Advent Mix-Up Preschool Game

By Charlene Haukom

Advent Calendars are a popular way to count down the days to Christmas. Mix it up a little to reinforce your preschooler's counting ability! Make it more challenging by requiring your preschooler to find the hidden weeks.

What You Will Need

Cardstock and holiday paper
Scissors
Tape or glue
Stickers
Square punch (optional)

How to Play

1. Cut or punch 25 small squares out of cardstock or holiday paper. *Helpful hint: you can use holiday wrapping paper to make the pouches.  Choose one with a light background.  You can also dress things up by using scalloped punches for the pouches.

2. Have your preschooler write the numbers 1 through 25 on the front of the square (1 number per square). Mix the numbers up, then tape or glue the sides and bottom of each square to a 12” X 12” piece of cardstock. You should now have little numbered pouches.

3. When your preschooler isn't watching, fill the pouches with stickers.

4. On each day of the month, have your preschooler find the correct calendar date. As you progress through the days, have your preschooler find and count all of the previous days. For example, on day one, your preschooler will have to find the pouch with the number one. On day two, your preschooler will have to find day one, then day two. On day three, your preschooler will have to find day one, day two, and day three. Make sure they’re counting out loud each time. This will help to reinforce numerical order, as well as teach the repeating 1-9 pattern (as in 1-9, 11-19, and up to 25).

5. As your preschooler lands on the current day, they get to pull the sticker prize out of the pouch.

Make Advent Mix-Up Preschool Game More Challenging

As you get farther into the month, have your preschoolers identify the weeks. Ask questions like, “How many days are in a week?” If they don’t know, show them a traditional calendar and count the days together. Once you’ve identified that a week is seven days, make them find week one by marking off days 1-7. Then do the same for week two, days 8-14. Keep going until you get to December 25th. Try naming the days of the week as well.  Sunday would be day one, Monday would be day two, etc.  As you get to week two and three, your preschooler will start to recognize the Sunday to Saturday repetition found in traditional calendars.

Variations of Advent Mix-Up Preschool Game

Some people like to fill Advent Calendars with food treats. If you’d prefer to use food, be sure to use something dry or wrapped so you don’t stain your pouches. Dried cranberries, blueberries and cherries work well. Other dried fruits, such as apricots, would need to be wrapped with plastic wrap first.

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