Christmas Matching

This is a good activity for early in the Christmas season. It's a simple matching game using Christmas pictures/trivia.

I have two variations on this activity--one for Junior (using just pictures), and one for Senior (using Christmas trivia). The instructions for each are below.

Supplies needed:

• 20 pieces of thick paper labeled 1-20. I used red, green & white to be festive. 
• FOR JUNIOR: 2 copies of 10 different Christmas images (so 20 images total). The images I used are listed below (I think I found them all on Microsoft's clip art, but you can always Google images, too).
• FOR SENIOR: 10 Christmas trivia questions and the 10 corresponding answers (the Q&A's I used are listed below). I hand wrote each question and answer on blank 3x5 cards. You would need 20 cards total. 
• 40 pins (or tape) to pin the pieces to a board (I've found that thumbtacks work great for matching games. If you try to use push pins the papers on top don't lay flat and the kids on the front row can see what's underneath).

Ten Matching Pictures & Corresponding Songs:

1.      SANTA—Nephi’s Courage (120)

2.      SHEPHERDS-- Away in a Manger (42)

3.      STOCKING—If You’re Happy (266)

4.      REINDEER—Do As I’m Doing (276)

5.      GIFT—Once there was a Snowman (249)

6.      BELLS—Christmas Bells (54)

7.      STAR—I Am Like a Star (163)

8.      NATIVITY—Picture a Christmas (50)

9.      KINGS—Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus (36)

10.  TREE—Silent Night (hymn 204)

Ten Trivia Q&A with Corresponding Songs:
(This is what I use for Senior Primary. Note that the songs are different--I often sing different songs in Junior than I do in Senior.)

1.      What is the real date of Christ’s birth? (Away in a Manger—42)
a.       April 6^th
2.      Author of A Christmas Carol (Hark the Herald Angels—209)
a.       Charles Dickens
3.      O Come, All Ye Faithful (O Come, All Ye Faithful—hymn 202)
a.       Adeste Fideles
4.      Sint Nikolaas (Joy to the World—201)
a.       Santa Claus in Holland
5.      Total number of gifts in The 12 Days of Christmas (Angels We Have Heard on High—203)
a.       364
6.      Kriss Kringle/Christkindl (Shepherd’s Carol—40)
a.       Santa Claus in Germany
7.      X in Xmas stands for? (Silent Night—hymn 204)
a.       Christ (Greek abbreviation)
8.      First Christmas gifts? (Picture a Christmas—50)
a.       gold, frankincense, myrrh
9.      City of David (Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus—36)
a.       Bethlehem
10.  Noel (The First Noel—hymn 213)
a.       “the good news” in French

Set up:

1. JUNIOR: Pin all the pictures up in random spots on the board, then cover with the numbered pieces of thick paper.
2. SENIOR: Pin all the questions and answers up in random spots on the board, then cover with the numbered pieces of thick paper.  (Make sure you're 100% sure of the correct matches--if not, bring a key).

Game play:

1. FOR JUNIOR: Call a child up. Have them tell you which two numbers they want to reveal (or they can point if they don't know their numbers yet). If they are very small children and need guidance, I will let their teacher or an older friend give advice.
2. Show the Primary the two revealed pictures. If they match, sing the corresponding song. If not, call up another child and repeat.
3. FOR SENIOR: Call a child up (or just have them tell you the numbers they'd like from their seat).
4. Show the Primary the revealed Q&A cards. If it's a match, sing the corresponding song. If not, call up another child & repeat.

***This can get tricky with the older kids wanting to shout out lots of "help" when there's a potential match. You can deal with this by requiring raised hands. The child who you called on is welcome to pick one of the raised hands if they need help.