Screen-free activities to keep the kids entertained over the Chistmas holidays

Posted by Amber Latham on 29 October

There’s something extra special about this time of year when you have a young family. Children bring with them the magic and make-believe of Christmas, and it’s their excitement and imagination that really bring the festive season to life. To keep their imaginations fuelled, time away from screens is important, so we've compiled some of the kid's activities we designed with creative play in mind.

With screen time among kids creeping ever-higher, it’s always useful to remind ourselves of the value of hands-on activities, such as games and crafts, that get children using their imaginations, thinking creatively and interacting with family members.

Activities that promote creativity, such as arts and crafts, allow their imaginations to flourish, and bring a whole host of benefits to a child’s development. This includes creative problem-solving and self-expression, as well as hand-eye coordination through activities like painting and drawing, using clay or making collages.

Family-friendly party games are also a great opportunity for families to spend quality time actively engaging with each other, and can also serve as an ideal way for the different generations to bond. They get kids using their brains to solve puzzles and answer questions, all while having fun.

With that in mind, we've compiled a list of some of our favourite Christmas kid's activities, designed with these values at the forefront, to help you find the balance with screen time and screen-free play over Christmas.

Paint Your Own - Wooden Decorations Craft Kit

This kit comes with ten wooden Christmas decorations, twine to hang them up, a set of six paints and two paintbrushes. Simply paint your decorations, let them dry and then hang them up.

Why we love it: It’s a charming activity that leaves you with a collection of memorable keepsakes to bring out year after year, or gift to close family for them to cherish. We recommend having your little one sign and date the back to keep record of when they made it.

More kid's Christmas crafting: Letter to Santa Kit, and Make Your Own: Christmas Cards Kit.

Kid's Christmas Escape Room - Pod's Mission

In this Escape Room game made specially for kids (ages 8+), players must solve 10 puzzles in 45 minutes to help Uncle Pod, a retired secret agent, on his mission to save his nephew, baby Peter Pea.

Why we love it: It has everyone working together to solve puzzles and riddles in the form of a playful Christmas story. A great option for a family game night or as a stocking filler which can be enjoyed on the day.

Enjoyed this one? Try our other kid's Christmas escape rooms: Sprout Edition, and Santa Edition

Pass the Parcel Surprise Ball

Our Wonderballs are designed so that as you throw them back and forth between players, the paper ribbon unravels to reveal fun prizes along the way, including entertaining scrolls, crowns, stickers, temporary tattoos, a fortune fish and a bouncy ball.

Why we love it: The wonderballs are perfect for lively moments when the kids need to burn off some energy through active play. They're also a great activity for larger groups, and the simple gameplay means different generations can get involved in the fun. Another plus - the streamers and packaging are both widely recyclable.

More wonderballs: Brussel Sprout, and Retro.

Family Bingo, Dipsticks and more

If escape room games aren't your thing, there are more fast-paced options to choose from, like our Family Bingo set, which is always a firm favourite and can easily be played at the table. Recommended for ages 5+.

Dipsticks are another handy, small format option to keep out over the holidays. Our Nutcracker Dipsticks contain 80 double-sided sticks, and each side has an action, either a charade, dare, joke or hum that tune for the other players to answer. Simply pull out a stick to reveal the activity and get in the festive spirit. Don't forget to flip over each stick to reveal the question on the other side. Recommended for ages 7+.

Our Christmas 'Twist or Sprout' game is also a crowd-pleaser, combining charades, quiz questions and physical challenges, all decided by the spinner.

Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzles are also a great option for keeping kids entertained during the quieter moments. A smaller, themed puzzle, such as our 50 piece Father Christmas jigsaw, is a good option for younger kids. For older kids, or those who enjoy a slower-paced activity, a full-size puzzle offers them an activity they can return to over multiple days, or enjoy alongside other family members, particularly grandparents or elderly relatives.

Why we love them: Puzzles are great for those calmer moments over the holidays when you fancy sitting down with a cup of tea or hot chocolate, maybe listening to some music or chatting with relatives, and doing something relaxing.

Shop all puzzles