Christmas Game Ideas for Kindergarteners to Enjoy

Christmas game ideas for kindergarteners focus on simple, joyful, and age-appropriate activities that capture the magic of the holiday season while keeping young children engaged and active. These games often incorporate familiar holiday symbols like Santa, snowmen, reindeer, and Christmas trees. Popular options include “Pin the Nose on Rudolph,” “Christmas Bingo,” “Snowball Toss” (using soft cotton balls), and “Santa Says” (a holiday twist on “Simon Says”). These games are not only fun but also help reinforce important developmental skills such as listening, coordination, and following directions. Craft-based games, such as “Christmas Ornament Decorating” or “Holiday Puzzle Races,” combine play with creativity. Since young children have short attention spans, the games are usually short, visual, and filled with music or movement to maintain interest. Overall, Christmas games for kindergarteners aim to bring festive cheer, encourage positive social interaction, and create lasting memories during this special time of year.

Christmas Game Ideas for kindergarteners

Pin the Nose on Rudolph

Credit @Rainy Day Mum

Description:
A festive twist on “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” this game involves blindfolding kids and having them try to place Rudolph’s red nose in the right spot.

How to Play:

• Draw or print a large picture of Rudolph without his red nose.

• Cut out several red paper circles (noses), write each child’s name on one, and add tape to the back.

• Blindfold a player, spin them gently 1–2 times, and point them toward Rudolph.

• They try to place the nose in the right spot.

• Closest placement wins!

• Kids take turns and cheer each other on.

Christmas Tree Ring Toss

Credit @Amazon

Description:
Turn a mini Christmas tree into a fun target for a ring toss game.

How to Play:

• Place a small artificial tree or cone wrapped in green paper on the floor.

• Make rings using pipe cleaners or small plastic hoops.

• Mark a tossing line a few feet away.

• Kids take turns tossing rings onto the tree or cone.

• Award points for each successful ring.

• For added fun, use different colored rings with different points.

• You can even play Christmas music in the background to boost excitement.

Christmas Bingo

Description:
A fun matching game that teaches Christmas vocabulary and promotes focus.

How to Play:

• Prepare bingo cards with pictures (Santa, tree, reindeer, bell, etc.).

• Make a set of calling cards with the same images.

• Each child gets a bingo card and some markers (cotton balls or candy).

• The teacher pulls cards one by one and calls them out.

• Kids mark their cards if they have the image.

• First to complete a line shouts “Merry Christmas!” and wins.

• Play several rounds with small prizes.

Snowball Toss

Credit @Simple Purposeful Living

Description:
An indoor “snowball” game using soft white balls (cotton or pom-poms) for tossing.

How to Play:

• Use buckets or baskets as targets and label each with a point value.

• Give kids 5–10 soft snowballs.

• They stand behind a line and try to toss snowballs into the buckets.

• Add up scores to see who gets the most.

• Use holiday music for a festive vibe.

• Encourage turn-taking and cheering.

Build a Snowman Relay

Description:
A team game where kids race to “build” a snowman using paper or felt parts.

How to Play:

• Prepare cutouts of snowman parts: circles for body, eyes, nose, hat, scarf.

• Divide kids into teams.

• Place parts in a bucket at the end of the play area.

• One child runs, grabs a piece, and runs back to stick it on a snowman template.

• Next child goes, and so on until the snowman is complete.

• First team to finish wins.

• Promotes teamwork and physical activity.

Christmas Freeze Dance

Credit @The Way PDO and Preschool

Description:
A high-energy game set to holiday tunes where kids dance and freeze when the music stops.

How to Play:

• Play cheerful Christmas music.

• Kids dance, jump, and wiggle.

• Stop the music randomly — they must freeze in place.

• Anyone who moves sits out or does a funny move to rejoin.

• Keep playing until one dancer remains or for a set time.

• Great for energy release and coordination.

Pass the Present

Credit @Little Halo J

Description:
Similar to “Hot Potato,” but with a wrapped gift and Christmas music.

How to Play:

• Wrap a small prize in several layers of paper.

• Kids sit in a circle and pass the present as music plays.

• Stop the music randomly — the child holding the present unwraps one layer.

• Continue until the last layer is unwrapped — that child gets the prize.

• For extra fun, add small candies or stickers between layers.

Santa’s Hat Hunt

Description:
A simple scavenger hunt where kids search for hidden Santa hats or Christmas objects.

How to Play:

• Hide Santa hats (or small festive items) around the classroom.

• Give clues or let kids search freely.

• Whoever finds the most wins a prize.

• Encourage sharing if one child finds many.

• You can give each child a checklist with pictures to mark what they find.

Feed the Reindeer

Description:
A beanbag toss game where kids “feed” a reindeer by tossing treats into its mouth.

How to Play:

• Make a cardboard reindeer face with an open mouth cutout.

• Place it on a stand or bin.

• Give kids small beanbags or crumpled paper “food.”

• They take turns tossing food into the mouth.

• Each successful toss scores a point.

• Count the scores or play just for fun.

• Can be played individually or in teams.

Ornament Spoon Relay

Credit @Desertcart INDIA

Description:
A balance-and-race game using plastic ornaments and large spoons.

How to Play:

• Give each child a spoon and a lightweight ornament (plastic or foam).

• Mark a start and finish line.

• Kids race while balancing the ornament on the spoon.

• If it drops, they pick it up and continue.

• Can be played as individual races or in teams as a relay.

• Enhances balance and coordination.