15 Christmas Eve Activities for Families With Little Kids

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Christmas Eve is always such an exciting day for little kids. Between waiting for Santa and asking a million times if it’s bedtime yet, keeping them entertained can be a challenge!

That’s why I love planning a few fun Christmas Eve activities that we can all enjoy together.

I’m talking about decorating cookies for Santa, watching Christmas movies in our pajamas, playing Christmas games, and making those little memories that turn into family traditions.

And the best part? You don’t need to plan anything complicated to make Christmas Eve special.

I’ve rounded up 15 fun Christmas Eve activities for families with little kids that are easy to put together and perfect for making the night feel a little more magical.

1. Decorate Christmas Cookies for Santa

I feel like decorating cookies for Santa is one of those Christmas Eve activities that kids never get tired of.

And the best part is that you can make it as easy or as fancy as you want.

You can bake homemade sugar cookies if that’s something you enjoy doing, but I’m perfectly fine with using store-bought cookies or one of those ready-to-decorate cookie kits.

Set out some frosting, Christmas sprinkles, and a few cookies, then let the kids go crazy decorating them.

Will the cookies look like something from a bakery? Probably not.

Will there be sprinkles all over the table? Absolutely.

But that’s what makes it fun.

You could even let each child decorate one special cookie just for Santa and put it aside for later that night.

And don’t forget to take a picture of their creations before they get eaten!

2. Have a Christmas Pajama Movie Night

There’s just something about watching Christmas movies in pajamas that makes Christmas Eve feel extra cozy.

Let everyone change into their Christmas pajamas, grab their favorite blankets, and settle in for a family movie night.

You could make popcorn, hot chocolate, or put together a little snack tray with everyone’s favorite treats.

For younger kids, I’d pick a movie that isn’t too long, especially if they’ve already had a busy day.

Some fun options are The Grinch, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman.

You could even let the kids take turns choosing the movie each year.

And if you love the idea of having everything ready for Christmas Eve, I put together a whole post on Christmas Eve Box Ideas for Kids They’ll Actually Use.

It’s all about putting together a box filled with things your kids can actually use for a fun Christmas Eve night, including pajamas, activities, movie night goodies, and a bedtime story.

3. Make a Christmas Eve Hot Chocolate Bar

If your kids love hot chocolate, this is such a cute little activity to do together.

You don’t need one of those huge Pinterest hot chocolate stations with 20 different toppings, either.

Just make some hot chocolate and set out a few fun extras.

Mini marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, or Christmas sprinkles are all fun options.

Let the kids choose what they want in their cups and make their own special Christmas Eve hot chocolate.

For toddlers, keep toppings age-appropriate and skip hard candies that could be a choking hazard.

You could even give everyone their own Christmas mug to use every year.

I think this would be especially cute right before your Christmas movie night.

Hot chocolate, Christmas pajamas, and a cozy movie on the couch? That’s pretty much a perfect Christmas Eve evening to me.

4. Go on a Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt

This is one of my favorite Christmas Eve activities because it gets everyone out of the house for a little while.

And if your kids are bouncing off the walls waiting for Santa, sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what you need.

Before heading out, make a little Christmas lights scavenger hunt list.

You can look for things like:

A house with red and green lights
An inflatable Santa
A snowman decoration
A house with blue Christmas lights
A reindeer
A giant Christmas tree
A candy cane decoration

Then pile into the car and drive around your neighborhood looking for everything on the list.

You could also do a walking version if your neighborhood has plenty of decorations nearby.

For younger kids who can’t read yet, draw little pictures next to each item so they can help find everything.

And honestly, you don’t even have to make it a competition.

Just seeing how excited kids get when they spot a giant inflatable Santa is fun enough.

5. Play Printable Christmas Games Together

If you’re looking for something the whole family can do together, Christmas games are always a good idea.

Especially when you’re trying to keep the kids entertained without turning on another movie.

You could play Christmas trivia, a Christmas guessing game, or see who can figure out the most Christmas riddles.

I love printable games because you don’t have to worry about finding a bunch of pieces or setting up a complicated board game.

Just print them out, grab some pencils, and you’re ready to play.

I actually put together a Christmas Game Bundle with 10 printable games, including Christmas Trivia, Emoji Pictionary, Riddles, Scattergories, and more.

For little kids, you can play in teams or have an adult read the questions out loud.

And if you have older siblings joining in, it’s a fun way to get everyone involved without needing completely separate activities.

You could play a few games before dinner or while you’re waiting for your Christmas cookies to finish decorating.

Grab My Printable Christmas Game Bundle Here

6. Make Reindeer Food for Christmas Eve

If your kids love the idea of helping Santa’s reindeer, making reindeer food is such a sweet little tradition.

And you really don’t need much to do it.

All you need is some plain oats and a small bowl or bag to put them in.

Let the kids scoop the oats into their containers and tell them they’re making a special treat for the reindeer.

Then, before bedtime, you can set the bowl beside Santa’s cookies.

I’d skip glitter, plastic confetti, or scattering food outside where it could attract wildlife.

You could even make a little sign that says “Reindeer Food” and let your kids decorate it.

I think little kids would absolutely love feeling like they’re helping get everything ready for Santa’s arrival.

7. Read a Special Christmas Bedtime Story

I love the idea of ending Christmas Eve with a special Christmas story.

After a day filled with excitement, cookies, games, and movies, it’s nice to have something a little calmer before bedtime.

You could choose one Christmas book that you read every Christmas Eve.

Maybe it’s The Night Before Christmas, The Gingerbread Man, or another holiday book your kids love.

Have everyone get into their pajamas, grab a blanket, and cuddle up together for story time.

And if you have multiple kids, you could let them take turns choosing the book each year.

I think this is one of those little traditions that becomes even more special as your kids get older.

They might not remember every Christmas present they opened, but they might remember sitting together reading the same Christmas story every year.

8. Make a Christmas Ornament Together

If you want a Christmas Eve activity that also gives you something to keep, making an ornament is such a cute idea.

And it doesn’t have to be one of those complicated crafts that requires a trip to three different stores.

You can buy plain wooden ornaments and let the kids decorate them with washable paint or markers.

Or cut Christmas shapes out of cardstock and let them add stickers, drawings, and their names.

Write the year on the back, then let them hang their ornaments on the tree.

I especially love this idea for families with little kids because their artwork changes so much from year to year.

Imagine pulling out those ornaments five or ten years from now and seeing the little decorations they made.

Those are the Christmas decorations I’d want to keep forever.

9. Have a Christmas Music Dance Party

Sometimes the easiest Christmas activities end up being the most fun.

And this one requires almost no preparation.

Put on your favorite Christmas playlist, clear a little space in the living room, and let the kids have a Christmas dance party.

You can play freeze dance, take turns picking songs, or just dance around being silly.

If you want to make it extra fun, let everyone dress up with Santa hats or reindeer headbands.

And don’t be surprised if your kids want to play the same Christmas song five times in a row.

I think this is a really good activity to do earlier in the day when everyone still has plenty of energy.

Then you can save the quieter activities for later in the evening.

10. Have a Christmas Eve Picnic in the Living Room

Okay, I think this one is adorable.

Instead of eating dinner at the table like you normally would, spread a blanket on the living room floor and have a little Christmas Eve picnic.

You don’t even have to make a special meal.

Pizza, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, or whatever your family already planned for dinner works perfectly fine.

Put everything on plates, turn on some Christmas music, and let everyone eat together picnic-style.

You could even have a Christmas movie playing in the background.

I think little kids love things like this because it feels so different from a normal evening.

And it’s such a simple way to make Christmas Eve feel special without spending hours preparing something.

Just make sure you’ve picked a spot that’s easy to clean afterward, especially if your kids are still in their spill-everything stage.

11. Make Christmas Cards for Family Members

If you’re looking for a quieter Christmas Eve activity, making Christmas cards is a really sweet option.

Set out some construction paper, crayons, stickers, and washable markers.

Then let the kids make little Christmas cards for grandparents, cousins, or anyone else they love.

Younger kids can draw pictures or decorate the cards with stickers.

Older kids can write their own Christmas messages.

And if you’re spending Christmas Day with family, the kids can hand out their cards when they see everyone.

I think grandparents especially love getting homemade things from little kids.

You could even turn this into a yearly tradition and save a few of the cards to look back on later.

12. Have a Christmas Eve Treasure Hunt

If your kids love scavenger hunts, you can turn Christmas Eve into a little treasure hunt around the house.

Hide a few clues in different rooms and have the kids follow them until they find a special Christmas surprise.

It doesn’t need to be anything expensive.

The final surprise could be their Christmas pajamas, a Christmas book, a little snack, or even their Christmas Eve box.

For younger kids, keep the clues really simple.

You could say things like:

“Look where you brush your teeth!”

Or:

“Your next clue is hiding where we keep our shoes!”

If your kids are too little to read, you can read the clues aloud and help them search.

I love this idea because it adds a little extra excitement to Christmas Eve without needing to buy a bunch of new things.

And honestly, little kids are usually just as excited about finding the surprise as they are about what’s inside it.

13. Take Silly Family Christmas Photos

You don’t need matching outfits, a professional camera, or a perfectly decorated house to take cute Christmas Eve pictures.

Just get everyone together and take a few fun photos.

You could take pictures in Christmas pajamas, with Santa hats, or while everyone is decorating cookies.

And don’t worry about getting that one perfect picture where everybody is smiling and looking at the camera.

If you’ve ever tried taking pictures with little kids, you already know how that usually goes.

Sometimes the funniest pictures end up being the ones you love the most.

You could even take the same family photo every Christmas Eve and compare them over the years.

I think that would be such a cute tradition to look back on.

14. Set Out Cookies and a Special Plate for Santa

This is probably one of the most exciting parts of Christmas Eve for little kids.

After spending the day decorating cookies and getting ready for Christmas, it’s finally time to leave a treat out for Santa.

Let your kids pick which cookies they want to leave on the plate.

You can also set out a little drink and have them choose the perfect spot to leave everything.

If you have a special Santa cookie plate, this is the perfect time to bring it out.

You could even let the kids write a little note to leave beside the cookies.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.

A simple “Merry Christmas, Santa!” written in crayon is adorable.

And I think it’s really sweet to let the kids take charge of this little tradition.

They can decide which cookies Santa gets, where to put the plate, and whether they want to leave him a note.

It’s such a fun way to end the evening before everyone heads off to bed.

15. Have a Christmas Eve Living Room Sleepover

If your family is up for something a little different, you could have a Christmas Eve sleepover in the living room.

Pull out some blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags, then make a cozy little sleeping area together.

You could watch a Christmas movie before bed, read a Christmas story, or just cuddle up and talk about what everyone’s excited for on Christmas morning.

I think this would be especially fun for siblings who don’t normally share a room.

Of course, this one depends on your kids.

Some little ones might be way too excited to fall asleep in the living room, especially with the Christmas tree right there.

And for babies or toddlers who still need a crib or another safe sleep space, I’d stick with their usual sleeping arrangements.

But for older little kids who can handle it, I think a Christmas Eve living room sleepover could become one of those traditions they ask to do every single year.

How to Plan a Fun Christmas Eve With Little Kids

If you’re looking at all these ideas thinking there’s absolutely no way you’re fitting them into one day, don’t worry.

You’re not supposed to!

I would pick three or four activities that your kids would enjoy most and plan the day around those.

For example, you could spend the afternoon decorating cookies, have a little Christmas dance party while dinner is cooking, then change into pajamas for a Christmas movie.

After the movie, let the kids set out their cookies for Santa and finish the night with a Christmas bedtime story.

That’s already a pretty fun Christmas Eve.

And if you want to have all your activities and movie night goodies ready ahead of time, you can put everything together in a Christmas Eve box.

I shared exactly how I’d do that in my Christmas Eve Box Ideas for Kids They’ll Actually Use post.

The whole idea is to have everything your kids need for a fun, festive Christmas Eve night in one place, so you’re not scrambling around trying to find things at the last minute.

Make Christmas Eve a Night Your Kids Look Forward To

I think one of the best things about Christmas Eve is that it doesn’t have to be packed with big plans to feel special.

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that kids get the most excited about.

Decorating cookies for Santa, wearing their Christmas pajamas, looking at Christmas lights, or staying up just a little later to watch a holiday movie together.

And you don’t have to do everything perfectly.

If the cookies turn out messy, the kids get frosting everywhere, or somebody falls asleep halfway through the Christmas movie, that’s okay.

Those are the kinds of Christmas memories that make me smile anyway.

So pick a few Christmas Eve activities your family will enjoy, get everything ready ahead of time, and have fun with your little ones.

And if you’re looking for even more Christmas ideas, check out these posts:

Because Christmas Eve should be fun for the parents, too. Not just another day spent running around trying to make everything perfect.