Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Christmas Table Talk Cards: Free Printable Card Set for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Christmas Table Talk Cards is a free printable card set for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11) in Key Stage 2. Children cut out the cards, take turns to pick one and answer out loud. The questions are open, so there are no wrong answers. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
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. It is two A4 pages. Print both, use page 1 with the children and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children cut out the cards and place them face down on the table. Each player picks a card, reads the question aloud and answers it. The questions ask about Christmas memories, kind gifts, songs, traditions and plans for the year ahead. Everyone else listens, and may add a comment or ask a follow up question. There is nothing to write. The learning happens through talking and listening.
- What is your favourite Christmas memory?
- If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be?
- What is the kindest gift you ever gave?
- What would you do if you were Santa for a day?
- Which Christmas song do you like the most?
- What is a tradition you would like to start?
- What would you put in a Christmas time capsule?
- What are you looking forward to most this year?
Why open questions make good table talk
An open question cannot be answered with just yes or no. It usually starts with words such as what, who or which, and it asks for an opinion, a memory or an idea. That means every child can answer in their own way. Year 6 children are ready to give reasons for what they say, so open questions suit this age well.
Christmas is a time when families and classes often sit together, which makes a table a natural place for conversation. Taking turns means each person gets a chance to be heard, and each person has a job to do while others speak, which is to listen. In the National Curriculum for England, spoken language is part of English. It covers listening, asking questions, explaining ideas and joining in discussions.
Skills and curriculum link
- Speaking clearly
- Active listening
- Explaining reasons
- Taking turns
- Adding to someone else's idea
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 | Spoken language | Year 6 |
What children will be able to do
- I can speak clearly when I answer a question.
- I can listen to others and wait for my turn.
- I can add to what someone else has said.
Ideas that help a conversation along
- Give thinking timeSome children need a moment before they answer. A short, calm pause is fine. Let them think and do not rush to fill the silence.
- Ask for a reasonAfter an answer, ask "why" or "what makes you say that?" Reasons turn a short reply into a fuller explanation.
- Show you are listeningLook at the speaker, keep still and wait until they finish. Then say something that shows you heard, such as repeating one thing they said.
- Join in as a playerGrown-ups can pick cards too. When children hear an adult explain a choice, they learn what a good answer sounds like.
Key words
- Open questionA question with many possible answers, not just yes or no.
- OpinionWhat a person thinks or feels about something. Different people can have different opinions.
- ReasonThe because part of an answer. It explains why you think or feel something.
- TraditionSomething a family or group does in the same way again and again, often year after year.
- Time capsuleA container filled with objects or messages and sealed, to be opened in the future.
- Active listeningListening closely to the speaker, so that you can respond to what they actually said.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the children. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown-up.
- Cut out the cards and put them face down on the table. Sit so that everyone can see each other.
- Take turns to pick a card and answer. Everyone else listens. Allow pass cards for anyone who does not want to answer.
- Work through the cards together the first time and talk about each answer. Praise effort and thinking, not only neat answers.
- Come back to the cards another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence, and answers often change.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Allow pass cards for anyone who does not want to answer. Let a child choose from two cards instead of one. Offer a sentence starter such as "My favourite is... because...". Answering after a grown-up has gone first can also help.
To stretch confident children
Ask confident children to follow up with a "why" question after each answer. They can also try adding to what the last speaker said, using a phrase such as "I agree because..." or "I see it differently because...".
Make it a game
Write new questions on blank cards and add them to the pile. Each player can invent one Christmas question to make the game their own. Mix all the cards together, then take turns to pick one and answer.
Talk about it
- What did you learn about someone else from their answer?
- How can you show that you are listening?
- Which question was the hardest to answer, and why?
- Did anyone give an answer you did not expect? What surprised you?
- Which question would you add to the pile?
- Which answer would you like to hear more about?
Take it off the page
Memory scrapbook
Draw or write about a favourite Christmas memory on a sheet of paper. Share it at the table and ask others to add their own memories to the page.
Design a tradition
Plan a new Christmas tradition for your family or class. Draw it, name it and explain why it would be fun or kind. Present the idea to the group.
Time capsule box
Decorate a box and fill it with drawings, notes and small things that show this Christmas. Seal it with an adult and choose a date to open it.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit down and play, rather than supervise. Answer a few cards yourself and let your child lead. Keep it relaxed, allow passes and listen to each answer without correcting it. It works well at the table, at a family gathering or on a rainy afternoon.
Teachers
Use the cards as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. They need no preparation beyond printing and cutting. The sheet links to the spoken language strand of English in the National Curriculum for England. Use pass cards and "why" follow ups to support mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print the cards for a festive activity that sits alongside books, crafts and outdoor play. Because the sheet is free, you can print it again for brothers and sisters. Children of different ages can answer the same card and compare. Add your own questions to keep it fresh.
Where this fits in speaking and listening
Before Year 6, children practise taking turns, listening to others and answering simple questions in short sentences. These cards build on that. They ask Year 6 children to say more, give a reason and respond to what someone else has said.
After this, children can move on to longer group discussions, where they take a view, back it up with reasons and respond politely to different views. Practising in a relaxed setting like this helps those skills feel natural.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What did you learn about someone else from their answer?
- How can you show that you are listening?
- Which question was the hardest to answer, and why?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Christmas Table Talk Cards for?
It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11) in Key Stage 2. Younger or older children can join in too, because the questions are open and each person answers at their own level.
- What do children practise?
They practise speaking and listening by asking and answering open questions. They explain their ideas, wait for their turn, listen to others and add to what someone else has said.
- How do I use the cards?
Cut out the cards and put them face down on the table. Take turns to pick one and answer. Everyone else listens. Grown-ups can play too, which shows children what a good answer sounds like.
- What if a child does not want to answer?
Allow pass cards. Passing is a choice, not a failure. A child may feel more ready after hearing others, or they can swap for a different card. Never pressure anyone to share.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. Black and white printing works well on plain A4 paper, so you do not need colour ink.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs only printing and cutting. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only the printed cards and people willing to talk. It works well for quiet time, rainy days, school holidays and family gatherings, with no devices at all.
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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.