5 Christian Christmas Advent Activities for Kids and Families

Advent is such a lovely time of year for families. It is a chance to slow down, count down to Christmas and, for Christian families, spend a little extra time thinking about the story at the heart of the season.

But let's be honest. December can also be busy. School concerts, Christmas shopping, nativity plays, parties, baking, decorating and approximately 400 tiny jobs that somehow need doing before Christmas Day! So if you're looking for simple Christian Advent activities for kids that don't involve hours of preparation, we've got you covered.

We've put together five fun ideas that bring the Nativity story, faith and a little festive fun together. They're great for families at home, but many can also work beautifully for Sunday school groups, church groups, children's ministries and Christmas gatherings.

And the best bit? They are all designed to be easy to get started, so you can spend more time enjoying Advent and less time preparing for it.

1. Make Advent a Daily Family Tradition

One of the loveliest ways to celebrate Advent is to create a small activity or tradition for each day. It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler the better!

You might read a Bible story together, say a prayer, do something kind for someone else, talk about something you're grateful for or simply spend a few minutes together without screens.

If you're looking for lots of ideas to take the pressure off coming up with something new every single day, Christian Advent Activity Cards can make a really easy starting point.

The set includes 64 faith-focused activities, so you can choose one or two each day and pop them into a jar, bowl or Advent container. The activities include Bible stories and Scripture, prayer, kindness, generosity and simple ways for children to put their faith into action.

You don't even have to use them in numerical order. Pick one when you have five minutes after dinner, choose another for a quiet Sunday morning or save a bigger activity for the weekend.

It is a lovely way to turn Advent into more than simply counting down to Christmas.

Tap to learn more about our Christian activity cards.

2. Go on a Nativity Hide and Seek Adventure

If you've got younger children, getting them up and moving can be a brilliant way to introduce the Nativity story. A Nativity Hide and Seek Scavenger Hunt turns the Christmas story into a little adventure around the house.

The idea is simple. Hide the Nativity character cards around different locations at home and give your child the first clue. They then follow the clues from one hiding place to the next until they discover all the characters. It's particularly suited to younger children, with simple clues and a little early reading practice built into the fun.

And you don't need to transform the house into a Christmas wonderland either. The suggested hiding places include everyday spots such as a bed, sofa, book, mirror, clock and kitchen cupboard.

That makes it a wonderfully low-prep activity for a December morning when you've suddenly realised the children have finished their breakfast and are asking, "What are we doing today?" and is a great way to introduce the characters of the Nativity to young children and as a starting point for further discussions.

Tap on the image to learn more!

3. Roll Your Way Through the Nativity

Sometimes children don't need a complicated activity. Give them a dice and a picture to colour and they're perfectly happy! Roll a Nativity is a simple Christmas dice game based around the Nativity scene. All you need is a standard six-sided dice and some crayons.

Players take turns rolling the dice and shading in the corresponding part of their Nativity picture. The first person to complete their Nativity wins.

It's quick, easy to explain and doesn't require a pile of special equipment, which makes it a particularly handy activity for busy December days.

It can work as a little family game after school, a quiet Advent activity or something to take along to Sunday school or a church Christmas gathering.

And because the game is so straightforward, children can get on with playing without needing a long explanation first. Which, at Christmas, is always a win!

4. Meet the Three Kings

Once you've had fun with the Nativity scene, why not bring the Three Kings into the Christmas activities too?

Roll the Three Kings is another simple printable dice game, following the same easy format. Players roll a standard dice and shade in their picture, racing to complete the Three Kings first. It's a fun way to introduce another part of the Christmas story while keeping things playful and hands-on.

And again, the preparation is wonderfully minimal. Print the game, grab a dice and some crayons and you're ready to play.

Sometimes the best children's activities really are the ones you can have ready in a couple of minutes.

5. Have Some Nativity Fun With the Whole Family

If you're looking for something that works with a bigger group, a Nativity Left Right Christmas Game is a brilliant way to get everyone involved. This one turns the Nativity story into a lively present-passing game.

Everyone sits in a circle holding a wrapped present. One person reads the story aloud and whenever players hear the word "LEFT", they pass their present to the left. When they hear "RIGHT", it goes to the right. There's also a special moment in the story where players swap presents and seats.

At the end, the present you're holding is yours to keep.

It's the sort of game that can quickly turn into plenty of laughter, particularly when everyone is trying to keep track of which direction their present is supposed to be travelling!

It's ideal for Christmas parties, family gatherings, church groups, youth groups or Sunday school celebrations where you want something that gets everyone involved rather than having children sitting quietly at a table.

Tap the image to learn more about this fun group game!

Making Advent Fun Without Making It Complicated

We love activities that don't require a cupboard full of craft supplies or hours of preparation. Christmas is already busy enough.

The great thing about simple printable activities is that you can have them ready when you need them. Print what you need, grab a few things you probably already have at home and get playing.

You can also mix things up throughout Advent. One evening might be a quiet Bible-based activity from your Advent cards. Another could be a quick game of Roll a Nativity. At the weekend, you might set up a Nativity scavenger hunt. Then, when family and friends arrive for Christmas, bring out the Left Right game.

There is no right or wrong way to celebrate Advent.

The important thing is finding little moments to pause, have fun together and keep the meaning of Christmas at the heart of the season.

A Little Less Pressure, A Little More Christmas Magic 🎄

Advent doesn't need to be Pinterest-perfect. You don't need 24 elaborate activities, beautifully decorated jars or a carefully planned schedule.

Sometimes it can simply be sitting around the table with the children, rolling a dice, colouring a Nativity picture and talking about the Christmas story.

Sometimes it's following a clue around the house in your pyjamas.

Sometimes it's doing something kind for somebody else.

And sometimes it's passing a wrapped present around a room while everyone tries very hard not to lose track of which way is left and which way is right! Those little moments are often the ones children remember.

So whether you're planning Advent at home, looking for activities for your Sunday school class or simply want a few easy Christian Christmas games ready for the holidays, hopefully these ideas give you plenty of inspiration for a fun, meaningful and low-prep Advent.