Pick a game fast
| Game | Best for | Players | Time | You need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass the Gnome | Everyone | 6 to 30 | 10 to 15 min | A gnome, music, challenge cards |
| Gnome Hat Ring Toss | Kids, families | 2 or more | 10 min | Party hats or paper cones, rings |
| Hide the Gnome | Little kids | 3 or more | As long as you like | One small gnome |
| Gnome Beard Scoop | Kids, classrooms | 2 to 4 at a time | 1 min a round | Cotton balls, spoons, paper gnome |
| Stack the Gnome Hats | Office parties | 2 or more | 1 min a round | Red plastic cups |
| Gnome Charades | Families, adults | 4 or more | 15 to 30 min | The prompt list below |
| Gnome Says | Preschool, early grades | 4 or more | 5 to 10 min | A hat for the leader |
| Gnome Dice Gift Swap | Office parties, adults | 6 to 20 | 20 to 30 min | Wrapped gifts, one die |
| Gnome Scavenger Hunt | Kids, families | 2 or more | 15 to 20 min | The checklist below |
| Gnome Bingo | Everyone | Any size | 15 to 30 min | Printed cards, markers |
Pass the Gnome
You need: a gnome (a plush or ornament that’s easy to pass), Christmas music, and a bowl of folded challenge slips.
- Everyone sits in a circle. Start the music and pass the gnome around.
- Stop the music without warning. Whoever is holding the gnome draws a slip and does what it says.
- Start the music again and keep going until the slips run out.
Good slips: “Sing the first line of Jingle Bells in a gnome voice.” “Name three of Santa’s reindeer in 10 seconds.” “Give the gnome a name and a backstory.” “Swap seats with someone wearing red.” For classrooms, use simple holiday trivia instead.
Gnome Hat Ring Toss
You need: three to six cone-shaped party hats (or paper rolled into cones), a little rice or sand in each so they stand up, and rings. Pool rings, rope loops or paper plates with the centers cut out all work.
- Set the hats out in a triangle and give each one a point value. Put the highest value at the back.
- Players stand behind a line and get three throws each.
- A ring around a hat scores its points. The highest total after three rounds wins.
Make it easier for small kids by letting them stand closer. Adults can toss with their other hand.
Hide the Gnome
You need: one small gnome.
- One player hides the gnome somewhere in the room while everyone else covers their eyes.
- The seekers search while the hider calls out “warm,” “warmer,” “hot” or “cold.”
- Whoever finds the gnome hides it next.
Families who love this one sometimes turn it into a December tradition, with the gnome moving to a new hiding spot every morning.
Gnome Beard Scoop
You need: a large paper gnome face taped to a table with an empty beard outline, a bowl of cotton balls, a spoon for each player and a one-minute timer.
- Each player gets a spoon and stands next to their own paper gnome.
- Start the timer. Players scoop cotton balls one at a time onto their gnome’s beard. No hands allowed.
- When the minute is up, the fullest beard wins.
For older kids, add a blindfold and a teammate who gives directions.
Stack the Gnome Hats
You need: a sleeve of red plastic cups for each player or team. These are the gnome hats.
- Each player gets the same number of cups and uses only one hand.
- Start a one-minute timer. Players build the tallest tower of hats they can.
- A tower has to stand on its own for three seconds after time is called to count.
It’s quick, cheap and loud, which makes it a reliable office party game. Run it as a bracket if you have a big group.
Gnome Charades
You need: the prompts below, written on slips of paper, and a one-minute timer.
Split into two teams. One player at a time acts out a prompt without talking while their team guesses. Each correct guess before time runs out scores a point.
- A gnome stuck in the chimney
- A gnome wrapping a present that’s bigger than he is
- A gnome ice skating for the first time
- A gnome decorating a tree that’s much too tall
- A gnome caught eating Santa’s cookies
- A gnome building a snowman
- A gnome who lost his hat
- A gnome untangling Christmas lights
- A gnome riding a sled down a big hill
- A gnome trying to stay awake to see Santa
- A gnome getting snow down his boots
- A gnome sneezing so hard his hat flies off
Gnome Says
You need: a gnome hat (or any pointy hat) for the leader.
This is Simon Says with a holiday twist. The leader wears the gnome hat and gives commands. Players follow only when the command starts with “Gnome says.” Try commands like “Gnome says stroke your beard,” “Gnome says tiptoe like you’re sneaking past Santa,” and “Gnome says freeze like a garden statue.” Anyone who moves without “Gnome says” sits out. The last player standing wears the hat next.
Gnome Dice Gift Swap
You need: one wrapped gift per person (set a price limit) and one die.
Sit in a circle with your gift in front of you. Take turns rolling the die and follow the gnome rule for your number:
- 1: pass your gift to the left
- 2: pass your gift to the right
- 3: swap gifts with the person across the circle
- 4: everyone passes their gift one seat to the left
- 5: swap gifts with anyone you choose
- 6: the gnome protects you, so keep your gift and roll again
Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes. When it goes off, everyone opens the gift in front of them.
Gnome Scavenger Hunt
Gnomes like to hide useful things around the house. Give each player or team this list and 15 minutes to find them:
- Something red, like a gnome’s hat
- Something soft and white, like a beard
- A pinecone or something from outside
- A mitten or sock
- Something that jingles
- A candy cane or wrapped candy
- Something shaped like a star
- A spoon (gnomes love soup)
- Something with a bow on it
- Something smaller than your thumb
- A picture of a snowman
- Something green and pointy
The first team back with everything wins. You can also give one point per item when time runs out.
Gnome Bingo: free printable card
Instead of B-I-N-G-O, the columns spell G-N-O-M-E. Every card below is randomly shuffled, so each player gets a different one. Choose how many cards you need and print. The printout also includes a caller’s list.
To play, the caller reads out words from the list in random order. Players mark each word on their card. The first player to get five in a row (across, down or diagonally) shouts “Gnome!” and wins. The center square is free.
Tips for hosting
- Mix quiet and loud games. Follow Stack the Gnome Hats with Gnome Charades so the energy goes up and down.
- Small prizes help. A mini gnome ornament, a candy cane or the right to wear the gnome hat for the rest of the party is plenty.
- Prep the night before. Write the charade and Pass the Gnome slips and print the bingo cards ahead of time.
- Have a screen break ready. If kids need a quiet minute, let them take turns playing our free gnome games on a tablet, such as Gnome Memory.
Frequently asked questions
What are some easy Christmas gnome games for kids?
For young kids, the easiest are Hide the Gnome, Gnome Says and Gnome Beard Scoop. They need almost no setup, and the rules take seconds to explain. Gnome Bingo works well for a whole classroom.
What gnome games work for an office Christmas party?
Stack the Gnome Hats, Gnome Charades and the Gnome Dice Gift Swap work best with adults. They’re quick, they get people laughing, and nobody has to be good at anything.
Is the gnome bingo printable free?
Yes. The gnome bingo card generator on this page is free. Choose how many cards you need, click Print cards, and print or save them as a PDF. Every card is shuffled differently.
How many people can play gnome bingo?
Any number. Print one card per player, up to 30 at a time, and print again if you need more. Each print gives you a new set of shuffled cards.