The Christmas season is the most magical and wonderful time of the year! There’s so much to do and enjoy during the holidays that it’s usually also the busiest season of the year as well. Between preparing for holiday parties and shopping for Christmas gifts, it can feel like you’ll never get everything done.
To ensure I have time to tackle my to-do list, I often rely on activities to keep my kids busy. During the holiday season, I like to prepare some Christmas activities that allow my kids to have fun and get creative. These activities are also great for spending some holiday-inspired quality time as a family when I’m not planning for various events or online shopping for the perfect gifts.
With that in mind, I’m sharing a round-up of fun activities that toddlers can do on Christmas. My children enjoy these, and I know yours will too!
12 Best Christmas Activities For Toddlers
Felt Christmas Tree
I love Christmas tree activities for toddlers during the holidays. There are a bunch of crafts and activities to choose from, but this is one of my favorites.
If you’re a DIYer, you can make your own by following this tutorial from Live Well Play Together. Or, you can go the easy route and buy this felt Christmas tree with 30 stick-on ornaments. Either way, your toddler will love decorating their own toddler Christmas tree over and over again.
Torn Paper Art
Here’s a fun and easy Christmas activity for toddlers that’s also great for encouraging fine motor skills.
Grab some paper (green, if you have it) and tear it into pieces, and then, on the non-sticky side of a piece of contact paper, draw the outline of a Christmas tree. Tape the contact paper to the wall, sticky side up, and instruct your toddler to place the pieces of paper inside of the tree outline to fill the tree.
Depending on your toddler’s skill level, you can encourage them to tear up the paper themselves. Either way, this is one activity that you can repeat over and over, using different shapes, to keep your little one preoccupied.
Fizzing Candy Canes
For a fun science-themed Christmas activity for toddlers as well as older kids, try this fizzing candy cane activity from Teaching Mama.
For this fun Christmas activity, you need:
- 1 box baking soda
- 1 bottle of vinegar
- Food coloring
- Candy canes
- Tray or cookie sheet
- Dropper or squeeze bottles
Directions
- Spread baking soda on a baking sheet or tray.
- Place candy canes on top of the baking soda.
- Pour vinegar into a cup and mix with food coloring. You can add peppermint extract to help mask the vinegar smell.
- Have your toddler use a dropper to drop the vinegar mix on top of the baking soda.
- Watch as the mixture fizzes and bubbles and the candy canes dissolve over time!
Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are a Christmas craft that you can do as a family every year. They’re especially fun as a craft for toddlers that allows you to capture how small their handprints, fingerprints, and footprints are as you celebrate the holidays. Simply press their hands or feet into the dough, then have your toddler paint the ornaments once the dough dries.
You can learn more about how to make your own salt dough ornaments from Yummy Toddler Food. Or you can buy air-dry clay to save time on making homemade salt dough. To make it even easier, you can purchase these convenient kits that include everything you need to make salt dough ornaments!
Footprint Christmas Tree Cards
This is a fun idea for a Christmas activity that can double as a handmade gift, but it’s one that your toddler will definitely need some help with. You might even be able to put it together using things you already have around the house. All you need is green paint, white paper, and holiday cards, as well as sequins or stickers to decorate the “trees.”
To make a footprint Christmas card, paint the bottom of your child’s foot with the green paint, then carefully press it onto the white paper. Once you have a good footprint that isn’t too smudged, cut it out and glue it upside-down onto a Christmas card. When the paint is dry, encourage your toddler to decorate the footprint like a Christmas tree.
I love this activity, especially around the holidays, because it’s such a fun way to create something of sentimental value while your children are little.
Christmas Sensory Bin
If you’re a big fan of sensory play, here’s one of my favorite Christmas sensory activities for toddlers. There are a ton of different ways to put together a Christmas-themed sensory bin. This fake snow sensory bin is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, or this one is fantastic if you have a bunch of dollar-store items lying around.
Gingerbread Playdough
For a homemade, holiday-themed take on traditional Play-Doh, try whipping up a batch of gingerbread playdough! With the recipe from The Best Ideas for Kids, it’s easy to create soft playdough that smells just like real gingerbread!
Ingredients
- 1 C flour
- ½ C salt
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 C water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp vanilla
Directions
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
- Add in the ginger and cinnamon and whisk well.
- In a pan or pot over low to medium heat, add the water, oil, and vanilla, and mix.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix well.
- This playdough takes a little longer to come together because of the cinnamon. Continue mixing well while spreading out the dough in the pan if you can, so that the salt mixes well with the water and dissolves. Avoid stirring continuously.
- Let the dough sit for a few seconds before mixing and flipping the dough in the pot.
- The dough is done when it begins to form a ball and looks fully cooked.
- Take the pan or pot off the heat and let it cool.
- Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are one of my favorite free Christmas activities for toddlers. With so many different ways to do a scavenger hunt and dozens of items your little one can look for, this is one activity that will keep your toddler busy. Check out these Christmas scavenger hunt ideas from Hands On As We Grow to get started!
(For more easy ways to keep your toddler occupied while you get things done, check out my favorite Montessori toys!)
Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses
Why spend money on an extravagant gingerbread house kit when you can get the same results using items you might already have at home? Graham crackers are surprisingly effective replacements for standard gingerbread!
Grab a few packs of graham crackers, some icing pouches, and whatever candy you have on hand to decorate the houses with. Your toddler might need some help building the “gingerbread” house, but from there you can encourage them to decorate it however they want.
Printable Coloring Pages & Activity Sheets
Here’s another great free Christmas activity for toddlers. There are printable coloring pages and activity sheets all over the internet. Just do a quick Google search and then pick out a few that will keep your toddler busy. From coloring sheets to word searches and matching games, there are countless printable pages that you can use to entertain your toddler.
Cotton Ball Snowman
Even when there’s no snow on the ground, you can still make an adorable snowman with your toddler! I love this classic Christmas activity for toddlers!
Following this tutorial from Entertain Your Toddler, your youngster can craft an adorable snowman that will double as holiday decor for the upcoming season.
Paper Plate Christmas Wreath
Last but definitely not least, here’s a great Christmas craft that uses paper plates. This tutorial from The Empowered Educator shows you how easy it is to make Christmas wreaths out of paper plates and a few other craft materials. Once you get them started, your toddler will be busy decorating wreaths that you can put up around the house for the holidays.
These fun Christmas activities will keep your toddler busy during the chaotic holiday season!
Which activity do you plan on doing with your toddler this holiday season? Share in the comments below!
For more activity ideas, check out this post on activities to teach social skills. Then, head over to the blog for tips, tricks, and endless info on motherhood and family life!
