Are you looking for some Indoor Christmas activities for kids? Look no further! When the weather outside gets chilly, staying in can be the most wonderful way to make memories.
This time is all about creating that special holiday magic right in the warmth of your home. It’s a chance to connect, get creative, and start traditions that your little ones will remember for years to come. Let’s make this Christmas the coziest one yet!
This guide is filled with fun ideas to keep everyone happy and busy. From creative crafts to exciting games, there’s something here for every family. Get ready to fill your home with laughter, joy, and the sweet smell of gingerbread without ever having to put on your snow boots.
Creative Christmas Crafts & DIY Fun 🎨
1. Paper Wonderland
Turn your living room into a snowy scene with simple paper crafts. Making paper snowflakes is a classic for a reason; each one is unique, just like your little ones. You can also create colorful red and green paper chains to drape over doorways and windows for an instant festive touch.
2. Handmade Treasures
This is all about creating keepsakes. For salt dough ornaments, you just need a simple mix of flour, salt, and water. Let the kids knead the dough, use cookie cutters for festive shapes, and poke a hole for the ribbon before baking.
Once cooled, they can paint their creations. Another great idea is to collect pinecones from the yard, clean them, and let the kids paint them or add glitter for some sparkly decorations.
3. Edible Art
Decorating a gingerbread house is a must-do Christmas activity. You can buy a kit or bake your own gingerbread pieces. Set out bowls of colorful candies, icing, and sprinkles and let your kids’ imaginations run wild. This is a delicious project that the whole family can enjoy together.
4. Gift Making
Encourage a spirit of giving by helping your kids make simple homemade gifts. They could decorate a plain mug for a grandparent with ceramic markers, create a beaded bracelet for a friend, or make a jar of hot cocoa mix for a teacher.
The key is to make it personal and from the heart. It teaches them that the best gifts are often the ones you make yourself.
Engaging Christmas Games & Challenges 🎲
5. Festive Scavenger Hunts
Create a list of Christmas-themed items for your kids to find around the house. It could be “something red and sparkly,” “an ornament shaped like a star,” or “a candy cane.” For older kids, you can write rhyming clues that lead them from one spot to the next, with a small prize at the end.
6. Minute to Win It – Holiday Edition
These are quick, one-minute challenges using holiday items. For example, see who can stack the most gumdrops using only a toothpick in their mouth. Another fun one is the “Jingle Bell Shake,” where you tie an empty tissue box with jingle bells inside to a player’s waist, and they have to shake them all out in 60 seconds. These games are sure to bring lots of laughter.
7. DIY Christmas Escape Room
You don’t need anything fancy to create a simple escape room at home. Create a few puzzles related to Christmas carols or holiday movies. For instance, a riddle’s answer could be the code to a small lockbox containing the next clue. The final goal could be to find the key to a room where a special Christmas treat is waiting.
8. Board Game Bonanza
Dust off your favorite board games or work together on a large, holiday-themed jigsaw puzzle. Spending an afternoon playing games is a fantastic way to bond as a family. Make it extra special with a big bowl of popcorn and some Christmas music playing softly in the background.
Cozy & Educational Holiday Adventures 📚
9. Christmas Story Time
Gather around the fireplace (or just a cozy corner) and read classic Christmas stories aloud. Books like “The Night Before Christmas” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” are perfect for this. Use different voices for the characters to make it even more engaging for the little ones.
10. Holiday Movie Marathon
Pick a day to stay in your pajamas and watch all your favorite Christmas movies. Let everyone choose one movie to add to the lineup. Set up a snack bar with popcorn, candy, and hot cocoa with all the toppings like whipped cream and sprinkles.
11. Sensory Play
Create a “pretend snow” bin for some mess-free winter fun. You can make the snow by mixing baking soda with a bit of water or hair conditioner until it has a fluffy, snow-like texture. Add small toys, scoops, and cookie cutters to the bin for hours of imaginative play. It’s a great sensory experience for younger children.
12. Winter Science
Turn your kitchen into a science lab with a simple experiment like growing your own crystal ornaments. Just dissolve borax in hot water, create a shape with a pipe cleaner, and hang it in the solution overnight. By morning, it will be covered in beautiful, sparkling crystals ready to hang on the tree.
13. Letter Writing
This is a timeless tradition that helps kids practice their writing skills. Set up a special station with festive paper, envelopes, stickers, and colorful pens.
They can write their wish lists to Santa or craft thoughtful letters to grandparents or friends who live far away. It’s a lovely way to teach them about connection and gratitude.
Meaningful Family Traditions & Memories ✨
14. Kindness Advent Calendar
Instead of candy, fill an advent calendar with daily acts of kindness. Each day, your child can open a slip of paper with a simple, kind task to complete. Ideas could be “give someone a compliment,” “help a sibling with a chore,” or “make a card for a neighbor.”
15. Gratitude Jar
Decorate a large jar and keep slips of paper and a pen next to it. Throughout the holiday season, encourage every family member to write down things they are thankful for and add them to the jar. On Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day, sit together and read all the notes aloud. It’s a beautiful reminder of all the good things in your lives.
16. Baking for Others
Spread holiday cheer by baking treats for people in your community. Let the kids help mix the batter for cookies or brownies. Once baked and decorated, package them up nicely and deliver them to neighbors, local firefighters, or delivery drivers who work so hard during the holidays. This activity teaches children the joy of giving back.
17. DIY Photo Booth
Set up a festive backdrop using wrapping paper or a string of lights. Gather some fun props like Santa hats, reindeer antlers, silly glasses, and chalkboard signs to write messages on. Let everyone take turns being the photographer and posing for fun, memorable family pictures.
18. Blanket Fort Bonanza
Use chairs, couches, and all the blankets and pillows you can find to build an epic blanket fort in the living room. String some fairy lights inside to make it magical. This becomes the perfect cozy hideaway for reading Christmas stories, watching a movie on a tablet, or just sharing secrets.
Active Indoor Play for Little Elves 🤸♀️
19. Indoor Obstacle Course
When the kids have extra energy to burn, an indoor obstacle course is the perfect solution. Use pillows to crawl over, a line of tape to balance on, and a table to crawl under. Add a Christmas twist by having them carry a small, unbreakable ornament from start to finish or wear a Santa hat while completing the course.
20. Christmas Carol Dance Party
Crank up your favorite holiday playlist and have a dance party right in your living room. Let loose and be silly! You can even turn it into a game of freeze dance—when the music stops, everyone has to freeze in a festive pose. It’s a simple way to get moving and lift everyone’s spirits.
21. Balloon Games
Balloons are an inexpensive way to have a lot of fun. Use red, green, and white balloons for a festive feel. A classic game is “Keep the Balloon Up,” where the goal is to not let the balloon touch the floor. You can also play balloon tennis using paper plate paddles.
22. Holiday Charades/Pictionary
Give this classic game a holiday spin. Write down Christmas-themed words and phrases on slips of paper, like “building a snowman,” “decorating the tree,” or “singing Christmas carols.” It’s a fantastic game that gets everyone involved and laughing hard.
23. DIY Hot Cocoa Bombs
This is a trendy and delicious craft that kids will absolutely love. You’ll need sphere-shaped silicone molds, good quality melting chocolate, and fillings like mini marshmallows, sprinkles, and instant cocoa mix. Melt the chocolate and carefully coat the inside of the molds, letting it set before adding a second layer for strength.
Once the chocolate shells are firm, fill one half with your cocoa mix and marshmallows, then seal it with another empty half by warming the rim on a plate. The kids can get creative decorating the outside with more chocolate drizzles and festive sprinkles.
24. Christmas-themed ‘Would You Rather?’
This is a super simple game that requires no setup and is perfect for sparking fun conversations. Create a list of silly, Christmas-related choices for your kids to ponder.
For example, “Would you rather have a nose that glows red like Rudolph’s or pointy ears like an elf?” or “Would you rather eat nothing but candy canes for a day or nothing but fruitcake?” It’s a great way to get everyone talking and laughing, and you can play it anytime, like during dinner or while decorating the tree.
25. Create a Family Christmas Playlist
Music is a huge part of the holiday season, so why not create a special playlist together? Let every member of the family choose a few of their favorite Christmas songs to add to the list. You can include classic carols, modern pop hits, and even funny holiday tunes.
This personalized playlist can become the soundtrack for all your festive activities, from baking cookies to opening presents, and you can add to it year after year.
26. Indoor ‘Snowball’ Target Practice 🎯
When the kids have extra holiday excitement, an indoor ‘snowball’ fight is the perfect, safe outlet. Use soft, plush white pom-poms or even balled-up clean white socks for some harmless fun. This gets everyone moving and laughing without the cold fingers.
To make it a game, set up a target by stacking some red and green plastic cups in a pyramid. You can assign points to different cups to create a friendly competition. It’s a fantastic way to burn off some energy before settling down for a Christmas movie.
These Indoor Christmas Activities for Kids are about more than just passing the time; they are about building a treasure chest of warm family memories.
The laughter shared over a silly game and the pride on a child’s face after creating a handmade gift are the moments that truly matter. Embracing the magic of staying home for the holidays can strengthen your family bond in a special way.
So, go ahead and pick a few ideas from this list to get started. Don’t be afraid to add your own creative twists and begin new traditions that are uniquely yours. Happy memory-making!
