12 Holiday Activities to Do with Baby

November 20, 2021

You’ve been to Target to look at toys, decided if you’re going to be an “elf on the shelf” family and started cooking traditional holiday foods. Here are 12 Holiday Activities to Do with Baby to keep the holidays going that you may not have thought of!

1)   Make a Child-Sized Holiday Light Display! All you need is a large box and some LED lights that can’t get too hot! diyjoy.com calls this a Cave of Stars! We love this because it’s a great activity for siblings to do together and you probably have all the items on hand already!

2)   Read holiday themed board books: Whatever holiday you celebrate, there is a board book about it! And the holidays are the perfect time to learn about other cultural traditions too! Babies are never too young for books or learning about the world!

3)   Drive or stroll around to view decorations and lights:  Babies love to look at lights! Whether you go to an organized festival of lights or simply stroll or drive around your neighborhood, the light show will fascinate baby! Many towns have holiday light shows where you never leave the car too. Let baby experience the magic of lights BONUS: time your ride for an hour or so before bedtime for an easy wind-down!

4)   Sing holiday songs to your baby: Baby doesn’t care that you’re not a finalist on The Voice.  Belt out some traditional tunes. If baby is old enough, add some instruments and shakers and have baby play along.

5)   Buy special holiday or winter themed pajamas: Get cute and cozy with seasonal pj’s for your little one. Bonus points if the whole family has matching pajamas!

6)   Create a keepsake such as a plate or ornament: Commemorate this special milestone by capture his/her little handprint or footprint on a plate or ornament. Many paint-your-own pottery places offer these in studio or buy a take-home kit at a craft store, baby store, or online. 

7)   Use edible finger-paints to make a holiday craft: Crafts and holidays go hand in hand, but many of the materials on the market are not safe when digested.  We are huge fans of natural, edible fingerpaints which contain ingredients that are baby-safe, organic, vegan and have no wheat, sugar, or preservatives. Plus, they are made with real fruits and vegetables!

8)   Create a holiday themed sensory table/tub: Place wrapping paper, bows, a soft snowman in a big tub, and let baby touch, rub, shake, and play with the items to build tactile development and fine motor skills.

9)   Make a holiday felt board: Make or buy a felt Christmas Tree, Snowman, Menorah, or other holiday themed feltboard, and baby can safely “decorate the tree” or “light” some candles. There are a lot of fun options on Amazon! Bonus: Play, sing, and talk to baby using a holiday-themed puppet!

10) Have an indoor snowball fight! That’s right…a bucket of plush white “snowballs” can’t hurt anyone or anything in the house. At less than $20 this fun toy is a great investment in laughs and memories for years to come.

11)  Start the tradition of giving: Even though baby is too young for an American Express card, give special gifts in baby’s honor to friends and family members.  Teach your infant the joy of giving.

12)   Facetime/Zoom relatives and friends that are far away. Looking at pictures on Facebook is nice, but those who are far away really want to see baby in action.  Set up a computer date and share some special conversation!