Adapted Christmas Board Games (with FREE Printable Games!)

Christmas makes a great theme for exploring new sights, sounds, scents, and vocabulary.

Christmas invites:

Play with words through rhymes and songs
Multisensory experiences (holiday scents, new textures, joyful sounds, peaceful sights)
Opportunities for exposure to new games!

Board games bring family and friends together, especially during the holidays. The games in this package are designed to be adapted to the child’s needs so everyone can be included in the fun!

Note: These games are secular.

Photo of Christmas board game

Christmas image game board. Note: Game pieces are not included. I am using small toys we already own. What can you find in your space?

Playing the Christmas Board Games

As players land on each square, they explore new vocabulary (also known as “low-frequency” or “fringe words” for AAC users).

Mix and match the game cards to create new versions of the same game.

These games target:

Reading and writing objectives for emergent readers and writers
Word recognition
Letter recognition (uppercase and lowercase)
Movement objectives (players can walk or use their mobility aids to retrieve cards)

Required materials

Game boards (provided), printed (and laminated, optional)
Game cards (provided), printed (and laminated, optional)
Player tokens (from other game boards or handmade)
Hook and loop dots (suggested for children requiring more stability with the game board, add dots to each of the board game squares and underneath player tokens)
Die of the best size for the child (with dots or with numbers)
The child’s communication methods or devices (including ASL, low- or high-tech AAC, etc.)

Photo of Christmas board game in play

This is the game board with the word option for emergent to conventional readers. Feel free to mix and match the cards provided in the package (e.g., match the word to the image or letter cards). This board is made to be played in any direction—clockwise or counterclockwise. Have the learner choose at the start of each game how they want to move around the board.

Photo of Christmas Board game in play

For emergent to conventional readers. Players complete the predictable sentence each time they land on a square. Mix and match with other game cards provided in the package (e.g., match words with the image or letter cards). Note: Use one die or two dice, depending on the student’s math skills.

Photo of Christmas Board games in play with AAC device

These games work well with any communication system the child uses. Pictured here is my son’s AAC device open to his Christmas words folder.

Photo of Christmas Board Game cards

This package comes with 4 sets of cards: image cards, word cards, lowercase letter cards, and uppercase letter cards. Get creative! Mix and match the cards with the boards depending on the skills you want to target.

Included in the package:

4 sets of cards (image cards, word cards, lowercase letter cards, and uppercase letter cards)
4 board games plus 2 bonus boards (an image board, a word board, a lowercase letter board, an uppercase letter board, and two boards with predictable sentences)

Photo of Christmas Board Game cards in play