A hilarious, classroom-favorite history activity your students will beg to play!
Bring history to life with this one-of-a-kind Historical Elf Guessing Game, where students use rhyming clues and whimsical elf artwork to identify famous figures from history.
Each card features an adorable illustrated elf (in vintage holiday style) paired with a rhyming clue like:
🎩 “Abraham on a Lamb”
🎨 “Betsy Ross on Floss”
⚖️ “Bill of Rights on Lights”
Students LOVE trying to decode the rhymes, spot visual hints, and guess which historical figure the elf represents!
⭐ What’s Included
✔️ 20+ (AND GROWING) high-quality illustrated elf cards (no text on the art)
✔️ Google Slides version for digital play
⭐ How to Play
Show them the art card with no text.
Students work individually, in pairs, or in teams to guess the historical figure.
Reveal the answer and the image!
Repeat for as many cards as you like — it’s perfect for 5-minute warmups or full-class challenges.
*If you want to keep score:
+1 for a correct guess
Bonus +1 if you can give one fact about the person, place, or thing
Example: Abraham on a lamb. Bonus: He was the 16th President
⭐ Perfect For
✨ Bell ringers
✨ Review days
✨ Classroom competitions
✨ Sub plans
✨ Holiday-season fun
✨ Brain breaks
✨ Early finisher stations
⭐ Why Teachers Love It
This activity blends humor, visual memory, and rhyming clues to help students make meaningful connections to major historical figures. The elf illustrations grab attention, the rhymes boost recall, and the guessing format keeps every student engaged.
⭐ Standards-Friendly Supports:
✓ Historical thinking skills
✓ Identifying key figures & their contributions
✓ Visual analysis
✓ Vocabulary building
✓ Creative inference
⭐ Teacher Review Ready
Students genuinely look forward to this one — and you’ll love how easy it is to drop into your daily routine.
