Celebrate the warmth of the holiday season while creating long-lasting family memories with a variety of December Activities that are family-focused, creative, and fun.
Don’t forget to download our free printable December Activity Calendar at the bottom of this post!
What Can You Do in December?
December is the perfect month to focus on relationships and traditions with friends and family. The holiday season provides exciting inspiration for crafts, activities, outings, science projects, and more! From DIY ornament crafts to socially-distanced family game nights over Zoom, there is something for everyone.
Hands-On Fine Motor Fun
- Make “reindeer food” with oatmeal and dyed sugar crystals. Sprinkle it outside on Christmas Eve to help guide the reindeer to your home.
- Assemble a no-sew fleece blanket.
- Create snowflake ornaments with popsicle sticks, paper, or clothespins.
- Make a Christmas-themed sensory bottle or glitter jar.
- Use handprints, footprints, and thumbprints to make a variety of heartwarming keepsake crafts.
- Invite your child to string beads onto pipe cleaners to create wreaths, candy canes, angels, and Christmas trees!
Explore the Outdoors
- Drive around and look at neighborhood Christmas lights.
- Go on a Christmas scavenger hunt.
- Attend a Christmas tree lighting.
- Visit a Christmas tree farm!
- Take a holiday sleigh ride.
- Enjoy a winter nature walk.
Educational Activities
- Write a letter to Santa.
- Read a book about animals’ winter adaptations and/or hibernation.
- Identify animal tracks and scat in the snow.
- Make a bird feeder and identify the birds that visit.
- Enjoy a holiday-themed science project!
- Use tinsel and a balloon to learn about static electricity.
- Make holiday-scented slime or oobleck.
Indoor Activities
- Watch a live-streamed holiday performance, such as The Nutcracker Ballet or the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
- Start a new tradition by collecting a holiday edition Lego set each year. Before you know it, you’ll have a mini Lego village to add to your holiday decorations.
- Host a virtual family game night!
- Enjoy a Christmas movie night marathon with homemade cookies and hot cocoa.
- Build a blanket fort or teepee and decorate it with Christmas lights. Read Christmas stories inside!
- Make homemade Christmas cards and mail them to friends and family.
Pay it Forward
- Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen.
- Gather blankets and towels and donate them to animal shelters.
- Donate toys and/or buy toys for the Toys for Tots campaign.
- Send holiday cards to a local nursing home.
- Purchase non-perishable goods for your local food pantry or “Blessings Box.”
- Send a care package to troops overseas.
December Activities for Kids
Celebrate December with these easy and fun activities for kids. They are especially perfect for supplementing hybrid or remote school!
1. Enjoy a Christmas Science Experiment
Use baking soda, vinegar, holiday cookie cutters, and liquid watercolors to design your own Christmas science experiment.
2. Paper Christmas Tree Craft
Use our free printable Christmas tree craft template to make a cute fingerprint keepsake ornament!
3. Toilet Paper Ornament
Commemorate 2020 with a funny handmade toilet paper ornament. Also makes a great gag gift!
4. Craft with Paper Cups
Use paper cups to make a Christmas tree, elf, reindeer, or Santa! They are perfect for home or school.
5. Christmas Sensory Bottles
Use glue, glitter, and Christmas craft embellishments to make mesmerizing Christmas sensory bottles!
6. Pine Cone Christmas Crafts
Get outside for some fresh air, collect pine cones, and then turn them into adorable Christmas crafts. Some ideas include:
7. Make a Popsicle Stick Gingerbread House
Use popsicle sticks, paint, and our free printable template to make a whimsical popsicle stick gingerbread house.
8. Christmas Glitter Jars
Grab some extra mason jars and make beautiful Christmas-themed glitter jars!
9. Popsicle Stick Christmas Ornaments
Use popsicle sticks and paint to make clever popsicle stick Christmas ornaments. Some of the best ideas include:
- Nutcracker Ornament
- Sled Ornament
- Snowman Hat Ornament
- Reindeer Ornament
- Snowflake Ornament
- Toy Soldier Ornament
- Christmas Tree
10. Glitter Jar Ornaments
Use glitter and floor polish to create sparkling glitter jar ornaments that you can enjoy for years to come!
What is a Good Theme for December?
Looking for a creative December theme for school, community programs, or home decor? Check out these fun ideas:
- Gingerbread
- Peppermint
- Winter
- Nutcrackers
- Snowmen
- Winter holidays
- Christmas Around the World
- Cookies/Baking
- Poinsettias
- Evergreens
- Hot Chocolate
- Traditions
- Snow and snowflakes
- Reindeer
- Arctic/North Pole
- Caring – December’s character trait of the month!
- Generosity – Giving Tuesday occurs on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.
December Activity Calendar
December is one of my favorite months! It’s a great time to get make cocoa, snuggle up, and relax with your family.
Need ideas of what to do? Our free printable December Activity Calendar is loaded with 30 fun activities and crafts for kids!
Print it and then post it on a bulletin board, the refrigerator, or your family command station. If you save it online, you can click each project for full details and directions.
Click to download the December Activity Calendar!
More December Activities Ideas
Looking for more ideas? You may also enjoy:
- Scandinavian-Inspired Paper Star Ornaments
- Fabric Tree Ornaments
- Ribbon Tree Ornaments
- Gingerbread Man Craft
- Christmas Angel Ornament
- How to Make a Snow Globe
- 42 Hanukkah Crafts for Kids from Hands on As We Grow
- 30+ Kwanzaa Crafts and Activities for Kids from Happy Toddler Playtime
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