10 Christmas Themed Activities To Keep The Little Ones Busy During The Holidays

It’s December which means Christmas-time in our house!

The holiday rush is real and can be quite overwhelming for both kids and parents alike.

Having a collection of fun go-to activities and crafts to retreat to during those stressful days can offer some relief!

 

That is the reason for this list of fun and easy Christmas-themed activities!

Although we are midway through the holiday season, I am sure it would still prove useful for those of us looking to occupy the little ones and not have to devote too much time to prep work!

 

Most of the crafts listed require supplies that can be easily found at home, however, I have included links if there are things that you don’t have on hand.

 

Let’s get to that fun list!

Don’t forget to pin and save any of these onto your Christmas Activities board for easy access in the future!

 

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Disclosure: I have included affiliate links to products that I have used and enjoyed. These are for your convenience. I do receive a small percentage of every purchase without any increase to your own price.

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1. Hand Print Wreath

 

Starting off the list had to be this absolute cutest DIY wreath, perfect for any age!

How sweet would it be to do a craft with your little one that you will truly treasure for many years to come!

 

The inspiration for this idea came from Diy_Rosanna.

She used foam sheets for the handprints, but using craft paper can also work if you don’t have those readily available.

 

For the circular ‘o’ base, I would recommend using cardboard just so that it is sturdier, but that is not absolutely necessary.

You can glue or staple the handprints onto one another to create the wreath without using a base.

 

What You’ll Need

• Green colored felt paper (regular or glittered) or heavy craft paper
• Safety scissors
• Christmas themed pompoms, foam stickers, ribbons (decorative elements are optional)
• 12 in cardboard ‘o’ cut-out (optional)

 

Instructions

1. Trace your child’s hand on the paper. Alternate the foam paper color/design for a more decorative wreath. 8-10 tracings is a good figure to aim at.

2. If your child is old enough, have them cut out their handprints. If not, cut them out for them.

3. Place the handprint cutouts in a circle in the desired order.

4. Together, glue or staple the handprint cutouts onto one another or your cardboard base. 

5. Have your child decorate the wreath with pompoms, foam stickers, or ribbons.

 

2. Pinecone Trees

 

This craft is not only easy for the kids to do, but it’s super fun!

Best of all, look at how pretty the trees come out looking!

 

This is the first of a number of Abcdeelearning crafts that I included in this post.

If you aren’t following Deena on Instagram or Pinterest then you’re missing out!

 

What You’ll Need

• Parchment paper
• Natural or Amazon pinecones
• Acrylic paint 
• Large kids’ paint brushes
• Glitter, pompoms, buttons, stars as decorative elements
• Wood ornament 
• Hot glue gun

 

Instructions

1. Have your child paint a pinecone on parchment paper.

2. Let them decorate the pinecone with decorative elements while the pinecone is still wet from the paint.

3. Allow the pinecone to dry and repeat steps 1-2 for the remaining pine cones.

4. Hot glue the pine cones onto the wood ornaments.

 

 

3. Noodle Tree

 

We go from pine trees to noodle trees, but I’m not complaining!

Look at those colors!

 

Another one from Abcdeelearning and this one is just as vibrant and exciting as the former!

This craft, however, will take a little extra behind-the-scenes prep work to set up but it is still super easy and FUN!

 

What You’ll Need

• Paper-sized, rectangular cardboard cut-out
• Pen and paintbrush
• Green and brown acrylic paint
• Parchment paper
• Butterfly pasta
• Large ziplock bag (optional)
• Washable glue
• Assorted pom-poms and stars

 

Instructions

1. Draw and paint a Christmas tree on the cardboard rectangle.

2. Paint the butterfly pasta green individually or by placing it into a large ziplock bag with green acrylic paint and shaking it until all pasta is fully coated.

3. Allow pasta to dry by laying it out on parchment paper.

4. Have your child glue the painted pasta noodles on the tree.

5. Let them decorate the tree by gluing pom-poms around the pasta and topping it off with a foam star.

 

4. Christmas Sticker Sweater

 

The not-so-ugly Christmas sweater coming at you with the next fun kid craft your kids will enjoy!

 

This is a fun craft that comes from Littleoneslearn, along with a list of other Christmas activity ideas.

It is not only super easy to set up, but it’s also a fun and very practical way to use up all those cute Christmas stickers.

What kid doesn’t love peeling and sticking stickers?

 

What You’ll Need

• Felt paper or heavy craft paper
• Safety scissors
• Christmas themed stickers

 

Instructions

1. Trace out a sweater-shaped cutout onto your paper.

2. Cut out the traced sweater or have your child cut it out if they are old enough.

3. Have your child decorate their Christmas sweater with stickers! And repeat!

 

5. Winter Magic Milk Tray

 

This science experiment is sure to excite your littles and keep them occupied for some time!

While it appears super simple, the reaction between the dyed milk and dish soap creates mesmerizing patterns that are sure the entertain for hours!

 

This one is from one of my favorites Inspiremyplay.

What makes this set-up so much easier is having the Original Inspiremyplay play tray, but if you have a large plate that is slightly dipped then that works just as well.

 

What You’ll Need

• Large tray
• Full fat milk
• Snowflake cookie cutters
• Blue and purple food coloring
• Sauce cup
• Dish soap
• Q-tips

Instructions

1. Fill the large tray with a thin layer of full-fat milk.

2. Spread out the snowflake cookie cutters across the tray, on top of the milk.

3. Add drops of blue and purple food coloring randomly across the full-fat milk.

4. Pour some dish soap into the sauce cup.

5. Have your child dab a q-tip into the soap and then into the tray and watch the excitement unfold!

 

 

6. Christmas Play-Doh Kit

 

What is a list of fun activities without Play-Doh?!

Seriously, my kids LOVE anything Play-Doh, that is why when I saw this I had to include it!

 

This is another beautiful activity by Inspiremyplay,

Set-up is pretty straightforward.

Assemble the kit and let your kids have at it!

 

If you don’t want to assemble your own kit, there are many options of premade kits on Etsy!

My favorite shop is TheBlissfulNestShop, check out her kits HERE!

 

What You’ll Need

• Large tray with dividers (optional, makes for convenient organization and easier clean-up!)
• Blue and white Play-Doh 
• Snowflake cookie cutters
• Small wood rolling pin (or you could just get an entire Play-Doh tool kit)
• Sensory play knock-knacks (mini Christmas trees, blue flat marbles, wood ornaments, peg people, Christmas-themed confetti)

 

Instructions

1. Assemble your kit at the play area. If you have a large tray with dividers, then set it up on there, separating each element in its own compartment. Below is Inspiremyplay for some inspiration!

2. Let them play! 

 

7. Christmas Sensory Play With DIY Fake Snow

 

This DIY snow is not only great for your Christmas sensory play kits, but for general play as well.

Just watch out, it can get messy quickly!

 

Another Inspiremyplay favorite, I know, I wanted you we would have a lot of her activity ideas on the list!

They’re just that good!

 

What You’ll Need

• Baking soda
• Shaving cream
• Bowl
• Measuring cup
• Spoon

 

Instructions

1. Measure equal parts baking soda and shaving cream.

2. Combine and mix in a bowl.

3. Playtime! Add more shaving cream to maintain snow form.

8. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes

 

How beautiful are these snowflakes?!

The best part is that your child can easily replicate these on their own.

 

Our.colorful.journey is here with the inspiration and pretty pictures!

These are just some ideas of snowflake shapes you can make with this technique.

 

What You’ll Need

• Jumbo popsicle sticks
• Glue

 

Instructions

1. Glue together some popsicle snowflakes for your child to copy and allow to dry.

2. Set out snowflake models and the rest of the popsicles with glue at the play area.

3. Have your child replicate your snowflake designs or make their own.

4. Allow snowflakes to dry. Repeat steps 3-4.

 

9. Button Christmas Cards

 

What better way to make Christmas cards with your kids than to make a fun activity out of it!

These button cards are not only easy enough for your littles, but they are also super cute!

 

The last one from Inspiremy play, and can I say it has to be my favorite!

Fun and practical!

 

What You’ll Need

• Brown construction paper
• Pencil
• Assorted buttons
• Glitter paper
• Decorative elements (foam star stickers, pipe cleaners, ribbons)
• Glue

 

Instructions

1. Cut out small squares and stars (if you don’t have foam stickers) using glitter paper, for the tree stumps and toppers.

2. Fold the brown kraft paper in half, cross-wise.

3. Draw a triangle or circle on the folded kraft paper, depending on what design you want your child to create.

4. If your child is old enough, have them pour glue inside the triangle for the tree design and on the rim of the circle for the wreath design. If not, then do this for them.

5. Have your child place buttons on the glue of each design, until filled in, and then decorate by gluing the stump and star for the tree design or the ribbon for the wreath design. 

6. Allow the glue to dry and repeat steps 2-5 for each additional card.

7. Once the cards have dried, help your child write messages in them for their friends and family. 

 

10. Cardboard Christmas Trees

 

Last but definitely not least, check out this super cute cardboard Christmas tree!

Such a good way to repurpose all the shipping boxes that are probably stacking up around the house during this time of year!

 

This one is again from Abcdeelearning and very simple as most of these crafts are, but still super cute and fun to make!

 

What You’ll Need

• Pencil
• Cardboard
• Safety scissors
• Pine pipe cleaners
• Brown construction paper
• Decorative elements (foam star stickers, pom-poms, Christmas-themed confetti)
• Glue
• Tape

 

Instructions

1. Draw a triangle on your cardboard and cut it out with scissors.

2. Trace over your triangle cut-out onto the remaining cardboard and cut out additional triangles.

3. Draw square trunks on the brown construction paper and cut them out using scissors.

4. If your child is old enough, have them measure and cut the pine pipe cleaner according to size so as to stack up the pipes on the cardboard triangle. If they are not old enough to do so, cut the pine pipe cleaner in multiple sizes for them.

5. Have your child glue the pine pipe cleaners onto the carboard triangle until it is filled.

6. Let your child decorate the tree by gluing on the pom-poms and confetti onto the pine pipe cleaner tree and sticking on the star sticker at the top of the tree. Use tape to secure the tree stump at the bottom of the tree.

7. Allow the glue to dry and repeat steps 5-6 until all trees are decorated.

 

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