Christmas Party Ideas for Kids

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the holidays are here! You have presents to buy and wrap, decorations to don, parties to attend, and kids to keep happy and entertained this season. From invitations to decorations to games and beyond, there are many easy ideas to capture the holiday spirit for your kids and that are easy on your wallet and time.

Christmas Party Invitations: A candy cane invitation, jingle necklace or a Let It Snow invitation are budget-friendly and creative ways of getting your guests into the Christmas spirit.

Christmas Party Decorations: Cover tables with a red, green, or ice blue plastic tablecloth, scatter some confetti, and add some festive candies and metallic gossamer down the center of the table. Add a touch of winter to your party by attaching snowflakes to the walls and ceiling of the party area. Use any holiday decorations that you own to decorate the room. Hang candy canes around the party area and lighting fixtures.

Christmas Party Games:

• When kids arrive, face paint their  noses red, just like Rudolph!
• Decorate & Donate a batch of cookies.
• Hold a Holiday Treasure Hunt.
• Recycle those cardboard rolls of holiday paper, and use them for a jousting competition among the kids. Lots of fun. You can first have them decorate them with stickers, crayons, etc. and then use in this friendly game.
• Make Penguin Finger Puppets.
• Make Shaving Cream Snowmen.
• Make Jingle Bell Necklaces.
• Purchase a mini-tree with some mini-ornaments and have the kids decorate the small tree. Read the tale of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (a favorite this time of year!) and then have a contest: Who can un-decorate the mini tree quickest! Just like the Grinch!

• Make a Hot Cocoa present for their teachers!
• Snowmen Munchies. Give kids marshmallows and decorations to build a craft and a treat.Stack two or three large marshmallows to make a snowman, using a toothpick to hold the marshmallows together. Set out bowls of pretzel sticks for the arms, raisins cut in half for the buttons, candy corn for the nose, and mini chocolate chips for eyes. Cut strips of licorice string to tie around the snowman’s head as the scarf! If necessary use icing to “glue” on the decorations.
• Outdoor Fun: Give each child a spray bottle filled with colored water (use red or green food coloring). The kids can spray the snow and make their own holiday mural.
• Check out more holiday games.

Christmast Party Themes:

If you are looking for a unique wintry theme for your holiday party, you may plan around a movie or tale inspired themes like How the Grinch Stole Christmas Party, The Polar Express (with related The Polar Express storytime), Nutcracker Suite Party or the comic-inspired A Charlie Brown  Christmas Party.

If you have a great voice, like the cold wintry nights, or just want to spend some quality time with your community, try a Carols and Cocoa Gathering or a Holiday Parade Outing in your neighborhood. A Winter One-Derland Party, Reindeer Brunch, Penguin Winter Fun, or the rather unique Christmas for Reptiles are fun themes to have a unique party around the Holidays.

Goodies:

Have an Anonymous Gift Exchange or Ornament Swap. Ask the kids to bring in a wrapped gift or ornament within a certain price range that is placed into a large bag. Each child gets to pick one gift and open it during the party, or choose from these ideas.