12 Days of Christmas Games + Christmas Activity Ideas for Kids

Last Updated on 08/18/2024 by Nell Marie

Article Summary: This article is about 12 days of Christmas games for kids and 32 Christmas games and activities for kids.

Christmas is a magical time for kids, full of excitement and wonder.

One of the best ways to enhance that holiday magic is by engaging them in festive games that celebrate the season.

These Christmas-themed games are designed to spark creativity, encourage friendly competition, and bring joy to children of all ages.

Whether it’s a lively scavenger hunt, a crafty decorating session, or a merry game of charades, these activities provide endless fun and help create lasting memories with family and friends.

With the right games, you can turn a holiday gathering into a magical adventure that keeps the Christmas spirit shining brightly.

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12 Days of Christmas Games

1- Christmas Bingo

Create bingo cards with festive images like Christmas trees, Santa hats, ornaments, and candy canes. You can find printable templates online or make your own. Use small candy pieces like M&Ms or chocolate chips as markers so kids can enjoy a sweet treat when they win. To keep things exciting, consider offering small prizes for winners, such as Christmas stickers or holiday-themed trinkets.

2- Holiday Scavenger Hunt

Write down clues on festive cards or create a simple map leading to hidden Christmas-themed items. For younger children, use pictures or simple clues, while older kids can solve riddles or puzzles to find the items. You might hide little toys like miniature Santas or candy canes, and set a timer to make it a race. At the end, offer a small prize for each child who completes the hunt.

3- Christmas Charades

Prepare a set of charades prompts related to Christmas activities, characters, or scenes. You could include actions like “building a snowman,” “sleigh ride,” or “wrapping presents.” Split the kids into teams and have them take turns drawing and acting out the prompts. To make it more challenging, set a timer for each turn and offer a small prize for the team that guesses the most prompts correctly.

4- Christmas Pictionary

Write down Christmas-themed prompts on slips of paper, such as “Santa’s sleigh,” “Christmas stocking,” or “snowflake.” Kids draw the prompt on a whiteboard or large piece of paper, and their teammates guess what it is. For added fun, use a timer to limit drawing time, and include a variety of prompts ranging from easy to more complex. Encourage creativity and laughter as kids try to guess the drawings.

5- Reindeer Ring Toss

Create or purchase a set of reindeer antlers and attach them to a stable base. Place rings or hoops of various sizes at different distances from the antlers. Kids try to toss the rings onto the antlers to score points. For an added challenge, give different point values to rings based on difficulty. You can also create a leaderboard to track scores and offer small prizes for high scores.

6- Christmas Musical Chairs

Arrange chairs in a circle and play upbeat Christmas music like holiday classics or modern Christmas hits. As the music plays, kids walk around the chairs, and when it stops, they scramble to sit down. Remove one chair each round until only one child remains. To make it more festive, decorate the chairs with Christmas-themed decorations or have kids wear holiday accessories.

7- Snowball Toss

Set up several buckets or containers at different distances and assign each a point value based on difficulty. Give kids white “snowballs” made from cotton balls or white balloons. They try to toss the snowballs into the containers to score points. You can increase the fun by having different rounds with varying distances and point values. Consider having a prize for the highest score or for the most creative throw.

8- Santa Says

Choose one child to be “Santa,” who will give out commands starting with “Santa says,” like “Santa says spin around” or “Santa says clap your hands.” Commands not starting with “Santa says” should not be followed. If a child follows a command that doesn’t start with “Santa says,” they’re out for that round. Continue until only one child remains, who becomes the new Santa for the next round.

9- Christmas Cookie Decorating

Provide plain sugar cookies along with a variety of decorating supplies such as colored icing, sprinkles, edible glitter, and small candies. Set up decorating stations with all the materials and let kids get creative. You can even have a mini “cookie contest” with categories like “most colorful” or “best holiday theme,” and give out small prizes or certificates for each category.

10- Christmas Storytime Relay

Choose a beloved Christmas story or create a fun holiday narrative. Read the story aloud, and then have kids act out different parts of the story in a relay style. For example, one child might act out “Santa coming down the chimney,” while another acts out “opening presents.” This game encourages imagination and teamwork, and kids can take turns in different roles throughout the story.

11- Pin the Nose on Rudolph

Create a large poster of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and cut out a red nose from construction paper or felt. Blindfold the kids and have them spin around gently before attempting to pin the nose on Rudolph. For added fun, you can use a small piece of double-sided tape on the back of the nose to make it stick. Keep track of where each child places the nose and give a small prize to the one who gets the closest.

12- Holiday Crafts

Set up a craft station with all the supplies needed for making Christmas ornaments, cards, or decorations. Provide materials like construction paper, markers, stickers, glitter, glue, and ribbon. Offer a few sample craft ideas or let kids create their own designs. Once they’ve finished, they can take their creations home as keepsakes or gifts. This activity allows for creativity and personal expression while celebrating the holiday spirit.

Christmas Activities for Kids

Christmas Scavenger Hunt: Create a fun scavenger hunt by making a list of Christmas-themed items for the kids to find around the house or yard. You can hide items like ornaments, candy canes, a red stocking, or even small wrapped presents. To make it more challenging, add clues or riddles that lead to each item’s location. Consider having a small prize for the child who finds all the items first or include little surprises with each item they discover.

Pin the Nose on Rudolph: This is a festive twist on the classic “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” Print or draw a large picture of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer without his signature red nose. Blindfold the kids one by one, spin them around gently, and see who can pin a red paper nose closest to where it should be. You can use tape or sticky tack for easy removal. For added fun, have a small prize ready for the winner, like a candy cane or Christmas sticker.

Christmas Bingo: Print out bingo cards with Christmas-themed images like Santa, gifts, snowflakes, reindeer, and Christmas trees. Prepare markers such as holiday candies like peppermints or red and green M&Ms. As you call out the images, the kids mark them on their cards. The first one to get a line—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—shouts “Bingo!” and wins a small prize. You can play multiple rounds and even switch up the prizes to keep the excitement going.

Holiday Cookie Decorating: Set up a cookie decorating station with plain sugar cookies, a variety of colorful frostings, and an array of sprinkles, candy, and edible glitter. Let the kids unleash their creativity as they decorate their own festive treats. Provide tools like plastic knives, small spoons, and piping bags for more detailed designs. After they finish, they can enjoy their creations or wrap them up as sweet holiday gifts for family and friends.

Christmas Carol Charades: Write down the names of popular Christmas carols on pieces of paper and place them in a hat or bowl. The kids take turns drawing a carol and acting it out without speaking, while the others try to guess which carol it is. This game not only brings out the kids’ acting skills but also gets everyone in the Christmas spirit as they recall and sing along to their favorite tunes once the correct guess is made.

Snowball Toss: Create a winter-themed game by using white pom-poms or rolled-up socks as “snowballs.” Set up a festive bucket or bin a short distance away, and challenge the kids to toss as many “snowballs” as they can into the bucket within a set time limit. You can increase the difficulty by moving the bucket further away or making them toss the snowballs while standing on one leg. To make it even more fun, decorate the bucket with Christmas stickers or wrap it in holiday paper.

Santa’s Workshop Crafting: Turn a room or a table into “Santa’s Workshop” by providing a variety of crafting materials like construction paper, glue, markers, glitter, pipe cleaners, and stickers. Encourage the kids to create their own Christmas crafts, such as paper snowflakes, ornaments, or holiday cards. You can also offer ideas for simple projects, like making reindeer hats, decorating mini trees, or crafting their own holiday garland. Display their creations around the house or let them take them home as a festive keepsake.

Gingerbread House Building: Provide each child with a gingerbread house kit, or bake gingerbread pieces ahead of time for them to assemble. Supply plenty of candy, frosting, and sprinkles for decorating. The kids can work individually or in teams to build and decorate their gingerbread houses. Once everyone is finished, have a little competition to see who has the most creative, colorful, or structurally sound house. You can even have different categories for prizes, like “Most Delicious-Looking” or “Best Use of Candy.”

Christmas Pictionary: For this game, write down holiday-themed words or phrases—such as “snowman,” “Santa’s sleigh,” or “Christmas tree”—on slips of paper. The kids split into teams and take turns drawing the word or phrase while their teammates guess what it is. Set a time limit for each round to keep the game moving and the excitement high. You can use a whiteboard or large sheets of paper for the drawings. This game is not only fun but also encourages creativity and teamwork.

Elf on the Shelf Hide and Seek: Hide an Elf on the Shelf somewhere in the house, and let the kids take turns trying to find it. Each day, the elf can be hidden in a new, creative location, making the game fresh and exciting each time. You can even create a story around the elf’s daily adventures, adding a fun narrative element to the game. The first child to find the elf each day could earn a small prize or get to choose the next hiding spot.

Christmas Story Time: Create a cozy reading nook with blankets, pillows, and twinkling lights. Gather the kids around and read a classic Christmas story like “The Night Before Christmas” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” For a more interactive experience, choose a story that encourages participation, such as letting the kids chime in on certain repeated phrases or sound effects. You could even let older kids take turns reading aloud or acting out parts of the story.

Reindeer Races: Make reindeer antlers from headbands and craft supplies, like brown construction paper, pipe cleaners, and red pom-poms for the nose. Once the kids are wearing their antlers, set up a race course either inside or outside. You can make the race more challenging by adding obstacles or requiring the kids to hop or skip instead of running. For extra fun, divide the kids into teams and have a relay race, passing off the “reins” to the next “reindeer.”

Christmas Puzzle: Choose a Christmas-themed jigsaw puzzle with a festive image, such as Santa, a snow-covered village, or a decorated tree. Set up a table where the kids can gather and work on the puzzle together throughout the day. Puzzles are a great way to keep kids entertained while also encouraging problem-solving and cooperation. You can choose a puzzle with a number of pieces that matches the age and skill level of the kids.

Holiday Movie Marathon: Create a cozy spot with blankets, pillows, and maybe even some popcorn or hot cocoa, then watch a lineup of kid-friendly Christmas movies. Consider classic films like “Frosty the Snowman,” “The Polar Express,” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” To make it feel more like a special event, you could create a “movie ticket” for each child and have them pick out their favorite Christmas-themed snacks. This activity is perfect for winding down after a day of excitement.

Candy Cane Fishing: Tie a string to a candy cane and use it as a fishing pole to “hook” small prizes or candies in a bowl. You can make the game more challenging by using a small bowl or by blindfolding the participants. To keep it festive, you could decorate the bowl to look like a Christmas stocking or a snowman’s hat. The kids can take turns fishing, and you can offer small prizes for successfully hooking a treat.

Christmas Freeze Dance: Play Christmas music and have the kids dance around with enthusiasm. When the music stops, they must freeze in place like a snowman. Anyone caught moving is out until the next round. This game is a great way to let kids burn off some energy while also enjoying their favorite holiday songs. You can vary the game by asking the kids to freeze in specific poses, such as pretending to hold a big present or acting like a reindeer.

Ornament Relay Race: Set up a relay race where kids have to carry a Christmas ornament on a spoon without dropping it. The course can be as simple or elaborate as you like, with obstacles like cones or chairs to navigate around. To increase the challenge, use delicate ornaments or have the kids balance the spoon in their mouth. This game encourages teamwork and coordination, and it’s sure to be filled with lots of laughter as ornaments tumble and kids race to the finish line.

Christmas Memory Game: Create a memory game with pairs of Christmas-themed cards featuring images like Santa, reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas trees. Lay the cards face down, and kids take turns flipping over two cards, trying to find a match. If they find a match, they keep the cards and take another turn. The player with the most matches at the end wins a small prize. This game is perfect for sharpening memory skills while enjoying festive imagery.

Santa Says: A festive twist on “Simon Says,” where the leader gives Christmas-themed commands like “Santa says, touch your nose” or “Santa says, pretend to fly like a reindeer.” The key is that the kids should only follow the command if it starts with “Santa says.” If the leader doesn’t say “Santa says” and a child still follows the command, they’re out. The last child remaining wins. This game is a fun way to test listening skills and keep kids on their toes.

Christmas Sock Toss: Roll up holiday socks and see who can toss them into a Christmas stocking hanging on the wall or door. You can create a point system depending on the distance or the number of successful tosses. This game is simple to set up and can be played indoors, making it a great option for smaller spaces. The soft socks are safe for all ages, and you can make it even more festive by using Christmas-themed socks.

Wrapping Paper Snowball Fight: Gather all the leftover wrapping paper from gifts and crumple them up into balls to use for a safe and fun indoor snowball fight. Divide the kids into teams and let them go at it, aiming to hit the other team with as many “snowballs” as possible. To add to the fun, you can create “forts” out of pillows or chairs for the kids to hide behind. This game is great for burning off energy and getting everyone laughing.

Holiday Ornament Guessing Game: Place various Christmas ornaments in a large stocking, and let the kids guess what they are by feeling them through the fabric. You can choose ornaments with distinctive shapes, like a star, bell, or candy cane, to make the guessing a bit easier. After everyone has had a turn guessing, reveal the ornaments and see who got the most correct. The winner could get a small prize, or everyone could take home a small ornament as a keepsake.

Christmas Craft Station: Set up a station with a variety of Christmas crafts, such as making reindeer hats from construction paper, decorating mini trees with glitter and small ornaments, or creating personalized Christmas cards with stickers and markers. You can provide templates or let the kids’ imaginations run wild. Encourage them to create something they can take home as a memento or give as a gift. This activity keeps little hands busy and helps them create something special.

Reindeer Ring Toss: Craft antlers from pipe cleaners and attach them to a headband. Have one child wear the antlers while the others try to toss rings (made from small hoops or even pipe cleaners shaped into circles) onto the antlers from a distance. You can rotate who wears the antlers and keep score to see who is the most accurate tosser. This game is great for improving hand-eye coordination and adds a hilarious twist as kids try to catch the rings on their heads.

Christmas Wreath Toss: Use a small wreath as a ring and set up a cone or bottle to serve as the target. Let the kids take turns tossing the wreath, aiming to loop it over the cone or bottle. To make it more challenging, you can increase the distance or add obstacles in the way. This game is simple to set up and can be played both indoors and outdoors, making it a versatile option for holiday fun.

Snowman Bowling: Create snowmen from stacked white cups by drawing faces on the cups and maybe adding paper hats or scarves. Set them up in a pyramid formation, and let the kids use a small ball to knock them over, just like in a bowling alley. You can keep score or simply let the kids play for fun. This game is easy to set up and can be played repeatedly, providing plenty of entertainment.

Holiday Coloring Contest: Print out Christmas-themed coloring pages featuring images like Santa, reindeer, Christmas trees, and snowflakes. Provide a variety of crayons, markers, or colored pencils and let the kids color them in. Have a little contest with small prizes for the most creative, colorful, or detailed pages. This activity is perfect for kids who enjoy quiet, creative time, and it allows them to express their artistic side while getting into the holiday spirit.

Final Thoughts

Christmas games for kids are all about bringing the holiday cheer to life and creating moments of pure joy.

Whether you’re setting up a festive scavenger hunt, decorating cookies, or having a snowball toss, these activities are perfect for keeping little ones entertained and engaged.

They’re a great way to bond with family and make the holiday season even more special.

So grab some holiday-themed supplies, gather the kids, and get ready for a season filled with laughter, creativity, and plenty of festive fun.

Happy holidays and happy playing!

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