Gingerbread Playdate

Gingerbread smells so warm and homey, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to make some at least once each winter! And when you say “kids” and “gingerbread,” of course what comes to mind is GINGERBREAD PEOPLE! (Because really, isn’t it time we realized they’re not all men? *wink, wink!*)

Kids love to roll out dough and cut with cutters, and of course they will eat more of the decorations than they put on. Here are a week’s worth of ideas for your gingerbread themed playdate or story time! (And a thousand thousand thanks to JMM Danette for helping with this post, and for her gingerbread recipe, which has become an annual feature at playdates around here!

 Hands on Play

• Make and decorate gingerbread cookies. (See recipe at the bottom of this post) A few cookie cutters, some store bought icing tubes, and raisins or small candies and you are good to go. Little children don’t really need more than three or four decorating options.
• Create some darling No Bake Gingerbread houses from Red Ted Art
• Explore some Gingerbread themed sensory trays from Little Bins for Little Hands
• Gingerbread People Felt Board from Munchkin and Bean
• Food allergies got you down? Try these Gingerbread houses from milk cartons by Creekside Learning or this Life size gingerbread playhouse from Inner Child Fun
• Build some early math skills with this Gingerbread matching activity from PreKinders

Dramatic Play, music, and fingerplays

• Gingerbread house song from Let’s Play Music
• Gingerbread people popsicle stick puppets
• The original Gingerbread Man Fairy Tale
• Gingerbread Man songs and fingerplays

Books

Extension activities for later

• Gingerbread bath paint from Frogs and Snails is a perfect way to include baby and to wind down for bed time and keep with your theme.
• Gingerbread scented playdough by The Sweet Adventures of Sugar Belle can be rolled out and cut up again and again!

Print

Gingerbread Cookies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 36

Author Danette Zeh

Ingredients

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. margarine melted
• 1/2 c. evaporated milk
• 1 c. unsulfured molasses
• 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract optional
• 3/4 tsp. lemon extract optional
• 4 cups flour

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix well.
2. Add melted margarine, evaporated milk and molasses. Add extracts if desired. Mix well.
3. Add flour one cup at a time. Dough should be stiff enough to not stick to fingers. Add an additional 1/2 c. of flour if needed.
4. Knead dough for smooth texture.
5. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut into cookies.
6. Bake on greased cookie sheets in preheated 375 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies are done if they spring back when touched.

Recipe Notes

I find I use much more flour.