25 Days of Christmas Activities to Countdown to Christmas

Here you will find 25 Days of Christmas Activities that are simple enough to accomplish during the holiday rush, work for kids of all ages and will make memories with your family for years to come. Use these Christmas activity ideas to countdown to Christmas at home with the family or as Christmas activities for school break countdown.

Countdown to Christmas Ideas for Kids

I always have the best intentions for making the 25 days of Christmas magical, intentional, and memorable for my family and then the month of December arrives and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season seems overwhelming.

This holiday countdown calendar solves your problem by creating easy Christmas activity ideas for each of the 24 days of Christmas countdown! Use this Christmas spirit activities list to plan ahead or grab a quick holiday activity to do spontaneously.

This article contains affiliate links.

Christmas Countdown Activity Calendar for Kids

When does countdown to 25 days of Christmas start? Well, it starts from December 1 and goes to Christmas.

Follow our countdown list of kids Christmas activities every day or loosely here and there. Whatever works for you!

Day 1: Make an Advent Countdown [24 Days Until Christmas]

Let’s get an advent calendar for the entire family created with inspiration from these countdown to Christmas ideas:

• For your kinesthetic learners, how about this ping pong ball and toilet paper tube advent calendar which is one of our favorite quirky holiday ideas here at Kids Activities Blog?
• Or simply craft a red and green paper chain, complete with 25 links that the children can tear off each morning in anticipation of Christmas day? You can also use our elf sized printable version of the elf Christmas countdown we use with Elf on the Shelf.
• Make tiny little gifts that will be opened each day. Kids could do this for each other to make it a surprise that they can participate in inspired by our advent calendar activities.
• Craft this lovely DIY Advent wreath and use it as a family advent calendar. I love how this turns out and can be modified for any type of decor or holiday theme.
• This idea for a book advent calendar is genius! You could do the DIY version of having kids run around the house and collect favorite books, take a trip to the library or visit the bookstore and make a stack of 25 books that you are going to read this holiday. Christmas eve needs to be the Night Before Christmas classic story!
• We love this long list of DIY advent calendars you can easily make with your kids this holiday season to countdown the days to Christmas.

Day 2: Learn to Draw a Christmas Tree [23 Days Until Christmas]

Kids of all ages can get into the fun of making their own easy Christmas tree drawing. Adults NEED to participate too! My guess is that the adults are out of practice and might be surprised at the results…no competition needed.

Use our step by step printable guide on how to draw a Christmas tree. It is a fun holiday activity that can take 5 minutes or an afternoon. If younger kids would rather color a Christmas tree, download and print this Christmas tree coloring page.

Day 3:  Do a Random Act of Christmas Kindness [22 Days Until Christmas]

Brainstorm with your kids the special people they would like to bless this holiday season. Think teachers, neighbors, church leaders and special friends who maybe live at a distance.

Download and print our Random Acts of Christmas Kindness checklist and choose a kindness activity from the list.

Hang the list somewhere you can all see it, and let your kids know throughout the advent season you will be making special crafts and goodies they can use to wish the special people a happy holiday season.

Day 4: Have Fun with Holiday Themed Science Activities [21 Days Until Christmas]

Today we have several holiday science activities for our countdown to Christmas to choose from depending on how much time and energy you have to devote to today’s countdown fun:

• Candy Cane Science Experiment: Take this seasonal candy and learn more about the properties of sugar and water in this easy to follow Candy Cane Experiment by Preschool Powol Packets.
• Make Fluffy Snow Slime: This easy snow slime recipe is fun to make and then play with! Make some extra to give to a friend.
• Grow Snow Crystals: Make your own borax crystals and watch them grow over the next few days.

Day 5: Play with Candy Canes [20 Days Until Christmas]

If you chose the candy cane experiment yesterday, you may have some candy canes leftovers if they didn’t all get eaten! Today choose a candy cane activity that smells and tastes like Christmas {giggle}:

Day 6: Visit a Local Christmas Attraction [19 Days Until Christmas]

A simple google search for your area should point you towards local holiday events near you. Some of our favorites are:

• Visit a Live Nativity: This is a great way to bring the events of Christ’s birth to life for our kids. Our children look forward to this tradition every year.
• Ice! at the Gaylord: There are quite a few different locations that Ice! exhibits are around the United States. If you live near one, check out all the fun at the Gaylord Palms Ice or Gaylord Texan Christmas.
• Holiday Lights: Use our printable Christmas light scavenger hunt and set out on your town to find all the best Christmas lights.

Day 7: Make a Family Handprint Christmas Craft [18 Days Until Christmas]

Here at Kids Activities Blog we love handprint art because the entire family can get in on the crafty fun. Here are several different holiday handprint ideas to choose from…oh, and make two and send one to Grandma!

Day 8: Let’s make a Snowman…Craft! [17 Days Until Christmas]

Snowmen are iconic and whimsical. Celebrate the snowman indoors with simple snowman crafts for kids:

Day 9: Hot Cocoa For Breakfast [16 Days Until Christmas]

In our home, hot cocoa is a treat, not a given!

Surprise your kids this morning with hot cocoa as they stumble downstairs. Let them top theirs with marshmallows…or a marshmallow snowman! If you need some new hot chocolate ideas, check out our big list of 20 Yummy Hot Chocolate Recipes!

Day 10: Send a Homemade Christmas Card [15 Days Until Christmas]

It’s time to make some homemade cards for this countdown to Christmas activity! Set out the markers, glue sticks, glitter, stickers and blank paper, and let the kids’ imaginations take over:

Day 11: Plant Something! [14 Days Until Christmas]

In most parts of the world, December might not be thought of as planting season, but we are thinking about indoor planting options so it won’t matter what the weather is outside. Here are some fun planting ideas that can double as gifts to give:

Day 12: Surprise Christmas Light Trip [13 Days Until Christmas]

Tuck the kids into bed and then quickly prepare hot cocoa in travel mugs.

Run the mugs and cozy blankets out to the car and then dash up the stairs to the kids’ rooms.

Open their doors and shout SURPRISE!!!! Get them out of bed and go on a hunt around your neighborhood (in jammies!) for the best and brightest Christmas light displays. The kids will love the element of surprise and the hot cocoa!

Day 13: Make Christmas Wrapping Paper [12 Days Until Christmas]

Do some DIY wrapping paper for all your special gifts this season. Kid-made wrapping paper can make a gift more special to someone who loves them.

Day 14: Let’s Learn with Holiday Themed Activities [11 Days Until Christmas]

There are so many fun ways to learn different things through the holidays! Here are just a few of our favorites for today:

Day 15: Pretend Play Day [10 Days Until Christmas]

There are so many fun ways to pretend play. Here are a few festive ideas to inspire whatever you decide to do today together:

• Print out these Christmas Printables from Kids Activities Blog and sit down at the table with some glitter and glue and have a blast “baking” some fun Christmas cookies!
• Grab some blankets a few chairs and build a kids indoor fort together. Decorate it with and extra string of holiday lights and read a Christmas book.
• Act out a Christmas story in the living room!
• Create a holiday puppet show with paper bag puppets or turn our princess paper dolls into puppets and have them wear holiday dresses.
• Make a story about these Christmas paper dolls that are wearing winter clothes.
• Make a gingerbread house together and tell the story of how it was built.

Day 16: Play a Holiday Game Together [9 Days Until Christmas]

Host a game night with your family, and invite some friends over too! Whether you have a full game night or a little game playing time together, here are some ideas we love:

Day 17: Capture Stars in a Bottle [8 Days Until Christmas]

There are so many ways to make your kids bedtime starry! Here are a few ideas that you can buy or make together:

• Create beautiful starry night lights like these from Powerful Mothering to light up your kids’ rooms (using batter operated candles of course!) or use them to line your steps for Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve if you don’t have a fireplace for him to shimmy down!
• Make a glowing calming bottle with glow in the dark stars that mimic the Christmas sky.
• Create a galaxy jar for kids. It is a fun sensory activity that works for kids of all ages.
• For a portable version, check out this fairy dust necklace that I need to make today!

Day 18: Make Homemade Christmas Ornaments [7 Days Until Christmas]

This countdown to Christmas activity idea is to craft some ornaments to adorn your own tree – or grandma and grandpa’s!

Day 19: Craft a Christmas Tree [6 Days Until Christmas]

Today is all about the Christmas tree. Not the one in your living room in all its pine glory, but crafting trees from paper…and more:

Day 20: Let’s Play with Snowflakes Inside [5 Days Until Christmas]

Whether the snow is falling where you live or not, we can celebrate the winter weather with these snow activities and crafts…or even snowman crafts:

Day 21: Donate & Volunteer Together [4 Days Until Christmas]

Teach your kids the true spirit of giving this Christmas by donating food and/or volunteering at a local food bank.

1. Part of the days working up to day 21 could be finding things around the house that can be donated. This is a good day to go through the kids toys, the pantry or closet.
2. If possible, go to the donation center together so kids can see what happens in that big warehouse of donations!

Volunteer at your church or favorite local charity together. If your kids are too young to officially volunteer, consider doing your own family trash drive or neighborhood pick up. Or have them organize donations from neighbors that you take over together.

Day 22: Plan a Secret Surprise [3 Days Until Christmas]

Stopping for a Starbucks while running errands? How about paying for the car behind you? Have a card ready that says, “Merry Christmas!” for the barista to hand to the recipient of your generosity.

You could also do this at the Dollar Store or the grocery store too!

Check your random acts of Christmas kindness checklist for other ideas that you can plan and do together.

Day 23: Bake Christmas Cookies [2 Days Until Christmas]

Let’s bake our favorite Christmas cookies <–click for our favorite recipes! Spend the day getting floured and sugared up in the kitchen today!

After your cookies have cooled, place them on plates, cover them and tie them with a pretty bow. Hand deliver your plated treats as a family to people on your blessing list. If your church offers a Christmas Eve or Christmas morning service, attach an invite to the bow with the details and offer to attend with your neighbors!

If you need some more Christmas cookie baking inspiration…

Day 24: Sleepover Under the Christmas Tree [1 Day Until Christmas]

Everyone don their Christmas jammies (our kids get a new pair every Christmas Eve!) and pile the blankets, pillows and sleeping bags near  the Christmas tree.

Read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas as a family and turn off every light except for the Christmas tree lights. Enjoy watching the kiddos fall asleep under the twinkling lights… and then get up and finish everything else that “Santa” needs to accomplish that night!

Day 25: Christmas Morning Breakfast [0 Days Until Christmas…Squeal!]

If you haven’t already, decide as a family what your traditional Christmas morning breakfast will be. In our home, it’s hot cocoa and Monkey Bread! Here are some other ideas that might fit your family:

Printable Christmas Placemats for Kids

Oh, and don’t forget these fun printable Christmas activity placemats for kids to color.

More Fun Christmas Family Traditions

Traditions are a beautiful way to knit your family together and bring meaningful consistency to your celebrations.

We read the Christmas story from the Bible (Luke 2) while we sip our hot cocoa and enjoy our yummy breakfast together. Only once everyone is done can the present mayhem begin!

More Christmas Activities for Kids from Kids Activities Blog

As you plan your Christmas season, I hope you will find these 25 Christmas Activities for Kids a useful gift in making special memories with your children.

What countdown to Christmas activity or craft are you most looking forward to doing with your family? Are you going to do a holiday activity every day?