The weeks before Christmas can be thrilling and exhausting for children. They are excited, schedules are disrupted and the wait feels endless. Planned activities help by giving the days structure, channeling energy and creating memories that outlast any toy. This guide collects Christmas activities for kids by type, with notes on ages, materials and supervision, so that you can plan a month of things to do without spending much money.
Ages are guidelines. Adapt each activity to your child's abilities and always supervise with scissors, heat, small parts and anything edible.
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Crafts and making
Salt-dough ornaments
Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt and about 3/4 cup water. Roll, cut shapes, poke a hole for string and bake at about 250°F (120°C) for two to three hours until hard. Paint and seal. Ages 3 and up with help. Not edible.
Paper snowflakes
Fold paper in sixths, cut shapes along the edges and unfold. Tape them to windows. Ages 5 and up, or younger with pre-cut paper.
Paper chains and countdown links
Make a chain with one link for each day until Christmas, and remove one each morning. Ages 3 and up.
Handmade cards
Fold paper, draw, stamp or glue on scraps. Mail cards to grandparents and friends. Ages 3 and up.
Pinecone bird feeders
Spread peanut butter or sunflower seed butter on a pinecone, roll it in birdseed and hang outside. Check for nut allergies in the household and neighbors. Ages 3 and up.
Popsicle-stick ornaments and clothespin reindeer
Glue sticks into stars or trees, decorate with paint and glitter. Ages 4 and up.
Baking and kitchen fun
Decorate cookies
Bake a batch from our cookie recipes, then let children decorate with icing and sprinkles. Ages 3 and up.
Make hot chocolate with a toppings bar
Set out marshmallows, crushed candy canes and whipped cream. Ages all.
Build a gingerbread house
Use a kit or bake your own panels. Glue with royal icing. Ages 5 and up, or younger with help.
Make snack mix or candy bark
Mix cereal, pretzels, nuts and chocolate for a quick gift. Check allergies. Ages 4 and up.
Cook Christmas breakfast together
Prepare cinnamon rolls or pancakes in festive shapes. Ages 5 and up.
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Games and movement
Christmas scavenger hunt
Hide clues around the house or yard leading to a small treat. Adjust the difficulty by age. Ages 4 and up.
Musical chairs with carols
Play Christmas songs and remove a chair each round. Ages 4 and up.
Pin the nose on Rudolph
A simple party game. Ages 3 and up.
Indoor snowball fight
Roll up white socks or use soft foam balls. Ages 4 and up.
Charades and Christmas trivia
Act out characters from stories and songs. Ages 6 and up.
Winter walks and light tours
Take an evening walk to see lights, with a thermos of cocoa. Dress warmly, bring flashlights and talk about what you see. All ages.
Kindness and giving
Donate toys and books
Have children choose items to donate. Talk about why. Ages 4 and up.
Make cards for neighbors or seniors
Bring cards to a nursing home or neighbors. Check the facility's rules. Ages 4 and up.
Fill a shoebox or a food drive donation
Help collect items for a charity drive. Ages 5 and up.
Leave treats for helpers
Leave a note and a treat for mail carriers and delivery drivers. Ages 4 and up.
Adopt a tree or sponsor a gift
Many communities run gift tags or sponsorship programs. Involve older children in choosing a gift within a budget.
Quiet-time ideas
Read holiday picture books
Create a basket of books and read one each night. All ages.
Write a letter to Santa
Children write or draw what they hope for, plus something they are thankful for. Ages 3 and up.
Make a gratitude jar
Add one note per day about something good. Ages 5 and up.
Listen to a story or an audio play
Play a holiday audiobook while children draw or build. All ages.
Making the season manageable
Choose three or four activities rather than all of them, and keep the schedule loose. Rest days matter. Keep supplies in one box so that you can start quickly. If you use an Advent calendar, tuck an activity card in each pocket; see our Advent calendar ideas. If you have an elf tradition, align activities with the elf's messages; see our Elf on the Shelf ideas. For quiet evenings, pick a film from our Christmas movies list.
A four-week plan
Week one (December 1 to 7): Start with decorating. Put up the tree, hang paper snowflakes and make a paper chain countdown. Begin reading a holiday picture book each night. Choose one baking day for cookie dough, which can be frozen. Week two (December 8 to 14): Make cards and ornaments, bake and decorate cookies and go on a light tour. Write letters to Santa and mail them early. Week three (December 15 to 21): Focus on giving. Make gifts for grandparents, deliver treats to neighbors, donate toys and take part in a community event. Watch a holiday movie with popcorn. Week four (December 22 to 24): Slow down. Build a gingerbread house, prepare a Christmas Eve box and plan a quiet evening with stories and a walk. On Christmas Eve, leave out treats and a note for Santa and his reindeer.
For 2026, Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday, so many children will be home from school for the week of December 21. Plan one outing and one quiet day, since a full week at home can stretch tempers without structure.
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Helping children who feel overwhelmed
Excitement can look like misbehavior. Children may become clingy, loud or tearful when routines change and relatives visit. Keep regular mealtimes and bedtimes where possible. Offer a quiet space with books or building toys. Prepare children for what will happen on busy days, including who will be there and how long it will last. Offer choices, such as which cookies to bake, to give a sense of control. If a child finds gift opening stressful, spread gifts across the day and let them open them at their own pace.
Some children also experience sadness at Christmas, because of a loss, a family change or a difficult year. Acknowledge feelings, keep some traditions and create a small new ritual, such as lighting a candle for someone missed. Be honest in age-appropriate ways, and do not expect forced cheer.
Activities for different ages
Toddlers (1 to 3): short, sensory and supervised. Play with safe play dough, fill a basket with ornaments to sort, sing carols and look at lights. Preschoolers (3 to 5): crafts with big movements, such as painting salt-dough ornaments or gluing paper chains, and simple baking. Early elementary (6 to 8): scavenger hunts, charades, cookie decorating and simple science, such as making "snow" from baking soda and conditioner. Older elementary and tweens (9 to 12): bigger projects, such as building a gingerbread house, sewing a simple ornament, writing and performing a short play or planning a family gift swap. Let them take responsibility for a task, such as setting the table or wrapping gifts for younger siblings.
Keeping costs low
Most of these activities cost under $10. Use what you have: paper, scraps, flour, salt and a few craft supplies. Borrow books from the library. Take walks instead of paid events. Invite friends to share supplies for a craft afternoon. If you need to buy supplies, check discount stores and sales after the season for next year. Our gifts under $10 guide includes inexpensive craft supplies that also make great stocking stuffers.
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Frequently asked questions
What are good Christmas activities for toddlers?
Paper chains, simple baking, picture books, light walks and playing with safe play dough.
What are free Christmas activities for kids?
Paper snowflakes, light tours, card making, board games, movies and kindness projects.
How do I keep kids busy before Christmas?
Use a calendar with a daily activity, mix active and quiet options and let children choose some.
What are Christmas activities for large groups?
Scavenger hunts, cookie decorating stations, charades and a talent show.
How do I keep Christmas about more than gifts?
Add giving activities, family traditions and time together, and talk about what you appreciate.