Christmas Games and Crafts

Here are a few Christmas Games and Crafts I have gathered from different sites. I like putting things like this into one place.

Christmas Games:

Dance!

Dance to Christmas Music. Slow & Fast.

Freeze
Begin playing Christmas music, everyone moves and dances until the music stops then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in.

Hide and Seek

Cut out Christmas Ornaments and hide them for others to find.

Let it Snow

Play let is snow with the snowflakes you made.

Christmas Wreath
Suspend a large Christmas wreath in a doorway at a convenient height from the floor. Prepare in advance "snowballs," made of cotton batting covered with white tissue paper.

The players stand about eight feet from the wreath, and take turns, one at a time. Each is given three "snowballs," and the one who succeeds in throwing all three, one at a time, through the wreath, is given the prize.

To make it more exciting, sides may be chosen, and each one of the three snowballs numbered, one being 5, the other, 10, and the third, 20. If the ball numbered 5 goes through, it counts 5 for that player's side. If it does not go through, it is a loss, and so on. The side scoring the most points is victorious.

The Night Before Christmas Musical Chairs

Another amusement is playing "The Night before Christmas" like "Musical Chairs ." Give each child the name of some part of Santa Claus' outfit, the sleigh, the reindeer, etc. The hostess then reads the well-known story, "The Night Before Christmas." As she mentions the names, the players having them, rise, turn around, and sit down again. When she mentions Santa Claus, all change places, and she tries to secure a seat. The one left out continues the story, and so on, until completed.

Santa Says
Play like "Simon Says" but replace the phrase "Simon Says" with "Santa Says." For instance, leader Elf says: 'Santa says, "Put your hands on your head."' All players should be their hands on their head. When the leader Elf gives an instruction without saying "Santa Says" and the followers do the action anyway, the leader Elf says "HO! HO! HO!" and the player must sit down. The last player left standing is the winner and can then be the leader Elf.

Hot “Stocking” Potato

Big & Little Christmas Trees

Call out big, medium, and little and have your children to be that size of Christmas Tree.

Big: stand up with feet together and put hands above head in a point

Middle: Squat knees together and put hands above head in a point

Little: Sit down with legs crossed and put hands above head in a point

Santa, Santa, Reindeer

Play just like duck, duck, goose

Pin the Star on the Nativity

Play just like pin the tail on the donkey.

Nativity Popsicle Puppets

Draw and Color the characters, put on a show!

Christmas Crafts

1. Finger Paint
2. Clay Candy Canes/Candy Cane Beaded Necklaces
3. Paint nativity scenes
4. Standup Nativity Craft
5. See templates below
6. Peppermint Wreath tacky glue, peppermint candies, cardboard, ribbon. Cut out a circle shape from the cardboard. Then cut out the center to make a wreath form. If you don't have cardboard, you can use an empty cereal box. Spread the glue over the wreath form. Then have the children place the candies all around the wreath. You have the option of leaving the wrappers on the candies, or taking them off. Make a bow with the ribbon and glue to the top center. Let dry. Then depending on the size of the wreath, you can place a magnet on the back to hang on the fridge, or you can tie a ribbon hanger around the top to put on the tree or display.
7. Gingerbread Dough (Index)
1. 2 cups flour
   1 cup salt
   2 T ground cinnamon
   1 T ground cloves
   water (about 1 cup)
2. Mix everything together. If making ornaments for Christmas time, have the children form the dough into desired shapes or use cookie cutters, then lay them down to dry.
8. Play Dough (Index)
1. 1 cup flour
   1 cup water
   1 Tblsp. oil
   1/2 cup salt
   1 tsp. cream of tartar
   food coloring
2. Mix ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and becomes doughy in consistency. Knead until cool.
3. Not edible! Can be used over and over again. Store in air tight container. Keeps 3 months unrefrigerated.
4. Glitter Dough: Sprinkle glitter on a tabletop. Work the glitter into the dough.
   Spicy Dough: Add ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough.
   Peppermint Dough: Add a few drops of peppermint extract to the dough.
9. Star Ornaments
   Precut star shapes out of heavy poster paper, two identical shapes for each child. Punch holes around the edges and have children "sew" their stars together with ribbon or yarn. Decorate with sparkle glue and glitter. A clothespin glued onto the back clips the star to the top of a Christmas tree.

10. Pipe Cleaner Ornaments
    Have the children thread pipe cleaners with tri-colored beads so that they nest together. Bend and shape the pipe cleaners to make a wreath, candy cane, star.....tie on a ribbon loop to hang!

11. Hole-punched Christmas Trees
    For window displays..let the sun light up the trees.
    You will need: 1/2 shets of 9X12" black construction paper; scissors, small pieces of assorted colors of tissue paper, hole punchers, glue, glitter, yellow construction paper (star).
    Fold black paper in half lengthwise. Cut along open edge to resemble one side of a Christmas tree. Leave paper tree folded in half and punch numerous holes all over tree. Unfold tree. On one side, glue assorted colors of tissue paper over holes. Turn tree over. Finish decorating with glue and glitter to make garland scallops. Add a yellow construction paper star on top.

12. "Hand-some" Trees
    Everyone can lend a 'hand' to help with this display project. Have the children tracae th eoutline of each of their hands onto three shades of green construciton paper and cut out. Starting at the top, work your way down the tree, stapling one additional hand cutout in each row. After the greenery is in place, add a brown paper trunk and child-made ornaments. A "Hand-some" Tree!

13. Make Snow Flakes with Tissue Paper

14. String Popcorn

15. Make Paper Chain Decorations

16. Hand print/Foot Print Angel

17. Foam Tree Ornament

18. Dangling Snowman Foam Ornament

19. Nativity Craft Gift Kit (Oriental Trading)

20. Snowman Door Hanger Gift Kit (Oriental Trading)