Numbers! They’re everywhere! We love finding numbers in all the different ways around us…especially when we find them in candy!

When students can connect what they’re learning to things that matter to them, like with time, in games they play, counting money, and even counting each other as they line up, they will retain and really understand what we’re teaching them.

So instead of just talking about numbers and identifying them on a piece of paper, we bring in objects that our students can count, sort, take away from and add to. We find things to count, and numbers in our classroom and on the playground, and encourage our students to find them at home.

Making number posters for our kids to decorate our class with or take home to hang up is fun and can be done year round.

To further their learning of numbers, students switch things up with this vertical color by number craft. It’s so much fun to see them enjoy this new way of connecting art with math.

Our little learners take their creative math even further with our penguin number counting craft, and their smiles and laughter are contagious.

Because playing math games is a great way to get kids learning without realizing they’re learning.

And they can show what they know with this Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles, helping our preschool and kindergarten students learn and review their numbers in a hands-on way that’s perfect for winter.

Connect this gingerbread math activity to literacy with our favorite gingerbread books.

Teaching students to have a strong number sense will promote confidence in numbers as they build a strong foundation in math skills.

Want even more math ideas for your students? Be sure to take a look at our favorite Addition and Subtraction Books.

Inside You’ll Find:

• 4 pages of puzzles, covering numbers one through twelve
• Each page contains three numbers. Each number has four puzzle pieces, 1 with the numeral, and then 3 different representations of that number: fingers, dice, and dominoes 

I find it best if you print this center on cardstock and laminate it so you can use the center for years to come.

Supply list for Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles:

• paper or card stock
• laminating pouches
• laminator
• Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles Printable (scroll down to download!)

Using the Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles

Students will first pick a number to work on and then find the corresponding puzzle piece.

Students will then sort through all of the pieces, looking for which piece matches the numeral they have.

To get this freebie, use the ‘click here to download’ button at the bottom of this page.

Another way this activity could be used is to have all of the numbers laid out on a table or the floor. Students will then sort the remaining puzzles pieces according to their number.

If you have younger students or students struggling with this concept that might be overwhelmed with all the pieces at once, you can differentiate this activity and provide them with only a few numbers at a time. Once they master the pieces you gave them, you can slowly add in more.

To simplify things a little more, you can give them only one representation of the number they are looking for at a time. As they grow more confident you can give them more options.

Want More Winter Activity Ideas?

If you want to extend the winter theme across your curriculum, check out our favorite Winter Activities!!

Download Your Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles Printable Below!

If you can’t find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom, Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Click the button below to download. You will immediately be redirected to the freebie.

 

Have fun exploring numbers and playing our Gingerbread Numbers Puzzles activity in your classroom!