Christmas activities for kids do not have to cost a fortune or take hours to set up. A pencil, a few printable puzzles and a cosy spot at the kitchen table can keep little ones happily busy on a rainy December afternoon, on Christmas Eve or while the dinner is cooking.
Key Takeaways
- Printable puzzles are a cheap, calm way to keep children busy over the Christmas holidays.
- Mix puzzle types, such as word searches, mazes, letter sudoku and word scrambles, so children do not get bored.
- Start with easy pages and move on to tricky ones to build confidence.
- Keep answer pages separate so grown ups can check work and give hints.
- Puzzles fit neatly into Christmas Eve boxes, stockings, car journeys and quiet time on Christmas Day.
The weeks around Christmas are exciting, but they can also be long. School breaks up, the weather keeps everyone indoors and the grown ups have a lot to do. Having a stack of ready to go activities means you always have something to hand when children say they are bored, and puzzles have the bonus of quietly building reading, spelling and problem solving skills.
Why Puzzles Make Great Christmas Activities
Puzzles are a lovely middle ground between screen time and a big craft session. They need no glue, glitter or clearing up, they work for one child or several, and children feel proud when they finish a page. Festive themes such as reindeer, presents and snowmen make them feel part of the Christmas fun rather than schoolwork.
Christmas Puzzle Ideas for Every Child
Christmas Word Searches
Word searches are perfect for children who are confident with letters. Easy grids with words going across and down suit younger children, while older children enjoy bigger grids with diagonal words. Choose themes they know, such as Christmas dinner, the tree or the toy workshop, so they recognise the words as they find them.
Christmas Mazes
Mazes are brilliant for younger children who are still learning to read, because they only need a pencil and a steady hand. Help a reindeer find its way home or guide a present to the right house. Starting with easy mazes and building up to tricky ones keeps the challenge just right.
Letter Sudoku
Letter sudoku works just like number sudoku, but uses the letters of a festive word, such as STAR or SNOW. Each letter appears once in every row, column and box. A small 4 x 4 grid is a gentle first step, and a 6 x 6 grid gives older children something to really think about.
Christmas Word Scrambles
Word scrambles mix up the letters of a Christmas word and ask children to put them back in order. A short clue next to each one helps them along. They are great for spelling practice and work well as a family game, with everyone racing to solve the same word.
When to Use Christmas Activities
- The first days of the school holidays: a puzzle session helps everyone settle into a calmer routine.
- In the Christmas Eve box: tuck a few puzzle pages and a new pencil in alongside pyjamas and a book.
- On Christmas morning: a quiet activity while the grown ups get the dinner on.
- On car and train journeys: a clipboard and a few pages make visiting family much easier.
- At family gatherings: give cousins the same page and see who finishes first.
Tips to Keep Puzzle Time Fun
- Let children pick the puzzle they want to do first.
- Print the easy pages for younger children and the tricky pages for older ones.
- Keep the answers away from the table, and give a hint before showing the answer.
- Celebrate a finished stack of puzzles with a certificate or a small treat.
- Print in black and white if you want to save colour ink.
If you are hosting a family get together, our Christmas party games guide has more ideas the whole family can join in with, from bingo to charades.
A Ready Made Christmas Puzzle Pack
The Kids Christmas Activity Pack brings all of these ideas together in one printable 28 page A4 PDF. It has 20 puzzle pages that go from easy to tricky: 8 word searches, 6 mazes, 4 letter sudoku and 2 word scramble pages, with the level shown on every page. Answers are at the back so you can print them separately, and there is a Christmas Puzzle Champion certificate to finish. It prints well in colour or black and white and is not tied to a year, so you can use it every Christmas.
Want to add some extra magic? The Letter from Father Christmas Kit includes a Nice List certificate and a letter for your child to write to Father Christmas, and our guide on how to write a letter from Father Christmas has wording ideas for every age. For a game the older children and adults can enjoy together, try the Christmas Family Quiz.
Related Guides
- Letter from Father Christmas: How to Write One Your Child Will Treasure
- Christmas Party Games: 6 Easy Printable Games for Family and Office Parties
- How to Plan Christmas Without the Stress
- Christmas Quiz Questions and Answers: How to Host a Family Quiz Night
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good Christmas activities for kids at home?
Printable puzzles, colouring, simple baking, writing a letter to Father Christmas and festive family games are all easy, low cost ideas that work well at home.
What age are Christmas word searches for?
Easy word searches with words across and down suit children who are confident with letters, often from around age 5 or 6. Bigger grids with diagonal words suit older children.
Can I print the puzzles more than once?
Yes. Printables are great for families with more than one child, because you can print a fresh copy for each of them.
Are printable puzzles good for a Christmas Eve box?
Yes. A few puzzle pages and a new pencil make a lovely, low cost addition to a Christmas Eve box or stocking.
Do I need a colour printer?
No. Good printable puzzles print clearly in black and white, which also saves ink.