24 Days of Christmas Activities to do with Kids in Orlando

Looking for fun and memorable Christmas activities to do with kids in Orlando this year? Whether you want festive outings, cozy at-home traditions, or family-friendly holiday events around Central Florida, this list of 24 Christmas activities is filled with easy, affordable, and magical ideas. From light festivals like Illuminate at Aquatica and the Asian Lantern Festival, to holiday classics like cookie decorating, writing letters to Santa, watching Elf at Lake Eola, and strolling the Christmas trees at Disney Springs, there’s something here for every family. These activities are perfect for creating new traditions, keeping kids entertained all December long, and making the holiday season feel special without adding stress. If you’re looking for Christmas events in Orlando, things to do with kids for the holidays, or a fun day-by-day countdown to Christmas, this guide has you covered. Get ready to make December magical with your family!

Day 1 – Build a Gingerbread House

We “build” a gingerbread house every year for Christmas. It’s one of my kids’ favorite activities. We normally do a single house, but this year we are doing a village; we’ll see how it goes.
Tip: You can order a pre-built house from Publix and only do the decorating, not the building.

Day 2 – Do a Christmas Craft

The kids love doing Christmas crafts. Some of our favorites are creating ornaments, building Christmas houses and making holiday paintings.

Day 3 – Write a Letter to Santa

Kids can write a letter to Santa letting him know what they want this year. Mail the letter to the Santa Claus Museum and kids will receive a letter back from Santa. We recommend enclosing a small donation if you can, so that they can continue to ensure kids get Santa letters.

Day 4 – Participate in Angel Tree

Go to Walmart in person or online and choose the name of a child off of the Angel Tree. Purchase the child’s wish list for Christmas.

Day 5 – Visit the Neighborhood Lights

Different homes around the Orlando area put on great light shows that are just perfect to take the kids to. So grab some hot chocolate, jump in the car and take a tour of some of these festively decorated homes.
Some of the homes you can visit include: Lake Nona Lights, Johanessen Lights and Bivona Christmas Light Show.

Day 6 – Watch a Christmas Parade (December 6)

Take in a Christmas parade in Winter Garden, Winter Park, Pine Hills, Baldwin Park, Avalon Park, or Oviedo. All of these parades are taking place on December 6, so choose the one closest to you and enjoy floats, marching bands and lots of holiday cheer.

Day 7 – Make Holiday Cards

Make your own holiday cards. Etsy has some great make-at-home card kits or the kids can design and make the cards themselves.

Day 8 – Do a Hot Cocoa Bar

Put together a hot cocoa bar with different toppings that kids can add to their cocoa. Some of our favorites are mini marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate shavings and whipped topping.

Day 9 – Do a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Do a Christmas Scavenger Hunt around your neighborhood to see what items you can find. Click here to find a Christmas Scavenger Hunt list that you can use.

Day 10 – Visit Illuminate at Aquatica

Head to Aquatica at night to enjoy Illuminate, their holiday lights and lantern experience. Kids will love walking through glowing displays, illuminated tunnels and colorful light scenes all around the park. It’s a fun way to see one of Orlando’s water parks in a completely different (and very sparkly) way.

Day 11 – Have a Holiday Game Night

Have a Holiday Game Night with the kids. Play Christmas Pictionary, Holiday Charades or Christmas Scattergories as a family. You can even have small prizes for the winners like candy canes or holiday stickers.

Day 12 – Do a Family Volunteer Activity

Choose a family-friendly volunteer activity. You can sort donations at a local food pantry, help with a toy drive, donate to an animal shelter or pack snack bags for a community organization. It’s a great way to show kids that Christmas is also about helping others.

Day 13 – Have a Christmas Picnic and Movie Night at Lake Eola Park (Elf – December 13)

Take the entire family to Lake Eola Park to watch Elf on December 13. Bring dinner and some fun Christmas treats and have a Christmas picnic in the park while you watch the movie under the stars.

Day 14 – Holiday Cupcake Decorating

Order a decorate-your-own cupcake kit from the Publix bakery. You get 12 cupcakes and you can choose the colors of your frosting and sprinkles.

Day 15 – Visit the Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo

Head to the Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild at the Central Florida Zoo. Walk along the trail and enjoy beautiful, handcrafted lanterns shaped like animals, plants and scenes from nature. The colorful lanterns make it a magical evening that kids and adults will both enjoy.

Day 16 – Have a Holiday Picnic

Have a picnic on the floor in front of the Christmas Tree. The kids love having an indoor picnic, especially when you add in holiday music and twinkling lights.

Day 17 – Visit Santa

Take the kids to see Santa and get some great shots with the big guy. One of our favorite places to visit Santa is The Santa Workshop Experience at ICON Park. The Christmas backdrop is beautiful, the photographers are patient with kids, and you can turn the visit into an entire evening out with a ride on The Wheel, dinner and a stroll around ICON Park to see the lights.

Day 18 – Go on a Christmas Tree Stroll at Disney Springs

Disney has kept the new format of their Christmas Tree Trail. Instead of having the trees all in one location, they are spread throughout Disney Springs. You can walk around and look at the trees or participate in the scavenger hunt by solving clues and finding the trees. Pick up a scavenger hunt map at the Welcome Center or at select stores.

Day 19 – ICE: Featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

ICE is back at Gaylord Palms this year and it features Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Kids will love looking at all the scenes carved out of ice and taking a ride on the ice slide. Gaylord also features a Christmas Tree Trail, snow tubing, snowball throwing, cookie decorating and more.

Day 20 – Have Dinner at Colorado Fondue Company

Head to Colorado Fondue Company for a special holiday dinner. The restaurant is beautifully decorated for the holidays with twinkling lights, garland and festive touches throughout. Kids will enjoy cooking their food at the table and dipping treats into cheese or chocolate fondue.

Day 21 – Have a Christmas Tree Campout

The entire family can bed down by the Christmas tree. Make some s’mores, read some fun holiday stories and fall asleep under the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree.

Day 22 – Visit Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens

Take the kids to Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens. Walk through lighted tunnels, see giant stars and enjoy immersive light displays throughout the gardens. It’s a beautiful, walk-through holiday light experience and a great way to enjoy one of Orlando’s prettiest spaces during the holidays.

Day 23 – Bake Christmas Treats

Bake some delicious Christmas treats with the kids. We usually make sugar cookies and use our Christmas cookie cutters to make all sorts of fun designs. If your kids still believe in Santa, they can take out their favorites to leave for him tomorrow night.

Day 24 – Read The Night Before Christmas

We love reading The Night Before Christmas every year on Christmas Eve. It is one of our favorite holiday traditions. If you want to grab your own copy of the book for the holidays, you can get it here.