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🎄 What We’re Using This Christmas (Amazon Favorites)
Here are a few things we’re loving and actually using this Christmas season:
🎄Kids’ Christmas Activity Book (Amazon)🎄Christmas Playdough Kit (Amazon)🎄Christmas Book Set (Amazon)🎄Easy Gingerbread House Kit (Amazon)🎄Washable Christmas Stampers (Amazon)🎄Christmas Fun Game (Amazon)🎄Kids’ Christmas Craft Set (Amazon)Christmas morning is magical… but let’s be honest, it can also get a tiny bit chaotic.
The kids wake up buzzing with excitement, presents get opened in 0.2 seconds, and suddenly someone says those two dreaded words:
“I’m booooored.”
And you’re standing there trying to get breakfast in the oven, clean up wrapping paper confetti, or simply enjoy your cup of hot cocoa before it gets cold.
That’s exactly why I created this list of 25 zero-prep Christmas morning activities for kids—activities that require absolutely no supplies, no setup, and no crafting mess. Just simple, joyful fun to keep your kids engaged, happy, and connected while you enjoy a breather.
These ideas work beautifully for toddlers, early elementary, older kids, siblings, cousins, or even a whole family gathering. So whether you’re trying to buy yourself 10 peaceful minutes or hoping to stretch out the coziness of Christmas morning, these activities truly help.
Let’s make Christmas morning smoother, calmer, and a whole lot more magical.
Here are your zero-prep ideas!
1. Christmas Morning Scavenger Hunt (No Items Needed!)
This is the easiest scavenger hunt ever—kids search for things that already exist.
Examples:
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Something red
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Something soft
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Something shaped like a star
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Something that smells like Christmas (tree, cinnamon roll, candles)
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Something cozy
No printed list needed. You just call out the next item whenever they’re ready.
Why it works: Keeps kids moving and gives them a fun challenge while you finish breakfast or tidy up.
2. Christmas Freeze Dance
Turn on any Christmas playlist and play freeze dance.
Kids dance like crazy… then freeze like a statue when the music stops.
Bonus: Tell them to freeze like something Christmas-related:
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A snowman
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A gingerbread cookie
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A Christmas tree
Instant laughter. Zero prep.
3. “Guess the Christmas Sound” Game
You make a sound, they guess it.
Examples:
Kids LOVE this, and it takes absolutely nothing to start.
4. Christmas Would You Rather
This one always becomes hilarious.
Try these:
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Would you rather have a snowball fight or make a giant snowman?
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Would you rather have hot cocoa or eggnog for breakfast?
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Would you rather ride in Santa’s sleigh or help the elves in the workshop?
Zero prep, but tons of giggles.
5. “Find Something That Starts With…” Challenge
Call out each letter of C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S, and kids find something in the house starting with that letter.
It’s sneaky spelling practice wrapped in Christmas fun.
6. Christmas Morning Story Circle
Start a story with one sentence:
“Last night, I heard Santa sneeze so loud it shook the Christmas tree…”
Then each kid (or adult!) adds one sentence.
Stories get weird fast—in the best way.
7. “Act It Out” Christmas Charades
No cards needed.
Just give them prompts verbally:
Perfect for all ages.
8. Christmas Yoga for Kids
Lead them through simple poses:
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Christmas Tree Pose (tree pose)
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Reindeer Stretch (arms as antlers, stretch tall!)
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Snowflake Pose (star pose)
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Gift Box Pose (hug knees to chest)
Calming, grounding, and perfect for excited morning energy.
9. Christmas Morning I-Spy
No book needed.
Just say something like:
“I spy something shiny…”
“I spy something green…”
“I spy something with stripes…”
Instant entertainment while kids look around the room.
10. Christmas Compliment Circle
This is beautiful for Christmas mornings.
Have everyone go around and say:
It slows things down and brings so much warmth into the room.
11. Ornament Storytelling
Tell kids to pick any ornament on the tree and make up a backstory for it.
Older kids get super creative, younger ones get adorably silly.
12. Christmas Name Swap
Each person secretly assigns everyone new Christmas names like:
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Snowflake Sparkles
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Cookie Crumbles
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Jolly Jellybean
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Captain Candy Cane
Then everyone must call each other by those names for 20 minutes.
Yes, chaos ensues. Yes, it’s hilarious.
13. “What’s Missing?” Game
Great for siblings!
One child picks 5 objects already in the room. Everyone closes their eyes fast. The child hides ONE.
Everyone tries to guess what’s missing.
Perfect quiet game while you finish cooking.
14. Christmas Pictionary (No Drawing Supplies!)
Just air draw.
One person “draws” in the air with their finger. Everyone guesses.
No mess, no paper, no crayons needed.
15. Christmas Laugh Challenge
Tell kids they have to try NOT to laugh while you:
Kids fold in 10 seconds. Works every time.
16. Christmas Memory Game
Say a list of holiday words in a row:
“Santa, cookies, snow, bells…”
Each person repeats the list and adds one more item.
A perfect cognitive challenge without needing anything.
17. Guess the Present Without Touching
Kids pick any wrapped gift and guess:
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What it might be
-
Who it’s for
-
What color it is
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Its shape
It keeps anticipation high—and prevents a wild rush of opening everything too fast.
18. Christmas Gratitude Round
Quick, simple, meaningful.
Ask everyone to share three things they’re grateful for this Christmas morning.
Such a grounding moment.
19. Christmas Soundtrack Rating Game
Play clips of Christmas songs and have kids rate them from 1–10.
Kids LOVE feeling like judges.
20. Christmas Silly Walk Contest
Everyone must walk to the tree in the silliest Christmas-themed way possible:
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Reindeer trot
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Penguin walk
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Santa waddle
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Gingerbread shuffle
One of the easiest ways to get kids giggling instantly.
21. “What’s the First Thing You Noticed?” Game
Ask questions like:
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What was the first Christmas smell you smelled this morning?
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What was the first sound you heard?
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What was the first thing you saw on the tree?
This is GREAT for memory-building and conversation.
22. Christmas Hot/Cold Game
Hide something tiny (a candy cane, a sock, a sticker, anything you already have).
Guide them with “hot, warm, cold.”
Zero prep, endless fun.
23. Christmas Emoji Challenge
Say a holiday word, and kids act it out using only gestures or facial expressions—no sounds allowed.
Try:
-
Snowman
-
Elf
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Stocking
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Sleigh
This one gets silly fast.
24. Christmas Reverse Hide-and-Seek
Kids hide.
Instead of you finding them…
THEY try to sneak back to the tree without you noticing.
Quiet game + high excitement = win-win.
25. Christmas Morning Photo Challenge
Give them creative prompts like:
They use your phone or their own, snap photos, then come back and show you their favorites.
Perfect for memory-making and capturing the morning naturally.
How These Zero-Prep Christmas Activities Save Your Sanity
The beauty of all these activities is that you don’t need to prep anything—not a printable, not a craft box, not a single supply. Kids stay entertained naturally, connect deeply, and use their imaginations while you enjoy a calmer, more joyful Christmas morning.
This list is incredibly convenient when:
✔ You’re cooking breakfast
✔ You’re cleaning up wrapping paper mountains
✔ You have guests over
✔ Your kids need to burn off energy
✔ You want to slow down the pace of the morning
✔ You just need a peaceful 15 minutes to sip your cocoa
Parenting on Christmas morning should feel magical—not stressful—and these activities really do help.
Final Thoughts: Create a Christmas Morning You Actually Enjoy
Your kids don’t need perfect activities or complicated prep.
They just need presence, creativity, and moments of connection.
And you deserve a Christmas morning that feels peaceful, joyful, and full of laughter—not chaos.
I hope these ideas help your home feel a little calmer and cozier this Christmas.
You’ve got this, mama. ❤️
If you loved these ideas, feel free to share this post, save it to Pinterest, or check out my other low-prep holiday printables in my shop. They’re designed for busy moms who want joyful, easy, stress-free learning at home.
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What are your favorite simple Christmas morning traditions?
Share them in the comments—I’d love to hear and add more ideas to this list!
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Nancy at Cleverly Kindred ❤️
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