Choose a few activities for each child’s age, add something everyone can enjoy, and leave room for a night out. This Christmas bucket list gives you 45 ideas with cost and time tags, so you can choose about 10 that fit your December.

Start with the age table, or go straight to the printable. For families near St. Louis, we’ve also included a way to combine lights, a wagon ride, a Santa photo, and a letter drop-off at Santa’s Magical Kingdom.

Quick Answer: What Should Go on Your List?

A holiday bucket list is a set of activities your family wants to enjoy during the Christmas season. Mix simple things at home, such as reading stories and baking cookies, with an outing or two. Start with about 10 choices, give each child a pick, and add more only if you want to.

How to Build a Christmas Bucket List That Fits Your December

Choose activities around the time and money you have available. Ten is a starting point, not a target you have to reach.

1. Give each child a choice. Start in their age band, then add whole-family activities. The ages are guides; a 3-year-old might enjoy ideas from either younger group.
2. Check the cost and time. Put ticketed outings on the calendar first. Leave short activities for evenings when everyone has less energy.
3. Combine activities when it makes sense. A lights drive can include car bingo and cocoa afterward. Each activity still gets its own checkmark.

For mixed ages, keep the younger child’s nap and bedtime in mind. Give an older child a role, such as choosing the music or taking photos, without making them responsible for entertaining a sibling.

Cost key: Free means no extra spending when you use supplies, books, or media access you already have. $ means fuel, supplies, or a small purchase. $$ means tickets, admission, or a larger purchase. These are planning categories, not price quotes.

Time key: Times are estimates for the activity itself. Add travel, preparation, and waiting time for outings.

Quick Picks by Age

Use this table to find Christmas activities for kids without reading every idea first.

Age group	At home	Outing	No extra spending	Plan around
Toddlers, 1 to 3	Sticker ornament (#4)	Drive-through lights (#1)	Christmas board book (#6)	Naps and bedtime
Preschoolers, 3 to 5	Dictate a Santa letter (#10)	Deliver a Santa letter (#11)	Living-room show (#18)	A short activity with one clear job
Kids, 6 to 9	Blanket-fort movie (#24)	Wagon ride (#19)	Christmas jokes (#23)	Weather and waiting time
Tweens, 10 to 12	Plan movie night (#28)	Photograph a family outing (#29)	Letter to next year’s self (#34)	Their interests and choice of role
Whole family	Cocoa bar (#37)	Choose a tree (#40)	Christmas Eve story (#38)	Different energy levels

Christmas Activities for Toddlers, Ages 1 to 3

Start with one short activity and repeat it if your toddler wants more. A song or a story can be the whole plan.

1. Drive through Christmas lights ($$, out, one evening). Your toddler stays buckled in their car seat while you see the displays. At Santa’s Magical Kingdom, the drive-through light show includes the Tunnel of Dancing Lights and Candy Cane Village.
2. Take a pajama drive past neighborhood lights ($ for fuel, out, 20 to 30 minutes). Choose a short route close to home. Pajamas are optional; the lights are the activity.
3. Play music and shake an instrument (Free, home, 10 minutes). Use an age-appropriate shaker you already own and play a few Christmas songs. Keep loose bells out of the activity.
4. Make a sticker ornament ($, home, 15 minutes). Cover a cardstock circle with age-appropriate stickers while you supervise. Write the year on the back.
5. Make a Christmas sensory tray (Free to $, home, 10 to 20 minutes). Try large felt shapes and fabric pieces together. Skip small parts and stay beside your child.
6. Read a Christmas board book (Free, home, 10 minutes). Let your toddler point at the pictures and turn the pages. You don’t have to finish the story.
7. Help hang one ornament (Free, home, five minutes). Choose an unbreakable ornament and lift your child to a reachable branch. Keep the moment short.
8. Have a holiday mug toast (Free, home, 10 minutes). Serve their usual drink in a favorite cup. Check the temperature before handing it over.
9. Visit Santa for a photo ($$, out, allow time for waiting). Plan around a nap and bring a familiar toy. If your child doesn’t want to sit with Santa, ask about another pose rather than pushing it.

Christmas Activities for Preschoolers, Ages 3 to 5

Give preschoolers a specific part to handle: the drawing, the sprinkles, or choosing the cookie plate. You can take care of the rest.

1. Dictate a letter to Santa (Free, home, 20 minutes). Write down your child’s words, then let them add a picture. This guide to writing a letter to Santa can help you get started.
2. Deliver the Santa letter together (Free to $, out, 15 minutes plus travel). Let your child put it in a designated Santa mailbox, or check where to send a letter to Santa. Postal options may need postage and have deadlines.
3. Leave cookies and carrots on Christmas Eve (Free to $, home, 10 minutes). Let them choose the plate and arrange the treats. Use what you already have if you want to keep it free.
4. Decorate sugar cookies ($, home, 30 to 45 minutes). Bake the cookies beforehand so your child can start with icing and sprinkles. You handle hot trays.
5. Make a paper-chain countdown (Free, home, 20 minutes). Use paper you already have. Count the links together before hanging it up.
6. Build a gingerbread house from a kit ($, home, 45 minutes). Help with the structure and let your child decorate. Check the ingredients if anyone has food allergies.
7. Watch a short Christmas special in pajamas (Free, home, 20 to 30 minutes). Use something you already own or can access without paying extra. Save a full-length movie for another evening if it’s too much.
8. Do a secret good deed (Free, home or out, 15 minutes). Draw a card for a neighbor or help put away someone’s things. Keep the task concrete.
9. Put on a living-room Christmas show (Free, home, 20 minutes). One song and an audience are enough. Invite distant grandparents by video call if that works for your family.

Christmas Activities for Kids, Ages 6 to 9

Give kids in this group something to make, find, or organize. Choose a short version when the school day has already taken most of their energy.

1. Ride a wagon through Christmas lights ($$, out, one evening). Dress for an open-air ride and check the schedule before setting out. Near St. Louis, see the holiday wagon ride options at Santa’s Magical Kingdom.
2. Play Christmas light bingo (Free on an outing already planned, out, 20 minutes). Draw a grid with candy canes, snowmen, and colored lights. Passengers spot the displays; the driver focuses on the road.
3. Deliver cookies to neighbors ($, out, 30 minutes). Let your child help pack the cookies, then go to the door together. Check dietary needs with the recipient beforehand.
4. Choose a toy to donate ($, out, 30 minutes). Check the collection’s current requirements and set a budget. Let your child choose within those limits.
5. Host a Christmas joke night (Free, home, 20 minutes). Everyone brings a few jokes to dinner. Reading them from a page counts.
6. Build a blanket fort for a movie (Free, home, 60 to 120 minutes). Use a movie you can already access. Leave lights and heaters outside the fort.
7. Cut paper snowflakes (Free, home, 30 minutes). Use spare paper and suitable scissors. An adult can help with the thicker folds.
8. Learn a carol for someone (Free, home, 20 minutes). Sing it for a relative in person or on a call. A verse is enough.
9. Track Santa on Christmas Eve (Free, home, 15 minutes). Choose one of these ways to track Santa and make it a short check-in before bed.

Christmas Activities for Tweens, Ages 10 to 12

Let tweens choose an activity or take charge of one part. They can join in without having to enjoy everything a younger sibling picks.

1. Plan family movie night (Free, home, one evening). They choose a movie from your existing options and set the start time. Agree on any snack spending first.
2. Photograph one family outing (Free on an outing already planned, out, one evening). Suggest a few shots, then let them choose the rest. Follow the venue’s photography rules.
3. Bake a recipe from scratch ($, home, one to two hours). Let them choose the recipe and measure the ingredients. Stay available for oven use and unfamiliar steps.
4. Budget for a sibling’s gift ($, home or out, one hour). Set the amount before browsing. A handmade gift can be an option too.
5. Wrap a few presents (Free, home, 30 minutes). Use wrapping supplies you already have. Choose gifts that won’t reveal a surprise they want to keep.
6. Help pack a Christmas Eve box ($, home, 30 minutes). Let them pick an item for a younger sibling. These Christmas Eve box ideas offer a starting point.
7. Write to next year’s self (Free, home, 20 minutes). Include a favorite song, a new interest, or something they hope to learn. Seal it until next December.
8. Help create a surprise for someone (Free, home, 20 minutes). Let them hide a card or arrange the cookie plate. Choose a role they’re comfortable with.
9. Volunteer together (Free, out, one to three hours, plus travel costs). Check minimum ages, adult supervision rules, and registration requirements before choosing a shift.

Christmas Activities for Families With Kids of Every Age

These ideas let everyone join in at their own level. Keep the setup simple enough that the adult organizing it can enjoy it too.

1. Set up a cocoa bar ($, home, 20 to 30 minutes). Offer a couple of toppings rather than buying a full spread. An adult handles hot drinks.
2. Read a story on Christmas Eve (Free, home, 15 minutes). Choose a book you own or borrow one. Younger children can listen while older children take turns reading.
3. Take a family photo in the same spot (Free, home, 10 minutes). Use the couch or the tree as your backdrop. For ways to keep it afterward, see these Christmas memory ideas for young children.
4. Choose a Christmas tree together ($$, out, one to two hours). Set the budget and size before you go. If you already have a tree, choose where to put it and decorate together instead.
5. Have cocoa after a lights drive ($, home or out, 20 minutes). Bring a thermos or make it when you get home. At Santa’s Magical Kingdom, Kringle’s General Store offers a stop for treats.
6. Choose an ornament for this year ($, home or out, 20 minutes). Buy one within your budget or make one from materials you have. Add the year before hanging it.
7. Play Christmas charades (Free, home, 30 minutes). Mix simple actions, such as wrapping a gift, with movie titles older players will know.
8. Choose one kind act each (Free, home or out, 15 to 30 minutes each). Help someone with a task, make a card, or call a relative. Spread the choices across several days if needed.
9. Open a personalized letter from Santa (Check current options, home, 15 minutes). Order while there’s time for your chosen delivery method. Include a moment from your list, such as helping a sibling or delivering a card.

Free Christmas Activities You Can Do With What You Have

Start with stories, songs, and games if you want a December plan without extra purchases. The Free tags assume you already have the materials or access needed.

• A short evening: read a board book (#6), share Christmas jokes (#23), or sing a carol (#26).
• A quiet afternoon: make a paper chain (#14), cut snowflakes (#25), or write to next year’s self (#34).
• Everyone together: put on a living-room show (#18), take a family photo (#39), or play charades (#43).
• A giving activity: do a good deed (#17), help with a surprise (#35), or choose a kind act (#44).

A neighborhood lights drive has no admission fee, but fuel still costs money. Combine it with a trip you already need to make, or take a short walk past nearby displays.

One Evening at Santa’s Magical Kingdom Can Cover Four Activities

For families near St. Louis, a visit to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Eureka can combine lights (#1), a wagon ride (#19), a Santa photo (#9), and delivering a letter (#11). Choose a date when the ride and Santa-photo schedules overlap, and allow time for each stop.

See the Lights From Your Car

Drive past Elfland, the Tunnel of Dancing Lights, and Candy Cane Village. Toddlers can stay in their car seats for the drive-through portion.

The current admission information lists $35 per family vehicle on nights other than Saturday and $40 on Saturdays, including tax. Pay cash at the exit booth. Larger vehicles have separate rates.

Reserve a Wagon Ride

The Old Fashioned Holiday Wagon offers an open-air view of the displays. The current ride page lists $18 per person; children age 2 and under ride free on an adult’s lap. It also states that a wagon or train booking for two or more people waives vehicle admission.

Some dates have no wagon service. Check available wagon rides before choosing your night, and arrive 30 minutes before departure to check in at Kringle’s General Store.

Add a Santa Photo and Letter Drop-Off

Professional Santa photos take place inside Kringle’s General Store during Santa’s posted visiting dates. The team texts the digital photos to your phone; personal camera and phone photography aren’t permitted during the Santa visit.

Review the Santa photo details before going. Bring your child’s letter for the North Pole Mailbox on the drive-through route. Dropping off a letter and ordering a personalized reply are separate activities.

Plan Around Your Reserved Ride

Choose the ride time first, then leave room for photos and the letter drop-off. Santa’s photo season and wagon availability have different limits, so the full light-show calendar alone won’t tell you whether all four activities fit your date.

Plan Your Night at Santa’s Magical Kingdom

Turn a Moment From Your List Into a Letter From Santa

A kind act or a family activity gives you something specific to include in a Santa letter. You might mention the card your preschooler delivered or how your older child helped a sibling decorate cookies.

The Letters from Santa form asks for your child’s name, age, interests, and something they did that made you proud. Choose one detail for each child so siblings receive messages about their own year.

Order once you have a moment to share, rather than waiting to finish the entire list. The site describes email and printed-and-mailed delivery; check the available options and timing before ordering. Email avoids postal transit, but that doesn’t make it an instant-delivery promise.

Create your child’s letter from Santa with a detail from the December you’re spending together.

Printable Christmas Bucket List

Choose from the age groups above, then copy your shared choices onto the family checklist. Keep a couple of short, indoor activities available if an outing falls through.

For a simple version, print or copy this checklist and write in your selections:

Our family’s ten choices

Our outing date: ____________________

Our spending limit: ____________________

Our indoor backup: ____________________

Frequently Asked Questions

How many activities should we choose?

Start with about 10, or fewer if December is already busy. Give each child a choice and leave some evenings open. An activity you repeat still counts; you don’t need a different plan every time.

Which activities work best for toddlers?

Try a board book, a few songs, or helping hang one ornament. Choose activities you can stop easily, and avoid plans that depend on your toddler sitting through a long performance or waiting well past bedtime.

Where can we find free activities outside the house?

Check library and community calendars for free story times, crafts, or concerts. Confirm whether registration, materials, or parking cost extra. Walking past nearby lights can be another option if the route suits your family.

How do we make the list work for different ages?

Give each child a choice the others agree to join, within your family’s budget and practical limits. Let them take different roles in shared activities: a younger child decorates cookies while an older child measures the ingredients.

When should we start planning?

Make your choices before December if you want time to arrange outings. Check seasonal schedules before setting dates, especially when combining a Santa visit with another activity. At-home choices can stay flexible.

Is a drive-through light show a good choice for a toddler?

A drive-through keeps the viewing part in your own car, which may suit your toddler. Allow for traffic and entry queues as well as the display itself. Check the route and schedule before choosing a start time.

Can we see Santa and ride the wagon on the same night?

Choose a date with both Santa photos and wagon service, then plan around the reserved ride. Santa’s Magical Kingdom requires ride check-in 30 minutes before departure. Allow extra time for the photo line; a wagon reservation doesn’t reserve a Santa-photo slot.

Does putting a letter in Santa’s mailbox order a reply?

A mailbox drop-off and a personalized letter order are separate. To arrange a letter from Santa, use the Letters from Santa form and review the delivery options. Don’t assume the mailbox activity includes a reply.

Do we have to finish the list before ordering a Santa letter?

One detail is enough to start, such as your child making a card for someone. Order according to the delivery timing you need, then keep enjoying the remaining activities. The letter doesn’t need to mention every completed box.

Keep Your Christmas Bucket List to What Fits

Choose your first activities, set a budget, and put the outing date on the calendar. Leave the rest flexible enough for a tired evening or a change of plans.

If one activity becomes a favorite, these family Christmas tradition ideas can help you decide how to repeat it next year.