Christmas Games for Children: 5 Last-Minute KidMin Ideas

Need last-minute Christmas games for children? Then search no further! Try out these five festive, fun activities. They’re perfect for Sunday school or a kidmin Christmas party.

Christmas is a beautiful time to reflect on the birth of our Savior. But let’s face it: Sometimes things can be hectic and unpredictable—especially in children’s ministry. You need some easy-to-use Christmas games to pull out in a pinch.

You might not know how many kids to expect. The main service might take a little longer than usual. Kids could need some extra time to let out their sugar-induced energy. And somehow, you have to adjust plans without any notice.

So we’re here to help! Here are five fun and festive Christmas games for children that require zero prep and zero supplies. Keep these ideas in your back pocket, just in case you need them. Then pull them out and play them on the fly. Merry Christmas!

5 Christmas Games for Children to Play at Church

1. Christmas Carol Freeze

First, play this fun, active Christmas game. Kids run around the room but must listen carefully. When you shout out the name of a Christmas carol, kids freeze in place in a pose that represents that song. There’s no right or wrong pose, so let kids express their creativity!

Here’s a list of songs you can name:

• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• O Little Town of Bethlehem
• Joy to the World
• Away in a Manger
• What Child Is This?
• We Three Kings
• Go Tell It on the Mountain
• Angels We Have Heard on High
• Silent Night
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

After the game, lead kids in this discussion.

Ask:

• Why did you decide on the poses you did?
• Which Christmas carol is your favorite, and why?

Say: Christmas songs are a great way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to earth as a baby, born to be our Savior.

Use music to teach your kids more about Jesus’ birth. Check out Songs of the Christmas Story or More Songs of the Christmas Story.

2. Shepherd’s Telephone

Next, your kids will love this fun game of Telephone. Kids sit in a circle or a side-by-side line and whisper a message down the line. The messages are things the shepherds might have told people.

First, read Luke 2:17. Then whisper the following messages to the first child in line, one message at a time. Let kids whisper the message all the way down the line or around the circle. Then have the last child announce aloud what they heard.

Have kids whisper these messages:

• We saw a whole bunch of angels.
• The angels told us they had good news of great joy.
• The Savior was born today in Bethlehem.
• We got to see baby Jesus wrapped snugly in strips of cloth.
• Jesus was lying in a manger.
• Jesus is God’s Son—the Savior of the world!
• You have to go see him for yourself!

If time allows, kids can also make up things they think the shepherds might have told people.

After the game, lead kids in this discussion.

Ask:

• What happened when you shared your messages?
• What do you think happened when the shepherds shared their messages?
• This Christmas, what’s one thing you can tell someone about Jesus?

Say: The shepherds were so excited because they knew Jesus wasn’t an ordinary baby. He was God’s Son, the one they had been waiting for to save them. Like the shepherds, we can tell everyone the exciting news about Jesus!