Design A Gingerbread Man Activity: How To Use For Holiday Fun
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This design a gingerbread man activity is a delightful way to spark creativity and have holiday fun.
Using simple craft materials, your kids will have a blast putting together their own gingerbread person. Separating the supplies into different parts of a tray helps your students see all that they have available for DIY Christmas fun. Plus, you can choose to do this activity again and again OR glue the pieces down for a special keepsake.
I'm sharing my tips and ideas for using this festive activity as part of holiday and educational themes. Take a look at my suggestions and use for inspiration for your own gingerbread man fun!
Related: This popsicle stick gingerbread man craft is a simple and frugal way to get in the holiday spirit with kids!
Frugal and Festive Gingerbread Man Fun
Do you need an affordable activity to use with young learners this holiday season? Maybe you'd like a simple way to help your kids enjoy a quiet activity with fun themes? Or perhaps you're searching for hands-on projects that encourage creative play and spark imagination?
Well, this design a gingerbread man activity is magnificent for all of those things and more!
As a mom of 5 boys, I've had to think of many ways to help my children focus their energy in positive ways, especially during the holidays. At times, I needed something so I could just catch my breath and sit for a few minutes while they worked on a project. Other times, I was desperate for a something that would help big brothers be quiet while little brothers took much-needed naps.
Activity trays were often a go-to choice. I could quickly put together these trays with objects that we had. And the boys would have so much fun with sensory play (like when I'd include playdough) and more!
This gingerbread man theme was a great success with my boys. I hope that it inspires you to have a bunch of fun with your kids, too!
Suggested Supplies for Your DIY Gingerbread Man Activity
One of the amazing things about this activity is that there's really no wrong way to go about it. I encourage you to go through your craft materials and see what you have to use. Feel free to substitute with the supplies that you have. If you need a starting point, these materials are great:
- Tan Cardstock (or foam sheets)
- Googly Eyes
- Pom Poms
- Buttons
- White and Red Pipe Cleaners
- Foam Christmas Stickers
Ideas and Inspiration for This Design a Gingerbread Man Activity
To begin, cut a simple gingerbread shape out of the tan cardstock (or foam sheet). You can find all sorts of free printable gingerbread man templates at Monday Mandala.
Wrap the red and white pipe cleaners around each other to create peppermint accents.
Not sure about what other supplies that you could make available for this DIY activity? A few other suggestions are:
- Small jingle bells
- Wood beads
- Pony beads
- String or yarn
- Ribbon
- Washi tape (excellent choice because you can use to hold down items and then easily peel off!)
- Mini-erasers
- Sequins
Kids can either lay their decorations on the gingerbread man (making it a reusable activity) or you can glue them down to make their masterpieces permanent.
Encourage kids to get more involved by naming their gingerbread man. They can also come up with a story centered around it.
Practice recognizing emotions by challenging kids to make a happy, sad, worried, etc gingerbread man.
Easy Ways to Extend Your Gingerbread Man Fun
This activity is just one piece of the gingerbread man fun! Get these free printable gingerbread man activities, coloring pages, and bookmarks.
Before you do this activity, it can be extremely helpful to read some books about gingerbread friends.
Chat with your students about gingerbread houses, people, and creatures. Talk about colors, textures, patterns, and extras. Include both traditional and modern ideas!
The Gingerbread Man (My First Fairy Tales)Gingerbread BabyThe Gingerbread GirlHow to Catch a Gingerbread ManRichard Scarry's The Gingerbread Man (Little Golden Book)The Gingerbread Man Padded Hardcover Christmas StorybookThe Gingerbread ManThe Gingerbread Boy (Paul Galdone Nursery Classic)Lesnala 600Pcs Christmas Stickers roll Make Your own Gingerbread Man Stickers DIY Christmas Gingerbread Man Scene Sticker roll Gingerbread Man Decal for Xmas Activities Party Game Gift Decor-6 StylesHubirdSall 36Pcs Christmas Gingerbread Make-a-Face Stickers Make You Own Gingerbread Holographic Stickers Games Xmas Decorations for Kids School Home Crafts Activity Party Favors Gifts for Boys Girls
I'd love to hear your ideas for enjoying this design a gingerbread man activity with kids! Please share what you come up with in the comments area at the bottom of this post - thanks!!