Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Victorian Christmas: Free Printable Guide for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Victorian Christmas is a free printable history guide for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children read true facts about Christmas in Victorian times, tick the ones that belong and cross out the odd one. 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
Children read a short list of statements about Christmas in Victorian times. They talk about each one, tick the ones they think are true and cross out the odd one. There is a checklist to tick off and lines for writing. The task asks children to use what they know about the past and to give a reason for each choice.
- Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had a decorated Christmas tree
- Christmas cards were sent in the post
- Children hung up stockings
- Families sang carols
- Children opened presents sent by email
- Christmas crackers were used at parties
How children can work out what is true
Think about the time
Victorian times ran from 1837 to 1901. Ask what Victorian families would and would not have had in their homes and streets.
Look for clues
Read each statement slowly. Ask whether it sounds like something from the Victorian period, or from a different time.
Give a reason
Before ticking or crossing out, say "I think this because...". A reason matters more than a lucky guess.
Check and compare
Use page 2 to check together. Then talk about which Christmas ideas are still part of family life now.
Christmas in Victorian times
Queen Victoria was on the throne from 1837 to 1901. Britain changed a great deal in those years. Cities grew, factories opened and railways spread across the country. Many Christmas customs that families still enjoy today are often linked with this period, which is why it is a popular topic in Year 5 history.
Historians do not simply believe every claim about the past. They check it against evidence, such as letters, newspapers, pictures and objects. This sheet gives children a small taste of that. They decide which statements fit the period, and they practise explaining why. It also helps them compare Victorian Christmas with their own.
Did you know?
- Victorian times are named after Queen Victoria, who became queen in 1837 when she was 18.
- She was queen until 1901, which is more than 63 years.
- Charles Dickens wrote the story A Christmas Carol, and it was published in 1843.
- Railways spread across Britain during Victorian times, which changed how far people could travel.
- Many Victorian homes were lit by gas lamps or candles rather than electric light.
Skills and curriculum link
- History
- Reading carefully
- Comparing then and now
- Sorting true from false
- Explaining reasons
What children will be able to do
- I can say what Christmas was like for Victorian children.
- I can compare Victorian Christmas with mine.
- I can name some traditions that started then.
Helping children think about the past
- Then and nowAsk your child to picture a home in Victorian times, then their own home today. Talk about what looks the same and what looks different.
- EvidenceExplain that we learn about the past from pictures, objects, books and letters. Ask what a Victorian child might have left behind for us to find.
- Change and continuitySome things change over time and some stay the same. Both are worth noticing when you compare Christmas then and now.
- Spot the odd oneSorting true from untrue is a real history skill. Ask your child to say what made them doubt a statement, not just whether they did.
Key words
- VictorianFrom the time when Queen Victoria was on the throne, from 1837 to 1901.
- TraditionSomething a family or group does year after year and passes on.
- CarolA song that people sing at Christmas.
- CompareLook at two things and say how they are alike and how they are different.
- EvidenceInformation that helps show that something is true.
- EraA long period of history, usually with its own name.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the statements together. Discuss each fact first before anyone ticks or crosses anything out.
- Tick the five true ones and cross out the odd one. Ask your child to give a reason for each choice.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Talk about anything that surprised you.
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Look at pictures of old Christmas cards together. Ask what you can see and what it tells you about Victorian life. Take the statements one at a time and say each one aloud. Ask, "Does this sound like it belongs in Victorian times?"
To stretch confident children
Write two ways that Christmas now is the same as Victorian Christmas. Then write one way it is different, and say why you think it changed. Use the lines on the sheet and explain your reasons in full sentences.
Make it a game
Make a Victorian style Christmas card. Draw a winter scene or a family gathering, add a short message and decorate the border. Swap cards with a friend or sibling and say what each card tells you about Christmas.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child ticks every statement because they all sound plausible.
Try thisRemind them that one statement does not belong. Ask which one they are least sure about and why.
Watch forA child mixes up Victorian times with other periods, such as Tudor or Roman times.
Try thisShow a simple timeline. Point out that Victorian times were in the 1800s and ended in 1901.
Watch forA child makes a choice but cannot say why.
Try thisAsk "What made you think that?" Accept "I am not sure" and then look for clues together.
Talk about it
- What was the same and different for Victorian children?
- Which Victorian tradition do we still follow?
- What would you have liked or disliked about Christmas then?
- How could we find out more about Christmas long ago?
- Which part of Christmas matters most to you, and why?
- What would a Victorian child think of Christmas in our house today?
Take it off the page
Then and now chart
Fold a sheet of paper in half. Draw or write Victorian Christmas on one side and your Christmas on the other. Circle what appears on both sides.
Ask a relative
Ask an older relative or neighbour how Christmas was when they were small. Write down two things that were different from today.
Make a timeline
Draw a line across a page. Mark 1837 and 1901, then add events from your own life and from Christmas stories you know to see how long ago Victorian times were.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Ask for reasons rather than just answers. If they get stuck, look at old Christmas card pictures together and talk about what they show.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a Victorian topic, as an early finisher task or as supply cover. It supports the Key Stage 2 history strands on chronology, change and continuity, and using sources to find out about the past.
Home educators
Pair it with a library book about Victorian life, a visit to a local museum or a chat with a grandparent. Home educators can reuse the sheet for siblings or for revision later in the term.
Where this fits in history learning
Before this, younger children learn that the past is different from the present. They use words like old, new and long ago, and they begin to place events in order on a simple timeline.
After this, children can study other periods and compare them with the Victorians. They can look at how Christmas has changed over a longer span of time, and practise judging how reliable different sources are.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What was the same and different for Victorian children?
- Which Victorian tradition do we still follow?
- What would you have liked or disliked about it?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Victorian Christmas for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. It can also work for neighbouring year groups, with more support for younger children or extra writing for older ones.
- What will children practise?
They practise finding out what Christmas was like for Victorian children. They read carefully, decide which statements fit the period, give reasons and compare Victorian Christmas with their own.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Discuss each fact first, then tick the five true ones and cross out the odd one. Check together against the notes on page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Look at pictures of old Christmas cards together. Talk about what you can see, then take the statements one at a time and say each aloud. Ask whether it sounds like it belongs in Victorian times.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or a later revision session without any extra cost.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Children read, think and write by hand.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add colour themselves if they like, but the sheet works just as well without it.
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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.