Christmas Party Games for Kids: 10 Ideas to Keep Them Busy
Key Takeaways
- Kids’ Christmas party games work best when they’re simple, silly, and flexible enough for different ages.
- Mixing high-energy challenges with calmer games keeps the fun going without total sugar-crash chaos.
- A few playful props or inflatables can instantly turn basic games into unforgettable holiday memories.
If we’re being honest, the hardest part of throwing a Christmas party with kids isn’t the food or the décor. It’s keeping little ones entertained long enough for the adults to actually enjoy themselves.
The good news? Kids don’t need anything complicated to have the best time ever. A few simple games, some silly twists, and suddenly your living room feels like the North Pole’s playground.
At FUNBOY, we’re all about turning “just another party” into something unforgettable. The right games keep the sugar highs fun instead of chaotic, get everyone giggling, and turn downtime into core memories.
So if you’re ready to level up your holiday hosting skills, here are 10 Christmas party game ideas that guarantee happy kids and a stress-free night for you.
1. Pin the Nose on Rudolph
Some games never miss, and this one’s basically holiday royalty. All you need is a big poster of Rudolph, some red sticker “noses,” and a blindfold. Spin each kid a couple of times, send them toward the wall, and let the giggles happen.
The best part? It works for all ages, from preschoolers to teens who swear they’re “too cool” but still end up cracking up when their nose lands on Rudolph’s ear.
Pro tip: Make it extra by snapping a pic of each placement. By the end of the night, you’ve got your own goofy Rudolph collage that doubles as party décor.
2. Santa Hat Musical Chairs
Forget the furniture shuffle. This is like musical chairs with way more fun and way fewer scraped floors.
Place Santa hats (or elf hats or reindeer antlers if you’re feeling wild) on the ground in a circle. When the music plays, kids walk or dance around. When it stops, they dive for a hat. No hat = you’re out. The scramble is hilarious, and the visual of a circle of kids rocking oversized hats is peak holiday party content.
3. Candy Cane Hunt
This one’s like Easter egg hunts, but with way more peppermint. Hide candy canes around the house, in stockings, under couch cushions, or even outside if the weather’s decent. Hand each kid a little bag or basket and let the chaos begin. The simple setup makes it great for mixed ages, and it doubles as a built-in party favor once they head home.
Want to make it feel 2025-level fun? Swap in glow stick candy canes and turn off the lights for a nighttime hunt. Suddenly, it’s part game, part rave, and you just unlocked the coolest kid memory ever.
4. Snowball Toss
No snow outside? No problem. Crumple up white paper, grab plush “snowballs,” or use soft foam balls, then set up buckets or baskets at different distances. Kids take turns tossing for points, and you can even assign “bonus rounds” if they make it into the farthest target. It’s safe, it’s simple, and it burns off energy without wrecking your house.
For older kids, turn it into a speed challenge: who can make the most baskets in 30 seconds? For littles, just let them toss and cheer every time they land one. Either way, it feels festive without requiring a blizzard.
5. Christmas Bingo
Sometimes you need the kids to chill for a minute, and this is your golden ticket. Print or grab holiday-themed bingo cards filled with Santas, stockings, candy canes, and snowflakes. Hand out candy, marshmallows, or stickers as markers, and call out the images one by one. The kids get the thrill of competition while you get five minutes of peace.
Make it extra with little prizes for winners, like holiday pencils or mini ornaments, or play “blackout” mode, where the first to cover the whole card wins big. Pro tip: It’s also the perfect wind-down activity before parents start packing everyone into cars.
6. Ornament Spoon Race
It’s the holiday glow-up of the classic egg-on-a-spoon race. Hand each kid a plastic ornament and a spoon, then set a finish line across the room. The challenge? Get there without dropping your “ornament.” The wobbling, the concentration faces, the inevitable crashes — it’s peak kid entertainment.
Switch it up for different ages by adjusting the difficulty: little kids can use big spoons and bigger ornaments, while older kids get smaller spoons and have to speed-walk or even try it one-handed. Bonus points if you set up a festive obstacle course to weave through.
Pro tip for adults: Once the kids are asleep, swap the ornaments for mini cups and make it an Après ShotSki relay. Same rules, just a little more spirited.
7. Reindeer Relay Race
Nothing gets kids moving like a race, and this one’s pure holiday chaos in the best way. Split everyone into teams, hand them reindeer antlers (the inflatable kind are hilarious), and set up a short course across the room or yard. Kids “gallop” to the finish line and back, then tag the next teammate. The first team done takes the win.
Want to take it up a notch? Add challenges along the way, like carrying a present, balancing a candy cane, or doing a silly “reindeer dance” before tagging the next runner. The laughter is guaranteed, and so is the bragging rights battle that lasts all night.
8. Christmas Charades
Guaranteed laughter, no props required. Write down holiday movies, songs, or characters on slips of paper — think Elf, The Grinch, “Frosty the Snowman,” or “Jingle Bells.” Kids take turns acting them out without speaking while everyone else guesses. The sillier the acting, the better the game.
Pro tip: Add a timer for extra hype and keep the cards age-appropriate so nobody’s stuck trying to act out It’s a Wonderful Life when they’ve never seen it. Want to make it modern? Toss in some relevant holiday hits (think Olivia Rodrigo’s “Santa Tell Me You Hate Me” remix or SZA’s latest Christmas collab) or dance challenges for the older crowd.
9. Present Stacking Challenge
This one’s pure fun and zero mess. Wrap a bunch of empty boxes in festive paper, then challenge kids to stack them into the tallest “gift tower” they can manage. It sounds simple until the towers start teetering and everyone’s holding their breath waiting for the crash.
To keep it exciting, turn it into rounds: who can stack the tallest in 60 seconds, who can build the widest base, or who can stack while blindfolded with a teammate shouting directions. Once it inevitably falls over, kids are already begging to play again.
10. Santa Says
You know Simon Says, but this version sleighs harder. One person plays “Santa” and calls out commands: “Santa says tap your nose like Rudolph,” “Santa says ho-ho-ho three times,” or “Santa says waddle like a penguin.” Kids have to follow along, but only if Santa gives the order first. If they mess up? They’re out until the next round.
The beauty of Santa Says is that it burns off energy without anyone realizing they’re basically exercising. You can make it silly for little kids (pretend to eat cookies, hop like a reindeer) or ridiculous for older ones (strike your best elf selfie pose, floss like Frosty).
Add music in the background, and suddenly it feels less like a filler game and more like a full-on holiday TikTok challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should kids’ Christmas party games last?
Short and sweet wins. Plan for 10 to 15 minutes per game so attention spans don’t fizzle out. Rotate between active and chill games to keep kids engaged without sugar-crash meltdowns.
Do you need prizes for Christmas party games?
Not at all, but small prizes like stickers, candy canes, or mini ornaments make it extra fun. You can also go prize-free and let bragging rights (and goofy photo ops) be the reward.
What about games for adults?
Once the kids crash, the fun doesn’t have to stop. Adult holiday games bring the same energy with a little more edge, whether it’s drinking challenges, trivia, or laugh-out-loud competitions. Check out our guide to Christmas Party Games for Adults for 14 ideas that will keep the grown-ups just as entertained.
Wrapping Up the Fun
Here’s the truth: Kids don’t remember if the snacks were organic or if the lights were perfectly strung, but they’ll always remember the games. The Rudolph nose fails, the Santa hat scrambles, the candy cane hunt that somehow turned into a mini rave — that’s the stuff they’ll talk about all year. And honestly? That’s what makes your party legendary.
If you’re ready to really lock in “coolest host” status, add the extras that make it feel bigger than just games. Set the scene with inflatable holiday décor that doubles as IG backdrops, turn the night into a full-blown sleepover with our kids’ Sleepover Beds, or send everyone outside to burn off the last of that sugar rush on our snow tubes. Suddenly, your party isn’t just fun — it’s straight-up iconic.
At FUNBOY, we’re here for the chaos that turns into core memories. So crank the playlist, embrace the glitter on your floor, and let the games roll. Because the holidays aren’t about perfection, they’re about making nights that everyone will want to relive again and again.
Sources:
The History Of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer | NPR
Santa Claus: Real Origins & Legend | HISTORY
How “It’s a Wonderful Life” Almost Never Happened | Timeless
