5 Christmas Activities for Children

Picture the scene. Your windows are dusted with snow. You’re sitting in your lounge, a festive fireplace playing on YouTube, curled up in your pyjamas, huddled around a board game. 

Sounds blissful, doesn’t it? (And overly idyllic, but we’re setting a scene!)  

Despite what the barrage of adverts suggest, Christmas isn’t just a gift-fest. It’s about time spent together as a family, enjoying the warmth of each other’s company.  

And there are plenty of ways to do so, many of which won’t cost you a penny. 

So, if you’re eager to dial up the festive fun with activities that won’t eat into your budget, we’ve got you covered with a selection of Christmas activities to do with your little one at home.  

From cosy crafting to family storytelling sessions, we’ve pulled together a bumper batch of no-cost Christmas activities for children that’ll give everyone a fuzzy feeling and subtly support your little ones’ development.  

Got your Santa hat? Good. Let’s get into the Christmas spirit.  

1. Making Christmas Cards

Despite the surge in popularity of e-cards, there’s something uniquely cosy about bundling up against the cold and delivering cards to your neighbours. 

But Christmas cards have skyrocketed in price of late, turning a friendly festive gesture into a budgetary headache you probably don’t need.  
 
Fortunately, there’s a no-cost solution that doubles as a spot of festive fun for your little one: making your own Christmas cards.

Think about it. There’s no more potent magic than a child’s imagination, and that magic is only amplified during the festive season, when your little one’s excitement levels are strong enough to power your entire street’s Christmas lights.   

And the best bit? Making your own Christmas card requires only materials that you’re highly likely to have at home, such as card, paper, felt, and the like.  

We won’t offer a step-by-step guide here, as that’d defy the object of the activity. Just make sure to support your little one as they craft their Christmas masterpiece. 

It’s a neat spot of Christmas craft that’ll support the development of their fine motor skills and encourage them to think creatively about the world around them.  

2.Write letters to Santa…with a reply 

Admit it: you knew we’d include this. And we stand by it.  

As festive activities for children go, writing letters to Santa is a stone-cold classic, matched only by setting out milk and cookies for the dynamic duo (Santa and Rudolf, FYI) on Christmas Eve. 

But despite what some argue, it can be more than just asking for presents. Far from it. It’s an activity rich in educational and emotional benefits.  

You see, as your little one crafts their letter, they’ll be honing their sentence formation skills, as well as getting to grips with basic grammar and spelling. 

They’ll also be reflecting on their behaviour over the year, considering whether they’ve upheld their end of the bargain.  

That’s not to say you should morph a magical activity into a mini-lesson— the educational benefits are baked in.  

If you’re eager to dial up the festive feeling, you could also put on your writer’s hat after bedtime and draft a reply from Santa, personalising it with some snippets from your little one’s year. 

Whether it’s a specific achievement, such as starting nursery, or a good deed that gave you a case of the warm fuzzies, by weaving in some specifics, you’ll bring a smile to your little one’s face.  

Even if Santa gets all the credit.  

3.Festive scavenger hunt

Despite the warm and cosy nature of the season, the countdown to Christmas can be an overly exciting time for children, often filled with lots of questions. 

Sound familiar?  

If the festive season fizzes your little one up a little too much, they might benefit from a little creative redirection of their attention. (Read: an activity that’ll occupy them and tire them out.)  

But what is this magical Christmas activity, you ask?  

A festive scavenger hunt.  

As you’ve probably already discovered, children love scavenger hunts and delight in besting the adults with their (snowy) owl-like ability to spot even the smallest of objects.  

Whether it’s finding specific ornaments, spotting cleverly hidden elves or heading outside to seek out the best seasonal lights, the possibilities are endless.  

You could even boost the interactivity by setting some simple clues around the house, leading to festive treats. By doing so, you’ll be supporting your little one’s cognitive development, making it a Christmas activity that feeds the body and the mind.  

FYI: You don’t have to let your little one win, but we’d recommend it. Don’t be a Scrooge. 

4.Festive family karaoke

Question: What’s Christmas without music? 

Answer: Boring.  

Hardly a controversial opinion (unless you’re anti-Christmas songs), but nothing sets the festive season into full swing quite like a playlist filled with seasonal hits.  

Well… almost nothing. If you’re eager to get the family party started a little early, you might dig out your favourite festive attire and enjoy a little Christmas karaoke.   

Like carolling, but without interrupting anyone else, festive karaoke is a gloriously fun way to spend a wintry afternoon, introducing your little ones to the magic of music.  

But it’s more than just belting out the hits at a volume that Santa himself can hear from the North Pole; it’s a neat Christmas activity for your children that’ll allow them to express themselves and build their confidence in a safe space.  

It’s not like you’re going to boo them, is it?   

5.Write a Christmas story together

Our final suggestion is less of a children’s Christmas activity, and more slice of festive fun for the whole family, giving everyone a chance to flex their storyteller muscles.  

That’s right. We’re talking about writing a Christmas story.  

There’s not exactly a shortage of seasonal stories, but for all their magic and wonder, they’re lacking a key ingredient: your little one’s unique imagination.  

Whether it’s a fresh riff on a festive favourite or an entirely new story of your own conjuring, there’s a magic to sparking your child’s creativity through storytelling.  

The medium is up to you. It could be a short story, a play, or even a short film, if you’re feeling brave and have a few hours to spare.  

It doesn’t need to be anything too complex. Just a basic setup that’ll set your little one spinning with their ideas, which can fly off in any direction they choose.  

Need a few writing prompts to get you started? Why not try… 

Santa’s sack of toys is missing, so an elf sets out to find it. 
Santa attempts to turbo-charge his sleigh, but something goes wrong.  
It’s Christmas Eve, and Rudolf is lost in Lapland. How’s he getting home? 

As long as you stick to the tried-and-true storytelling formula of character – problem – solution, you’ll be fine. Encourage your little one to let their imagination run wild, and weave their ideas, no matter how offbeat, into your story,  

You could also raid the dressing-up box for inspiration. Who knows who’ll make a cameo in your Christmas story? 

And there you have it. Our favourite cosy Christmas activity ideas, each guaranteed to sprinkle a little magic on the season and support your little one’s development.  

Need more activity inspiration? Check out our blog, where you’ll find articles on everything from ideas for handmade Christmas decorations to make with Children to understanding learning through play.