November 12, 2022

Rudolph Race Christmas Game

Christmas

This fun Rudolph Race Game is both an outrageously fun Christmas game for kids and a chance to sneak in Christmas STEM Activities! This easy-to-set-up Rudolph Races is a Christmas Activity for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students that teaches a little physics while having FUN! This Christmas science experiment is perfect for the whole family!

Rudolph Race Game

Kids love Rudolf! With his bright red nose and his under dog story he appeals to kids everywhere. What child doesn’t love the idea of saving Christmas? In this fun, hands-on balloon race activity we pit Rudolf against Rudolf in a race to save Christmas one again, but this time we are bringing in a little physics lesson. This Rudolph Race Game is such a fun way to sneak in some Christmas Science while having fun with zany Christmas Activities for preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students.

This Simple Physics Activity, Rudolf Races is fun for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers alike! Use this as a Christmas activity, simple Christmas science project in your classroom, or as part of a week of Christmas learning in your homeschool.

Rudolph Races

To set up your own Rudolf Races you will need a few simple materials you probably already have laying around your house!

Anchor points – we used chairs, but you could really use anything.
String or twine (must be thin enough to slide easily through your straws)
Straight straws (bendy ones won’t work!)
Balloons
Decorating supplies for Rudolf – including red pompoms, construction paper, googly eyes, glue (our glue refused to adhere to the balloons so we used tape), tape, etc.
Tape
Clips or clamps to keep the air in the balloon

Christmas STEM Activities

Start by setting up your race track. We set ours up between chairs, 2 for each track. Simply tie one end of the string to one chair, thread your straw onto the string, then tie off the other end on the other chair. Pull the chairs apart until the string is taut. Repeat for each track.

TIP! These balloons are going to go really fast. Aim for a long track. Ours was 8 feet long and it seemed way too short. The races were over, it seemed, before they even started. I would aim for 15 feet or longer if you have the space.

TIP 2! Make sure your string is level.

Next prepare your Rudolf balloons by decorating them. This is easiest to do while they are blown up with a clamp on the end to stop air escaping. We went with stickers for the eyes, red pompom for the nose and some construction paper antlers. They looked a little like an Angry Birds version of Rudolf, but the kids loved it!

Christmas Science Experiments

To race your Rudolfs attach the top of the balloon to the straw on the string with some tape. Carefully remove the clip or clamp, keeping the end pinched between your fingers.

Start the countdown… 3 – 2 – 1 RACE!

Let go of the balloons and watch as the Rudolfs race to the end!

Christmas Games for Kids

By the time the Rudolf balloon reaches the end of the string, he is a very sad looking little reindeer. My kids thought this part was hilarious! Trust me, your kids will love this simple physics experiment for kids!

Christmas Science

These balloon races are about understanding the principles of physics, and since this activity is aimed at preschoolers to elementary students we will keep the physics simple. This Rudolf Balloon Race is a simple action-reaction experiment.

When you blow up the balloon you are filling it up with air that is under pressure. When the air escapes from the balloon (when you let go of it) the escaping air exerts thrust or force on the balloon which propels it forward. The air escapes backward – the balloon races forward. Action – reaction.

Christmas Science Experiments for Kids

Looking for more fun Christmas science ideas? Check these out!

Fizzy Ornaments Christmas Science Experiments
Spinning Christmas Tree Christmas Science Experiments
Magic Melting Peppermint Candy Christmas Science Experiment
Fizzy Gingerbread Man Christmas Science Experiment
Lots of Christmas Science Experiments Kids will love!
Beautiful Borax Crystal Christmas Tree Science Experiment
Ornaments-Go-Round Christmas Science Experiments
Melting Christmas Tree Science Experiment for December
Rudolph Christmas Science Experiments
Christmas Magic Milk Experiment
Gumdrops Ornaments Made with Christmas Science Experiment
Gingerbread Puffy Paint Recipe
Christmas Fluffy Slime Recipe
Easy Candy Cane Science Experiment
Simple Oil and Water Christmas Science Experiment
Frost in a Can Winter Science Experiment
Snow Volcano Science Experiment

Christmas Activities for Kids

Science for Kids

Looking for lots more fun, science experiments for kids? You’ve GOT to try some of these outrageously fun science experiments for kids! We have so many fun, creative and easy science experiments for elementary age children:

100 Amazing Food science experiments for kids – arranged by type of science
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Simple Galaxy science project
Easy and Fun Dancing Raisins Experiment
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Easy-to- make Air pressure science project
Amazing POP rocks science experiment is one of our all-time favorite science experiments we like to do during the summer are
Stunning Chromatography Flowers are so pretty you’ll forget it was as science project!
How to Make a Lava Lamp – super easy and SO cool!
30 Simple machines science projects kids will want to try
Easy, fascinating, and colorful project answering Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment

Free Printable Animal Classifications for Kids Cootie Catchers
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HUGE Free Solar System Unit (coloring pages, hands on science projects, worksheets, and more!)
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Life Cycles for Kids (from penguin to sunflower and spider to turkey we have LOTS of life cycles to explore and learn about)
EASY, Colorful Oil and Water Science Experiment
Kids will be amazed as you change colors of white flowers with this Dying Flowers Science Experiment
This super cool Lego Zipline is fun and simple to make
Human Body Project
Check out this super cool look INSIDE a Volcano Project
Exploding Watermelon – science experiment that explores potential and kinetic energy with a big WOW moment!
Memorable Life Size Skeletal system science project – includes free printable template
Find LOTS more Easy Science Experiments for kids of all ages!

Beth Gorden

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! She has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids ABCs, science, English grammar, history, math, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables – www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!