Classroom Christmas party ideas and fun activities for kids
Students have been eagerly waiting for the Christmas party and deserve a day filled with fun and joy at school. Impress them with bright and engaging activities that will make this festive day unforgettable.
Well-chosen Christmas games and activities can help to foster better connections between students, allow them to relax after an intense period of studying, and build trust and respect for their teacher. They will appreciate your effort in contributing to their festive mood. Here are some great ideas for a classroom Christmas party for kids.
Christmas decorations
DIY decorations
Make children unleash their creativity by designing ornaments, paper snowflakes, or garlands. Ask them to prepare these decorations at home in advance. Add a competitive element — tell your students to make the longest garland. The student with the longest one will win an additional prize!
Festive table settings
Instruct students on how to decorate tables using napkins, candles, and other decorative elements. You can show them examples on video or suggest looking at the table with perfect settings. This activity combines creativity and helps to learn practical skills, and teaches how to work as a team.
Homemade Christmas costumes
Homemade costumes are a great way to get kids excited about the holiday. They can prepare elaborate costumes with their parents’ help or just put on funny Christmas glasses or hats — creating the holiday mood is valuable. Keep some costumes and Christmas accessories in class in case someone forgets to dress up for the party.
One of the most popular Christmas costumes for kids is dressing up as Santa’s little helpers — the elves! Kids wear funny green and red outfits with pointy hats, striped tights, and even little elf shoes with bells. These costumes can be used for school holidays, plays, family holiday photos, or just for fun!
Gift exchange games and making wishes
Secret Santa
Playing Secret Santa may strengthen bonds between classmates by giving pleasant presents to each other. Students can exchange homemade gifts or things bought in a shop. They can be books, notebooks, mini board games, accessories like gloves or hats, christmas socks. The main thing is that the gift should be age-appropriate and be chosen according to the child’s interests.
For younger children, you can use a hat or a box with the pieces of paper — they can pick the paper with the name of the gift recipient. For older children, you can use My Santa App. Don’t forget to set a certain price limit for all the gifts.
Game «Make a wish»
This game is a heartwarming activity perfect for a classroom holiday party. It encourages children to express their hopes and dreams and spread festive cheer. Children can write their wishes on the board or do so secretly on paper and place it into an envelope. This activity is an excellent way to conclude the party.
Fun Christmas Cooking
Cookie decorating
This is a delightful and engaging activity for kids in the classroom. Show them some festive ideas for decorating cookies by providing pictures for inspiration. Let them showcase their creativity and decorate cookies however they like. Supply them with different types of cookies, including gingerbread men, edible glitter, royal icing, and tiny candies for decoration. Watch the process and help children with decorations if they need your assistance.
Once upon a time, a gingerbread man came to life and ran away, shouting, "Run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" He outran a cow, a horse, and a farmer, but when he reached a river, a sly fox offered to help him cross. The fox carried him on his nose, but just before reaching the other side, he flipped the Gingerbread Man into the air and gobbled him up!
Edible Christmas tree
Separate the children into teams and give them the task of creating their own unique edible Christmas tree. Provide them with prepared ingredients and enjoy the results. The tree can consist of green grapes, strawberries, marshmallows, apples, and pineapples. Don’t forget sugary items, such as powdered sugar, to give the tree a snowy look.
Active games
Active games bring a lot of joy and help to create a competitive and friendly spirit. Here are some activities for your classroom party.
Holiday Charades
Act out holiday-themed words or phrases without speaking (only using gestures), while teammates guess the correct answer. Prepare stickers with words associated with Christmas for this game. Divide the class into teams, set a time limit for each turn, and keep score of correct guesses. You can use various topics like movies,songs, christmas characters and objects. Here are some ideas for this game.
Christmas characters:
- Santa Claus
- The Snowman
- Elf
- The Grinch
- Rudolf Reindeer
Holiday activities:
- Ice skating
- Skiing
- Wrapping present
- Christmas tree decoration
- Throwing snowballs
Christmas items:
- Stockings
- Candy Cane
- Christmas tree
- Snowflake
- Sleigh
- Christmas lights
Guess the Christmas Song
Prepare a list of popular Christmas songs that all the children know. Decide how to play the music (via a speaker, phone, or computer) and track points when children guess the song. This game is exciting, creates a festive mood, and inspires children to sing and dance.This list of popular songs might come in handy for your party.
Christmas Scavenger Hunt
This game might become a favorite for children as they enjoy finding hidden presents. Prepare in advance: hide small items in the classroom (even in unexpected places), create a list with pictures of the items to be found, and check off the ones children discover. You can play this game in teams or use it at the beginning of the party to engage and entertain students.
Marshmallow Pick-Up
For this activity, you will need marshmallows, bowls for each team, and sticks. Participants hold a stick in their mouth to pick up marshmallow pieces and place them in a bowl. Use a timer and upbeat music while children play. This game encourages coordination and laughter. Remind children to play carefully and not to hurt each other while having fun.
Christmas Storytelling in Turns
The aim of this game is to create a collaborative Christmas story where each student contributes one sentence or phrase, building on what the previous person said. Start the story with a holiday-themed phrase and ask children to take turns continuing it with just one sentence each. You can record or write down the story and read it aloud at the end. This activity is sure to be hilarious for everyone.
Snowball Drop
For this activity, you will need cotton balls or crumpled white pieces of paper. Place a container at a certain distance from the children and ask them to throw the balls, aiming to get them into the container. It is advisable to play in teams — the team that throws the most snowballs into the container within the set time wins.
Speed Gift Wrapping
You can have students play this game at the beginning of the party, using the presents they brought for each other. Provide boxes, wrapping paper, tape, and scissors. Ask them to wrap the gifts neatly so that they look appealing. The first child to finish with quality wrapping wins the prize!
These activities for kids will help you create a joyful Christmas party filled with laughter, Christmas songs, and games. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday, so give a chance for kids to cooperate and communicate with each other. They can exchange presents by playing the Secret Santa game — it will add an element of surprise at the party.
FAQs
What activities to start with?
Start the party with light snacks, followed by active games. Then, take a break for cooking and eating. Finally, shift to games that do not require physical activity, such as singing or writing.
What if some children do not prepare presents in advance?
Buy additional presents a few days before the party. It’s better to have extra gifts than to face a shortage.
What to do if a child refuses to participate in a game?
Tastes differ, and unfortunately, this can happen. It’s important to handle the situation with empathy and understanding. Ask the child what’s bothering them and let them sit out, enjoy some treats, and watch others play. If the child isn’t pressured, they may relax and feel ready to join later activities.