‘Tis the Season to be…Intentional. To have a special Christmas full of memories and traditions, here are the perfect Advent Ideas with Kids!
This time of year often meets me with much anticipation and the kids start to get excited.
The Christmas music starts playing.
Christmas movies take over my TV set.
We love all of it!!
I have always put together a fun and focused Christmas advent activity-packed December and this year is no different.
Here are my very favorite Christmas Advent ideas with Kids.
ADVENT IDEAS WITH KIDS
Like most families, we enjoy the crafts and the cookies. We check out new local events to discover. There are lots of watching classic Christmas “specials” like Frosty and Rudolph, and favorite family movies with kids. Who doesn’t love Buddy the Elf?!?
Christmas is as magical as ever.
One thing that makes children’s eyes twinkle is the anticipation that builds when counting down to Christmas Day. Every year I have created a countdown of activities – both big and small – with crafts, field trips, books + movies, and gifts.
This tradition makes memories my children treasure and talk about every year!
Tradition!
To countdown to Christmas, here is a list of fun activities that you and your family can enjoy with very little preparation.
- Deck the halls and decorate the tree
- Nativity crafts
- Santa ornaments
- Christmas science fun
- Winter Nature Walk – (click for FREE printable scavenger hunt)
- Snowman Crafts
- Write Christmas cards to missionaries
- Bake Christmas Cookies
- Build Gingerbread Houses
- Pack and deliver gifts to neighbors (don’t forget the mailman)
- Bird Feeders – (click for details)
- Pizza picnic under the Christmas tree
- Watch “The Nutcracker”
- Gift exchanges with family
- Christmas Carolling
- Hot cocoa Bar
The kids will make the annual Family Christmas ornaments and play with our snowman stones too!
Grab my NEW Christmas Bucket List right here. It has 25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES.
ADVENT THEME DAYS
There are also so many great FUN theme “days” you can sprinkle in for your family. These might need a little more pre-planning but are family fun favorites.
- Polar Express Day: Read this magical story or watch the movie! Barnes & Noble does a book reading of this classic on the first Friday night of December complete with cookies and hot cocoa for kids. You can also create your own “train” experience at home with these Polar Express Tickets.
- Candy Cane Day: prepare a candy cane hunt where you hide them the night before and the kids search for them in the morning. Read the classic book family ornaments we have made.
- “Christmas Express”: This is when we get in our jammies, pack up with popcorn & hot cocoa, then drive and see all the “jackpot” light displays in the area while listening to Christmas music. I even make tickets for them to get hole-punched.
Check out my Christmas Pinterest Page for great ideas too!
CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR ADVENT
I always incorporate lots of Christmas books in our Advent Season too.
Many moms have wrapped up books to do a daily countdown. Kids choose one wrapped book each day and it is used to read aloud for that day. You can even use library books for this activity to mix it up each year.
We have read chapter books, picture books, classic books, and new stories. There are so many incredible ones to enjoy during Advent.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” Is a fantastic read-aloud for kids of all ages that every family MUST read at least once.
Here are some of our other favorite Christmas Books and favorite kid’s Christmas Movies…classics and new will resonate with little hearts.
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The Polar Express Big Book |
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The Legend of the Candy Cane |
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Nutcracker |
JESUS IS THE REASON
Christmas Advent truly is about awaiting the birth of Jesus! This little baby is the center of it all and His coming is what we are counting down to after all.
There are so many amazing Christmas advent calendars, bible readings, devotionals, and more that can help you and your family to focus on Christ.
See my full post on Christian Advent for Kids for more magical ideas.
One Special Christmas Advent activity is reenacting the Christmas Story.
We have this adorable Fisher-Price Nativity Set that the kids all still love, even my teenagers. Pair this cute set with a few books and walk through the story with the figures or these adorable Nativity Story Stones.
If you have a local church that does a Living Nativity in your area definitely check it out! You can set the stage for your kids by reading the Christmas Story and trying to help them understand what it was like in the days of Jesus’ birth.
All this led to a small stable and the birth of a baby. The beginning of the story of Salvation.
Joy to the World, the Lord has come!!!
So while we will fully engage in the fun activities each December, I am a mom praying for my heart, and the hearts of my children, to be focused on the greatest gift….Jesus!
Enjoy these Special Christmas Advent Ideas with your kids this year.
Merry Christmas!!!
