Christmas is coming and your toddler has endless energy but a 5-second attention span. You need Christmas activities for toddlers that actually keep them busy while you wrap presents or bake cookies.
When your little one melts down from boredom during the busiest season of the year, you need quick solutions that work. Simple activities can turn holiday chaos into magical moments your little one will love.
These ideas help busy parents create joyful holiday memories without the stress. No Pinterest-perfect setups required. Just fun, engaging activities that capture your toddler’s attention and make this Christmas special for your whole family.
31 Creative Christmas Activities For Toddlers To Do At Home
1. Wall-Mounted Christmas Tree Craft
A young child and an adult work together on a handmade Christmas tree attached to the wall. Green ribbons form the tree’s outline, decorated with felt ornaments including a gingerbread man, stars, and a tiny present. The child wears pajamas with woodland animals while helping arrange the decorations.
This setup creates a safe, interactive holiday display where little ones can add and remove pieces without worrying about breakage. The tactile experience helps develop fine motor skills while celebrating the season in a toddler-friendly way.
2. Pom-Pom Maze Activity
A child in formal attire stands at a wooden table featuring white tape arranged as pathways. Red and green pom-poms are scattered throughout, creating a Christmas-themed maze game. The open-ended activity encourages problem-solving as kids navigate the colorful balls through different routes.
Behind the table, shelves display children’s books, suggesting a learning-focused environment. This simple setup requires minimal materials but offers maximum engagement for curious minds learning about colors, directions, and spatial awareness.
3. Name-Spelling Christmas Tree
Five triangular sections stack to form a tree shape, each containing a letter spelling “LUCAS.” The craft combines literacy learning with holiday fun using red and green cardboard. A yellow star tops the creation, while a brown trunk sits at the bottom.
Scattered around are markers, glue sticks, and scissors showing the crafting process. Small dots decorate each triangle section, adding visual interest. This personalized approach makes learning letters more meaningful when children see their own names incorporated into festive decorations.
4. Handprint Wreath Creation
Multiple green handprints arranged in a circle create a wreath design on white paper. Red pom-poms add berry-like accents between the prints, and a ribbon bow completes the look at the bottom. A Santa hat decoration sits at the top.
The messy, authentic nature of handprint art captures a specific moment in childhood. Parents treasure these keepsakes for years, watching how tiny hands grow over time. The process involves paint, giggles, and memories that matter more than perfection.
5. Pipe Cleaner Tree Building
Hands arrange green pipe cleaners into tree shapes on a white surface. Colorful beads thread onto the fuzzy wires, creating ornaments. An egg carton filled with beads sits nearby, offering plenty of decorating options.
Two completed trees show different bead patterns and colors. The child wears a “Petit Bateau” sweatshirt and a beaded bracelet. This quiet activity builds concentration and hand-eye coordination while producing charming mini decorations kids can proudly display on windowsills or give as gifts.
6. Interactive Sensory Tree
A large green cardboard tree features circular cutouts revealing different textures and colors behind each opening. A young girl in red reaches toward the tree, exploring what’s inside each hole.
Tinsel garland decorates the top, while another child waits nearby. The setup transforms typical Christmas decorating into a sensory exploration game. Kids discover surprises behind each circle, keeping them engaged through touch and visual discovery rather than just looking at static decorations.
7. Recycled Tube Tree
Empty toilet paper and paper towel tubes join together on cardboard, forming a tree structure. Someone arranged them by size, creating branches from smaller rolls. A cardboard star crowns the top. Below, hundreds of pom-poms in festive colors wait to be dropped through the tubes. Two wooden sticks lie ready for scooping.
Kids can practice hand-eye coordination by aiming pom-poms into openings, then watching them tumble down. The recycled materials cost nothing, making it an eco-friendly choice parents appreciate.
8. Snowman Rice Sensory Bi
Blue bottle caps form snowman bodies on a painted board. Some caps hold white rice while others remain empty, inviting little fingers to scoop and fill. Paper snowman faces smile from above, each wearing different colored hats. Twig arms reach out from between sections.
Cotton batting creates clouds along the bottom edge. A yellow bowl filled with rice sits below, where a child’s hand holds a spoon mid-scoop. Sensory play keeps toddlers engaged while teaching concepts like full, empty, and more.
9. Egg Carton Jingle Bell Sort
A young boy in space-themed pajamas examines an egg carton containing pinecones and shiny jingle bells. Colorful lights from a decorated tree glow behind him. The carton’s compartments invite sorting by color, size, or type. Bells provide auditory feedback when moved, adding another layer of engagement.
Kids naturally want to shake, roll, and organize small objects. Activities like these strengthen tiny muscles needed for future writing while keeping busy hands occupied on winter evenings at home.
10. Tissue Paper Tree Decoration
A child in a bright red jacket picks through torn tissue paper pieces from a lime green bowl. Pink and green paper lies beneath, waiting for glued embellishments. The strips come in blue, yellow, red, and multiple shades. Ripping paper strengthens hand muscles while providing satisfying tactile feedback.
Once glued down, the crumpled pieces add dimension and texture. No special skills required—just enthusiasm and willingness to make a colorful mess. Cleanup becomes part of learning responsibility after creative sessions.
11. Holiday Coloring Session
Two children wear festive Santa hats while working on art projects at a wooden table. The older one concentrates on drawing while her younger companion waves colored pencils. Coffee mugs suggest a cozy atmosphere. A holiday book lies open nearby, possibly providing inspiration.
White paper spreads across the table surface, giving plenty of room for imagination. A yellow pencil holder keeps supplies organized. Sometimes the simplest activities,just sitting together with paper and colors—create the warmest holiday memories.
11. Christmas Craft Statio
An overhead view shows two children creating at a white table. Papers scattered everywhere display trees, ornaments, and holiday drawings. Glitter-covered letters spell seasonal words. Markers in various colors lie within reach. One child draws while another works on cutting or gluing.
Santa hats add to the festive mood. Pencil rolls keep materials tidy despite the creative chaos. Setting up a dedicated craft station gives kids freedom to explore without constant supervision, letting creativity flow naturally throughout December days.
13. Balloon Number Tracing Fun
This little one’s having a blast with a colorful learning activity! She’s working on her numbers by tracing them on balloon cutouts – see how she’s carefully holding that marker? The balloons come in cheerful colors like pink, yellow, green, and blue, making number practice feel more like playtime. Her playroom shelves are visible in the background, stocked with toys and books. What makes this activity perfect for toddlers is how it sneaks in early math skills while they’re just having fun coloring. Plus, you probably have everything needed at home – just some paper, markers, and scissors.
14. Family Wreath Making Session
There’s something magical about gathering around the table to create holiday decorations together. Mom and her two girls are deep into crafting mode here, assembling a festive wreath with pinecones, greenery, and red ribbon accents. Both kids are sporting adorable Santa hats while they work one in denim, the other in bright red.
The table’s covered with craft supplies, wrapped presents, and shiny ornaments in gold and red. It’s one of those cozy afternoons where the house smells like pine and everyone’s hands are busy creating something special to hang on the front door.
15. Christmas Crafting Workshop
Three people are gathered around a green crafting table absolutely loaded with supplies – there’s wrapping paper rolls standing tall in the background, scissors, twine, and packages at various stages of being wrapped. The kids are wearing their Santa hats and working on different projects.
One’s attaching ribbon to a kraft paper package while another focuses on decorating a wreath with pinecones and red flowers. You can spot polka dot paper, striped packages, and all the festive chaos that comes with a proper Christmas craft day!
16. Reindeer Cookie Decorating
These little reindeer cookies are absolutely precious! Someone got really creative using pretzel sticks for antlers and candy noses to bring Rudolph’s friends to life. The cinnamon-dusted cookies look delicious, and you can tell this was a fun afternoon project.
What’s great about this activity is how toddlers can help press in the pretzels and stick on those red noses—no fancy skills needed. Plus, they’ll be so proud showing off their edible reindeer to everyone. Just be prepared for more pretzels in mouths than on cookies! It’s messy, giggly fun that creates sweet memories.
17. Classic Christmas Cookie Baking
This scene captures that perfectly—golden sugar cookies cut into stars, trees, and gingerbread people scattered everywhere. Some are plain, others have icing and sprinkles. You can see the decorating station with frosting ready to go.
Kids absolutely love rolling dough and using cookie cutters, even if the shapes come out a bit wonky. The real excitement starts when they get to add decorations, though you’ll probably find sprinkles in unexpected places for days afterward. It’s tradition in action.
18. Holiday Craft Time
Nothing beats hands-on crafting when toddlers are involved. Here we’ve got kids gathered around a table making Christmas decorations from paper. Those green striped triangles are clearly turning into trees, and there are circles being transformed into ornaments. The colored pencils scattered about show this crew is getting creative with their designs.
Kids develop fine motor skills while having a blast, and parents get handmade decorations they’ll treasure forever. Everyone wins with simple craft sessions like this.
19. Pom-Pom Christmas Tree Sorting
Someone drew colorful Christmas trees on a big poster, and the little one’s sorting pom-poms by color onto each tree. See that yellow plate full of mixed pom-poms? Green ones go on the green tree, yellow on yellow, red on red. It’s basically a color-matching game disguised as holiday fun.
Toddlers get so focused picking up those fluffy little balls and placing them just right. Their tiny fingers get a workout, and they’re learning colors without even realizing it. The trees are simple marker drawings, nothing fancy needed.
20. Christmas Scavenger Hunt Board
Standing proudly with her first find, this little explorer’s ready to tackle her Christmas hunt. The homemade poster lists eight holiday treasures to discover around the house,candy canes, ornaments, stockings, a tiny train, snowman, star, Christmas tree, and holly. Each item has a simple drawing next to its name, perfect for kids who can’t read yet.
She’s already spotted the candy cane and marked it with blue tape. The excitement in scavenger hunts is unbeatable for this age group. They race around searching, learning observation skills while burning energy. Parents can hide items at toddler height and watch the adventure unfold. Simple setup, maximum entertainment.
21. Ornament Transfer Challenge
This kiddo’s using a spoon to scoop shiny red ornaments from one spot to another, following the tape line on the floor like a path. The laundry basket nearby is probably the destination. It’s trickier than you’d think—those slippery ornaments don’t want to stay put!
Kids this age are developing coordination, and activities like this help without feeling like work. Add the Christmas theme with sparkly baubles, and suddenly it’s a game instead of practice. You could time them or count how many successful transfers they make. Low-prep, high engagement.
22. Christmas Sensory Bin Play
Red beads create a satisfying base for little hands to dig through, while shiny ornaments and real pine branches add that Christmas smell and sparkle. The clear container lets toddlers see everything, which builds anticipation before they even touch it. Watch how focused that little one is, scooping and exploring.
Sensory bins are perfect because there’s no right or wrong way to play. Kids develop fine motor skills while staying entertained for surprisingly long stretches. Just toss in some festive items you already have, and you’ve got an instant activity that feels special without requiring elaborate setup.
23. Jingle Bell Sorting in Holiday Mugs
Each mug has candy cane decorations, and inside are colorful jingle bells waiting to be sorted. The sound alone makes this activity exciting—toddlers love anything that makes noise. They can sort by color, practice counting, or just enjoy transferring bells from mug to mug.
It’s one of those activities that looks Instagram-worthy but is actually functional. The handles on the mugs make them easy for small hands to grip. When you’re done, everything stacks neatly away. Simple supplies, maximum engagement, that’s the sweet spot for toddler activities during the busy holiday season.
24. Sparkling Star Wreath Craft
The child’s placing glittery foam stars around the rim, creating their own Christmas wreath or ornament display. What makes this great is how adaptable it is—use whatever you have. Stickers, sequins, markers, even torn tissue paper works. Young kids don’t need perfection; they need the freedom to create.
Blue and purple dots add extra detail? That’s the kind of personal touch that makes these crafts treasured keepsakes. The green felt tree cutout suggests this might be part of a bigger project. Either way, it’s hands-on fun that results in something displayable.
25. Christmas Nature Craft Station
This circular setup is brilliant—multiple kids can work simultaneously, each with their own template and supplies. The mix of drawings (gingerbread people, trees, presents, ornaments) gives options for different interests. But here’s what elevates it: real leaves, pine branches, and natural elements alongside typical craft supplies like pom-poms and glitter glue.
Kids can trace, cut, glue, and decorate however they want. The colorful scissors placed strategically make cutting practice accessible. It’s organized chaos in the best way, encouraging creativity while developing scissor skills and color recognition. Everything’s within reach, making kids feel independent and capable.
26. Reindeer Nose Blindfold Game
The reindeer’s drawn simply on a large canvas, and the challenge is placing those shiny red bows in the right spot while blindfolded. You can see the concentration on this child’s face as they carefully position their bow. This game gets kids giggling, especially when pieces end up on the antlers or completely off the face.
It works for various ages and abilities—younger toddlers can play without blindfolds, while older kids enjoy the challenge. The oversized format makes it easier than traditional pin-the-tail games. Plus, it’s reusable year after year. Simple concept, endless entertainment value, and burns some of that holiday energy.
27. Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe Game
Tic-tac-toe gets a festive makeover with this burlap version! Instead of X’s and O’s, players use miniature ornaments versus candy canes. The texture of the burlap adds sensory interest, and the green tape grid is just the right thickness for little ones to understand.
Toddlers learning game rules benefit from familiar formats presented in new ways. The pieces are chunky enough to handle easily but still feel special. When game time’s over, toss it in a bag—portable entertainment for holiday gatherings or quiet time during all those family visits.
28. Paper Snowflake Magic
A little one just created beautiful paper snowflakes and couldn’t wait to show them off. Those delicate cut-out patterns probably took some concentration and careful scissor work. Making snowflakes is timeless—fold the paper, snip away, then unfold to reveal the surprise pattern.
Even young children can participate with help on the folding part. The striped holiday outfit adds to the festive vibe. These snowflakes will likely end up taped to windows, turning the house into a winter wonderland without the cold weather outside.
28. Christmas-Scooping-Activity
The kiddo’s got a big black ladle and she’s scooping up shiny ornaments from this cool mint-green water. It’s such a simple setup but keeps little hands busy for ages. You just need a plastic bin, some water (maybe add food coloring), toss in those unbreakable ornaments, and grab whatever kitchen tools you have around.
Kids love the splashing and the challenge of catching those slippery balls. Perfect for a chilly December afternoon when everyone’s getting cabin fever. Plus, cleanup’s not too bad since everything’s contained in the bin!
29. Beading-Christmas-Tree
This pipe cleaner Christmas tree craft is absolutely genius for tiny fingers still working on coordination. See how the green pipe cleaners twist into branches? Kids thread colorful beads right onto them, decorating their own little tree however they want. No rules, no mess, just pure creativity.
The beads slide on easy enough for toddlers but stay put once they’re on. It’s one of those activities where you set it up in two minutes and they’re entertained while you drink your coffee. Bonus: it actually looks cute when they’re done!
30. Family-with-baby-christmas-time
There’s something magical happening here with this wooden advent calendar. The little one in her plaid pajamas is reaching for today’s door while mom and dad watch with those proud parent smiles. These countdown calendars make December feel extra special because kids get that daily surprise moment.
Fill the drawers with chocolates, tiny toys, or little notes, it builds up excitement for Christmas morning. This family’s making it a together thing, which honestly makes it even better. Creates memories that stick around way longer than the candy inside.
Christmas Sensory Bin
This festive sensory bin is a total win for keeping kids busy during the holidays. You’ve got two colors of rice – snowy white on top and bright green on the bottom, just like a winter wonderland. Toss in some shiny bows, jingle bells, cookie cutters, and that little red shovel, and you’re set. Kids can dig around, scoop, sort, and hunt for hidden treasures.
It’s messy but contained in that aluminum tray, which makes cleanup way easier. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who need something hands-on to do while you’re wrapping gifts or cooking dinner. Takes maybe ten minutes to throw together.
