School Calendar and Seasons

Holiday Activities to Keep Kids Busy on Christmas Eve

mother and daughter making paper snowflakes

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the kids are getting more and more excited. As the special day gets closer it can be helpful to have some holiday-themed activities on hand. Here are some fun and easy ideas to keep your whole family busy and in the holiday spirit so you will all enjoy many merry moments.

Cooking Time

Rows of assorted cookies

Cooking is an inevitable part of a parent’s day, and many may not have time to involve the kids. But cooking or baking with your children just prior to the holiday can be a great activity for them because it creates family memories and can be used as a learning opportunity.

Get some ideas from our favorite classic holiday recipes post and try our recipes for creative Christmas cookies that are sure to impress every cookie exchange.

Craft Time

Holiday arts and crafts projects are limited only by your imagination.

Learning Liftoff has plenty of ideas, ranging from a sensory book and ornament coding to holiday cards and handmade gifts and decorations. Best of all, most of these craft projects can be made with materials you are likely to already have around your home.

Reading Time

young girl reading a book

Incorporate reading time into your holiday plans. Try reading favorite holiday books together, or a classic children’s book. You could start a new tradition of giving each child a book every year on Christmas Eve, which they’ll then start reading that evening! If you’re traveling, take some audiobooks along to keep kids engaged on the plane or in the car.

Game Time

kids playing a game with parents

Games don’t necessarily have to be holiday-themed. But they can be. We’ve gathered a few DIY family games to play with kids that you can do with the little ones. Board games are great for older kids.

Movie Time

You probably don’t want the entire winter break to be filled with screen time, but you’ll more than likely sit down as a family at some point to enjoy a holiday flick. We’ve collected five of our favorite holiday movies and then asked our readers to pick their favorites, to compile this list of the 10 best holiday movies.

 

And, if all else fails we’ve collected 11 more winter break activities to keep kids engaged and learning, without it seeming like a chore. Share what your family is doing this Christmas Eve in the comments below or on social media by tagging @K12Learn on Twitter and Instagram.

 

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