12 Festive Activities for Under 5s: Supporting Learning Through Play

December is the perfect time to combine festive fun with learning and development. These 12 activities are designed for busy parents and little ones under 5, helping children explore, create, and grow!

Let’s jump straight into our 12 Festive Activities for Under 5s!

1. Sensory Snow Play – Exploring Texture and Touch

A magical way to bring winter indoors! Sensory snow play is messy, fun, and a great way for children to explore texture, experiment with shapes, and use their imagination. It also supports fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Items Needed: Tray, shaving foam or baking soda mixed with cornstarch & water, small bowls, spoons, winter-themed toys (optional)

How To: Spread shaving foam or snowy mix on a tray. Encourage your child to scoop, pat, and create shapes or patterns. Add small winter toys to build snowmen, tracks, or other imaginative scenes.

2. Christmas Colour Sorting – Early Maths Skills

A simple, playful way to practise sorting, matching, and early maths skills! Sorting by colour or size helps children recognise patterns and develop hand-eye coordination, while also boosting focus.

Items Needed: Plastic baubles or coloured paper, small containers, tongs (optional)

How To: Ask your child to sort objects into containers by colour, then by size for an added challenge. Using tongs to pick up items helps develop fine motor control.

3. Festive Counting Garland – Hands-On Numbers

Make numbers tangible and festive! Creating a counting garland helps children practise number recognition, sequencing, and counting — all while making a lovely decoration to display at home.

Items Needed: Paper circles felt or cupcake cases, string, marker.

How To: Paint your circles or cupcake cases, then write numbers 1–10 on them. Encourage your child to thread them onto string in order. Hang the finished garland as a colourful decoration!

4. Holiday Music & Movement - Gross Motor Development

A fun way to get moving while celebrating the season! Music and movement activities develop coordination, balance, rhythm, and confidence — and they’re a perfect way to burn off extra energy.

Items Needed: Christmas songs or festive playlist.

How To: Play festive music and encourage your child to dance, march, clap, spin, or jump. Add imaginative prompts like “jump like a reindeer” or “tiptoe like an elf.”

5. DIY Reindeer Antlers – Creative Role Play

Crafting wearable antlers combines creativity with imaginative play. Decorating and wearing their own reindeer antlers is exciting for children and helps develop fine motor skills, creativity, and role-playing skills.

Items Needed: Card, scissors, glue or stapler, paints, stickers or eco-glitter.

How To: Cut antler shapes from card and attach to a headband or strip of card. Encourage your child to decorate and then roleplay as reindeer!

6. Ice Painting – Colour and Sensory Exploration

Turn painting into a magical, sensory experience! Ice painting is a fun way for children to explore colours, mixing, and cause-and-effect while developing fine motor skills.

Items Needed: Ice cube trays, water, wooden craft sticks, food colouring, paper, tray to catch drips

How To: Freeze coloured water in trays, adding wooden sticks before freezing (these will act as handles). Give your child the ice cubes and paper to paint on. Watch as colours mix and patterns appear while the ice melts.

7. Christmas Story Time – Language and Listening

A cosy way to enjoy the festive season together! Reading aloud develops language, comprehension, listening, and imagination while giving children an opportunity to interact socially.

Items Needed: A festive picture book or short story – click here for our top picks.

How To: Sit together and read the story. Pause to ask questions about pictures, predict what happens next, or encourage your child to retell parts in their own words.

8. Gingerbread Man Stamping – Patterns and Creativity

A playful way to explore art and early maths! Stamping with cookie cutters encourages pattern recognition, creativity, and fine motor control. Children can make festive designs while experimenting with repetition and sequences.

Items Needed: Cookie cutters, paint, paper.

How To: Dip cookie cutters in paint and stamp onto paper. Encourage your child to create patterns, repeat sequences, or make a festive scene.

9. Festive Treasure Hunt – Observation and Problem-Solving

Turn your home or garden into a festive adventure! Treasure hunts encourage curiosity, observation, problem-solving, and gross motor skills, all while being lots of fun.

Items Needed: Small festive items or toys, basket

How To: Hide festive items around the room or garden. Give your child clues or let them search independently. Celebrate each find together!

10. Paper Snowflakes - Fine Motor and Spatial Awareness

A classic winter craft that’s both creative and educational! Cutting and folding snowflakes strengthens hands, improves coordination, and introduces symmetry.

Items Needed: Paper, scissors, string.

How To: Fold paper and guide your child to make simple cuts. Unfold to reveal a snowflake design and hang as festive decoration.

11. Holiday Playdough Creations – Imaginative Play

Playdough is perfect for open-ended festive fun! Children can create trees, animals, or decorations while exploring textures, shapes, and imaginative storytelling. This activity supports hand strength, creativity, and sensory development.

Items Needed: Flour, warm water, salt, oil, festive spices or essential oils (optional) festive cookie cutters, small tools

How To: Mix the ingredients to make playdough. Encourage your child to shape, squish, and decorate while telling festive stories about their creations.

12. Christmas Cards – Creativity and Kindness

A lovely way to get little ones in the festive spirit! Making Christmas cards for family, friends, or neighbours encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and social awareness, while also teaching the joy of giving.

Items Needed: Paper, crayons, stickers, envelopes.

How To: Help your child design and decorate simple cards. Talk about why giving to others is kind and special.