogs this year?"
Christine Nov 12, 2017
I really like your blog, but I find it frustrating that it isn't one I can look at with my boys due to the frequent "Victoria's Secret" ads. The mostly naked women are not a temptation our children need to be presented with. I would have loved to share your advent ideas with other moms, but cannot direct other parents to your site unless such ads are removed. I do appreciate the ideas you have and I mean this with all sincerity, I hope it is received well.
Sarah Nov 12, 2017
Oh no! That is definitely not an ad that I want on my site! I don't choose the ads, and I don't necessarily see the same ones as my readers do. (And readers don't see the same things as each other.) I'll let my ad network know, and I'm sure they will block that ad! They are committed to family-friendly ads and definitely wouldn't want that type of ad on here.
Sue Nov 25, 2024
Thank you for some more brilliant ideas :)
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