Christmas classroom games: 20 festive ideas to engage students
Get your students into the festive spirit whilst keeping them engaged with these 20 ideas for Christmas classroom games perfect for end-of-term activities across all subjects and key stages.
Author:
Megan Pitman
Published:
20/11/2024
The run-up to Christmas is a magical and exciting time, but it can present challenges in the classroom. As teachers, we strive to keep students engaged and learning until the end of term. However, it's a delicate balance—motivation often wanes as students' minds drift towards the upcoming Christmas holidays.
Injecting festive cheer with quizzes and games is an excellent way to energize your lessons. Need inspiration? We've taken our popular classroom games templates and given them a festive twist!
20 Christmas classroom games that keep students learning
Our classroom games templates feature 20 versatile games suitable for all key stages and subjects, offering adaptable, engaging, and creative ways to support learning. Download the template pack for step-by-step teaching notes and all the printables you'll need to get started. It's available for £10 or free with a Premium subscription.
For Christmas, we've devised simple ways to transform our classic classroom games into festive versions your students will adore. They're perfect for end-of-term activities as the holidays approach!
1. Challenge track
The 'Challenge track' game is a board game that combines review and revision questions, where players move along a track by answering questions correctly and rolling dice, with different squares having various actions or forfeits.
To create a Christmas-themed ‘Challenge track’ game:
Replace the regular board with a Christmas-themed track (e.g., a path through a winter wonderland or Santa's workshop)
Use Christmas-themed questions appropriate for the subject being taught (e.g., Christmas traditions around the world for a geography class, or Christmas-related maths problems)
Use Christmas-themed counters (e.g., mini Santa figures, snowmen, or reindeer)
Add a time limit to create a sense of urgency, like ‘Race to save Christmas’.
2. Chase
The 'Chase' game is a fast-paced board game that combines strategy, luck, and knowledge. Players move around the board by correctly answering questions, with the goal of capturing other players' counters.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Chase' game:
Replace counters with festive tokens (e.g., mini Christmas trees, gingerbread men, or elves)
Create Christmas-themed question cards or adapt the keyword system:
Use Christmas vocabulary for keywords (e.g., reindeer, mistletoe, tinsel)
Incorporate festive command words (e.g., 'carol', 'wrap', 'decorate')
Add special 'Christmas Magic' spaces that allow players to move to any space on the board
Rename the game 'Santa's Chase' or 'Reindeer Race' to fit the Christmas theme.
3. Chatterbox
The 'Chatterbox' game is a classroom adaptation of a popular playground game. It involves creating a folded paper fortune teller with questions or tasks hidden inside.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Chatterbox' game:
Design the exterior with festive colours (red, green, white) and Christmas symbols
Use Christmas-related categories such as 'Santa', 'Reindeer', 'Presents', and 'Carols'
The 'Connect five' game is a grid-based quiz that combines strategy with subject knowledge. Players aim to answer five questions correctly, choosing one from each row, to win the game.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Connect five' game:
Use Christmas-themed categories for row headings (e.g., 'Santa's Workshop', 'Reindeer Games', 'Christmas Carols', 'Holiday Traditions', 'Festive Foods')
Add 'bonus' squares that allow players to answer an extra question for a chance to win faster
Introduce 'Christmas magic' wildcards that let players choose any question on the board.
5. Cube
The 'Cube' game is a versatile activity that involves creating a six-sided cube. It can be used for revision, peer teaching, research tasks and decision-making exercises.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Cube' game:
Design a festive cube template with holiday patterns or images on each face
Craft a 'Christmas Story Cube' for English, with prompts for creative writing on each side
Design a 'Christmas Science Cube' with winter-related experiments or concepts for science classes
Create a 'Christmas History Cube' exploring the origins of various holiday traditions.
6. Diamond nine
The 'Diamond nine' game is a ranking activity that encourages critical thinking and group discussion. Students arrange nine statements or ideas in a diamond shape based on their perceived importance or relevance.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Diamond nine' game:
Use holiday-themed ranking criteria, such as 'most essential for a perfect Christmas' or 'most important to Santa's operation'
Incorporate a timer shaped like a Christmas tree or snowflake to add excitement
Have groups present their diamond arrangements to the class, explaining their choices using Christmas-themed vocabulary
Award points or small festive prizes for well-reasoned explanations and creative thinking.
7. Dominoes
The 'Dominoes' game is an adaptable classroom activity that involves matching questions with answers or keywords with definitions. It can be played individually, in pairs, or in small groups, and works well as a 'follow me' loop game or a traditional dominoes setup.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Dominoes' game:
Create Christmas-themed question and answer pairs for various subjects
Introduce 'wild card' dominoes featuring Father Christmas or reindeer that can be used to match any card
Use the game as a festive ice-breaker or end-of-term revision tool across various subjects.
8. Fast talking
The 'Fast talking' game is a fast-paced, team-based activity where players describe words or phrases to their teammates without using certain prohibited clues. It's based on the popular game 'Articulate' and encourages quick thinking and effective communication.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Fast talking' game:
Design festive game cards with Christmas imagery and categorise them into holiday-themed groups (e.g., 'Santa's Workshop', 'Christmas Carols', 'Holiday Traditions')
Introduce special 'Christmas Magic' cards that allow players to act out or draw their clues instead of describing them verbally
Add a 'Christmas Carol' challenge where players must hum or sing part of a carol for their teammates to guess
The 'Heads and tails' game is a versatile activity suitable for small groups, combining chance with subject knowledge. Players flip a coin to determine whether they answer questions from odd or even-numbered squares on a grid, aiming to complete all nine boxes first.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Heads and tails' game:
Fill the grid with Christmas-related content appropriate for different subjects
Add a twist: If a player lands on a special 'Santa's Workshop' square, they can choose any unoccupied square
Award small festive prizes or 'Christmas spirit points' for correct answers.
10. Hexagons
The 'Hexagons' game is an engaging activity that encourages students to make connections across topics. It involves arranging hexagon-shaped cards with keywords and explaining the relationships between adjacent concepts.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Hexagons' game:
Introduce 'Santa's Special Hexagons' that allow students to make connections across three or more keywords for bonus points
Use Christmas-themed prompts for explanations, such as 'How does [Keyword A] help Santa deliver presents more efficiently than [Keyword B]?'
Award 'Christmas spirit points' for creative and well-reasoned connections.
11. Hexbusters
The 'Hexbusters' game is based on the classic TV programme 'Blockbusters'. It involves teams competing to create a path across a hexagonal grid by answering questions correctly.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Hexbusters' game:
Replace team colours with Christmas themes (e.g., 'Team Santa' vs 'Team Elves')
Incorporate 'Christmas Magic' squares that allow teams to choose any hexagon if answered correctly
Include bonus 'Christmas Carol' questions where teams must sing part of the answer.
12. Learning grid
The 'Learning grid' game is a versatile classroom activity that combines chance, knowledge recall and creative expression. Students roll dice to select squares on a grid filled with keywords or images, then perform various tasks related to the chosen item.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Learning grid' game:
Create Christmas-themed task cards for special squares:
'Carol Charades': Act out a Christmas carol for others to guess
'Festive Facts': Make up a Christmas-themed question for others to answer
'Santa's Sketch': Quick draw a Christmas keyword for others to identify
'Elf's Workshop': Use playdough to model a Christmas item for others to guess
Incorporate 'Christmas Magic' squares that allow students to choose any task
Award 'Christmas spirit points' for creative and well-explained answers.
13. Ludo
Ludo is a classic board game where players race their tokens from start to finish based on dice rolls. It's simple to play yet engaging, making it an excellent choice for classroom activities.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Ludo' game:
Replace traditional coloured tokens with Christmas icons (e.g., Santa, reindeer, elves, snowmen)
Rename 'home' squares to 'Santa's Workshop' or 'North Pole'
Add 'Christmas Magic' spaces that allow players to move an extra space or ask another player a question
Award 'Christmas spirit points' for correct answers, with bonus points for explaining answers using festive vocabulary.
14. Matching
The 'Matching' game is a versatile classroom activity that can be played in various formats, including 'Snap' and 'Pelmanism'.
Snap (two players): Players simultaneously turn over cards from their sets. If a keyword and description match, the first to shout 'snap!' wins the pair. The player with the most pairs at the end wins.
Pelmanism (two to six players): Cards are placed face down. Players take turns flipping two cards, keeping matched pairs and earning another turn. The game continues until all cards are matched, with the winner being the player with the most pairs.
It helps reinforce key concepts and vocabulary across different subjects.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Matching' game:
Introduce 'Santa's Special Cards' that allow players to make a free match if drawn
Award 'Christmas spirit points' for correct matches, with bonus points for explaining the connection using festive vocabulary
Adapt the game rules to include festive twists:
In the 'Snap' version, players must sing a line from a Christmas carol instead of shouting 'snap!'
For 'Pelmanism', add 'Reindeer Run' cards that allow players an extra turn if drawn.
15. Pen and dice game
The 'Pen and dice' game is a dynamic pair activity that combines chance with knowledge recall. Students take turns answering questions on a grid, swapping roles based on dice rolls.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Pen and dice' game:
Introduce 'Santa's Special Six' rule: Rolling a six allows the player to answer two questions in a row
Add 'Reindeer Bonus' squares that give extra points if answered correctly
Award 'Christmas spirit points' for correct answers, with bonus points for using festive vocabulary in responses.
16. Ping pong
The 'Ping pong' game is an engaging and interactive classroom activity that combines physical skill with knowledge recall. It involves teams answering questions or performing forfeits based on their ability to toss a ping pong ball into cups.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Ping pong' game:
Replace regular cups with festive red and green cups or decorate them with Christmas patterns
Use a small bauble or a 'snowball' (white ping pong ball) instead of a regular ping pong ball
Design Christmas-themed forfeits, such as:
'Reindeer Dash': Gallop around the room like a reindeer
'Elf Whispers': Whisper a Christmas carol for your team to guess
'Present Wrap': Attempt to wrap a small object with one hand
'Snowman Sketch': Draw a snowman blindfolded
Add a 'Christmas Magic' cup that allows the team to choose any question if the ball lands in it
Award bonus points for answers given using festive vocabulary
End the game with a 'Christmas Carol Challenge' where teams must sing a carol to earn final bonus points.
17. Snakes and ladders
Snakes and Ladders is a classic board game where players move along a numbered grid, climbing ladders to advance and sliding down snakes to move backwards. It's a game of chance that can be easily adapted for teaching and learning.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Snakes and Ladders' game:
Use Christmas-themed counters like miniature Santas, reindeer, or elves
Introduce 'Christmas Magic' squares that allow players to move forward extra spaces if answered correctly
Add 'Carol Squares' where players must sing a line from a Christmas song to move forward
Incorporate 'Santa's Workshop' squares where players can earn bonus moves by answering quick-fire questions
End the game with a 'Christmas trivia challenge' where players must answer a final question to win.
18. Taboo
Taboo is a word-guessing game where players describe a keyword without using specific 'taboo' words. It's excellent for expanding vocabulary and reinforcing key terms.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Taboo' game:
Introduce 'Santa's Helper' cards that allow one 'taboo' word to be used
Add 'Carol Charades' rounds where players must hum or act out Christmas songs
Use Christmas-themed buzzers for the opposing team to signal when a 'taboo' word is used
End the game with a 'Christmas Cracker Challenge' where teams compete to describe as many words as possible in one minute.
19. Top trumps
Top Trumps is a popular card game where players compare numerical values on themed cards to win rounds. It's an engaging way to reinforce knowledge and practise comparing values across various subjects.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Top Trumps' game:
Use Christmas-themed categories such as 'Festive Factor', 'North Pole Rating', or 'Jingle Bell Score'
Include a 'Christmas Trivia' category where players must answer a question to use that score
Add 'Santa's Special' cards that have boosted scores in certain categories
Introduce 'Elf Helper' wildcards that can be used to swap a low score for a higher one
End the game with a 'Grand Christmas Challenge' where players use their collected cards to create the best festive story or solve a holiday-themed problem.
20. Word puzzle
Word puzzles are engaging classroom activities that challenge students to unscramble letters or syllables to form keywords or phrases, often guided by clues or questions. This versatile game can be adapted for various subjects and difficulty levels.
To create a Christmas-themed 'Word puzzle' game:
Create Christmas-themed clues or questions to guide students
Introduce 'Santa's Helper' bonus letters that can be used in multiple words
Add a 'Reindeer Rush' timer to increase excitement
Include 'Elf Riddles' as additional clues for more challenging words
End the game with a 'Christmas Cracker Challenge' where students create their own festive word puzzle using the solved words.
Megan is a former geography teacher with experience working in a variety of secondary school settings teaching KS3, KS4 and KS5 students and as an online private tutor. During her teaching career, she delivered whole-school PSHE and British values initiatives and supported colleagues' professional development in these areas.