Christmas Activities for Kids

Create Family Rituals

Children love to be a part of rituals and traditions. It’s never too late to start a special family tradition together. Choose something everyone will enjoy participating in and that you can envision doing every year at Christmas time.

Christmas Caroling

Christmas caroling is a holiday tradition that has fallen away in recent decades. Hosting a caroling party can be a terrific family tradition. Children will enjoy such a ritual at every age. You only need a handful of people with the holiday spirit to create a caroling success. Invite family and friends to meet at your house dressed warmly. Hand out simple song booklets with the words to well-known Christmas carols and flashlights. Visit neighbors and sing your hearts out! After you have covered the block, head back to the house for cookies and cider or egg nog.

Cookie Exchange

Host a cookie exchange the week before Christmas. Every person who is invited to the party brings one type of homemade cookies wrapped in small packages. If you are inviting ten families, everyone will come with twelve small packages of their type of cookie. This allows for everyone to take one package of each type of cookie home including the host, and leaves one package to be placed on a tray to be eaten at the party. Allow children to help in the cookie-baking and preparation for the exchange. Children will enjoy decorating and will love to pass out the cookie packages they helped to make. Everyone loves to be included in a cookie exchange because you leave with a variety of delicious baked goods to use for the holiday however you wish.

Volunteer your Time

If you have older children, the holidays are a perfect time to get involved as a family in a community service. Children love to give to those who have less than themselves. Research your area to find a local shelter or soup kitchen where you can donate your time. Check with local churches to find a family who could use some financial help with present-buying. Visit Craigslist, which lists volunteer services needed for the holidays by region. Volunteering is one of the best ways to build empathy in children, and to help them to see and understand the world beyond themselves.

Explore your Heritage

Christmas is a special time to think about the generations who have come before us. Children are fascinated by Christmas activities for kids from years past. Research your family heritage and explore the culture of your roots. Children will enjoy learning how Christmas is celebrated in the other parts of the world where their ancestors once lived. Try to find a holiday story or fairytale from the region, a traditional holiday food, and a traditional game or holiday decoration. Visit Kids Domain to research Christmas traditions from around the world.

Christmas Countdown

Create a simple countdown to Christmas that will help young children to visualize the wait! Make a paper chain using red and green construction paper. Cut 24 strips of paper and number the strips from 1 to 24. Let the children decorate each chain with crayons, markers, glitter, and other decorations. Hang the paper chain where the children can see it and reach it. Now children can pull off one link every day during the month of December and will not need to ask you how many more days.... When the chain is gone, the wait is over!

Create a Time Capsule

Help your children to collect photos and items representing the events of the past year. Cover a large box with butcher paper or wrapping paper turned backwards and let your children decorate it like a time capsule. Take special pictures on Christmas day and at special Christmas events, like visiting Santa and Picking out your tree, to put in the time capsule. When you put away your Christmas decorations, put the time capsule with them. Next year, wrap the time capsule (without looking) and place it under the tree to be opened and enjoyed by the whole family on Christmas morning.

Hang Mistletoe

Children love the magic of mistletoe. Hang some in a strategic place in the house and watch your children work to avoid it or to get someone special to stand under it. Give each child a hug and a kiss whenever you can catch one of them under it too!

Christmas Activities for Kids Summary

Christmas activities do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Some of the best, most memorable activities are absolutely free. The most important ingredients are love, fun, and Christmas spirit.

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