Christmas in Candy Land: A Kids’ Holiday Table

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so why relegate kids to a rickety card table? Create a special party area for children to have their own celebration while the grownups gather nearby. Set the scene with lots of bright, bold color and deck the table with candy-covered decorations. Kids will be greeted with a sweet feast for the eyes (and taste buds!).

By: Heather Baird

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Photo By: Heather Baird SprinkleBakes.com

Welcome to Wonderland!

Kids will love having their very own colorful holiday party table where it’s easy to stay entertained. Our sweets-inspired table decor is easy to craft and little helpers will love to assist. Create some holiday baking memories with our retro-inspired Christmas bulb ornament cookies. They decorate a tabletop tree centerpiece and can be removed for munching during the party.

See More Photos: 75 Christmas Crafts for Kids

C9 Bulb Cookies: An Illuminating Idea

Little eyes will twinkle at the sight of these glittering Christmas bulb cookies. Whip up a batch with our roll-out butter-cookie recipe and a C9 bulb cookie cutter. Decorate with vivid royal icing colors along with sparkling sanding sugar to help them light up the room. Learn how to bake up a batch of these delicious edible ornaments with our recipe and tutorial, below.

get the recipe: Edible C9 Christmas Bulb Cookie Ornaments

O Christmas Tree!

A small tabletop Christmas tree makes the ultimate festive centerpiece. Decorate the tree ahead of party time, or don’t, and give kids the fun job of hanging the edible cookie ornaments on its branches.

Hard-Candy Christmas

These trees can be made by adults well ahead of party time, but with grown-up or older kid supervision, the littles can get their creativity on, too. Card stock from the scrapbooking aisle at craft stores is easy to roll into cones and tape or glue together. Hot-glue pieces of colorful candy on for a jeweled effect. Mini swirl lollipop toppers are the perfect finishing touch. Just insert the stick into the top of the cone.

It’s a Marshmallow World

“Hey! That’s my name!” Young guests will feel special when they spot their seats. Snowmen on candy cane sleds hold lollipops with name tags attached. Add these funny guys to each place setting and let kids take them home for a special treat (if they don’t eat them immediately!). Learn how to craft your own, below.

get the how-to: Sledding Marshmallow Snowman Holiday Place Card Holders

Deck the Tabletop

Focus on fun rather than fancy place settings. Dress up the kids’ table with a bold striped table runner and colorful plates in nontraditional holiday hues. Make the table look even merrier with paper snowflakes and candies strewn across the display for decorative table scatter.

See More Photos: Copy These Christmas Table Setting + Decorating Ideas

Skip the Single-Use Paper Goods

For a paperless dining option, use melamine tableware. Brightly colored dishes and clear glasses can be reused for other parties and holidays. They’re also shatterproof and wash up well. Cloth napkins will give the table a grown-up touch, and they can be used as a teaching moment for young diners who may not be familiar with table etiquette.

Party Provisions

Offer a kid-friendly punch that adds even more holiday color to your table. A tasty, colorful thirst quencher in red or green hues can be made ahead of time and served with striped paper straws to match the table decor.

Cozy Corner

A playroom bench can be pulled up to the children’s table for a fun, casual touch. Add throw pillows to make it more comfortable for your littlest holiday guests.

Level Up!

Kids' table sets are tailored to smaller statures, which can mean there’s limited space on the tabletop. Use pedestals or cake stands to elevate sweets while giving kids a bit more elbow room.

Small Wonders

Small details can add even more cheer. Further decoration can be added with containers of Christmas candy, extra cookie ornaments and candy canes. If preparing a table for very young kids, replace wrapped hard candies with packs of fruit snacks, gummy candies and other soft chewable sweets.

Hang Stockings With Care

Hang colorful character stockings filled with goodies on the backs of each chair. It's sure to pique kids’ curiosity about what’s inside. These can be filled with inexpensive small gifts and make a nice party favor for each child to take home as a keepsake.

Color Them Happy

Or, fill each stocking with coloring pages. Free, printable holiday-themed coloring pages are widely available online, and just require a printer and copy paper. Pair them with markers, crayons or colored pencils from the dollar store.

After-Dinner Activities

When dinner is over and bellies are full, the stockings ensure that kids have boredom busters within easy reach. Consider adding playing cards, small toys and puzzles to your loot stockings.

Merry Everything

Giving kids their own space to celebrate is giving them the gift of holiday memories. It’s a place to eat, play and socialize with cousins or family friends they may not see frequently throughout the year. It’s often said that kids grow up too fast, so make this a Christmas tradition while your littles are still little.