Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Christmas Creative Writing Cards: Free Printable Card Set for Year 7
- ForYear 7
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Christmas Creative Writing Cards is a free printable card set for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Children cut out a card, read the opening line and carry on the story in their own words. The openers are dark or funny, and the writer decides where the story goes next.
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. Page 1 is for the child. Page 2 is for the grown up and has notes, help, and a stretch idea. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children cut out a card and carry on the story. Each card gives one dark or funny opening line, such as "The turkey sat up and said, we need to talk." or "At midnight, all the tinsel began to move." The child chooses a card, thinks about the mood the opening sets, and writes the next part in the same tone. Cards can be swapped, so there is plenty of choice.
- The snowman was not there last night. His scarf was.
- Every present under the tree had my name on it. I had not ordered any.
- The turkey sat up and said, we need to talk.
- At midnight, all the tinsel began to move.
- Santa was stuck in our chimney, and he was not happy.
- The carol singers never left. They just kept singing at the door.
- I opened the advent door. It was empty. Then it blinked.
- Grandad's cracker joke was so bad it stopped the clocks.
- The Christmas tree had grown by a metre overnight.
- Somebody had eaten the whole pudding, and there were boot prints.
- The elves went on strike. I was next in line.
- The sprout in my dinner whispered my name.
Ways to build a story from an opener
Ask what the opening tells you
Read the card slowly. Who is in it? Where are they? What feels odd or unexpected? Every opener hides a question that the next part can start to answer.
Choose the mood
Decide whether your story will be spooky, funny or a mix of both. Pick words that match. Short sentences can build tension. Silly details can build humour.
Plan three parts
Jot down a beginning, a middle and a surprise ending before writing. A plan stops the story running out of ideas halfway through.
Read it aloud
Read your writing out loud when you finish. Listen for lines that change the mood by accident, and fix them.
Why Christmas is a good setting for strange stories
Christmas is full of objects and routines that everyone knows well. There is a tree, a stocking, a cracker, an advent calendar and a big dinner. Because readers know these things, a writer can twist them quickly. A turkey that talks or tinsel that moves works because the ordinary version is so familiar.
Telling spooky stories in winter has a long history in Britain. Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, which includes ghosts, and it is still widely read. Writers often mix fear and humour at this time of year, which is exactly what these openers invite children to do.
Skills and curriculum link
- Story openers
- Tone
- Imagination
- Planning a story
- Writing in paragraphs
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 | Year 7 |
What children will be able to do
- I can write the next part of a story.
- I can match the mood of the opening.
- I can plan what happens next.
Ideas to help you guide the writing
- Match the toneIf the opener is funny, keep the jokes coming. If it is spooky, hold back and let the reader worry. Switching tone halfway usually needs a good reason.
- Show, do not tellInstead of writing that a character was scared, describe what they did. Perhaps they froze, backed away or whispered. Actions make a story feel real.
- Use the sensesAsk what the character can hear, see, smell or feel. One or two sensory details can bring a short scene to life.
- Finish with purposeA story does not need a long ending. It needs an ending that feels chosen, such as a surprise, a joke or an unanswered question.
Key words
- OpenerThe first line or lines of a story. It starts the reader off.
- ToneThe feeling of the writing, such as funny, spooky or calm.
- PlotThe series of events that happen in a story.
- Plot twistA sudden change that the reader did not expect.
- SettingWhere and when a story takes place.
- TensionThe nervous, waiting feeling a reader has when something might happen.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2, which has the notes, for the grown up.
- Cut out the cards. Let the child look through them and pick the one that grabs them most.
- Read the card aloud together. Ask what mood it sets and what might happen next. Then let the child write.
- Check the writing against the notes on page 2. Ask the child to read it aloud and say what mood they were aiming for.
- Come back another day and pick a different card. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Plan a beginning, middle and surprise ending first. Jot down one short line for each part before writing. Talk through the card out loud, and start with just the next two or three sentences if a whole story feels like too much.
To stretch confident children
Write a plot twist in the last paragraph. Make the reader think the story is heading one way, then turn it. Try rewriting the same opener in the opposite tone, so a funny card becomes spooky.
Make it a game
Swap cards with a friend and read each other's openings. Each player writes the next part of the other person's card. Then read both versions aloud and talk about how the tone and the ideas changed.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe writing retells the card instead of moving the story on.
Try thisAsk, "What happens next?" The new writing should add something the card did not say.
Watch forThe tone slips, so a spooky story suddenly turns silly.
Try thisReread the opener and underline the words that set the mood. Choose new words that match them.
Watch forThe story has no ending and just stops.
Try thisPlan the ending first. Write one sentence that says how the story will finish, then aim for it.
Talk about it
- Which card did you choose, and why?
- What mood does the opening line create?
- What is the strangest thing in your story so far?
- Which word did you choose to make the tone stronger?
- How could a different writer carry on the same card?
- What would you change if you wrote the ending again?
Take it off the page
Story swap
Write the opening of a story on a piece of paper and pass it round the family. Each person adds one sentence. Read the finished story aloud.
Cracker joke contest
Write your own Christmas jokes. Take turns reading them out and decide which one gets the biggest groan.
Draw the scene
Pick a card and draw the moment it describes. Add labels or speech bubbles, then use the picture to help plan the writing.
Who it is for
Parents
Read the cards together first and let your child choose. Let them lead the writing. Ask about their ideas rather than correcting spelling straight away. Praise the imagination, then look at the details afterwards.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, homework or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting. The cards work well for talking about tone and for peer feedback.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider English plan. It pairs well with reading a spooky or funny story and talking about how the author builds the mood. Use it again for brothers, sisters or a later revisit.
Where this skill fits
Before this, children practise writing short pieces with a clear beginning, middle and end. They learn to choose words for effect and to keep a piece of writing in the same style from start to finish.
After this, children can plan longer stories with more than one scene, use description to shape mood, and edit their own work. The same skills help with other kinds of writing, such as speeches and descriptions.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How did the opening shape your idea?
- What mood did you want to create?
- What might happen after your part?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Christmas Creative Writing Cards for?
It is written for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Younger or older children can try it too, and the cards are open enough to suit different levels of writing.
- What will children practise?
They practise writing the next part of a story from a dark or funny opening. They also work on matching tone, planning what happens next and using their imagination.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and cut out the cards. The child picks one and writes the next part of the story, keeping the tone dark or funny. Check the notes on page 2 afterwards.
- What if it feels too hard?
Plan a beginning, middle and surprise ending first. Talk the ideas through out loud and write just a few sentences to begin with. Page 2 has more help for children who find it hard.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, scissors and a pencil. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gets children thinking and writing by hand.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, so there is no need for colour ink.
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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.