20 Christmas Drinks for Kids to Love

These christmas drinks for kids turn cocoa night into the highlight of the whole season, with 20 easy ideas little ones can help make themselves. Each recipe uses simple pantry staples like milk, chocolate, fruit juice, and a few festive extras, so there's no need for special equipment or a shopping trip. Whether you want something warm and cosy by the tree or a frosty slushie for a school party, this list has a drink for every Christmas mood. Every recipe below is alcohol-free and written with real metric amounts so it works the same way every time.

Pour 240 ml (1 cup) chilled prepared hot chocolate over crushed ice, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and about 10 g (2 tsp) crushed candy canes. The float turns classic cocoa into a spoon-and-straw treat that stays cold even at a busy party. Swap the vanilla ice cream for peppermint ice cream if your kids love a stronger mint kick. Finish with a swirl of whipped cream so it looks like a mini snowdrift.

This is the one every kid asks for on repeat: whole milk warmed gently with real melted chocolate and a spoon of cocoa powder for depth. Melting 85 g (3 oz) of milk chocolate straight into the milk, instead of using packet mix, gives a silkier, less powdery texture that coats the spoon. Keep the heat low and stir constantly so the chocolate never scorches or separates. A pinch of salt stirred in at the end rounds out the sweetness without making it taste salty.

Recreate a kid-friendly "steamer" by warming 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk until it's foamy and hot but not boiling, around 65°C (150°F), then stirring in 15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla syrup and a couple of drops of peppermint extract. No espresso machine needed: a milk frother, or a jar of warm milk shaken hard for 30 seconds, gets a similar frothy top. Pour into a clear glass mug so kids can see the layers, then dust with cocoa powder for a coffee-shop finish.

For a booze-free eggnog kids can actually drink, whisk 480 ml (2 cups) whole milk with 60 ml (1/4 cup) double cream, 30 g (2 tbsp) sugar, and a good pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon. Heat gently until steaming, never boiling, so the dairy stays smooth rather than curdling. The extra cream is what makes this version taste indulgent instead of just like flavoured milk. Serve in small glasses with a cinnamon stick for stirring.

Mix 180 ml (3/4 cup) chilled cranberry juice with 120 ml (1/2 cup) ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh orange over ice for a bubbly, tart drink that cuts through all the rich cocoa on this list. The ginger ale's fizz makes it feel like a special-occasion soda even though it's just juice and pop. Float a few frozen cranberries in each glass instead of plain ice cubes so the drink stays cold without watering down. It works well as a palate-cleanser between sweeter treats at a party.

Simmer 1 litre (4 cups) apple cider with a cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, and a strip of orange peel for 10 minutes so the spices infuse without turning bitter. Fish out the whole spices before serving so no one bites into a clove by accident. This warms up a whole room of cousins in one pot and holds well on the stove on low heat for hours. Ladle into mugs and finish with a thin apple slice for garnish.

Blend 240 ml (1 cup) vanilla ice cream, 120 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk, and 3 crushed candy canes, about 20 g, until smooth and pale pink. The crushed candy melts slightly as it blends, giving the shake a natural peppermint-and-vanilla flavour without needing extract. Pour into a tall glass rimmed with crushed candy cane dust for extra crunch on the first sip. This is the sweetest drink on the list, so pour smaller 150 ml servings for little ones.

Blend 300 g (2 cups) ice with 240 ml (1 cup) white grape juice and a splash of coconut cream until thick and snowy-white. The coconut cream gives the slushie body so it doesn't turn watery the moment it hits the table. Serve immediately in a clear cup with a mini marshmallow "snowman" face stuck on with a dab of frosting for a fun, photo-ready drink. Keep the blend thick; if it's too icy to hold a straw upright, add a touch more coconut cream rather than more liquid.

Combine 1 litre (4 cups) apple juice, 500 ml (2 cups) ginger ale, and 250 ml (1 cup) orange juice in a large jug and stir gently. This is the fastest drink on the whole list, with no cooking and no blending, which makes it perfect for a classroom party. Add a few orange slices for colour and keep the ginger ale in a separate bottle until serving time so the punch stays fizzy. Ladle over ice right before guests arrive.

Blend 240 ml (1 cup) milk, 1 frozen banana, 15 ml (1 tbsp) molasses, and 1 g (1/2 tsp) mixed spice until thick and creamy. The frozen banana replaces ice so the smoothie stays rich rather than watery, and the molasses gives it that unmistakable gingerbread flavour. This is the closest thing on the list to a proper breakfast drink, so it's a good pick for Christmas morning before presents. Top with a dusting of cinnamon and a gingerbread biscuit on the rim.

Warm 480 ml (2 cups) whole milk with a chai spice blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and a pinch of clove for 5 minutes over low heat, then strain out the spices. Straining is the key step here, since whole spices left sitting in the milk can turn the drink bitter. Sweeten with 20 g (1 1/2 tbsp) honey or sugar once strained. Serve warm in mugs with a cinnamon stick stirrer for a cosy, grown-up-tasting drink kids still love.

Scoop 300 g (about 2 cups) rainbow sherbet into a punch bowl and slowly pour over 1 litre (4 cups) chilled lemon-lime soda. The sherbet melts into soft, colourful swirls that make the punch look festive without any food colouring. Serve immediately while the sherbet is still partly frozen, since it turns from a fun float into a flat drink after 20 to 30 minutes. This one's a real crowd-pleaser for a Christmas party table because it doubles as a bit of a dessert.

Layer 120 ml (1/2 cup) grenadine-tinted cranberry juice in the bottom of a glass, then slowly pour 120 ml (1/2 cup) chilled sparkling white grape juice over the back of a spoon so it floats on top in a distinct red-and-white layer. Pouring slowly over an upside-down spoon is what keeps the layers from mixing, so take it slow rather than rushing this step. Add ice just before serving to keep the stripes crisp for photos. Kids love stirring it together themselves to watch the colours swirl.

Stir the zest of 1 orange and 10 ml (2 tsp) orange juice into a batch of classic hot chocolate for a deep, festive citrus-chocolate flavour kids either love instantly or need one sip to warm up to. Add the zest right at the end of cooking so its oils stay bright instead of cooking off. A few melted chocolate orange segments on top make this feel extra special. This is the boldest-flavoured drink on the list, so offer plain hot chocolate alongside it for pickier drinkers.

Warm 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk with the scraped seeds of half a vanilla pod, or 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla bean paste, until steaming, then whisk hard for 30 seconds to build a light foam. Real vanilla bean gives a rounder, less artificial flavour than extract alone, with pretty little flecks kids notice right away. Sweeten with 10 g (2 tsp) sugar stirred in while still warm so it dissolves completely. This is the mildest, creamiest drink on the list, a good starting point for very young kids.

Shake 180 ml (3/4 cup) chilled milk with 30 ml (2 tbsp) gingerbread syrup and a shot of decaf espresso, or 60 ml (1/4 cup) strong decaf coffee, over ice. Using decaf keeps this festive café-style drink caffeine-free while still tasting like the grown-up version. Pour into a tall glass over plenty of ice so it stays cold and doesn't dilute too quickly. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of gingerbread spice for the full coffee-shop effect.

Simmer 1 litre (4 cups) cranberry juice with a cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves, and 2 orange slices for 10 minutes to build a warm, spiced mocktail version of mulled wine. Keep the simmer gentle, since a rolling boil will make the juice taste sharp and reduce it too much. Strain out the spices before pouring into mugs so no one bites down on a clove. This one looks impressively grown-up in the mug, which makes older kids feel included in the adult toast.

Combine 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) warm milk with 20 ml (4 tsp) chocolate syrup and 5 ml (1 tsp) peppermint syrup, whisking until frothy and fully blended. This recreates the flavour of a coffee-shop peppermint mocha without any caffeine, so it's genuinely fine for kids to drink at bedtime. Balance the two syrups carefully, since too much peppermint turns medicinal fast, so start with less and taste as you go. Top with whipped cream and a few chocolate shavings.

Replace half the milk in classic hot chocolate with 120 ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk for a rounder, slightly tropical creaminess that pairs surprisingly well with the usual Christmas spices. The coconut milk's natural fat makes the cocoa extra silky without needing more cream. Top with a handful of shredded coconut so it looks like a drift of snow on top of the mug. This is a good dairy-light option when you're serving a crowd with mixed preferences.

Blend 500 ml (2 cups) lime sherbet with 250 ml (1 cup) chilled sparkling lemon-lime soda until fully smooth, like a thick slushie, then stir in a few drops of green food colouring. Blending everything together, rather than scooping sherbet into soda, gives this version a smooth, sippable texture instead of chunky floating scoops. Pour straight into individual glasses rimmed with green sugar sprinkles so each drink looks like its own little Christmas tree. Because it's blended smooth rather than left to melt on its own, it holds its texture at the table far longer than a traditional punch-bowl float.

Warm milk gently over low to medium heat rather than high heat, since scalded milk develops a skin and a slightly burnt taste that kids notice immediately. Taste as you sweeten rather than following any sugar amount blindly, since juice and syrup brands vary a lot in sweetness. Chill glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes before pouring iced drinks so the ice doesn't melt as fast. Always let hot drinks cool to a safe, sippable temperature around 60°C (140°F) before handing them to young children.

Crushed candy canes, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream are the three garnishes that dress up almost any drink on this list in seconds. Rim glasses with corn syrup or honey and dip in coloured sugar or sprinkles for a festive, party-ready glass. Clear glass mugs show off layered drinks best, while opaque mugs keep hot chocolate looking cosy rather than showing every marshmallow float pattern. Add reusable striped straws or a cinnamon stick stirrer to make even a simple drink feel like an occasion.

Punches and ciders keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed jug; just add any fizzy soda or ginger ale right before serving so it doesn't go flat. Hot chocolate bases without the milk can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge, then whisked into warm milk to order. Freeze extra fruit juice in ice cube trays instead of using plain water ice, so drinks don't get watered down as they sit out at a party. Avoid batching anything with ice cream or sherbet in advance, since those need to be added just before serving to keep their texture.