Bring some winter cheer to your math centers with this Gingerbread Find and Color the Number activity! This free printable number sense activity is perfect for preschool and kindergarten students. It gives little learners the chance to practice recognizing and matching numbers in a fun, hands-on way.
With two versions included, you can easily differentiate for your students. Choose between a gingerbread house featuring numbers 1–10 or one that contains numbers 1–20. Then, use the matching ten-frame or twenty-frame cards for a playful number hunt that gets students excited to learn!
Gingerbread Number Sense Practice
This festive math activity helps preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students build a solid understanding of numbers through counting, subitizing, and number recognition. Each ten-frame card corresponds to a number on the gingerbread house sheet. Students pull a card, identify the number represented, and then color or cover the matching number on their house.
It’s a simple setup that makes learning feel like a game, and it’s easy to prep and reuse year after year!
What’s Included
The Gingerbread Find and Color the Number Activity includes:
- Two versions of gingerbread house sheets: one for numbers 1–10 and one for numbers 1–20
- Ten-frame number cards to match the numbers on each house
- Black-and-white and color options so you can print what fits your classroom needs best
The black-and-white version is ideal for printing on colored paper or allowing students to decorate their own houses, while the color version adds a bright, festive touch to your winter math centers.
Easy Prep Number Activity
This activity is quick to prepare and easy to manage! Just print and cut apart the ten-frame cards. If you plan to reuse them each winter, laminate the cards for durability.
Teacher tip: Store the cards and sheets in labeled storage bags or mesh zipper pouches to keep everything organized and ready for next time.
Setting Up the Gingerbread Number Sense Activity
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Supplies Needed:
- Gingerbread Find and Color the Number printable (get them at the bottom of this post)
- Crayons, pencils, or markers
- Clipboards or hard surfaces to write on
- Mini erasers or counting manipulatives (optional)
- Write and wipe pockets or laminator (optional for reusable version)
Directions:
- Print the ten-frame cards and gingerbread house sheets.
- Hide or scatter the ten-frame cards around the classroom or a small learning area.
- Give each student a gingerbread house sheet and a writing utensil or set of manipulatives.
- Have students find a card, count the ten-frame, and match it to the correct number on their sheet.
- Students can color in the number, place a manipulative on top, or color it with a dry-erase marker if the sheet is laminated.
This activity turns a simple number recognition task into an engaging movement-based learning experience.
Ways to Differentiate
This gingerbread number activity offers several ways to meet your students where they are:
- Simplify by using the 1–10 version for early learners who are still developing number recognition.
- Challenge students ready for more by using the 1–20 version.
- Fine motor focus: Let students use festive mini erasers, pom-poms, or buttons to cover each number instead of coloring.
- Reusable version: Slip the sheets into write-and-wipe pockets and use dry-erase markers for a zero-prep center that can be repeated all winter long.
Pair This Activity with a Gingerbread Book
Make this number activity part of a larger gingerbread-themed day! Pair it with a classic story like The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt, The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, or Catch That Cookie! by Hallie Durand. After reading, let students complete their Gingerbread Find and Color activity to bring the story to life through math.
You can even extend the learning by asking students to count the characters or retell the story using number words.
Why Teachers Love It
Teachers love how easy this gingerbread number activity is to prep, and students love the fun, festive theme. It promotes movement, counting, and focus, all while giving young learners meaningful number practice.
Whether you use it during December or throughout winter, this activity makes math time feel exciting and playful.
Click the button below to download your free Gingerbread Find and Color the Number activity. Add it to your math centers for some sweet number practice this winter season!
For more fun gingerbread activities, be sure to check out these ideas:
Gingerbread Find and Color the Letter
Gingerbread Number Tower Mats
Gingerbread Making Ten Math Activity
Gingerbread Addition and Subtraction Mats
Feed the Gingerbread Boy Letters Beginning Sound Cards
Gingerbread Missing Sound Cards to Practice CVC Words
Editable Gingerbread Bump Game for Word Work Printable
