Games for playing on Christmas Day - young kids

[MaximumVolume]

I'm looking for suggestions of games of any kind (happy to buy) that we can play with our 5 & (just turned) 3 year olds.

For complex reasons it will be just the four of us on Christmas Day itself so I'd like to make it lovely and special. Neither DH or I have spent Christmas with fewer than ten people before, so we're worried it's going to be boring or disappointing for the kids.

Ds 3 has asked for the doughnut game so likely we will be playing that!!

Pin the red nose on Rudolph

You could all play with play doh or Lego, or for actual games, easy ones like snakes and ladders or the orchard games?

We were in the same situation last year and hungry hippos went down a treat.

And just to reassure you, both children had a fantastic day. They had mum, dad, lots of new toys and chocolate. What's not to like?!

Yes to hungry hippos. Also twister - our youngest just moves entirely each time to each colour but everyone has a laugh. Also defo the orchard games: cupcake game, crazy chefs, shopping list game are all good for 3yo. Snap!

Lovely suggestions, thanks all!

@Tinselistacky what's the doughnut game?

Mine love the sounds bingo game which comes with a CD. The ravensburger bugs in the kitchen game and don’t wake Dad got lots of laughs.
Looking to buy dough nutters this year too and that wiggley worm game.

We’ve got pop up pirates to play with ours who are the same age.

Phil the Fridge causes much excitement here - and the shape sorter element of it means our eighteen month old loves it as much as his older sister.

Shopping List is another big favourite here too.

We had the best time last year playing the Hot Potato game - it’s so simple and funny. Young children will love it.

Another vote for Shopping List. And Incy Wincey Spider (also Orchard Games I think) was a huge hit at those ages. Caterpillar Dice is another good one (HABA Games). Snap. Magnetic noughts & crosses - we had one in a metal tin where the lid was the board, and the noughts & crosses were bees and ladybirds. If you're feeling really brave Pie Face is hilarious. My mum had one of those whack-a-mole type games from ELC which was aliens popping out of holes and you had to hook them out with a fishing rod.

For non board game type games we will be doing

Candy cane pick up
Wind up reindeer races
Who am I - Disney sticker version

I bought an inflatable reindeer antlers last year that you put on your head and throw hoops at. Selfie stick and props went down a treat too last year.

A pile of candy canes in the middle and two people, each with a candy cane in their mouth have to hook ones from the pile within a given short time. They are lifted into a small cup that each have and the winner is the one with the most canes on the whistle. Candy canes do come wrapped so you can wipe the wrapping in between turns,

We only ever had the 5 of us at Christmas when I was younger -I thought it was odd that people traveled and met up with other people! We usually spent the day playing with our new toys, constructing lego etc.

This year I'm getting my nearly 3 year old and his 96 year old great granny a snakes and ladders and ludo set! Thought we could try some simple games with him and great-granny was reminising about these.

DS also loves playing snap and dominoes.

If it's a nice day then it's great to go for a walk (picnic!) or park as it's so quiet and anyone you meet is always really friendly.

Tummy ache is by far the best game known to man, ever!

Please don’t worry, your DC will have a great time regardless!

I grew up only ever having Christmas Day with my parents, sister and me. It was always lovely, we got to stay home and play with our new toys as kids and to not have to make awkward small talk as teens (I have a very big extended family but not close either emotionally or geographically).

I’ve since had a couple of big Christmases with family (mine or a friends). That’s lovely too, I’m a different way. But I’ve never felt I missed out on not having it as a kid.

If you still feel guilty, just read some of the stories in AIBU of unreasonable relatives at Christmas!

Anyway, games wise, something silly, I keep seeing a foot tickling pirate game advertised, or pieface, something silly that the kids will find hysterical

Dobble kids, junior labyrinth and game of life junior are all playable at that age and are good games.

The chocolate game?

There's a family sized block of chocolate in the middle, and you sit in a circle and take it in turns to roll a die. If you roll six, hurry! You have to put on a jacket, a hat, and a pair of gloves, and then tuck into the (previously unbroken) chocolate with a fork and knife. Meanwhile everyone else is still throwing the die, and the next person to get a six takes over and you have to take off the clothes and let them try!

It's HILARIOUS. With kids as young as yours I'd probably pre break the chocolate (or use chocolate buttons) and change it to eating the pieces/buttons out of a bowl with chopsticks or a spoon depending on their relative dexterity (Mama knows them best and you can even differentiate based on age: "Mom and dad will use the chopsticks but you kids can use the spoon" etc). It's just good, clean, silly fun where everyone gets to giggle and eat a bunch of chocolate. Perfect for Christmas!

We are in the same situation with our 5 and 3 yr old. Our 2 enjoy junior monopoly, guess who and mousetrap. For Christmas they are getting UNO, Junior Cluedo and Frustration :-)

Guess Who
Ludo
Snap
Snakes and Ladders (make your own personalised one with things they like on, v easy to do)

The playdoh pictionary game is good fun.

For 5 year old, and maybe 3 to as part of a team, Uno is great!!!