Christmas Light Displays with Kids

Do you want to see a Christmas light display, but you are not sure the best way to make it happen with a child? Here are some tips for viewing Christmas Light Displays with Kids.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see full disclosure below!

Christmas Shirts for Kids from Etsy!

**SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR A FREE PRINTABLE CHRISTMAS BUCKET LIST!!

How to see a Christmas Lights display with Kids

Every year, families around the world plan trips to see Christmas lights as one of their holiday traditions. Some simply take a drive through areas that are known for light displays, others go on pre planned tours. No matter the scenario, Christmas lights are enjoyed most by children, but

Where to See Christmas Lights

There are lots of ways to see Christmas lights with kids. The simplest way is to just take a drive to local neighborhoods

Have a Plan

The first and most important thing to remember about planning a Christmas lights outing with children is to have a plan. Your plan should include these things:

Where you are going?
How long you will be gone?
Will you be indoors or outside?
Will you be walking or riding to see the display?
Are there costs involved? Tickets? Admission?

Dress Appropriately

After you plan your trip and know where you are going to see Christmas lights, make sure you have a plan for how to dress your children.

There are a few things that you should keep in mind when dressing your children for these events. You want them to be comfortable and have clothes that will not restrict their movement too much. Many light show venues have places for kids to play or activities for them to participate in.

You also want them to have clothes that will not become wet or dirty easily if they are walking around with snow on the ground or if they are sitting on the floor in front of some lights displays. You never know what will happen with the winter weather so, you might pack an extra change of clothes, just in case.

Lastly, you want them to have something warm on so they won’t get cold while waiting for the parade of lights or while sitting outside at night looking at lights displays with friends. The best practice here is to dress in layers and bring an extra layer with you as well as gloves and hats.

Bring Snacks

Kids are notorious for needing a snack, even for short road trips. If you are just driving around to local neighborhoods or taking a driving tour through a Christmas light show or display, packing a few snacks that are easy to handle on the go is a great idea to keep your evening from being cut short by an unhappy child or to keep you from spending extra money by eating out.

Packing snacks from home is the best idea. You can even pack festive ones like:

Hot cocoa in an insulated cup. (Note: for kids, this should be “barely warm” cocoa
Christmas Cookies
Eggnog in a sippy cup
Candy Canes
Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
Carrot Sticks with “snow dip”

Have a Potty Break Plan

If you are planning a Christmas lights excursion with kids, especially with toddlers, you should know where the nearest clean restrooms are to every venue. I speak from experience. Just as soon as you are in a long line of cars or on a trolly tour, your toddler will suddenly need to go potty. Here are a few things you can do to prevent disaster:

Go before you leave home. No exceptions.
Go as soon as you arrive. No exceptions.
Go at every stop if it has been more than two hours or your child has been consuming liquids.
Take extra clothes. Think of your layers. Take an extra of all the layers.

Bring Fun Items for the Kids

Bringing along a few extra items to keep the kids happy and entertained is never a bad idea. Kids get bored easily, so it’s always nice to have a few extra things to pull out to keep them involved. Here are some ideas:

Scavenger Hunt for older kids
Glow Sticks
Sparkers for older kids
Jingle Bells (if you can listen to them for a while)
Fun Hats