DIY Christmas Party Activity - Naughty or Nice Kids Game!

"Lumps of Coal" Bounce out of Buckets.

Holiday Teddy Bears are an Awesome Top Prize!

NAUGHTY OR NICE KIDS GAME - SETUP & DIRECTIONS

Short Carnival Savers video/gif shows foam balls being tossed into four cute Santa buckets arranged in a row.

Supplies for DIY Naughty or Nice:

4 Red Buckets (we sell a mixture of bright red and green below - you will need two sets)
Black Felt Strips and Gold Felt to make "Santa Decoration" on buckets
Hot glue gun to adhere "Santa" decorations
Packing tape or duct tape to keep buckets in place
8 - 12 Lumps of Coal Toys, or if sold out, use Rock Stress Balls

Decorations and or stand behind lines (we added a white tablecloth under the buckets)
Prizes - at least consolation and top prizes for this game! (Holiday small toys are fun for this booth)

Game Setup:

Before the Christmas carnival (or holiday party), make your "Santa buckets" by cutting black felt in thick strips, cutting out a square belt buckle, and adding hot glue to your buckets.

Next, set up the game as shown above. Note: place the Santa Buckets about 6 - 8 inches apart to make this game challenging.

It is optional, but we used a white tablecloth under the game to show a "stand behind line" for kids. We have found kids are tempted to get closer to this game in their excitement to win!

Also, if you have children of different ages playing, have an additional line about 1 1/2 - 2 feet further back for the older kids to make the game more fair for the little ones playing!

How to Play the Naughty or Nice Carnival Game:

Children are given 4 "lumps of coal" toys to toss into the Santa Themed Buckets.

They must start with the closest bucket first and try to get the coal to stay inside each bucket in order. If they miss a bucket, they can try for that bucket again as each bucket gets harder to hit!

Game Winnings Suggestions:

0-2 Lumps of Coal in the Buckets = Consolation Prize
3 Lumps of Coal in the Buckets = Medium Prize (for a kids' classroom holiday game or small party, you can omit the medium prize for simplicity)
All 4 Lumps of Coal in the Buckets = Top Prize

Additional Hints & Tips:

Note: This game is much harder than it looks...the uneven "lumps of coal" seem to have an unpredictable bounce and sometimes will land in the bucket at first but bounce out right away, which helps to make this game a challenge!

NAUGHTY or NICE..GAME PRIZES for ALL and GAME SUPPLIES TOO!

Sold Out

Lump of Coal Stress Ball Toy (12/package) $1.20 $14.50 $19.99

The Lump of Coal Stress Ball Toy is the perfect stocking or goodie bag stuffer for your Christmas event! Fun for the friends on Santa's "naughty" list! Make sure everybody gets one and doesn't feel left out. These are currently Sold Out - BUT check out some options we have for lumps of coal the Naughty or Nice Holiday Game below: 1. Use our Rock Stress Balls and Paint with No-Toxic Black Paint to resemble Lumps of Coal - our first choice! 2. See our Top Picks on Amazon for something similar - Lump of Coal Dog Toys or Lump of Coal Containers (#CommisionsEarned) Lump of coal ball is 2 1/2". NOTE: These relaxable toys are NOT "SLOW RISE SQUISHIES". Relaxable toys are stiff foam and use muscles to release stress!

Large Red & Green Prize Buckets (4 buckets per set) $19.75 $25.70

Large Carnival Prize Buckets! Each set contains four buckets 2 of each color RED and GREEN. These wholesale carnival supplies are perfect for displaying your large and top carnival prizes like stuffed animals, inflatables, and plush dolls. Also, it is great for Holiday parties to hold juice boxes or sodas on ice! 4 Buckets - 2 Red - 2 Green Fun for games and game prizes Stackable for easy storage NOTE: These are a little brittle - so they can crack if you put very heavy things in them and try to pick up with one handle.Buckets are 10" x 10" x 8-1/2".

Rock Bouncing Balls (24 total bouncing balls in 2 bags) 39¢ each $9.25 $13.98

Unique bouncing balls that look like rocks have an unpredictable bounce! This fun small novelty toy bouncing ball is a fun carnival prize for boys and girls! 24 Rock shaped bouncing balls Assorted colors and designs Unique-shaped bouncing balls Bright color variations Fun novelty toy for kids Rock look-alike bouncing balls are 1 1/2".

Sold Out

Holiday Gliders Toy (96 total gliders in 2 bags) 20¢ each $19.50 $20.98

High flying holiday fun will be had by kids of all ages when they get their Holiday Glider Toy. Assorted holiday styles from Christmas trees to snowflakes. Simple assembly required. NOTE: These foam gliders are really inexpensive and in our tests kids really thought they were cool even though they tend to break apart with use! Foam gliders are 6".

Peppermint Candy Toy Mazes (48 total toys in 2 bags) 40¢ each $19.25 $22.04

Peppermint Candy Toy Mazes make a fun Chrіѕtmаѕ party fаvоr оr ѕtосkіng ѕtuffеr. Thеѕе pерреrmіnt tоуѕ аrе the реrfесt аddіtіоn tо аnу fеѕtіvе раrtу оr gаthеrіng. You remember this type of small novelty toy from years ago. Each holiday maze has two small silver balls and the goal is to get both of the balls into the center of the maze at the same time - a true challenge! Peppermint maze puzzles are 2 1/2 inches each.

Holiday Spin Tops (24 total toys in 2 bags) 41¢ each $9.75 $18.00

A wonderful small toy for the season, these holiday spin tops feature a variety of yuletide designs and sayings including snowflakes and Santa. At 2 1/4" and less than 20¢ each, these holiday spin tops make a perfect winter carnival prize or simply a fun holiday toy at a great discount price! Spin Tops each 2 1/4"

Holiday Notepads (48 total holiday notepads in 2 bags) 49¢ each $23.50 $31.98

Holiday Spiral Notepads at only 34¢ each! Snatch up some great wholesale holiday prizes today for your winter carnival or classroom holiday party! 30 pages spiral - featuring favorite holiday characters on the cover like snowmen, polar bears, penguins, and Santa Claus.Holiday Spirals are 5".

Stuffed Patch Work Holiday Bears (24 total bears in 2 bags) $1.91 each $45.75 $59.98

Just in time for the holidays, these cute and cuddly bears are sure to fill your children with joy and excitement! Available in an assortment of three shades of brown, each soft 5-inch teddy bear wears a red bow tie and features fun Christmas themed embroidery on the foot and tummy with images of snowmen, Santa, Christmas trees, and more! These adorable bears make wonderful gifts, whether in the stocking, under the tree, or as a favor at your next holiday party! These stuffed animal bears are 4 1/2".

See More Carnival Game Ideas Kids Love!