Advent Activity 2016

We started doing our Advent Activity when my princess was just 2 years old. It's a bit of a challenge of what activities that we can do and enjoy at her age but I'm glad that we enjoyed it. As much as I want it to be a yearly Christmas tradition, we missed doing it last year :( I want to make it up to her so I decided to make it longer (her first 1 was just 12 days) and now that she's 4 years old, there are more activities that we can do but there are also some factors to consider such as time to do the activities, our hectic schedule and our vacation. In this crazy month where schedules are super full and the to do's are endless, I want our activity to focus on the reason for this special season. Pinterest has always been my ally in almost all things that needs planning: recipes, party's, gift ideas or diy and of course, for advent activity ideas. Honestly, there are tons of suggestions that I'm so overwhelmed to what I really want to do (because I want to do all of them) and to limit myself I listed all the factors that I have to consider.

And these are my criteria for our advent activity:

• simple - I want this not just to be our bonding time but also our rest period and also something that I could assemble easily
• mobile - so we can bring it even on our vacation
• meaningful - so she can understand the reason for the season
• relatable - something that a 4 year old would be able to grasp
• fun - an activity that she would enjoy and look forward to
• to make up for last year, I want it our activity to start from December 1 so it has to be 25 activities.

It helps a lot when you have this criteria so you're more focused on your search for the best activity that would suit your conditions. And this is what I came up with:

1. Story of Jesus - each day there will be a passage to read and it's about the story of Jesus

Source: HowSweeterIts

2. On My Way to Bethlehem - whenever we complete the activity of the day, we would stamp the roads (circles with numbers) until we reach Bethlehem

Source: Pinterest

3. Building the nativity - this is a coloring activity and each piece is a part of the nativity scene.

Source: Routly

4. Small trinkets - a small token that she gets after completing her coloring activity.
     1 Kung Fu Panda Busy Book
    12 small kung fu panda character toys (included in the busy book)
      1 bracelet from  Family Mart.
    10 World Icons Charms from Family Mart
      1 necklace that I won from Istorya.

5. Envelope packaging - the scripture, piece for coloring and the prize are small pieces that would all fit in to an envelope. Since it's very handy, it's not much of a hassle to bring it on our vacation.

Presenting our Advent Activity for 2016:


Day1:

Passage: Luke 1:26-28, 31

Coloring Piece: Mama Mary

Surprise Treat: Bracelet

Day2:

Passage: Matthew 1:18

Coloring Piece: Mama Mary

Surprise Treat: Kai of Kung Fu Panda

Day3:

Passage: Luke 1:46-55

Coloring Piece: Angel Gabriel

Surprise Treat: Philippines' Jeepney Charm

Day4:

Passage: Matthew 1:20

Coloring Piece: Donkey

Surprise Treat: MeiMei from Kung Fu Panda

Day5:

Passage: Matthew 1:21

Coloring Piece: Innkeeper

Surprise Treat: Japan's Cherry Blossom Charm

Day6:

Passage: Matthew 1:22-23

Coloring Piece: Stable

Surprise Treat: Viper of Kung Fu Panda

Day7:

Passage: Luke 2:4

Coloring Piece: Manger

Surprise Treat: USA's Status of Liberty Charm

Day8:

Passage: Luke 2:5

Coloring Piece: Cattle

Surprise Treat: Tigress of Kung Fu Panda

Day9:

Passage: Micah 5:2

Coloring Piece: Shepherd 1

Surprise Treat: Paris' Eiffel Tower Charm

Day10:

Passage: Luke 2:6-7

Coloring Piece: Sheep1

Surprise Treat: Mantis of Kung Fu Panda

Day11:

Passage: Luke 2:7

Coloring Piece: Shepherd 2

Surprise Treat: Australia's Koala Bear Charm

Day12:

Passage: Isaiah 9:6

Coloring Piece: Sheep 2

Surprise Treat: Mr. Ping of Kung Fu Panda

Day13:

Passage: Luke 2:8-11

Coloring Piece: Shepherd Boy with lamb

Surprise Treat: Korea's Korean Girl Charm

Day14:

Passage: Luke 2:12

Coloring Piece: Angel 1

Surprise Treat: Master Shifu of Kung Fu Panda

Day15:

Passage: Luke 2:13-14

Coloring Piece: Angel 2

Surprise Treat: United Arab Emirates' Dubai Burj Khalifa Charm

Day16:

Passage: Luke 2:15-18

Coloring Piece: Star of Bethlehem

Surprise Treat: Bao of Kung Fu Panda

Day17:

Passage: Psalm 95:6

Coloring Piece: More Stars

Surprise Treat: China's Lucky Cat Charm

Day18:

Passage: Luke 2:19-20

Coloring Piece: King 1

Surprise Treat: Li of Kung Fu Panda

Day19:

Passage: Luke 2:21

Coloring Piece: Gold

Surprise Treat: United Kingdom's Big Ben Charm

Day20:

Passage: Luke 2:22-24

Coloring Piece: King 2

Surprise Treat: Crane of KungFu Panda

Day21:

Passage: Luke 2:25-32

Coloring Piece: Frankincense

Surprise Treat: Thailand's Elephant Charm

Day22:

Passage: Matthew 2:1

Coloring Piece: King 3

Surprise Treat: Monkey of Kung Fu Panda

Day23:

Passage: Matthew 2:1-2

Coloring Piece: Myrrh

Surprise Treat: Po of Kung Fu Panda

Day24:

Passage: Matthew 2:9-10

Coloring Piece: Camel

Surprise Treat: You Are My Sunshine Bracelet

Day25:

Passage: Matthew 2:11

Coloring Piece: Baby Jesus

Surprise Treat: Kung Fu Panda Busy Book

I'm happy that she enjoyed it so much and she looks forward to do it everyday. She remembers that we have an activity each night and insists on doing it even though I feel that she's already tired. It also shows her creativity in her color choices and her improvement in coloring. Needless to say that she's also very very excited with the small surprise inside. She got the rules and sequence of each activity:

1. After opening the envelope, we would read the blue paper which contains the story. It's so nice that she would even ask questions about the picture and what it's all about. She also remember that all the stories is about baby Jesus.

2. After the story, the pink paper is for her coloring activity. She looks forward to what figure that she will color on that day. When we were on vacation, we passed by a life size nativity scene and I was able to explain to her that each picture that she's coloring is a part of this scene and I believe that helped her grasp the big picture of what we're trying to do.

3. One of us (me, her dada or her Ninang) would check her work and then she would get a stamp for completing her task.

4. After she got the stamp, she can now open her surprise. And of course for each stage, she knows that Mommy will take her picture.

I'm glad that this activity also taught her how to be patient because after opening her surprise treat, she can only hold and play for it for about a minute, after which she has to put it back on our advent activity envelope. She knows that she will have all of it on Christmas after we completed all our advent activity. Her Day 10 activity was done while she's on the airplane, it's a nice activity to do a long haul flight. On Day 11-17, we were on Australia but since the envelopes and colored pens are very handy, our vacation didn't stop us from continuing our advent activity.

I'm so happy on how it turned out and it makes me more excited for next year.

Merry and Blessed Christmas!!!

Update: This is the finish product of my daughter. I'm one proud mother.

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