Here is a cute song for your kiddos this Christmas season! Who doesn’t love yummy gingerbread cookies? In this song Five Gingerbread men are made and then eaten! This counting song is sure to have your little ones singing and counting along! Kids will have fun counting each cute man and subtracting one after each verse. Also, see if your kids can find the rhyming words in each verse! Literacy and math skills are the focus in this song.
Cute visuals are included for you to print out and use with the song. There are three different sets of gingerbread men. Print one set or all and mix it up! Laminate them for longer use. Glue them onto popsicle sticks for easy handling. Or put a magnet on the back of each and place them on a cookie sheet.
Feeling inspired? What if you actually baked gingerbread cookies with your kids and had them use real cookies during the song? Here is a great gingerbread cookie cutter. Eating them will be so much fun – just don’t sing with your mouth full!
Math and Literacy Skills
This song activity addresses both math and literacy skills. During each verse of the song one gingerbread man is “eaten” resulting is a subtraction equation. Verse one begins with five men and results in four. After each verse, pause the song and point out that they started with five and took one away. Ask them how many are left. The equation is: five take away four equals ___ or 5-4=? The answer is one. Have the child count the remaining men to verify accuracy. Continue likewise with each verse. Four take away one equals three, and so on.
This song also has rhyming words. After each verse ask the child if they heard any rhyming words. You may need to repeat the words (spoken or sung) again. Help them find the rhyming words after each verse. Examples: sheet/feet, bite/sight, sweet/feet, treat/feet, etc.
Listen and Watch the Song
I have two audio files for you to listen to the song. The first is a cappella and the second is with guitar. Feel free to download them and use them with your kids. You can use these recordings with your kids along with the printed gingerbread men until you are comfortable singing the song on your own.
Give your child five of the gingerbread men and have them count how many there are in total. After each verse, once a gingerbread man is “eaten” have them take one away. Have them count again. Point out the math equation to them: 5 minus/take away 1 is four. Continue pausing to do the math after each verse. Repeat the song again with different gingerbread men or real cookies if you have them!
Below you will find a video to share with your kids. I would suggest watching the video together all the way through first. Then watch again and pause the video after each verse. So every time a gingerbread man is eaten, pause the video and have your child count how many are left. Point out that we are subtracting here: 5 minus/take away 1 is four. Continue pausing to do the math after each verse. Listen for the rhyming words too!
YouTube Video
This video can also be found on our YouTube channel! If you found this helpful, please take a moment to click through this link to view the video on your YouTube app and Like and Subscribe! Share this post and the video with friends and teachers. Thanks so much!
