The holiday season can feel like a whirlwind of excitement, with festive lights, family gatherings, and holiday traditions. However, keeping kids entertained during the holiday break can sometimes feel like a challenge. From creative crafts to outdoor adventures, these 25 Christmas-themed activities will not only keep them busy but also help build lasting memories and holiday cheer!
1. DIY Christmas Ornaments
Activity Details:
Let kids create their own Christmas ornaments to hang on the tree. You can use simple materials like construction paper, glitter, glue, beads, and even pasta shapes for a creative touch.
Tip:
For a mess-free option, consider using clear plastic ornaments. Simply have the kids fill them with colored beads, sequins, or fake snow for a sparkling effect. This way, they can personalize their creations without making a mess.
2. Gingerbread House Decorating
Activity Details:
Set up a gingerbread house decorating station with icing, candy canes, gumdrops, and sprinkles. If you’re not keen on baking from scratch, many stores sell gingerbread house kits that are easy to assemble.
Tip:
Try using royal icing for better hold, especially if the kids are a little heavy-handed with the candy! Consider setting up a “competition” where the best-decorated house wins a small prize.
3. Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Activity Details:
Hide Christmas-themed items around your house or yard (ornaments, holiday socks, Santa figurines) and give the kids clues to find them.
Tip:
Create a list with pictures for younger kids who might not be able to read yet. You could also have a time limit, making it a race to see who finds the most items.
4. Christmas Movie Marathon
Activity Details:
Pick a few of your favorite Christmas movies and host a cozy movie marathon. Think *Home Alone*, *Elf*, or *The Polar Express*. Add some popcorn and hot cocoa for extra coziness.
Tip:
Create a simple "ticket" system where each child gets a certain number of tickets to redeem for a movie choice. This gives them a little ownership over the marathon lineup!
5. Christmas Card Crafting
Activity Details:
Set up a crafting table with paper, markers, stickers, stamps, and glue, and let the kids design their own Christmas cards for family and friends.
Tip:
If you’re feeling ambitious, try making pop-up cards or cards with a “secret message” that gets revealed when opened. It’s a great way to encourage creativity!
6. Bake Christmas Cookies
Activity Details:
Baking cookies is a holiday tradition in many homes. Let the kids help mix the dough, roll it out, cut out festive shapes, and decorate them with icing and sprinkles.
Tip:
Make the process even more fun by hosting a “cookie decorating contest.” Give everyone a batch of plain cookies and see who can come up with the most creative or wacky designs.
7. Write Letters to Santa
Activity Details:
Sit down with the kids and help them write letters to Santa Claus. Ask them to list what they’ve been good at this year and what they would like for Christmas.
Tip:
Encourage them to add personal touches to the letters—draw pictures or write about their favorite holiday memories. Afterward, help them mail it or leave it by the fireplace for Santa!
8. Build a Snowman (Indoors!)
Activity Details:
If you’re lacking snow, create a snowman indoors using cotton balls, construction paper for the eyes and buttons, and felt or fabric for the scarf.
Tip:
For added fun, turn this into an educational activity by talking about real snowflakes and the science of how snow forms while building your “snowman.”
9. Christmas Tree Hunt
Activity Details:
Make a day of going to a Christmas tree farm or local lot to pick out a tree. Allow the kids to get involved in picking the perfect tree.
Tip:
If you’re buying a real tree, explain the process of selecting a fresh tree (how to smell for freshness, check for healthy needles, etc.). You can even let them name the tree!
10. DIY Snow Globes
Activity Details:
Create snow globes using mason jars, glitter, fake snow, and small figurines like reindeer, snowmen, or Christmas trees.
Tip:
Use clear glycerin with water to help the “snow” float gently. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed to avoid any spills!
11. Christmas Bingo
Activity Details:
Create Christmas-themed bingo cards featuring images like Santa, snowflakes, candy canes, and Christmas trees. Play with the whole family and use small candies as markers.
Tip:
For younger children, you can play a simplified version where you call out the item instead of showing the card. Make small prizes for the winners!
12. Christmas Sensory Bins
Activity Details:
Fill a large container with holiday-themed items like small ornaments, plastic snowflakes, and red and green rice. Kids can dig through and explore textures, colors, and shapes.
Tip:
Include some holiday scents like cinnamon sticks or peppermint to stimulate their sense of smell, creating a full sensory experience!
13. Holiday-Themed Puzzles
Activity Details:
Puzzles with a Christmas theme are a fun and calming way to spend time indoors. Find a challenging puzzle for older kids or a simpler one for younger ones.
Tip:
Set up a puzzle station with comfy seating and snacks for everyone to enjoy as they work together to complete the puzzle.
14. Santa’s Workshop Playtime
Activity Details:
Create a “workshop” area where kids can build or craft gifts using blocks, play dough, or craft supplies. Let them pretend to be elves making presents for Santa.
Tip:
Use old cardboard boxes to create “workbenches” and have some light crafting supplies nearby so they can make special gifts for family members.
15. Christmas Storytime
Activity Details:
Read your kids’ favorite holiday books together. Classics like *The Night Before Christmas* or *How the Grinch Stole Christmas* are perfect choices for building excitement.
Tip:
Encourage kids to act out parts of the story while you read. This can help younger children develop their language and comprehension skills while making the experience even more magical.
16. Christmas Lights Tour
Activity Details:
Bundle up and go on a walk or drive to see the best Christmas light displays in your neighborhood or town.
Tip:
Make a fun game out of it by creating a "light tour bingo" card, where kids can check off things they spot (giant inflatable snowmen, a house with synchronized lights, etc.).
17. Christmas Karaoke
Activity Details:
Hold a Christmas karaoke party! Let kids sing their favorite Christmas carols, from *Jingle Bells* to *Frosty the Snowman*.
Tip:
Make it a family event by adding silly props like Santa hats or reindeer antlers for everyone to wear during their performances.
18. Make Reindeer Antlers
Activity Details:
Craft fun reindeer antlers using brown construction paper, pipe cleaners, and cotton balls. Kids can wear them while they run around the house, pretending to be reindeer.
Tip:
Use a headband to attach the antlers, so they’re easy for kids to wear and adjust while playing.
19. Snowball Fight (Indoor Version!)
Activity Details:
Use rolled-up socks, white pom-poms, or cotton balls as “snowballs” and have an indoor snowball fight in the living room.
Tip:
To keep things safe and fun, create a “snowball zone” where kids can throw their “snowballs” at each other but only within certain areas of the room.
20. Decorate a Christmas Wreath
Activity Details:
Provide kids with a foam wreath base, ribbon, and various decorations like buttons, tinsel, and pinecones. Let them create their own personalized holiday wreaths.
Tip:
If you have younger children, help them with the assembly by attaching the decorations with glue. You can also hang these wreaths on doors around the house!
21. Christmas-Themed Science Experiments
Activity Details:
Bring the magic of science into your holiday activities by creating fizzy snowmen with baking soda and vinegar or making fake snow with baking soda and conditioner.
Tip:
Introduce kids to the science behind these experiments by explaining the chemical reactions that happen when baking soda mixes with vinegar.
22. DIY Christmas Stockings
Activity Details:
Help kids create personalized Christmas stockings. Provide felt, fabric glue, and other decorations like pom-poms, sequins, and glitter.
Tip:
Make it even more fun by adding a small surprise (like candy or a small toy) inside each stocking after they’ve finished decorating it.
23. Christmas Charades
Activity Details:
Create a set of holiday-themed charades cards with actions like "decorating the tree" or "sitting on Santa's lap." Then, act them out and have the family guess!
Tip:
For younger kids, provide some visual clues or give them easy-to-act-out prompts, like "wrapping a gift" or "shoveling snow."
24. Create Holiday Gift Wrap
Activity Details:
Let kids design their own wrapping paper using stamps, paints, or markers. They can create unique gift wrap for presents they give to family members.
Tip:
Use large rolls of butcher paper as the base so kids can work freely. Their homemade wrapping paper will add a personal and meaningful touch to any gift!
25. Write a Christmas Play
Activity Details:
Let kids come up with their own holiday-themed skit or short play. They can act out a Christmas story or create their own tale with reindeer, elves, and Santa.
Tip:
Help them create simple costumes using items you already have around the house. A red scarf can be a Santa cape, and a paper plate makes a perfect reindeer nose!
The Christmas season is full of opportunities to bond with your children, build traditions, and celebrate the joy of the holidays. These 25 activities offer fun, creativity, and learning for kids of all ages while keeping them busy and entertained throughout the season!
Last updated on: December 23, 2024