How do I prepare and use Roll and build a Christmas tree game?
Quick answer: Print one copy of the player board for each player, plus enough copies of the four-tree piece sheet to give everyone five pieces: a trunk, three green tiers and a star. Cut the pieces out and sort them into a tray. Put the die table where everyone can see it. On each turn, a player rolls once and adds the next piece only if the number matches: 1 for the trunk, then 2, 3 and 4 for the bottom, middle and top tiers, then 5 for the star. After that, each roll of 6 colors one ornament, and three ornaments finish the tree. The first finished tree wins, and everyone else keeps playing while the finished players become elf helpers.
Elf helper cards
Finished players can pick a helper job while the others keep building. The cards are optional and do not change anyone’s turn.
Draw one when the room is ready
Sort loose pieces in the tray into trunks, bottom tiers, middle tiers, top tiers and stars.
Jobs for finished players
Pick one job, or ask the host which would help. Leave the die with the players who are still taking turns.
- Sort loose pieces in the tray into trunks, bottom tiers, middle tiers, top tiers and stars.
- When a player makes a usable roll, hand them the piece they need.
- If a player asks for help, use the die table to show which number they need next.
- When someone finishes, help them count five paper pieces and three colored ornaments.
- Before the next round, collect the pieces and check that each player can get a complete set.
How the game works
Each player builds a paper Christmas tree from the bottom up, one die roll at a time. A finished tree takes eight successful rolls: five paper pieces and three colored ornaments.
Players have to build in order. If you have the trunk and the bottom tier, you need a 3 next. Rolling a 2 does not give you a second bottom tier, and rolling a 5 does not let you skip ahead to the star. When you cannot use a roll, say "snow day" and pass the die. You keep the pieces you already have, and there is no penalty or extra roll.
"Light the star" is just the name for coloring the third ornament. The game has no lights or electrical parts.
| Roll | What to add | When you can use it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown trunk | First, on an empty board |
| 2 | Bottom tier: the widest green triangle | After the trunk |
| 3 | Middle tier: the medium green triangle | After the bottom tier |
| 4 | Top tier: the smallest green triangle | After the middle tier |
| 5 | Yellow star | After the top tier |
| 6 | Color one ornament circle | After the star; color three to finish |
What you need for the game
Each player needs one player board, one crayon and one set of five paper pieces. Each copy of the piece sheet holds four complete sets, so one copy covers up to four players.
Choose how many dice to use based on your group size. One shared die works for four or fewer players. With eight players, two dice can be shared around the table, or four dice give one to each pair.
Print the pieces on 65 lb card stock if your printer accepts it, because they hold up better. Plain paper is fine for the boards. Black-and-white printing also works, since the tiers are different-sized triangles. If you want brown trunks, green tiers and yellow stars, color the pieces before the party. Keep the pieces loose rather than gluing them down so you can collect and reuse them.
Because the tiers already differ in size, players can tell the pieces apart without relying on color. Color-blind-friendly party games and decorations suggest showing a symbol or number on both the card and the matching pieces. Ask about the guest's needs and adjust from there.
- Piece sheets: one copy for every four players, plus one extra copy if you want spares
- One player board per player, with the player's name written in the blank
- Dice: one for four or fewer players; two or four for eight
- One crayon per player
- A tray for the pieces and an envelope to store them in afterward
- Scissors for cutting the pieces before the party
- A copy of the die table that everyone can see
- A timer, if you plan to use the optional 15-minute finish
How many pieces do eight players need?
Quick answer: Eight players need 40 pieces: eight trunks, eight bottom tiers, eight middle tiers, eight top tiers and eight stars. Two copies of the piece sheet give you exactly 40.
Here is the math: 8 players × 5 pieces = 40 pieces. Each sheet holds 4 × 5 = 20 pieces, so two sheets give exactly 40, with nothing left over. A third copy adds 20 spare pieces in case any get lost or torn.
For a different number of players, count five pieces and one board per person. For example, six players need 30 pieces. That means two sheets, which leaves 10 pieces spare.
Print and cut the pieces and player boards
Print the game and rules using the print button in the guide or your browser's Print command. The pieces and boards are shapes on the web page, not a separate PDF download, so your printer settings decide how many pages they take up. Check the print preview before making several copies.
Whatever you print, check the preview and print one test copy first. For this game, also check that the boards and pieces come out at the same scale, so the tiers fit. Like this game, the guide to printable party games has no separate PDF; use the print controls or your browser's Print command.
Print the piece sheet and the board at the same scale. Before you copy the rest, test one set to check that the pieces fit the outlines on the board. Cut around each shape, then sort the pieces into five piles so players can find the shape they need quickly.
Each board has six ornament circles, and a round uses three of them. The other three can be used for a second round. Once all six are colored, use a fresh board, draw more circles on scrap paper or mark the circles in erasable pencil instead of crayon.
Cutting two copies of the piece sheet takes about 30 minutes, plus time for printing and setting up the table. Your own cutting time may be different.
Can we play without printing anything?
Quick answer: Yes. Give each player scrap paper and a crayon, and have them draw each part of the tree instead of placing a paper piece.
In the hand-drawn version, paper and crayons replace the printed pieces and boards, but players still roll the die and follow the die table. If drawing a tree doesn't suit your group, budget party games that cost almost nothing include other seated options, such as Pictionary or a category round. They use similar simple supplies but have their own rules.
Follow the same die table: roll a 1 to draw the trunk, then draw the tiers and the star in order, then draw or color three ornaments. For another round, use a fresh space on the paper. This version skips the cutting, but players still need to see the die table, so write it out by hand if you are not printing it.
How to play a round
Before you start, show the group one usable roll and one snow day. Give each player a board and a crayon, and put the sorted pieces in the tray in the middle of the table.
After the demonstration, tell players only what to do next: roll, add a piece if the number fits, then pass the die. Keeping it short helps you share party rules without sounding strict, and reminds players to let each person finish their turn before the next one starts.
- The youngest player goes first. Play passes to the left, with one roll per turn.
- Check the roll against the die table. Take the piece only if it is the next one your tree needs.
- If you cannot use the roll, say "snow day" and pass the die.
- After you place the star, each roll of 6 colors one ornament.
- Your tree is finished when it has all five pieces and three colored ornaments.
What happens when someone finishes first?
Quick answer: The first finished tree wins, but the other players keep taking turns. Finished players become elf helpers.
Winning and leaving the game are different things here. The first finished tree wins, but nobody is out. That's the idea behind party games with no elimination: decide beforehand how many turns or rounds everyone gets and when the game ends. Being an elf helper can stay optional.
Elf helpers can hand out pieces, point to the die table when someone asks and help collect materials between rounds. They do not roll for another player or take another player's turn. In the untimed game, keep playing until everyone has finished a tree.
How do we stop at a set time?
Quick answer: Agree before the first roll to set a 15-minute timer. When it goes off, everyone counts their completed steps, and the highest total wins.
Players score one point for each paper piece placed and each ornament colored, up to eight points. Tied players share the win. A half-built tree stays as it is when the timer goes off; players do not add missing pieces to claim a finish. If you have more time afterward, unfinished players can complete their trees without scoring.
Explain the eight-point scoring and shared wins before the timer starts, not afterward. To keep party games from getting too competitive, tell players up front that tied players or teams share the win. Any building after the timer is just for finishing, not for points.
Easier rules for younger children and a faster version
For the preschool version, any roll from 1 to 5 adds any piece the child is still missing, and a 6 colors one ornament, even before the tree is finished. For example, a child who rolls a 4 on the first turn can take the trunk instead of waiting for a 1. A tree is still finished with five pieces and three ornaments. An adult can help arrange the pieces, and each player still rolls once and passes the die.
With mixed ages, tell everyone who is playing by the ordered rules and who is playing by the preschool rules. If having two sets of rules makes the race confusing, skip naming a winner and just help everyone finish a tree.
Each child still builds their own tree on their own board and takes their own rolls. When children of different ages play together, an adult or helper can give a younger player individual help, such as pointing to the next number, without rolling or placing pieces for them. Explain these roles to the whole group before the first turn.
For a speed round, give every player their own die. Everyone starts at the same time and rolls again as soon as they have placed a piece, colored an ornament or checked a roll they could not use. Keep the normal building order. Players who finish stop rolling and help the others.
What ages can play?
Quick answer: Ages 4 to 10 are a good starting point. Four- and five-year-olds can try the preschool rules with help, and older children can try the ordered rules after you show them how.
Go by the children in front of you rather than their age alone. A child who finds the ordered rules frustrating can switch to the preschool rules without leaving the game.
Watch whether each child can count the dice, follow the tree order and wait for a turn. Choosing games for the children's ages works the same way: look at what the game asks of them, and make sure guests who prefer the simpler version can still join in.
How long does a round take?
Quick answer: Allow about 10 to 15 minutes for a first round with shared dice. A speed round with one die per player may take about five minutes.
These times are only planning estimates. Rolls are random, and the ordered game can run longer because players may roll numbers they cannot use. If you need to finish by a set time, use the 15-minute timer rule.
If unusable rolls are likely to frustrate your group, decide before the party whether to play something else. Christmas picture bingo is another seated option, and you can slow the calls while players are still searching. You'll need to add pictures to its boards and caller cards before printing.
Example: a 20-minute session for eight players
This is an example schedule using the optional 15-minute timer. It does not guarantee that every player will finish a tree. A few days before the party, print two piece sheets and eight boards, cut the pieces and sort them into a tray. On the day, set out four dice so each pair can share one.
Set aside the full 20 minutes, including the demonstration and reset, in your party-day timeline, around arrivals, food, cake and pickup. If you want every player to finish a tree, allow extra time beyond the timer.
0:00 to 0:03: Show the building order, a snow day and an ornament roll. 0:03 to 0:18: Start the timer with the first turn and play; finished players become helpers. 0:18 to 0:20: Count everyone's steps, announce the result, including any tie, and put the pieces back in the tray. That adds up to 3 + 15 + 2 = 20 minutes. Allow more time if everyone wants to finish their trees before you pack up.
Checklist before and after you play
- Print a test piece sheet and board and check that they print at the same scale
- Make enough copies: one piece sheet per four players and one board per player
- Cut out the pieces and sort them into five piles in the tray
- Gather the dice and crayons and put the die table where everyone can see it
- Decide whether to play until everyone finishes or use the 15-minute timer
- Between rounds, put the pieces back and find unused ornament circles; resetting takes about two minutes
- Afterward, count all five piece types and store them with the die table in a labeled envelope
Player: ______________________________
Player count: ________ Dice to share: ________
Rules to use: _______________________________________________
Materials to replace: ________________________________________