These gingerbread number recognition board games are a sweet way to build early numeracy skills this holiday season! They help students learn numbers 1-20 in a hands-on way that keeps students engaged throughout the lesson.
And the best part? Along with number identification, children are also practicing turn-taking, patience, and good sportsmanship!
How to Play the Gingerbread Number Recognition Board Game
This game works beautifully with 2–4 players, making it ideal for use with small groups or centers. If you’re working with a bigger crowd, you can always print a few extra sets so everyone can join in the gingerbread fun.
Want your boards to last all winter long? Laminate them for durability. Or skip the plastic and print one of our other winter themes once these wear out.
To begin playing, have all the players place their tokens at or around the starting square. Next, decide who goes first by rolling a die to see who gets the highest number, drawing a name, or letting the youngest student begin.
To advance on the board, players roll a six-sided die and move their game piece forward that many spaces. When they land, they’ll identify the number on that space aloud.
Got non-verbal players? They can easily join the fun by using a speech generating device, like talking buttons. If these aren’t available, you can also have them point to a matching number card.
You can end the game competitively—with the first player to reach the gingerbread house crowned the winner—or play cooperatively until everyone completes the trail. It’s easy to adapt based on your group’s needs and energy!
What You’ll Need
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- Cardstock
- Game board printables (grab it below)
- One game pawn per player (These mini gingerbread people are perfect!)
- A regular six-sided die
- Laminator (optional)
Adapting The Activity For All Learners
Whether your students are just learning numbers 1–10 or are ready to tackle 11–20, this gingerbread game comes with multiple versions to meet your kiddos where they are. There’s even a 1-20 version for when they are ready to practice them all!
For children with fine motor challenges, you can adapt the game pawns with bolsters to make them easier to grab. These ring pawns are also great for looping over a student’s finger, eliminating the need for grasping altogether.
For students who need to answer via eye-gaze or AAC device, we also have these nifty number cards that work well with felt boards, talking buttons, and more!
The Bottom Line
Perfect for math centers, at-home learning, or therapy sessions, these gingerbread number recognition board games blend joyful play with meaningful practice. It’s a recipe for sweet success!
