We started by making some child sized gingerbread people with craft materials. After the kids painted the paper cutout, they sprinkled with cinnamon on the wet paint. Smells really yummy!
The kids used fancy scissors to make paper ric rac for trim with a few simple shape cut outs. One friend colored the eyes so they would be "more prettier". There was a great discussion about adding eyelashes, but the discussion went by the wayside by the time they'd finished with the other features.
On Friday, we invited parents to come in and help us make some gingerbread houses in small groups. It was a lot of fun, a fabulous creative, sensory experience! I am so thankful for such wonderful parents that came to help. (And they are all working parents, but still managed to find time to help us out!)
It turns out that the parents had the most important job of all--hold the house together!! (I promise, next time we'll read the directions well beforehand, and we'll know to let the houses set up for a bit before decorating! ;)
While the parents held the houses in place, the kids decorated like crazy!
I'll try to come back and post a pic on Monday of the one that collapsed before setting while we were outside at recess. By the time we returned, it finally had set--in collapse mode!
So cute! I'll have to try some of these ideas! My 4-yr-old discovered "Gingerbread Baby" this year & wants to read it all the time. She would love these activities!
ReplyDeleteI never heard of that book- how cute! I am going to have to see if our library has that :) I absolutely love your Handprint Reindeer Bulletin Board & featured it in a Round Up post on my blog. Here is the post if you wish to check it out: http://funhandprintart.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-top-10-favorite-christmas-crafts.html
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
The child-sized gingerbread people are so cute!
ReplyDelete