We kick off the month of December every year with a gingerbread man theme, and I try to add some sort of gingerbread ornament for the children to make. Some examples:
Gingerbread Man Suncatcher Ornament Clay Gingerbread Man Ornament Cardboard Pom Pom Gingerbread Ornament
I add these to the gift bags the children give their families and they are always loved! This year I took an easier route and purchased pre-made wood gingerbread man shapes, but you can cut your own shapes from cardboard. These are super easy and add some sparkle to the tree! My 2 and 3 year olds love the story of the gingerbread man. I use my gingerbread man circle time props as I read the book and the children are so attentive! I have the classroom set up with a variety of gingerbread man activities such as:
Gingerbread Man Kinetic Sand Sensory Table or Gingerbread Man Rice Table Gingerbread Man Ice Painting Gingerbread Bakery
And then I invite the children to make a gingerbread man ornament.
Unfinished wooden gingerbread man ornaments (these are what we used)* Sequins (and any other small shiny pieces you might have on hand) Tinted glue (squirt your choice of tempera paint into a small container of white glue – we had several colors for the children to choose from) Paint brush Sealant (we used Modge Podge Spray)
*If you’d like to save some money and have cardboard lying around, cut them into gingerbread man shapes and use them instead of the wooden ones.
First, you will want something underneath the gingerbread man to catch the sequins because some will fall. Just trust me on this. I used paper plates. Then, provide a small container of the glue/paint mixture and a paint brush. Place the gingerbread man ornament on top of the plate. Make sure they stir the glue and paint mixture a bit to mix them. And that’s okay! This is their work.
I had my students transfer the sequins from the container to their ornament using a spoon. Watch: Our Favorite Gingerbread Circle Time Activities When they are finished spooning them, shake off the excess. Allow the ornaments to thoroughly dry. Spraying the sealant: Do NOT do this part with the children, and make sure it’s done in a well-ventilated area. Apply sealant on each gingerbread man ornament and let dry. If you purchase unfinished wood ornaments like I did, you will want to add the elastic gold “thread” through the hole (to hang on the tree).
Gingerbread Man Books
The Gingerbread Man (Easy to Read Folktales) Gingerbread Baby (Jan Brett) How to Catch a Gingerbread Man (Adam Wallace) Ten Tiny Gingerbread Men (Tiger Tales)
Just make sure to write their names on the back. (I like to add the year since it might be a keepsake ornament to be enjoyed on future Christmas trees.) Speaking of keepsake ornaments:
Photo Ornament Fillable Ornament Alphabet Ornaments
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