It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Spending Christmas with a toddler might feel like a big chore at first, but experiencing the magic of Christmas through their eyes is a memory you’ll cherish forever. To make sure you have a special season, here are the best ideas on how to romanticize Christmas with your toddler!
Play in snow
This season might be the first time your toddler gets to enjoy snow! One fun way to romanticize Christmas with your toddler is to take him or her outside!
For younger toddlers, you might start by taking them on a quick stroller walk through snow.
For older toddler, try having a full-on snow day! You can help your toddler walk through, pick up, and roll up snow! Try sledding, building a snowman, making snow angels, or throwing snow balls.
Just make sure to bundle up your little one real tight before you face that cold weather! I recently found the CUTEST toddler snowsuit from Amazon, linked here.
Glow stick bath
Too cold outside? No problem! You can have plenty of Christmas-y fun inside with a glowstick bath! Crack some green and red glowsticks, turn the lights low, and place your toddler in a bubbly tub for some adorable holiday fun!
Need some glowsticks? Here are some cheap ones from Amazon!
Dance to some holiday music
If you haven’t tried dancing with your toddler, now is the time to do so!
Put on your favorite holiday jams, grab your toddler’s hands, and do a little boogie. You might be surprised at how quickly your little one catches on!
Play with a nativity
You might already have some beautiful nativities set up around your house during Christmas time, but are they too fragile for your toddler’s tiny hands?
Try including your toddler on the Christmas tradition by getting them a sturdy nativity set to play with! As they play, you can teach them about the story of Christ.
There are many kid-friendly nativity options out there, from felt sets to wooden figurines, all the way to Little People!
See the lights
I don’t think your toddler is ready for all the beautiful lights they’re about to see! You can enjoy the Christmas lights on your tree, go on a night walk to admire your neighbor’s lights, or even drive through an actual light show.
Need something a little more hand-on? Try plugging in a string of lights in your room and turn off the overhead lights. Let your toddler jump on the bed and play with her fairy lights.
Decorate the tree together
Your toddler might spend more time undecorating the tree verses decorating it, but include them anyway!
A simple way to make your Christmas tree toddler-friendly is to grab a few felt ornaments. Now your toddler can ‘help’ decorate, but you don’t have to worry about a shattered decoration. A cute set of felt ornaments is linked here!
Wrap a present together
Again, this activity might include more destruction than helpfulness from your child. Take a deep breath and let your toddler learn all about wrapping and unwrapping presents! You can include him or her by getting multiple rolls of wrapping paper, boxes, tape dispensers, etc. Then, your toddler can copy your motions exactly. Have fun with it!
Bake together
Baking is another activity that can turn into a big chore with a toddler, but it’s the perfect way to slow down the holiday season doing the thing that matters most – spending time with loved ones! Pull out some of your favorite Christmas treat recipes and try making them with your toddler.
With practice, your toddler can become surprisingly helpful in the kitchen. Pull up a chair to the counter so they can dump ingredients into the bowl, stir your concoctions, and even taste test the batter!
Check out this chaotic TikTok of Brooklyn and I baking together. Trust me, it’s a good time!
Decorate cookies
Once you’ve mastered baking with a toddler, you can romanticize the Christmas season together by decorating cookies! Make some red and green frosting, find some sprinkles, and go to town covering your cookies with sweet designs. Your toddler is sure to love this messy, tasty, sensory activity!
Read Christmas books
Another great way to add something special to Christmas with your toddler is to get a few Christmas-specific book that you can read together! Put on your comfiest clothes and snuggle up to learn about the magic of Christmas and Santa’s naughty list. As a bonus, try filming yourself reading a Christmas book to your toddler. It’s a memory you’ll love to watch every Christmas season!
Some of our favorite toddler Christmas books are: How to Catch an Elf, Santa Snacks, and The Naughty List.
Christmas movie fort
Finally, even if it’s too cold outside or you don’t have extra energy for festivities, you can always enjoy the holidays with your toddler by snuggling up for a Christmas movie! You can make it extra special with a little fort or some hot chocolate. Showing your kiddo the Christmas classics is sure to bring that holiday cheer!
Merry Christmas!
Enjoyed this post? You might also like these:
How to Romanticize Christmas With Your Baby
The 5 Cutest Baby Accessories of All Time