15 Festive Christmas Games for Little Kids

Table of Contents

1. Why Christmas Games Are More Than Just Fun
2. Active Adventures: Getting Those Wiggles Out
3. Creative & Calming Corners: Sparking Imagination
4. Sensory & Discovery Play: Engaging All the Senses
5. Enhancing Communication Skills with Speech Blubs
6. Choosing Your Speech Blubs Journey: Plans & Pricing
7. Conclusion
8. Frequently Asked Questions

The air fills with the sweet scent of gingerbread, twinkling lights adorn every corner, and little eyes sparkle with anticipation. The holiday season is a magical time, but let’s be honest, it can also be a whirlwind of energy for our little ones. How do we channel that boundless enthusiasm into joyful, memorable moments that also quietly nurture their development? The secret lies in simple, engaging Christmas games. These aren’t just time-fillers; they are powerful opportunities for connection, laughter, and subtle learning, helping children explore their world, express themselves, and build foundational skills.

At Speech Blubs, we believe every child deserves to find their voice and express themselves freely. Our mission is to empower children to speak their minds and hearts, and we know that play is the most natural way for them to learn. We designed our app from the personal experiences of our founders, who understood firsthand the challenges of speech development and wanted to create the tool they wished they had. We are committed to providing an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support, blending scientific principles with play into one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experiences. We stand as a screen-free alternative to passive viewing, offering a powerful tool for family connection, complementing the very spirit of engaging holiday play.

This holiday season, let’s step away from purely passive entertainment and dive into games that engage minds and bodies. From boisterous relays to quiet sensory explorations, we’ve curated a list of 15 Christmas games perfectly suited for little kids. Not only will these activities create cherished family memories, but they also offer fantastic, fun-filled ways to boost crucial communication, motor, and social-emotional skills. Ready to spread some holiday cheer and foster incredible growth at the same time? Let the games begin! To explore more about our approach to child development, visit our Speech Blubs homepage.

Why Christmas Games Are More Than Just Fun

Beneath the surface of holiday giggles and festive decorations, these seemingly simple games are rich landscapes for development. When children play, they aren’t just having fun; they are actively building the neural pathways that underpin all future learning.

• Language and Communication Skills: Many games require children to listen to instructions, ask questions, describe objects, express emotions, and take turns speaking. These are all vital components of strong communication. For a child working on new sounds, describing a “round, red ornament” during a game provides a natural, low-pressure practice environment.
• Cognitive Development: Games challenge children to problem-solve, strategize, remember rules, and use their imagination. A treasure hunt, for instance, hones spatial reasoning and planning skills.
• Fine and Gross Motor Skills: From delicately placing an ornament to galloping in a reindeer race, games engage both small muscle groups (fine motor) and large muscle groups (gross motor), which are essential for everything from writing to running.
• Social and Emotional Growth: Learning to share, take turns, cope with losing, celebrate winning, and cooperate with others are invaluable social lessons embedded in play. These interactions build empathy, resilience, and self-confidence.
• Family Connection: Perhaps most importantly, playing together creates a shared experience, strengthening bonds and creating lasting memories. It’s a prime example of “smart screen time” activities, as we champion at Speech Blubs, where adult co-play and support transform screen interaction into an engaging, active learning session.

These games become a joyful blend of education and entertainment, perfectly aligning with our commitment to joyful learning experiences.

Active Adventures: Getting Those Wiggles Out

Christmas excitement often comes with a burst of energy! These games are perfect for helping little ones burn off some of that holiday pep while developing coordination, listening skills, and social interaction. Remember to keep the focus on fun, not perfection, and adapt as needed for different ages and abilities.

1. Pin the Nose on Rudolph

This timeless classic gets a festive makeover, guaranteeing loads of laughter!

• How to Play: Draw or print a large image of Rudolph without his red nose on a poster board and hang it at a child-friendly height. Cut out red circle “noses” with a sticky backing (or use double-sided tape). Blindfold each child, spin them gently a few times, and have them try to place the nose where it belongs. The closest one wins!
• Developmental Benefits: Enhances fine motor skills (placing the nose), spatial awareness, body awareness, and listening skills (following instructions like “go forward,” “to the left”). Children also learn about taking turns and managing anticipation.
• Adaptation Tips: For very young children, skip the blindfold or let an adult guide them with verbal cues, which helps practice directional language. For older kids, add an extra spin or an obstacle to navigate before pinning.

2. Santa Hat Musical Chairs

A delightful twist on musical chairs, this game is all about quick reactions and festive fun!

• How to Play: Arrange Santa hats (one less than the number of players) in a circle on the floor. Play upbeat Christmas music. Children walk or dance around the hats. When the music stops, everyone scrambles to grab a hat and put it on. The child without a hat is out. Remove one hat each round until only one winner remains.
• Developmental Benefits: Boosts gross motor skills, listening comprehension, quick thinking, and following rules. It also helps children learn to manage disappointment gracefully (though the focus should always be on the fun of playing).
• Adaptation Tips: For a more inclusive version, instead of eliminating players, have a “fun dance-off” for those without a hat, then let everyone rejoin the next round. This keeps the energy positive and focused on participation.

3. Candy Cane Hunt

Like an Easter egg hunt, but with a peppermint twist! This game is fantastic for exploration and following directions.

• How to Play: Hide candy canes (plastic or wrapped real ones) around a designated area indoors or outdoors. Give each child a small basket or bag. Set them loose to find as many as they can!
• Developmental Benefits: Encourages problem-solving, spatial reasoning (understanding “under,” “behind,” “on top”), and following multi-step instructions (“Look under the couch, then behind the curtain”). It’s also great for building descriptive vocabulary as children verbalize where they found their treasures. For a child working on expressive language, finding a candy cane and saying “Found it!” or “Under!” is a huge win.
• Adaptation Tips: For toddlers, hide them in obvious spots. For preschoolers, use simple clues like “Look where Santa keeps his milk.” For older kids, create a more elaborate scavenger hunt with riddles. This game can be a playful way to practice those prepositional phrases we often work on in language development.
• Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Google Play to support even more vocabulary building!

4. Snowball Toss

Bring the joy of a snowball fight indoors without the cold, wet mess!

• How to Play: Use soft, crumpled white paper balls, plush “snowballs,” or foam balls. Set up buckets, baskets, or even cardboard cutouts of snowmen with holes for targets at varying distances. Assign points for each target. Kids take turns tossing the “snowballs,” aiming for the highest points.
• Developmental Benefits: Improves hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and gross motor skills. It also reinforces counting skills and encourages turn-taking and patience.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, use larger “snowballs” and closer targets. For older kids, introduce a timer or different throwing styles (e.g., throwing with the non-dominant hand) for an extra challenge.

5. Reindeer Relay Race

This game is perfect for groups and getting everyone moving with a dash of holiday silliness!

• How to Play: Divide children into teams. Provide each team with a set of reindeer antlers (inflatable ones are hilarious!). Set up a simple course, perhaps running to a designated spot and back. One at a time, each child puts on the antlers, “gallops” the course, and tags the next teammate. The first team to have all players complete the race wins.
• Developmental Benefits: Boosts gross motor skills, teamwork, following multi-step instructions, and understanding sequences. It also encourages enthusiastic cheering and sportsmanship. Learning by watching and imitating, just like our unique “video modeling” methodology at Speech Blubs, is a key part of this game as children observe their peers.

Creative & Calming Corners: Sparking Imagination

After all that running around, sometimes a calmer, more focused activity is just what little ones need. These games are wonderful for nurturing cognitive skills, fine motor precision, and imaginative play.

6. Christmas Bingo

A classic game that’s perfect for quiet moments and building early literacy skills.

• How to Play: Print or create holiday-themed bingo cards with images like Santa, stockings, candy canes, reindeer, and snowflakes. Use small candies, marshmallows, or festive stickers as markers. Call out the images one by one. The first child to get a line shouts “Bingo!” and wins a small prize.
• Developmental Benefits: Enhances visual recognition, matching skills, listening comprehension, and vocabulary related to Christmas. It’s a gentle way to introduce turn-taking and rule-following in a group setting.
• Adaptation Tips: For non-readers, use picture-only cards. For older children, include words alongside pictures or Christmas trivia questions to earn a mark. Speech Blubs’ focus on visual learning and repetition can easily extend to recognizing and naming these festive objects.
• If you’re wondering whether your child could benefit from more structured communication support, take our quick 3-minute preliminary screener to get a simple assessment and a free 7-day trial.

7. Ornament Spoon Race

A festive twist on the classic egg-and-spoon race, this game tests concentration and steady hands.

• How to Play: Give each child a plastic or unbreakable ornament and a spoon. Set a start and finish line across the room. The challenge is to carry the ornament on the spoon without dropping it. If it drops, they must return to the start (or a designated checkpoint) and begin again.
• Developmental Benefits: Develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, balance, and concentration. It also teaches patience and perseverance.
• Adaptation Tips: For toddlers, use a larger spoon and a lighter, bigger ornament, or let them use two hands. For older kids, add an obstacle course or require them to speed-walk.

8. Christmas Charades

A fantastic game for encouraging non-verbal communication, creativity, and expressive language.

• How to Play: Write down holiday-themed words, characters (like Elf, Frosty, Santa), actions (decorating a tree, singing carols), or simple movie titles on slips of paper. Children take turns picking a slip and acting out what’s written without speaking, while others guess.
• Developmental Benefits: Boosts imaginative play, non-verbal communication skills, expressive language (when guessing or prompting others), and social interaction. It’s excellent for understanding body language and interpreting subtle cues. For children working on confidence in communication, charades offers a playful space to express themselves without the pressure of speaking.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, use very simple actions or characters they know well. Allow them to make sounds if it helps! For older kids, introduce a timer or more complex concepts.

9. Present Stacking Challenge

Simple yet surprisingly engaging, this game encourages problem-solving and fine motor control.

• How to Play: Gather an assortment of empty boxes wrapped in festive paper (different sizes are best). Challenge kids to stack them as high as they can without the tower toppling. You can make it a competition: who can build the tallest tower in 60 seconds?
• Developmental Benefits: Develops fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking (figuring out which boxes provide a stable base). It also teaches about gravity and balance in a hands-on way.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, focus on the process of stacking rather than competition. For older kids, add constraints like “only using one hand” or “stacking while blindfolded with a teammate giving verbal instructions.”

10. Holiday Memory Game

A classic card game that’s easy to set up and perfect for honing concentration and recall.

• How to Play: Create or print pairs of holiday-themed images on small cards (e.g., two Santas, two reindeer, two presents). Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a grid. Players take turns flipping over two cards. If they match, they keep the pair and get another turn. If not, they flip them back, trying to remember where each image is. The player with the most pairs wins.
• Developmental Benefits: Great for memory recall, visual discrimination, concentration, and turn-taking. It also subtly builds vocabulary as children name the items they find.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, use fewer pairs or arrange them in a smaller grid. For older children, increase the number of cards and introduce cards with similar-looking but different images to challenge visual discernment.

11. Christmas Movie Trivia / Guess Who Christmas

Put those holiday movie memories and character knowledge to the test!

• How to Play:
  • Trivia: Prepare age-appropriate questions about popular Christmas movies or songs. Kids can answer individually or in teams.
  • Guess Who Christmas: Write names of Christmas characters (Santa, Elf, Rudolph, Frosty) on sticky notes. Each player gets a note on their forehead (without looking). They ask yes/no questions to other players to guess who they are.
• Developmental Benefits: Trivia boosts listening comprehension, memory recall, and verbal expression. Guess Who enhances critical thinking, question formation, and social interaction. Both encourage verbal communication and social engagement.
• Adaptation Tips: For trivia, use visual aids for younger kids (e.g., pictures from movies). For Guess Who, start with very obvious characters and provide hints if needed.

Sensory & Discovery Play: Engaging All the Senses

Engaging multiple senses can create rich learning experiences and truly make memories stick. These games are perfect for encouraging descriptive language and observation skills.

12. Guess the Christmas Smell

A unique and often overlooked way to experience the holidays: through scent!

• How to Play: Gather small, opaque containers (like film canisters or small jars with holes poked in the lid). Fill them with distinctive Christmas scents: cinnamon sticks, peppermint extract on cotton balls, pine needles, orange peels, gingerbread spice, or cocoa powder. Blindfold each child and have them sniff each container, guessing the smell.
• Developmental Benefits: Sharpens sensory discrimination, enhances descriptive language (encouraging words like “spicy,” “sweet,” “fresh,” “minty”), and builds vocabulary related to smells. It’s a wonderful way to connect senses to words.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, let them look at the item after they guess to reinforce the connection. For older children, add more subtle or complex scents, or have them write down their guesses.

13. Jingle Bell Mug Toss

Simple, fun, and creates a delightful auditory experience!

• How to Play: Set up several festive mugs or small buckets on a table or the floor. Give children a handful of jingle bells. They take turns tossing the jingle bells into the mugs. The jingle of the bells adds a joyful, sensory element to the game.
• Developmental Benefits: Improves hand-eye coordination, fine motor control (pinching and tossing small bells), and auditory processing (listening for the jingle). It also teaches patience and turn-taking.
• Adaptation Tips: Adjust the distance of the mugs based on age. Use larger bells for very young children. Introduce different-sized mugs for varying levels of difficulty.

14. Christmas Scent Game

Similar to “Guess the Christmas Smell,” but can involve more diverse elements and visual components once revealed.

• How to Play: Place various Christmas-themed items with distinct scents (pinecone, orange slice with cloves, small gingerbread cookie, candy cane, cinnamon stick) into individual bags or small boxes. Children reach in (without looking) to feel and smell, then guess what’s inside.
• Developmental Benefits: Engages tactile and olfactory senses, encouraging descriptive language about textures (“prickly,” “smooth,” “crumbly”) and smells. It also boosts inferential reasoning as they combine sensory clues to make a guess.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, provide fewer items and very distinct textures/smells. For older children, use more challenging combinations or ask them to describe the item before they guess.

15. The Gift-Wrapping Challenge

A hands-on activity that doubles as a fantastic fine motor and problem-solving game.

• How to Play: Provide small, empty boxes (various shapes can add to the fun), wrapping paper, tape, scissors (child-safe, of course!), and ribbons/bows. Challenge children, individually or in teams, to wrap a “gift” within a set time limit. You can judge on neatness, creativity, or speed.
• Developmental Benefits: Develops fine motor skills (cutting, taping, folding), hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and following multi-step instructions. It also fosters creativity and teamwork if played in groups.
• Adaptation Tips: For younger children, pre-cut the paper or focus on simply taping pieces together. For older kids, introduce odd-shaped items to wrap or have them decorate the package creatively after wrapping. This is a practical scenario where children can practice giving and following verbal instructions, similar to the interactive activities found within the Speech Blubs app.

Enhancing Communication Skills with Speech Blubs

While these festive games provide incredible opportunities for natural language development, sometimes children need a little extra support to truly “speak their minds and hearts.” This is where Speech Blubs comes in, perfectly complementing the play and learning happening in your home.

We understand that you, as a parent, are your child’s first and most important teacher. Our app is designed to support your efforts, transforming screen time from a passive activity into a truly “smart” and interactive learning experience. We specifically target the needs of children who require speech support, aiming to be that immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need a little boost.

Our unique approach is rooted in scientific principles, especially our “video modeling” methodology. Children learn by watching and imitating their peers—real kids just like them—who are demonstrating correct articulation and communication skills. This mirror-neuron activating experience is incredibly powerful for language acquisition, creating a fun, engaging environment where learning feels like play. This scientific basis, reflected in our top-tier MARS scale rating, is why our tools are so effective. You can delve deeper into the research behind our methodology here.

For a child who struggles with specific sounds, the “Animal Kingdom” section within Speech Blubs might be exactly what they need. Watching a peer articulate “moo” or “baa” provides a clear visual and auditory model, which they can then imitate, turning screen time into a dynamic, language-building session. This isn’t about guaranteeing your child will be giving public speeches in a month; it’s about fostering a love for communication, building confidence, reducing frustration, developing key foundational skills, and creating joyful family learning moments together.

Whether your child is a late talker, has trouble with certain sounds, or simply needs a boost in their vocabulary, Speech Blubs provides a supportive and fun environment. It’s a powerful supplement to a child’s overall development plan and, when applicable, professional therapy, all designed with adult co-play in mind. We’re proud to see the impact we’ve made on families. Hear what other parents are saying about their child’s success with Speech Blubs.

Choosing Your Speech Blubs Journey: Plans & Pricing

We want to make Speech Blubs accessible and valuable for every family. We offer two main subscription plans, designed to fit different needs, but one clearly offers the best value and features for long-term progress.

Our Plans:

• Monthly Plan: For $14.99 per month, you gain access to our core features, offering flexibility for short-term use.
• Yearly Plan: Our most popular and highly recommended option, priced at an incredible $59.99 per year. This breaks down to just $4.99 per month, allowing you to save 66% compared to the monthly plan!

Why the Yearly Plan is the Best Choice:

The Yearly plan isn’t just about saving money; it unlocks a comprehensive suite of features designed to maximize your child’s communication development journey:

• 7-Day Free Trial: Only with the Yearly plan do you get a full 7-day free trial to explore all the amazing features Speech Blubs has to offer, completely risk-free.
• Reading Blubs App: Gain exclusive access to our companion Reading Blubs app, further enhancing your child’s early literacy skills.
• Early Access to New Updates: Be among the first to experience new games, activities, and improvements as we continuously evolve and enhance the app.
• 24-Hour Support Response Time: Enjoy prioritized customer support, ensuring your questions are answered promptly.

The Monthly plan does not include these valuable benefits, making the Yearly plan the clear choice for families committed to their child’s ongoing communication success.

Ready to provide your child with an engaging, science-backed tool to enhance their communication skills this holiday season and beyond? Create your Speech Blubs account and begin your 7-day free trial today! Make sure to select the Yearly plan to get the free trial and the full suite of features! You can also download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Google Play and select the Yearly option there.

Conclusion

This Christmas, let’s fill our homes not just with carols and treats, but with the joyous sounds of children playing, laughing, and learning. These 15 festive games are more than just entertainment; they are gateways to developing crucial communication, motor, cognitive, and social-emotional skills. They offer priceless opportunities for family connection, creating those “core memories” that children will cherish for years to come. By engaging actively with your little ones in these playful activities, you’re building a strong foundation for their overall growth and fostering a lifelong love for communication.

As you embrace the holiday spirit, remember that Speech Blubs is here to support your child’s journey, making screen time productive and fun. Our unique video modeling methodology and commitment to blending scientific principles with play offer a powerful tool to empower your child to speak their minds and hearts.

Don’t let this season pass without harnessing the magic of play for your child’s development. Give the gift of communication and confidence this Christmas. Start your 7-day free trial of Speech Blubs today and discover the joy of watching your child thrive. Be sure to choose the Yearly plan to unlock all the exclusive features, including the free trial and the Reading Blubs app. Get started with your free trial and full access now!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What age group are these Christmas games best for?

These games are primarily designed for little kids, generally ranging from toddlers (2-3 years old) to early elementary school age (6-8 years old). Many of them offer variations to adapt the complexity, ensuring that both younger children and slightly older ones can enjoy and benefit from the activities. The key is to focus on participation and fun rather than strict adherence to rules, especially for the youngest players.

2. How can I adapt these games for children with different communication needs?

Adaptation is key! For children with emerging language skills, simplify instructions, use visual aids (pictures, gestures), and model target words or phrases repeatedly. For example, during the Candy Cane Hunt, continuously narrate: “Look under the chair! Wow, you found a red candy cane!” For children with expressive language difficulties, encourage any form of communication—pointing, gesturing, or making sounds—and praise their efforts. Speech Blubs is also an excellent tool to supplement these games, offering video modeling and interactive activities that can be paused, repeated, and guided by an adult.

3. Do I need special equipment for these Christmas games?

Absolutely not! Most of these games rely on common household items or simple, inexpensive craft supplies. Things like empty boxes, paper, spoons, plastic ornaments, and readily available Christmas decorations are often all you need. The focus is on creativity and interaction, not on elaborate setups. We encourage using what you have and letting your imagination, along with your child’s, lead the way!

4. How does Speech Blubs fit into holiday fun and learning?

Speech Blubs perfectly complements active holiday play by offering “smart screen time” that is engaging and educational. While playing festive games helps with social skills and gross motor development, Speech Blubs provides a focused, science-backed approach to target specific communication skills like articulation, vocabulary, and sentence formation. It’s an interactive tool that can be used for 10-15 minutes a day with adult co-play, reinforcing the language development encouraged in holiday games, all while providing a joyful, personalized learning experience. It transforms passive screen use into an active, developmental opportunity, fitting seamlessly into your family’s festive routine.