Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Christmas Family Quiz: Free Printable Quiz for Year 9
- ForYear 9
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Christmas Family Quiz is a free printable quiz for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. It has eight multiple choice questions with three answers each, made for the dinner table. It needs only paper and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up the notes, help ideas, a stretch idea 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, use page 1 for the quiz and keep page 2 for the grown up. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Players read each question and choose one of three answers. The questions cover festive songs, stories, plants and the calendar, so there is something familiar for everyone at the table. Answers can be called out loud or circled on the page. It works well as a team game, and older players can take turns as quiz master. The sheet is friendly rather than tricky, so the whole family can join in.
- Which animals pull Santa's sleigh in the story?
- How many days of Christmas are in the song?
- What colour are holly berries?
- Which plant is hung up for a kiss at Christmas?
- What is the first gift in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas?
- How many arms does a snowflake have?
- How many days are in December?
- Which day comes right before Christmas Day?
Why a family quiz at Christmas?
Christmas is a good topic for a family quiz because almost everyone knows something about it. Songs, stories, plants, food and the calendar all play a part. Because the topic is familiar, players of different ages can join in on equal terms. A Year 9 student can be the quiz master while cousins, parents and grandparents have a go.
A quiz works best when the talk afterwards matters more than the score. Ask why someone chose an answer, even when it was right. People often share family customs and memories, such as songs they sing or things they do every year. Those stories are often the best part of the evening, and they turn the quiz into a family activity rather than a test.
Christmas facts to share
- Christmas Day is a bank holiday in the UK.
- Christmas crackers were first made in Britain in the Victorian era.
- Sending Christmas cards became popular in Victorian Britain.
- Christmas trees became a popular part of British homes in the Victorian era.
- A carol is a song sung at Christmas, and many carols are very old.
Skills and curriculum link
- Recalling festive facts
- Reading carefully
- Choosing from options
- Teamwork
- Explaining an answer
What children will be able to do
- I can recall festive facts.
- I can work in a team to answer.
- I can say how I know an answer.
Ideas for the person leading the quiz
- Read it aloudRead each question slowly, then read all three choices before anyone answers. This stops people jumping at the first option they hear.
- Ask how they knowAfter each answer, ask where the player learned it. A song, a story or a family habit are all good sources.
- Rule out choicesShow players how to cross out an answer they know is wrong. This makes a good guess easier and builds a useful habit.
- Talk about wrong answersA wrong answer is a chance to chat. Ask what made that choice seem right before you look at page 2.
Key words
- Multiple choiceA question with a few answers to pick from. Only one is correct.
- RecallBring a fact back from your memory.
- TraditionSomething a family or a country does again and again, year after year.
- CarolA song that people sing at Christmas.
- ReasoningExplaining why you think an answer is right.
- Rule outDecide that an answer cannot be correct, so you can ignore it.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the players. Keep page 2 for the grown up, because it has the answers.
- Read each question aloud and read all three choices. Let each person call out or write an answer.
- Play as a team or keep score. Ask players to say how they know before you reveal anything.
- Check against the answers on page 2 once everyone has finished. Talk about any wrong answers.
- Come back to the quiz another day, or ask each player to write a bonus question for the next person.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Let younger players join a team with an older one. Read each choice slowly and ask which one sounds familiar from a song, a story or a family habit. Cross out any choice that is clearly wrong, then pick from what is left.
To stretch confident children
Ask each player to write a bonus question with three choices for the next person. Swap them round the table. Players should be ready to explain why the right answer is right and why the other two are not.
Make it a game
Split the table into two teams and keep score on a piece of paper. One point for each right answer, and one bonus point for a good reason. The winning team gets a small prize, such as choosing the next family game.
Talk about it
- Which question did you know straight away, and how did you know it?
- Which question made you stop and think?
- What Christmas song does your family sing every year?
- What is one tradition your family has that other families might not?
- What question would you add to the quiz?
- Which choice did you rule out first, and why?
Take it off the page
Write your own quiz
Make a quiz about your own family Christmas. Write questions with three choices each and test the people at the table. Include one that only your family could answer.
Tradition interview
Ask a grandparent or older relative what Christmas was like when they were your age. Write down three things that are the same today and three that are different.
Table place cards
Fold card to make name cards for the Christmas table. Write a short festive question on the back of each one for guests to answer during the meal.
Who it is for
Parents
Make it part of the meal or the quiet time afterwards. Teenagers often enjoy being quiz master, so let your Year 9 child read the questions and keep score. Keep the mood light and share your own memories.
Teachers
Use it as an end of term starter, a plenary or a table activity in the last week of the autumn term. The questions are familiar and low pressure, so it suits mixed groups. Asking players to explain answers supports spoken English.
Home educators
Use it as a relaxed break in a busy December. It pairs well with reading a Christmas story, singing carols or writing cards. Print extra copies so brothers, sisters and visiting relatives can play too.
Where this fits
Before this, children build general knowledge from everyday life, stories, songs and school. Short quizzes like this one let them practise recalling what they already know and say it out loud in a group.
After this, try a quiz with harder questions, or ask players to research and write their own. Writing a good question with three believable choices is a tough but rewarding skill. It needs real understanding of the topic.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How did you know that answer?
- Which question made you stop and think?
- What question would you add?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Christmas Family Quiz for?
It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. The questions are friendly and familiar, so younger children and adults can join in too, which makes it a good quiz for a mixed age family.
- What will players practise?
They practise recalling festive facts, reading carefully, working as a team and explaining how they know an answer. The talk around each question is a big part of the value.
- How do I use it?
Read each question aloud, then read all three choices. Let each person call out or write an answer. Keep page 2 covered until everyone has finished, then check the answers together and talk about them.
- What if it feels too hard?
Let younger players work in a team with an older one. Read the choices slowly and cross out any answer that is clearly wrong. Then pick from what is left. Talking it through helps.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print extra copies for brothers, sisters, guests or a whole table of players.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, homework or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has the answers and ideas.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages and keep page 2 for the grown up, because it has the notes and the answers.
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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.