Holiday Games for Kids

From toddlers to teens, holiday games this time of year are perfect for those holiday parties upon us as well as just some fun with your own family and relatives.  On a cold, snowy day in December when the kids are indoors, try some of these games to keep them busy:

• Play Pin the Nose on Rudolph.
• Play “Santa Says” just like “Simon Says.”
• Have the kids walk walk on their hands and knees to mimic reindeer.
• Place a sign on a wall in your room that says “The North Pole.”  Have the kids race as reindeer to “The North Pole” and back in record time.
• Bake a batch of sugar cookies in holiday shapes, lay out the frosting and decorations, and have the kids race to decorate their cookies.  Whoever finishes first wins.  Feel free to provide utensils – or not!
• Have the kids make Santa Beards.  Provide Vaseline and cotton balls.  Within a set time limit, the kids must place some Vaseline on their chins and see how many cotton balls they can stick on to make their beards.  Whoever has the biggest beard, wins!
• Hold a Holiday Treasure Hunt!
• Hold an Eggnog Race.  Place a big bowl of eggnog in the center of a circle with cups either close to or far away from the main bowl (this can depend on the kids’ ages).  Have the kids use a large spoon to fill their cups with the egg nog.  Whoever fills their cup first, wins!
• Divide the kids into a couple of teams, and provide each team with a “Mystery Stocking” full of small items, i.e. candy, small toys, ornaments, etc.  The kids must make a list of what is in the stocking without looking inside or opening them up.
• Santa Relay Race.  Mock up two Santa suits, hat, pants, coat, suspenders, bears, etc., and have them laying on the floor at the other end of the room.  Divide the kids into teams, and have them race to the Santa Suit, put it on, yell out a “Santa Saying” like HO, HO, HO, and then take it off and run back to the next person in line who must do the same.  The first team to finish the race, wins!
• String popcorn chains for the tree.  Put a timer on, and the kid who has strung the longest chain in the allotted time, wins!

Happy holiday games!