Christmas Games for Kids of All Ages!

There’s nothing like the holiday season to bring families closer together, and one of the best ways to make the most of it is coming up with Christmas games for kids. 

family decorating treeDad and daughter decorating christmas tree while mom is watching and holding her baby.

Whether you’re trying to keep toddlers entertained, give teens a chance to bond, or find something that even grandparents will love.

I’ve put together a list of Christmas games that will create memories for everyone. This list of games is not set in stone, any of these games can be played by any age of child.

Since you know your children best, you decide. Now gather your family together, and get ready to have some festive fun!

Christmas Games For Toddlers

Toddlers bring an adorable sense of wonder to Christmas, and these games are perfect for their boundless energy and short attention spans.

1. Christmas Tree Ring Toss

  • What you need: Small plastic rings, a mini Christmas tree (or a cone wrapped in green).
  • How to play: Place the tree on the floor and have toddlers try to toss the rings onto the branches or over the tree. For a bit of extra sensory experience you could add s few small bells.
  • Why it’s great: Your toddler will develop their motor skills and they will get that “big kid” feeling as they enjoy playing the game on their own.

2. Jingle Bell Hunt

  • What you need: Small jingle bells, holiday-colored paper or tissue, and baskets.
  • How to play: Hide the bells around a designated area, then give each toddler a basket and encourage them to find as many as they can. You can make it extra festive by playing Christmas music in the background.
  • Why it’s great: Toddlers love simple treasure hunting games and an activity like this will encourage exploration and teamwork. 

3. Snowball Toss

  • What you need: Cotton balls or soft, indoor snowballs.
  • How to play: Place a large bowl or basket a few feet away and have toddlers try to toss the “snowballs” into the bowl. For a twist, try using a mini snowman as the target!
  • Why it’s great: This is a safe game, it’s easy and your toddler will giggle endlessly. 

Christmas Games for Kids Who A a Bit Older (5-12)

Older kids are ready for games that involve a little more creativity and a hint of friendly competition. These Christmas games for kids are sure to keep them engaged!

4. Santa’s Beard Relay

  • What you need: Cotton balls and Vaseline or double-sided tape.
  • How to play: Divide kids into two teams. One child from each team must cover their face in Vaseline, then run to a pile of cotton balls to create their own “Santa’s beard.” The team with the fullest beard wins!
  • Why it’s great: It’s messy, silly, and gets everyone laughing.
blue christmas decorationsSprakly blue Christmas ball.

5. Christmas Charade

  • What you need: A list of holiday-themed actions (decorating a tree, unwrapping gifts, etc.).
  • How to play: Kids take turns drawing a holiday action and acting it out while their teammates guess. You could always add a twist to this game and use holiday props for extra fun!
  • Why it’s great: As we all know, charades is a classic, and Christmas charades encourages creativity and boosts confidence. 

6. Candy Cane Hunt

  • What you need: Mini candy canes hidden around the room.
  • How to play: Hide candy canes in hard-to-spot places and let kids loose to search for them. Whoever finds the most candy canes wins a prize.
  • Why it’s great: This game taps into kids’ competitive spirit while building their observational skills.

Christmas Games For Teens

Teenagers sometimes need a little extra encouragement to join in, but these Christmas games for kids have just enough strategy, humor, and friendly competition to keep them involved!

7. Christmas Minute-to-Win-It Challenges

  • What you need: Candy canes, plastic cups, mini marshmallows, and other simple items.
  • How to play: Set up multiple stations with challenges like stacking marshmallows, balancing candy canes, or seeing who can unwrap a present using only oven mitts. Each challenge should be completed in under a minute.
  • Why it’s great: If your teen loves a good challenge, this game may be the way to encourage their participation.

8. Christmas Movie Trivia

  • What you need: A set of trivia questions about classic Christmas movies.
  • How to play: Break teens into teams and ask them trivia questions about popular holiday films that everyone has seen.
  • Why it’s great: Teens love showing off their knowledge, and this game lets them bond over favourite holiday films.

9. The Grinch Game

  • What you need: A small stuffed Grinch toy.
  • How to play: Pass the Grinch around while Christmas music plays. When the music stops, whoever is holding the Grinch has to answer a holiday-themed question (e.g., “What’s your favorite Christmas memory?”). For a more competitive edge, you can play it as “hot potato,” where the person holding the Grinch is out.
  • Why it’s great: Believe it or not this games takes a bit of strategy, is fun and perfect for teens. 

Christmas Games for Adults

Adults can be a bit tricky, but these games are light-hearted enough to get everyone laughing—and a bit competitive too!

10. Christmas Pictionar

  • What you need: Whiteboard, markers, and holiday-themed words or phrases.
  • How to play: Divide into teams and take turns drawing holiday words or phrases, while your team tries to guess within a time limit.
adults enjoying drinks at christmasGroup of friends sitting around at Christmas time enjoying conversation and drinks.
  • Why it’s great: It’s simple, timeless, and bound to create funny memories!

11. Holiday “Name That Tune”

  • What you need: A playlist of Christmas songs.
  • How to play: Play a few seconds of each song, and see who can guess the title first. You can make it extra challenging by only playing the instrumental version.
  • Why it’s great: This game brings out the Christmas spirit in everyone while testing their knowledge of Christmas music.

12. Christmas Scattergories

  • What you need: Pen, paper, and a Christmas-themed category list.
  • How to play: Set a timer and have everyone come up with words that match a Christmas category (e.g., “Holiday treats,” “Famous Christmas characters”). Whoever can comes up with the most answers for each category wins!
  • Why it’s great: Quick thinking is required to play this game, practicing this skill is always a good idea.

Wrapping It All Up

There you have it! A list of Christmas games for kids that everyone in the family can enjoy, from toddlers to grandparents.