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If you’re anything like me, the holidays are magical… but also a little exhausting. Between shopping, baking, wrapping, and all the seasonal events, I’m always craving just a few quiet minutes to drink my coffee while it’s still hot.
And while I love a good holiday movie night, I don’t love having the TV on all day for my toddlers. That’s where these five Christmas activities come in… they’re simple to set up, keep little hands busy, and don’t require constant supervision.
The best part?
- Low effort (about 5 minutes of prep)
- Low mess (no paint, no beads, no markers all over your wall)
- Mostly independent play so you can breathe for a minute
- Bonus: Most supplies are things you already have at home
I’m also linking one of our favorite toy finds this year — these indoor/outdoor balance beams — which make a perfect gift and are amazing for active toddler play without any setup at all. And the best part? They stack to easily store!
For even more festive fun, check out my 25+ Christmas Activities for Toddlers filled with crafts, keepsakes, and simple learning games.
Matching Christmas Trees
What you need:
– Cardstock
– Markers
– Scissors
a. Draw up some Christmas trees and decorate them with different patterns and colors. Have one tree be red ornaments, one be blue ornaments, one be zig zags, etc.
b. Cut the trees in half (I did horizontally)
c. Either line up the bottoms and have your toddler find the matching tops or have all the pieces mixed around – you choose the difficulty!
d. To add some movement in, you can also tape the tops around the room and then have your toddler run around to find them before they match them!
What you need:
- Cardstock
- Markers
- Scissors
How to play:
- Draw several Christmas trees on cardstock, each decorated with a unique pattern (red ornaments, zig-zags, stripes, blue lights, etc.).
- Cut each tree in half horizontally.
- Mix up the pieces and have your toddler match the tops to the bottoms.
- For extra movement, tape the tops around the room so your toddler has to run to find them before matching.
Bonus Tip: If you have a laminator, laminate these so your toddlers can use them all season long!
Sticker Christmas Tree
What you need:
- Butcher paper
- Markers
- Stickers
How to play:
- Hang a large sheet of butcher paper on a wall or easel.
- Draw a big Christmas tree outline.
- Let your toddler decorate it with stickers.
- To make it more educational, draw ornament shapes or lights in specific colors and have them color-match their stickers.
Hide-and-Seek Christmas Match
What you need:
- Construction paper or Christmas printouts (find some in my 25 Activities for Christmas)
- Painter’s tape
- Easel or wall space
How to play:
- Print or draw 6–8 Christmas images — two of each design.
- Tape one set to a wall or easel.
- Hide the other set around your house.
- Have your toddler search for the hidden images and match them to the ones on the wall.
This one is great for getting energy out when you’ve been stuck inside all day!
Color Match Christmas Lights
What you need:
– Construction Paper
– Easel or Butcher Paper
– Markers
– Glue Stick
a. Cut out several Christmas lights from construction paper (make sure you match your construction paper colors to your markers)
b. Draw a squiggly line and little rectangles for the Christmas lights to sit on.
c. In all the different colors, draw the outlines of the Christmas lights.
d. Either give your toddler the glue stick or put glue on the light outlines yourself.
e. Have your toddler glue their construction paper lights to their matching color.
FUN IDEA: You could do this all over large sheet of butcher paper and use it as wrapping paper too!
What you need:
- Construction paper
- Easel or butcher paper
- Markers
- Glue stick
How to play:
- Cut out Christmas light shapes from construction paper (match paper colors to your markers).
- On your large paper, draw a squiggly “light string” with empty bulb shapes.
- Have your toddler glue each paper light onto the matching color.
Festive twist: Do this on butcher paper and use it as wrapping paper for gifts.
Christmas Shape Sort
What you need:
- Butcher paper
- Construction paper
- Marker
- Painter’s tape
How to play:
- Draw 3–5 large holiday shapes on butcher paper (star, ornament, candy cane, tree, etc.).
- Cut out matching shapes in various colors and sizes.
- Hide them around the room.
- Have your toddler find each one and match it to the correct outline.
Keep the fun going by sorting by size or color once all shapes are matched.
I hope these simple, low-prep activities bring some calm to your holiday chaos and keep your toddler happily entertained. Remember, you’re not just keeping them busy, you’re helping them learn through play.
For even more ideas, visit my 25+ Christmas Activities for Toddlers and Indoor Winter Activities posts.
You’re doing a great job, mama.
xx Ciara
