Christmas Books And Activities To Go With Them
One of the ways that we have encouraged a love of reading and learning with our kids is to match books with fun crafts and activities. We started when they were toddlers and continued through to school age. That love of picture and storybook based activities has spread over onto Rainy Day Mum and for many years now we have been creating reading activities for kids based on some of our favourite books. Christmas books are one of the areas that we continue to use as inspiration for crafts and activities and run an annual Storybook Advent which features 4 classic children’s storybooks and picture books with crafts, activities and recipes based around them aimed at Toddlers and Preschoolers. Continue below to find inspiration for matching books and activities this Christmas for your children.
Christmas Books and Activities
These Christmas Books are some of our favourites but don’t forget to pin or bookmark this page as we update it each year with more storybook crafts and activities to enjoy during the festive season.
Looking for our favourite Christmas Books then discover our selection of Christmas Board Books for Babies and Young Toddlers and our favourite Christmas Picture Books for Older Toddlers and Preschoolers.
We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Nativity Story Reading Activities for Kids
Of the Christmas Books we have shared activities and crafts for here on Rainy Day Mum my favourite has been the Nativity Story. We think it’s important that children understand the reason that Christmas is celebrated whatever religion they are from. Introducing the story through crafts and learning activities helps them to understand, retell and also know about the reasoning behind the festivities. So click here to find the selection of Nativity Christmas Story Activities and Crafts.
Nutcracker Crafts and Activities
Although now a movie and a ballet. The Nutcracker is also one of our favourite Christmas storybooks. We featured this as one of the books within our annual countdown to Christmas back in 2016 have a variety of different Nutcracker Ballet, Book and Movie inspired activities and crafts for you and your little ones to try including some easy Nutcracker peg dolls and Nutcracker Props for Photos.
The Polar Express
Another classic Christmas Story is The Polar Express, another book we featured back in the Book Activities for Advent in 2016. Featuring Polar Express Crafts and Activities we had fun making things like the Polar Express Ticket Punch and the DIY Polar Express Christmas Cards.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Activities and Crafts
Written as a promotion for a department store Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story and song have become part of our and our children’s Christmas memories. We featured this classic book in our advent in 2017 and created a range of Reindeer Inspired Crafts and Activities for Kids based on the loveable reindeer that helps Santa on the foggy Christmas Eve.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Crafts and Activities
With a movie, cartoon and book How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss is a firm favourite in our house. Especially with a boy that loves everything GREEN! So creating Grinch Crafts, Recipes, Drinks and Activities was a lot of fun. Check out our Grinch Smoothie and the fabulous Grinch Mum Hair Do for something to WOW the kids this Christmas as you read the book together.
The Snowman Storybook Activities and Crafts
Growing up my favourite Christmas story was always The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. I loved the movie, the book and the music. Choosing this as a feature Christmas Book to share ideas within our Storybook Advent was one of my favourites. Click through on the image below or the blue underlined link to find The Snowman Themed Activities, Recipes and Crafts for Kids ideal for some book themed Christmas fun.
More Activity and Craft Ideas for Christmas Books
Read Spot’s First Christmas by Eric Hill with your baby or young toddler and create some keepsakes to remind you of how very little they once were with these First Christmas Ornament Craft to do.
Make some Gingerbread Salt Dough and create a garland of Gingerbread men, ladies and friends based on the book Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett.
Inspired by the book Coppernickel Goes Mondrian by Wouter van Reek we created some Mondrian Stained Glass Ornaments for the Christmas Tree. These were fantastic when they caught the light on the big tree as the colours really shone through.
Another Jan Brett book this time The Gingerbread Baby and a shape learning activity based on this beautiful children’s picture book and story. Check out the FREE Printable Gingerbread Shape Game for another book based activity for kids this Christmas.
Check out these other ideas from some other sites
Pete the Cat Saves Christmas ABC Game – from Growing Book by Book
Dream Snow Sensory Bottle – from Inspiration Laboratories
Why Christmas Trees aren’t Perfect Pine Branch Ornament – from I can Teach my Child
Watercolor Christmas Trees – from 3 Dinosaurs
Gingerbread Man Collage Craft – from Toddler Approved
The Grinches Heart Homemade Christmas Ornament by Fun-a-day
Christmas Bell Ornament by Teach Beside Me
Festive Train Ornaments inspired by Polar Express by Crafty Mama in Me
More Christmas Activities and Crafts
Countdown to Christmas with our Advent Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers filled with Christmas Crafts, Activities, Recipes and ideas for spending time together with your little ones.
Looking for crafts that are best for your toddlers then check out our list of Christmas Crafts and Activities for Toddlers these are tried and tested by my own kids and their friends and you can really do them with the kids and it won’t be you do them and they watch.
Don’t Forget to Pin These Ideas for Christmas Reading Activities to Find Again Easily.
