Gingerbread Math Activities | Christmas Gumdrop Math Centers & STEM

Looking for math activities to go with gingerbread week? Make December math hands-on with these Gingerbread Math Activities! Students use gumdrops to sort, count, graph, compare, measure, add, subtract, and build patterns. A gingerbread house STEM challenge and five senses activity extend the learning, while lesson plans and differentiation ideas help you organize your Christmas math centers.

These printable activities provide concrete practice for kindergarten and first-grade learners, with opportunities to adjust the challenge for your students. Choose individual activities for small groups or centers, or bring them together for a gingerbread week!

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• Sorting
• Graphing
• Counting
• Comparing
• Measurement
• Addition
• Subtraction
• Patterns
• Gingerbread House STEM
• Five Senses

SORT, COUNT, TALLY & GRAPH

Students sort gumdrops by color, count each group, record tallies, and create a graph. Follow-up questions encourage them to compare quantities and talk about what their data shows.

• Color-sorting mats
• Tally recording pages
• Graphing pages with interpretation questions

ADDITION & SUBTRACTION

Gumdrops make number operations something students can see and move! Students combine groups on the addition mats and take away candies on the subtraction mats before recording their answers.

• Addition using students’ sorted color groups
• Jar mats with numerical addition problems
• Gingerbread house subtraction mats

COMPARING GROUPS

Students count and compare color groups, then use greater than, less than, and equal to symbols to show the relationship between the quantities.

GUMDROP MEASUREMENT

Students line up equal-size gumdrops to measure six illustrated objects, count their units, and record each measurement. This gives students concrete practice with nonstandard measurement.

PATTERN ACTIVITIES

Students complete repeating patterns and create their own! Pattern-building prompts include AB, ABC, AABB, AAB, ABB, and ABCD arrangements.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE STEM CHALLENGE

Extend the math into engineering! Students plan and build a gingerbread house with gumdrops and toothpicks, test their structure, and reflect on their design.

• Planning and reflection page
• House-building mat with three-dimensional shape examples
• Printable gingerbread figures

FIVE SENSES EXPLORATION

Students observe and describe their materials using their senses. The recording page supports vocabulary and scientific observation. Tasting is optional.

TEACHER SUPPORT INCLUDED

• What’s Included overview
• How to Use directions
• Eight lesson plans covering the activity types
• Standards connections
• Objectives and student-friendly learning goals
• Materials and teaching procedures
• Discussion questions
• Differentiation and assessment ideas

WHY TEACHERS WILL LOVE IT

• Meaningful seasonal practice: Keep students working with important math concepts during your gingerbread or Christmas theme.
• Concrete models: Give learners materials they can sort, move, compare, and measure before recording their thinking.
• Flexible teaching options: Choose the activities that match your students’ current skills.
• Math conversations: Encourage students to explain how they counted, compared groups, continued a pattern, or tested a design.
• Planning support: Use the included directions, questions, and differentiation ideas to organize lessons and centers.

WAYS TO USE THESE ACTIVITIES

• December math centers
• Teacher-led small groups
• Gingerbread week or theme days
• Christmas math rotations
• Hands-on math review
• A seasonal STEM station

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

This is a printable resource. Gumdrops, toothpicks, and other classroom supplies are not included. Check ingredients, allergies, dietary needs, and school food rules before using candy. Supervise toothpick use during the STEM activity. Tasting is optional.

Color and black-and-white versions are provided for many activities. When using a color-based task in black and white, make sure students can identify the intended colors before beginning.

Bring a little gingerbread fun to your classroom while students build, count, compare, measure, and explain their thinking!

Dallas Johns – Caffeine and Classy