25 Christmas activities for kids at home (easy and low-cost)
The SantaPicksUp.com teamOctober 27, 20267 min read
In shortWinter break is long and the weather isn't always kind. Here are 25 easy Christmas activities for kids at home, most of them using things you already have, sorted into crafts, kitchen fun, games and cozy evenings.
December days at home can be magical or chaotic, often both. A short list of Christmas activities for kids ready to go makes all the difference. Here are 25 ideas, most of them using paper, tape and things already in your kitchen.
Crafts
Paper snowflakes. Fold, cut, unfold, tape to the window. Every one is different.
Handprint reindeer: a brown handprint, two googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose.
Salt dough ornaments. Flour, salt and water, cut with cookie cutters, baked, then painted.
A paper chain countdown: one link per day until Christmas.
Homemade cards for grandparents, teachers and neighbors.
Pinecone trees painted green and decorated with tiny beads.
Gift wrap with stamps made from potatoes or sponges on plain brown paper.
In the kitchen
Decorate sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles. The mess is part of the fun.
Build a gingerbread house, or a simpler graham cracker version.
Make hot chocolate on a stick or a hot chocolate bar with toppings.
Bake a birthday cake for Jesus, a tradition in some Christian families.
Snowman pancakes: three pancakes, chocolate chip buttons, a strawberry hat.
Treats for the birds: pinecones with nut-free spread and birdseed, hung outside.
Games and active fun
Christmas scavenger hunt with clues hidden around the house.
Freeze dance to Christmas songs.
"Pin the nose on the reindeer", drawn on a big sheet of paper.
Snowball fight indoors with balled-up socks or paper.
Christmas charades: elf, reindeer, snowman, Santa stuck in the chimney.
Christmas bingo with pictures for younger kids.
Cozy evenings
Build a blanket fort and read Christmas books inside with a flashlight.
Drive or walk around to see the lights and vote for the best house.
Talk to Santa. A call from Santa makes a quiet evening unforgettable: he greets your child by name and talks with them live.
Tips to keep it fun (for you too)
Lay out materials before you call the kids. A prepared table means less waiting and fewer meltdowns.
Protect the table with an old tablecloth or newspaper.
Let it be imperfect. A lopsided ornament made by your child will be on the tree for years.
One activity a day is enough. It's a holiday, not a curriculum.
Frequently asked questions
What are easy Christmas crafts for toddlers?
Handprint reindeer, paper chains, sticker decorating and simple cards with stamps work well for toddlers, with an adult handling scissors and glue.
What can kids do at home over Christmas break?
Mix crafts, baking, active games and cozy evenings: snowflakes, cookie decorating, a scavenger hunt, a blanket fort with Christmas books and a lights tour.
How do you make salt dough ornaments?
Mix roughly two parts flour, one part salt and one part water into a dough, cut shapes, bake at a low temperature until hard, then let kids paint them.
What are free Christmas activities for kids?
Paper snowflakes, Christmas charades, freeze dance, a lights walk, homemade cards and storytelling cost nothing but time.
Written by the SantaPicksUp.com team. The Santa in our service is created with artificial intelligence; we tell you that up front, as a parent. See how the call works.
