Christmas Vocabulary Card Game – ESL English Classroom Activity

Bring festive fun to your classroom with this Christmas Vocabulary Card Game—a holiday twist on the classic UNO®-style card game that students already know and love. This interactive activity combines Christmas vocabulary practice with number recognition (1–10), making it a must-have for ESL, EFL, speech therapy groups, and elementary classrooms during the month of December. Whether you’re planning a classroom Christmas party, a seasonal center, or just need a quick and engaging lesson activity, this game is the perfect blend of learning and fun.

Students will practice reading, listening, and speaking while learning 20 essential holiday words like tree, Santa, present, snowman, and more. The colorful cards and interactive gameplay create an exciting way to reinforce vocabulary while building communication skills, social turn-taking, and confidence. It’s also highly adaptable—you can use all cards or modify the deck to fit different class sizes and ability levels.

What’s Included:

• 64 vocabulary and number cards featuring 4 different festive Christmas backgrounds
• Numbers 1–10 for number fluency and recognition practice
• 20 holiday-themed vocabulary words to build seasonal language skills
• Special action cards: skip, reverse, and draw two for added excitement
• 8 wild/draw four cards (optional depending on age, level, or group size)
• Teacher directions for easy setup, play variations, and classroom management tips

Why Teachers Love This Christmas Card Game:

• Perfect for Christmas classroom parties, winter ESL lessons, and holiday vocabulary review
• Encourages active speaking, listening, and number fluency
• Fun UNO-style rules keep students engaged and motivated
• Reusable year after year—just print, laminate, and play
• Flexible for small groups, full-class play, or family holiday fun

How to Use in the Classroom:

Use this game during December literacy centers, as a warm-up activity in ESL/EFL classes, or as a reward game at the end of the week. It works great for mixed-level groups since students practice numbers, vocabulary, and listening skills together. Teachers can even adapt the calling cards to include speaking challenges, making this more than just a holiday game—it’s a complete language-building resource.

You can also Get It on TPT:

Click here to purchase the Christmas Vocabulary Card Game on TPT

Pair It With:

For even more holiday engagement, pair this game with my Christmas Vocabulary Bingo Game—another teacher favorite for Christmas parties, ESL vocabulary lessons, and seasonal classroom fun.