Description
Gingerbread Math and Literacy Centers for Kindergarten – Fun, Hands‑On Christmas and Holiday Activities!
Make December fun with 38 engaging gingerbread themed math and literacy centers that take the stress out of lesson prep while keeping students excited about learning. Designed to save you time and cover essential kindergarten standards, these Gingerbread activities are perfect for literacy and math rotations, morning tubs, small groups, and early finishers throughout the holiday season.
What Makes These Gingerbread Activities Special?
Every center features adorable gingerbread man themes, gingerbread houses, cookies, gumdrops, and holiday treats that capture students’ attention while building critical skills. Also, each activity comes in full-color AND low-ink versions, plus recording worksheets to give students accountability and provide you with easy assessment opportunities.
What’s Included – 38 Skill‑Building Centers
Alphabet and Phonemic Awareness Centers
- Alphabet Tracing Mats
Students trace the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet. Letters are printed with letter formation guidance. - Alphabet Roll and Cover
Students roll a dice and cover the matching lowercase letter on the gingerbread house. If they roll a silly gingerbread man, they lose a counter. (6 Color Mats and 6 BW Mats) - Alphabet Roll and Race to Cover (Partner Game)
Students roll and race to cover all their letters. If they land on a silly gingerbread man, they lose a counter. (6 Color Mats and 6 BW Mats) - Alphabet Clip Cards
Students clip the matching lowercase letter. - Spin and Race to Cover
Spin and cover the matching uppercase or lowercase letter. This game can be played individually or with a partner. (26 Color Mats and 26 BW Mats) - Clap the Syllables Clip Cards
Students clap and clip the number of syllables. (Recording worksheet included) - Syllable Towers: Clap and Build
Students clap the number of syllables and build a tower with the matching number of cubes on each picture. (Color and BW Mat)
Gingerbread Phonics Centers
- Beginning Sounds Clip Cards
Students clip the beginning sound. (Worksheet included) - Beginning Sounds: Roll and Cover
Students roll a letter and cover a picture with a matching beginning sound. (5 Color Mats and 5 BW Mats) - Beginning Sounds: Roll and Race to Cover (Partner Game)
Students take turns to roll a letter and cover a picture with a matching beginning sound. - Ending Sounds Clip Cards
Students look at the picture and clip the ending sound. (Worksheet included) - CVC Words: Roll, Read, and Cover
Students roll a number, move the matching number of spaces, read the word, and cover the matching picture. (5 Color Mats and 5 BW Mats + Worksheets) - CVC Words: Roll and Race to the End (Partner Games)
Students take turns to roll and read CVC words. (5 Color Mats and 5 BW Mats) - CVC Word Families: Tap • Map • Write Mats
Students tap and build the word by adding the ending sound. (29 Mats and recording worksheet included) - Beginning Digraphs: Word Building Task Cards
Students build words with beginning digraphs. (Recording worksheet included) - Digraphs Search and Cover
Students use the color code to cover pictures with beginning digraph sounds. - Beginning Blends: Spin and Cover
Students spin a blend and cover a picture with the matching sound. (3 Color Mats and 3 BW Mats)
Fun Gingerbread Sight Word Centers
- Scrambled Sight Words Cards and Mat (Pre‑Primer Sight Words)
Students look at the scrambled letters and build or write the sight word. (Recording worksheet included) - Sight Words: Roll and Race to the End (Primer Sight Words)
Students take turns to roll a dice and read the sight word they land on. Which player will reach the end first?
Gingerbread Math Centers
Numbers and Counting
- Numbers 1–10: Spin, Build, and Cover a Ten Frame
Students spin a number, show it on the ten frame, and cover a matching gumdrop. - Numbers 11–20: Spin, Build, and Cover a Ten Frame
Students spin a number, show it on the ten frame, and cover a matching gumdrop. - Numbers 1–10: Spin and Cover a Ten Frame (Partner Game)
Students take turns to spin a number and cover a matching ten frame. First player to cover all their ten frames wins the game. - Numbers Before and After
Students roll a die and write the numbers before and after for the numeral in the matching column. (Color and BW Mats) - Spin and Race to 50 – Partner Game
Students take turns to spin a numeral and color the matching number of gumdrops on their ten frames. Who will collect 50 gumdrops first? - Roll and Race to 50 – Partner Game
Students take turns to roll a dice and add counters or move up the number tower. Who will get to 50 first?
Place Value
- Spin, Build, and Cover Tens and Ones 11–20
Students spin a numeral and show the number using tens and ones. Then they cover the matching number. - Spin and Race to Cover Place Value
Students take turns to spin a numeral and cover the matching place value blocks. (Color and BW Mats)
Addition and Subtraction
- Roll and Complete the Number Bonds for 10
Students roll a die and complete a number bond in the matching grid. (Color and BW Mats) - Spin and Race to Complete the Number Bonds (Partner Game)
Students take turns to spin a numeral and use this number to complete a number bond to 10. - Gingerbread Village Addition Towers
Students use math connecting blocks to build towers for each addition fact. (Recording worksheet included) - Roll and Subtract: Subtraction within 10
Students roll and solve the subtraction fact in the matching grid. (Color and BW Mat) - Spin and Race to the Bottom
Students take turns to spin and, starting from 10, move up and down the gumdrop number line. Which student will reach the bottom first?
Shapes, Measurement, Data, and Patterning
- 2D Shapes: Spin and Cover
Students spin a 2D shape and cover a gingerbread cookie that matches this shape. (Color and BW Mats) - 2D Shapes: Spin and Race to Cover
Students take turns to spin a 2D shape and cover a gingerbread cookie that matches this shape. Which student will cover all their cookies first? (Color and BW Mats) - Gingerbread House Measurement Task Cards
Students measure each gingerbread house and record their answer on the worksheet. - Spin and Build a Pattern
Students spin a set of gumdrops and build AB, AAB, and ABC Patterns. (Printable gumdrops and recording worksheet included) - Roll and Graph
Students roll a dice, move the matching number of spaces, and graph the gumdrops they land on.
Gingerbread Fine Motor
- Play Dough Mats
Students can build a gingerbread man, gingerbread girl, gingerbread house, gingerbread dog, and gingerbread cat.
Kindergarten Skills Covered
Literacy
- Alphabet recognition (uppercase/lowercase) and letter formation
- Phonemic awareness: isolating initial and final phonemes
- CVC word decoding, blending, and word family practice
- Beginning digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, ph) and common beginning blends
- Syllable counting and segmentation
- High‑frequency sight words (Pre‑Primer & Primer)
Math
- Number recognition, counting, and sequencing within 0–50
- Ten frames and subitizing for numbers 1–20
- Composing and decomposing 10 (number bonds)
- Place value to 20 (tens and ones)
- Addition and subtraction within 10
- 2D shape identification and matching
- Patterning (AB, AAB, ABC)
- Nonstandard measurement (length)
- Data collection and representation (roll‑and‑graph)
Fine Motor & Foundational Skills
- Pincer grasp and hand strength (clip cards, clothespins)
- Bilateral coordination and dexterity (spinners, dice, counters)
- Tracing, writing, and pencil control
- Building and molding (play dough, connecting cubes)
- Visual discrimination, scanning, and matching
How to Use in the Classroom
These gingerbread activities are ideal for:
- Kindergarten Literacy and Math Center Rotations
- Morning Tubs or Soft Start Activities
- Early Finishers and Fast Finisher Bins
- Independent or Partner Practice
- Small Group Instruction
- Seasonal Skill Review and Reinforcement
Simply print, laminate (optional), and add simple manipulatives like dice, cubes, clothespins, or dot markers. Use the included recording worksheets to reinforce learning and check student progress.
Why Teachers Love It
- Comes in both full‑color and low‑ink friendly designs
- Includes recording worksheets for accountability and assessment
- Saves hours of planning with ready‑to‑use, low‑prep activities
- Seasonal themes keep students engaged and motivated
- Hands‑on formats build independence and active participation
- Consistent structure across centers makes setup and management simple
Make your December classroom management effortless while keeping kindergarteners excited about learning. These gingerbread activities deliver the perfect blend of Christmas fun and skill-building practice all season long!
