Add some sweet learning fun to your literacy centers this winter with these Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color Sheets! This hands-on phonics activity helps students strengthen their reading and spelling skills while having fun with a festive gingerbread theme.
Students will flip a CVC picture card, identify the word, and then color or cover the matching word on their gingerbread house. It’s a cheerful and interactive way to build CVC word fluency and confidence, perfect for kindergarten and first-grade students working on early reading skills.
Building Early Reading Skills
CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words are a crucial part of early literacy. They help students connect sounds to letters and develop decoding skills that support fluent reading. The Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color activity provides repeated exposure to these foundational words in a fun and engaging way.
Each CVC picture card corresponds to one of the words printed on the gingerbread house sheet. Students flip a gumdrop picture card, say the word out loud, then find and color the matching word on their sheet.
This game-like format keeps students motivated and makes practicing phonics feel like playtime!
What’s Included
This resource includes everything you need to set up a festive and functional literacy center in your classroom:
- Two gingerbread house sheets – one in black-and-white and one in color
- 15 CVC picture cards printed on colorful gumdrops
- Matching CVC words printed on each gingerbread house sheet
The black-and-white version is perfect for student coloring or for saving on ink, while the color version looks bright and fun in literacy centers.
Easy Prep Phonics Activity
This Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color activity is simple to prepare and easy to store.
To prep:
- Print the gingerbread house sheets and CVC gumdrop cards.
- Cut out the gumdrop cards.
- (Optional) Laminate the cards and house sheets for durability and reuse each winter.
That’s it! Your literacy center is ready to go! Store the materials in small bins, storage bags, or mesh zipper pouches for easy organization.
Setting Up the Gingerbread CVC Activity
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Supplies Needed:
- Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color printable (get them at the bottom of this post)
- Crayons, pencils, or markers
- Buttons, LEGO bricks, mini erasers, or pom-poms (optional for covering words)
- Clipboards or hard surfaces for writing
- Write and wipe pockets (optional for laminated sheets)
Directions:
- Give each student a gingerbread house sheet.
- Place the CVC gumdrop cards around the room or in a stack on the table.
- Students find a card, read the word, and find it on their gingerbread house.
- They can color the word or cover it with a manipulative like a pom-pom, LEGO brick, or mini eraser.
Extension idea: Turn it into a CVC word hunt! Tape or pin the gumdrop picture cards around the room. Give students clipboards and their gingerbread house sheets. As they walk around, they’ll find a gumdrop card, read the word, and color or mark the matching CVC word on their sheet.
This simple twist turns literacy practice into an engaging movement activity!
Differentiation Ideas
You can easily adapt this activity to fit different learning levels or classroom needs:
- Beginner readers: Work with small groups and model each sound before they color.
- Independent practice: Let students complete the activity independently at literacy centers.
- Fine motor focus: Encourage students to use manipulatives, such as buttons or small blocks, to cover each word instead of coloring.
- Reusable center: Laminate the house sheets or slide them into write-and-wipe pockets for dry-erase markers.
For an added challenge, have students spell the words aloud after finding them or write them on a separate recording sheet for extra writing practice.
Pair with a Gingerbread Story
Make it a full gingerbread-themed literacy day! Read The Gingerbread Man, The Gingerbread Baby, or Gingerbread Mouse before the activity. Discuss the story, explore rhyming words, and then have students complete the Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color activity for a perfect phonics follow-up.
Students will love making connections between the story and their own gingerbread houses full of words!
Why Teachers Love This Activity
Teachers love how simple and effective this Gingerbread CVC activity is. It supports early literacy skills, keeps students engaged, and encourages both movement and hands-on learning. Whether you’re teaching in small groups, running literacy centers, or sending home a fun winter review, this activity is versatile and classroom-friendly.
Click the button below to download your free Gingerbread CVC Word Find and Color activity! It’s the perfect mix of literacy and fun for your winter learning centers.
For more amazing ideas for winter fun and learning, check out these posts:
Gingerbread Missing Sound Cards to Practice CVC Words
Gingerbread CVC Word Building Cards
Gingerbread Find and Color the Letter
Gingerbread Write the Room Activity
Editable Gingerbread Bump Game for Word Work Printable
Winter Snow Globe Phoneme Segmentation Cards
Editable Winter Bump Game Printable for Word Work
Free Printable Winter Theme Letter Sounds Mats
Free Printable Snowman Word Building Mats for Winter
Winter Math and Literacy Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten
