Christmas Activities for Kids: 50 Fun Ideas for December (by Age)

December with kids is magical and a little chaotic. School is winding down, the excitement builds every day, and somewhere around December 10 someone asks, “What can we DO?” This list is the answer: 50 Christmas activities for kids, from crafts and games to easy science, baking, outdoor fun, learning activities, kindness projects and calm, cozy ideas for the evenings when everyone is running on empty.

Each activity lists the ages it suits best, most use things you already have, and many take less than 30 minutes. You’ll also find a December 2026 calendar of key dates, a sample week, safety tips and a free printable 24-day Christmas Advent Activity Calendar. Looking for traditions to repeat every year? See our companion guide, 50 family Christmas traditions.

December 2026: key dates for families

How many activities? Two or three a week is plenty. Kids remember a few happy, unhurried afternoons more than a packed schedule, and a calm December is better for everyone; see our guide to holiday stress with kids.

Christmas crafts for kids (1–8)

1. Salt dough handprint ornaments

   Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt and about ½ cup water into a dough, roll it out, press your child’s hand or cut shapes, poke a hole for ribbon and bake on low heat until hard. Paint and date them. Keep raw dough and finished ornaments away from pets, as the salt is harmful to dogs.

   Best for: ages 2+ (adults bake)

2. Paper plate wreath

   Cut the center out of a paper plate and glue on torn green tissue paper, paper holly leaves and red pom-pom “berries.” Add a ribbon bow.

   Best for: ages 3+

3. Popsicle stick stars and snowflakes

   Glue craft sticks into stars or snowflakes, paint them and add a little glitter glue. A box of craft sticks goes a long way.

   Best for: ages 4+

4. Pinecone Christmas trees

   Paint pinecones green, add dots of paint or small pom-poms as ornaments and a paper star on top. A mini forest for the windowsill.

   Best for: ages 3+

5. Coffee filter snowflakes

   Fold a coffee filter into a triangle, snip shapes along the edges and unfold. Coffee filters are thinner and easier to cut than paper.

   Best for: ages 5+

6. Homemade wrapping paper

   Roll out plain kraft paper and let kids stamp it with sponges, potato stamps or handprints. Grandparents love gifts wrapped by their grandkids.

   Best for: ages 2+

7. Handprint reindeer cards

   Paint a brown handprint upside down for the face, fingers become antlers, add a red nose and googly eyes. Write a message inside for family far away.

   Best for: ages 2+ (googly eyes for ages 3+)

8. Paper gingerbread garland

   Fold paper accordion-style, draw a gingerbread person, cut it out and unfold a whole chain of friends. Decorate each one.

   Best for: ages 5+ (younger kids decorate)

Christmas games for kids (9–16)

9. Christmas bingo

   Make cards with pictures of trees, stars, stockings and snowmen, and call them out. Use chocolate chips or buttons as markers for older kids.

   Best for: ages 3+

10. Candy cane hunt

    Hide candy canes (or paper ones) around the house or yard, like an Easter egg hunt. Give little ones a head start.

    Best for: ages 2+

11. Hide the ornament

    One person hides an unbreakable ornament; everyone else searches while the hider says “warmer” or “colder.”

    Best for: ages 3+

12. Christmas charades

    Act out wrapping a present, building a snowman, ice skating or decorating the tree. No talking allowed!

    Best for: ages 4+

13. Freeze dance to carols

    Play Christmas songs and freeze when the music stops. A great way to burn energy on a cold day.

    Best for: ages 2+

14. Snowball toss

    Throw soft “snowballs” (balled-up socks or white pom-poms) into buckets or a laundry basket from different distances.

    Best for: ages 2+

15. Gift wrapping race

    Who can wrap a cardboard box fastest, with tape and a bow? Silly, and kids get to practice a real skill.

    Best for: ages 6+

16. Santa Says

    Simon Says with a Christmas twist: “Santa says jingle like a bell… Santa says fly like a reindeer!”

    Best for: ages 3+

For more games the whole family can play over the holidays, see our family game night ideas.

Christmas science activities (17–22)

17. Candy cane dissolving experiment

    Put a candy cane in a cup of cold water, one in warm water and one in vinegar or oil. Predict which dissolves fastest, then watch. (Sugar dissolves faster in warm water.)

    Best for: ages 4+

18. Fizzy melting snowman

    Draw a snowman face on a tray of baking soda mixed with a little water, then let kids squirt vinegar on it and watch it fizz and “melt.”

    Best for: ages 3+

19. Ice ornaments

    On a freezing night, fill a muffin tin with water, berries, leaves and a loop of string. Freeze outside, pop out and hang them on a tree.

    Best for: ages 3+ (needs below-freezing weather)

20. Magic milk in Christmas colors

    Pour milk into a plate, add drops of red and green food coloring, then touch with a cotton swab dipped in dish soap. The colors swirl away.

    Best for: ages 3+

21. Gumdrop tree building

    Build trees and stars with toothpicks and gumdrops (or mini marshmallows). Which shape stands tallest?

    Best for: ages 6+; toothpicks and candy are not for under-4s

22. Snow science

    Bring a cup of fresh snow inside. Guess how much water it will make, then measure once it melts. Look for tiny bits of dirt with a magnifying glass.

    Best for: ages 4+

Christmas baking and kitchen activities (23–28)

23. Cookie decorating afternoon

    Bake plain sugar cookies (or buy them) and set out icing and sprinkles. Expect more sprinkles on the floor than on the cookies. Christmas cookie cutters make it extra special.

    Best for: ages 2+

24. Graham cracker gingerbread houses

    Build mini houses from graham crackers glued with thick icing on a milk carton or paper cup base. Much easier than a real gingerbread house.

    Best for: ages 4+

25. Hot cocoa bar

    Set out cocoa, mini marshmallows, whipped cream and candy cane stirrers, and let everyone build their own mug.

    Best for: ages 3+

26. Fruit Christmas tree snack

    Arrange kiwi, grapes (halved lengthwise for little ones) and strawberries in a tree shape on a plate, with a star-shaped slice of pineapple on top.

    Best for: ages 2+

27. Christmas tree pancakes

    Pour green pancake batter in a zigzag or use a tree-shaped cookie cutter, and decorate with berries.

    Best for: ages 3+ (adults at the stove)

28. Bake for the helpers

    Make a batch of cookies for the mail carrier, crossing guard or neighbors. Kids help bake, pack and deliver.

    Best for: ages 3+

Outdoor Christmas activities (29–34)

29. Christmas lights walk with bingo

    Make a lights bingo card (a reindeer, a blue house, a snowman, a star) and walk or drive through your neighborhood after dark.

    Best for: all ages

30. Winter nature walk

    Collect pinecones, holly-free greenery and interesting sticks to use in crafts. Talk about which trees stay green in winter.

    Best for: all ages

31. Build a snowman (or a snow family)

    If you have snow, build a snowman with a carrot nose and stick arms. No snow? Make a sock snowman indoors.

    Best for: all ages

32. Pinecone bird feeders

    Spread a pinecone with sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter if no allergies), roll it in birdseed and hang it from a branch. Watch who visits.

    Best for: ages 3+

33. Solstice lantern walk (Dec 21)

    On the longest night of the year, take flashlights or battery lanterns for a short walk and talk about why the days will now start getting longer.

    Best for: ages 3+

34. Sledding or ice skating

    A classic winter outing. Dress in layers, wear helmets for sledding, and keep little ones close.

    Best for: ages 3+ with an adult

Planning a Christmas trip? See our guides to Christmas in the Smoky Mountains with toddlers and Dollywood Christmas with toddlers.

Christmas learning activities (35–40)

35. A Christmas book every night

    Wrap 24 Christmas books (library books count) and unwrap one each evening. Track them on our kids’ reading log, or grab a few Christmas picture books.

    Best for: all ages

36. Write a letter to Santa

    Real writing practice with a real reason. Little ones can draw, dictate or cut pictures from catalogs.

    Best for: ages 3+

37. Paper chain countdown math

    Make a paper chain with one link per day until Christmas. Count the links together each morning: how many are left?

    Best for: ages 3–6

38. Christmas around the world

    Each week, “visit” a different country on a map and learn one way it celebrates, like Las Posadas in Mexico or St. Nicholas Day in parts of Europe.

    Best for: ages 5+

39. Follow NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec 24

    NORAD has “tracked” Santa every Christmas Eve since a 1955 newspaper ad misprint sent a child’s call to an air defense center, as the history of NORAD Tracks Santa explains. Follow along at noradsanta.org and find each country on a map.

    Best for: ages 3+

40. Christmas I Spy and counting

    Hide small Christmas items in a sensory bin or picture and count them, or play “I spy something red and green” around the house.

    Best for: ages 2–6

Christmas kindness activities (41–45)

Kindness activities help kids feel the joy of giving, and they balance out the excitement of presents.

41. Kindness Advent

    Swap one or two calendar days for a good deed: hold a door, draw a picture for a grandparent, help a sibling.

    Best for: ages 3+

42. Reverse Advent box for the food bank

    Instead of taking something out each day, put one food item into a box. Deliver the full box to a local food bank before Christmas.

    Best for: ages 3+

43. Cards for neighbors and care homes

    Make simple handmade cards for elderly neighbors or a local care home. Call ahead to ask how they accept cards.

    Best for: ages 3+

44. Choose a toy to donate

    Before new toys arrive, go through the toy box together and choose toys in good condition to give away.

    Best for: ages 3+

45. A gratitude jar

    Each evening, everyone adds one thing they’re thankful for. Read them on Christmas Eve. Our free family gratitude journal keeps it going all year.

    Best for: all ages

Calm and cozy Christmas activities (46–50)

December can overwhelm little nervous systems. Plan a few quiet activities too, especially after busy days.

46. Blanket fort movie night

    Build a fort with blankets and fairy lights, and watch a Christmas movie with popcorn. Lights off, phones away.

    Best for: all ages

47. Coloring to carols

    Put on quiet Christmas music and color together. Christmas coloring books are a good stocking stuffer too.

    Best for: ages 2+

48. Christmas sensory bin

    Fill a bin with large items: big pom-poms, cookie cutters, ribbons, scoops and pinecones. Skip small bells and beads for children who still mouth things.

    Best for: ages 2+

49. Calm-down snow globe jar

    Fill a jar or plastic bottle with water, a little glitter glue and white glitter, then glue the lid shut. Shake and watch the “snow” settle while you breathe slowly.

    Best for: ages 3+ (adults seal the lid)

50. Candlelight story time (with battery candles)

    Turn off the big lights, switch on battery candles and read a Christmas story in a soft voice before bed.

    Best for: all ages

More ideas for winding down: our calming activities for kids and bedtime routine by age guides.

Christmas activities by age

Shopping for a little one? See our 25 best toys for 3-year-olds Christmas gift guide.

A sample week of Christmas activities

Christmas safety tips for families with young kids

• Ornaments and small parts. The CPSC advises keeping trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children. Hang breakable and small ornaments high, and use unbreakable ones at toddler level. The CPSC bans small parts in toys for children under 3, and the same logic applies to decorations.
• Candles. Put candles out before you leave the room or go to bed, and consider battery candles in homes with small children.
• Trees and lights. Keep a real tree watered and away from heat sources, and check light strings for frayed wires or cracked sockets.
• Button batteries. Many light-up decorations, cards and toys use button batteries. Make sure battery compartments are screwed shut and keep spare batteries locked away.
• Holiday plants. Poinsettias are far less dangerous than their reputation, but holly berries can cause stomach upset and mistletoe berries are a choking risk for young children, as Harvard Health explains. Keep them out of reach and call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the U.S.) if your child eats any.

Christmas activity supplies

• Craft sticks, pom-poms and glitter glue
• Washable paint and a kraft paper roll
• Christmas cookie cutters and sprinkles
• Christmas picture books and coloring books
• A reusable wooden Advent calendar
• Battery candles and battery fairy lights for forts

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Frequently asked questions

What are fun Christmas activities for kids?

Popular Christmas activities for kids include salt dough ornaments, paper plate wreaths, Christmas bingo, a candy cane hunt, the candy cane science experiment, cookie decorating, graham cracker gingerbread houses, a Christmas lights walk, writing a letter to Santa and a blanket fort movie night.

What Christmas activities can toddlers do?

Toddlers enjoy handprint ornaments, freeze dance to carols, a candy cane hunt, a fruit Christmas tree snack, a lights walk in pajamas, cookie decorating and a sensory bin with large items. Keep activities short and protect naps.

What can I put in an activity Advent calendar?

Write one small activity for each day: read a Christmas book, make paper snowflakes, call a grandparent, decorate cookies, build a blanket fort, drive to see the lights, write to Santa, do a kind deed or have a hot cocoa night. Our free printable calendar has 24 ideas ready to go.

What are easy Christmas science experiments for kids?

Try the candy cane dissolving experiment, a fizzy baking soda snowman, magic milk with red and green food coloring, ice ornaments on a freezing night, gumdrop tree building and measuring melted snow.

How can kids give back at Christmas?

Kids can fill a reverse Advent box for the food bank, make cards for neighbors or a care home, choose toys to donate, bake for helpers like the mail carrier and keep a gratitude jar.

When is Christmas 2026?

Christmas Day 2026 is on Friday, December 25, and Christmas Eve is on Thursday, December 24.

When does NORAD track Santa?

NORAD Tracks Santa runs a holiday website from December 1, and the Santa tracking itself happens on Christmas Eve, December 24. Families can follow along at noradsanta.org.

Sources

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Ten tips to keep your holiday home fire and injury free
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Small parts
• Harvard Health Publishing — Are poinsettias, mistletoe or holly plants dangerous?
• Wikipedia — NORAD Tracks Santa