Christmas time is probably one of the all time favourite family holidays, filled with twinkling fairy lights, seasonal smells, and of course, the highlight for kids everywhere… the arrival of Santa himself. But entertaining the kids over the holidays, when we are often cooped up indoors, can sometimes be challenging. Worry not – we’ve got it covered! Here are 101 of the best Christmas Activities for Kids (and their parents!).

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The house is smelling all Christmassy, there’s Christmas music in the air, and you’re feeling like having some festive fun. We’ve compiled a huge list of 101 seasonal things to do with your child, from baking to watching a Christmas movie to going to see some Christmas lights!

Many of these Christmas activities for kids are free ideas to do at home – make sure to add your favourite ideas in the comments below!

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Fun and Festive Christmas Activities For Kids

#1. Try these Christmas recipes for kids to make and bake some Christmas cookies.

#2. Make a festive wreath.

#3. Tell some Christmas jokes.

#4. Play the Snowman dice game.

#5. Make a homemade Advent calendar (here are filler ideas that aren’t candy!)

#6. Read a Christmas story.

#7. Cook a festive Christmas brunch.

#8. Wrap up warm and head out for a winter walk – here’s a Winter Scavenger Hunt to amuse.

#9. Create festive aromas – make an Orange Pomander.

#10. Do some festive artwork – here are the best Christmas colouring pages for kids. (See #40 for adults).

#11. Brew up some seasonal non-alcoholic drinks for all the family.

#12. Craft your own paper snowflakes to decorate windows, wall and even gifts.

#13. Turn your shed into Santa’s grotto.

#14. Watch a Christmas movie.

#15. Play some fun Christmas Apps.

#16. Head out in the evening time to see the Christmas lights in your town / neighbourhood.

#17. Make Christmas bunting.

#18. Countdown to Christmas on smartphone or tablet with these fun apps.

#19. Play a Christmas board game.

#20. Head to your local Christmas market.

#21. One of the most anticipated Christmas activities for kids is to visit Santa!

#22. Take the family ice skating.

#23. Make your own decorations with the kids.

#24. Track Santa on Christmas Eve (when you’ve done that, here are some tips for getting the kids to bed early that night!)

#25. Build a snowman. If there’s no snow, you could try these cute milk carton snowmen from The Chic. Or we reckon these cute edible marshmallow snowmen from The Decorated Cookie will more than compensate for lack of snow :)

#26. Add a personal touch to the holiday and create homemade Christmas food gifts this year for friends and family – here are 10 homemade Christmas food gifts that kids can make.

#27. Make salt dough decorations.

#28. Wrap Christmas gifts. We like these free printable holiday gift tags to make your own tags to go with the presents.

#29. Sing Christmas carols.

#30. Play card games together.

#31. Make a gingerbread house.

#32. Remember our feathered friends when it’s cold outside and make your own bird feeder.

#33. Make some homemade decorations you can eat – yummy! Just may not last till Christmas.

#34. Be safe this festive season with these 35 Holiday Safety Tips for Christmas.

#35. Get crafty with the kids – here are 15 Christmas Crafts for Kids & Easy Christmas Crafts for Toddlers.

#36. Simplify your holiday this year – here are 13 Genius Christmas Hacks for an Easier Festive Season.

#37. Create a Christmas play with the kids using puppets.

#38. Stuff the stockings – here are 50 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids.

#39. Cook/Bake some easy festive recipes with the kids.

#40. Try some adult mindfulness (probably a good idea at this hectic time of year) and colour – here are the Best Colouring Pages for Adults. (See #10 for kids).

#41. Buy and donate a toy/food to your local charity.

#42. Stuck for gift ideas for teacher? Make your own cards and gifts – here are 10 Practical Gift Ideas for Teachers.

#43. Make magic reindeer food to sprinkle outside on Christmas eve.

#44. Bake some gingerbread men with the kids.

#45. Create a Christmas snow globe using plastic figures and decorations added to a jar filled with water, glycerine and glitter. Or try this personalised snow globe from Our Best Bites.

#46. Make pine cone decorations – here are 12 Simple Pine Cone Crafts for Kids.

#47. Head to the panto or a Christmas concert.

#48. Have a play room clear-out to make way for new toys, and donate older toys to charities.

#49. Collect holly.

#50. Make your own Cranberry Sauce.

#51. Wrap up warm and go star spotting – here are tips for stargazing for kids.

#52. Share the Christmas card workload and have the kids help with writing and addressing the cards this year. Younger kids can pop on the stamps.

#53. Make a family Christmas video message to send to relatives abroad. Smilebox is nice for making personalised photo style e-cards with music.

#54. Decorate the Christmas tree.

#55. Bake your own mince pies.

#56. Brew up homemade non-alcoholic apple cider for all the family to enjoy over the holidays.

#57. Cook the Turkey in 8 Easy Steps.

#58. Play some family board games together.

#59. Make a Christmas tree for younger kids to decorate over and over again, like The Natural Momma in Me did on this Learning & Exploring Through Play article.

#60. Make some warming winter recipes with the kids.

#61. Write and post a letter to Santa.

#62. Take a trip to the cinema to catch the latest Christmas family movies.

#63. Make your own Christmas cards. For inspiration The Imagination Tree have a round up of 8 Christmas Card ideas.

#64. Go Christmas shopping for gifts.

#65. Enjoy some Elf On The Shelf mischief. For inspiration and free Printables see East Coast Mommy for a Month of Elf on the Shelf Ideas.

#66. Create a time capsule to mark the end of the year.

#67. Stuck indoors? Have a Christmas Treasure Hunt, with festive clues and prizes.

#68. Make a Christmas fortune teller – just add some funny Christmas messages inside for the festive season.

#69. Learn a magic trick and entertain the family over Christmas.

#70. Look at old photo albums together – kids love looking at old photos.

#71. Make some Christmas play dough by adding some glitter and festive essential oils like peppermint or pine. Add some colour with watercolour paints or food colouring  – here’s how to make basic play dough.

#72. Make cute Santa Strawberries, using strawberries for hat and body and marshmallow /mascarpone for the head. Recipe over on Leanne Bakes.

#73. Create a festive sensory box for younger kids – here are 7 simple sensory box ideas for kids.

#74. Make a bucket list for the new year.

#75. Learn some card tricks to wow the family over the holidays.

#76. Visit an elderly neighbour or relative.

#77. Make festive slime, by adding glitter, food colouring, and essential oils. Growing a Jeweled Rose has a fun recipe for Santa Slime on their blog.

#78. Create your own home cinema and watch some festive films.

#79. Play family charades.

#80. Craft a Reindeer decoration from corks.

#81. Create a Rudolph decoration using the outlines of your kids hands and feet – hands make the antlers, and the foot outline makes the head. Cute!

#82. Learn to knit.

#83. Bake some cute Rudolph Christmas Buns – perfect to leave out for Santa when he visits on Christmas Eve.

#84. Make seasonal shaped pancakes for breakfast. Here’s How to Make Pancakes in Fun Shapes for Kids.

#85. Shake off that excess energy with a Christmas dance-off or disco.

#86. Have an indoor scavenger hunt.

#87. Make Reindeer Poop as a novelty gift for friends or family.

#88. Wrap up and head out for a Nature Walk.

#89. Cook up some warming winter soup – here are 16 Soup Recipes Kids Love.

#90. Make invisible ink.

#91. Craft a Paper Plate Penguin – all you need are 2 paper plates, yellow card or paper, Glue, Scissors and Elastic!

#92. Brew up a flask of of hot chocolate or mulled hot apple, with some warm mince pies, for a winter picnic. If the weather’s too bad, just have an indoor picnic instead.

#93. Get the kids to make dinner over the holidays – here’s How to Make Dinner For Your Family in 10 Simple Steps.

#94. Make your own toys – here are 10 Easy Homemade Toy Ideas to Make with Kids.

#95. Ged the kids to help with the extra Christmas chores.

#96. Learn to sew – here are Easy Sewing Projects for Kids to Do.

#97. Go on a Sound Hunt.

#98. Make your own Christmas Tags.

#99. Bake some little Christmas Tree Cakes.

#100. Make a Christmas Wind Chime –  we love this Snowman version from handsonaswegrow.com, which is made using tin cans.

#101. Celebrate the New Year with younger kids earlier in evening – half an hour before your kids’ bedtime, switch the clocks to 11:30 P.M. Count down to “midnight” together then and off they go to bed :)

Finally, relax and enjoy this nice family time together. You’ll all be back in the routine of work and school before you know it!

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Have your say! What else you would add to our list of Christmas activities for kids? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!