From sensory play and crafts to games and creating special Christmas Eve boxes, here are ten Christmas activities you can do with your toddler this year. These easy activities will help engage their minds and bodies while allowing them to have festive fun during the holidays.
Ten Easy Toddler Christmas Activities
1. Sensory Play for Toddlers
Sensory play is an important part of toddler development as it encourages toddlers to use all five of their senses (taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell). At the same time, they explore different materials in a safe environment. Most sensory play activities can be played with items found around the house.
One easy example is a simple sensory bin filled with items such as rice, pasta, dried beans, or other objects for them to explore and move around. To enhance this experience, you could add scents like peppermint extract or baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Additionally, you could add small toys such as toy cars or animals for your toddler to drive through the bin or act out scenarios within it.
Another popular fine motor activity is creating a homemade play dough or slime recipe incorporating essential oils such as orange or lemon to give your toddler an additional olfactory element. You could also let your toddler color the dough or slime for visual stimulation and tactile experience when squishing and squashing it between their fingers.
For auditory stimulation, you can have your toddler play musical instruments such as xylophones, maracas, bells, and drums; make noise shakers using jars and various materials like popcorn kernels; listen to classic Christmas songs; or work together on some DIY projects using power tools like drills that produce loud noises that can help increase auditory awareness.
2. Crafting Projects
Fun Christmas crafts are a great way to engage toddlers while developing their fine motor skills. Plus, there’s something special about making a handmade gift for someone else that kids love.
When crafting together, use items that are safe for young children. This could include crayons and washable paints, glitter in plastic bottles or containers (to limit mess), pre-cut construction paper shapes, and other materials that are easy for little hands to use. Set up a crafting station with the necessary supplies so that everything is within reach. And don’t forget aprons or smocks for extra protection from any messes!
One idea for holiday crafting with toddlers is creating Christmas cards or decor. Crafting supplies like construction paper, markers, crayons, glitter, and glue will give them plenty of options for personalizing their creations. If you want more specific project ideas, consider making festive decorations such as a paper snowflake garland or an ornament tree made from felt pieces.
Another great option is making edible treats together. Whether baking cookies or decorating gingerbread houses together – this type of activity allows toddlers to have fun while learning kitchen safety and following instructions. Plus, they get to snack on their creations.
3. Christmas Games
Christmas games are a great way to engage your toddler in meaningful play while getting them into the holiday spirit. Games such as “Pin the Nose on Rudolph” or “Pass the Presents” are age-appropriate versions of popular adult games that will help keep toddlers engaged and entertained.
Another activity idea for toddlers is “Build a Snowman.” Toddlers can use cotton balls, construction paper, markers, and other arts and crafts materials to create their own snowman masterpieces.
For a more educational approach, try playing an ABC Christmas scavenger hunt. Have your toddler look around the house for items that start with alphabet letters, like A for apple, B for bow, etc.
A classic Christmas game that works well with toddlers is “Santa Says”, which is similar to Simon Says – but instead of Simon, it’s Santa! Have your tot do silly movements or actions when Santa says or when you point at different items in the room – this simple activity helps them learn to follow directions from Santa himself!
4. Christmas Eve Boxes
Christmas Eve boxes are a fun way to get your toddler excited. A Christmas Eve box is essentially a themed gift box filled with different Christmas activities and presents that can be enjoyed on the night before Christmas. Not only do these boxes create an exciting atmosphere for your little ones, but they also provide something special for them to look forward to each year.
What to put in a Christmas Eve box for toddlers is up to you. A box typically contains small gifts such as toys, books, or even food items. It may also contain festive decorations like tinsel, baubles, and candles. The contents of the box depend on your child’s age and interests, so make sure you include something special that they will appreciate. Additionally, you can include some festive crafts, such as snowflake garlands or gingerbread man cookies, to spruce up the presentation of the gifts.
Another great thing about a Christmas Eve box is that it encourages creative playtime! You can fill it with sensory items like playdough and glitter or interactive games like puzzles and memory cards. This will be sure to keep your busy toddler quite entertained while they open their presents on Christmas Eve morning.
Finally, Christmas Eve boxes provide a wonderful opportunity to teach children about giving and helping others in need. You can include items in the box that encourage acts of kindness, such as books about charity or jars of coins for donating to those who are less fortunate than us.
5. Outdoor Activities
Outdoor activities can be great fun! From sledding in the snow to building a mini snowman or making snow angels, there are all sorts of ways to play outside during the winter months. Going on nature walks, exploring parks, and taking pictures of the scenery are always good kids’ activities, not only during the Christmas season.
In addition to traditional winter activities such as sledding and snowman-building, you can also get creative with ice play. An easy way to do this is by filling trays or buckets with water and adding different objects like toys, leaves, or pinecones before letting them freeze overnight. Once frozen the next day, you can bring out your creations for some hands-on exploration. Plus, it gives kids an opportunity to explore their environment in a unique way!
Another option is painting with ice cubes: fill cups with water and add food coloring before freezing into cubes – then let your toddler go wild decorating outdoor areas with their colorful ice paints!
Finally, nothing says Christmas like a good old-fashioned snowball fight! Find an open spot free from obstacles and have fun making snowballs together. As long as it’s not too cold out, there’s always something new your toddler can discover outdoors!
6. Baking Together
Baking is a creative and educational experience. Kids love to help in the kitchen, and baking together is an excellent way to get them interested in cooking and nutrition. Plus, you get to enjoy the delicious treats once they’re done!
It’s important that whatever recipes you choose are age-appropriate for your toddler. Start with simple recipes like muffins or cookies that don’t require too many ingredients or steps.
Make sure that there are plenty of tasks for your little ones to do safely, such as stirring dough, rolling out cookies, cutting shapes with cookie cutters, and sprinkling decorations on top. You can even make it educational by teaching them about measurements or counting while you measure out ingredients.
Once you’ve baked all of your treats, don’t forget to take some pictures to remember this special moment forever! Baking with kids isn’t just fun – it’s an opportunity to build memories that will last a lifetime.
7. Singing Songs
Singing holiday classics like Jingle Bells or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer can help create a festive atmosphere and bring out the kid in everyone! Not only that, but singing can also benefit young children’s cognitive development. Singing helps them to develop language skills, as well as their ability to remember information.
Furthermore, it encourages them to use their imagination and explore different sounds, tones, and emotions. It can even help boost their self-confidence as they take pleasure in learning words and phrases related to the holiday season. All you need is some karaoke music or even just your voice!
8. Reading Stories
Reading Christmas books to toddlers can help them learn new words, strengthen their listening skills, and increase their imaginations. Introduce your toddler to the magical storylines of Christmas-themed picture books or even traditional tales like “The Night Before Christmas.” Plus, it’s an enjoyable activity that adults can share with their toddlers, too!
Reading stories can also be a bonding time for parents and children. When adults read aloud or act out popular stories together with toddlers, they create strong memories that will stay with them even after Christmas has ended. Parents can also ask questions during the story-telling process to stimulate proper language development in toddlers. This helps toddlers understand the characters better, absorb more information from the book, and develop curiosity and comprehension skills.
Story-time doesn’t need to be limited to books either; parents can also tell stories about their family traditions or make up their own imaginative tales for their children using puppets or toys. As long as the story is age-appropriate and engaging for the toddler, it’s sure to keep them captivated throughout the whole experience. Reading stories is a great way for parents to spend quality time with their young ones as well as encourage learning opportunities for them at an early age.
9. Decorating Together
Decorating together is an opportunity to spend quality time with your toddler and even teach toddlers a bit about art and design. Plus, the whole family can get into the holiday spirit!
In addition to traditional Christmas tree decorations, garlands, lights, or gingerbread houses, try activities like decorating handprint ornaments or homemade snowflakes. Use washable paint on their hands and feet as a fun way to make festive designs.
Or set up stations around the room where toddlers can move from one to another and do different crafts at each station – paper plate trees, window decor made from tissue paper circles, cotton ball snowmen! These are all simple yet creative activities that will spark your toddler’s imagination.
The key is to be mindful of the safety of your busy toddler while still having loads of fun! When you’re done creating masterpieces, take some photos as memories of your special day spent together, making holiday magic.
10. Holiday Movies
Many classic holiday films are appropriate for young audiences and provide an opportunity to talk about the story and Christmas characters. When selecting age-appropriate films, look for those that feature uplifting themes, positive messages, or have no scary scenes.
Toddlers also love animated Christmas stories like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Frosty The Snowman.” Make sure to keep their attention by talking about what they’re seeing on screen and asking them questions while they watch. If the movie is a bit too long, take breaks to have snacks and stretch your legs!
Whether it’s a classic holiday film or a new family favorite, watching movies with your toddler can be a cozy way to spend time together.
