Celebrating your baby’s first Christmas can be a magical time - but usually? They’re not quite in on the excitement. Perhaps they were very new when last Christmas rolled around, or might have missed the memo (teething troubles and winter colds don’t take a day off for Christmas, after all).
Your baby isn’t quite a big kid yet, but they’re not so new to the crew, either. Some of those joyful ‘firsts’ have come and gone, and it’s been an amazing year watching your sweet baby grow and develop into a little person who by now likely knows their own mind! Christmas is a special time to revisit all those tiny moments and magical milestones along the year that made you smile - and it can be hard to believe just how much they’ve changed in one short year.
This year, for your baby’s second Christmas, they may well be getting an inkling of what it’s all about - and will certainly be getting ready to rip the wrapping paper of their first gift, if they needed help last year. We’ve compiled a list of toddler Christmas activities for your baby’s second Christmas - ideas that will spark their imaginations and set the tone for many more magical Christmases to come.
Baby’s Second Christmas Ideas
Wondering what to do this year? For baby’s first christmas, you might have been gifted or created some keepsakes - perhaps Christmas cards featuring their handprints or footprints, or a special 1st Christmas decoration to remember their very first Christmas. As their independence grows, you can start to introduce some of the fun and colour of Christmas. We’ve rounded up some ideas to make baby’s second Christmas just as magical as the first - and perhaps, now they have an idea of what it’s all about, even more so.
Traditions
If you were a little busy just getting to grips with a new baby last year, then this is the year to create traditions. It could be choosing and hanging a new ornament together each year. Or perhaps an annual family photo in front of the tree. There may be Christmas traditions you’d like to pass down from your own family - a Christmas Eve story, perhaps, or putting out a mince pie and carrots for Santa and his reindeer. Whatever you choose to do, make it personal to you as a family and involve your baby - that’s what Christmas is all about.
Christmas cards
If your little one loves crafting, making Christmas cards together can be a really fun and wholesome activity. Either get some multipack plain cards and envelopes to decorate, or simply get arty with paint, colouring, stickers or stamps and scan or take a picture of the finished product. There are plenty of websites that offer custom Christmas cards - all you need to do is upload the picture and you have something personal, heartfelt and memorable to share.
If you’ve already bought your Christmas cards, why not let your toddler help “sign” Christmas cards with scribbles? It’s a really good exercise in fine motor skills and if you’re not overly precious about presentation, will be a heartwarming addition to any Christmas card sent to friends and family. Festive stickers on envelopes always look sweet and seasonal too - just be sure to leave room for names, addresses and stamps!
Christmas songs
Your little groover is likely loving music right now - so make the most of those dancing feet and sweet little moves with Christmas songs. Babies and toddlers of any age will love dancing with you, whilst older toddlers may even be able to learn a few words or lines of a song! Christmas song playlists are widely available via music streaming services - or simply turn on the radio anytime from December onwards. It may surprise you which songs your toddlers love best. We like the classics to get them started - ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ are a good basis to get you started. Add to the fun with jingle bell shakers or any instruments you have to hand - why not DIY a Christmas parade with a march around the house in time to the music?
Advent
Advent is a wonderful time to introduce new traditions. If your baby or toddler is a bit too little for a chocolate advent calendar, why not invest in a refillable personalised advent calendar?. You can ask family and friends to add to the fun with little gifts or treats for baby, and if you want to keep sugar to a minimum, simply fill the pockets with other little treats. Small toys or books or a piece of fruit or savoury snack are all lovely objects to find. For babies and young children, simply filling an advent calendar with items around the house or garden can be an exercise in discovery and sensory play.
Christmas Eve Box
Creating a Christmas Eve box together can be a really fun - whether that’s choosing a pair of personalised pyjamas together, or finding a special Christmas book to read on the night before Christmas. Other little trinkets could include a small toy, decoration, craft book or a pair of fluffy socks - anything fun and cosy to add to the excitement and joy of Christmas. Other Christmas Eve gifts typically include a stocking or sack to place presents in - especially if they were too little last year to enjoy the thrill of a sack or stocking. Explore our personalised collection, for meaningful keepsake.
Winter walks
Christmas lights, outdoor decorations, trees in every window - there is so much to see and do at this time of year. Wrap them up warm for a winter walk - at this time of year, walking in your local surroundings can be just as magical as heading to a bigger town or city to take in festive events, markets and Christmas light switch-ons. Not only are they a great way to show your child the world around them, sometimes just enjoying a slower pace soaking up the atmosphere can really help to get you all in the festive spirit. If your baby or toddler is a bit bigger, or if you have older siblings to factor in, don’t forget to add a park trip to the mix to let them blow off steam!
15 Toddler Christmas Activities
If your baby was already quite active for their first Christmas - perhaps crawling or even walking - you might well be ready to introduce some toddler focused activities for their second Christmas. If their second birthday isn’t too far away, their fine and gross motor skills are more than up to the challenge! All our toddler Christmas activities have been compiled for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years, but there are plenty of activities on the list to suit smaller babies (should a new sibling be joining you) or those with developmental delays, too. Supervision will be required, but don’t be afraid to let them get messy and explore!
-
Decorate a mini Christmas tree with soft, non-breakable ornaments - the real deal can be very tempting to grab or hold. This is not the year for glass or breakable ornaments - either put them on higher branches out of harm's way, or save them for next year.
-
Create paper snowflakes together (using child-safe scissors or tearing paper). This is a great activity to engage both gross and fine motor skills, encouraging curious minds to cut out different shapes and sizes to create different patterns and designs.
-
Make a sensory station or simply place items on a table that will look, sound or feel festive - think jingle bells, pom poms and ribbons in festive colours, pinecones, and ribbons. Allow your baby or toddler to explore the different items available and talk to them about the feel, shape and look of each one in turn.
-
Read Christmas themed books. The best way to find new favourites and introduce variety is to go to your local library, who will have a great selection to choose from. Alternatively swap or borrow from friends and family - there may well be some old classics you remember from your own childhood. Christmas books also make a wonderful gift to save for the big day or share on Christmas Eve.
-
Wrap soft toys in wrapping paper for an ‘unwrapping’ game - bigger kids might also love the opportunity to wrap toys up themselves. Masking tape is a good alternative to sellotape as the adhesive tends to be more forgiving. We recommend saving your Christmas wrapping paper for real gifts and instead use old newspapers for an eco-friendly alternative.
-
Finger-paint Christmas trees or stars - there are plenty of Christmas fingerprint painting ideas on Pinterest. We’ve compiled a few favourites on our ‘Baby & Toddler Christmas Crafts’ board. If attempting something that resembles a tree or animal feels too challenging, why not just let them create something unique? Simply set out some paper and a palette with Christmas colours - red, green, gold, silver - and let them paint away.
-
Make a collage with Christmas card cut-outs. If you’ve saved last year's cards, why not cut out Christmassy scenes for a collage? Just grab a few child-safe glue sticks, some paper and some cut out cards - the rest is up to their creativity!
-
Collect pinecones on a winter walk and place them in a bowl or vase, depending on how many you manage to find. You can even decorate them with paint or glitter for an extra-festive touch.
-
Make “reindeer food” (oats + seeds look authentic and are easy to mix together) to scatter outside. Whilst real reindeers may be scarce, local wild birds will be grateful for the meal, especially when winter frosts set in. Other reindeer food ideas can contain sprinkles, and whilst this looks festive, it can do more harm than good to any passing wildlife.
-
Bake Christmas biscuits together - these can be simple or festive (basic biscuit recipes can be made Christmassy with just one more ingredient - try cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger in the spice aisle, or add a few drops of almond essence if there are no nut allergies in the house). If you’re not a baker, many supermarkets offer gingerbread kits for decoration - a great family tradition!
-
Make a handprint keepsake each year to see their growth. This one always makes us feel sentimental and looks adorable as the years go by. Recording their tiny handprints tends to fall by the wayside once babies and toddlers grow into big kids and start school, but if you can find time, it’s a great way to record each passing year (and every special Christmas).
-
Visit a local Christmas market - or make a special visit to a big one in a city you’ve always wanted to see. Christmas markets are a feast of sights, smells and activities, with plenty of trinkets to buy and treats to try - making them a perfect family day out.
-
For something a little closer to home, a local garden centre can be a surprising place to get in the mood for Christmas. Many garden centres create beautiful decorated trees and displays to enjoy, whilst some of the larger centres also have activities and trails for children to enjoy.
-
Visit Santa’s grotto - if they want to! Some children can feel a little apprehensive when it comes to that first visit to Santa. Our advice? Don’t push it if they’re not into it. Santa’s grotto can be pretty overwhelming, with lots of kids and parents queuing for their turn. It’s sometimes a good idea to go on a quieter day when you know that there will be less of a crowd - which will likely feel much calmer and more special for your little one to enjoy.
-
Enjoy a Christmas cartoon or short film - keeping screen time to a minimum is on every parent’s mind, but sometimes it’s really special to snuggle up on the sofa and enjoy a Christmas movie together as a family. We recommend choosing a Christmas short for babies and toddlers, whilst bigger kids will likely enjoy something a bit longer. For very young children, Disney classic ‘Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas’ is nostalgic and heartwarming, whilst short films ‘Tabby Mctat’ and ‘Stickman’ are lightly festive and under 30 minutes, should you wish to keep screentime short.
From all of us at My 1st Years, we wish you a very merry second Christmas with you baby - may it be joyful, heartfelt and cosy! If you have the happy job of ‘Santa’ this year, our 1 year old Christmas gifts - and gifts more appropriate for babies getting closer to 2! - are personalised to make Christmas all the more memorable. Take a peek at our Christmas toys and gifts for a little inspiration this festive season.