Christmas Games 

Take your Christmas games outside this year with these FREE muddy ideas from the outdoor learning experts at The Muddy Puddle Teacher. 

Circle time games 

For these games ask the children to hold hands and make a circle. This game is called ‘Chasing Christmas’. Using plain stickers, write one Christmas item on each of the stickers and place on the child’s outdoor clothing. Make sure they know what their word says. It does not matter what you choose – it could be a nativity theme, Santa theme. We have gone for a natural Christmas theme. Keep it to For these games ask the children to hold hands and make a circle. This game is called ‘Chasing Christmas’. Using plain stickers, write one Christmas item on each of the stickers and place on the child’s outdoor clothing. Make sure they know what their word says. It does not matter what you choose – it could be a nativity theme, Santa theme. We have gone for a natural Christmas theme. Keep it to around six words for large groups and less so for small groups. For example – Ivy, holly, mistletoe, Robin, snowman, star. Now you can start your game. All turn around while singing a Christmas song then when the educator stops and shouts out a word those children have to run around the outside of the circle and back to their place. Do this for every word so all children get a chance. Say several at the same time for extra fun! Adapt this game further by asking the children to skip, hop or jump. 

This game is called ‘A Sticky Christmas’. Use the name labels from the activity before. All turn around in the circle again singing a Christmas song. When the song finishes the educator calls out a word from the selection they made earlier.  Such as ‘Robin’. The Robins then have to find a stick and bring it into the middle of the circle. Do this with all the words so all children get a chance. Adapt the game by asking the children to find a leaf or stone.  You could also hide sweets or pine cones and get them to find this way. around six words for large groups and less so for small groups. For example – Ivy, holly, mistletoe, Robin, snowman, star. Now you can start your game. All turn around while singing a Christmas song then when the educator stops and shouts out a word those children have to run around the outside of the circle and back to their place. Do this for every word so all children get a chance. Say several at the same time for extra fun! Adapt this game further by asking the children to skip, hop or jump.

This game is called ‘A Sticky Christmas’. Use the name labels from the activity before. All turn around in the circle again singing a Christmas song. When the song finishes the educator calls out a word from the selection they made earlier.  Such as ‘Robin’. The Robins then have to find a stick and bring it into the middle of the circle. Do this with all the words so all children get a chance. Adapt the game by asking the children to find a leaf or stone.  You could also hide sweets or pine cones and get them to find this way. 

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Ready, steady, Santa!

Test the children’s listening skills with this muddy game! Ask the children to stand at one end of your space and tell them that when you say ‘Ready Steady Santa’  the children can race to the other end of your space. However, do not say ‘Ready, Steady, Santa’ straight away.  Test their listening skills.  Say ‘Ready, Steady, Go’ or ‘Ready, Steady, Rudolf!’ Also change the travel each time to hopping, skipping, running.  No winners! Just for fun 🙂

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Speedy Scavenger Hunts

Put the children in pairs or threes and give the teams a list of items to find.  For example, you need to find three leaves and three sticks and then rush back and make a Christmas tree, star, snowman, Santa. Adapt and extend the activity by including mud, pine cones, acorns and stones. 

Rudolfs Nose

Have fun with the children painting rocks various colours.  But paint only one rock red. This can also be done with pine cones. An adult then has to hide all of the rocks outside, making sure the children do not see.  Then take the children out and tell them that Father Christmas has lost Rudolph’s nose, can we help him?  By the side of the educator have several coloured hoops so the children can sort the coloured stones as they find them.  Play the game until Rudolph’s nose has been found.  Repeat the game as many times as desired.  To finish why not make a giant 2D Rudolph on the floor? You already have his nose but maybe use leaves for his body and sticks for his legs?

Leafy, sneaky Santa

Ask the children to collect up lots of leaves and using marker pens draw one star on each leaf.  The educator also needs to take five leaves and draw a Santa on each one.  Finally, send the children to collect some plain leaves then mix all of the leaves together add leave in a neat pile. All stand in a circle holding hands around the pile of leaves. For large groups, choose five children at a time to go into the centre and after ‘1,2,3 and a ho ho ho’, the children have to throw the leaves in the air hunting for the five leaves that have the Santas on. The other children have to sing a song about Santa as the children in the centre hunt. Swap over and let another five children have a go.

We are passionate about helping nature, if this is your thing and you want to focus more on this incredible area try visiting some wildlife charities such as The Wildlife Trust. 
To get the full Muddy Christmas Outdoor Learning pack splash this way.