DIY Nativity Advent Calendar (with printable pictures and activities!)

If you've ever thought of making your own Advent calendar but wondered if it would be too tricky- then this is the post for you!  

Here you can make your own calendar that has a Nativity theme, can hold sweets and can also hold personalised daily Advent activities.  I love the idea of using a mini muffin tin and I managed to pick up 12 hole tins for £2 each at Tesco a couple of weeks ago! 

You will need: Advent Calendar Sheets 1 and  sheet 2, 2 12-hole mini muffin tins, Advent calendar activity sheet, sweets, colouring pens, self adhesive magnets

Print off the Advent calendar sheets and colour in the pictures.  Use the opportunity to talk to the children about who the characters are.  They should be able to find: Mary, Joseph, three wise men, two shepherds, a sheep, a star, an angel and Jesus!

Laminate and cut the pictures out.  Turn them face down.

Stick some magnetic strip on two of the corners of each picture

Cut out the Advent calendar activities and fold them up.  This is a word document so feel free to download and edit!  Put one activity (and a sweet!) in each muffin hole. 

 Use the magnets to stick the pictures over the holes of the muffin tins.  Use as an Advent calendar!

Alternatively, print out the sheets and stick the pictures on mini-envelopes.  Put an activity and a sweet inside each envelope and hang them all on a washing line with mini pegs.