Santa’s Beard Relay: Fun Christmas Game for Kids
Bring the holiday spirit to life with this festive Santa’s Beard Relay, a Christmas party game for kids that mixes movement, teamwork, and creativity! In this silly, action-packed activity, children race to complete Santa’s fluffy beard using cotton balls—perfect for indoor fun during the holiday season.
A Creative and High-Energy Christmas Relay Game
This easy-to-set-up Christmas activity turns a classic relay into a festive competition. Children take turns dashing to glue cotton balls onto Santa’s face, building his beard one puff at a time. The game encourages friendly rivalry, bursts of laughter, and joyful teamwork—ideal for classroom parties, winter birthdays, or family gatherings.
Game Sheet
Before starting, here’s a quick overview of what you need to know:
- Number of players: From 5 children
- Recommended age: 5 years and up
- Supplies:
- Large Santa face posters (without a beard)
- Cotton balls or white pom-poms
- Glue sticks or double-sided tape
- Bowls to hold the cotton balls
- Where to play: Indoors (classroom, living room, gym…)
- Duration: Around 15 minutes
This format makes it easy to organize the game in almost any indoor setting, with little equipment. Looking for more holiday fun? Explore all our Christmas games for kids—a festive collection of printable activities and party ideas to brighten the season!
Why Kids Will Love This Game
This Christmas relay is more than just fun—it’s a holiday hit for many reasons:
- It gets kids moving, laughing, and working together.
- It sparks imagination as kids create their version of Santa’s beard.
- It adds festive charm to any indoor event with very little prep.
Whether you’re planning a classroom Christmas party or looking for a simple group game to keep little ones busy, this one checks all the boxes.
Want to take the fun even further? Try our complete Christmas escape room kit for kids—a printable adventure perfect for ages 8 and up, filled with holiday mysteries and clever challenges!
How to Play the Santa’s Beard Relay
This relay is easy to understand and fun for kids aged 5 and up. Here’s how it works:
- Divide into Teams: Assign each team a Santa poster.
- Set the Course: Place a bowl of cotton balls and glue a few feet away from each Santa picture.
- Start the Relay: One child at a time grabs a cotton ball, adds glue or tape, and sticks it to Santa’s face.
- Take Turns: After each child sticks their cotton ball, they return and tag the next teammate.
- End the Game: Play until the beard is full or a timer runs out. The team with the fullest beard—or who finishes first—wins!
This simple setup creates an engaging game full of energy and giggles, with just the right amount of holiday magic. Looking for more festive fun? Test your holiday knowledge with our Christmas trivia quiz for kids—a great way to spark laughter and learning during any Christmas gathering!
Fun Variations to Try
You can easily adapt the Santa’s Beard Relay to keep things fresh and exciting:
- Timed Challenge: Use a stopwatch and challenge teams to create the fullest beard before time’s up.
- Blindfold Relay: Blindfold the child before sticking the cotton ball—hilarious results guaranteed!
- Holiday Character Swap: Replace Santa with Frosty the Snowman, a reindeer, or an elf.
- Solo Version: Kids take turns playing individually and are timed for fun competition.
Each variation adds a new level of excitement and can be adjusted to suit the size or energy of your group. Want to spice up your party with a surprise twist? Try the Christmas challenge wheel game—a spinning game full of hilarious dares and festive mini-challenges!
Educational Benefits of Santa’s Beard Relay
This festive game also supports child development in several ways:
- Motor Skills: Running, gluing, and aiming support coordination.
- Teamwork & Cooperation: Encourages kids to work toward a common goal.
- Creativity: Kids enjoy crafting the fluffiest, funniest beards.
- Rule Following: Great for practicing patience and turn-taking.
- Social Development: Helps kids communicate, cheer, and share success.
This activity is a great mix of holiday fun and developmental learning—all without screens or complicated setup. Looking for another hilarious holiday activity? Don’t miss The Santa’s Missing Hat Game—a fun scavenger-style game that keeps kids moving and giggling!
Designed for Learning and Fun
At Party Games for Kids, we believe in turning any holiday into a moment of magic:
- Kid-tested fun: Games that keep kids laughing and moving
- Simple setup: Most games require only basic materials
- Adaptable: Great for classrooms, parties, and families
- Created by early childhood professionals
- Instant access—no prep stress!
Want more ready-to-play holiday adventures? Explore all our printable Christmas treasure hunts and escape room kits on Treasure Hunt for Kids—perfect for adding magic and mystery to your festive celebrations!
