Child friendly nativity and advent calendar

[maestramommy]

Title pretty much says it all. I'm looking for a nativity set that is big and sturdy enough to survive being played with. And I'm looking for an advent calendar (is that what it's called?) that will last for years, but isn't too heavy to hang on the wall. Only Dora will be handling that one for now. Is there such a thing? TIA!

[vonfirmath]

Fisher Price has a great nativity set. that is what we got for this year.

[clb]

I am thinking about ordering the Little People Nativity set for DS.
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?...=excl_view_all

[maestramommy]

Thanks! That IS very cute!

[Tondi G]

Playmobile has one too

http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/dem...pid=5719&cgid=

these are cute but expensive

http://woodentoys.com/adorablewooden...ededition.aspx

http://www.nutcrackers.com/holiday-d...ativityset.cfm

advent calendars... there are LOTS out there!

wooden
http://www.vermontchristmasco.com/category/15

fabric
http://www.vermontchristmasco.com/category/14

[JBaxter]

We have the playmobil one but it comes with a crapy cardboard stable. We go a 4.88 wooden stable from walmart to replace it.

[new_mommy25]

We have the Haba Nativity and the Woodlands Fantasies Nativity. They are both beautiful but the Haba is more child friendly.
http://www.blueberryforest.com/haba_...y-set-1175.htm

As far as Advent goes, this is the first year we are doing one with toys. In the prior years we just did ones where you opened a window every day and there was a picture of the nativity. One year we did a chocolate advent calender but the chocolate was kind of gross. This year I have a Playmobil one and might pick up the Lego one too.

[annasmom]

Melinda - what type of advent calendar are you looking for? Purely religious?

The reason I ask is I bought an advent calendar house last year from Target that I absolutely love. It has 25 doors, and I put little notes in each one, e.g. read the nativity story, donate food to a food pantry, bake christmas cookies. It was a ton of fun!

I have been thinking about buying the Haba nativity set that Angie recommended. We have pieces from, but not the entire set, from Holtztiger. I have put off buying the actual stable because it is so darn expensive.

ETA: Or, what about this one:

http://www.giftswithlove.com/seasona...vity-set-12pc/

Constructive Playthings also carries it.

[bubbaray]

Starbucks usually has an Avent "calendar" -- last year it was a "tree" with drawers. I can't remember what prior years were (same? not sure). They sell out as soon as they arrive in stores, though. I think they start arriving the day after US Thanksgiving.

[maestramommy]

Melinda - what type of advent calendar are you looking for? Purely religious?

I think so, because I want a context for talking to our kids about the Christmas story. We have one or two VERY SHORT books with the story, but I am on the lookout for a more detailed story. One mom in my local group reads her kids the story every night before bed, but her (4) kids start at 2 and go up to 9yo.

Thanks for all the suggestions! The FP ones are really cute, but I was more looking for one that will make sense when the kids aren't playing with Little People anymore I will look at all the suggested links.

Okay, after looking at all the links I think I will get a Nativity set this year, and hold off on the calendar (some are so beautiful!) until the kids are a little older.