Now on to the Gingerbread man senses week. It is always one of my favorites, and if there were more weeks between the Thanksgiving and Christmas break it could definitely last longer. We read many different versions of the story of the gingerbread man. I love doing senses at Christmas because our senses are stimulated by all sorts of sounds, sights, smells, tastes and things to touch.
There are a gazillion wonderful websites with gingerbread activities on them, and most of the things I do come from one of those, though occasionally I have a brainstorm. I actually had one this week by accident.
I had done a whole bowl of different punches for patterning, which I had read about doing last year. I made way to many and thought it might be fun to cut out a paper tree and get out some glue sticks and have the children decorate the tree. It was a hit. They were not required to participate it was just out there and they would come by glue a few on and move on. We added sticky bows as well because I had a bag I had purchased to use in the paint center this week. Yes we dipped our bows in red and green paint and painted with them. Very pretty!!!!!
A few years ago I bought some clearance gingerbread men place mats at Target. I planned to just use them in the class a s a giant Gingerbread man, but then I had the idea to sew velcro on the back and let the children use buttons, and trim and stuff to decorate them. They have been fun ever since. I think you could make your own either using felt or fabric with velcro on it.
