25 Christmas Party Ideas for Kids
The best Christmas party games for kids are quick, low-prep, and easy to explain: minute-to-win-it challenges, team relays, Christmas bingo, and a gingerbread man hunt. For a two-hour party, plan 5–6 short games, mix active ones with a calm one, and add a hot cocoa bar and one craft.
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20 Easy Christmas Party Games for Kids
Every game below works with everyday supplies and takes minutes to explain. Pick two or three from each group and you have a full party.
Minute-to-Win-It Christmas Games for Kids
Minute-to-win-it games are 60-second challenges with everyday supplies. They’re perfect for parties because there’s no waiting around: each kid gets a turn, and the whole round is over in minutes.
1. Jingle Bell Shake
Ages: 5+ | Players: 1+ (take turns or race) | Prep: Under 5 min
You’ll need: empty tissue box, 8–10 jingle bells, a ribbon or belt
Fill an empty tissue box with jingle bells and tie it around each player’s waist so the opening faces down. On “go,” they shake, wiggle, and dance until every bell falls out. Fastest time wins, and the jingling alone is worth the price of admission.
Tip: Use larger bells that can’t fit in a small mouth, and skip this game for guests under three.
2. Marshmallow Snowball Scoop
Ages: 4+ | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 5 min
You’ll need: mini marshmallows, 2 bowls per player, a spoon
Each player gets a bowl of mini marshmallow “snowballs” and an empty bowl across the room. In 60 seconds they carry as many marshmallows as they can, one spoonful at a time, and count their haul at the end.
Tip: For older kids, make them use a plastic spoon in their non-dominant hand.
3. Candy Cane Drop
Ages: 5+ | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 5 min
You’ll need: a narrow-neck bottle or plastic bottle, mini candy canes
Players stand straight and hold a candy cane at chin height, then drop it into a bottle on the floor. In 60 seconds they try to sink as many candy canes as possible. It sounds easy until the giggles start.
Tip: Use a bottle with a wide mouth for younger kids, and let them start with the hand at waist height so they win a few early.
4. Christmas Tree Cup Stack
Ages: 5+ | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 5 min
You’ll need: 10 red and green plastic cups per player
Race to stack the cups into a pyramid “tree,” then take it apart into a single tidy stack. Whoever finishes first (or has the tallest tree standing at 60 seconds) wins.
Tip: Run this as a team-of-two challenge if your group has a wide age range. The older child stacks while the younger one hands over cups.
5. Cookie Face
Ages: 6+ | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 5 min
You’ll need: 1 Oreo or sturdy cookie per player
Place a cookie on each player’s forehead and have them wiggle it down their face and into their mouth without using their hands. It looks ridiculous and never gets old.
Tip: Oreos hold up better than sugar cookies, and have a wet wipe ready for the crumbs. Check for allergies before you start.
Indoor Christmas Party Games (Low Prep)
These need minimal setup and work in a living room, basement, or garage, so they’re your backup plan when the weather won’t cooperate.
6. Reindeer Ring Toss
Ages: All ages | Players: 4+ | Prep: Under 15 min
You’ll need: cardboard, brown paper or branches for antlers, 6–8 rings (paper plate rings work)
A cardboard reindeer head with antlers becomes the target, and kids take turns tossing rings to see who can land the most. The homemade, slightly wonky look is part of the charm, and no store-bought game feels this personal.
Tip: It works for a wide age range at once, so let little ones stand closer instead of running two separate games.
7. Snowball Toss (Indoor Edition)
Ages: All ages | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 15 min
You’ll need: white pom-poms, 3 laundry baskets, tape for a throw line
Fill a basket with soft white pom-poms and set up a few laundry baskets at different distances, each worth a different point value. Kids toss their “snowballs” and tally their score. Real snow optional, indoor chaos guaranteed.
Tip: A bag of craft pom-poms costs a few dollars and can be reused for years, unlike real snowballs that melt the fun in minutes.
8. Candy Cane Fishing
Ages: 4+ | Players: 2+ | Prep: 15 min
You’ll need: dowel or wooden spoon, string, pipe cleaner, mini candy canes, a big bin
Tie a string to a dowel and twist a pipe cleaner into a small loop at the end to make a fishing rod. Pile mini candy canes in a bin and let kids “fish” by hooking the loop over the crook of a candy cane and lifting it out. Whoever catches the most wins (and everyone keeps their catch).
Tip: Make one rod per child so nobody waits, and lay the candy canes out in a single layer for the youngest players.
9. Christmas Freeze Dance
Ages: 3+ | Players: 4+ | Prep: None
You’ll need: a Christmas playlist and a speaker
Play holiday music and let the kids dance. When the music stops, everyone freezes like a snowman, and anyone who moves is out (or does a silly move to stay in). Switch the freeze pose each round: snowman, reindeer, Christmas tree.
Tip: Skip the elimination for little kids. Just cheer for the best freeze and keep everyone playing.
10. Gingerbread Man Hunt
Ages: 4+ | Players: 4+ | Prep: 5 min
You’ll need: printer paper, scissors, a small prize
Hide a set number of paper gingerbread men around the party space and send kids off to find them, with a small prize for whoever collects the most. It’s essentially an Easter egg hunt in holiday disguise, and it never fails to get everyone moving. If gingerbread is already your party’s whole theme, this gingerbread party ideas guide has more ways to build the rest of the day around it.
Tip: You can set it up in five minutes with nothing but printer paper and scissors. Bigger spaces like a backyard, basement, or church hall give kids room to spread out.
Christmas Party Games for Classrooms & Big Groups
Big groups need games where everyone plays at once and the rules take 30 seconds to explain. These work for classroom parties, cousin gatherings, and church or community events. Feeding a crowd too? Our Christmas potluck ideas make the food side easy.
11. Christmas Bingo
Ages: 5+ | Players: 6+ (great for 20+) | Prep: 10 min (print cards)
You’ll need: printed bingo cards, candy or mini marshmallows as markers
Make or print bingo cards filled with Santa, snowflakes, trees, presents, and ornaments. Call the pictures out (or draw them from a bag), and kids cover them with candy markers. First to fill a row shouts “Merry Christmas!” instead of “Bingo.”
Tip: Play several quick rounds with small prizes so more kids get to win.
12. Pass the Present
Ages: 4+ | Players: 6+ | Prep: 10 min
You’ll need: a small wrapped gift with a layer of wrapping paper for each player, music
Wrap a small prize in many layers of paper, with a treat between some layers. Kids sit in a circle and pass the present while the music plays. When it stops, the child holding it unwraps one layer, and the game keeps going until the last layer comes off.
Tip: Put a candy or sticker in every layer so everyone gets something, and you avoid the tears over who got the big prize.
13. Christmas Charades
Ages: 6+ | Players: 6+ | Prep: 5 min
You’ll need: slips of paper with Christmas words in a bowl
Write Christmas words on slips of paper (reindeer, snowman, wrapping presents, decorating a tree, Santa stuck in a chimney) and let kids take turns acting them out while their team guesses. It’s a great high-energy game with zero cost.
Tip: Use pictures instead of words for kids who can’t read yet, and let two kids act together for shy players.
14. Bow on the Back Tag
Ages: 5+ | Players: 6+ | Prep: 5 min
You’ll need: gift bows, clothespins
Clip a bow to the back of every player’s shirt. On “go,” everyone tries to grab other players’ bows while protecting their own. A player who loses their bow sits out (or becomes a “bow collector” on the sidelines), and the last player with a bow wins.
Tip: Set clear boundaries and a “no pushing” rule before you start, and use a big open space so nobody collides.
15. Gift Wrapping Relay
Ages: 8+ | Players: 6+ (teams) | Prep: 10 min
You’ll need: one empty box per team, wrapping paper, tape
Give each team an empty box, a roll of wrapping paper, and tape, then race to see who can wrap it fastest. The sloppier the result, the funnier the reveal. It’s a game that also sneaks in a life skill nobody realizes they’re learning.
Tip: It naturally quiets down as a party-ending activity when energy is winding down but attention still needs somewhere to go. Tweens love the skill-and-speed element.
16. Cookie Decorating Relay
Ages: 6+ | Players: 6+ (teams) | Prep: 30 min
You’ll need: pre-baked sugar cookies, icing in squeeze bottles (or a cookie decorating kit), holiday sprinkles
Split kids into teams and give each a plate of plain sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles. On “go,” one player from each team decorates a cookie, races back, and tags the next teammate. The frosting gets messy, the icing goes everywhere, and somehow that’s exactly the point.
Tip: Pre-bake cookies the night before and use squeeze bottles instead of bowls. It cuts cleanup time in half and keeps the relay moving fast. Best for elementary-aged kids who can handle friendly competition.
17. Snowman Building Relay
Ages: 5+ | Players: 6+ (teams) | Prep: 5 min
You’ll need: 1 roll of toilet paper per team
Each team picks one player to be the “snowman.” On “go,” teammates wrap the snowman in toilet paper from head to toe (leave the face clear), then add a hat and scarf. The most snowman-like team wins.
Tip: Give each team a set number of rolls, and have a trash bag ready for cleanup.
Christmas Games for Toddlers & Preschoolers
Little kids have short attention spans and big feelings, so keep the rules simple and skip the elimination. For quieter play between games, try these winter sensory bin ideas for kids.
18. Pin the Nose on Rudolph
Ages: 2–6 | Players: 2+ | Prep: Under 15 min
You’ll need: large Rudolph poster, red felt noses with tape
The classic pin-the-tail format gets a holiday makeover with a big Rudolph poster and a handful of red felt noses. It’s low-tech, low-cost, and it still gets the same delighted shrieks it always has.
Tip: You can make the whole setup with a printed poster and craft felt for under ten dollars. The simplicity is exactly right for younger attention spans.
19. Santa Says
Ages: 2–6 | Players: 3+ | Prep: None
You’ll need: nothing
It’s Simon Says with a Santa twist. Kids only follow the command if it starts with “Santa says”: hop like a reindeer, ho-ho-ho like Santa, wiggle like a snowman, wrap a pretend present.
Tip: Keep everyone in the game and just giggle when someone slips up, so nobody feels “out.”
20. Red & Green Color Hunt
Ages: 2–5 | Players: 2+ | Prep: 5 min
You’ll need: a basket for each child, red and green items around the room
Scatter red and green items (soft toys, ribbons, big pom-poms) around one room, and give each child a basket. They race to fill it with items of the right color. Call “red!” or “green!” to keep it changing.
Tip: Keep items larger than a fist to avoid choking hazards for guests under three.
More Christmas Party Ideas for Kids: Food, Crafts & Themes
Games carry the party, but a few of these extras keep kids fed, calm, and happy between rounds. For more crafts, see these Christmas crafty activities for kids, and for more food, browse our Christmas party snack ideas for kids and Christmas appetizers.
Hot Cocoa Bar
Set out a slow cooker of hot cocoa alongside bowls of marshmallows, crushed candy canes, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings, then let kids build their own cup. A hot cocoa station supplies set and a hot cocoa bar sign make it feel like a real occasion. It’s the one station every guest visits, usually more than once. Keep a dairy-free cocoa and marshmallow option nearby if you’re not sure about allergies.
Christmas Tree Veggie Platter
Broccoli florets arranged into a tree shape, dotted with cherry tomatoes and topped with a star cut from cheese, turn plain vegetables into something kids actually want to grab. A Christmas tree serving board makes it even easier. It’s the one healthy item that disappears as fast as the cookies.
Reindeer Snack Mix Bags
A simple mix of pretzel sticks, chocolate pieces, and cereal gets bagged up in Christmas treat bags and dressed with googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose. Kids grab one on the way out and it doubles as both snack and favor. Buy the ingredients in bulk and portion them yourself to save money. It’s a great grab-and-go option for classroom parties.
Ornament Painting Station
Clear plastic fillable ornaments, a washable tempera paint set, and some glitter turn into a quiet, focused activity that also becomes a keepsake. Use plastic instead of glass for anyone under eight, and let them dry on an upside-down egg carton. It’s the perfect calm activity right after a high-energy game. For more take-home craft ideas, this roundup of Christmas ornament crafts for kids is worth a look.
Elf Workshop Craft Station
Stock a table with felt, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, and glue so kids can “build toys” like Santa’s elves would: paper airplanes, felt ornaments, simple stuffed animals from precut pieces. Everyone leaves with a handmade toy. Keep small pieces like pom-poms and beads away from guests under three.
DIY Ugly Sweater Decorating
Buy plain sweatshirts and let kids loose with fabric paint, pom-poms, and felt shapes to create an intentionally ridiculous ugly Christmas sweater. Thrift store sweatshirts work just as well as new ones and cut the cost by more than half. It’s a great fit for tweens who are a little too old for face paint.
Polar Express Movie Night
Blankets on the floor, pajamas on the kids, a “golden ticket” handed to each guest at the door, and hot cocoa served just before the movie starts. A few cozy faux fur throw blankets set the mood. It’s one of the lowest-effort themes because the party is essentially built around sitting still, which is a gift after a chaotic afternoon of games. Since everyone is in matching pajamas, grab a few group shots using these sibling Christmas picture tips. If you want to stretch it into a full pajama sleepover, this Christmas sleepover party guide has the setup ideas to go with it.
Winter Wonderland with Fake Snow
White balloons, paper snowflake ceiling decorations, silver garland, a corner of faux snow (or homemade snow from baking soda and shaving cream), and a small bubble machine turned “snow machine.” It’s a great theme for warmer climates where real snow isn’t an option, and a $20 bubble machine earns its cost back in how long it keeps kids entertained.
North Pole Passport (Game Tracker & Favor)
Give each child a mini booklet at the start of the party and stamp a page every time they finish a game or activity. By the end, they’re holding a keepsake that’s basically a scrapbook of their own party. It also keeps kids moving from one game to the next without you having to herd anyone. For extra take-home treats, these toddler stocking stuffer ideas double as easy party favors.
