Ornament Matching Game
A set of ornament-shaped cards with matching pairs hidden across a table or Christmas tree makes a delightful holiday memory game. Children flip ornaments to find matches, building visual memory and concentration.
What You'll Need
- Ornament-shaped cardstock — cut out pairs of matching ornaments
- Identical sticker pairs — one sticker per ornament pair, on the back
- A small Christmas tree or bulletin board — to hang or display ornaments
- String or ribbon — to hang ornaments
How to Do It
Step 1: Make the ornaments. Cut pairs of ornament shapes from cardstock. Apply matching stickers to the BACK of each pair: two with a star, two with a candy cane, two with a snowflake, etc.
Step 2: Set up the game. Hang ornaments sticker-side in on a small tree or lay face-down on a table.
Step 3: Play! Children take turns flipping two ornaments. If the stickers match, keep the pair. If not, flip them back.
Step 4: Find all the pairs! When all pairs are found, the game is complete.
Step 5: Celebrate. Count how many pairs each player found.
🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop
Visual memory — Remembering where each ornament was helps find pairs — foundational memory skill.
Concentration — Waiting for your turn and tracking the board builds sustained attention.
Tips & Variations
- Use photo ornaments — photos of family members or pets for a personal version.
- Play cooperatively — the group works together to match all pairs.
My Two Cents
For 3-year-olds, start with just 4 pairs (8 ornaments total) — the full game is too many items to track. Add more pairs as memory skills develop.
