Table of Contents
Getting Started with Your Christmas Calendar
Setting up Your Activity Plan
Let’s make your December amazing! Pick activities that work with your family’s schedule. Start by marking regular commitments on a calendar. Next, add fun holiday activities around these times. Think about your kids’ ages and what they might like. Some families do morning activities, others save the fun for after school or weekends. Write down each day’s activity where everyone can see it – maybe on the fridge or a special board.
A tip from my friend Sarah, mom of three: “I put sticky notes on calendar dates. This way, I can swap activities if something comes up.” You don’t need to plan everything – leave some free days. Bad weather? Sick child? Having backup plans helps.
Making a Supply List
Check what you need for each activity. Make three lists:
- Things you already have
- Things to buy
- Things to gather from nature
Buy supplies in groups to save trips to the store. Basic supplies like paper, glue, and scissors work for many projects. Keep everything in one box or spot. This makes starting activities easier.
Indoor Art and Craft Days
Snow Globe Making at Home
You’ll need clean jars, glitter, glycerin, and small waterproof toys. Add warm water to your jar. Put in a tiny drop of glycerin – this makes the glitter float slowly. Add a sprinkle of glitter. Glue your toy to the jar lid. When dry, fill the jar almost full, screw on the lid tight, and flip it over.
Mrs. Chen, an art teacher, shares: “Let kids pick their own decorations. They’ll play with their snow globes more if they made all the choices.”
Paper Snowflake Art Workshop
Start with square paper. Fold it in half, then in thirds. Cut small shapes along the edges. Open it up – magic! Try different patterns. Make tiny ones for tree decorations and big ones for windows. String them together to make curtains.
Salt Dough Decorations
Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 cup warm water. Knead until smooth. Roll it out and cut shapes. Make holes for hanging. Bake at 250°F for 2 hours. Paint them when cool. These last for years!
Sweet Treats in the Kitchen
Basic Sugar Cookie Baking
Sugar cookies bring families together! Start with an easy recipe: 3 cups flour, 1 cup butter, 1½ cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix wet ingredients first, then add dry ones. Let the dough cool in the fridge for 1 hour.
Baking tip from Chef Maria: “Put flour on the counter before rolling dough. Kids can help cut shapes, but watch the oven part.” Make stations – one for rolling, one for cutting, one for decorating. Keep sprinkles in paper plates to catch spills.
Hot Chocolate Bar Setup
Create a special spot for hot cocoa fun. Use a small table or counter space. Set out mugs, spoons, and toppings. Safe options for kids include mini marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate chips.
Keep hot chocolate warm in a crockpot set to low. Use paper cups for little ones – they’re lighter and safer. Add fun mix-ins like candy canes or flavored syrups.
Gingerbread House Building
Buy a kit or make walls from scratch. Build houses on cardboard squares – they’re easier to move. Put royal icing in plastic bags and cut tiny corner holes for piping. Let walls dry before adding the roof.
Photo by craftmonsterz on Instagram
Pro tip from Baker Tom: “Build the house one day, decorate the next. This stops walls from sliding.” Sort candies into bowls by color. Take pictures before eating!
Holiday Movie Time
Family Movie Night Setup
Pick age-right movies. Make a list mixing old favorites with new films. Set a regular movie night time – maybe Friday nights through December. Clean the watching space first.
Create tickets for each showing. Kids can be ticket takers. Pull curtains, dim lights, and set up pillows. Put snacks in small paper bags like real theaters do.
Comfy Blanket Fort Building
Gather soft blankets and sheets. Use chairs or couch backs as support posts. Clip blankets with clothespins – they hold better than pins. Add twinkle lights inside for magic.
Linda, a mom blogger, suggests: “Make fort rules with kids. Like ‘no pushing on walls’ and ‘everyone helps clean up.'” Add special pillows just for fort time.
Snack Station Ideas
Set up snacks before movies start. Use muffin tins for sorting different treats. Put drinks in cups with lids. Keep napkins handy.
Make little bags of popcorn ahead. Add surprise treats to some bags. Use plastic bowls – they don’t break if dropped in the dark.
Christmas Music and Dance
Simple Carol Learning Session
Learn one new song each week. Print out lyrics in big letters. Start with short, easy songs like “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph.” Break songs into small parts to learn slowly.
Music teacher Mr. Rodriguez shares: “Use hand motions with songs. Kids remember lyrics better when they move.” Record your family singing – kids love hearing themselves.
Holiday Dance Party Tips
Clear a space in your living room. Push furniture to walls. Make a playlist mixing kid songs with holiday music. Set party times for 15-30 minutes – short bursts work best.
Add fun props like ribbons or scarves. Try freeze dance with Christmas songs. When music stops, everyone turns into an ice statue. Keep water bottles ready.
Musical Games Guide
Play musical presents – like musical chairs but pass a wrapped box. Use bells for rhythm games. March around the house making a holiday parade.
Try “Name That Carol” – hum tunes and guess. Make shakers from empty water bottles – add rice or beans. Bang wooden spoons on pots for drums.
Giving Back Projects
Making Cards for Others
Get colored paper and markers. Fold papers in half for cards. Let kids draw their own pictures. Help write simple messages inside.
Send cards to:
- Local nursing homes
- Military members
- Children’s hospitals
- Family far away
Keep address lists ready. Take pictures of cards before sending.
Book Donation Day
Look through bookshelves together. Pick books in good shape to give. Talk about why sharing helps others. Clean books with soft cloths.
Book drive organizer Amy notes: “Ask kids why each book might make someone happy.” Box books by age groups. Add happy notes inside covers.
Food Bank Visit Guide
Call ahead to check rules. Make a shopping list of needed items. Let kids pick foods in the store. Check dates on cans.
Talk about:
- Why food banks help
- Who needs food
- How sharing makes us feel good
Count items together. Sort foods by type. Make cards to go with donations.
Nature-Based Fun
Pine Cone Collecting Walk
Pack paper bags for collecting. Wear gloves – pine cones can be sticky. Look under trees in parks or yards. Pick dry, open cones.
Nature guide Jane advises: “Shake cones to check for bugs. Leave some for animals.” Sort cones by size at home. Put them in paper bags to dry if wet.
Add to the fun by:
- Counting cones found
- Looking for different shapes
- Making up cone stories
- Taking photos of finds
Bird Feeder Creation
Spread peanut butter on pine cones. Roll in bird seed. Hang with string outside windows. Watch birds come visit.
Other simple feeders:
- Thread cereal on string
- Orange cup feeders
- Milk carton houses
- Paper roll feeders
Keep a list of birds you see. Draw pictures of visitors.
Winter Scavenger Hunt
Make picture lists of things to find:
- Red berries
- Green leaves
- Animal tracks
- Icicles
- Pretty rocks
Take bags for treasures. Bring phones for photos. Set time limits – 30 minutes works well. Make maps of where you looked.
Christmas Story Time
Reading Corner Setup
Pick a cozy spot. Add soft pillows and blankets. Put books in easy reach. Set up good lighting.
Reading specialist Ms. Brown suggests: “Rotate holiday books weekly. Keep favorites but add new ones.” Make special reading time tickets.
Create signs for your corner:
- “Story Time Spot”
- “Reading Zone”
- “Book Nook”
Acting Out Stories
Use simple props from home. Make paper crowns, stick wands. Act out classic tales:
- The Night Before Christmas
- Rudolph’s Story
- Frosty’s Adventures
Let kids change stories. Make new endings. Film mini plays for family.
Writing Letters to Santa
Set up a writing station. Provide:
- Nice paper
- Markers/crayons
- Stickers
- Envelopes
Help spell words. Let kids draw pictures too. Make copies before sending. Start early so letters arrive in time.
Budget-Smart Activities
Dollar Store Craft Ideas
Shop smart with a list. Buy basic supplies:
- Construction paper
- Glue sticks
- Craft sticks
- Pipe cleaners
Create fun projects like:
- Paper plate wreaths
- Cotton ball snowmen
- Craft stick stars
- Paper chain garlands
Lisa, a budget craft expert, shares: “Buy white items to paint or color. They cost less than colored ones.” Save leftover bits for future crafts.
Recycled Material Projects
Save clean items like:
- Cardboard boxes
- Paper tubes
- Plastic containers
- Jar lids
Turn them into:
- Box gingerbread houses
- Tube gift wrap holders
- Container snow globes
- Lid ornaments
Wash all items first. Sort by size in boxes. Label containers for easy finding.
No-Cost Game Ideas Play indoor games like:
- Christmas charades
- Holiday I Spy
- Memory matching
- Simon Says with carols
Make rules simple. Keep score with paper tallies. Change games if kids get tired.
Christmas Learning Fun
Math with Cookie Counting
Count while you bake:
- Measure ingredients
- Sort cookies by shape
- Add sprinkle patterns
- Count by twos or fives
Baker Beth notes: “Let kids help measure. Even wrong measurements teach math.” Graph favorite cookie types.
Geography Through Santa’s Route
Use a world map. Track Santa’s path. Learn about different countries. Mark spots with stickers.
Study:
- Country names
- Weather types
- Time zones
- Holiday customs
Make passport books. Stamp visits to each country.
Science with Snow Experiments
Try safe experiments:
- Make fake snow
- Watch ice melt
- Create frost
- Study snowflakes
Record results in notebooks. Draw pictures of what happens. Measure and time changes.