The holidays are a time for family, friends, and fun. So if you’re looking for ideas on how to enjoy the season, you’ve come to the right place. We have gathered some of the best holiday activities to keep everyone entertained. From festive crafts to wintery walks, we have something for everyone! So bundle up and get ready to celebrate. The holidays are here!
Make a Daily Advent Calendar
An advent calendar is a fun way to countdown the days leading up to Christmas. For example, instead of just giving your kids candy, you could create an activity-based calendar that includes baking cookies, going for a nature walk, building a snowman, doing an art project or making homemade cards, and helping others in need. In addition, the calendar will include tasks of giving and spending quality family time. This will involve some excellent planning by the parents, but the rewards and excitement will be well worth the time you put into creating an incredible 25 days till Christmas. This will also instill some great morels of giving to others as well the importance of family time. Give your kids a gift they will remember and pass down for generations.
Ice Skating
Bundle up and head to your local rink or lake to enjoy one of the best winter activities. It will be extraordinary if your child has never gone before, and you can be there to teach them the right moves. Many places offer light experiences and cater to the holiday season with lights, music, and hot chocolate.
Gingerbread House
Gather the necessary supplies – like graham crackers, candy canes, frosting, and sprinkles – and turn your kitchen into a gingerbread house-building workshop. Kids will love getting creative with their design ideas! There are also gingerbread kits that you can buy that supply all that is needed to create a beautiful candy house.
Christmas Movie Night Bingo
Make sure to have plenty of popcorn and hot chocolate ready for an ultimate movie night! First, put on a classic like It’s A Wonderful Life, Elf, or Home Alone. Then, create a movie bingo card with items, and you get a check when the item is seen on TV. The first one to call Bingo wins a prize.
Enjoy a Sleigh Ride
There’s nothing like going for a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow like Santa does every year. Check your local area where this might be available, and have fun sipping on hot chocolate and meeting other families with whom you can share the experience. So bundle up and get ready for some fun family memories!
Build a Snowmen
Head out to the yard and make a snowman family. Dress them up in hats and scarves, give them names, and snap some photos of your masterpieces!
Go on a Scavenger Hunt
Create an exciting holiday scavenger hunt for kids around the house or neighborhood. Create a checklist of items that need to be found and Hide clues that reveal where the next hidden thing is and make sure to have a special prize at the end!
Decorate Ornaments night
Gather all the necessary supplies like glitter, pipe cleaners, and buttons to decorate ornaments. Then, get creative with painting techniques, patterns, and colors. There is also the option of creating salt dough ornaments with paints. This is a perfect way of getting the kids involved in baking and decorating to your heart’s delight.
Winter Hike or Nature Walk
Explore your local park or nature center with some winter bird-watching. Keep an eye out for other animals, ice formations, and snow sculptures along the way.
Ice Fishing
Grab your rods, tackle, and bait and head to the nearest frozen lake! Kids will love trying their hand at ice fishing – make sure they bundle up in plenty of layers.
Visit a Light Display
Head out for a festive drive around town to enjoy the beautiful light displays. You can even make unique stops to get closer views of the decorations or take pictures in front of your favorite displays.
Holiday Crafts n Decorations
Let kids unleash their creativity with fun holiday crafts like salt dough snowflakes, paper lanterns, and Christmas tree garlands with popcorn and cranberries. Then, get supplies like construction paper, paints, and markers, and let kids decorate with their designs.
Have a Snowball Fight
This classic winter activity is always a hit! So bundle up in your hats, scarves, and snow pants and have some fun with friends or family. Make sure you save enough snow for building a tiny snowman afterward.
Visit Santa Claus
Take your little ones to visit the jolly man himself! It can be a special moment for older kids and adults to make unique Christmas wishes. Other activities are often available, like crafts, caroling, and hot cocoa.
Go Tubing or Sledding
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of going down a snowy hill on a tube or sled. Find a nearby park, ski resort, or backyard for winter fun!
Holiday Cookie Decorating
Christmas is the perfect time to bake something special for friends, family, and neighbors. Kids can help mix the dough, cut out cookie shapes, and add decorations. Get the family involved in creating sugar treats. Divide into teams and see who can make the most beautiful cookie creations! The kids will have a fantastic time being creative with sprinkles, candies, and frosting. Once everyone’s done, put them on display and have an official judging session.
Create Birdseed Ornaments
Make your birdseed ornaments with kids to feed birds during winter. Use cookie cutters and a mixture of peanut butter, lard, and birdseed to create simple feeders that can hang outside on trees or poles.
Give Old Toys/clothes to Local Drive
This is an excellent way for kids to learn the importance of giving and helping those less fortunate. Have your children go through their toy boxes, drawers, and shelves to find gently used toys they no longer play with. Take these donations to your local toy drive or other charity to show the joy of giving.
Tree Lighting Ceremony
Find a local tree-lighting ceremony and enjoy the lights, music, and festivities with the family. From the lighting of the tree to caroling and hot cocoa, there will be plenty for kids to do and enjoy!
Santa Clause Parade
Have a family outing at the local Santa Clause Parade! Kids will love to see all the floats, bands, and costumed characters. They’ll also get a chance to catch up with Santa and perhaps snag some free candy from those handing it out along the parade route.
Decorate The Tree
Christmas would be complete without decorating the tree! Let the kids help hang lights and ornaments as you share stories about each decoration—it’s a fun way to make memories that will last. Once your masterpiece is finished, enjoy some hot cocoa while admiring your beautiful creation.
Snowflake Window Display
Bring the beauty of snowflakes into your home by creating a window display. Have kids cut out paper snowflakes and hang them in the windows with transparent tape. The ornaments will show up gorgeously against the light from outside with some spray on snow!
Make DIY Gifts
Get creative this holiday season and make gifts for teachers, friends, and family. Buy a few mason jars and fill them with ingredients to make bread, cookies, muffins, or other treats. Add decorative ribbons and tags to complete the look! Kids will love finding just the right combination of ingredients for each unique person in their lives.
Deliver Treats to Neighbors
What an excellent way to spread holiday cheer! Have kids bake and decorate cookies, cupcakes, or other treats. Then they can deliver them to neighbors and friends with a simple “Merry Christmas” card or note. This will surely put a smile on everyone’s faces (and stomachs).
See a Holiday Orchestra
Watching a holiday choir or orchestra perform can be a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Look for free concerts in your area or even online. Kids will love hearing their favorite carols; you can sing along!
Volunteer at a Local Soup Kitchen
Teach kids the importance of giving back and helping others with a visit to a local soup kitchen or shelter. Spend some time volunteering and making meals for those in need—it’s a great way to show the true meaning of Christmas.
Attend a Christmas Service
Spend Christmas morning at church or attend a special holiday service. It’s a beautiful way to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and make memories as a family. Kids will love singing carols and hearing about the birth of Jesus.
Browse your local Christmas Market
Take a stroll through a local Christmas market and get into the spirit of the season—it’s also an excellent way to support small businesses in your area. Kids will love seeing the unique items, decorations, food, and gifts available that people have handmade. You might find a special gift for that special someone.
Craft your own Christmas Cards
Let your kids show off their creative side and craft Christmas cards. Buy some festive paper and markers, stickers, or glitter to make unique one-of-a-kind cards for friends and family! Kids will love expressing themselves this way and creating a thoughtful gift that’s sure to be appreciated.
Write a Letter to Santa
Have kids write a letter to Santa! They can list their wishes for Christmas and tell Santa about all the nice things they’ve done throughout the year. You can even mail it off to the North Pole so he can get those special requests in time for Christmas morning.
Read a holiday classic before Bed
Start a new tradition of reading a holiday classic each night before bed. Whether it’s A Christmas Carol, The Night Before Christmas, or a religious story like the Nativity, kids will love curling up with you and hearing all these remarkable tales.
Visit a Christmas Tree Farm
Take a trip to a Christmas tree farm and pick the perfect tree for your home. Kids will love helping to cut it down and bringing it back to decorate! You can even get hot cocoa or other treats at the farm while you’re there.
Enjoy a Christmas Play
Go to support local theater groups by watching a Christmas play. Whether it’s Aladdin, A Christmas Carol, or The Nutcracker, kids (and adults!) will be sure to have fun and get into the holiday spirit.
Have a Gift Wrap Race
Have a gift wrap race with the family. Split up into teams and see who can wrap their presents the fastest! Kids will love competing against each other, and it’s sure to get everyone in a festive mood.
Have Christmas Karaoke Night
Have a Christmas Karaoke night where the whole family can sing along to all their favorite holiday songs. Kids will love showing off their singing skills and making memories that will last for years to come.
Make Holiday Candle Gifts
Teach kids to use their crafty side by helping them make scented holiday candles for friends and neighbors. Kids can choose scents that match the recipient’s tastes or come up with a unique combination of ingredients for each particular person in their lives. Making gifts from scratch is a great way to show someone you care!
Elf on the Shelf
Have your version of Elf on the Shelf at home and keep kids entertained as they try to spot where he’s been hiding each day. Kids will love having their very own Elf, which can be used to encourage good behavior in the weeks leading up to Christmas day!
Donate Items to a local Pantry
Donate items to a local food pantry. Kids will love helping to collect non-perishable items to donate and feel proud of themselves for doing something good for their community.
Shop for Holiday Sweaters
Take a day to go shopping for festive holiday sweaters. Kids will love picking out silly or stylish options and wearing them around the house. It’s an easy way to get into the season’s spirit, and you can even make it a competition by voting on who has the best sweater!
Snowmobile/ ATV Ride
If you live in an area with snow, consider taking the family out for a snowmobile ride. Kids will love tearing up the trails and feeling the wind in their faces! Plus, it’s a great way to enjoy nature’s beauty during winter.
Perticapate in Caroling
Take part in caroling around the neighborhood. Kids will love singing holiday classics and spreading cheer to all the homes they visit. It’s a great way to get everyone into the Christmas spirit and make lasting memories!
Host Holiday Game Night
Host a holiday game night with classic favorites like Charades or Scattergories. Kids will love the competitive nature of these games and make fun memories while at them!
Check for Free Outdoor Shows
See what outdoor shows may be happening near you over the holidays. Kids will love seeing festive performances, such as ice sculpting, holiday music concerts, or even a special lighting of the town Christmas tree. It’s sure to be a magical experience!
Shovel a Neighbour’s Sidewalk
Teach kids the importance of giving back by helping them shovel a neighbor’s sidewalk. Not only will it help someone in need, but it also teaches kids about the joy of doing something nice for others.
Dog Sledding
Go for a dog sledding adventure. Kids will love getting to experience the thrill of zooming through fresh snow, and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience.
Family Ski/Snowboarding Trip
Go on a family ski or snowboarding trip and learn how to hit the slopes together. Kids will love zooming down the mountain and playing in the snow, and it’s sure to be a fun bonding experience for everyone involved.
Rent a Cabin in the Woods
Take a family trip out to rent a cozy cabin in the woods and spend quality time together surrounded by nature. Kids will love exploring the outdoors and staying in a cozy cabin with all the comforts of home.
Snowshoeing Adventure
Take a snowshoeing adventure and explore the winter wonderland together. Kids will love discovering all the hidden treasures beneath the snow, and it’s sure to be an unforgettable experience. To make it more challenging, have a riddle game as you go, and each person writes down their answer, and at the end of the walk, see who got the most right for a surprise gift.
The holiday season is a great time to make lasting memories with family and friends. Whether you’re looking for fun activities or ways to give back, plenty of options are available to get everyone into the festive spirit. From making homemade gifts to hosting game nights, the possibilities are endless! So grab your loved ones, put on some holiday music, and create some wonderful memories this winter.
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