Fun Christmas Activities for Kids (that won't break the bank!)

Wallet Friendly Christmas Activities for Kids

When it comes to Christmas, there’s nothing quite like spending time with your little ones and making special memories together. Fortunately, there are lots of fun, low-cost Christmas activities for kids and, sometimes, the simple things are the best! Here are some ideas to get you started:

Decorate gingerbread houses

This is a classic Christmas activity that you and your kids can enjoy together. You don’t have to buy an expensive gingerbread house kit either – you can make your own with cardboard boxes and a little bit of creativity.

Make homemade ornaments and cards

Instead of buying ornaments and Christmas cards, why not make your own? Your kids will love creating their own special decorations to hang on the tree. Plus, you can save the ornaments as mementos for years to come.

Have a Christmas movie night

There’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than watching some festive movies with your family. Put on your favourite holiday movies and pop some popcorn for an evening of fun.

Bake Christmas treats

Baking is a great way to bond with your kids and create delicious memories at the same time. The resulting creations can either be enjoyed with a Christmas film, or as a treat after a long winter walk. Or, get them to design their own festive packaging and wrap them up for the grandparents!

Play charades

Charades is a great game for all ages. Have each person act out their favorite Christmas song or movie character to guess what they’re trying to say!

Get the kids to put on a play/concert

Most schools will have been singing some Christmas songs during December. Why not get the kids to put on a performance? To really keep them busy, ask them to create a poster and tickets to promote their show!

Kids activities as gifts

Is there an activity that your child has always fancied doing? Are they keen to tumble or bounce at their local gymnastic club? Are they into crafting or arts? Would they love to sing and dance on stage, or be part of a sports club? If there is an activity that they would like to do, why not consider booking them a series of activities as part of their Christmas present? Take a look at our activities page for providers near to you.

Fun Christmas craft activities for kids

Christmas is a magical time for children, and it’s a great time to get creative and make some fun Christmas crafts. With lots of other things on your mind (the presents, the turkey, and a Christmas present for great-aunt Maud) it can be hard to come up with creative ideas Here are a few Christmas craft ideas that are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Make your own wrapping paper

Did you know that the shiny, glittery Christmas paper can’t usually be recycled? As a nation, we use 227,000 miles of paper each Christmas. Why not buy some recyclable brown packaging paper, and get the kids to decorate it. You can buy Christmas themed stamps from craft supply shops such as The Works or Hobbycraft, or just get the kids some felt tips and get them drawing. They’ll love the reactions of friends and family when they see their hand-drawn wrapping paper!

Super-simple Snowman crafts

For a simple and quick Christmas craft, have your little ones make snowmen out of cotton balls and a toilet or kitchen roll tube. All they need is glue and a black marker to make eyes and buttons, and they’ll be ready to proudly display their creations!

Santa Handprints

Simply trace your child’s hand onto red paper and then cut out the shapes. Glue the pieces to white paper and draw a face and beard on the bottom of the handprint. Then, cut a belt from black paper and add some ribbon for a hat.

Colourful paper Christmas trees

Cut out different sizes of green triangles, stack them together, and use a marker or glitter to decorate them. They can also use stickers, glitter glue, sequins or other craft material to make each tree unique.

Christmas Keepsakes

The lovely thing about unpacking the Christmas decs each year is looking back at the kids' old creations. It’s even better when there is a photo to spark a memory. One of the loveliest Christmas craft projects we’ve seen is also the simplest. Using sticky back plastic, cut out two circles, peel off the backing and pop a photo in the middle, surrounded by some tiny bits of cotton wool. Peel the backing off the other side and, hey presto, a snowglobe featuring your little one at the centre!

Paper snowflakes

Get creative and make your own snowflakes out of white paper. You can fold and cut the paper into different shapes, or use a pre-cut snowflake stencil. Hang them in the windows or above the mantelpiece.

Cinnamon stick ornaments

Gather up a few cinnamon sticks, some ribbon, and glue, and create unique ornaments that look like they came straight from the shops. The aroma of cinnamon will fill your house with a festive scent!

Decoupage tree ornaments

Gather your favourite holiday images and old book pages, and use decoupage glue to cover a Styrofoam ball or paper mache balloon. Once dry, attach a loop of ribbon and hang on your tree.

Christmas games for all the family

If the idea of teeny bits of paper, painty fingers and a dusting of glitter makes you want to reach for the Christmas eggnog, then family games could be a safer bet. Christmas is a time for fun, family, and making memories but there’s a huge pressure on parents to make sure that everyone, especially the kids, get to enjoy themselves. Fear not – there are lots of fun Christmas games out there that won’t break the bank - and, sometimes, the sillier the better. Whether you’re at home or out and about, here are some great ways to get your family in the festive spirit.

Have an indoor snowball fight

One for the brave, or those who aren't too house proud - ball up socks or grab some large cotton balls and have an indoor snowball fight. It's silly, it's messy, and it’ll probably be a bit screamy, but the kids will LOVE it!

Wrapping paper relay

Divide your family into teams and set up a race to see who can wrap the presents the fastest. It’s an easy way to keep everyone entertained and you can use any old wrapping paper you have lying around.

The North Pole run.

Put on some jingle bells or play Christmas music and let the kids race around the house while wearing antlers or tinsel. This is a fun way to get the little ones running around and having a laugh.