This Fun “In My Pocket” Game is a Simple School Staff Morale Booster (Free Printable)

Looking for a fun, easy game for teachers and staff to play ahead of the holiday break? Try Penguin in My Pocket! Use our free Penguin in My Pocket printable game cards to play.

by Kerri Beauchesne

11/24/2025

With the countdown to winter break on, it's the perfect time to break out fun, low-pressure games, like Penguin In My Pocket, to boost staff morale. The premise of the game is simple, and involves teachers and staff asking each other if they have a penguin in their pocket.

Here's how it works:

First, download our FREE Penguin In My Pocket Game printable game cards (Canva template). You'll also need to purchase a set of miniature plastic penguins, like this set on Amazon.
Give each staff member a Penguin In My Pocket game card (the card features the instructions). Let them know the goal is to figure out which staff members have a penguin in their pocket, simply by asking!
To kick off the game, select 5-10 staff members at random to each receive a penguin, and instruct them to put the penguin in their pocket. (Alternatively, you can hide 10 penguins in a few obvious places that staff frequent so that they're easily found early in the morning.)
Throughout the day, teachers and staff ask each other, "Do you have a penguin in your pocket?"
If someone has a penguin in their pocket, they MUST give it up to the person who asked. The staff member who receives a penguin must quickly put it in their pocket. (No immediate ask backs allowed!)
At the end of the day, staff members with a penguin in their pocket are declared the winners, and get to claim their prize in the main office! Prize ideas include gift cards, tumblers, or a wintry themed gift basket (like a Winter Break Survival Kit with hot cocoa, tea, fuzzy socks, books, tissues, lip balm, eye mask, a deck of cards, etc.).

Penguin In My Pocket Game (Free Printable)

All you need to play this fun "in my pocket" game is our FREE Penguin In My Pocket Game printable cards (Canva template) and penguins that are small enough to fit in your pocket.