Christmas Color Hunt for Toddlers Using Toys You Already Have
Looking for an easy Christmas scavenger hunt for toddlers that doesn’t require printing anything or buying more supplies?
Try a Christmas Color Hunt!
All you need is a basket and a few red and green toys you already have around the house.
Your toddler gets to search for Christmas colors, bring their toys back to the basket, and choose which color to find next.
It’s such a simple little game, but it’s perfect for toddlers who love carrying things around and showing you what they’ve found.
What Is a Christmas Color Hunt?
A Christmas Color Hunt is a simple scavenger hunt where toddlers search for red and green toys.
Instead of giving them a long list of things to find, you ask them to look for one color at a time.
For example, you might say, “Can you find something red?”
Your toddler searches for a red toy, brings it back, and puts it in the basket.
Then you can ask them to find something green.
It’s a fun way to practice colors, follow simple directions, and get a little movement into the day.
And since you’re using toys you already own, there’s almost no preparation involved.
What You’ll Need
You only need:
- A small basket or container
- A few red toys
- A few green toys
You can use toy cars, large building blocks, play food, stuffed animals, or anything else your toddler enjoys playing with.
Just make sure everything is age-appropriate and doesn’t have small parts that could be a choking hazard.
I would also choose toys that are easy for your toddler to pick up and carry.
How to Set Up a Christmas Color Hunt
Before starting, take a quick look around the playroom or living room.
Make sure there are a few red and green toys your toddler can easily find.
You don’t need to hide them.
In fact, for younger toddlers, I’d leave the toys somewhere they can clearly see them.
Put your basket in the middle of the room and tell your toddler you’re going on a Christmas color hunt.
Then you’re ready to start!
How to Play a Christmas Scavenger Hunt With Toddlers
Step 1: Find the first toy together.
Start by saying, “Let’s find something red!”
Walk around with your toddler and point out a red toy.
You might say, “Look! Here’s your red car!”
Help them pick it up and carry it to the basket.
Step 2: Let your toddler find another toy.
Once they understand what to do, ask them to find another red toy.
Give them time to look around.
If they need help, point toward a toy or offer a little hint.
When they find it, let them bring it back to the basket.
Step 3: Switch to green.
Now ask, “Can you find something green?”
Your toddler might bring you a green block, a toy dinosaur, or a piece of play food.
Name the color as they put the toy in the basket.
Step 4: Let your toddler choose the next color.
After they’ve found a few toys, ask whether they want to find red or green next.
This gives them a chance to make a choice and keeps the game interesting.
Step 5: Count the Christmas toys together.
Once the basket has a few toys inside, sit down together and count what they’ve collected.
You could say, “We found three red toys and two green toys!”
Then let your toddler dump the basket out and start again if they want to keep playing.
Because if there’s one thing toddlers love, it’s filling up a basket just so they can empty it again.
How to Make the Game Easier for Younger Toddlers
If your toddler is just starting to recognize colors, don’t worry about having them search the entire room.
Start with two toys sitting right in front of them.
For example, put down one red block and one green block.
Ask them to find the red one.
If they’re not sure, pick it up together and say, “This one is red!”
Then place it in the basket.
Repeat with the green toy.
You can gradually add more toys as your toddler gets comfortable with the game.
And if they choose the wrong color, that’s okay.
Just name the color they found and keep playing.
The goal is to practice recognizing colors while having fun, not to turn it into a test.
Fun Ways to Change Your Christmas Color Hunt
Once your toddler gets the hang of the game, you can try a few simple variations.
Try a Christmas toy delivery game.
Pretend the basket is Santa’s sleigh and your toddler is helping deliver Christmas presents.
Every red or green toy they find becomes another present for Santa.
Add Christmas decorations.
Instead of searching only for toys, ask your toddler to point out red and green decorations around the room.
They might find a red stocking, a green Christmas tree, or a red bow.
For decorations that aren’t safe to handle, have them point instead of picking them up.
Sort the toys afterward.
Once your toddler has collected everything, set out two baskets.
Help them put red toys in one basket and green toys in the other.
This adds another little activity without needing any extra supplies.
Play with a sibling.
If you have more than one child, let them take turns finding toys.
You could have one child search for red while the other looks for green.
There’s no need to make it a race.
Just let everyone enjoy finding the Christmas colors.
More Color Sorting Toys for Toddlers
If your toddler enjoys searching for colors and sorting their toys, there are some really cute color matching toys that are great for everyday play, too.
I rounded up a few of my favorite toddler sorting toys, colorful blocks, and stacking activities on Amazon.
These are fun for practicing colors long after Christmas is over!
Shop My Favorite Color Sorting Toys for Toddlers
Why I Love This Christmas Activity for Toddlers
My favorite thing about this activity is how easy it is to set up.
You don’t have to print scavenger hunt cards, cut out pictures, or buy special Christmas supplies.
You’re simply turning toys your toddler already enjoys into a little Christmas game.
It’s also a nice activity for those days when you want something different but don’t feel like getting out paint, glue, or craft supplies.
And you can make it as short or as long as your toddler wants.
Some kids might be finished after finding three toys.
Others might want to empty the basket and do the whole hunt again.
Either way, it’s an easy way to add a little Christmas fun to an ordinary afternoon.
