Christmas Activities for Baby: Creative Ideas for Home & Daycare

Categories: Child Development
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25 baby Christmas activities to do in nursery or at home

How can you offer baby a first Christmas experience that is both magical, safe and eco-responsible? The most relevant baby Christmas activities are simple, sensory and age-appropriate, whether at home or in a childcare facility.

On the program: natural materials, clear step-by-step instructions and moments of sharing. Discover below 25 ideas calibrated from 0 to 3 years old, with "daycare" variations and practical tips (salt dough, edible paint, wooden decorations, soft LED garlands).

How to choose a Christmas activity for baby or in nursery?

The goal is not to do a lot, but better.

  • Before 6 months, baby observes: focus on short visual and auditory stimulations.
  • Around 6-12 months, we introduce manipulations and textures.
  • After 12 months, time for simple crafts and small responsibilities.

In nursery, favor collective activities with secured, washable and reusable materials (cardboard rolls, felt, cleaned pine cones). A few key principles:

  • Safety: zero small elements, non-toxic paints, constant supervision.
  • Rhythm: brief sequences, alternating stimulation/calm, break time
  • Ecology & local: certified wood (PEFC), organic fabrics, material reuse.

Organization (nursery): short steps, variations by age, dedicated activity zones.

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💡 Tip: prepare materials in advance (round-tip scissors, reusable wipes, washable tablecloths), and plan a minimal version of the activity if the group is tired.

Christmas Activities for Baby 0 to 6 Months

At this age, we gently nurture sensory awakening.

1) Sensory Advent Calendar (home/daycare)

Sew or repurpose fabric pouches (velvet, cotton, satin). Slip in a texture to discover each day: ribbon, felt, crumpled fabric. Briefly present the object, let them explore for 2-3 minutes, then put away.

2) Soothing light mobile

A mobile with Christmas shapes in felt (stars, trees) suspended above the play area, lit by fixed LEDs (no aggressive blinking). Ideal for visual tracking.

3) "Star" Wooden Rattles

To handle on the mat: quiet sound, easy grip, smooth textures. We stimulate grasping without overloading.

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4) Salt dough prints

Timeless classic: flour, salt, water. Gently press hand or foot, dry and, later, food coloring for a festive touch. Strong memory, 0 chemicals.

5) Rhymes & Soft Ambiance

Whispered Christmas songs, music box, gentle swaying. The objective: comfort and connection. End with a calm time under a garland out of reach.

⛑️ Safety tips: no small pieces, no strobe lights, very short sessions (5-8 min per sequence), respect discomfort signals.

Christmas Activities for Baby 6 to 12 Months

Baby sits better, grabs and touches everything. We play with textures, sounds and cause-and-effect.

6) Christmas Sensory Bin

Large bin: cleaned pine cones, soft fabrics (velvet, faux fur), wide ribbons, unbreakable balls. The adult names colors and materials: "soft, rough, shiny".

7) Clean painting (kneading pouch)

In a reinforced zippered pouch: drops of washable paint red/green/gold. Baby taps and spreads through the plastic. Graphic result without getting messy.

8) Gift Wrap to Crumple

Timeless classic: flour, salt, water. Gently press hand or foot, dry and, later, food coloring for a festive touch. Strong memory, 0 chemicals.

9) Christmas sound boxes

Small well-sealed containers: bells, pasta, semolina. We shake, we compare. In nursery, color-code them (red/green) for a mini sorting game.

10) Transparent balls to fill

With the adult, slip in feathers, large paper confetti, ribbons. Baby observes reflections and cause-and-effect by handling the empty then full ball.

👶 Daycare tips: offer stations: sensory bin, kneading pouch, sound boxes. 5-7 min per station, gentle group rotation.

Christmas crafts and games for baby from 12 months (12-month baby craft)

At this age, we enter the doing phase. Hands that press, stick, pull, stack: perfect for a simple and rewarding craft for 12-month-old baby.

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11) "Spice" Christmas Salt Dough

Large bin: cleaned pine cones, soft fabrics (velvet, faux fur), wide ribbons, unbreakable balls. The adult names colors and materials: "soft, rough, shiny".

12) First Collages on Cardboard Tree

Cut out a large tree. Provide thick round stickers, XL pompoms, washi tape strips. The child presses, squeezes, removes: hand-eye coordination.

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13) Edible “beet/turmeric” paint

Flour + warm water, natural colors (beet, turmeric). Fingers or foam stamps: freedom of movement, texture discovery.

14) Christmas Characters from Rolls

Painted rolls, cotton beard, felt hat glued by the adult. Zero-waste idea, great pride at the exhibition.

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15) Small sensory path

Soft cushions, textured mats, bells to touch, fixed lights. We alternate walking/sitting, balance and exploration.

👶 Nursery variation: collective wall poster: each child glues 1-2 elements; we sign with a fingerprint.

Christmas Activities for 18-Month-Old Baby (Christmas activities baby 18 months) at home or in daycare

Christmas activities for 18-month-old baby rely on imitation and small rewarding tasks.

16) Decorating Cookies (sensory version)

Pre-baked cookies, soft icing (cream cheese + powdered sugar), a few sprinkles or vegetable glitter. The child sprinkles, spreads with the back of a spoon. Taste/smell/touch combined.

17) Nature Garland

After a walk, paint pine cones and leaves with washable paint. Pierce with the adult, thread on cord. Nature + creation association.

18) “Hand-snowman” greeting cards

Non-toxic paint on the palm, print on cardboard ; each finger becomes a snowman. Personalized gift for the family.

19) Sorting red/green balls

Two baskets, large foam/wood balls. We transfer, we count up to 2 or 3. Perfect for concentration and coordination.

20) Christmas Water Xylophone

Glasses filled at different levels, wooden spoons. We tap gently: melodies and wonder, ideal for a small music workshop.

👶18–24 month transition: introduce simple instructions ("stick 2 red stickers"), encourage autonomy (bring an item to the adult, put away a box).

🎓 Christmas Activity in Daycare: Ideas for 0–3 Year Groups

Think collective: visible activities, easy to share, quick to set up and put away.

21) Large collaborative wall tree

Base in kraft or green felt. The youngest ones make fingerprints; the older ones attach pompoms or giant adhesive dots. Final group photo.

22) Themed sensory bin

Red/green colored rice (food coloring), cotton balls, XXL foam stars, large scoops Verbalize sensory vocabulary: "fluffy", "grainy", "shiny".

23) Guided collective workshop, step by step

  • Objective: common salt dough garland.
  • Materials: ready-made dough, cookie cutters, stamps, personalized trays.
  • Process: 3 tables (prints / painting / drying), 5-minute rotation.
  • Recognition: display board with names.

24) Giant Sensory Advent Calendar

24 fabric pockets: bell, cinnamon stick, wool, clementine, chime… We name, we listen, we smell. Daily ritual that structures the wait.

25) Christmas Rhymes and Rituals

  • O Christmas Tree: arms in star shape, fingers as "garlands".
  • Little Santa Claus: soft song before naptime.
  • Have you seen him?: small taps and slow movements like reindeer.

Music frames the group, invites imitation and soothes transitions.

👶Nursery organization: zones by age group, reusable materials, low-volume playlist, display of step pictograms, and participatory cleanup time for 2–3 year olds.

Downloads & activity sheets (parents & professionals)

To save time and secure the sessions, prepare:

  • Printable templates (trees, stars, boots) on thick paper.
  • “15-minute express” sheets: minimal materials + 3 steps.
  • 10-day plan before Christmas: alternating sensory/calm.
  • Secured nursery materials checklist: washable paints, non-toxic glue, reusable wipes, stackable bins.

These supports serve as a base for finger painting, collage or texture discovery, at home as well as in Christmas nursery activities. Opt if possible for felt or reusable fabric decorations to limit waste.

👶 To learn more about baby activities, discover our dedicated Chambrekids blog articles: 

FAQ — Christmas with baby

From birth, in observation mode (songs, steady lights). Around 6 months, secured textures and objects to manipulate. From 12 months, salt dough, stickers and collage with the adult.

Photography/scan for an album. Protect the salt dough with suitable varnish and hang on the tree. Store the works in a memory box and involve the child in showcasing them.

Focus on classics: handprint, stickers on cardboard tree, clean paint pouch. Quick results, proud to show, little preparation.

Maintain the rhythm (naps/meals), offer calm periods (gentle calendula massage, reading, dimmed light). Favor garlands with steady light and short sessions.

Recycled cardboard, rolls, fabric scraps, pine cones, homemade salt dough. Avoid non-biodegradable micro-glitter, favor washable paints and certified wood.

The essentials for a peaceful Christmas with baby (home & nursery)

Christmas with a toddler is a succession of simple little scenes that become great memories: a mobile that sparkles without being harsh, a salt dough print, a sticker pressed seriously, a murmuring song before naptime. The key? Adapt to age and energy of the moment, ensure safety, and encourage exploration rather than the "beautiful result".

At home, keep an activity box always ready: a few stickers, felt, an LED garland, 2-3 cookie cutters.

In nursery, think pathways: short stations, smooth rotation, rituals repeated each day (opening an Advent pocket, closing song). In all cases, favor durable, local materials when possible, and consider each creation as a pretext for connection.

If you had to remember just one winning trio:

  • a short sensory activity,
  • a very simple craft (salt dough, collage),
  • a gentle musical ritual.

With a little anticipation and lots of kindness, you offer your child — and the daycare group — the magic of a first Christmas filled with discoveries, laughter and cuddles. 

Happy holidays!

Christmas gift ideas

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