Stress-Free Holiday Fun: Low-Cost and Low-Stress Activities for Kids
Dec 20, 2024
The holiday season is filled with magic and joy, but it also brings a decent amount of stress—especially for parents juggling endless to-do lists, budgets, and high expectations. The good news? Creating memorable moments with your kids doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, perfect or stressful.
Here are a few low-demand, affordable, and fun activities that will bring the holiday spirit to life for your kids. These ideas are all about connection, creativity, and keeping the stress (and cost) low!
1. DIY Holiday Decorations
Turn crafting into an opportunity for bonding and creativity. Making ornaments, especially that kind that includes a little mixing and baking, can be a ton of fun!
Salt Dough Ornaments:
Make homemade ornaments with simple ingredients—flour, salt, and water. Use cookie cutters for shapes, and let kids paint and decorate them once dry. Here is a quick, Basic Recipe for Salt Dough from one of my favorite food experts for kids, YummyToddlerFood.com. For more great food ideas for kids head to her website! There are a zillion wonderful recipes along with recipe substitutions for kids with food allergies and sensitivities.
Paper Snowflakes:
All you need is paper and scissors for this simple but fun activity. Hang your creations in windows or string them together for garland. Kids love cutting! And, they will be incredibly excited to create a white Christmas inside!
Cinnamon Stick Decorations:
Glue cinnamon sticks together into stars or trees, and decorate with twine or tiny embellishments for a rustic holiday feel.
The crafting ideas above are great for keeping little hands busy! Plus, they are sensory friendly!
2. Holiday Movie Nights with a Twist
-Create a holiday “drive-in” by letting kids decorate cardboard boxes as cars to sit in during the movie. Or, blow up inflatable air-mattresses for the living room floor!
-Serve simple snacks like popcorn with red and green sprinkles or M&M's, or make DIY hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows.
-Rotate through classics like Elf, The Polar Express, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
A home movie night is affordable, requires little prep from you, and can create a cozy holiday environment for the whole family.
3. Simple Baking Projects
You don’t need a long list of ingredients or hours in the kitchen to enjoy holiday baking.
Decorate Sugar Cookies:
-Use store-bought dough or a simple homemade recipe. Let kids decorate with icing, sprinkles, and candies.
Build a Graham Cracker “Gingerbread” House:
Skip the pre-made kits and use graham crackers, frosting, and candy you already have.
Holiday Pretzel Treats:
Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes or colored sugar. Baking allows kids to explore new textures and flavors, and the results double as festive treats or gifts.
4. Neighborhood Holiday Walk
Bundle up and take a walk around your neighborhood to admire holiday lights.
Turn it into a game by creating a scavenger hunt list of things to find, like:
• A snowman decoration
• A house with multicolored lights
• A reindeer display
• Bring along thermoses of hot cider or cocoa for extra warmth.
Not only is this completely free, it also gets everyone moving, and brings a sense of wonder to the season.
5. Write Letters to Santa (or Anyone Special)
Letter-writing is a timeless activity that combines creativity and holiday spirit.
• Use free printable letter templates
• Encourage kids to write thank-you notes to relatives or letters to a local nursing home or hospital.
Writing letters is a great way to foster gratitude, develop fine motor skills, and focus on the joy of giving back.
6. Indoor “Snow” Play
No snow? No problem. Create a snowy experience indoors.
• Make sensory “snow” using a mix of baking soda and shaving cream. Let kids mold snowballs or create small snowmen on a tray. Recipe for fake snow HERE
• Or, use cotton balls or white balloons for a fun indoor snowball fight.
This idea is sensory-friendly, easy to clean up, and perfect for cold or rainy days.
7. Free or Low-Cost Community Events
Many communities offer free or low-cost holiday events, like:
• Tree Lighting Ceremonies: Bring a blanket and watch your town’s tree light up.
• Library Holiday Storytime: Check your local library for festive readings and crafts.
• Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks: Many cities set up affordable skating rinks for the season.
These events often require minimal planning and offer new experiences for kids.
8. Holiday Karaoke or Dance Party
Create a festive playlist and let your kids sing and dance to their favorite holiday songs.
• Use free karaoke versions of classics on YouTube.
• Add jingle bells or simple instruments for extra fun.
This burns off energy and fills your home with laughter and music.
9. Create a Countdown Chain or Jar
Help kids count down to the holidays with an interactive craft:
• Paper Chain Countdown: Each day, tear off a link. Write a small activity on each one (e.g., “read a holiday story” or “make hot cocoa”).
• Gratitude Jar: Each day, write down something you’re grateful for and add it to the jar to read together later.
These crafts build excitement and teach mindfulness and patience.
10. Have a Holiday-Themed Treasure Hunt
Create a simple scavenger hunt around your house or yard with holiday-themed clues.
• Hide candy canes, small trinkets, or printed holiday riddles for kids to solve.
This encourages problem-solving and active play while requiring little prep.
Final Thoughts Before the Holidays
The holiday season doesn’t have to be a whirlwind of expensive outings and overwhelming schedules. By focusing on simple, inexpensive activities, you can create magical moments that your kids will remember for years to come. Remember, the best gifts aren't the ones under the Christmas tree. The best gifts are the people you get to share these special moments with.
Parenting Alongside You!
Dr. Emma at Aparently Parenting
What’s your favorite low-cost holiday tradition? Share your ideas in the comments below—we’d love to add them to our list!
Parenting Alongside You!
Dr. Emma Hostetter (Aparently Parenting)
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