9 best Playmobil advent calendars: Inspire imaginative play this Christmas and beyond

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

Playmobil’s jumbo calendars come in a huge box that contain a standard sized Playmobil advent calendar along with another item packed separately – in this case, a big truck. The idea is that by the time you’ve opened all the individual doors and unveiled things like a go-kart, motorbike, three mini figures and loads of stunt-related equipment, you get the final piece of the puzzle – a big truck to fit them all in – on Christmas day.

The addition of the extra gift makes the price of these advent calendars a lot more palatable, and our testers voted this one top for the contents and overall wow factor once the whole thing was assembled. The little light on the top of the truck takes two CR 2032 3V batteries, which are included in the box to save a last-minute panic on the big day.

Best: For festive fun

Rating: 8/10

This is a nice one if you want to end up with a festive set including that all-important Santa figure. It’s also one of the cheapest Playmobil advent calendars we found, so it won’t break the bank. The set includes three little elves and loads of toys – including some really tiny accessories – for the elves to pack and sort for Santa in his workshop, which is a cardboard diorama. It folds so that you can attach a little chute to slide the presents down, and our tester particularly liked the reindeer and sleigh. Their only quibble was that there was no way to pack all the toys into the tiny sack and fit them onto the sleigh for transportation. Of course, we explained that Santa’s special magic will sort the logistics of all that.

Best: For bath time creativity

Rating: 9/10

Our testers really liked the fact this advent calendar includes lots of extras on top of the usual Playmobil figures. There are two sachets of crackling bath salts, plus two fizzy bath cubes that turn the bath water pink, and a little bracelet with beads. Beside those you get mermaids, seahorses, a very cool carriage, and everything else you could possibly need for an adventure under the sea, all unveiled one day at a time. We weren’t expecting the mermaids to change colour in the bath water, so that was a very welcome surprise.

Best: For imaginative play

Rating: 8/10

The second jumbo calendar in our round-up, this one makes a really substantial set thanks to a two-storey townhouse that’s packaged separately once you take the sleeve off. It means by Christmas day your little people will have somewhere to play with their new Playmobil family, who – judging by the bottle of champers and cupcakes – are prepping for one hell of a Christmas party. There are lots of lovely little touches, and our testers particularly liked the glamorous gold evening gown, the light-up Christmas tree and the glitzy chandelier. The stickers add a touch of festive cheer to the whole thing, but you can take them off if your little ones don’t want it to be Christmas all year round.

Best: For underwater play

Rating: 9/10

Another set designed for bath time fun, this advent calendar includes a pack of colour tablets that turn the water blue, and an underwater scooter with a motor. The idea is to put the effervescent tablets in the little nets and hang them off the scooter, so they leave a trail of blue as your scuba-diving police officer gives chase – presumably to the one guy who’s not in police uniform, who assumed the role of “the baddie” in our tests. There’s some cool underwater treasure to be stolen or rescued, and lots of accessories including tiny flippers and snorkel gear. Just bear in mind you’ll need a 1.5V micro battery for the scooter, so have that ready for the big reveal.

Best: For fairytale fans

Rating: 8/10

This whimsical advent calendar was an instant hit with our six-year-old tester, whose favourite feature was the tiny poodle that folds to a sitting position. The set includes king and queen figures, a little princess and a tiny royal baby that fits snugly in a suitably plush carriage. There’s a little boat you can float on the lake that’s drawn on the cardboard diorama, or on actual water with one figure inside. Ours quickly became a bath time accessory, but just keep the teeny tiny cutlery away from the plughole as this set isn’t actually designed for the bath.

Best: For older kids

Rating: 7/10

Fans of the Back to the Future trilogy will love this year’s new advent calendar based on the third movie. If you’ve seen it, Marty McFly and Dr Emmett Brown are transported back to the Wild West, and there are both 1955 and 1885 versions of each character in this set (get this Back to the Future calendar instead if it’s the 1985 figures you’re after). This calendar feels as though it’s aimed at collectors and older kids, with a diorama showing various film locations that movie buffs will recognise, and a collector’s postcard. Bear in mind that although there are accessories to customise Doc’s famous DeLorean (£49.99, Playmobil.co.uk), you’ll need to buy the actual vehicle separately.

Best: For Christmas sparkle

Rating: 8/10

If your little one is all shimmer and sparkle, this advent calendar will go down well. The festive family is dressed up for an extravagant Christmas ball, with big hooped skirts that clip on and off the mum and daughter, and little platforms that allow you to rotate them and make them dance. There’s a table and chairs for four that’s set with tiny plates, Champagne glasses and a plump roasted goose, and a wintery diorama that ties the whole scene together. Our little tester particularly loved the ultra blingy Christmas tree and presents, and the little cat that snuggles in its bed.

Best: For toddlers

Rating: 8/10

If you want a sweet little nativity scene you can get out every Christmas, this advent calendar is ideal. It’s recommended for ages 1.5+, so the figures are much more simplistic than the ones in the other calendars. Mary and Joseph line up alongside three very cute kings, a manger and stable, and a selection of farm animals. The final door on Christmas eve reveals a little baby Jesus, and there’s a star that slots into the top of the stable, plus a little candle that hangs above the crib. Our toddler tester enjoyed this one and we’d say it suits younger kids up to the age of around four.