Advent activity ideas for families
Every one of the 264 activities the planner chooses from, written for this site, with how long it takes, where it happens, what it costs, the ages it suits and what you need. Filter them, or let the planner fit them to your days.
Last updated 19 October 2026
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Showing 264 of 264 activities.
Lengths are 10 or 20 minutes for school nights and 45 or 90 minutes for weekends. Cost none means things most homes have. Adventfold is not affiliated with any toy company, retailer, church or calendar publisher.
Crafts (43)
Paper snowflakes for the windows
Fold squares of paper into triangles, snip shapes into the edges, then open them up and tape the best ones to a window.
You need: paper, child-safe scissors, tape.
Paper chain countdown
Cut paper into strips, write a small Christmas wish on each, then loop and tape them into a chain to tear a link from each day.
You need: coloured paper, tape, a pen.
Ice suncatchers in the garden
Pop your frozen disc of leaves and berries out of its tray and hang it from a branch or fence to catch the low winter sun.
You need: a shallow tray, leaves and berries, string.
The night before: Freeze water in a tray with leaves, berries and a loop of string for the ice suncatcher.
Salt dough decorations
Mix flour, salt and water into a dough, cut out shapes, bake them slowly with a grown-up, then thread ribbon through to hang on the tree.
You need: plain flour, salt, water, biscuit cutters, ribbon.
Pine cone owls
Collect pine cones, then give each one paper eyes, wings and feet with glue until you have a little family of winter owls.
You need: pine cones, scrap paper, glue, pens.
Handprint snowman card
Press a small painted hand onto dark paper, fingers down, and turn each fingertip print into a snowman with a drawn hat and scarf.
You need: dark paper, white paint, pens.
Cardboard tube winter animals
Turn cardboard tubes into penguins, foxes and owls with paper wrapping, drawn faces and folded paper ears and wings.
You need: cardboard tubes, coloured paper, glue, pens.
Paper lantern windowsill
Fold and snip paper into little lanterns, stand them along a windowsill over battery tea lights and give your lantern street a name.
You need: coloured paper, scissors, tape, battery tea lights.
Christmas cards for neighbours
Fold card in half, draw a winter picture on the front, write a kind message inside and post them through your neighbours' doors.
You need: card, pens, envelopes.
Stained glass window stars
Cut a star frame from black card, fill the gaps with torn tissue paper and hang it in a window so the light glows through.
You need: black card, tissue paper, glue, scissors.
Paper stocking name tags
Cut a stocking shape from card for each person, decorate it with patterns and their initial, and hang it up as a name tag.
You need: card, pens, a hole punch, string.
Pasta snowflake decorations
Glue dried pasta shapes into snowflake patterns on baking paper, leave them to dry, paint them white and hang them on the tree.
You need: dried pasta shapes, glue, white paint, string.
Potato print wrapping paper
Have a grown-up cut star shapes into halved potatoes, then dip them in paint and stamp patterns across brown paper for wrapping.
You need: brown paper, potatoes, paint, a knife for the grown-up.
Frosty window drawings
Draw frost patterns, snow scenes and stars on the inside of a window with washable pens so people walking past can enjoy them.
You need: washable window pens.
Box lid winter scene
Build a little winter scene inside a box lid with paper pines, a cotton wool hill and a drawn night sky, then stand it on a windowsill.
You need: a cardboard box lid, paper, cotton wool, glue, pens.
Paper plate polar bear masks
Cut eye holes in a paper plate, draw a polar bear face with ears on top and tie on string so everyone can be a bear for the evening.
You need: paper plates, string, pens, scissors.
Family winter scrapbook
Fill pages with drawings, cut-out pictures and notes about your favourite winter days, with the smallest adding their own doodles.
You need: paper, glue, pens, old magazines.
Cardboard winter village
Turn old boxes into little houses with drawn windows and doors, line them up in a street and lay a paper snow blanket over the roofs.
You need: cardboard boxes, tape, pens, scissors for the grown-up.
Giant paper chain race
Cut a big pile of paper strips and race to loop them into the longest chain you can, then measure it against the hallway at the end.
You need: scrap paper strips, tape.
Sock snowmen
Fill an odd white sock with rice, twist bands round it to make a head and body, then add a ribbon scarf and a button face.
You need: odd white socks, dried rice, elastic bands, buttons, ribbon.
Twig star decorations
Gather 5 straight twigs each, tie them into star shapes with string and hang them on the tree or a door handle.
You need: straight twigs, string, scissors.
Christmas jumper paper dolls
Fold a paper strip into a zigzag, cut a figure so the people hold hands, then draw a different Christmas jumper on each one.
You need: paper, scissors, pens.
Shoebox crib scene
Draw and cut out the stable figures, the animals and a star, then stand them in a shoebox stable and tell the Christmas story with them.
You need: card, pens, scissors, a shoebox.
Paper Advent wreath
Make a paper wreath with 4 paper candles and a white one in the centre, then add a paper flame to a new candle each Sunday.
You need: card, green paper, coloured paper, glue.
Paper plate angels
Fold and cut a paper plate into an angel with wings, draw a face and hang it up while you talk about the angel's good news.
You need: paper plates, pens, glue, string.
Star mobile for the wise men
Cut stars from card, wrap the biggest in foil and hang them all from a stick to remember the star the wise men followed.
You need: card, kitchen foil, string, a stick.
Gift tags from old cards
Cut the best pictures from last year's cards into gift tags, punch a hole and thread string through, ready for wrapping day.
You need: old Christmas cards, scissors, a hole punch, string.
Clay snowflake prints
Roll air-dry clay flat, cut out circles, press patterns into them with forks and straws, poke a hole and leave them to dry for hanging.
You need: air-dry clay, a rolling pin, forks and straws, ribbon.
Paper bag winter puppets
Turn paper bags into a winter fox, owl and hare with drawn faces and paper ears, then put on a short puppet show.
You need: paper bags, pens, glue, paper scraps.
Thank you card batch
Make a batch of thank you cards now so they are ready for after the holidays, each with its own little winter drawing on the front.
You need: card, pens, envelopes.
Sock puppet theatre
Turn odd socks into puppets, cut a window in a box for the stage and act out a winter tale for the littlest in the audience.
You need: odd socks, paper scraps, tape, a cardboard box.
Wool pom-pom snowballs
Wind white wool round 2 card rings, snip the edges and tie the middle to make soft snowballs for a gentle indoor snowball fight.
You need: white wool, card, scissors.
Folded paper stars
Learn to fold a 5 pointed paper star, then make a little pile of them in different colours to sit on top of each present.
You need: square paper.
Finger knitted scarf
Learn finger knitting with a long strand of chunky wool and keep going until you have a winter scarf for a favourite toy.
You need: chunky wool, scissors.
Paper baubles for the tree
Draw, colour and cut out a set of paper baubles, then let everyone choose a spot on the tree to hang their own.
You need: paper, pens, scissors, string.
Coloured snow painting
Fill squeezy bottles with coloured water and paint pictures on fresh snow or a frosty lawn, watching the colours spread.
You need: squeezy bottles, water, food colouring.
Winter memory bunting
Cut paper triangles, draw a favourite winter memory on each and tape them along a length of string to hang across the room.
You need: paper, string, tape, pens.
Hand-lettered winter cards
Practise a hand-lettering style on scrap paper, then letter a winter greeting onto cards for friends and teachers.
You need: card, fine pens, a pencil, a ruler.
Make a Christingle
Make a Christingle with an orange, red ribbon and fruit on sticks, add a battery candle and talk about what each part stands for.
You need: an orange, red ribbon, cocktail sticks, dried fruit, a battery candle.
Advent prayer chain
Write a short prayer for someone on a paper strip each day and add it to a chain that grows across the kitchen.
You need: paper strips, pens, tape.
Christmas story in 4 pictures
Fold a page into 4 boxes and draw the Christmas story in order, from the angel's visit to the shepherds kneeling at the stable.
You need: paper, pens.
Make Christmas crackers
Wrap cardboard tubes in paper, tuck in a joke and a paper hat, then twist and tie the ends ready for Christmas dinner.
You need: cardboard tubes, wrapping paper, ribbon, paper for jokes and hats.
Jam jar snow globe
Glue a small figure inside a jar lid, fill the jar with water and glitter, then screw the lid on tightly and give it a shake.
You need: a clean jar with a lid, glitter, water, a small figure, waterproof glue.
Baking and food (25)
Gingerbread biscuits
Mix and roll gingerbread dough, cut out shapes, bake them with a grown-up and decorate them with icing once they are cool.
You need: plain flour, butter, sugar, ground ginger, golden syrup, biscuit cutters.
Hot chocolate tasting
Make small cups of hot chocolate with a grown-up at the hob and try a pinch of cinnamon, orange zest or vanilla in each.
You need: milk, cocoa powder, cinnamon, mugs.
Popcorn garland
Pop corn with a grown-up, let it cool, then thread it onto cotton with a blunt needle to drape around the tree, tasting as you go.
You need: popcorn kernels, a blunt needle and thread, dried cranberries.
No-bake snowball truffles
Crush plain biscuits, mix them with condensed milk and cocoa, roll into balls and coat them in coconut for a tray of snowballs.
You need: plain biscuits, condensed milk, cocoa powder, desiccated coconut.
Mince pies
Cut pastry circles, fill them with mincemeat, add little star lids and bake them with a grown-up, then dust them with icing sugar.
You need: ready-made pastry, mincemeat, icing sugar, a bun tin.
Cinnamon toast fingers
Toast bread with a grown-up, butter it, sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and cut it into fingers for a warm winter snack.
You need: bread, butter, cinnamon, sugar.
Decorate plain biscuits
Mix a little icing, then decorate plain biscuits as snowflakes, snowmen and frosty faces before eating a few.
You need: plain biscuits, icing sugar, water, sprinkles.
Spiced apple warmer
Warm apple juice gently on the hob with a grown-up, add orange slices and spices, and sip it from mugs while it is cosy.
You need: apple juice, a cinnamon stick, cloves, an orange.
Plaited winter loaf
Knead a simple bread dough, leave it to rise, shape it into a plait and bake it with a grown-up to share warm at tea.
You need: strong bread flour, dried yeast, salt, water, olive oil.
Cook a winter soup
Chop vegetables, soften them in a big pan and simmer a winter soup, with a grown-up close by, to serve the whole family.
You need: an onion, carrots, potatoes, a stock cube, a large pan.
Snowman pancakes
Whisk a pancake batter, then let a grown-up cook it in 3 sizes so you can stack each plate into a snowman and decorate it.
You need: plain flour, eggs, milk, a frying pan.
Fruit snowmen on sticks
Thread banana rounds onto short sticks with halved grapes as hats to build a plate of fruit snowmen, then eat the lot.
You need: bananas, grapes, short wooden sticks.
Chocolate dipped pretzels
Melt chocolate with a grown-up, dip pretzel sticks halfway in and roll them in sprinkles, then chill them on baking paper.
You need: pretzel sticks, chocolate, sprinkles, baking paper.
Peppermint creams
Mix icing sugar with a little milk and peppermint, roll into balls, press them flat with a fork and box them up as presents.
You need: icing sugar, milk, peppermint essence, a small box.
Ice a Christmas cake
Roll icing over a plain cake, then cut out snow stars and holly leaves from the spare icing and arrange them on top.
You need: a plain cake, ready-roll icing, icing sugar, biscuit cutters.
Biscuit gingerbread house
Stick plain biscuits together with thick icing to make a little house, then cover the roof in sweets and icing snow.
You need: plain biscuits, icing sugar, sweets, a cake board.
Cheese scones for tea
Rub butter into flour, stir in cheese and milk, cut out rounds and bake them with a grown-up for warm scones at teatime.
You need: plain flour, baking powder, butter, grated cheese, milk.
Winter fruit taste test
Lay out soft slices of winter fruit cut small, try each in turn and vote for the sweetest, the sourest and the juiciest.
You need: satsumas, pears, apples, kiwi fruit.
Shortbread stars
Rub butter, sugar and flour into a crumbly dough, cut out stars and bake them with a grown-up to fill a tin for giving.
You need: butter, caster sugar, plain flour, a star cutter.
Porridge toppings bar
Make a warm pot of porridge with a grown-up and set out toppings so everyone builds a winter breakfast bowl their way.
You need: porridge oats, milk, a banana, cinnamon.
Oat flapjack squares
Melt butter and syrup with a grown-up, stir in the oats, press it all into a tin and bake, then cut into squares when cool.
You need: porridge oats, butter, golden syrup, brown sugar.
Frosty park picnic
Make sandwiches and fill a flask together, wrap up warm and have a short picnic in the park on a crisp, bright day.
You need: a flask of warm drink, sandwiches, a blanket.
Frozen fruit ice pops
Blend soft fruit with a little juice, pour it into moulds or small cups with a stick and freeze them for tomorrow.
You need: soft fruit, fruit juice, ice pop moulds or small cups, wooden sticks.
Summer Christmas picnic
Pack a picnic of cold treats, find a shady spot in the park and wear paper crowns while you share a long summer lunch.
You need: a picnic blanket, picnic food, paper crowns, sun cream.
Games (34)
I spy winter colours
Take turns spying something by its colour, starting with white, silver and red, and let the littlest point instead of guessing.
You need: nothing at all.
Guess the winter animal
Think of a winter animal and answer yes or no questions until someone guesses it, or give a growl or a squeak to help.
You need: nothing at all.
Winter alphabet list
Go round the family naming something wintry for each letter, from acorn to zip-up coat, and help each other with the tricky ones.
You need: nothing at all.
Spot the lit windows
On a journey or an evening walk, count every window with lights in it and see if the family can reach 50 before you arrive.
You need: nothing at all.
I packed my winter bag
Take turns adding an item to an imaginary winter bag, repeating the whole list each time, and see how long it can grow.
You need: nothing at all.
Winter would you rather
Ask each other winter would you rather questions, like building a snow fort or sledging all day, and explain your choices.
You need: nothing at all.
Snowy rhyme chain
Start with a winter word like snow and go round the family adding rhymes until nobody can think of another one.
You need: nothing at all.
Quiet as a winter mouse
See who can stay as quiet as a winter mouse the longest, while a grown-up whispers silly things to tempt a giggle.
You need: nothing at all.
Category tennis
Pick a category like warm clothes or garden birds, then bat answers back and forth between 2 players until someone runs dry.
You need: nothing at all.
Colour counting race
Each choose a colour and count everything of that colour you pass or can see, with the littlest pointing and the grown-up counting.
You need: nothing at all.
Opposites shout out
Call out a word like hot, up or loud and have everyone say the opposite, using winter words like warm and freezing too.
You need: nothing at all.
Guess the winter sound
Take turns making a winter sound, like crunching snow, chattering teeth or a howling wind, for the others to guess.
You need: nothing at all.
The leader says, winter moves
Copy the leader's winter moves, like shiver, roll a snowball and skate with your hands, but only when the leader says please.
You need: nothing at all.
20 questions
Think of any object in the house and let everyone ask up to 20 yes or no questions to work out what it is.
You need: nothing at all.
Winter word association
Say a winter word and go round the family saying the first word it makes each of you think of, as fast as you can.
You need: nothing at all.
Family knowledge quiz
Take turns as quizmaster, asking questions about each other's favourite foods, colours and memories, and keep score in your heads.
You need: nothing at all.
Who is in the Christmas story
Take turns describing someone from the Christmas story, like a shepherd, an angel or a wise man, for the others to guess.
You need: nothing at all.
Christmas alphabet
Go round naming something to do with Christmas for each letter of the alphabet, from baubles to zigzag ribbon.
You need: nothing at all.
Christmas cracker jokes
Take turns telling the worst Christmas jokes you know, groaning loudly, and vote for the one that deserves a paper crown.
You need: nothing at all.
Count the Christmas trees
On a journey or a walk, count every Christmas tree you can see in windows and keep a running total out loud together.
You need: nothing at all.
Paper snowball fight
Scrunch scrap paper into snowballs and have a soft, giggly snowball fight across the living room, then race to tidy them up.
You need: scrap paper.
Winter treasure hunt
Follow rhyming clues from room to room until you reach the winter surprise at the end, like a blanket and a new story.
You need: paper, a pen, a small surprise.
The night before: Write 6 rhyming clues and hide them around the house once the children are in bed.
Winter picture bingo
Draw a grid of winter pictures for each player, call them out at random and cross them off until someone fills a line.
You need: paper, pens.
Pass the parcel
Wrap a small gift in many layers with a joke in each, then pass it round while music plays and unwrap a layer when it stops.
You need: a small gift, wrapping paper or newspaper, music.
The night before: Wrap the parcel in layers with a joke or a forfeit tucked into each.
Christmas charades
Write Christmas things on slips of paper, then take turns acting them out without words while everyone else guesses.
You need: paper, a pen, a bowl.
Card game tournament
Learn a new card game, play every family member in a tournament and crown a winter champion with a paper medal.
You need: a pack of cards, paper, a pen.
Design a winter board game
Draw a winter board game with a snowy route, hazards and shortcuts, write the rules and play the very first game together.
You need: card, pens, a dice, counters.
Torchlight hide and seek
Turn the lights down and play hide and seek, with the seeker using a torch to find everyone tucked away in their hiding spots.
You need: a torch.
Christmas quiz night
Each person writes 5 Christmas quiz questions, then take turns as quizmaster and add up the points at the end.
You need: paper, pens.
Pin the nose on the snowman
Draw a big snowman, then take turns wearing a scarf blindfold and trying to stick a paper carrot nose in the right spot.
You need: paper, pens, a scarf for a blindfold, tape.
Home puzzle trail
Design codes and riddles for the rest of the family to solve, hiding each clue in an envelope that leads to a box at the end.
You need: paper, envelopes, pens, a box with a prize.
Present wrapping race
Time each other wrapping an empty box as neatly as you can, then try again wearing oven gloves for a laugh.
You need: empty boxes, scrap wrapping paper, tape.
Christmas picture bingo
Draw bingo cards with Christmas pictures like bells, presents and holly, and call them out until someone fills a card.
You need: paper, pens, dried pasta for counters.
Musical chairs in paper hats
Play musical chairs wearing paper party hats, with each person who is out choosing the next Christmas song.
You need: chairs, paper hats, music.
Stories and words (24)
Torchlight winter story
Turn off the big light, snuggle under blankets and read a favourite winter story aloud by torchlight, doing all the voices.
You need: a torch, a favourite winter story.
Winter story chain
Build a winter story together, with each person adding a line about a lost mitten, a fox or a midnight snowfall.
You need: nothing at all.
Write a letter to Santa
Write or draw a letter to Santa about your year, a few wishes and a question for the North Pole, then seal it up.
You need: paper, pens, an envelope.
Read the Christmas story
Read the Christmas story from a children's Bible together, then look closely at the pictures and talk about the long journey.
You need: a children's Bible.
Advent waiting reading
Read a short passage about the prophets waiting for the promised king and talk about what it feels like to wait for something good.
You need: a Bible.
When I was small
Ask a grown-up to tell a story from a winter when they were small, then let the children ask as many questions as they like.
You need: nothing at all.
Make a winter picture book
Fold and staple paper into a little book, then write and draw a winter tale about an animal looking for a warm home.
You need: paper, a stapler, pens.
Shadow puppet winter tale
Cut animal shapes from card, tape them to straws and tell a winter story in shadows on the wall by torchlight.
You need: a torch, card, scissors for the grown-up, tape, straws.
Story bag of 5 objects
Put 5 random objects in a bag, pull them out one by one and weave each into a winter story told on the spot.
You need: a bag, 5 household objects.
First frost poems
Write a short poem about the first frost using all 5 senses, then read them aloud to each other over a warm drink.
You need: paper, pens.
Write a winter mystery
Write a short winter mystery with a missing object and 3 suspects, then read it to the family and let them guess who did it.
You need: a notebook, a pen.
Roll a winter story
Make a chart of 6 characters, 6 places and 6 problems, roll the dice for each and tell the story you land on.
You need: a dice, paper, a pen.
Christmas picture book retell
Snuggle up and read a favourite Christmas picture book, then let the children tell it back to you in their own words.
You need: a favourite Christmas picture book.
Act out the angel's visit
Retell the angel visiting the shepherds, with tea towel costumes and a torch for the bright light in the night sky.
You need: tea towels, a torch.
Nativity play at home
Dress up in tea towels and dressing gowns and act out the nativity, with a doll in a box manger and a part for everyone.
You need: tea towels, dressing gowns, a doll, a box for a manger.
Journey of the wise men
Move the wise men figures a little closer to the crib scene each night while you read about their long journey.
You need: crib figures or small toys.
Record a winter radio play
Write a short winter radio play, make sound effects with household things and record it on a phone to play back.
You need: a phone or recorder, things for sound effects.
Point and name winter pictures
Sit a little one on your lap with a winter picture book and point to each animal, naming it and making its sound.
You need: a picture book.
Winter word of the day
Pick a new winter word like hibernate, frost or solstice, explain what it means and use it as often as you can all day.
You need: nothing at all.
Tale of a single snowflake
Tell a short made-up tale about a snowflake's journey from a cloud to a child's mitten, letting the little ones add sounds.
You need: nothing at all.
Serial story in chapters
Tell a long winter tale in chapters, with each person telling a whole chapter and ending on a cliffhanger for the next.
You need: nothing at all.
Read the angel's message
Read the angel's message to the shepherds from the Bible and talk about what news would make you run through the night.
You need: a Bible.
Memory lane of the year
Take turns remembering a favourite day from each month of the year, starting in January, and help each other fill the gaps.
You need: nothing at all.
Shade den reading hour
Peg a sheet over chairs in the shade of the garden, bring cushions and cool drinks and read summer stories inside.
You need: a sheet, pegs, cushions, books.
Music and dancing (15)
Kitchen band concert
Raid the kitchen for pans, spoons and a rice shaker, then play a winter concert with a grown-up conducting.
You need: pans, wooden spoons, a sealed tub of rice.
Christmas singalong
Sing the Christmas songs you all know best, with actions for the little ones and a big finish on the last one.
You need: nothing at all.
Carols on the doorstep
Learn 2 carols you all know, wrap up warm and sing them on a neighbour's doorstep or at a care home, arranged in advance.
You need: a torch, warm coats.
Lullabies in the dark
Turn the lights low and sing gentle lullabies you know, taking turns to choose and humming the parts nobody remembers.
You need: nothing at all.
Rice shaker bottles
Fill a plastic bottle with dried rice, tape the lid firmly shut and shake it along to your favourite winter songs.
You need: a plastic bottle, dried rice, strong tape.
Make up a winter song
Take a tune you all know and make up new winter words for it together, about frost, scarves or the dog in the snow.
You need: nothing at all.
Jingle bell bracelets
Thread small bells onto pipe cleaners, twist them into bracelets and shake them along to your favourite Christmas songs.
You need: pipe cleaners, small bells.
Sing a song in a round
Learn a simple song you all know as a round, splitting into 2 groups and starting a line apart.
You need: nothing at all.
Body percussion rhythms
Clap, click, stamp and pat knees to build a winter rhythm together, adding a new sound each time you go round.
You need: nothing at all.
Learn a shepherds' carol
Learn the words of a carol about the shepherds, talk about what each verse means and sing it together at teatime.
You need: printed carol words.
Teach the family a song
An older child chooses a simple winter song, teaches it line by line, then leads the family in a final performance.
You need: an instrument, if you have one.
Water glass xylophone
Fill glasses with different amounts of water, tap them gently with a spoon and play a winter tune from high to low.
You need: 5 glasses, water, a metal spoon.
Hum and guess
Hum a Christmas song you all know without the words and see who can name it first, then pass the humming on.
You need: nothing at all.
Clap and copy
Clap a short rhythm and have everyone copy it back, then make it longer or add a knee tap and a click each round.
You need: nothing at all.
Angels on the stairs
Stand on the stairs like the angels on the hillside, sing a short song of glory to God together, then take a bow.
You need: nothing at all.
Outings (19)
Christmas lights walk
Wrap up after dark and walk the streets nearby to spot the brightest Christmas lights, voting for the best house.
You need: warm coats, a torch.
Winter woodland walk
Take a long walk in the woods or a park, listening for birds and collecting fallen treasures like cones and feathers.
You need: wellies, a bag for treasures.
Library trip for winter stories
Visit the library to choose a stack of winter stories and settle into the children's corner to read the first one.
You need: library cards.
The night before: Find the library cards and check the opening hours.
Christmas market visit
Visit a local Christmas market to look at the stalls, listen to the music and choose 1 small treat to share.
You need: warm coats.
Church carol service
Go to a carol service at a local church, sing the carols you know and listen to the readings about the first Christmas.
You need: warm coats.
Visit a church crib scene
Visit a local church to see its crib scene, have a grown-up light a prayer candle and talk about each figure you see.
You need: warm coats.
Ice skating trip
Go to an ice rink, hold hands round the edges at first and celebrate every wobbly lap with a warm drink after.
You need: warm layers, gloves.
See a pantomime
Book seats at a local pantomime or school show, join in with the shouting and talk about your favourite part on the way home.
You need: nothing at all.
Choose the Christmas tree
Visit a tree farm or a local seller to choose your Christmas tree together, measuring it against the tallest person.
You need: warm coats, gloves.
Sunset walk
Find a high spot nearby and walk there to watch the early winter sunset, naming every colour you see in the sky.
You need: warm coats.
Post the cards together
Walk to the postbox together with your Christmas cards and let each child post a few, counting them in as you go.
You need: your cards, stamps.
Museum winter scene hunt
Visit a free local museum or gallery and hunt for winter scenes, snowy paintings and animals with thick winter coats.
You need: a notebook, a pencil.
Winter farm visit
Visit an open farm to see how the animals keep warm in winter, and help with feeding if the farm offers it.
You need: wellies, warm coats.
Bus ride to see the lights
Ride the top deck of a bus through town after dark and spot Christmas lights, decorated windows and the biggest tree.
You need: nothing at all.
Map and compass walk
An older child plans a winter walk route on a paper map and leads the family round it, checking the compass at each turn.
You need: a paper map, a compass, snacks.
Road to Bethlehem walk
Take an evening walk and imagine the long road to Bethlehem, talking about how tired and cold the travellers might have felt.
You need: warm coats, a torch.
Christingle service
Go to a Christingle service at a local church, where children hold an orange and the grown-ups light the candles.
You need: warm coats.
Winter wildlife centre visit
Visit a wildlife or bird centre to see which animals are active in winter, and choose a favourite to draw when you get home.
You need: warm coats, a notebook.
Beach or river paddle
Head to a safe beach or shallow river, paddle at the edge with a grown-up close by and hunt for shells and smooth stones.
You need: sun hats, sun cream, water bottles, a bucket.
Nature and outdoors (24)
Apple rings for the birds
Have a grown-up slice apples into rings, then thread them onto string and hang them on a fence or branch for the birds.
You need: apples, string.
Pine cone bird feeders
Squash soft lard and bird seed into pine cones, tie on string and hang them outside where you can watch from a window.
You need: pine cones, lard, bird seed, string.
Window bird watch
Sit quietly by a window for 20 minutes and tally every bird you see, drawing the ones you cannot name yet.
You need: paper, a pen.
Early frost hunt
Go out early on a cold morning and hunt for frost patterns on cars, leaves, grass and spiders' webs.
You need: nothing at all.
Animal tracks hunt
Search mud, frost or snow for footprints, then draw what you find and guess which animal or bird made each one.
You need: wellies, paper, a pen.
Ice lantern by the door
Turn out your frozen ice bowl, stand a battery tea light in the hollow and set the glowing lantern by the front door.
You need: a frozen ice bowl, a battery tea light.
The night before: Freeze water in a bowl with a smaller bowl pressed inside to make the ice lantern.
Bark rubbings
Press paper against tree trunks and rub crayons over it to collect bark patterns, then compare them back at home.
You need: paper, crayons.
Plant spring bulbs
Plant tulip bulbs in a pot of compost, label it with the date and guess how many weeks until the first shoots appear.
You need: tulip bulbs, a pot, compost, a trowel.
Moon diary
Find the moon from a window or the doorstep, then draw its shape each night to see how it changes through the month.
You need: paper, a pen.
Winter nature tray
Arrange cones, twigs, leaves and feathers from your walks on a tray, label them together and add a new find each day.
You need: a tray, a cloth, finds from a walk.
Melting ice experiment
Put ice cubes on a tray, sprinkle salt on some and drip food colouring on top to watch the patterns as the ice melts.
You need: ice cubes, salt, a tray, food colouring.
Garden bird count
Pick a spot in the garden or park, stay as still as you can and tally every bird that visits, noting the most common.
You need: a notebook, a pencil.
Build a hedgehog house
Build a sheltered hedgehog house from an old crate covered in leaves and twigs in a quiet corner of the garden.
You need: an old wooden crate, dry leaves, twigs.
Morning birdsong listen
Step outside early, stand very still and count how many different bird calls you can hear as the light comes.
You need: nothing at all.
Evergreen hunt
Walk and hunt for plants that stay green all winter, like holly, ivy and pine, and talk about why they keep their leaves.
You need: a bag.
Shortest day sunrise
Get up in time to watch the sun rise on or near the shortest day, then talk about the days slowly getting longer.
You need: warm coats.
Bean sprouting jar
Line a jar with damp kitchen paper, tuck dried beans against the glass and check each day for the first green shoots.
You need: a jar, kitchen paper, dried beans.
Weather diary
Look out of the window at the same time each day and draw the weather, the clouds and how cold it feels in a diary.
You need: paper, pens.
Find the brightest star
Go out on a clear evening, find the brightest star or planet and talk about the star that led the wise men.
You need: warm coats.
Winter documentary night
Watch a winter nature documentary together, then each pick the animal you would most like to be and explain why.
You need: blankets.
Frost close-up photos
Head out on a frosty morning, photograph frost crystals up close, then pick the best 5 for a family slideshow.
You need: a phone or camera.
Feed the ducks
Walk to a pond with a bag of oats or defrosted peas, feed the ducks a little at a time and count how many come.
You need: porridge oats or defrosted peas.
Stargazing on a clear night
Go somewhere dark on a clear night, let your eyes adjust and find the brightest stars and maybe a planet low in the sky.
You need: a torch, a blanket, warm coats.
Frozen puddle walk
Pull on wellies for a short walk to find frozen puddles, crunchy leaves and frosty webs on the fences.
You need: wellies.
Kindness and giving (18)
Food bank box
Choose tins and packets together for a food bank, decorate the box and drop it at a collection point.
You need: a box, tins and dried food.
Thank you notes for helpers
Write or draw thank you notes for the people who help you, like the postal worker, the bin collectors and teachers.
You need: paper, pens.
Toy sort for giving
Sort through the toy box together and choose toys in good condition to give to a charity or a family who needs them.
You need: a bag or box.
Kindness jar
Write small acts of kindness on slips of paper, put them in a jar and pull one out to do together each day.
You need: a jar, paper, a pen.
Video call a grandparent
Make a video call to a grandparent or older relative, show them something you made and ask about their winter memories.
You need: a phone or tablet.
Pray for others
Take turns naming someone who is having a hard time this winter and say a short prayer for each of them together.
You need: nothing at all.
Cards for a care home
Make Christmas cards with cheerful drawings for the residents of a local care home and arrange with staff to drop them off.
You need: card, pens, envelopes.
Compliment round
Go round the family and give each person a genuine compliment, then let them say what made them smile today.
You need: nothing at all.
Gratitude round
Each say 3 things you are grateful for today, with the youngest pointing at or naming something they love.
You need: nothing at all.
Secret helper day
Draw names from a hat and do small secret kind things for that person all day, then guess who your helper was at tea.
You need: paper, a pen, a hat.
Street litter pick
Put on gloves and pick up litter along your street or local park, counting how many bags you fill together.
You need: gloves, bin bags, litter pickers.
Help a neighbour outside
Offer to sweep leaves, clear a path or carry bins for an older neighbour, knocking first to ask what would help most.
You need: a broom, gloves.
Doorstep surprise
Make a Christmas card, tuck it into a bag with a sealed treat and leave it on a neighbour's doorstep with a knock.
You need: card, a small sealed treat, a paper bag.
Thank the delivery drivers
Make a cheerful sign thanking delivery drivers for their busy Christmas, and tape it to your front door or window.
You need: card, pens, tape.
Give like the wise men
Talk about the gifts the wise men brought, then choose something of yours to give to someone who needs it.
You need: a box, paper.
Help at a community meal
Volunteer together at a community lunch or winter shelter that welcomes families, helping to set tables and serve.
You need: nothing at all.
Letter to someone alone
Write a cheerful letter to an older relative or neighbour who lives alone, with a drawing and some news from home.
You need: paper, pens, an envelope, a stamp.
Pray around the world
Spin a globe or look at a map, choose 3 countries and pray together for the children who live there this Christmas.
You need: a map or globe.
Cosy evenings (16)
Blanket den evening
Build a den from blankets draped over chairs, crawl inside with cushions and a torch and stay there for stories and chats.
You need: blankets, cushions, chairs, a torch.
Slow pyjama morning
Stay in pyjamas all morning with blankets, books and a jigsaw, with no rushing to be anywhere at all.
You need: blankets, books, a jigsaw.
Window light watch
Turn off the lights inside, sit at a window together and watch the street lights, stars and passing headlights.
You need: nothing at all.
Old winter photos
Get out old photo albums and look at past winters together, telling the stories behind each picture.
You need: photo albums.
Winter animal stretches
Lie on the floor and do slow winter stretches together, reaching up like tall pines and curling up like sleepy hedgehogs.
You need: nothing at all.
Year in photos slideshow
Choose your favourite photos from the year, put them into a slideshow and watch it together under blankets.
You need: a phone or computer.
Torch reading hour
Turn the main lights off and each read your own book by torchlight in the same room, sharing a favourite line at the end.
You need: a torch, books.
Switch on the tree lights
Dim the room and switch on the tree lights for the first time, then sit underneath and name your favourite decoration.
You need: tree lights.
Christmas jumper day
Wear your Christmas jumpers all day and hold a jumper parade at teatime, with everyone saying what they love about theirs.
You need: Christmas jumpers.
Living room sleepover
Drag sleeping bags into the living room, tell stories, look out at the night sky and fall asleep together.
You need: sleeping bags, pillows, a torch.
Light the Advent candle
Have a grown-up light this week's candle on the Advent wreath, say a short prayer together and watch it glow.
You need: an Advent wreath.
Quiet thank you prayer
Sit together in a quiet corner, switch on a battery candle and take turns saying a short thank you prayer for the day.
You need: a battery candle.
Hang the stockings
Choose a spot for each stocking, hang them up together and make a paper name label for anyone who does not have one.
You need: stockings, hooks or pegs.
Christmas card display
String a line across a wall and peg up the Christmas cards you receive, reading out who sent each one.
You need: string, pegs.
Wrap presents together
Wrap presents for relatives, learning the neat folded corner, and write the gift tags in your best handwriting.
You need: wrapping paper, tape, scissors, gift tags.
Write cards to family
Write cards to relatives far away, adding a drawing and a line of news, then address and stamp them ready to post.
You need: Christmas cards, pens, stamps.
Play (22)
Snowflake freeze dance
Put on lively music and dance like snowflakes, freezing still the moment it stops, with little ones dancing in your arms.
You need: music.
Cushion obstacle course
Lay out a winter obstacle course of cushion snowdrifts and blanket tunnels and take turns crawling and hopping through.
You need: cushions, blankets, chairs.
Build a snowman
Wrap up and build a snowman, or a leaf and twig figure if there is no snow, then give it a hat and scarf.
You need: hats, scarves, a carrot.
Cardboard box sledge
Turn a big box into an indoor sledge and pull the little ones round the house, taking turns to be the sledge dog.
You need: a large cardboard box, a blanket.
Penguin waddle race
Hold a cushion between your knees and waddle like penguins from one end of the room to the other in a race.
You need: a cushion.
Winter animal moves
Move round the room like winter animals, stomping like polar bears, hopping like hares and sliding like seals.
You need: nothing at all.
Hide the mitten
Take turns hiding a mitten in the room and guiding the seeker with warmer and colder until they find it.
You need: a mitten.
Ice rescue mission
Free small toys frozen in a block of ice using warm water, salt and spoons, guessing which toy will escape first.
You need: a tub of frozen toys, warm water, salt, spoons.
The night before: Freeze small toys in a tub of water overnight for the ice rescue.
Toy workshop role play
Set up a pretend Christmas toy workshop, wrapping toys in paper and taking present orders from each other.
You need: toys, scrap paper, tape.
Frozen bubbles
Blow bubbles outside on a very cold day and watch closely, as some may freeze into crystals before they pop.
You need: bubble mixture, a bubble wand.
Keep the snowball up
Blow up a white balloon and keep it in the air with hands, heads and feet without letting it touch the floor.
You need: a white balloon.
Sledging on a snowy day
On a snowy day, head to a gentle hill and take turns sledging down, with warm drinks waiting at home afterwards.
You need: a sledge, warm layers.
Soft toy snow rescue
Hide soft toys under a blanket snowdrift and send the little ones on a rescue mission to bring each one home.
You need: soft toys, a white blanket.
Mirror faces
Sit face to face and copy each other's expressions, from a frosty shiver to a big yawn, taking turns to lead.
You need: nothing at all.
Set up the crib scene
Set out a crib scene together, placing the animals and the stable first and saving the baby for Christmas Day.
You need: a crib set or toy figures.
Counting sheep with shepherds
Count imaginary sheep on the hillside like the shepherds, baaing for each one, then whisper the good news the angels brought.
You need: nothing at all.
Decorate the tree together
Put on music and decorate the tree together, letting each child hang their favourite decorations at their own height.
You need: tree decorations, tree lights, music.
Snow sensory tray
Fill a tray with snow or crushed ice and let a little one scoop, pour and pat it with spoons and cups while you sit close by.
You need: a tray, snow or crushed ice, spoons, small cups.
Garden sprinkler dash
Set a sprinkler or a watering can shower going and take turns dashing through it, then dry off in the sun.
You need: a hose or watering can, towels, sun cream.
Evening garden cricket
Once the heat has gone, play a gentle game of garden cricket with a soft ball, taking turns to bat, bowl and field.
You need: a bat or a flat board, a soft ball, something for stumps.
Paddling pool boats
Make boats from bottle tops, corks and leaves, then race them across a paddling pool by blowing on their sails.
You need: a paddling pool or big tub, corks and bottle tops, leaves, sun cream.
Water painting the fence
Give everyone a brush and a pot of plain water and paint the fence or the path, watching each picture dry in the sun.
You need: paintbrushes, pots of water.
Together finales for the last night (24)
The planner puts one of these on the last day with a card, and uses them nowhere else.
Family time capsule
Write and draw what everyone loves right now, add the youngest's handprint and seal the box to open next December.
You need: a box, paper, pens, tape.
Gratitude paper chain
Write or draw a thank you on a paper strip for every good thing this December brought, then loop them into a long chain.
You need: paper strips, pens, tape.
Cinnamon swirls for the morning
Spread pastry with butter and cinnamon sugar, roll and slice it into swirls and bake them with a grown-up for breakfast tomorrow.
You need: ready-rolled pastry, butter, sugar, cinnamon.
Best bits of December
Go round the family and each share your favourite moment from this December, then the youngest chooses the very best.
You need: nothing at all.
Christmas Eve family quiz
Each person writes 5 questions about the family's year and Christmas, then take turns as quizmaster to find the winner.
You need: paper, pens.
Wishes for the new year
Take turns saying 1 thing you hope for in the new year and 1 kind thing you want to do for someone else.
You need: nothing at all.
Our December story
Tell the story of your whole December together, each adding a part in order, from the very first card to tonight.
You need: nothing at all.
Christmas Eve tree light story
Switch off the big light, sit by the glowing tree and read a favourite Christmas story aloud, taking turns with the pages.
You need: a favourite Christmas story, tree lights.
Read the Christmas story aloud
Take turns reading parts of the Christmas story aloud, from the angel's visit to the shepherds at the manger.
You need: a children's Bible.
Goodnight to December
Say goodnight to everything December brought, from the frost to the friends you saw, ending with the people in the room.
You need: nothing at all.
Living room winter concert
Each person performs a song, a dance or a rhythm in a living room concert, with the littlest playing the pan drum.
You need: pans, wooden spoons.
Family dance party
Clear the floor and dance together to everyone's favourite songs, taking turns to choose, until the littlest one yawns.
You need: music.
Lantern walk round the block
Take torches or battery lanterns on a slow evening walk round the block and say goodnight to the season together.
You need: torches or battery lanterns, warm coats.
Christmas Eve crib service
Go to a crib or carol service at a local church on Christmas Eve and sing the carols you have learned this month.
You need: warm coats.
Thank you whisper round
Whisper a thank you to each person in turn for something they did this month, then end with a big family hug.
You need: nothing at all.
A prayer for everyone we love
Go round the family naming everyone you love, near and far, and finish with a short prayer of thanks for each of them.
You need: nothing at all.
Last night torch story
Gather everyone under blankets, turn off the lights and read a favourite winter story aloud by torchlight to end the month.
You need: a torch, blankets, a favourite winter story.
Biggest den of the year
Build the biggest den yet in the living room, bring in pillows and books and spend the whole evening inside it together.
You need: blankets, cushions, chairs, a torch.
Night sky window watch
Turn off every light, wrap up in blankets at the window and look for stars, the moon and the lit windows nearby.
You need: blankets.
Christmas Eve box
Open a Christmas Eve box together with new pyjamas and a story, then settle in for the night in your new things.
You need: a box, new pyjamas, a Christmas story book.
The night before: Pack the Christmas Eve box once the children are asleep.
Hang the stockings for tonight
Hang the stockings in a row, with each person saying 1 thing they loved about this year before theirs goes up.
You need: stockings.
Light the centre candle
Have a grown-up light the centre candle of the Advent wreath, then sit together in its glow and say a prayer.
You need: an Advent wreath.
A note and a carrot for Santa
Write a short note for Santa, put a carrot on a plate for the reindeer and set them out by the door before bed.
You need: a carrot, paper, a pen, a plate.
Place the baby in the crib
Gather round the crib scene, let the youngest place the baby in the manger and read the verse about the shepherds.
You need: a crib scene.
Put them on your calendar
The planner chooses from this list for each day of your December, by the rules on how the planner works: short ones on school nights, longer ones at weekends, nothing that needs supplies on a travelling day, and nothing that does not suit every child.