Welcome to ‘A Mom’s Guide to Holiday Activities,’ your go-to resource for navigating the festive season with practical and personal insights, ensuring memorable celebrations for you and your family. As a parent, making the holiday season special for your children is a cherished tradition. It’s such a fun time for families- but it can also be so busy. As a mom, I’ve found that creating meaningful and fun activities for the kids is a really great way to start the season. Stored away in our attic is a bin filled with our collection of Christmas-themed nativities and toys. Over the years, it’s been so fun to see the kids’ excitement as they unpack and rediscover these special holiday treasures. In this guide, I’ll share how our family celebrates the holiday season.

These items are invaluable to have at the ready during those inevitable ‘I’m bored’ moments, offering the perfect solution for keeping kids engaged and enjoying holiday cheer throughout the season. Through activities and Christmas-themed toys, you can cater to children of all ages: toddlers and preschoolers, school-age kids, and tweens and teens. These are also fun gifts to surprise the kids with during the holiday break. Check out my ‘Mom’s Guide to Holiday Activities’ below for the full list.

Toddlers and Preschoolers: Building Early Holiday Memories

• Nativities: Introducing children to the nativity scene is a meaningful tradition that teaches them the meaning of Christmas. Our Little People Nativity Set is a family favorite.
• Puzzles: Age-appropriate holiday puzzles are fun for this stage.
• LEGO Duplo: Holiday themed LEGO Duplo sets are great and can be passed to siblings over the years.
• Coloring and Art Projects: Simple coloring books and art projects are great for this age. I also love this coloring craft Christmas playhouse.
• Felt Christmas Tree: This is great for toddlers to decorate.

In these early years, it’s all about introducing them to the joy of the season and age-appropriate activities that keep them engaged.

School Age Kids: Crafting and Creativity

• Nativities: The nativity tradition continues, deepening their understanding of the Christmas story. I love the Playmobil nativity for this age.
• Puzzles: Advanced holiday puzzles can be a family project during the holidays.
• LEGO Sets: Explore intricate LEGO sets, like winter villages- in addition, Home Alone Lego House is so fun!
• Coloring and Art Projects: School-age kids enjoy more detailed art projects, such as crafting holiday cards or ornaments.

For school-age kids, the focus is on enhancing their creativity and craftsmanship, encouraging family bonding.

Tweens and Teens: Nurturing Skills and Compassion

• Holiday Movie Marathon: Invite friends over to watch their favorite Christmas movie – just add popcorn and hot chocolate.
• Advanced Puzzles: The 1,000 piece puzzles are great for teens.
• Art Projects: Teens can work on more advanced art projects, such as DIY holiday decorations or jewelry.
• Gift Wrapping: Teens can offer to help neighbors wrap gifts as a part time job during the holidays.
• Volunteer and Giving Back: Sign teens up for volunteering at a local soup kitchen or creating kits for the homeless.

As children grow into tweens and teens, it’s essential to nurture their skills, compassion, and understanding of the true spirit of the holidays.

Holiday activities are a great way to create lasting memories with your children. Whether they are toddlers or teens, these activities and toys can add a meaningful touch to your family’s holiday season. Enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones!