Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Christmas Anagrams: Free Printable Game for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Christmas Anagrams is a free printable word game for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children unscramble jumbled festive words by rearranging the letters. They can start with the short words and move on to the long ones. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 is a list of jumbled Christmas words, each with space to answer. The words get longer as the list goes on, so children can warm up on the short ones and save the long ones for later. Children rearrange the letters, write the real word and check the spelling. They need to use letter patterns and what they know about how words are built.
- WONS
- VEELS
- TASAN
- LOLHY
- LISENT
- TERSPEN
- KRECCAR
- DERRINEE
Why unscramble words?
An anagram is a word made by rearranging the letters of another word. Every letter is used once, and none are added or left out. Anagrams ask children to look at a word as a string of separate letters, not as one shape. That slows reading down in a useful way, and it helps children notice which letters sit together and which ones do not.
Unscrambling words supports spelling because children have to picture how a word looks. Many English words follow patterns, such as common letter pairs and familiar endings, and children use these as clues. Trying a guess, saying it aloud and checking the letters builds the habit of proofreading. Festive words suit December, because children often see them on cards, in shops and in books.
Skills and curriculum link
- Spelling
- Problem solving
- Vocabulary
- Letter patterns
- Checking work
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: transcription (spelling) | Year 5 |
What children will be able to do
- I can rearrange letters to spell a word.
- I can spell Christmas words correctly.
- I can check my spelling.
Helpful ways to unscramble a word
- Sort the lettersPick out the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and the consonants. Most words need a mix of both, so this gives children a starting point.
- Look for pairs and endingsMany words use familiar letter pairs or endings such as ing or ed. Spot any that could fit and build the word around them.
- Move the lettersWrite each letter on a small piece of paper. Sliding them about is easier than holding the whole word in your head.
- Check every letterWhen you have a guess, cross off each letter of the jumbled word as you use it. If any are left over or missing, try again.
Key words
- AnagramA word made by rearranging the letters of another word.
- UnscramblePut jumbled letters back into order to make a real word.
- LetterOne of the 26 symbols we use to write words.
- VowelThe letters a, e, i, o and u. Almost every English word has at least one.
- ConsonantAny letter that is not a vowel, such as b, m or t.
- SpellingWriting the right letters in the right order to make a word.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the instructions together. Ask your child to say each jumbled word aloud, letter by letter, before they try anything.
- Try the short words first, then tackle the long ones. Let your child choose how to work, in their head, on scrap paper or with letter pieces.
- Check against the answers on page 2. Ask, "What was your first step with the letters?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Write each jumbled word on small pieces of paper, one letter on each piece, and move them around. Start with the shortest words. Sort the vowels from the consonants, then try different letter pairs. Say each guess aloud and count the letters to check you used them all.
To stretch confident children
Make your own anagrams for a friend to solve. Pick a festive word, write its letters in a jumbled order, then check that you have used every letter once. Try a longer word to make it harder, and keep the answer on a separate piece of paper.
Make it a game
Time yourself and try to beat your score. Play again another day and see if you can finish faster. Or race a friend with a copy each, and give a point for every word spelled correctly. Spelling matters more than speed, so check before you shout done.
Talk about it
- What was your first step with the letters?
- Which word was the trickiest, and what made it hard?
- How do you check that a word is spelled right?
- Did you spot any letter pairs or endings that helped?
- Which is easier for you, short words or long words? Why?
- Can you think of another word that could be turned into an anagram?
Take it off the page
Letter tiles
Cut card into small squares and write one letter on each. Make a festive word, jumble the tiles and ask someone at home to put them back in order.
Name scramble
Jumble the letters of a family member's name or a pet's name and write it on a slip of paper. See who can unscramble the most names.
Christmas card message
Write a short message for a card. Scramble one word in it so the reader has to work out the word before they read the greeting.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep sessions short and stop while it is still fun. If they are stuck, suggest sorting vowels from consonants or moving letter pieces around.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, supply cover resource, homework task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the answers for quick checking.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. It pairs well with books, writing and everyday talk. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters, or as spelling revision a few weeks later.
Where this skill fits
Before this, children learn to spot letter patterns, common endings and spelling rules in Years 3 and 4. They practise reading words closely and sounding them out. Anagrams build on that by asking them to put a word together from its parts.
After this, Year 6 children meet more complex spelling patterns and learn to use dictionaries and word roots to check words. The habits from this sheet, trying a guess and then checking it letter by letter, carry straight into proofreading their own writing.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What was your first step with the letters?
- Which word was the trickiest?
- How do you check a word is spelled right?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Christmas Anagrams for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with support, and older children can use it as a quick warm up or as a base for making their own anagrams.
- Is Christmas Anagrams free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or pupils, and use it as revision on another day. Black and white printing works well on plain A4 paper.
- What will children practise?
Children practise spelling, problem solving and vocabulary by rearranging letters to spell Christmas words. They also practise checking their own work, which is a useful habit for all of their writing.
- What if it feels too hard?
Try writing the letters on small pieces of paper and moving them around. Start with the shortest words, sort vowels from consonants, and work through the sheet together. Page 2 has more help ideas for grown-ups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Screen free learning gives eyes a rest and gets children talking, thinking and writing by hand.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Does it link to the National Curriculum?
Yes, at strand level. It supports English writing, transcription (spelling), for Year 5 in the National Curriculum for England. It is a practice and play activity, so please check it against your own school plan.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.