Christmas Charades for Kids: Printable Game Cards

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Need a fun Christmas party game that doesn’t require a lot of preparation? Christmas Charades is one of those games that works just about anywhere. All you need are a few people willing to act a little silly!

Growing up, I remember playing charades all the time with family and friends. But when I mentioned it to my kids recently, I discovered that my younger kids weren’t even sure what charades was.

Whoops! Clearly, I needed to fix that.

So I made a set of printable Christmas Charades cards with 16 holiday-themed words and pictures. The pictures make it easier for younger children to join in, even if they aren’t reading yet.

How to Play Christmas Charades

If your kids haven’t played charades before, it’s really simple.

One person acts out a word or phrase without speaking, while everyone else tries to guess what it is.

Here’s how to play:

1. Print and cut apart the Christmas Charades cards.
2. Place the cards facedown in a pile or in a bowl.
3. Have one player choose a card without showing anyone else.
4. The player acts out the picture without talking or making sounds.
5. Everyone else tries to guess the answer.
6. Once someone guesses correctly, choose another player and keep going!

You can divide into teams and keep score, or just let everyone take turns.

With younger kids, I usually prefer playing without teams. It’s more fun when everyone gets a chance to act and guess together.

And honestly, watching the kids figure out how to act out a reindeer or a gingerbread man is half the entertainment!

What’s Included in the Christmas Charades Printable?

This printable set includes 16 Christmas-themed charades cards with words and pictures.

The cards feature:

• Elf
• Santa Claus
• Snowman
• Reindeer
• Gingerbread Man
• Mrs. Claus
• Baby Jesus
• Angel
• Penguin
• Sleepy Child
• Nutcracker
• Polar Bear
• Christmas Lights
• Baker
• Kitten
• Owl

Some are familiar Christmas characters, while others give kids a chance to act out animals, actions, or silly situations.

The picture clues are especially helpful for preschoolers and beginning readers.

Tips for Playing Christmas Charades with Younger Kids

Charades can be a little tricky at first, especially for children who have never played before.

Here are a few ways to make it easier.

• Demonstrate a round first. Choose a simple card, like Santa Claus, and show the kids how to act it out without speaking.
• Let younger children work in pairs. If a child feels shy, they can act out their card with a sibling or friend.
• Skip the timer. Younger kids may need extra time to think about how to act out their picture.
• Give hints when needed. If everyone gets stuck, offer a clue or let the player try a different card.
• Don’t worry about keeping score. Sometimes the funniest rounds are the ones nobody can guess!

The goal is to have fun together, not to make the game complicated.

Christmas Charades Ideas for Parties and Family Gatherings

This game works well for all kinds of Christmas celebrations.

• Family Christmas parties: Play a few rounds after dinner or while everyone is gathered together.
• Classroom Christmas parties: Divide children into small groups and let them take turns acting out the cards.
• Christmas Eve: Keep the cards handy for an easy activity while everyone waits for the evening’s festivities.
• Church Christmas activities: The set includes both traditional Christmas characters and nativity-related pictures.
• Holiday game night: Combine these cards with another Christmas game for a whole evening of family fun.

You can also make the game a little more challenging for older kids by setting a one-minute timer or having players guess in teams.

Make Your Own Christmas Charades Ideas

Once you’ve played through the printable cards, challenge everyone to come up with a few new ideas.

What else could you act out at Christmas? Maybe wrapping a present, decorating a Christmas tree, hanging stockings, or building a snowman.Write your ideas on small pieces of paper and add them to the pile.

You might end up with some pretty hilarious combinations!

Get the Printable Christmas Charades Cards

Ready to play?

My Christmas Charades printable includes 16 picture cards that are easy to print, cut apart, and use at your next holiday gathering.

Get the Christmas Charades Cards in My Shop

Print them on cardstock for sturdier cards, or laminate them if you want to use them year after year.

And if your family enjoys charades as much as mine, you can also try my 96 Printable Charades Ideas for Kids for even more ideas.

More Christmas Games and Activities

Looking for more ways to keep kids entertained during the holidays? Try these:

• Christmas Bell Game
• Christmas Family Feud Game
• 12 Days of Christmas Game
• Christmas Sweater Coloring Pages
• Build Your Own Nativity
• Reindeer Circuits
• Save the Snowman Game
• Roll a Gingerbread Man

Sometimes the simplest games are the ones everyone remembers. And Christmas charades is a wonderful excuse to get the whole family laughing together!