Get the kids outdoors this Christmas with these outdoor Christmas activities that the whole family will enjoy. Don’t forget to wrap up well and spend some quality family time outdoors this Christmas. You might even find activities you enjoy so much that you make new Christmas traditions. Find more Christmas activities for kids here.
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Go for a walk to see some Christmas lights
This is a fun after-dark activity which is great as it gets dark early at Christmas. It can cost if you choose one of the organised light trails or can cost nothing at all. Children of all ages enjoy Christmas lights.
There are loads of light displays that you can explore as a family. If you are based in North West England then find loads of Christmas light trails North West to choose from. These can be a great annual tradition that the entire family will love so grab tickets now.
If you are looking for a free option, head to your nearest town to see the Christmas lights, or you can even just explore the nearby streets to see the festive lights the neighbours have. You can take this free printable Christmas lights scavenger hunt with you too.
Attend a Christmas light switch on event
Most towns and cities have an annual celebration as they switch on the Christmas lights. These Christmas events are a great way of getting in the festive spirit.
There is often live entertainment, Christmas music and so much more. You might even get to meet Santa at the event.
Take a lantern walk after dark
Younger kids will love making their very own simple lantern and then taking it on an after-dark walk. Find out how to make a paper lantern with kids here.
Decorate a tree
Do you have a tree in your garden that you can decorate together? Perhaps you’ll use lights or baubles? Or you could make some nature-based decorations. What ever you choose to decorate your tree with, I’m sure the kids will love doing this whilst listening to some Christmas songs.
Here are some beautiful DIY nature Christmas decorations for kids to make.
Bird feeder tree decorations
One idea for decorating your outdoor tree is to make decorations that double up as bird feeders.
These pine cone bird feeders are fantastic and will look cute and be enjoyed by the birds too.
Make ice decorations
Ice suncatchers or decorations are another item you could hang on your outdoor tree if temperatures are low enough. Find out how to make them here – Frozen suncatchers
Go on an outdoor Christmas scavenger hunt
We love a scavneger hunt in our house! They’re great for giving a walk a focus for kids. You can download my winter one below which is perfect for a nature walk but if you are going walking around the Christmas lights or similar, perhaps you could make your own checklist of the types of lights you might see.
Find a Christmas scavenger hunt here.
Collect winter foliage to decorate the home
Another great thing you can do at this time of year is to collect some winter foliage that you can put in a vase such as holy or perhaps you could be really creative and make your own wreath.
Visit a Christmas tree farm
Do you want a real Christmas tree this year? Perhaps you could make a morning of it and take the kids along to your local Christmas tree farm to choose the tree for the house.
Walk a Christmas trail
I love a festive walk or Christmas trail. These are often free or low-cost Christmas themed trails for families to enjoy. You could try your local National Trust as they often have them.
If you live in North West England, I’ve rounded them all up here – Christmas trails North West
Have a festive picnic
Picnics aren’t just for the summer months. There are so many winter picnic ideas and you could easily adapt them to make them a little more festive.
You could pack festive treats like mince pies or gingerbread men. Oh and don’t forget the flask of hot cocoa to warm you up.
Make your picnic extra special with crackers or festive accessories.
Another option for a festive picnic is to visit a Christmas market and buy some food from the food trucks or stalls. I love street food. You might even be lucky enough to enjoy some live music.
Find somewhere to listen to carol singing
Listening to Christmas carols is a really fun way to spend a bit of time outdoors this Christmas. Many Christmas venues, towns, churches, stately homes and parks will have events like this running in December. See if you can find a local one to attend.
Go ice skating
Many towns have an ice rink in the winter months. Ice skating is a great physical activity for tiring out excited kids.
Why not find your nearest ice rink and book now. December is a great time to try this activity and I can’t think of a better way to warm up afterwards than with a hot chocolate.
Ice skating is a great family activity for kids of all ages. For younger kids, there are usually some supports you can rent to make it easier for them and it’s also great for teens who may be too old for some of the other festive fun family activities.
Collect nature to make Christmas decorations
At this time of year there are usually lots of pine cones to be collected. There’s lots of things you can do with them too. So wrap up warm, head to somewhere that you know will be a good place to collect them and get some fresh air whilst enjoying a walk.
One of the best things to do with pine cones is to spray them with metallic paint to make gorgeous Christmas ornaments.
Where to next?
I hope I have given you some ideas for outdoor activities for your family to enjoy this festive season. Perhaps you’ve found some ideas that your family will love so much, you’ll do them again next year.
Time outdoors is always beneficial. I’m sure you can have fun warming up on your return home with a hot chocolate and a Christmas movie.
Here are some more posts on the website that you might find useful.
- Find more seasonal activities for kids here.
- Find more Outdoor activities for kids in winter here.
- If you are based in the North West, I have written guides to all the festive events across our region. You can find the one that is best for you here – Christmas days out in the North West
Find more Winter activities for kids here.