11 Christmas Games for Toddlers That Are Actually Fun

Christmas games for toddlers don’t have to be complicated to be magical. Whether you’re planning a kindergarten holiday party, a preschool classroom celebration, or a cozy afternoon at home, the right game can turn a wiggly little crowd into a room full of giggles and holiday cheer. The secret? Keep it short, keep it silly, and keep it moving.

This list has 11 totally different games — active games that burn off that candy-cane energy, printable sheets little hands can actually use, and sweet quiet activities that double as keepsakes. Every single one works for ages 2–6, and most need only basic supplies you already have. Let’s get the fun going!

1. Santa Says

Santa Says is hands-down one of the best Christmas games for toddlers because every child already knows the classic Simon Says format — you just swap the name and suddenly it’s festive. One adult (or a brave big kid) puts on a Santa hat and becomes the caller. Everyone else spreads out around the room ready to move.

The caller shouts commands like “Santa says stomp like a reindeer!” or “Santa says wiggle your belly like Santa!” — and the group copies only when they hear “Santa says” first.

Drop the magic words and any child who moves is out, but for toddlers you can skip eliminations entirely and just play for laughs.

Commands like “Santa says fly like an elf,” “Santa says tiptoe past the elves sleeping,” and “Santa says freeze like a snowman” keep tiny bodies moving the whole time.

The beauty of this game is zero setup and maximum chaos in the best possible way. It works equally well in a living room, a preschool classroom, or a gymnasium. Let older siblings and kindergartners take a turn being Santa — they love the power, and the toddlers love following their lead.

2. Christmas Picture Bingo

Picture-based Christmas Bingo is the perfect printable Christmas game for toddlers because there is not a single word to read — just bright holiday images to match.

Each 4×4 bingo card is filled with simple Christmas pictures: a Santa hat, a candy cane, a star, a snowman, a gift box, a stocking, a bell, a Christmas tree, a reindeer, an elf, a snowflake, a gingerbread man, a mitten, a hot cocoa cup, a bauble, and a sleigh.

The caller holds up a matching picture card (or a real object like a jingle bell) and calls its name aloud. Kids find the matching image on their card and cover it with a holiday M&M, a pom-pom, or a mini eraser.

When someone fills a row, they shout “HO HO HO!” instead of Bingo. That little twist alone will make them scream with laughter every single round.

Print one card per child — and make sure no two cards are identical so everyone has a fair shot. Laminating the cards means you can reuse them at every party from now through kindergarten graduation. Small candy markers are a bonus incentive that keeps even the youngest players glued to their seats.

3. Reindeer Ring Toss

Set up a simple ring toss using a cardboard reindeer head (or a drawn one taped to a box) with antlers sticking up as the targets.

Kids stand behind a piece of tape on the floor and try to toss glow-in-the-dark bracelets, rubber rings, or even paper plate rings onto the antlers. It takes about five minutes to assemble and keeps a group of toddlers busy for far longer than that.

The trick with toddlers is to move the tape line close — really close. Success feels amazing at age two, and nothing kills the mood faster than fifteen consecutive misses.

Let each child toss three rings per turn, then cheer wildly for every single one that lands, even if it just bounces off the nose. Add a Rudolph red pom-pom to the reindeer’s nose for extra charm.

This is a brilliant game for mixed-age groups because older kids can simply stand further back. Everyone plays together, the line just adjusts. It also works beautifully as a classroom center — set up two stations side by side and run small groups of three or four kids through while the rest do another activity.

4. Christmas Matching Game

A Christmas matching sheet gives toddlers and preschoolers a printable activity they can fully complete on their own — just draw a line between two identical holiday pictures.

The left column holds eight Christmas images and the right column holds the same eight images in a scrambled order. Kids draw a line (or use a crayon to color matching pairs the same color) to connect each pair.

This works brilliantly as a calm-down activity between more active games, or as a take-home sheet at the end of a kindergarten holiday party. It builds visual discrimination and fine motor skills at the same time — not that the kids care about any of that. They just like drawing lines and feeling proud of a finished page.

Print extras so kids who zoom through can try again on a fresh sheet. You can also do a group version: hold up one picture card and ask the whole room to shout out its match. Either way, it keeps little hands busy and lets the room breathe for five quiet minutes.

5. Christmas Freeze Dance

Play some jolly Christmas music and let the toddlers go absolutely wild with their best elf dance moves. The moment the music stops — freeze! Every child must hold perfectly still like a snowman until the music starts again.

Any snowman who wobbles or giggles gets to do a silly Christmas pose (touch your nose like Rudolph, puff out your belly like Santa) before rejoining.

With toddlers, skip eliminations entirely. The whole point is the dancing and the freezing — eliminating a two-year-old from a party game is a recipe for tears and a very long afternoon. Instead, let everyone play all the way through and end with a big group freeze pose for a photo. That photo will be on refrigerators for years.

This is an especially great game to drop into the middle of a party when energy gets too high or too chaotic. Two minutes of freeze dance resets the room.

It also works perfectly in a kindergarten gym or classroom with a large group — no materials, no prep, no cleanup. Just a phone speaker and a playlist of Christmas classics.

6. Christmas Scavenger Hunt (Picture Clue Cards)

A picture-clue scavenger hunt is one of the cleverest Christmas games for toddlers because it requires zero reading ability.

Instead of written clues, each card shows a simple drawing of a location — the Christmas tree, the front door, a red pillow, the kitchen table — and a small sticker or wrapped treat waits at each spot.

Kids race from picture to picture following the visual trail.

For a classroom or party setting, hide six to eight picture clue cards around the room in sequence. Give the first card to each child or team and let them loose.

The final location reveals a small prize — a candy cane, a sticker sheet, or a little bag of jingle bells. For very young toddlers, an adult walks alongside to help decode each picture.

For preschoolers and kindergartners, they can do it in pairs almost entirely independently.

Print the clue cards on cardstock and laminate them to reuse year after year. You can also adapt the hiding spots to work anywhere — a classroom, a living room, or even a hallway at a holiday party. The hunt itself takes only about five minutes to run, but the squealing and searching makes it feel like much longer.

7. Snowman Bowling

Turn an empty hallway or long stretch of floor into a bowling lane by lining up six to ten plastic bottles or yogurt drink containers decorated as snowmen.

Draw a simple snowman face on each one with a black marker, add a scrap of fabric scarf, and you’ve got the most charming bowling set you’ve ever seen.

Kids roll a soft ball or a balled-up pair of socks from behind a tape line and try to knock the snowmen down.

Toddlers absolutely love the crashing sound and the tumbling snowmen — set the tape line close enough that they can actually knock some over, and reset the pins quickly so they can go again immediately. Waiting is not a toddler’s strong suit.

For a classroom with many children, set up two or three lanes simultaneously so the line stays short and everyone gets frequent turns.

This game is a wonderful gross motor activity that builds coordination and depth perception, though the kids just think it’s hilarious that the snowmen keep falling over. The setup costs virtually nothing and the materials are things you likely already own. Knock ’em down and giggle — that’s the whole game.

8. Roll a Snowman

Roll a Snowman is a delightful printable game where each number on a die corresponds to a different snowman body part. Roll a 1 and draw the big bottom snowball. Roll a 2 and add the middle ball.

Roll a 3 for the head, 4 for eyes, 5 for a hat, and 6 for the carrot nose and scarf. Each child works on their own sheet, rolling and drawing until their snowman is complete.

This game is endlessly replayable and works as a single-player activity or a race — the first person to build a complete snowman wins! For toddlers who can’t yet draw, give them stickers or stamps for each body part instead of asking them to draw.

A star sticker for the head, a round sticker for each snowball — it works beautifully and the result is still a personalized little snowman they’ll want to take home.

Teachers love this one for classroom Christmas centers because it runs itself once kids understand the rules. It also sneaks in early number recognition and turn-taking skills. Print a stack of sheets, put a die at each table, and watch the room go quietly, happily busy for a solid ten minutes.

9. Pin the Nose on Rudolph

This is the Christmas cousin of Pin the Tail on the Donkey and it is an absolute hit with toddlers. Hang a large drawing or poster of Rudolph the reindeer on the wall — his nose conspicuously missing.

Cut red circle “noses” from craft foam or cardstock, one per child, and add a loop of painter’s tape to the back of each one. Write each child’s name on their nose so you can see later whose came closest.

One at a time, each child gets gently blindfolded (or simply closes their eyes and is turned around once — full blindfolds can scare very young toddlers). They walk toward Rudolph and stick their nose wherever feels right.

The child whose nose lands closest to the correct spot wins. But honestly, the child who sticks it on Rudolph’s ear or the wall six inches away from the poster gets the biggest laugh — and toddlers live for that moment.

Skip the spin for children under three and just have them close their eyes and walk forward. That alone is enough of a challenge for tiny people who are still figuring out how their bodies work.

Keep the turns moving quickly — toddlers watching a game are always on the verge of just running up and joining in anyway, so a fast rotation keeps everyone happy.

10. Christmas Wish Cards

Christmas Wish Cards are a sweet, calm activity that gives every toddler something tangible and personal to take home at the end of the party.

Each child gets a simple card with a Christmas illustration on the front and a fill-in prompt inside: “This Christmas I wish for ___” and “My favorite Christmas thing is ___”.

A grown-up writes down exactly what the child says, word for word — the funnier and more literal, the better.

These cards become instant keepsakes. Parents melt over them every single year. A three-year-old wishing for “a purple horse and also pancakes” is the kind of priceless detail that gets read aloud at family gatherings for the next decade.

Encourage kids to also draw a small picture on the card — even a scribble is perfect and makes the card feel completely their own.

In a classroom setting, these work beautifully as a whole-group activity at the end of the party when everyone is tired and you need something calm before pickup.

Station a volunteer or teacher aide at a table, and kids cycle through one at a time to dictate their wish while others color. It wraps up the celebration on a warm, personal note that feels special for every single child.

11. Jingle Bell Cotton Ball Relay

This silly relay race combines two irresistible toddler loves: jingle bells and cotton balls. Divide kids into two teams and give the first player in each line a large plastic spoon.

A bowl of cotton ball “snowballs” sits at the start line and an empty bowl waits at the other end of the room. Each child balances a cotton ball on their spoon and walks — no running!

— to drop it in the far bowl, then runs back to pass the spoon to the next player.

Every time a cotton ball drops, the child picks it up and keeps going — no penalty, just persistence. Jingle bells tied to each spoon handle add a festive soundtrack to the whole chaotic beautiful mess.

For toddlers, shorten the distance dramatically and let them hold the spoon with both hands. The wobbling, the concentrating little faces, and the inevitable drops and recoveries make this one of the most joyful scenes you will ever witness at a party.

This game works for groups of four all the way up to a full kindergarten class. For very large groups, set up three or four relay lanes at once. When the round ends, dump all the cotton balls back in the start bowls and go again — toddlers will want to play this at least three times before they’re done.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best Christmas games for toddlers at a holiday party?

The best Christmas games for toddlers at a holiday party are short, active, and require no reading. Top picks include Santa Says, Christmas Freeze Dance, Snowman Bowling, and Pin the Nose on Rudolph.

Mix in one or two printable activities like Picture Bingo or Roll a Snowman for a balanced rotation that keeps every child engaged regardless of age or ability.

What Christmas games can toddlers play without being able to read?

Almost all of the best Christmas games for toddlers are entirely picture-based or movement-based. Picture Bingo uses images instead of words, the Christmas Matching Game pairs illustrated icons, and the Scavenger Hunt uses picture clue cards.

Active games like Santa Says and Reindeer Ring Toss need no reading at all. When a game has any text, an adult simply reads it aloud.

How do you play Santa Says with toddlers?

One adult puts on a Santa hat and becomes the caller. They shout Christmas-themed commands like ‘Santa says stomp like a reindeer!’ and the group copies — but only when they hear ‘Santa says’ first.

For toddlers under three, skip the elimination rules entirely and just play for the fun of moving and copying. Commands like ‘Santa says fly like an elf’ or ‘Santa says wiggle your belly like Santa’ keep the energy high and the giggles constant.

What is a good Christmas scavenger hunt for toddlers?

A picture-clue scavenger hunt works perfectly for toddlers because it needs no reading. Print cards showing drawings of hiding spots around the room — the Christmas tree, the front door, a couch cushion — and hide each next clue at the pictured location.

A small treat or prize waits at the final stop. For children under three, walk alongside them and point to the picture to help them decode the clue.

How do you make Christmas Bingo work for very young children?

Use picture-only bingo cards with large, simple Christmas images instead of numbers or words. When calling items, hold up a matching picture card or a real object (like an actual jingle bell) and say its name aloud.

Use fun markers like holiday M&Ms or pom-poms, and have kids shout ‘HO HO HO!’ instead of Bingo. Keep cards small — a 4×4 grid is much more toddler-friendly than the traditional 5×5.

What are some Christmas movement games to keep toddlers active indoors?

Santa Says, Christmas Freeze Dance, Snowman Bowling, the Jingle Bell Cotton Ball Relay, and Reindeer Ring Toss are all fantastic indoor movement games for toddlers. They burn energy, build gross motor skills, and require minimal or no materials.

Rotate through two or three of them during a party to keep the energy balanced — active game, quiet activity, active game — so no one gets too wound up or too bored.

How long should Christmas games be for toddlers with short attention spans?

Each individual game should last between 5 and 10 minutes maximum for toddlers. Plan for each round to run short rather than long — it’s always better to end while they still want more.

For a one-hour holiday party, three to four quick games with short breaks in between is an ideal structure. If a game is clearly a hit, simply reset and play it again rather than stretching a single round past its natural end.

What are fun Christmas games toddlers and older kids can play together?

Santa Says, Pin the Nose on Rudolph, Snowman Bowling, and Freeze Dance all work brilliantly for mixed ages because you simply adjust the difficulty by changing the distance, the blindfold rules, or the complexity of commands.

In Reindeer Ring Toss, older kids stand further back from the target. In the Scavenger Hunt, older kids can read the clues aloud for younger ones, giving them a meaningful role rather than waiting their turn.

How do you play Pin the Nose on Rudolph with toddlers?

Hang a large drawing of Rudolph on the wall without his red nose. Give each child a red foam or cardstock circle with tape on the back. For children over three, use a soft blindfold and one gentle spin.

For toddlers under three, simply have them close their eyes and take two steps forward — that’s enough of a challenge. Write each child’s name on their nose so you can compare who came closest. Cheer enthusiastically for every placement, no matter where it lands.

What are easy Christmas games for toddlers that require little setup?

Santa Says, Christmas Freeze Dance, and Christmas Wish Cards require almost no prep at all — just a Santa hat, a music player, and some paper. Snowman Bowling takes five minutes to set up using empty bottles and a marker you already own.

These low-prep Christmas games for toddlers are especially useful for kindergarten teachers and parents who need a fun activity on short notice during the busy holiday season.

Do Christmas games help with toddler development and learning?

Yes — play is how toddlers learn everything. Santa Says builds listening skills, impulse control, and body awareness. Freeze Dance develops self-regulation. Bowling and relay races build gross motor coordination. Matching and Bingo games support visual discrimination and early cognitive skills.

Christmas Wish Cards develop language and self-expression. Every game on this list sneaks genuine developmental benefits in under a layer of pure holiday fun.

What are some free printable Christmas games for toddlers?

Picture-based Christmas Bingo, the Christmas Matching Game, Roll a Snowman, the Scavenger Hunt Picture Clue Cards, and Christmas Wish Cards are all designed to be printed at home for free.

Use standard US Letter paper, and consider printing on cardstock and laminating for durability if you plan to reuse them year after year at kindergarten parties or holiday playdates. All five are fully image-based so toddlers can use them independently.

There you have it — 11 Christmas games for toddlers that cover every energy level, every group size, and every party setting from a cozy living room to a full kindergarten classroom. Print the sheets, grab a Santa hat, and you’re ready.

The kids won’t remember the decorations or the snacks nearly as much as they’ll remember running, laughing, and playing together. Pin this list so it’s ready when you need it, and have the merriest, wiggliest holiday party ever!

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