Four Christmas Games for Kids

Hosting a Christmas party for kids comes with the complicated task of finding ways to keep the kids occupied. Whether you host a game for younger children, tweens, teenagers, or a mixture of all three, you need Christmas games that keep the kids busy. The games should be both fun and entertaining for all players.

Santa Relay Race

For the Santa relay race, you need two complete Santa costumes, empty boxes wrapped in wrapping paper, and two empty boxes. Place the two empty boxes on one side of the room and arrange the wrapped boxes in two equal size piles on the opposite side of the room. Divide the kids into two equal groups.

When the game starts, one player from each team must put the Santa costume on over their own clothing, grab a wrapped box, run it across the room, deposit it in the empty box, and run back to their team. That player takes off the costume and the next player puts it on and runs a wrapped box to the other side of the room. The first team that gets all their "presents" into the box and out of the costume wins the game.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is a simple activity for kids of all ages. Create a list of items relating to the holidays, including Santa Clause, a candy cane, ornament, Christmas tree, lights, stocking, and other items. Divide the players into small groups of three to four and give each group a copy of the list. Let the kids scour the house for the items on the list.

For teenagers or older kids, consider expanding the search area and letting the kids look outside or even visit neighboring homes. Younger children might have some problems finding the items on the list. Combat the problem by hiding the items around the room. For example, hang Santa ornaments and candy canes on a small tree in one corner of the room. This makes it easier for the smaller children to play the game.

Fill Santa's Bag

Fill Santa's bag is a holiday game that fosters teamwork among players. The goal of the game is to get a stack of presents from one side of the room to the other. Create the presents from empty boxes wrapped in different colors of wrapping paper and topped with ribbons and bows. Stack the presents in two stacks on one side of the room and place a large plastic bag on the other side of the room.

Create two groups from the children playing. Each team must pick up one present and pass it down the line, getting it the bag on the other side of the room and placing it inside the bag. The winning team is the one that gets all of their presents into the bag first.

Candy Cane Toss

Candy cane toss is similar to corn hole. Paint a piece of posterboard in white and draw red circles on the top. Write a different point value inside each circle, making the smaller circles worth more than the larger circles. One at a time, let the kids stand a few feet away from the posterboard and toss three candy canes at the board. Every time a candy cane hits a circle, the child earns those points. The child with the highest amount of points wins.

Use the four Christmas games together, play a single game, or use a combination of games. The games keep the kids occupied, but also lets them have fun during the party.