fbpx

KidsKonnect

15 Christmas Activities for Kids

Search for Worksheets

Articles /15 Christmas Activities for Kids

Before we say goodbye to this turbulent year, we have to prepare to celebrate one of the most anticipated holidays for both grown-ups and kids. It’s Christmas time and expectations are high! Considering the current situation with the Covid-19 virus, we have to adjust, but that doesn’t mean we should give up. There are plenty of safe Christmas activities for kids that guarantee unforgettable holiday fun. 

However, with the preparations at full speed, we understand if you don’t have time to think of ways to engage the whole family in Christmas activities. That’s why we’re here! Christmas is a time to slow down, reflect on the past year, and spend more time with your closest. Having this in mind, we created a list of Christmas activities that you and your kids can enjoy together.  Laughter is guaranteed and bonding comes naturally, so keep reading to see what works best for you!

15 Christmas Activities for Kids

To make sure there’s something for everyone, we picked a lot of different activities. To make sure you find something that works for you, read the whole article!

Decorate the House

Let’s start from the very basics. Decorating the house usually goes without saying, but it has to be mentioned as it’s an amazing opportunity for you to have fun with your kids. For teachers, this could mean decorating the classroom. 

During your day off work or on the weekend, schedule a decoration event, so the whole family can participate. Aside from the traditional decoration of the Christmas tree, you can also buy craft-materials and make DIY decorations. There are so many things you can do, that we decided to dedicate a whole article just on Fun Christmas Craft Ideas for Kids. Make sure to check it out. 

Teachers can also dedicate a day to making DIY Christmas decoration or use art classes for creating something unique. 

Put Up Christmas Stockings

Another great activity for you and your kids, when preparing for Christmas, is to make and put up Christmas stockings for the whole family. Children would absolutely love this idea, as it will remind them of all the gifts that are awaiting. 

Make sure that you make a put up a stocking for each family member! Just like the previous activity, making DIY stockings is better and provides an opportunity for bonding, instead of simply buying from Amazon. But, in case you prefer that option, follow the link, and you and your child can sew the initials of each family member on the stockings. 

Learn to Sing Christmas Carols

A Christmas carol is a piece of vocal music with festive elements and lyrics relating to Christmas. But, you probably know this already, as singing Christmas carols is an iconic symbol of Christmas celebrations. 

Fun fact: The tradition of singing carols began thousands of years ago in Europe and they were considered a pagan ritual. Carols at first were not related to Christmas, but they were sung for the winter solstice as a celebration, accompanied by dancing around stone circles (most notably Stonehenge). You can read more about the Winter Solstice and the traditions of Yule in our separate articles. 

Today, Christmas carols vary depending on the country, language, and culture where they’re sung. 

Here are some popular Christmas carols in America: 

  • “Away in a Manger” by James R. Murray (1887).
  • “Children, Go Where I Send Thee” (also known as  “The Holy Baby” or “Born in Bethlehem”) – a spiritual African-American song.
  • “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Ives (1897). 
  • “Christmas Song” by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé (1945).
  • “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (different versions from 1845, 1872, 1956).
  • “Jingle Bells” by James Lord Pierpont (1857).
  • “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Johnny Marks (1947)

Christmas Karaoke in the Classroom 

An alternative to learning Christmas carols with your child is organizing a Christmas karaoke show in the classroom. All the students can pick their favorite song and sing it in front of their classmates, alone or in a group with another student (for those who are shy).

Cook Christmas Treats

Christmas is also known for the delicious and beautifully decorated Christmas cookies. So, this year, why don’t you try and cook something easy with your kid? The process can be messy, but we guarantee there will be many laughs and sweet moments that create long-lasting memories. 

In case you need inspiration, here are some recipes that we found irresistible. 

The cookies are an amazing Christmas gift for your friends and family, although we doubt you’ll be able to resist the temptation to eat them all as soon as they’re done.

Make Advent Calendar

Is your child also counting the days until Christmas Day, just as most kids? If yes, then making an advent calendar might be the perfect Christmas activity for you. 

Again, you can buy Christmas advent calendars online, but we recommend making a DIY calendar. This way you control the time-frame and the treats you want to put for each day. You can also use gifts instead of treats, or even some fun riddles or challenges for your kids. 

How would that work? 

Make a simple advent calendar (or buy one), but instead of treats or toys, place a message behind the compartment for each day. The message can be a map to a gift, a challenge with a reward at the end, or anything else that you might think your child will appreciate. 

Read Christmas Books

Learning about Christmas by cozying up to a good book with a cup of hot cocoa and a warm blanket is a Christmas heaven for both children and adults. So, why not have both? While you read your favorite winter novel, your child can read a Christmas book with rich illustrations and captivating storylines. 

Here are our favorites for this year:

An alternative or addition to reading books, you can also use our fun and educational worksheets to learn a little bit more about the history and traditions of Christmas, New Years’, and other winter holidays.   

Here are our most popular worksheet bundles for this period: 

Watch Christmas Movies

If you want something more relaxed, then simply imagine the above-described scenario, but this time your whole family is curled up under the blanket in front of the TV. Staying up late for Christmas and watching movies is not something that you want to skip! 

As a teacher, you can also organize a Christmas movie day in the classroom. And, if you need inspiration for choosing the right movie then check out our article “Christmas Movies for Kids.”

Home Alone, The Grinch, and Frozen are classics, but because we realize how beloved this activity is, we made a whole article on the topic. So, don’t forget to pick your favorites for this year. 

Watch The Nutcracker Online

The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet that was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in 1892. However, it was only after the 1960s that the ballet achieved enormous popularity in North America during the Christmas season. We’re sure that you’ve heard the name, but have your children watched the composition? 

It’s a unique and truly majestic experience that fully explores the beauty of winter and Christmas. 

Because of the citations with the pandemic, this year The Nutcracker will be available online, which means you can experience it virtually. The theme is “Clara’s Christmas Eve Dream” and we’re sure it will be breathtaking, so don’t forget to mark the date and watch it with your kids. 

Organize a Christmas Game Night

Nothing can make a night past as fast as when playing games with the whole family. From a simple monopoly, Christmas bingo to Mad Lips and the famous Pictionary, a Christmas game night can be about anything you like or feel comfortable playing. 

This Christmas activity is going to occupy children during the whole night, after which it would be easy to convince their tired heads to go to bed. 

To help you choose the best games, we’ve rounded up our favorites.

  • Christmas Movie Bingo
  • Guess Who! Memory Game – Christmas Edition
  • Christmas Mad Libs
  • Would You Rather! – Christmas Edition
  • Christmas Pictionary 
  • Ticket to Ride (board game)
  • The Settlers of Catan (multiplayer board game)

Organize a Christmas Night 

Okay, the heading might be a little ambiguous, but what we mean is to organize a night where the whole family gathers, exchanges gifts, drinks hot cocoa, and tells stories. The thing is that each family has a unique ritual, and you have to find yours. Maybe Christmas night for your family means playing games or eating s’mores by an outdoor fireplace. Depending on where you live and your preferences, you can choose a ritual that works for your family. 

The point is to spend a night fully devoted to your family, without a worry on your mind and leaving everything for another day. All kids yearn for these moments, as they are very rare in a typical household where both parents have to work. This is a moment that’s going to remind you of the importance of spending quality time with your children regularly.

Organize Secret Santa

This might be our favorite, although we don’t pick favorites! What we do is we strongly encourage you to find a way to organize Secret Santa between family members, or classmates. It’s an exciting and memorable experience. Best of all, it’s the best way for children to bond with their classmates and learn more about each other. 

In case you’re not familiar, Secret Santa is a famous Christmas tradition where a group of people (students, family members, friends, colleagues, etc.) are randomly (and secretly!) assigned a person to whom they need to buy a gift. People only know who they have to buy a gift for, but not who’s buying a gift for them. 

This tradition has many variations, but most often people use online Secret Santa generators to organize the event, or simply place their names in a bowl from where they’ll randomly pick a name (without looking).  

Organize a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Yet another exciting Christmas activity for kids is playing scavenger hunt. Kids love to follow maps and trails, knowing there’s a reward waiting for them somewhere in the house. This tells us that organizing a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt would be a big hit! 

You can make it as simple as a list of gifts that children need to find or go all in and create a map with clues, and riddles. In case you have a creativity block, you can find many templates and ideas on how to organize a scavenger hunt online. 

Go Sledding

We included sledding because it’s a must not just for kids, but also for the whole family. However, it’s something that depends on where you live and might not be possible for everyone, as snow is required. 

In case you do have snow in your town, please don’t skip a sledding opportunity. Kids love sledding, and they’ll be thrilled to share this activity with their families. Plus, we guarantee you’ll make a lot of memories. 

Go Ice Skating

Most towns have an ice skating rink where locals can practice their ice gliding. However, the real gems are natural ice rinks that form during winter. Just be careful and sure that it’s a safe area where ice skating is encouraged. 

If you live in a place where there are ice skating rinks, you must seize the opportunity and spend some fun time with your children. Clumsy moves and silly falls are the backbones of a well-spent holiday. 

Give Back to the Community

Last but not least, another important symbol of Christmas is giving back to the community by donating clothes, food, or volunteering in a shelter. Involving kids in these activities is a great way to teach them some valuable moral lessons, as well as encourage empathy, awareness, and compassion. 

Kids will also be more aware and grateful for the things they have but usually take them for granted. It’s an eye-opening experience that feels amazing and helps people in need. Winter is especially hard for those who don’t have a roof over their head or spend most of their time on the street. 

Before You Leave

Did you like our list of Christmas activities for kids? We did our best to include a lot of ideas that you can easily adapt to a variety of circumstances, regardless of whether you want to implement them in a classroom setting or at the comfort of your home. 

We were also careful to include inexpensive activities that are easy to realize. For most of them, all you need is a positive attitude. 

Talking about affordable and easy-to-use resources, we also recommend visiting our website where you can browse through our large collection of worksheets, curriculums, and lesson plans. As a teacher or homeschooling parents, our resources can help you create interesting lessons that kids will remember! 

As for you, don’t forget that we regularly share insightful content on our blog regarding children’s education, so check us out! 

Related Articles

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as 15 Christmas Activities for Kids: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 18, 2020