• Home
  • About
    • New? Start Here.
    • Meet The Co-Hosts
    • Meet The Contributors
    • In The Media
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

The Mom Hour

Happier motherhood starts here.

  • New? Start Here.
  • Podcast
    • Recent Episodes
    • Complete Archives
    • Search By Topic
  • Blog
  • Ages & Stages
    • Babies
    • Toddlers
    • Preschoolers
    • Big Kids
    • Tweens & Teens
  • Shop
  • Our Partners

in Blog on November 7, 2022 by Lisa Payne

Creating An Experience-Based “Kindness Advent” Tradition With Kids

Looking ahead in my calendar last month, I noticed the alert set for November 1: “Start prepping Advent calendar.” Advent is one of my all-time favorite holiday seasons in the year. Creating traditions around holidays or seasons with my own kids has been an adventure of discovering what I want to do, what I can do, and exploring the “why” behind it all.

Our Advent calendar tradition started around the time my two older kids (now 13 and almost 16) were three and six. I wanted them to experience Advent, as opposed to consuming the typical “open-the-tiny-door-and-get-a-treat” kind of Advent calendar. For me, the season is about preparing our hearts and our homes for Christmas. Teaching my kids what Advent looks like to me, through age-appropriate adventures and experiences, was the driving force as I molded my ideas into what this would look like for us.

It started very simply with easy daily activities that fit the ages of my kids: finger-painting a family craft, watching a holiday cartoon, making treats for the neighbors, reading a bible verse, adding a piece to the Nativity, etc. The experiences have grown and changed as the kids (and our schedules) have changed. Taking the time to S-L-O-W-D-O-W-N gets more difficult each year, and this tradition has brought some intention into how I plan for the season. What hasn’t changed as much is that all four of my kids look forward to seeing what activity or prompt is in each day’s pocket, even though they now anticipate the same activities from year to year. They decide themselves whose turn it is to pull out the paper in the pocket, and they protect that “right” for each other. It’s a small joy of daily excitement to see what’s waiting for the day.

How we do our experience-based Advent tradition:

A simple, homemade advent calendar made of two cookie sheets and ribbon adorns the wall at the kids’ height. Little paper pockets decorated with stickers and handwritten numbers hold each day’s little paper slip with the activity for the day. Advent adventures await them.

The upfront planning comes mostly before the season starts when I schedule time to look at the family calendar of events. Picking the most important activities (or the ones scheduled by an entity outside our family, like a choir concert or downtown tree lighting) comes first, and then planning out the when-will-we-do-it-all on paper before writing them out on slips of paper for the pockets. As you’ll see from the samples below, our family does a mix of family-fun type holiday activities (baking, crafts, movies), service-oriented experiences, and small acts of kindness. You’ll also notice from our examples that many of the daily experiences are things already on the family calendar, or things we would be doing anyway – but opening the paper each morning puts ritual and intention behind that rush of holiday activities.

How to create your own experience-based Advent calendar

There is no shortage of options for Advent calendar “containers” in which to put the daily prompt or activities – ours is simple and homemade, but you could do the same tradition using a classic paper chain or an artisan-made felt tree. It can be as simple or intricate as you decide you want: shadowboxes, paper pockets on a ring, cookie sheets, tiny boxes hot glued together…the clearance shelves, Dollar Store and pieces in your storage are great places to start looking for materials to put this together.

Looking for more Advent Calendar ideas for 2022? 13 Ideas For Celebrating The Christmas Countdown With Kids

More than how it looks is the meaning behind the daily ritual. Does your family have a particular focus, or need for focus? Start there. Give yourself permission to adjust as you go, be flexible in doing multiple activities a day, or none at all if you don’t get to them. Structure activities around what makes your heart happy and fills the season with time well spent.

Sample daily Advent activities, experiences, or prompts

Here are just a few ideas of what might be written on the daily slips of paper in our house. I recommend starting your brainstorming with the family events, activities, and traditions you already plan to do; then filling in the gaps with smaller, do-able ideas from the list below – or come up with your own!

  • Make cards and deliver to individuals at a nursing home, or place under windshields in a parking lot
  • Do a chore for a sibling
  • Make a card for the lunch staff and school custodian
  • Try hot chocolate from 3 different places
  • Go “Christmas Light looking”
  • Decorate Gingerbread Houses
  • Choose a recipe and write up the ingredients to make with Mom
  • Family Christmas Move Night!
  • Family Christmas Craft
  • Record ourselves singing a carol to send or post for others
  • Adopt a child to purchase a gift for
  • Decorate the tree
  • Your new ornament is revealed today!
  • Shop for a gift/write a letter for your sibling
  • Make paper ornaments/snowflakes to decorate the windows.
  • Shop & Drop canned goods for the food pantry
  • Put shoes out for St. Nicholas
  • Gather your change and let’s find a Salvation Army Kettle to drop it in
  • Our family ornament is revealed
  • Make pinecone bird feeders
  • Look through your things…what can we donate that you’ve outgrown or aren’t interested in any more?
  • Christmas lights at the park
  • Family game night: Christmas song trivia
  • Family art night: draw together with a How-To video
  • Christmas movie marathon—snacks for dinner tonight!
  • Call a family member to check in on them
  • Write a card to your teacher
  • Neighborhood hayride
  • Christmas adventure downtown (coincides with a concert that we’ll be there for anyway)

Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash

Related

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: big kids, Christmas, family culture, holidays & celebrations

About Lisa Payne

Lisa is a single mother of four beautiful humans. She loves to write, share experiences and help others look at goal setting and attaining! By day, she’s an early childhood special educator in a school district, where she works with other teachers on setting and attaining goals, working through the tricky spots together. By night, she’s a chauffeur extraordinaire taking her children (and other people’s children) to sports, theater activities and to be with friends. Faith is one of her lifelines, as is connecting with others. Cheering her kids on in their endeavors, working out, staying in with a movie, book or nap, entertaining, firepits, music and friends are what fills her time. She’s always looking to learn and grow, and find the silver lining along the way. A phrase you’ll hear her say often (to herself or others): “You’ve totally got this! Totally.”

deals from our partners



When you click through these links and make a purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and we only partner with brands we’ve used and truly love!).

« Mom-Life On A Homestead: Voices 81 With Kendra Martin
Nurturing Grandparent-Grandkid Relationships: Episode 390 »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Listen + Subscribe

Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe in Google Podcasts
Subscribe on YouTube
Subscribe on Amazon Music

Featured Sponsor

Save 10% with code THEMOMHOUR at TheEssentialCalendar.com!

Search

Recent Blog Posts

6 Kitchen Gadgets Our Team Loves

September 18, 2023 By The Mom Hour

6 Ways To Support School Learning At Home (No Flash Cards Required!)

August 28, 2023 By The Mom Hour

4 Ways To Support Your Child’s Educator This School Year

August 21, 2023 By Lisa Payne

What To Expect When Your Child Starts Kindergarten

August 14, 2023 By Joanna Martin

Is Your Preschooler Ready For The First Day? At-Home Routines To Practice Before School Starts

August 7, 2023 By Kia Hammond

more from the blog...

On Instagram

themomhour

Top 10 parenting podcast hosted by @meaganfrancis (MI) & @powersofmine (SoCal). 8 kids between us, little to grown. Happier motherhood starts here.

The Mom Hour
New episode! As busy moms and business owners we' New episode!

As busy moms and business owners we're often on the go - and, cliché as it is, almost always with a beverage in hand! In part two of our conversation about kitchen gadgets and gear, Meagan and Sarah go deep into all of the beverage products that keep our drinks hot, cold, room-temp, fizzy, cute, and spill-proof. We also get into kitchen-adjacent gear that helps us clean and organize the space where we feed our families. Enjoy!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
On the podcast this week (and next!) Meagan and Sa On the podcast this week (and next!) Meagan and Sarah share some of our favorite kitchen gadgets, cooking tools, food prep solutions, cleaning solutions, and countertop appliances. Because every home cook has a different set of needs and priorities, we opened up the question to our contributor team to find out what gear makes their lives easier in the kitchen. Tap the link in our bio to get gear tips from @stacybronec @jaymesherrod @emilyeroark @sarahelimberg and @joannerevising!

(Looking for Meagan’s and Sarah’s kitchen favorites, as mentioned on the podcast? Head to the show notes for Episode 431, which you can find in your podcast player or by tapping through Tuesday's Insta post.)
Kids are back in school and we're back in our kitc Kids are back in school and we're back in our kitchens with a bit more pep in our steps - so let's chat about gadets and gear! Join Meagan and Sarah today to hear about the Porch Microwave, the Mercedes-Benz of Coffee Grinders, how our partners' personalities lead us to unwanted kitchen appliances, and more. We share our current favorite kitchen tools for food prep and cooking - with more to come next week, too.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts (we had a delay but all is well now!) or tap this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Big transitions in family structure are never easy Big transitions in family structure are never easy. When it comes to blending families, introducing a new romantic partner as a single parent, or stepping into step-parenting, there's so much to think about. Today Meagan gets candid about her current blended family situation, following her wedding this summer and the integration of their families into a shared home. Sarah has lots of questions as Meagan shares what's going well, a few tension points, what she would do differently, and how it's going overall.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Use code THEMOMHOUR to save 10% on @theessentialca Use code THEMOMHOUR to save 10% on @theessentialcalendar this fall!

I (Sarah) had the coziest evening with my Monday-start “Busiest Time Ever” calendar last night. If the next few months already feel like they’re filling up and you can’t quite picture it all, this is a great solution!

Tap the link in our bio to shop, or head to theessentialcalendar.com/themomhour. Happy planning!
New episode! Are you a "Today's The Day!" type, o New episode!

Are you a "Today's The Day!" type, or do you prefer to ease gently into a new adventure, challenge, or season? Whether you get excited to dive into a slew of new initiatives with the turning over of that shiny, crisp edge of a calendar page (like Sarah!), or really prefer to transition on your own internal timeline (like Meagan!), this episode is for you. Join us as we explore the many upsides to a soft start (in motherhood, business, health, and more) in an effort to take the pressure off moms this fall.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Happy September! What are you looking forward to t Happy September! What are you looking forward to this month? Drop a comment and let us know! 👇
Raise your hand if you practiced some sight words Raise your hand if you practiced some sight words this week - or proctored a spelling pre-test - or ran through some multiplication tables? Sometimes supporting your kids' classroom learning at home looks like facts and flash cards, but we're here to remind you that there are LOTS of ways to nurture curiosity and promote learning, and many of them can fit seamlessly into family life.

This week on the blog we're revisiting a post Meagan and Sarah co-authored back in 2018 - when our kids spanned preschool to high schoool! - with six ideas for supporting school learning at home. Tap the link in our bio to read the post!
New episode! Meagan and Sarah had fun-filled trav New episode!

Meagan and Sarah had fun-filled travel in August before saying goodbye to summer. The Powers family traveled to the East Coast for a week of multigenerational state-hopping served with a side of bug bites and butt bruises! And Meagan officially opened a bookstore in Manistique, MI, right after surviving a 20-mile hike with her siblings and their spouses. Now we're back, shifting from summer-mom to school-year-mom, and sharing our "laundry basket of hopes and aspirations for Fall 2023" with all of you.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Been thinking about trying one of our sponsors? He Been thinking about trying one of our sponsors? Here's your sign! 🌈 Once a month, we like to thank our partners and remind you of their great discounts. For our special promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight OR tap on this image at the link in our bio to check out the Deals & Offers page on our website.

We appreciate when you check out our partners who support our show and use our links + codes!

The Mom Hour is sponsored by . . . 

💚 @betterhelp (10% off your 1st month!)
💧 @liquidiv (20% off sugar-free hydration amplifier!)
💅 @oliveandjune (20% off your 1st system!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
🧘‍♀️ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
🗓️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
🍃 @drinkag1 (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
👡 @vionicshoes (15% off your order!)
💊 @ritual (30% off your 1st month!)
This week on the blog we're revisiting @lisaapayne This week on the blog we're revisiting @lisaapayne4's tips for supporting your child's teacher and classroom this school year. Lisa is a career educator whose work takes her into multiple schools and classrooms, so she sees a lot! She's also a single mom to four kids who span elementary, middle, and high school this year.

Read the post at the link in our bio - and feel free to add more suggestions in the comments below!

Photo Credit: LinkedIn Sales Solutions via Unsplash
New episode! Sarah stopped dyeing her hair and gr New episode!

Sarah stopped dyeing her hair and growing out her natural grays last fall - almost a year ago - and Meagan is contemplating a new style! Today Meagan asks Sarah ALL the gray grow-out questions to catch up on the progress, and talks about why she might be ready for a new look herself. We also share some hair wins and hair woes from this season of life, and how it's different from early motherhood. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio to visit the show notes, where you'll find photos of the hairstyles we discussed!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Load More... Follow on Instagram

as seen on

Send us an email

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Email hello@themomhour.com and we’re here to help!

listen on

looking for something?

New episode! As busy moms and business owners we' New episode!

As busy moms and business owners we're often on the go - and, cliché as it is, almost always with a beverage in hand! In part two of our conversation about kitchen gadgets and gear, Meagan and Sarah go deep into all of the beverage products that keep our drinks hot, cold, room-temp, fizzy, cute, and spill-proof. We also get into kitchen-adjacent gear that helps us clean and organize the space where we feed our families. Enjoy!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
On the podcast this week (and next!) Meagan and Sa On the podcast this week (and next!) Meagan and Sarah share some of our favorite kitchen gadgets, cooking tools, food prep solutions, cleaning solutions, and countertop appliances. Because every home cook has a different set of needs and priorities, we opened up the question to our contributor team to find out what gear makes their lives easier in the kitchen. Tap the link in our bio to get gear tips from @stacybronec @jaymesherrod @emilyeroark @sarahelimberg and @joannerevising!

(Looking for Meagan’s and Sarah’s kitchen favorites, as mentioned on the podcast? Head to the show notes for Episode 431, which you can find in your podcast player or by tapping through Tuesday's Insta post.)
Kids are back in school and we're back in our kitc Kids are back in school and we're back in our kitchens with a bit more pep in our steps - so let's chat about gadets and gear! Join Meagan and Sarah today to hear about the Porch Microwave, the Mercedes-Benz of Coffee Grinders, how our partners' personalities lead us to unwanted kitchen appliances, and more. We share our current favorite kitchen tools for food prep and cooking - with more to come next week, too.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts (we had a delay but all is well now!) or tap this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Big transitions in family structure are never easy Big transitions in family structure are never easy. When it comes to blending families, introducing a new romantic partner as a single parent, or stepping into step-parenting, there's so much to think about. Today Meagan gets candid about her current blended family situation, following her wedding this summer and the integration of their families into a shared home. Sarah has lots of questions as Meagan shares what's going well, a few tension points, what she would do differently, and how it's going overall.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Use code THEMOMHOUR to save 10% on @theessentialca Use code THEMOMHOUR to save 10% on @theessentialcalendar this fall!

I (Sarah) had the coziest evening with my Monday-start “Busiest Time Ever” calendar last night. If the next few months already feel like they’re filling up and you can’t quite picture it all, this is a great solution!

Tap the link in our bio to shop, or head to theessentialcalendar.com/themomhour. Happy planning!
New episode! Are you a "Today's The Day!" type, o New episode!

Are you a "Today's The Day!" type, or do you prefer to ease gently into a new adventure, challenge, or season? Whether you get excited to dive into a slew of new initiatives with the turning over of that shiny, crisp edge of a calendar page (like Sarah!), or really prefer to transition on your own internal timeline (like Meagan!), this episode is for you. Join us as we explore the many upsides to a soft start (in motherhood, business, health, and more) in an effort to take the pressure off moms this fall.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Happy September! What are you looking forward to t Happy September! What are you looking forward to this month? Drop a comment and let us know! 👇
Raise your hand if you practiced some sight words Raise your hand if you practiced some sight words this week - or proctored a spelling pre-test - or ran through some multiplication tables? Sometimes supporting your kids' classroom learning at home looks like facts and flash cards, but we're here to remind you that there are LOTS of ways to nurture curiosity and promote learning, and many of them can fit seamlessly into family life.

This week on the blog we're revisiting a post Meagan and Sarah co-authored back in 2018 - when our kids spanned preschool to high schoool! - with six ideas for supporting school learning at home. Tap the link in our bio to read the post!
New episode! Meagan and Sarah had fun-filled trav New episode!

Meagan and Sarah had fun-filled travel in August before saying goodbye to summer. The Powers family traveled to the East Coast for a week of multigenerational state-hopping served with a side of bug bites and butt bruises! And Meagan officially opened a bookstore in Manistique, MI, right after surviving a 20-mile hike with her siblings and their spouses. Now we're back, shifting from summer-mom to school-year-mom, and sharing our "laundry basket of hopes and aspirations for Fall 2023" with all of you.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
Been thinking about trying one of our sponsors? He Been thinking about trying one of our sponsors? Here's your sign! 🌈 Once a month, we like to thank our partners and remind you of their great discounts. For our special promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight OR tap on this image at the link in our bio to check out the Deals & Offers page on our website.

We appreciate when you check out our partners who support our show and use our links + codes!

The Mom Hour is sponsored by . . . 

💚 @betterhelp (10% off your 1st month!)
💧 @liquidiv (20% off sugar-free hydration amplifier!)
💅 @oliveandjune (20% off your 1st system!)
🎨 @minted (art, cards, decor & more!)
📚 @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
🧘‍♀️ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
☑️ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
🗓️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
🍃 @drinkag1 (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
👡 @vionicshoes (15% off your order!)
💊 @ritual (30% off your 1st month!)

Copyright © 2023 · Life, Listened
Development by Cipher