Get ready to bring some snowy excitement into your classroom with our fun and festive Build a Snowman game! Perfect for the lead-up to Christmas, this interactive game is designed not only to spread cheer but also to build essential social and turn-taking skills that often get overlooked in the busy end-of-year rush.

In this game, students race to be the first to collect all the pieces they need to complete their snowman. But it’s not just about rolling and winning – this game encourages patience, cooperation, and resilience through the experience of waiting, winning and losing. It's ideal for small groups, rotations or even a whole-class game session when your learners need a brain break or festive-themed filler with purpose.

Build a Snowman includes three different ways to play, making it easy to adapt to your classroom resources and your students’ preferences. Use a standard classroom dice, a themed snowman printable dice, or a spinner (included in the download) to determine which snowman part your students can collect each turn. Each roll or spin adds a new body part – and the first player to complete their snowman wins the game!

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Practise turn-taking and fair gameplay with peers
• ✅ Understand and manage emotions related to winning and losing
• ✅ Follow multi-step game instructions independently
• ✅ Build confidence through social interaction and peer engagement
• ✅ Strengthen number recognition and decision-making (when using dice/spinners)

What’s Included:

• Printable snowman body part pieces (multiple versions)
• Customisable game boards
• Printable snowman-themed dice
• Optional spinner template
• Instructions for three gameplay variations

Materials Needed:

• Printed game boards and snowman parts
• Scissors
• Standard dice or printable snowman dice
• Optional: paper clip and pencil for spinner
• Zip-lock bags or envelopes for storing pieces

How to Use:

1. Choose your gameplay method – dice, printable dice, or spinner
2. Set up the snowman parts in a central pile or provide each player with a collection set
3. Students take turns rolling or spinning to collect their next snowman part
4. Parts can only be added when the corresponding number or label is rolled
5. The first student to collect all parts (e.g. hat, eyes, nose, scarf, buttons, arms) wins!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in small groups during your Christmas rotation activities
• 💡 Add to your early finisher activities in the final week of term
• 💡 Host a class-wide snowman championship where teams work together
• 💡 Incorporate into social skills lessons as a practical turn-taking tool
• 💡 Play as a calming, structured break between more academic lessons

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Laminate game parts and store in labelled envelopes for reuse each year
• 💛 Encourage students to create and name their snowmen for a personal touch
• 💛 Use the printable spinner if you want a quieter, no-dice option
• 💛 Pair students strategically to promote positive interactions and peer support

Build a Snowman is more than just a festive classroom game – it’s a playful opportunity to foster emotional regulation, social interaction and end-of-year fun. Your students will love the challenge and cheer of building their snowy friend piece by piece!