10 Fun & Free Ways To Keep Kids Busy During Christmas Break

From puzzles and crafts to winter sports and dancing, below you will find fun and engaging winter activities that will keep kids of all ages entertained and create lasting memories. 

10 ways to keep your children engaged over the Christmas holidays 

Make handmade ornaments 

Engaging kids in crafts helps develop creativity, plus kids can admire decorations they’ve made all holidays long! Set up a crafts station and supply the little ones with pine cones and branches, ribbons, paper, colored markers, glitter, and so on. Kids can create paper snowflakes, angels, ornaments, and even wreaths. Making something with their hand will help kids unwind after school and give them a creative outlet.  

Christmas cooking with kids

Cooking can become a great bonding activity if you involve children in the preparation of holiday meals or treats. The tasks to assign to your kids depend on their age. Preschoolers can wash or stir something and cover the Christmas cookies with icing whereas school-aged kids can crack eggs, stir flour, and even follow simple recipes under your supervision. 

Christmas cooking ideas with kids 

1. Gingerbread house – use a pre-made kit or create your own gingerbread pieces and let kids get creative with candies, frosting, and sprinkles. 
2. Christmas cookies – use cutters to make cookies of various holiday shapes and decorate the cookies together. 
3. Hot cocoa – whisk together milk, cocoa powder, and sugar, and top the mugs with marshmallows or chocolate to create a cozy and delicious treat. 

Organize a Secret Santa 

Secret Santa is a fun holiday tradition, and your little ones can also participate. Here’s how it works: all players draw names to determine who gives a present to whom, and everyone should prepare a gift for the assigned person secretly. You can play with the entire family or host a separate Secret Santa game for kids so they can exchange small gifts with their friends or cousins. 

For preschoolers, you might want to supervise the exchange, helping your kid prepare a handmade gift and put it under the Christmas tree. Older kids might organize a gift exchange themselves, but you can assist in choosing a gift for someone and keeping things secret. 

With the MySanta app, school-aged kids can draw names and host their own Secret Santa exchange.

Try our MySanta app

You can create wishlists, add exclusions, and communicate with your gifree secretly. Moreover, there is an option to track gifts and ensure that everyone buys a present on time.

Start

Plan a themed Scavenger Hunt

A traditional Scavenger Hunt activity can keep your kids busy and stimulate their minds at the same time. Create age-appropriate clues leading to different locations around the house or yard. Hide small treats or toys at each location, and prepare a grand prize after they find all the clues. For younger kids, you can work together helping them solve clues and find locations, whereas older ones can complete challenges on their own for a memorable Christmas adventure.

Tip: You can find ready printable Scavenger Hunt clues here.  

Put together a puzzle

Puzzles are a great screen-free stimulating activity for the brain. It helps kids develop focus and spend quality time together. Pick a Christmas-themed puzzle and set it up on the table where all the family can participate in the activity. 

Set up a reading corner

There probably isn’t a better way to nurture the habit of reading than setting up a cozy Christmas-inspired nook for your little ones! To add some magic to the holiday season, choose a cozy space in the house, such as a comfortable armchair or a window seat. 

Here’s what you’ll need to create a reading corner: 

1. Soft elements like fluffy pillows and a warm blanket
2. Fairy lights and candles to create a magical atmosphere
3. Christmas-themed decorations like a small artificial tree or festive garlands
4. A place for snacks and hot cocoa 
5. Christmas-themed books and other books your kid enjoys. 

Establish a routine of reading together before bedtime – it will help form a great habit and let your kids relax and enjoy the holiday season. 

Visit Santa

Capture the excitement and wonder of the holiday season by visiting Santa in your neighborhood! Your little ones will be happy to share their wishes with Santa directly, which helps them anticipate the miracle this year. Plus, you can take wonderful pictures that create memories of their childhood. 

Plan outdoor winter activities

Keep your kids active during a long winter break by planning a variety of outdoor games, activities, and sports. Such games encourage coordination and burn excessive energy while allowing your little ones to enjoy the season to its fullest!

Here are some popular activities you can try: 

1. Build a snowman – a classical winter activity that encourages teamwork and creativity. 
2. Snowball fight – break the family into teams and get everyone moving!
3. Go ice-skating – visit a ski rink in your area to teach your little ones a new skill. 
4. Winter nature walk – head to a local park or nature trail to observe winter nature, collect pine cones for crafts, and take pictures. 
5. Winter Olympics – host a sports day with mini hockey, skiing, obstacle courses, and other activities. 
6. Create ice art – fill the ice forms with berries, leaves and other objects to create wonderful art objects. 

If there isn’t snow in your area, worry not – you can still plan outdoor sports and long walks to encourage physical activity and family bonding. 

Host a movie marathon 

A movie marathon is a perfect activity if you want to have a lazy family weekend. Let every family member choose a movie they like and cozy up together. Recreate a movie theater experience – think of a large screen or projector, popcorn or other snacks, comfy blankets and pillows, and hot cocoa. 

10 Best Christmas movies to watch with kids 

1. Miracle on 34th Street
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas
3. Klaus
4. It’s a Wonderful Life
5. Die Hard
6. How Grinch Stole Christmas
7. Elf
8. Home Alone 
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas 
10. The Christmas Chronicles 

Volunteer

Giving back is an important part of Christmas. By planning volunteer activities, you’ll teach your kids the joy of giving and encourage them to appreciate the things they have in life. 

There are many ways to engage little ones in volunteering. Kids can donate their old clothes, books, and toys to a local charity. You can also sort and pack food donations together for a local food bank to support families in need. Another option is volunteering at an animal shelter – walking dogs or playing with cats. 

Kids can also make handmade cards with positive messages for seniors in nursing homes or soldiers overseas. Engaging in volunteering activities will keep kids busy during their holiday break and teach them the joy of helping others. 

Also Read:

Classroom Christmas party ideas and fun activities for kids

Read

Go on a Christmas light walk 

Nothing puts little ones in the holiday mood faster than streets and houses decorated with Christmas lights! Get in the car and drive around your neighborhood looking at everyone’s houses. You can rate the houses of your neighbors and pick the most beautiful home. 

Alternatively, head to the city center, visit the Christmas fair or simply walk around exploring the beautifully decorated streets, stores, and local establishments. Don’t forget to take pictures! 

Plan a dance party 

Kids are usually full of energy during holidays, so why not plan an energetic dance party? Start dancing at home spontaneously when the weather is bad outside, or plan a festive event with a theme, special playlists, guests, and costumes. For example, you can organize an 80s dance party with everyone wearing neon clothes, sparkling lights everywhere, and music hits from that decade. 

Tips for keeping your little ones entertained 

Keeping children entertained takes a lot of time and energy. Here are the extra recommendations to make it through the holiday break:

1. Follow the traditional routine with a twist. Kids should follow a routine even on holidays; however, you can give them a little more freedom. For example, they should follow the eating and bedtime schedule, and spend more time entertaining. 
2. Balance active games and downtime. When suggesting games and activities to kids, include both high-energy active games and sit-down activities like reading books or crafting. 
3. Plan learning and screen-free activities. Prioritize activities that not only entertain your little ones but also help them develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. DIY crafts, reading fiction books, solving puzzles, and science experiments will help your kids learn something new and enrich their holiday experience. 

FAQs