Christmas Traditions for Kids: Ideas by Age (Toddler to 8)

Give the bottom of the tree to your toddler. Fill a basket with shatterproof ornaments and felt shapes, and let them hang, take off and rehang them all month. Glass ornaments and hooks move to the top branches. Toddlers get to help with the tree instead of hearing no all December, and a new felt ornament each year grows into a collection.

Ages: 1 to 3.

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: none.

Cost: $5 to $15 for shatterproof and felt ornaments.

Supplies: shatterproof ornaments, felt shapes, ribbon loops.

Safety: move glass ornaments, metal hooks, light bulbs and anything with a button battery up high, and anchor the tree so a pull can't tip it.

Wrap 24 picture books, or as many as you have, in kraft paper and number them. Each night, your child picks the next number and unwraps one book for bedtime. Library books and books you already own work; you only need new ones if you want them. It's one of the easiest traditions to start, and it works for ages 1 to 8 at the same time.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: 1 hour to wrap.

Mess: low (paper scraps).

Cost: free with books you own; $30 to $80 for a new set.

Supplies: picture books, kraft paper, tape, number tags.

Safety: board books for toddlers; take the paper and tape away once the book is out.

Make one handprint craft every year in the same style, like a handprint Christmas tree or reindeer, and write their age and the year on the back. Keep them in one folder. By age 8 you have a row of growing hands, and kids love comparing them. Our handprint Christmas crafts has easy designs to choose from.

Ages: 1 to 8 (most fun at 1 to 4).

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: medium (paint).

Cost: $0 to $5 for paint and card stock.

Supplies: washable paint, card stock, a wet wipe.

Safety: use washable, non-toxic paint and wipe hands right away so paint doesn't go in mouths.

Set up a small Christmas village, a toy nativity or a set of wooden figures on a low table, and let your toddler move the pieces as much as they like. Bring it out on the same day every year, like the first Sunday of December. Toddlers love playing out the story, and it saves the fragile decorations from little hands.

Ages: 1 to 4.

Prep: 5 minutes.

Mess: none.

Cost: $20 to $40 for a toddler-safe set.

Supplies: a wooden or plastic Christmas play set.

Safety: pick pieces bigger than a toilet paper tube is wide for kids under 3.

Swap chocolate for a countdown of tiny activities: make paper snowflakes, read a Christmas book, dance to one song, call a grandparent. Write each one on a slip of paper, or use a printable countdown, and open one each morning. Our Christmas countdown ideas has 24 ready-made days if you want a full list.

Ages: 3 to 8.

Prep: 30 minutes once.

Mess: low.

Cost: free to $6.

Supplies: paper slips or printable cards, an envelope or jar.

Safety: pick activities a grown-up can supervise that day; save the messy ones for weekends.

Pick one weekend afternoon each December for cutting out cookies together. Use store bought dough or your family recipe, and give kids the cutters, the sprinkles and the job of putting shapes on the tray. The grown-up handles the oven. Make an extra plate to share, which turns it into a giving tradition too. Write the date on the bottom of the cookie tin each year.

Ages: 3 to 8.

Prep: 15 minutes.

Mess: high (flour and sprinkles).

Cost: $5 to $10.

Supplies: cookie dough, cutters, a rolling pin, sprinkles.

Safety: the CDC advises against eating raw dough or raw flour, so kids taste the baked cookies, not the dough. Keep kids away from the hot oven.

Buy a gingerbread house kit and save it for one evening, like the night school breaks up. Build the house earlier in the day so the icing sets, then let kids decorate. It doesn't need to look good. Take a photo with the house every year. Pair it with our gingerbread man activities for preschoolers. Older kids can design theirs on paper first.

Ages: 4 to 8.

Prep: 30 minutes to build the base.

Mess: high (icing).

Cost: $10 to $20 for a kit.

Supplies: a gingerbread house kit, a plate or tray.

Safety: hard candies and gumdrops are on the AAP choking list for young children, so keep this for ages 4 and up and keep loose candies away from toddlers.

Make a batch of salt dough ornaments each year and hang them on the tree. Kids press shapes, poke a hole for ribbon and paint them once they've dried. Write the year on the back. Our salt dough ornament guide has the method, drying times and design ideas. Hang the oldest ones near the top so they stay safe.

Ages: 3 to 8.

Prep: 20 minutes, plus drying.

Mess: medium.

Cost: under $5.

Supplies: flour, salt, water, cookie cutters, paint, ribbon.

Safety: salt dough is not food and the salt can make pets sick, so keep ornaments and dough away from dogs.

Pair each December day with one small kind act: draw a card for a neighbor, help set the table, leave a note for the mail carrier, give a toy away. Preschoolers love the job of picking the day's act. Our kindness advent calendar has a full month of ideas sorted by age. Keep the list for next year.

Ages: 3 to 8.

Prep: 10 minutes once.

Mess: low.

Cost: free.

Supplies: paper, a pencil, a jar or calendar.

Safety: keep acts close to home with a grown-up, like the next door neighbor.

Each child gets one new ornament every year that sums up their year: a soccer ball, a book, a dinosaur, or a clear ornament they fill or decorate themselves. Write their name and the year on it. When they grow up, they leave home with a box of their own ornaments. Kids 6 to 8 love choosing or making theirs.

Ages: 3 to 8 (toddlers get a handprint one).

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: low to medium.

Cost: $1 to $15 each.

Supplies: plain shatterproof ornaments, paint pens or fillers.

Safety: use shatterproof ornaments and keep small fillers, like beads, away from younger siblings.

Pick one Christmas movie night a week in December: pajamas on, popcorn in a big bowl, blankets on the floor. Kids 6 to 8 can take turns choosing from a short list you made together. Write the films on a list, check them off, and keep the list for next year. It's an easy tradition for weeknights. Toddlers can join for the first half hour.

Ages: 4 to 8 (popcorn for 4 and up).

Prep: 5 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free with movies you have.

Supplies: a movie, popcorn, blankets.

Safety: popcorn is on the AAP choking list for young children, so swap in a soft snack for toddlers.

Give each child one December Saturday, or half a day, to plan. They choose the breakfast, the outing and the evening activity from a list you agree on, like the park, sledding, a library trip or a board game. Kids 6 to 8 love being in charge, and you'll learn what they enjoy most about Christmas. Write the plan on the fridge so they can look forward to it.

Ages: 6 to 8 (4 to 5 with help).

Prep: 10 minutes to agree on the list.

Mess: low.

Cost: free to $20.

Supplies: a paper list of choices.

Safety: set a budget and a short list first so the plan is one you can say yes to.

Each child picks, or makes, a small gift for a brother, sister or cousin, then wraps it themselves. Set a small budget, or make it homemade only. Kids 6 to 8 are old enough to keep the secret and very proud on Christmas morning. Our Christmas gifts under $20 list has budget ideas.

Ages: 5 to 8.

Prep: 20 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: $0 to $10.

Supplies: a small gift, wrapping paper, tape, scissors.

Safety: kid scissors for younger wrappers, and a grown-up nearby for the tape dispenser.

Try one tradition from another country each year. In Germany and other parts of Europe, kids put out their shoes on the evening of December 5 for St. Nicholas to fill. In Mexico, Las Posadas runs from December 16 to 24 with songs and a procession. British families pull Christmas crackers at dinner. Read about it, then try it. Pick a new country each December.

Ages: 5 to 8.

Prep: 15 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free to $15.

Supplies: depends on the tradition: shoes and small treats, crackers or a picture book.

Safety: crackers make a small snap; warn noise-sensitive kids first and keep small trinkets from toddlers.

Pack a box with new pajamas, a Christmas book, a cocoa packet and maybe a small flashlight for reading in bed. Kids open it after dinner on Christmas Eve, change into the pajamas and read the book together. Reuse the same box every year. It's one of the most loved Christmas Eve traditions because it signals that the big night has started.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: 20 minutes to pack.

Mess: low.

Cost: $12 to $45.

Supplies: a box, pajamas, a book, cocoa.

Safety: skip small toys and loose candy in boxes for children under 3.

Many families give new pajamas on Christmas Eve, either in the box or on their own. Matching family sets make for a fun photo on Christmas morning. Buy a size up so they last into winter. If matching sets are over budget, pick the same color for everyone or just new pajamas for the kids. Take a photo in the new pajamas every year in the same spot.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: none.

Mess: none.

Cost: $20 to $45 a set.

Supplies: pajamas.

Safety: choose snug-fitting or flame-resistant children's sleepwear, as the label states.

After dinner, everyone gets in pajamas and coats, cocoa goes into travel mugs, and you drive slowly around the neighborhood looking at lights. Give each child a job: count the blow-up decorations or vote for the best house. Toddlers do well with 20 minutes. For a walking version, see our Christmas activities at home.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: 5 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free, plus gas.

Supplies: the car, travel mugs with lids, a list for voting.

Safety: keep everyone buckled in car seats the whole drive, and use lidded mugs with warm, not hot, drinks.

Kids set out a plate of cookies, a glass of milk and a carrot for the reindeer before bed, and write or draw a short note. In the morning, the plate has crumbs and the note has a reply. Little ones love seeing the half-eaten carrot. Save the notes every year in an envelope. Kids 6 to 8 can help a younger sibling write or draw their note.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 5 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free.

Supplies: cookies, milk, a carrot, paper.

Safety: put the plate up high so pets and toddlers can't get to it overnight.

A scout elf arrives on December 1 and moves to a new spot each night until Christmas Eve. Some families plan a big arrival with a breakfast; others just leave the elf on the shelf with a note. Start with our first night elf arrival ideas, then use the full list of Elf on the Shelf ideas for the rest of the month.

Ages: 3 to 8 (gentle version for 2s).

Prep: 5 minutes a night.

Mess: low to high, your choice.

Cost: $0 to $30.

Supplies: an elf, a note, whatever the setup needs.

Safety: keep elf setups away from small items, candles and button batteries, and out of reach of toddlers.

Write letters to Santa together early in December. Toddlers draw a picture, preschoolers dictate, and kids 6 to 8 write their own. Ask them to add one thing they did well this year and one wish for someone else. Mail it, or leave it out for Santa, and keep a copy each year. It's fun to read them all later.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free, plus a stamp.

Supplies: paper, crayons or pencils, an envelope.

Safety: none beyond the usual crayon supervision for little ones.

With the 3 gifts rule, each child gets three gifts, in honor of the three gifts the Wise Men brought. Some families add a theme: one gift to want, one to need and one to share. It keeps December spending simple and gives kids time to enjoy each gift. Stocking stuffers can sit outside the rule. Talk it over with grandparents early so the rule stays easy to keep.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: none.

Mess: none.

Cost: your budget.

Supplies: three gifts per child.

Safety: check that gifts fit the age on the label, especially toys with small parts or magnets.

No chimney? A magic key hung on the front door lets Santa in. Kids pick or decorate an old key with ribbon and a tag, and hang it outside on Christmas Eve. In the morning, it's gone or turned around. It is a small detail that answers the big question of how Santa gets in. Older kids can make a tag that says it is only for Santa.

Ages: 3 to 8.

Prep: 5 minutes.

Mess: none.

Cost: free to $10.

Supplies: an old key or a key ornament, ribbon, a tag.

Safety: hang it where little ones can't reach it after it comes inside.

In early December, kids pick a few gently used toys to give away to make room for new ones, and choose one new toy to donate. Put them in a box by the door and drop it at a local toy drive, shelter or charity together. Kids 6 to 8 can help choose where it goes. Talk about why the toys will make someone else's Christmas happier.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 20 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free, plus one new toy if you like.

Supplies: a box, toys in good shape.

Safety: check that donated toys have all their parts and no small loose pieces, and ask your local drive what they accept.

Bake or buy a few treats, or make simple cards, and deliver them to the neighbors on one December afternoon. Kids ring the bell and say Merry Christmas. Don't forget the mail carrier, the school bus driver or the lady at the library. It is a small thing that kids remember. Let kids decorate the bags or plates for each house, and write each family's name on a tag.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 30 minutes.

Mess: low to medium.

Cost: $0 to $10.

Supplies: treats or cards, a basket.

Safety: visit neighbors you know, and ask about food allergies before giving homemade treats.

For families who celebrate the religious side of Christmas, read the Christmas story from a children's Bible on Christmas Eve, or add one figure to a nativity set each day in December, with baby Jesus on Christmas morning. Kids can act it out with a toy set or a sheet and a towel for costumes. Families of other faiths can share their own winter stories in the same way.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free to $30.

Supplies: a children's Bible or picture book, a nativity set.

Safety: pick a shatterproof set if toddlers will play with it.

On December 26 or the first quiet day after, everyone makes thank you notes. Toddlers scribble, preschoolers draw the gift, and kids 6 to 8 write a sentence or two. Grandparents keep them. It's a calm way to end the holiday and a good habit to start young. Pin a photo of the child with the gift to each note for grandparents who live far away.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: 10 minutes.

Mess: low.

Cost: free.

Supplies: paper or cards, crayons, envelopes.

Safety: none beyond crayon supervision for little ones.

On Christmas morning, kids can open stockings as soon as they wake up, but presents wait until everyone is up. It buys parents a little more sleep and makes the morning last. Hang the stockings low enough for kids to reach. Our stocking stuffers for ages 3 to 5 list has ideas.

Ages: 2 to 8.

Prep: none.

Mess: low.

Cost: free with stockings you have.

Supplies: stockings.

Safety: keep small stocking items and candy out of stockings for children under 3.

Pick a night, push the coffee table back and play Christmas songs for 20 minutes. Everyone dances, including the grown-ups. Let each child pick one song. Toddlers love a freeze dance version where everyone stops when the music stops. It costs nothing and gets wiggles out before bed. Older kids can make the playlist and run the music. Do it on the same night each week in December so kids look forward to it.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: none.

Mess: none.

Cost: free.

Supplies: a speaker and a Christmas playlist.

Safety: clear the floor of toys and keep socks off on slippery floors.

Pick one breakfast you have every Christmas morning: pancakes, cinnamon rolls from a tube, or a fruit platter. It doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to be the same. Kids will ask for it by name. Let older kids help set the table or stir the batter. Write it on the family calendar so nobody forgets to buy what you need. Kids will remember this one longer than most gifts.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: 15 minutes.

Mess: low to medium.

Cost: the cost of breakfast.

Supplies: your usual breakfast things.

Safety: keep kids back from the stove and hot pans.

Take one photo of the kids in the same spot every year, like in front of the tree or on the stairs in their Christmas pajamas. Print it or save it in one album. Kids love seeing how much they've grown, and it takes about two minutes. Hold up a sign with the year, or let the youngest pick the pose. Line the photos up in a frame when they turn 10.

Ages: 1 to 8.

Prep: 2 minutes.

Mess: none.

Cost: free.

Supplies: a phone or camera.

Safety: none needed.