Run, Run as Fast as you Can ... to Grandma's for a Great Holiday Activity!
Make holiday cookie baking extra special for your preschool grandchildren with this memorable activity. Basically you will be creating a scenario where the Gingerbread Man that you bake with your grandchild, runs away and you both follow clues until you find him. It involves reading, problem solving, measuring, and just plain giggles and fun!
- First, the day before you see your grandchild, create clues to leave all around your house like the ones listed below**
- Then, take a trip with your grandchild to the library for that wonderful classic story " The Gingerbread Man".
- Read it with your grandchild right there in the library or at your home.
- Bake a Gingerbread Man with your grandchild (make sure it looks just like the one you made by yourself).
- While the Gingerbread Man is cooling, re-read the story.
- While you are reading, have someone take the cooling Gingerbread Man and hide it wherever the last clue leads. Make sure that they leave clue #1 in the place of the cookie.
- When you finish reading the story, suggest that you both go to eat the gingerbread. Act terribly surprised when the Gingerbread Man is found to be missing.
- Begin following the clues (starting with clue one) reading them together until you finally find the Gingerbread Man.
- The more you ham this up, the more they will love this game and never forget this hunt that could very possibly become a yearly tradition!
**Typical clues: "I am hiding where everything is stamped on!" (put the next clue in the mailbox)
"I ran under the place where you lay down your head." (put the next clue under the bed)
" I'm hiding where you go to fix a boo boo." ( put the next clue in the medicine closet)
It's fun to end each clue with the repeated phrase from whichever version of the book you have selected to read, for example: "I've run away from a little old lady, I've run away from a little old man, and I can run away from you I can, I can!" or "No, no, I won't come back. I'd rather run than be your snack!". Doing this reinforces beginning reading skills and also makes the clues seem more authentic.
When you finally find the Gingerbread Man you can either eat it (because that is what Gingerbread Men are for} or, if your grandchild balks at that idea, you could make a tree ornament out of it by attaching a ribbon.
Enjoy!
Nona's Favorite version of the Gingerbread Man is:
good idea! how about adding some yummy cookie recipes! love ya
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Great Idea!
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Mike,
Glad you're on board reading the blog! Love to hear from youl.
Stacy,
Thanks for the suggestion! Not being much of a baker, I always used a box mix, but this recipe seems easy enough for even me to try, and of course, baking it from scratch offers many more opportunities for measuring and stirring with the grandkids! For the recipe, click here.
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