🎄Make memories.
🎄Enjoy holiday time with your kids.
🎄Do it for FREE!
Across the US many national chain stores and restaurants offer free seasonal family fun. Every family can use a little budget-friendly holiday cheer and these free-for-kids events definitely fit the bill. Make crafts that your kids can give as gifts or use to decorate the house, get pictures with Santa, and lots more without spending any money at all.
Free Pictures With Santa at Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops
Visit Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas for a free studio-quality 4×6 photo with Santa, November 8th through December 24th, 2026! Kids can also drop off a letter in Santa’s mailbox, do some crafts, and you’ll even receive a free shareable video of your visit with Santa. How cool is that?
Check it all out and get the details.
Free reservations open up to seven days in advance, so hop on and reserve your spot (walk-ins are welcome, too).
Kidding Around® Visits Santa at Bass Pro Shops
Get Ready for the Holidays with a FREE Holiday Engine Project
Kids can visit Lowes Home Improvement stores for a festive FREE Holiday Engine project. Sign up in advance (you’ll need a free MyLowe’s Rewards account with a Kids Club profile)!
Make a FREE Holiday Engine at the Lowes Kids Workshop on November 14th, 2026.
Get all the details: Kidding Around® Visits the Lowes Kids Workshops.
Make a Christmas Car Ornament Free at Home Depot
Kids can make an ornament to decorate your family tree or give as a gift! Each month the Home Depot offers a FREE Kids Workshop. On November 21st, 2026 the free project is a fun Christmas car ornament (registration opens November 7th). It’s best to register in advance for these Home Depot events!
Make a Free Christmas Car Ornament at Home Depot, on November 21st, 2026.
Get all the details! Kidding Around® Goes to the Kids Workshops at Home Depot.
Make a Holiday Train at Home Depot
December 5th, 2026 the Home Depot project is a holiday train, which would be a totally awesome way for kids to make a gift for someone special. These projects are totally free and we love visiting each month.
Make a Free Holiday Train at Home Depot, on December 5th, 2026.
Get all the details! Kidding Around® Goes to the Kids Workshops at Home Depot.
Free Holiday Craft at JCPenney Kids Zone
JCPenney offers a free kids’ craft event on the second Saturday of each month, from 11am to Noon. Kids also get an ID badge, lanyard, and a collector’s pin each month, and parents get an extra savings coupon. How fun is that?
Get all the details about the FREE holiday craft at JCPenney.
Second Saturday of the month, 11am to Noon (December 2026 date not yet announced)
Kidding Around® Share the JCPenney Kids Zone Crafts
Make a Holiday Trolley Car
The Lowes Kids Workshop event in December is a Holiday Trolley Car, perfect for gifting! Grandma is going to love this one! Kids can make it on December 12th, 2026 for free. Registration opens November 14th, 2026, so sign up in advance!
Make a Holiday Trolley Car at Lowes Home Improvement Store on December 12th, 2026.
Get all the details: Kidding Around® Visits the Lowes Kids Workshops.
Free Holiday Movies at NCG Cinemas
13 December days with free Christmas movies at NCG movie theater? If that doesn’t put a little jingle in your step this season, we’re not sure what will. See the following movies free at NCG Cinemas in December 2026! Tickets are free, and you’ll pick a reserved seat when you get them.
- December 4th – 6th, 2026: Elf
- December 11th – 13th, 2026: Grinch (2018)
- December 18th – 24th, 2026: The Polar Express (2004)
Get all the details: NCG Free Holiday Movies Details on Kidding Around.
Bonus: Cheap Holiday Movies at Regal Cinemas
You can watch a holiday movie for a discounted price at Regal Cinemas’ annual Holiday Classics promotion. In 2025, tickets were $7.99, with a different classic on the big screen each day from November 28th through December 31st, including National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Here’s the Regal Holiday Classics schedule:
The 2026 schedule hasn’t been announced yet. Check Regal’s promotions page for the latest.