Skip to content
Author:
  • Activity
  • 5 mins

Advent with OpenLearn

Updated Friday, 27th November 2020

Unveil the free learning treats hidden behind each door of the 2020 OpenLearn Advent calendar and discover some gems from the world of learning from throughout the year.

Countdown to Christmas!

We've chosen our favourite games, videos, courses, interactives and programmes as well as other festive fun for you to enjoy.

Share with #AdventOL

Each day until Christmas a new door will unlock, so just click or tap the numbers below to find a new surprise to explore!

Explore Rudolph’s favourite planet in our solar system…

The red planet, of course, in this fascinating interactive, 15 Minutes on Mars.

Day 1 door which has a graphic of an orange hat with a red border and two pieces of holly stuck out the top either side. There is a filled red circle and filled yellow circle that look like berries joining the hat to the holly.

1

What’s your favourite Christmas song?

Have you ever REALLY listened to it? Learn how to do so in our FREE course, Discovering music through listening.

Day 2 door with a graphic of an angel floating. She has yellow hair and a blue halo with a blue band around her middle that has a yellow number 2 in it. The rest of her dress is green with a yellow border at the bottom.

2

Thinking of buying your child a book for Christmas?

If it’s a personalised one make sure you check out our article, Read this before you fall for a personalised book.

Day 3 door is a graphic of a brown robin with a red breast from a side view. The beak and tail of the robin are blue and the wing at his side is green with a yellow number 3 over it.

3

Debating ditching the turkey for something more animal-friendly?

Consider the question Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm? in our FREE course.

Day 4 door which has a graphic of a yellow hat with an orange border and two pieces of holly stuck out the top either side. There is a filled orange circle and filled red circle that look like berries joining the hat to the holly.

4

Getting creative this Christmas?

Perhaps you’re making your own wreath or Christmas cards. If so check out this article on Constraints in Creativity.

Day 5 door is a graphic of an orange Christmas Stocking that has a blue toe area and heel with a red border at the top. There is also a blue layer and a green layer of pattern at the top of the sock, with green and white alternate dots.

5

Fancy an elf internship?

Interning in Santa’s workshop isn’t possible but there are other placements. Explore in our FREE course, Internships and other work experiences.

Day 6 is a graphic of a Santa hat with a blue number 6 in the middle.

6

Do you know Christmas has pagan influences?

Explore alternative religions in our FREE course, A spiritual revolution? Wicca and religious change in the 1960s.

Day 7 is a graphic of a bauble that's mostly dark blue with a red band with white stars on wrapped around the centre and a yellow line either side of this.

7

Do you know festive plastics, like glitter, harm the environment?

Find out how to make your Christmas eco-friendly in our Sustainability Hub.

Day 8 door is a graphic of a blue Christmas Stocking that has a red toe area and heel with a red border at the top. There is also a green line of pattern at the top of the sock, with yellow and white alternate dots either side of it.

8

Christmas got you worrying about finances?

Explore our FREE course, MSE’s Academy of Money to get those pennies in order for the new year.

Day 9 is a graphic of a red and white candy cane stood upright with the curved bit at the top. It has a blue looped bow on the middle.

9

Christmas is a time for giving

Perhaps you could volunteer some time at a homeless shelter or donate items to a food bank – explore more in our hub, Understanding Homelessness.

Day 10 is a graphic of a blue had with a love heart decoration as it's bobble. There's a red border to the blue hat and a yellow number 10 in the middle.

10

Thinking about getting your child some new tech?

Learn about the effects this can have on them in this FREE course, Children’s experiences with digital technologies.

Day 11 door is a graphic of a snowman with a blue top hat and two blue buttons in the middle. It wears a red scarf and has an orange carrot for the nose.

11

Baby, it’s cold outside!

But did you know spending time outdoors can improve our mental health significantly? Find out more in this article, The benefits of outdoor green and blue spaces.

Day 12 is a graphic of an orange and white candy cane stood upright with the curved bit at the top. It has a green looped bow on the middle.

12

Feliz Navidad! Frohe Weihnachten!

If you want to write your Christmas cards with an international greeting, check out our FREE course, How to Learn a Language.

Day 13 is a graphic of a double bauble hanging downwards. The bauble is dark blue and green and there is a red snowflake image in the middle of it and some white dots across the blue band areas.

13

Did you know that Santa is 1,750 years old?

Perhaps he should check out our FREE course, Retirement Planning Made Easy (and you can too!)

Day 14 is a graphic of a decoration of a star with a yellow heart in the middle. The star looks like it's made up of two stars with the top layer being orange and the bottom layer being dark blue, which only shows in the gaps between the orange star.

14

Christmas will be different this year

If you’re worried about how this might affect your child, check out this FREE course, Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Day 15 is a graphic of a Christmas decoration. It's of a red five-pointed star that has a white cirlce in the middle with a red snowflake on it.

15

Perfected your pose for the hundreds of photos taken over Christmas?

Find out more about the invention of the lens in our interactive, Life through a lens.

Day 16 is a graphic of a hanging bauble that's slimline and pointed at the bottom. The bauble is orange with a red sphere at the top, separated by a blue line and blue hanging area. There's a white circle in the middle of the orange decoration that has a dark blue snowflake on it.

16

Stressed in the lead up to Christmas?

The festive season can leave many of us feeling anxious or irritated, so check out our Five tips for relaxing during difficult times.

Day 17 is a graphic of a red love heart decoration that has a green band around the middle with red stars in and white dots either side.

17

Driving home for Christmas?

If you need to make your vehicle a mobile office (by having hands-free phone meetings) find out how safe this is in our interactive, Are you driven to distraction?

Day 18 is a graphic of a hanging double bauble with a slightly pointed bottom. It's mainly white with two red stars in the iddle and a red ribbons at the top and bottom, and two blue ribbons in the middle with white dots on.

18

Last minute Christmas shopping?

It won’t be the first time you’ve witnessed a buying frenzy this year! Explore more in our article, Panic buying and how to stop it.

Day 19 is a graphic of a dark blue love heart decoration that has a red band around the middle with yellow stars in and white dots either side.

19

Santa is the best at supply chain management!

Can you measure up? See how you fare in our interactive, Can You Manage a Supply Chain?

Day 20 is a graphic of a dark green bauble with a red band around the middle that has white snowflakes on it. There are white dots either side of the red band.

20

Screen time bound to increase over Christmas?

We all know social media is SO addictive. Get clued up in our FREE course, The psychology of cybercrime.

Day 21 is a graphic of a square green present with red ribbon.

21

Is running a marathon among one of your New Year’s resolutions?

If so this FREE course Training for endurance in sport and fitness is perfect for you.

Day 21 is a graphic of a rectangular red present with yellow ribbon.

22

‘Guide my sleigh tonight?’

Santa had some great anti-bullying techniques (the other reindeers used to call Rudolph names after all!). Find out how you can beat the bullies in this interactive.

Day 21 is a graphic of a rectangular yellow present with green ribbon.

23

It’s Christmas Eve!

To you and yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas. If you find yourself at a loose end in the next few days, why not try one of our FREE Courses?

Day 21 is a graphic of a square orange present with dark blue ribbon.

24

Author

Related content

More like this

Copyright free image Icon Copyright free: Rembrandt Peale
OpenLearn Live: 1st September 2016 article icon

History & The Arts 

OpenLearn Live: 1st September 2016

The American diplomat whose love was frustrated and his career no less so and eyewitnesses to the Great Fire of London. Free learning from across the day.

Article
Copyright free image Icon Copyright free: Claudio Elias
OpenLearn Live: 25th August 2016 audio icon

History & The Arts 

OpenLearn Live: 25th August 2016

The twelve bolts that ensured divers could continue to breathe; a brief history of gay soaps; and the end of conflict in sight in Colombia. Free learning from across the day.

Audio
5 mins
Copyrighted image Icon Copyright: The Open University
Explore learning with The Open University at CIPD Learning And Development Show 2016 article icon

TV, Radio & Events 

Explore learning with The Open University at CIPD Learning And Development Show 2016

For nearly half a century, The Open University has been developing distance learning. Here’s just a taste of what we have to offer …

Article
Creative commons image Icon alobos Life under CC BY-NC-ND 2.00 licence under Creative-Commons license
World Cup: love it or hate it? article icon

Health, Sports & Psychology 

World Cup: love it or hate it?

Whether you love the World Cup or hate it, we have something to occupy your time... 

Article
 

Author

Ratings

Share

Related content (tags)

Copyright information

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

Have a question?