Idaho has 6 Christmas events for kids we could confirm for the 2026 season, from Annual Lighting Ceremony in Coeur d'Alene on November 27 to Winter Garden aGlow in Boise, which runs through December 30. 3 of them are free, and every listing links straight to the host. It is one stop on our guide to Christmas events for kids in every state.
The short version
- 6 kids’ Christmas events confirmed in Idaho for 2026, in Boise and Coeur d'Alene
- First: Annual Lighting Ceremony, Coeur d'Alene, November 27. Runs latest: Winter Garden aGlow, Boise, through December 30
- Free: Christmas Caroling at the Library, Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along and The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore
- Checked on each host’s own page; each listing links straight to it
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by city, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (sign-ups, ages, what is included). Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Idaho Christmas train rides page.
Idaho Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 6 confirmed for 2026
- Cities
- Boise and Coeur d'Alene
- Season
- November 27 to December 30, 2026
- Free events
- 3
- Kinds of events
- tree lighting, holiday lights, holiday show and Santa visit
- Last checked
Plan your December
When each Idaho Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Annual Lighting Ceremony in Coeur d'Alene on November 27; the last runs to December 30. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Annual Lighting CeremonyCoeur d'Alene · Nov 27
- Winter Garden aGlowBoise · Nov 27 to Dec 30
- Christmas Caroling at the LibraryBoise · Dec 5
- Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-AlongCoeur d'Alene · Dec 12
- Breakfast with SantaCoeur d'Alene · Dec 13
- The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige MooreNampa · Dec 18
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Idaho? Bring Rally home.
Rally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. It makes a cozy bedtime story after a big day with Santa. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $16.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Christmas events for kids in Boise
3 confirmed events for kids in Boise, including nearby Nampa, soonest first.
Boise: Winter Garden aGlow
Holiday lightsIdaho Botanical Garden · Boise
- Host
- Idaho Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 N Old Penitentiary Road, Boise, ID 83712
- When
- Fri November 27 (6 to 9 pm), Sat November 28 (6 to 9 pm), Sun November 29 (5 to 8 pm), Wed December 2 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 3 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 4 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 5 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 6 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 10 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 11 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 12 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 13 (5 to 8 pm), Tue December 15 (6 to 9 pm), Wed December 16 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 17 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 18 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 19 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 20 (5 to 8 pm), Mon December 21 (6 to 9 pm), Tue December 22 (6 to 9 pm), Wed December 23 (6 to 9 pm), Thu December 24 (5 to 8 pm), Sat December 26 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 27 (6 to 8 pm), Mon December 28 (6 to 8 pm), Tue December 29 (6 to 8 pm) and Wed December 30 (6 to 8 pm), 2026
- Cost
- Adults $20, youth $16 ($16 and $11 on discount days); under 3 free
- Ages
- All ages; children under 3 free
- Sign-up
- Required ahead of time
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Winter Garden aGlow lights up the Idaho Botanical Garden with about 900,000 holiday lights on trees and pathways. New for 2026 is a Lake of Lights on Outlaw Field, as the event spreads into newly opened parts of the garden. Santa visits on many nights, including November 29 and December 2, 3, 6, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 23 and 24, and the garden calendar lets you filter for those nights.
Entry is by timed ticket and you can stay until close. Hours vary by night, usually 5 to 8 pm or 6 to 9 pm, and the garden is closed on several December nights, so check your date. Tickets are $20 for adults and $16 for youth, with lower prices on Wednesday and Sunday discount days. Children under 3 are always free, active military are free, and parking is free. Popular nights sell out, so plan ahead.
Parent tip: Santa nights fall mostly on Wednesdays and Sundays, which are also discount days. Dress for Boise winter weather, since the event is outdoors.
See dates and details from Idaho Botanical Garden (opens in a new tab)Boise: Christmas Caroling at the Library
Holiday showFreeBoise Public Library · Boise
- Host
- Boise Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Library! at Bown Crossing, Martie Brennan Multipurpose Room, 2153 E Riverwalk Drive, Boise, ID 83706
- When
- Saturday, December 5, 2026, 10:30 am to noon
- Cost
- Free library program
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Boise Public Library's Bown Crossing branch invites families to come sing along to popular Christmas hits on Saturday morning, December 5. The library lists it as an all ages, family friendly program, and it is back by popular demand.
This year the caroling features a live harpist to welcome the season. The program runs from 10:30 am to noon in the Martie Brennan Multipurpose Room at the Bown Crossing branch on East Riverwalk Drive in southeast Boise. No registration is listed, so you can simply drop in. Because it is listed for all ages, it works for babies and toddlers in a carrier as well as older kids who already know the words, and grandparents are welcome to join the singing too. It is one of several holiday programs the library system runs across its branches in December.
Parent tip: No registration is listed, so plan to drop in.
See dates and details from Boise Public Library (opens in a new tab)Nampa: The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore
Holiday story timeFreeNampa Public Library · Nampa
- Host
- Nampa Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Nampa Public Library, Multipurpose Room A & B, 215 12th Avenue S, Nampa, ID 83651 (near Boise)
- When
- Friday, December 18, 2026, 10:15 to 11:15 am
- Cost
- Free library program
- Ages
- Children, preschool storytime
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Nampa Public Library's December storytime takes preschoolers into the world of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker with musician Paige Moore. Children follow Clara through the fairy tale story, conquering the Mouse King, flying with the snowflakes and dancing with the Sugar Plum Fairy along the way.
The program is listed under the library's preschool storytimes and is aimed at children, so it suits little ones who like to move, listen to music and act out a story. It runs from 10:15 to 11:15 am on Friday, December 18, and uses the full Multipurpose Room A and B space at the library on 12th Avenue South. No registration is listed. It is a nice way to introduce young kids to the Nutcracker story before seeing a ballet, or simply to enjoy a lively holiday morning at the library.
Parent tip: Dress kids for movement, since the program invites them to dance along with the story.
See dates and details from Nampa Public Library (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Coeur d'Alene
3 confirmed events for kids in Coeur d'Alene, soonest first.
Coeur d'Alene: Annual Lighting Ceremony
Tree lightingThe Coeur d'Alene Resort · Coeur d'Alene
- Host
- The Coeur d'Alene Resort (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- The Coeur d'Alene Resort waterfront, Lake Coeur d'Alene, 115 S 2nd Street, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
- When
- Friday, November 27, 2026
- Cost
- Premier viewing area by ticket; price not listed
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, The Coeur d'Alene Resort holds its Annual Lighting Ceremony on Lake Coeur d'Alene, a local tradition the resort says grows every year. The switch is flipped to light up the lake with more than 1.5 million Christmas lights, followed by what the resort calls the most magnificent fireworks display in the Pacific Northwest.
For a guaranteed spot, the resort sells tickets to a Premier Viewing Area on the Lakeview Terrace that includes complimentary hot chocolate and coffee, though the page does not list the price or the start time. The lights stay up through the season, and the resort's Journey to the North Pole lake cruises to Santa's waterfront workshop run from mid November through January 3 if your family wants to see the display again up close.
Parent tip: The page does not give a start time yet, so check back closer to the date, and dress warmly for an evening by the lake.
See dates and details from The Coeur d'Alene Resort (opens in a new tab)Coeur d'Alene: Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along
Santa visitFreeCoeur d'Alene Public Library · Coeur d'Alene
- Host
- Coeur d'Alene Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Coeur d'Alene Public Library, Community Room (Room 116), 702 E Front Avenue, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
- When
- Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11 am to noon
- Cost
- Free library program
- Ages
- All ages
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
The Coeur d'Alene Public Library hosts a holiday sing-along with Mudgy Moose, Millie Mouse and Santa on Saturday morning, December 12. Families can sing Christmas favorites and well loved Mudgy and Millie songs, meet the characters in person and make some holiday memories together.
The program runs from 11 am to noon in the library's Community Room, Room 116, and is open to all ages. It is listed as a celebration supported by the library foundation, and no registration is shown. Because Santa appears alongside the two characters, children get a chance to see him in a relaxed group setting with songs rather than a one on one visit. The library sits on Front Avenue near downtown Coeur d'Alene, close to the lake and the holiday lights.
Parent tip: All ages are welcome and no registration is listed.
See dates and details from Coeur d'Alene Public Library (opens in a new tab)Coeur d'Alene: Breakfast with Santa
Breakfast with SantaThe Coeur d'Alene Resort · Coeur d'Alene
- Host
- The Coeur d'Alene Resort (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- The Hagadone Event Center, 900 S Floating Dock Road, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
- When
- Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9 am to noon
- Cost
- $75 ages 13 and up, $45 ages 12 and under, plus tax and fees
- Ages
- Families; children 12 and under priced separately
- Sign-up
- Required ahead of time
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
The Coeur d'Alene Resort hosts a Breakfast with Santa for the whole family at the Hagadone Event Center on Sunday, December 13, from 9 am to noon. Guests enjoy a holiday inspired breakfast buffet in a room decorated for the season, with Christmas music and lake views.
Santa is on site for photos and holiday wishes, and the ticket includes the breakfast buffet, festive decor and music, holiday children's activities and photos with Santa. General admission tickets for ages 13 and up are $75, and children 12 and under are $45, plus tax and service fees. Tickets are sold through the resort's holiday page. Since the resort's Journey to the North Pole cruises and lake lights run all season, some families pair the breakfast with an evening visit to see the 1.5 million lights along the waterfront.
Parent tip: Ticket prices do not include tax and service fees. Photos with Santa are included in the ticket.
See dates and details from The Coeur d'Alene Resort (opens in a new tab)Near a state line? Our guides to Christmas events for kids in Montana, Christmas events for kids in Washington and Christmas events for kids in Oregon list more confirmed events, and the national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonIdaho Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are in Idaho in 2026?
We confirmed 6 Christmas events for kids in Idaho for 2026 on each host’s own page: Annual Lighting Ceremony in Coeur d'Alene (November 27), Winter Garden aGlow in Boise (November 27), Christmas Caroling at the Library in Boise (December 5), Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along in Coeur d'Alene (December 12), Breakfast with Santa in Coeur d'Alene (December 13) and The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore in Nampa (December 18). Every one is listed below with times, cost and a link to the host.
What Christmas events for kids are in Boise, Idaho?
For families in and around Boise, the confirmed Christmas events for kids this season are: Winter Garden aGlow (Select nights Nov 27 to Dec 30; Santa on many nights, adults $20, youth $16 ($16 and $11 on discount days); under 3 free); Christmas Caroling at the Library (Sat, Dec 5, 10:30 am to noon, free library program); The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore (in Nampa, Fri, Dec 18, 10:15 to 11:15 am, free library program). Details and the host’s link for each are in the Boise section of this page.
What Christmas events for kids are in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho?
For families in and around Coeur d'Alene, the confirmed Christmas events for kids this season are: Annual Lighting Ceremony (Fri, Nov 27, evening, premier viewing area by ticket; price not listed); Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along (Sat, Dec 12, 11 am to noon, free library program); Breakfast with Santa (Sun, Dec 13, 9 am to noon, $75 ages 13 and up, $45 ages 12 and under, plus tax and fees). Details and the host’s link for each are in the Coeur d'Alene section of this page.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Idaho?
Yes. 3 of the 6 events here are free: Christmas Caroling at the Library in Boise, Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along in Coeur d'Alene and The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore in Nampa. Some free events still ask you to register, so check each listing.
Where can kids see Santa in Idaho this December?
Santa appears at Winter Garden aGlow in Boise (November 27), Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along in Coeur d'Alene (December 12) and Breakfast with Santa in Coeur d'Alene (December 13). Times and booking rules are in each event’s listing above.
Where are there Christmas story times for kids in Idaho?
Holiday story times on this page: The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore in Nampa. Library story times are usually free; story times with a meal or show are ticketed.
Where can we have breakfast or a meal with Santa in Idaho?
Meals with Santa confirmed for 2026: Breakfast with Santa in Coeur d'Alene (Sun, Dec 13, 9 am to noon). These usually sell out, so book as soon as you pick a date.
Which Idaho Christmas events are best for toddlers?
These are aimed at babies, toddlers and preschoolers: The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore in Nampa (Children, preschool storytime).
Are there kids' Christmas events in Idaho on Christmas Eve or after Christmas?
Yes: Winter Garden aGlow in Boise (through December 30).
How much is Annual Lighting Ceremony in Coeur d'Alene?
Premier viewing area by ticket; price not listed. Annual Lighting Ceremony is on Friday, November 27, 2026 at The Coeur d'Alene Resort waterfront, Lake Coeur d'Alene. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Winter Garden aGlow in Boise?
Adults $20, youth $16 ($16 and $11 on discount days); under 3 free. Winter Garden aGlow is on Fri November 27 (6 to 9 pm), Sat November 28 (6 to 9 pm), Sun November 29 (5 to 8 pm), Wed December 2 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 3 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 4 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 5 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 6 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 10 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 11 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 12 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 13 (5 to 8 pm), Tue December 15 (6 to 9 pm), Wed December 16 (5 to 8 pm), Thu December 17 (6 to 9 pm), Fri December 18 (6 to 9 pm), Sat December 19 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 20 (5 to 8 pm), Mon December 21 (6 to 9 pm), Tue December 22 (6 to 9 pm), Wed December 23 (6 to 9 pm), Thu December 24 (5 to 8 pm), Sat December 26 (6 to 9 pm), Sun December 27 (6 to 8 pm), Mon December 28 (6 to 8 pm), Tue December 29 (6 to 8 pm) and Wed December 30 (6 to 8 pm), 2026 at Idaho Botanical Garden. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Christmas Caroling at the Library in Boise?
Free library program. Christmas Caroling at the Library is on Saturday, December 5, 2026, 10:30 am to noon at Library! at Bown Crossing, Martie Brennan Multipurpose Room. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along in Coeur d'Alene?
Free library program. Mudgy, Millie, and Santa Sing-Along is on Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11 am to noon at Coeur d'Alene Public Library, Community Room (Room 116). Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is Breakfast with Santa in Coeur d'Alene?
$75 ages 13 and up, $45 ages 12 and under, plus tax and fees. Breakfast with Santa is on Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9 am to noon at The Hagadone Event Center. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
How much is The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore in Nampa?
Free library program. The Nutcracker: A Music Adventure with Paige Moore is on Friday, December 18, 2026, 10:15 to 11:15 am at Nampa Public Library, Multipurpose Room A & B. Confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Idaho?
Yes, but they have their own guide. Santa trains and holiday train rides are listed in our Idaho Christmas train rides guide, so this page sticks to story times, Santa visits and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 2, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.
