My oldest daughter will be 2.5 years old at Christmastime. It is fun to see her learning and taking so much in at this age. Each day, she is adding new words to her vocabulary and seeing new glimpses of our world with such awe and wonder. This is the year that we will teach her about the Christmas spirit and the meaning behind the season. In this post, I will share with you things to do to get in the Christmas spirit with your toddler.

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It takes a lot of repetition to teach a child something new. This goes for potty training, counting, learning the ABCs, and so on. Teaching young kids about the Christmas spirit should also be done in repetition. I remember when I was growing up, my mom would play Christmas music immediately following Thanksgiving. We had the music on when we were putting the tree up, decorating around the house, hanging out, and even on car rides. This always got my brother and me into the Christmas spirit leading up to the holiday.

I asked my Instagram followers about the best ways to teach young kids about the Christmas spirit. Some of the list below came from the responses I received. Here are some ideas of how to show a toddler that Christmas is coming.

10 things to do to get in the Christmas spirit with toddlers

1. Christmas Crafts

Crafting is a great skill for kids to hone in on their creative sides. There is also something to be said about the satisfaction of completing something. Just like finishing the last page of a book, it’s exciting to see the finished product of a craft. Here are some Christmas crafts for toddlers ages 2-3:

These Christmas Handprint Trees were done on 5×7 canvases. For 2 kids, I suggest an 8×10 canvas. These were fun and only a minimal amount of supplies are needed. I also love handprint crafts for kids because they will only be that size for a short time.

My daughter loves stickers, so she lit up when I took these Christmas Sticker Faces out for us. After she finished them, she wanted to be sure to put them on the fridge! Stickers are great Christmas activities for toddlers!

2. Decorate Together

Decorating with your toddler for Christmas is a fun way to get them into the Christmas spirit. While decorating, explain to them what you are doing. For instance, “We are putting the tree up so Santa can put presents under it for Christmas.”

As mentioned before, my daughter loves stickers. So of course, I had to buy some fun Christmas Window Clings as part of our decorations. Her favorite part was putting on the snowflakes.

3. Listen to Christmas Music

Listening to Christmas music may be an obvious one, but it’s the repetition of it that is important for a child. There are stories told through Christmas songs and tons of learning for kids.

I searched for some music videos on YouTube so that my daughter could not only hear the words but associate them with imagery. Here are some great YouTube videos for children with Christmas songs:

4. Watch Movies and Read Books

Similar to music, movies are a great way to teach toddlers about Christmas. I suggest showing some of the classics, like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

If you haven’t bought The Night Before Christmas yet, this is the time to do so! This is another classic and should be on every kid’s bookshelf. Read the book throughout the month of December. Again, practice repetition here. Explain to them that Christmas is coming. On Christmas Eve, read the book once more, letting them know that this is the night that Santa is visiting tonight.

5. Visit Santa

If it is your toddler’s first time visiting Santa, I suggest the movies and books first. They may not be at an age yet where they know how to ask Santa for gifts, but they should at least understand why they are taking a picture with him. You never know how kids are going to react, so you may have the crying kid on Santa’s lap. If that is the case, that’s ok! Keep the picture and don’t throw it away. Keep a collection of all the pictures with Santa. It will be fun to look back at them.

6. Teach Toddlers about the Gift of Giving

It is important to teach toddlers about the gift of giving for Christmas. Take your toddler with you to the store and help them pick out a gift for a friend. They can also donate to a charity like Toys For Tots. If you’re looking for ideas for toddler gifts, I suggest reading 5 Top Practical Christmas Gifts for Toddlers.

To find the best ways to save while buying Christmas gifts, check out my list of 7 Ways to Be the Thrifty Shopper.

Another way of giving back is by putting a goodie basket together for delivery workers. Organize beverages and snack items into a basket with a sign for delivery workers to pick up. This is their busiest season, so it is a small way to say “thank you” for their hard work.

7. Make Cookies

Get a Christmas-themed cookie cutter set and icing to decorate cookies with your toddler. Just like crafting, they will be excited to see the fun creations they make. Cookies are also great for gifting. You can make dozens at a time and gift some to family and friends. Making cookies are easy Christmas activities for toddlers.

Here is a list of recipes for the 30 Best Christmas Cookies.

8. Play in the Snow

Come on Colorado weather, we’re ready for some snow. I can’t wait to build a snowman and make snow angels with my daughter. We also have a nice hill in the backyard to go sledding down. Do you want to build a snowman?

9. Go to a Light Show

Christmas light shows are fun for the whole family. Zoo Lights and Botanical Gardens always have a great show. There are also local churches that have some drive-through shows. Here is a list of great Christmas light shows in the Denver area.

10. Travel to a New Place

Traveling to a new place is a great way to get in the Christmas spirit with the family. A fun Christmas adventure for toddlers is taking a ride on the Polar Express Train. The train is located in Owossa, Michigan, and was inspiration for the steam engine in the animated movie, Polar Express.

For other fun Christmas getaways, check out this list of great magical Christmas cities. There is something to be said about creating family travel memories, especially around the holidays.

Thanks for Reading Things to Do to Get in the Christmas Spirit with Toddlers!

Let it be a fun experience when teaching the spirit of Christmas to your toddler. The spirit of Christmas should not be about the number of presents under the tree, but rather the quality time you share as a family. As the song goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” May those words be true in your home as you share these special moments that will create memories for a lifetime.