Gingerbread Ten-Frame game

This yummy holiday themed Ten Frame activity helps young learners “see” the numbers they are building. 

You'll Need

  • Gingerbread Ten-Frame Game printable (see included link)
  • Number cards
  • Ten counters (teddy bear crackers)

Learning Stages


By Becca Ross
Kindergarten & First Grade Teacher

Becca is a schoolteacher and blogs at homeiswheremystorybegins.com. She loves to cook, bake, garden, sew, quilt, teach and simply spend time with her family. She strives to find art in everyday things.

When children are learning numbers and counting in school, numbers between 5 and 10 focus heavily on FIVE being the key number. The number 7, for example, is 5 and 2 more; 8 is 5 and 3 more; and so on. 

Teachers sometimes use a Ten Frame, a graphic tool with 2 rows of 5, to develop this concept. Children beginning to use the Ten Frame count the top row: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and then count the bottom row: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Once they have more experience with a Ten Frame, they already know the top row is 5, so they begin counting the second row: 6, 7, 8.... They don’t need to start all the way back at 1 each time a new number is being counted.

In this Gingerbread Ten-Frame game, children can learn to recognize the numerals 1-10, represent that number with objects, and understand the concept of counting on using a row of 5 within a Ten Frame.

How to play the Ten Frame game

  1. Print the Gingerbread Man Ten Frame printable from the link below. 
  2. Cut the numeral cards apart and place them in a stack by your Teddy Bear Ten Frame game board. 
  3. Choose a number from the stack. Say the number and then build that number with objects (such as your teddy bear cracker counters). Always build the numbers from left to right, filling up the top row first, just like you are reading a book. As your child becomes more familiar with the ten frame, encourage them to try the Counting On strategy. If the number is 6-10, encourage them to fill out the top line, counting the entire line as FIVE, and then count on to figure out the rest.

If you use edible counters it will double as a great snack when the game is over!