Best Christmas Apps for Kids in 2026

NORAD Tracks Santa is the original Santa tracker, run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command. From December 1, the site offers a countdown, games, holiday music, and stories, and on December 24 it tracks Santa's journey around the world in real time. Families can also call 1-877-HI-NORAD on December 24 for live volunteer updates.

NORAD is free and trusted, which matters for a kids app that asks for attention on a big night. The only limit is timing, since live tracking is a Christmas Eve event, not an all month game. Open it that afternoon, check the arrival estimate for your town, and use it as a bedtime helper.

Google Santa Tracker is a free website with a North Pole village full of games, videos, and learning activities all December. Children can play coding games, learn about holiday traditions, and explore elf workshops, then follow Santa on December 24. It is one of the best free Christmas activities for school age kids.

Google's tracker is web based, so it works in a browser on phones, tablets, and computers without a large download. Live tracking begins in the early hours of December 24 Pacific time, so check the countdown for your time zone. For December fun plus Christmas Eve tracking, Google Santa Tracker is the most complete free option.

Portable North Pole, known as PNP, creates personalised Santa videos, calls, and stories using your child's name, photo, and details. A single premium video costs around $8.99 in recent guides, while a yearly Magic Pass offers many videos, calls, and stories for about $15.99 a year. Free videos are also available for a simple first try.

PNP works best for younger kids who will be delighted to hear their name from Santa. Check whether Santa says the name aloud or only shows it on screen, since both are described as personalised. For one video, buy a single video rather than a yearly pass, unless you plan to use calls and stories all season.

The NORAD app brings the official tracker to phones and tablets, with the same countdown, games, and Christmas Eve map as the website. It is useful if you plan to track Santa from the couch or while travelling, without opening a browser. The app is free and family focused.

Like the website, live tracking is a December 24 event. Download it early in December so kids can enjoy the games, then use the app on Christmas Eve for the live map. If you already use Google Santa Tracker, you do not need both, but NORAD is the classic choice many families prefer.

Elf on the Shelf apps and activities support the popular tradition where a scout elf watches over the house in December and moves each night. The official site and apps offer stories, games, printable activities, and ideas for elf arrivals and goodbyes. That helps parents who run out of elf ideas by mid December.

The digital content works best alongside the physical elf and book, which are sold separately. If your family does not follow the elf tradition, this app will feel less useful than a tracker or a countdown game. If you do, it saves a lot of nightly planning.

A Christmas countdown app does one simple job: it shows how many days, hours, and minutes remain until Christmas. That simple number builds excitement for young kids, and many countdown apps add daily facts, jokes, or mini activities. It is a good lock screen or tablet widget for December.

A countdown alone will not entertain a child for long, so pair it with Google Santa Tracker or NORAD for games. For families who want a low effort December tradition, a countdown app is a sweet and simple start.

Santa's Village is the playful heart of Google Santa Tracker, with elf games, workshops, and simple activities for younger children. It is listed here separately because many parents search for a North Pole village app, and Google's village is the best free version. Children can explore, play, and learn without an account or payment.

Since it lives inside Google Santa Tracker, there is no separate download to manage. That is a plus for parents who want fewer apps. Use the village in early December, then return on Christmas Eve for live tracking in the same place.

Reindeer Cam, linked through NORAD's seasonal site, lets kids peek into Santa's barn and watch the reindeer. Santa often makes surprise appearances, which younger children love. It is calm, slow TV for Christmas, and it works well as background magic while families decorate or bake.

Reindeer Cam is seasonal, so it is not available all year. It also does not offer games or tracking on its own. Pair it with NORAD or Google for the full Christmas Eve experience, and use the cam for quiet moments in December.

Storybook style Santa letters and stories, including those from Portable North Pole, let kids receive a printed or digital letter with their name, town, and a personal detail. That keepsake often matters more to a child than another game, and parents can save it for future years. Free letter templates also exist from other family sites, so check free options before you pay.

Personalised letters need personal details, so only share a first name and town, and avoid full addresses or school names. For a simple, low cost Christmas keepsake, a personalised letter is a lovely addition to a tracker and a video.