Holiday Scattergories (free printables)
We absolutely love playing holiday scattergories both in our homeschool and just for fun.
If you want to have some holiday fun at school, homeschool, or even at a party you are going to love these free holiday scattergories. These are the best games for kids because they not only entertain but also encourage critical thinking, creativity, and vocabulary expansion while celebrating the festive spirit.
I have enjoyed playing scattergories for a long time, so I wanted to create some holiday category boards that we could play in our homeschool and on our family game nights.
You don’t need the alphabet dice to enjoy these as I have included the letters at the top of each board.
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How to play scattergories?
Playing Scattergories without the official game and using free printables is a fun and creative way to enjoy the game. Here’s how you can do it:
- Prepare the materials:
- Pen/pencil for each player
- Timer (use a smartphone or a separate timer)
- Scattergories category lists (choose which free scattergories boards below)
- Set up the game:
- Gather all the players around a table or in a comfortable playing area.
- Distribute a category list and a pen/pencil to each player.
- Determine the number of rounds:
- Decide on the number of rounds you want to play. Typically, players complete three rounds in the official game, but you can adjust it to your preference.
- Set the timer:
- Choose a time limit for each round, usually around 2-3 minutes. Use the timer to keep track of the time.
- Start the round:
- The starting letter is at the top of each category board, when everyone is ready start the timer.
- Complete the categories:
- Players must come up with words that start with the chosen letter and fit each category on their list.
- Each word must be unique and not repeated by other players.
- Encourage creativity and originality when filling in the categories.
- End the round:
- When the time is up, announce it to the players, and everyone must stop writing.
- Players take turns reading their answers aloud, going category by category.
- If another player has the same word, both players cross it out. Only unique answers score points.
- Score the round:
- Players receive one point for each unique answer they have that was not crossed out.
- Make sure to agree on any specific rules or guidelines for scoring before starting the game.
- Repeat the process:
- Repeat steps 5 to 8 for the remaining rounds, selecting new letters for each round.
- After the final round, tally up the scores to determine the winner.
Playing Scattergories without the official game allows for customization and flexibility, so feel free to adapt the rules or add additional challenges to make the game more exciting.
Holiday Scattergories Printable
You do not need the original Scattergories board game to enjoy this fast-paced game of categories. However, if you don’t have it, I highly recommend it.
All you need to do to get your free scattergories printable is to choose the holiday you want below. Scroll to the end of that page, fill in your name and email address and it will be in your inbox within 5 minutes and you can download and print it directly from there.
Valentine’s Day
Have fun in February with this Valentine’s Day scattergories free printable.
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play on Valentine’s Day
- Favorite candy
- Something pink
- Valentine’s Day gift
- Romantic movie
- Favorite love song
- Favorite place
- Something red
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- ROSE
- LOVE
- CARE
- GIFT
St Patrick’s Day
Have fun in March with this St Patrick’s Day scattergories free printable
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play on St Patrick’s Day
- Something lucky
- Leprechaun name
- Something green
- Something Irish
- Place in Ireland
- Leprechaun home
- Green food
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- LUCK
- GOLD
- CELT
- WISH
Easter
Have fun in April with these free printable Easter scattergories.
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play over Easter
- Easter candy
- Hiding place
- Easter gift
- Easter movie
- Spring animal
- Spring flower
- Easter bunny
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- FIND
- HUNT
- LAMB
- EGGS
Summer
Have fun in the summer months with this free summer scattergories printable.
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play in the summer.
- Summer activity
- Picnic item
- Something pink
- Vacation spot
- Found outside
- Country to visit
- Ice cream flavor
- Something to BBQ
- Found in the sea
- Summer sport
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- HEAT
- SWIM
- SAND
- CAMP
Fall
Have fun this Fall with these free fall scattergories free printable.
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play in the fall.
- Fall activity
- Football team
- Something orange
- Fall clothes
- Found outside
- Country to visit
- Type of pie
- Fall color
- Found in a field
- Fall sport
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- CORN
- LEAF
- COZY
- FALL
Halloween
Have fun in October with this Halloween scattergories free printable.
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There are 4 scattergories to print off to play over Halloween
The questions are:
- Favorite candy
- Something orange
- Scary place
- Halloween costume
- Halloween movie
- Favorite villain
- Monster name
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- TRICK
- TREAT
- GHOST
- WITCH
Winter
Have fun in October, November, and December with this winter scattergories free printable.
There are 6 scattergories to print off to play over the winter season
The questions are:
- Winter clothing
- Winter food
- Hot drink
- Something white
- Winter activity
- Winter animal
- Something cold
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- COLD
- SNOW
- COAT
- SLED
- FIRE
- WIND
Thanksgiving
Have fun in November with these Thanksgiving scattergories free printables.
There are 4 scattergories to print off to play over Thanksgiving
The questions are:
- Something thankful for
- Fall activity
- Thanksgiving food
- Something orange
- Thanksgiving tradition
- Favorite movie set in fall
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- LEAF
- FALL
- GIVE
- CORN
Christmas
Have fun in December with these Christmas scattergories free printable game boards.
There are 5 scattergories to print off plus even more scattergories lists to play with the original game.
The questions are:
- Holiday movie
- Stocking stuffer
- Christmas gift
- Santa’s favorite food
- Something green
- Elf name
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- SNOW
- XMAS
- TREE
- GIFT
- STAR
New Year
Have fun on December 31st with these New Year’s scattergories free printables.
Have fun this New Year’s Eve with our 4 free printable scattergories.
The questions are:
- Memory from last year
- New Year’s resolution
- Party hat color
- Favorite party drink
- Party game
- Something to get rid of
- New Year’s decoration
The beginning letters to find answers for are:
- YEAR
- TIME
- WISH
- DROP
Other free printable games
Have even more fun at your next holiday party with these free printable games:
- Word scramble printables
- Word search printables
- Scavenger hunt printables
- Printable memory games
- Printable bingo cards
Last Updated on 8 November 2023 by homeschoolof1