Christmas is a magical time, especially for toddlers who are bursting with excitement and wonder. If you are a parent or caregiver looking for some festive Christmas activities for toddlers, then you are in luck! In this article we will discuss 27 Christmas activities for toddlers to enjoy in 2023.
Christmas for Toddlers
A Christmas event for toddlers is a fun and festive way to celebrate the holiday season with little ones. Whether it’s a visit with Santa, a holiday craft fair, or a special Christmas-themed storytime, these events are designed to engage and entertain young children while spreading holiday cheer. Many events feature Christmas activities for toddlers such as cookie decorating, face painting, and caroling, as well as opportunities to take pictures with Santa and other holiday characters. These events are a great way to create lasting memories with your child and to make the holiday season feel even more special.
Christmas Activities for Toddlers
Here are 27 ideas to get you started:
Make your own Christmas decorations
Toddlers will love getting creative with paper, glue, and glitter. You can make garlands, ornaments, and even a paper Christmas tree.
Go on a Christmas light scavenger hunt
Drive around your neighborhood and see how many different Christmas light displays you can find. You can make a game out of it by seeing who can spot the most lights or the most unique displays.
Have a Christmas movie marathon
Gather up all your favorite holiday movies and spend a cozy afternoon snuggled up on the couch together. Don’t forget the hot cocoa!
Make Christmas cookies
There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked cookies, and your toddler will love helping mix and roll out the dough. You can even get creative and make cookie decorations in the shape of Christmas trees, Santa, or reindeer.
Write letters to Santa
Help your toddler write a letter to Santa and decorate it with stickers and markers. You can even put it in an envelope and send it to the North Pole (via the post office, of course). That’s by far my best pick in toddler activities for Christmas.
Play “reindeer games
” There are so many fun, holiday-themed games that toddlers will love. For example, you can play “pin the nose on Rudolph” or “toss the candy cane.”
Have a gift-wrapping party
Toddlers love to get in on the gift-giving action, so let them help wrap presents. You can give them their own special wrapping paper and let them decorate the packages with stickers and bows.
Go caroling
There’s something so charming and festive about singing Christmas carols. Grab your coats and head out into the neighborhood to spread some holiday cheer.
Have a gingerbread house decorating party
Make or buy a gingerbread house kit and invite some friends over for a decorating party. Your toddler will love adding candy and icing to the house.
Do some holiday-themed crafts
There are so many fun craft ideas for toddlers at Christmas time. You can make paper plate wreaths, pinecone ornaments, or even handprint Santa Claus paintings.
Visit Santa
Many malls and local stores offer visits with Santa, and your toddler will love getting to tell him what they want for Christmas. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Go ice skating
Many cities have outdoor ice skating rinks during the winter months, and this is a fun and festive activity for toddlers. Just be sure to bundle up and keep a close eye on your little one.
Have a holiday tea party
Gather some toy tea cups and saucers, and have a special holiday tea party with your toddler. You can even make some small sandwiches and cookies to go along with the tea.
Read holiday stories
There are so many wonderful holiday-themed children’s books, and reading with your toddler is a great way to spend some quality time together.
Make a holiday-themed sensory bin
Fill a bin with fake snow, small plastic toys, and other holiday-themed items and let your toddler explore and play.
Play dress-up
Encourage your toddler to dress up as Santa, an elf, or any other holiday character. They’ll have a blast pretending to be someone else. Here is a cool video about how to make one
Visit a holiday market
Many cities have holiday markets that are open during the winter months. They often have festive decorations, holiday treats, and unique gifts. It’s a fun way to get in the holiday spirit and do some shopping.
Make a snowman or go sledding
If you live in a place with snow during the holidays, you can take your toddler outside to build a snowman or go sledding. This is a classic winter activity that’s sure to bring smiles and laughter to everyone involved.
Create a Christmas-themed sensory bottle
Sensory bottles are a great way to engage your toddler’s senses and promote relaxation. You can create a Christmas-themed sensory bottle by filling a clear plastic bottle with water, glitter, and small Christmas-themed toys or decorations.
Host a holiday-themed playdate
Invite some of your toddler’s friends over for a holiday-themed playdate. You can set up a festive craft station or have a cookie decorating party. This is a great way for your toddler to socialize and get into the holiday spirit.
Make a homemade advent calendar
Counting down the days until Christmas can be exciting for toddlers. You can make your own advent calendar by creating small envelopes or boxes for each day leading up to Christmas and filling them with small treats or toys.
Visit a tree farm or go on a holiday nature walk
Visit a Christmas tree farm or take a nature walk to collect natural materials like pinecones and holly berries. You can use these materials to create your own holiday decorations or to add some natural elements to your home.
Create a holiday-themed sensory bin
Fill a bin with rice, pasta, or other sensory materials and add small Christmas-themed toys or decorations. Your toddler can explore the bin with their hands or use small tools like scoops and spoons to dig and play.
Decorate a gingerbread person
Use store-bought gingerbread people or make your own from scratch. Let your toddler decorate the cookies with icing and candy. This is my favorite activity to do together as a family among other Christmas activities for toddlers.
Make a Christmas card for someone special
Help your toddler make a homemade Christmas card for a family member or friend. They can decorate the card with stickers, markers, and glitter to make it extra special.
Have a hot cocoa bar
Set up a hot cocoa bar with different types of hot cocoa, marshmallows, and whipped cream. Your toddler will love being able to make their own special cup of hot cocoa.
Make a homemade snow globe
Fill a small jar with water, glitter, and a small Christmas-themed toy or decoration. Seal the jar with hot glue and shake it up to create a snow globe. Your toddler will love watching the glitter swirl around.
Create a DIY wrapping paper station
Set up a station where your toddler can decorate their own wrapping paper. You can provide paper, markers, stamps, and stickers for them to create their own unique wrapping paper.
Bake and decorate Christmas cupcakes
Bake a batch of cupcakes and let your toddler decorate them with icing and sprinkles. This is a fun and festive activity that’s perfect for a cozy afternoon at home.
Host a holiday-themed story time
Invite some of your toddler’s friends over for a holiday-themed story time. You can read classic Christmas stories like “The Night Before Christmas” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Make a popcorn garland
String popcorn together to create a festive garland. Your toddler will love helping to thread the popcorn onto the string.
Play a game of holiday bingo
last one among Christmas activities for toddlers is to create your own holiday-themed bingo cards and play a game with your toddler. You can use Christmas-themed words like “Santa,” “reindeer,” and “gingerbread” for the spaces.
In conclusion, there are so many fun and festive Christmas activities for toddlers that you can do with your toddler this holiday season. From making your own decorations to going on a holiday nature walk, there’s something for everyone. No matter what activity you choose, the most important thing is to have fun and make lasting memories with your toddler this holiday season. Happy holidays!
Yumna is the lead author. She is a mom to two young children and have always been passionate about finding fun and educational activities for them. With her background in early childhood education, she strive to create engaging and age-appropriate activities that promote learning and development in toddlers.
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