Christmas party games for kids are great for a school party, a family get-together dinner, or anything in between. Whenever there are lots of kids and you have no idea how to keep them entertained and engaged, just use some of our ideas.
And the best part about these fun games is that you have the materials and items already in your home for most of them. Yes, for some games you will have to spend some money, but nothing expensive.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at games you can play on Christmas Eve.
1. Christmas Gift Stacking Relay Game
Your kids will love this Christmas party game. The goal is to recreate a stack of gifts. And the racing adds a competitive element.
For this game, you need some empty boxes, leftover gift wrap, and two chairs. Split participants into two teams and have them race against each other to carry stacks of gifts between the chairs without dropping presents.
2. Jingle Bell Toss Game
You can’t have a Christmas party without some jingle bells, right? We love singing the Jingle Bells song. Well, now we will have a holiday party game inspired by it.
This game challenges kids to toss jingle bells into colorful cups. You can modify the game for kids of all ages. For example, if you have older kids, increase the distance of the cups.
3. Christmas Scavenger Hunt
You can take the excitement of gift receiving and unboxing gifts to a whole new level. With a scavenger hunt, you can turn anything you like into a big reward. For example, Christmas gifts.
Your little ones will love searching the house for clues and treats. If you want, you can download a printable scavenger hunt.
4. Printable Escape Room Games
There are many printable escape room kits nowadays. But because we are talking about fun Christmas party games for kids, let’s talk about a holiday-themed game. Do you want a holiday activity that will warm your heart during the cold winter? Well, why don’t you try Saving the Beauty of Winter?
The storyline goes like this: “An evil scientist, who hates winter and snow, invents a device that is destroying all the snow in your city.”
And your goal is to find his top-secret diary leading into his lab. There, you have a chance to turn off the machine and bring back the magic of winter. Sound challenging enough for you?
Our ready-to-play game kits
Professor Swen’s Lab
Houdini’s Secret Room
Wooka Booka Island
The Gilded Carcanet
5. Christmas Guess Who
The iconic game gets a festive twist. How can you do that? Well, by making cards with pictures of family members. You can use Polaroid photos for an easy and vintage twist.
Kids have to guess the correct person using holiday prompts. For example, “Who makes the best Christmas dessert?” Once you finish playing the fun Christmas game, you can add the pictures to your decorations.
6. Stocking Guessing Game
Talking about guessing games and Christmas party ideas, let’s try a different one. For this Christmas trivia game, you need to fill a stocking with small toys and Christmas items. Some examples include a candy cane, bell, small car, pinecone, and more.
Allow the kids to feel the stocking and try to identify its contents. The child with the most correct guesses wins the game.
7. Pin the Nose on the Snowman
For this game, you will need a piece of white paper. Use it to make the outline of a snowman. Then, add eyes, a mouth, and a black top hat. Of course, do not forget the carrot nose. This is where kids come to help.
The goal is for kids to try to attach orange-colored carrot noses to the snowman’s face.
8. Candy Cane Hunt
You can’t have a Christmas party without a candy cane. They are the signature of the Christmas season. Hide candy canes in the house and let the kids look for them.
Add some toys for some fun. Think of this Christmas game as similar to an Easter bunny egg hunt. Only it is with candy canes.
9. Snow Blower Game
This game works for kids of all ages, even young kids. For this Christmas activity, you need a few cotton balls and a colorful drinking straw for each child. Draw a finish line on a large piece of paper, or you could tape one on a tabletop.
The goal is to move a cotton ball across the finish line first by blowing through the straw.
10. Christmas Family Trivia
This game is great when you have a big family dinner. Of course, we don’t know everything about everyone, so this is a great bonding and get to know each other game. Each kid should write down a little-known fact when they arrive at the party.
Collect the facts in a bowl, and during dessert, give one to each kid. They have to read it aloud, and other players must guess to whom the fact applies.
11. Ringing Bells Memory Game
A good memory game helps your kids improve critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills. This is a fun version of the fan favorite Memory Game. For this game, you can use wrapped Hershey Kisses candies.
Adhere dot stickers to the bottom and write matching number pairs on the stickers. Kids have to turn over the candies and remember their location. The goal is to make matched pairs. Depending on the age and maturity of your kids, you can use a different number of candies.
12. Christmas Musical Chairs
The classic Musical Chairs game works for almost every occasion. When it comes to Christmas, there are three versions. Depending on the age and maturity of your child, choose the version you find suitable.
The traditional musical chairs is when you play Christmas music and play the game with one missing chair. Each time the Christmas song stops, the child without a seat is out of the game. Play until only one player remains.
You can also try to pass the present. While you play Christmas music, pass a wrapped gift around a circle. When the music stops, whoever holds the package is out of the game. Continue until you have a winner.
And the last version is Christmas Ornament Musical Chairs. For this Christmas edition, you need to cut ornament shapes from bright-colored construction paper. Have the children walk while the music is playing. When the music stops, each must stand on an ornament cutout.
13. Sled Races
If you want to take the party outside, here is a classic Christmas party game for kids. It is great for working off that post-dinner slump. Participants should line up at the top of a hill. Stay at a safe distance apart to prevent mid-hill crashes.
Then, go for a sled race. The first one to the bottom wins.
14. Christmas Dance Freeze
Here is another classic game that gets a Christmas variation. You can turn the Christmas tree into a center stage for this holiday dance-off.
You know the rules: Turn on the music, get people dancing, and then shut it off without warning. Shout freeze, and people have to stop moving. Whoever stops last is out.
15. Guess the Christmas Smell Game
For this holiday season, we have an amazing game. Put a few classic Christmas scents like peppermint, pine needles, nutmeg, and more into separate jars with tight lids. Blindfold the player, and ask them to guess the scent.
16. Christmas Charades
Charades is one of the most popular games ever. That is why it makes it onto every list of games for kids. You can put a Christmas twist on the basic game by making all the phrases about the Christmas season. And that is how you get Christmas charades game.
17. Snowman Slam
For this game, you probably have all the supplies at hand. Those include white cups, construction paper, and rolled-up socks. Decorate each of the white cups with a snowman face. Stack them in a tower.
Now, have the kids take turns throwing rolled-up socks at the tower to try to knock down as many snowmen as they can.
18. Santa Says
Well, here is another Christmas edition. This time of the classic Simon Says game. You can have an adult play the role of Santa or any kid. And then give kids commands like:
- Santa Says run in place
- Santa Says jump as high as possible
- Santa says give high five
- Santa says touch your mouth
When you give a command without saying “Santa says,” participants should not follow it. You know the rules already.
If you want to play without a winner and have the kids experience the thrill, try this: Whoever does a command when you do not say Santa says, that player is the next Santa. Continue until kids have had their turn as Santa Claus.
19. Gingerbread House Competition
We finish off with a great family game. You can make the gingerbread house project a bit more challenging. Each construction team has to construct an iconic favorite from a Christmas movie or anything they can come up with.