Gingerbread Phonics Activities: SH and CH Practice for Kindergarten & First Grade

Ever had a student decode something like /s/ /hip/ and end up with 'hips'? What about turning a simple one-syllable word into two with something like /c/ /hat/? If you are shaking your head, then you know just how hard it can be to teach digraphs to young readers. Teaching digraphs like SH and CH can feel a bit daunting, especially when your learners are still building confidence blending and segmenting sounds. One fun way to make this skill more engaging (and memorable!) is by tapping into a seasonal theme your students will love. That’s exactly why these FREE Gingerbread Phonics Activities are such a classroom favorite! Kids stay motivated, the learning feels like play, and you get meaningful practice without the struggle.

The Trouble with Digraphs

If you’ve ever taught digraphs in kindergarten or first grade, you already know, they can be tricky! Students are just getting comfortable blending and segmenting individual sounds, and suddenly, we introduce letter pairs that don’t make the sounds they expect. Instead of /s/ and /h/ separately… they make a brand new sound together. And because the change is subtle, many students need lots of repetition and hands-on practice to truly internalize SH and CH.

That’s where bringing in a fun, high-interest theme can make all the difference. When learning feels playful, students stay engaged longer, take more risks, and build confidence with new skills. And this time of year? Gingerbread activities create instant excitement! This means you get more meaningful practice without the overwhelm or boredom.

Today, I’m sharing a FREE set of Gingerbread Phonics Activities that are perfect for helping students master the SH and CH digraphs. With sorting activities, worksheets, word mapping, partner games, and even a cute craft, you'll have everything you need to get started. Let's take a peek inside!

What's Included in the Free Gingerbread Phonics Activities Pack

This set is designed to make practicing SH and CH easy, visual, and hands-on. You’ll get 5 different activities and plenty of ways to differentiate! In this free practice pack for SH and CH, you get a sorting game with recording sheets, word mapping and graphing pages, 3 extra worksheets with answer keys, 2 low-prep partner games, and an easy-prep gingerbread digraph craft!

The variety makes this set easy to use for whole-group instruction, small groups, centers, intervention, or independent literacy work. Plus, there are a few options included, so you can make this activity fit your needs. 

Gingerbread Digraph Sorting 

First up, let's look at the sorting game included in this SH and CH digraphs resource! To get started, simply print the sorting boards and choose whether you’d like to use the picture-only cards or the picture and word cards. Then, select the recording sheet level that best fits your learners. 

Mix the cards together and invite students to sort each one into the correct gingerbread house, either SH or CH. Once sorted, students write the words on their recording sheet to reinforce the spelling pattern and sound connection. This activity works beautifully in literacy centers, small groups, partner practice, or even for a quick, informal assessment. Before sending kids off to centers, make sure to do a few example cards with them so they know how to play. 

Every classroom has learners at different stages, and this resource is designed to support all of them. Use picture-only cards for students who are still working on hearing beginning and ending sounds. Use picture and word cards for students ready to connect sound to spelling (phoneme to grapheme). Choose from three different recording sheet levels depending on writing readiness and confidence. You can easily use the same activity with your entire class, but tailor the card set and recording sheet for each group.

Word Mapping Worksheets 

Next, let's talk about one of my favorite tools when it comes to digraphs - word mapping! The word mapping pages are designed to help students break down words step-by-step while strengthening the connection between sounds and spelling. 

Students begin by saying each word aloud, then map the sounds by coloring a gumdrop for each phoneme. Next, they graph the sounds by writing one letter (or letter team) in each box, and finally, they write the full word. There are mapping pages for beginning and ending SH as well as beginning and ending CH, so you can target exactly the pattern you’re teaching. 

This type of practice supports orthographic mapping, which is key for helping students store words in their long-term memory for fluent reading and accurate spelling. Plus, they are low-prep and easy to use, making them a great resource in your classroom! I love using these in small groups or as a desk work activity that everyone can work on independently. This allows me to circulate and offer support as needed. 

Extra Practice Worksheets

Speaking of low-prep, I've also included 3 additional worksheets in this pack to help support learning even further. Students can work on mystery picture puzzles, color-by-code pages, and additional word practice sheets, all of which come with answer keys for quick checking. These pages are ideal for morning work, literacy centers, independent desk time, sub plans, or homework, or any time you want quiet, but meaningful practice without added prep.

Gingerbread Partner Games

Looking for a way to practice SH and CH during center time? You'll love these low-prep games! They are another student favorite because they’re simple to set up and so engaging to play. You get 2 different games, including BUMP, and a board game. 

In the Gingerbread Digraph BUMP game, students spin to reveal a word, identify the digraph, and cover the matching space on the board. The Sweet Digraphs Board Game turns practice into a playful challenge as students roll and read their way around the board using small manipulatives as game pieces. Both games encourage decoding, fluency, and vocabulary practice, making them perfect for partner centers or fast-finishers who need an extension activity. 

They're so quick and easy to prep, too! Just print and laminate the mats, and grab some manipulatives, plastic spinners, and you're ready to go! I like to store all the materials together in a bin for quick and easy access. 

Gingerbread Phonics Craft 

Ready for my favorite part?! Let's talk about the easy-prep craft in this free gingerbread phonics activity pack! This craft is a fun and meaningful way to review what students have learned and finish up the unit. Here's how it works: each student assembles a gingerbread character and a cookie sheet, then fills the sheet with digraph cookies. 

You can choose to use the pre-printed CH and SH cookie words or allow students to write their own words on blank cookies, great for dictation practice or student-led word selection. The final result makes a charming hallway or classroom display that shows off both learning and creativity! I love to hang these up on a bulletin board to show off student work in a festive way!

Get Your Free Gingerbread Phonics Activities 

This free Gingerbread Phonics Activities pack is ready to use and perfect for December literacy centers, small groups, phonics intervention, or just adding some seasonal fun to your routine. It provides hands-on, engaging practice with SH and CH digraphs while supporting the foundational skills young learners need most. Click here to sign up and download your free copy!

With the sorting game, word mapping activities, bonus worksheets, partner games, and a craft, you'll have plenty of great learning activities to choose from. You'll want to start using this in your classroom right away!

Looking for More?

We love holiday-themed learning around here! Head to these posts next for more teaching tips and ideas:

• Festive December Activities for First Grade 
• Fun Christmas Math Activities and Crafts
• 5 Tips for Keeping Students Engaged During the Holiday Season

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