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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- 10 Christmas Day activities for ages 3 to 8, placed on an hour-by-hour timeline.
- Slow the present opening with a guess game, then fill the lull with a box sleigh or a free scavenger hunt.
- Plan a quiet, cozy break for 3:30 pm and a lights walk before bed.
- Every activity lists ages, prep, mess, supplies and a safety note.
- New toys bring small parts and batteries, so check them before kids play.
In this post17 sections
- Christmas Day Activities for Kids: The Plan
- Christmas Morning (7 to 10 am): Slow Down the Presents
- 1. Guess-the-gift unwrapping
- 2. Wrapping paper basketball
- 3. Gift box sleigh and fort
- Midday (10 am to 2 pm): Fill the Lull
- 4. Thank-you card station
- 5. Christmas scavenger hunt with free cards
- 6. Indoor sock snowball fight
- Afternoon Crash (3 to 5 pm): Quiet and Cozy
- 7. Blanket fort flashlight story hour
- 8. Cocoa picnic on the floor
- Evening (5 to 8 pm): Second Wind and Wind Down
- 9. Christmas lights walk
- 10. Best part of the day jar
- Keep Christmas Day Safe
- FAQ
Christmas Day Activities for Kids: The Plan
Christmas Day has a rhythm: a huge rush of presents, a long lull, a crash and a late-day second wind. This plan puts one activity in each stretch, so you are not making up something at 11 am while the kitchen fills with guests.
Some links on this page are Amazon links, and we may earn a small commission if you buy. Times assume a 7 am wake-up and a 7:30 pm bedtime, so shift every row to match your day. All activities need an adult nearby, and new toys often come with small parts, batteries and plastic ties.
| Time | What is happening | Kid energy | Activity picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Stockings and wake-up | Very high | Guess-the-gift unwrapping (1) |
| 8:30 am | Presents finish, paper everywhere | High | Wrapping paper basketball (2) |
| 10:00 am | The after-presents lull | Medium | Gift box sleigh and fort, thank-you cards (3 and 4) |
| 12:00 pm | Cooking, visitors arrive | Medium | Scavenger hunt (5) |
| 2:00 pm | Meal done, energy returns | High | Indoor sock snowball fight (6) |
| 3:30 pm | The crash | Low | Blanket fort story hour, cocoa picnic (7 and 8) |
| 5:30 pm | Second wind | Medium | Christmas lights walk (9) |
| 7:30 pm | Bedtime | Low | Best part of the day jar (10) |
Christmas Morning (7 to 10 am): Slow Down the Presents
1Guess-the-gift unwrapping
Open presents one at a time, with a turn order. Before each gift is unwrapped, everyone guesses what is inside ("Is it soft? Does it rattle?") and the giver gives one clue. It slows the pile down, gives every gift a moment and keeps one child from tearing through six in a minute.
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: High (wrapping paper)
Supplies: a paper trash bag for wrapping, a basket for ribbon, scissors for the adult
Safety: pick up ribbon, plastic ties and small packaging right away, because they are choking and strangulation hazards for little ones. Toys with small parts are not for children under 3, and an adult should open any package with batteries.
- Pass a basket around for ribbon so tiny pieces never reach the carpet.
2Wrapping paper basketball
Crumple the used wrapping paper into balls and shoot them into a laundry basket or a paper bag from a taped line on the floor. Move the line back after every round and count the score. The tidy-up becomes the game.
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 1 minute
Mess: Low
Supplies: used wrapping paper, a laundry basket, tape for the shooting line
Safety: check for tape, ribbon and plastic bits in the paper, and do not let toddlers put paper in their mouths. Play away from the tree and the fireplace.
- Use a plastic bin for older kids to make shooting harder.
3Gift box sleigh and fort
Turn the biggest box into a sleigh: cut a wide opening, tape down any sharp edges and decorate with crayons. Smaller boxes become reindeer, a toy garage or a fort wall. Kids play with the packaging for an hour, and you recycle it the next day.
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: large boxes, tape, crayons, a pull rope for the sleigh
Safety: an adult cuts the box and covers rough edges with tape. Never pull a child in a box on stairs, keep boxes away from the fireplace, candles and heaters, and throw away plastic bags and foam pieces.
- Tape a paper star on the front so the sleigh has a destination.
Midday (10 am to 2 pm): Fill the Lull
After the presents there is a long lull while adults cook, clean and host. These three give kids something to do that is not asking you for a snack.
4Thank-you card station
Set a tray with blank cards, markers and stickers where kids draw a thank-you for each gift they opened. Younger children can dictate one sentence for an adult to write. It fills the late morning lull and the cards are ready to mail.
Ages: 4 to 8
Prep: 3 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: blank cards, washable markers, stickers, a tray, envelopes
Safety: stickers and caps are small parts, so keep them away from children under 3. Use washable markers and a tray to protect a gift table or a good chair.
- Let the child choose a drawing for each person instead of writing.
5Christmas scavenger hunt with free cards
While adults cook or host, send kids on a hunt for a star, a stocking, a candy cane and other Christmas items around the house. Our free Christmas scavenger hunt cards include picture cards for ages 3 to 5 and rhyming clue cards for readers 5 to 8.
Download the free Christmas scavenger hunt cards (PDF, 7 pages)
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: the printable cards, a pencil, a basket for finds, stickers
Safety: tape cards at child height and keep the hunt away from the kitchen. Do not hide cards near candles or the fireplace, and stay in the same room as the youngest searchers.
- Give the youngest a picture card hunt and an older sibling the clue cards.
6Indoor sock snowball fight
Roll pairs of clean white socks into balls and toss them at a laundry basket, a paper bag or each other. Set a "snow fort" from a couch cushion barrier. It burns off post-lunch energy without breaking anything.
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 3 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: clean white socks, a laundry basket, couch cushions
Safety: keep aim below the shoulders and away from faces, clear glass ornaments and breakables from the room first, and keep toddlers in a separate zone.
- Put on a one-minute timer and count how many land in the basket.
Afternoon Crash (3 to 5 pm): Quiet and Cozy
By mid-afternoon most kids hit a wall. A low-light, low-noise break works better than another toy.
7Blanket fort flashlight story hour
Build a fort with blankets and chairs, hand each child a flashlight and read two or three picture books together. Kids pick the last page by shining the light on their favorite picture. It is the best fix for a 3 pm meltdown.
Ages: 3 to 8
Prep: 8 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: blankets, chairs or cushions, LED flashlights, picture books
Safety: use LED flashlights, never candles or lamps, and keep blankets away from heaters and fireplaces. Check that the fort cannot fall on a child.
- Add a string of battery lights for a cozy glow.
Safe, cool light for fort time.
8Cocoa picnic on the floor
Spread a blanket on the floor, serve lukewarm cocoa or warm milk in small cups and read or chat. The change of scenery turns the crash hour into a treat. Let kids set out the cups and napkins.
Ages: 2 to 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: Medium
Supplies: a blanket, small cups, napkins, a plate of snacks you have chosen
Safety: serve drinks lukewarm, not hot, and use spill-proof cups for toddlers. Allergies matter around shared snacks, so check labels, and keep children seated while eating.
- Let kids pick the mug, and serve it with a straw if it is too hot.
Evening (5 to 8 pm): Second Wind and Wind Down
9Christmas lights walk
After dinner, bundle up and walk the block to look at lights. Count the colors, spot a tree in a window or find the biggest inflatable. A short 20-minute loop is enough, and the cold air helps with bedtime.
Ages: 2 to 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: coats, hats, a flashlight or reflective vest
Safety: walk on sidewalks, hold hands near roads and add reflective gear after dark. Keep an eye on small kids around driveways and cars.
- Pick one color and see who can spot the most of it.
10Best part of the day jar
At the end of the day, each person writes or draws the best part of Christmas on a slip of paper and drops it into a jar. Read last year's slips before you add new ones. It takes two minutes and becomes a keepsake.
Ages: 4 to 8 (younger can dictate)
Prep: 3 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: a clear jar, slips of paper, pens, a marker to date the jar
Safety: keep pens capped around toddlers, and store the jar out of reach. Do not put sharp items in the jar.
- Label the jar with the year so you can find it next Christmas.
| Activity | Ages | Prep | Mess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guess-the-gift unwrapping | 3 to 8 | 5 minutes | High |
| Wrapping paper basketball | 3 to 8 | 1 minute | Low |
| Gift box sleigh and fort | 3 to 8 | 5 minutes | Low |
| Thank-you card station | 4 to 8 | 3 minutes | Low |
| Christmas scavenger hunt | 3 to 8 | 5 minutes | None |
| Indoor sock snowball fight | 3 to 8 | 3 minutes | None |
| Blanket fort flashlight story hour | 3 to 8 | 8 minutes | Low |
| Cocoa picnic on the floor | 2 to 8 | 5 minutes | Medium |
| Christmas lights walk | 2 to 8 | 5 minutes | None |
| Best part of the day jar | 4 to 8 | 3 minutes | None |
Keep Christmas Day Safe
New gifts bring small parts and batteries into the house all at once. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has small parts rules for toys for children under 3, and the toilet paper tube is a handy home check. If it fits through, keep it away from the youngest. If you think a child has swallowed a battery or anything else that could be harmful, get emergency help right away and call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 in the US. This page is not safety certification, so use your own judgment for your child.
Christmas Day safety check
Plan the night before with our Christmas Eve traditions timeline. For the days after, the winter break two week plan has a free 3-page printable, and the Christmas Activity Pack has 24 activity cards plus kindness cards for the whole month.
Supplies for Christmas Day activities
-
Blank thank-you cards
Typically $6 to $12
For the thank-you card station.
Check price on Amazon for Blank thank-you cards -
Kids LED flashlights
Typically $8 to $15
For blanket fort story hour.
Check price on Amazon for Kids LED flashlights -
Washable markers
Typically $6 to $12
For cards and the best part jar slips.
Check price on Amazon for Washable markers -
Clear storage jar
Typically $8 to $14
For the best part of the day jar.
Check price on Amazon for Clear storage jar -
Reflective vests for kids
Typically $8 to $14
For the evening lights walk.
Check price on Amazon for Reflective vests for kids
Frequently asked questions
What should kids do on Christmas Day?
Plan one activity per stretch of the day: slow down the present opening, fill the after-presents lull with a box sleigh or a scavenger hunt, take a quiet break in the afternoon, then go for a lights walk before bed.
How do I keep kids busy on Christmas afternoon?
Give them a fresh change of scenery. A blanket fort with flashlights, a floor cocoa picnic or a sock snowball fight all work, and they take under 10 minutes to set up.
What can kids do while adults cook Christmas dinner?
A scavenger hunt in a different room, a cardboard box sleigh or thank-you cards keep kids busy for 15 to 30 minutes and are safely away from the stove.
How do I slow down opening presents?
Take turns, open one gift at a time and ask everyone to guess before each reveal. Kids get a moment with every gift and the unwrapping lasts longer.
Are these Christmas Day activities screen free?
Yes. They need only paper, blankets, flashlights and things you already have.
What if my kids only want to play with new toys?
Let them. Offer one quick activity per block and keep it optional, since a new toy is often the best activity of the day.
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