The holiday season keeps us busy, even in this 2020 pandemic time, with planning and wrapping, baking and gifting. In these busy times, you may need your kids to stay occupied. With a little planning ahead, you can prep some simple holiday games to keep your kids busy and happy while you get things done.
Games and fun are our kids’ language for learning. If it’s fun, it will stick in their minds so much better. We can keep them busy and help them learn at the same time with these holiday games for busy, happy kids.
Since kids love games, let’s help them learn the ASL sign for game so that they have an easy and fun way to ask to play a game. Plus, you’ll have a fun way to tell them it’s time to play a holiday game!
Quick and Easy Ways to Play
Let’s start with the easiest one of all – good old tic-tac-toe. You can make a holiday style tic-tac-toe board and simple pieces with construction paper. Or you can use a square of felt, make the grid by laying ribbon across it, and use whatever you’d like for the pieces.
Another easy game is bowling. Have your kids decorate toilet paper tubes or soda bottles as snowmen, Christmas trees, or in any fun, holiday way. Then line them up, set a starting point, and have your kids roll a ball to see how many they can knock down.
Stacking and unstacking cups can keep little ones busy for a while. Let them color the cups with crayons or markers. Then they can stack them in different patterns, depending on their age and ability.
Kids who can read and write love MadLibs, and you can find some fun Christmas MadLibs to print here.
Easy Holiday Games with a Little More Prep
Try some of the fun Minute-to-Win-It activities here. Many of them can be used without the Minute-to-Win-It aspect, and they are easy to set up. The Snow Shovel, the Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Toss, and the Candy Cane Hook ‘Em are super easy to prepare.
You could get a green balloon to make a Grinch, as shown here, and use Nerf guns to shoot the floating target!
For another easy one, you can print a fun Christmas Bingo game here!
And lastly for the easy games, you can make a memory game to help your kids match letters, numbers, or colors. Or you could match holiday symbols! And you can make your memory game pieces out of colored paper or pieces of candy (like round peppermint candies or Hershey Kisses).
Holiday Games with a Lot More Prep
If you want to do something more involved, try making a holiday scavenger hunt through your house or yard. You could use candy, little trinkets, holiday ornaments, or anything you’d like for prizes.
You could also make a holiday board game! Give your kids some crafting supplies and a large paper, poster, or piece of cardboard. Then let them design a game board, set the game rules, and make the game pieces.
Ornament sorting is a great activity for toddlers. You’ll have to make sure you have multiples of non-breakable ornaments and some containers for sorting. Or try setting up the sorting activity shown here, using ornaments or balls with a fun Christmas tree poster.
And don’t forget, our gift to you this Holiday season is Signing Time Christmas, available to stream for free on our My Signing Time app. So if you need to get your holiday prep done with some peace, you can let your kids enjoy this quality, educational, and fun program.
You can enjoy this and more fun programming anytime with a My Signing Time subscription. Try it with a 14-day free trial here.