Life-sized Gingerbread Girl Craft for Preschoolers
We made a life-sized gingerbread girl craft!
This week’s creative preschool learning theme is all about Christmas. I remember how much my son loved his giant gingerbread boy craft when he was younger so I thought it would be fun for Little Sister to make one this year. She loved it! My son had the most adorable smile when I was tracing around him on the paper and his sister thought it was the funniest thing. She especially loved laying down inside her cookie and next to it.
How to make the Life-sized Gingerbread Girl Craft (or Gingerbread Boy)
We used giant butcher paper that someone had given me. If you do not have large enough paper, you could tape a few together on the back side. Have the child lay down on the paper with their arms at their sides. Trace around them using a pencil. After they get up, you may wish to outline it with marker. It made it easier for my daughter to see.
Even though we used brown-colored paper, I still had my daughter paint her gingerbread girl with brown paint. When it dried, I cut around the shape.
When it dries it’s time to decorate! Here’s what we used:
- white ric-rac
- jumbo buttons in different shapes
- red construction paper
- Elmer’s Early Learners glue pen
- glitter glue
- scissors
- black marker
Have the child decorate their gingerbread person however they’d like. We have a bag of jumbo buttons that come in different shapes and colors that I brought out for Little Sister to glue on. She also glued on two black eyes and a red bow which I had pre-cut using construction paper. She drew on the mouth with a black marker and I drew on some eyelashes.
I happened to have white ric-rac on hand from my Grandma which ended up being perfect for this craft! Cut strips from it and have the child glue them on the arms, legs, and anywhere else you’d like. Trim off any overhang. Alternatively, you could use white paint, string, ribbon, or puffy paint.
She finished by decorating the shirt area with all different colors of glitter glue.
I had her lay down next to her gingerbread cut out so she could compare her size to it and see if it matched. We also got out the measuring tape and measured both of them. Another fun way to measure would be to count how many hands or feet high it is.
It’s now hanging on the closet door as a Christmas decoration!
About the Elmer’s Early Learners products
Disclosure: We received free products and compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way. Please see our full disclosure policy here.
My daughter loves gluing with the glue pen! It comes out in a controlled amount instead of blobs of glue that are way more than she needs. It’s also easier for her to squeeze. They are designed specifically for preschoolers and promote the tripod grip, a proper writing grip, with their triangular shape. The shape also is great because our glue sticks no longer run off plus the caps fit on the top. The Early Learner’s product line also includes a glue stick. Both go on purple but dry clear. This helps little ones see where they have placed the glue and where they may have missed.
More Gingerbread Crafts for Kids
- Gingerbread Busy Bag Learning Activities – we love busy bags!
- Gingerbread Theme – several ideas!
- Cardboard Gingerbread Man and House – love the way they decorated them!
- Cardboard Tube Craft – adorable!
Don’t forget to stop by our preschool buddies to see what they are sharing!
Twice a month we will be sharing ideas for the same preschool theme. This weeks creative preschool learning theme is Christmas. Come back in two weeks for Scissor Skills!
- I Heart Crafty Things – Kid-made Christmas Gift Tags
- A Little Pinch of Perfect – Easy Christmas Tree Craft & Games using Recycled Yogurt Cups
- Pink Stripey Socks – DIY Pin the Nose on Rudolph
- Handmade Kids Art – Kandinsky Inspired Christmas Art & Ornament
More Creative Christmas Crafts
[ess_grid alias=”Christmas Crafts”][/ess_grid]
My daughter would get such a kick out of decorating a gingerbread girl her own size. How fun!!
It’s so much fun! Lol 🙂
I love this activity. I will have to try this with our four.
That would be so cute Theresa!
This is so much fun! You could also add some measurements in to work in some math learning 🙂
This is such a neat craft! 🙂 I’m definitely going to try this out with my son.
Yay! Can’t wait to see it.