December is cosy, but also full of calendars, events and long evenings. Many parents want moments at home where nothing has to be achieved and the screen can stay off. Here are 12 Christmas activities for children aged 3 to 9. Choose a few and leave the rest.
Start small
It is easy to plan too much. Choose one or two activities a week and let the children help decide. A Christmas activity does not have to be a big affair: 20 minutes with hot chocolate and a drawing is enough.
12 ideas
- Cut woven Christmas hearts. A Danish classic in paper. The youngest need help with the scissors, and the oldest can make more colours.
- Make paper decorations. Stars, snowflakes and chains. Hang them in the window or on the tree.
- Write and draw Christmas cards. Send one to grandparents or a friend.
- Wrap gifts together. Many children like wrapping, even if the result is a bit crooked.
- Bake cookies. Choose a simple recipe and let the children stir, roll and decorate.
- Listen to an audio story with a blanket and candlelight. Crateit has three original Danish audio stories, free to download.
- Make a gift calendar or a calendar of small tasks. It can be small tasks such as drawing a Christmas card, lighting a candle or listening to an audio story.
- Decorate the tree together. Let the children choose a branch they decide over.
- Build a Christmas village. Use wooden toys, paper and decorations. See below.
- Make a Christmas story. The children invent a story about elves, the tree or Santa and draw it.
- Take a walk in the dark with a torch. See Christmas lights in the neighbourhood, and bring a flask.
- Make a "thank you for this year" book. The children draw the best of the year. The book can come out every year.
Build and colour a Christmas village
Crateit Town is a wooden town with roads, cars, a fire station and a police station. The sets arrive uncoloured and can be coloured with markers, so the town can get winter colours, Christmas garlands and snowy roofs. After Christmas it can be recoloured, because the markers go on layer by layer. See Crateit Town and the markers for wood. About age: City Gas Station is recommended for ages 5-9 and may be used from age 3, as stated on the product page.
Keep Christmas calm
December can feel full for children. Plan quiet moments in the middle of things: an audio story, a drawing or building on the floor. If you have many plans, you can drop some. Your own judgement of what the family needs is what counts.
Hold on to what you enjoy
Tradition does not have to be styled like Pinterest. Do the things that help your family relax. If that means a shared film on a Friday, that is fine too. Most families have their own traditions, and children are happy to accept them.
What about gifts?
If you are considering gifts without a screen, you can read our Christmas gift guide for children.
Make a plan for the big days
Christmas Eve and the days around it can feel big to children. Talk about what will happen: Who is coming, when do we eat, and when can the children open gifts? When the children know the order, there are fewer questions. Also keep a quiet moment during the day, such as an audio story or a drawing. If the children have received new toys, they can build and colour together with the adults while the food is made. It gives a calm frame in the middle of the busyness.
Frequently asked questions
Which Christmas activities suit the youngest?
Paper decorations with help, baking, audio stories and drawing. Keep it short and simple, and let your child choose colours and shapes. The important thing is that you do it together.
What can older children do in December?
Try projects that stretch over several days: calendars for younger siblings, recipes, cards and building projects.
How do we stop December from getting too busy?
Choose a few fixed activities and cut the rest. It is easier to stick to if you write the activities on the calendar.
Can we do Christmas activities if only a few adults are home?
Yes. Most of the above need only one adult, and some the children can manage alone.
Build and colour your own Christmas village with Crateit Town.
