The weeks before Christmas are magical for kids, and also long. Whether you need something for a snowy afternoon, a classroom party or the countdown to Christmas Eve, this list has 40 activities that need little preparation and are mostly free.
Christmas crafts
- Paper snowflakes. Fold a square of paper into a triangle a few times, cut small shapes along the edges, and unfold. No two are alike.
- Paper chain countdown. Make a chain with one loop per day until Christmas, and tear one off every morning.
- Handprint reindeer. Trace a child's hand for the antlers and their shoe for the face.
- Salt dough ornaments. Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt and about ½ cup water, cut shapes, bake on low heat until hard, then paint.
- Pinecone trees. Paint pinecones green and decorate them with small pom-poms or glitter.
- Homemade gift wrap. Stamp plain brown paper with potato stamps, sponges or cookie cutters dipped in paint.
- Toilet roll elves. Turn cardboard tubes into a family of elves with paper hats.
- Popsicle stick stars. Glue five sticks into a star and wrap them with yarn.
- Christmas cards. Color a Christmas page, fold it in half and write a message inside.
- Paper plate wreath. Cut out the middle of a paper plate and glue on torn green tissue paper and red "berries."
Coloring and drawing
- Christmas coloring pages. Print a stack of free Christmas coloring pages with Santa, reindeer, snowmen and trees.
- Coloring advent calendar. Print 24 pages and color one each day in December. Staple them into a book on Christmas Eve.
- Design an ugly sweater. Draw a sweater outline and let kids decorate it with the wildest patterns they can imagine.
- Draw your dream gingerbread house. Then try to build it with crackers and frosting.
- Family Christmas coloring page. Turn a family photo into a coloring page with Photo to Coloring Page and let everyone color their own version.
- Color your own wrapping paper. Tape a long sheet of paper to the floor and fill it with holiday doodles.
Games and active fun
- Christmas scavenger hunt. Hide small ornaments or candy canes and give kids picture clues.
- Pin the nose on the snowman. A holiday twist on the classic party game.
- Snowball toss. Toss cotton balls or rolled-up socks into buckets for points.
- Christmas charades. Act out holiday words like "wrapping presents," "ice skating" or "building a snowman."
- Freeze dance to holiday music. Dance until the music stops, then freeze.
- Gift-wrap relay. Teams race to wrap an empty box. Expect a lot of tape and a lot of laughing.
- Christmas bingo. Make bingo cards with holiday pictures and use candy as markers.
- Indoor snowball fight. Use crumpled white paper for a mess-free battle.
In the kitchen
- Decorate sugar cookies. Use simple frosting, sprinkles and candy.
- Build gingerbread houses. Graham crackers and frosting work if gingerbread feels like too much work.
- Make hot cocoa bombs or a cocoa bar. Set out marshmallows, whipped cream and toppings.
- Snowman pancake breakfast. Stack three pancakes, then add banana-slice buttons and a strawberry hat.
- Make reindeer food for the yard. Mix oats with a little bird-safe seed for kids to sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve. (Skip glitter, which isn't safe for wildlife.)
- Cookie delivery. Bake extra and deliver plates to neighbors.
Kindness and giving
- Kindness advent calendar. One small kind act each day: help a sibling, write a thank-you note, or donate a toy.
- Toy sort and donate. Choose toys in good condition to give to children who need them.
- Cards for nursing homes or hospitals. Many local facilities welcome homemade cards. Call ahead to check.
- Thank-you notes for helpers. Write notes for mail carriers, teachers, bus drivers and neighbors.
- Feed the birds. Hang pinecones covered in nut-free seed butter and birdseed.
Calm activities for busy days
- Christmas story time. Read a holiday book by the tree with the lights on.
- Write a letter to Santa. Encourage kids to include one wish for someone else.
- Holiday movie night. Build a blanket fort and make popcorn.
- Look at Christmas lights. Drive or walk around the neighborhood with cocoa in a travel mug.
- Make a Christmas memory jar. Write down a favorite moment from each day and read them all on New Year's Eve.
Tips for stress-free holiday activities
- Keep supplies in one box. Paper, glue, tape, scissors, crayons and a stack of printed coloring pages cover most of the ideas above.
- Plan one activity a day, not five. Kids remember the special moments, not the number of crafts.
- Have a quiet option ready. Coloring pages are perfect for calming down after an exciting party or before bedtime.
- Let kids lead. A lopsided ornament made entirely by a child is better than a perfect one made by an adult.
Christmas activities for the classroom
For school parties, choose activities that work for a whole group with little cleanup: coloring pages, paper snowflakes, Christmas bingo, charades and a cookie decorating station all work well. Print coloring pages in advance so early finishers always have something to do. Remember that not every family celebrates Christmas, so it's thoughtful to include general winter activities like snowflakes and snowmen too.
FAQ
What are some free Christmas activities for kids?
Paper snowflakes, Christmas coloring pages, scavenger hunts, charades, freeze dance, looking at Christmas lights and writing letters to Santa are all free or nearly free.
What are good Christmas activities for toddlers?
Simple coloring pages with big shapes, sticker crafts, handprint ornaments, cookie decorating with help, and dancing to holiday music.
What Christmas activities work in a classroom?
Coloring pages, paper snowflakes, Christmas bingo, a gift-wrap relay and decorating cookies are easy to run with a group.
How can I make the Christmas countdown special?
Try a paper chain, a coloring advent calendar with one page per day, or a kindness calendar with one small good deed each day.
