Pre-K Printable Fun
  • Home
  • About
    • Pre-K Printable Fun
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    • Policies
    • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Activity Library
  • Themes
  • Become a Member
  • Log In
  • Store
Picture

Gingerbread Man Sightings Event

We're sorry the registration for this event is now closed!
Pre-K Printable Fun is excited to sponsor the 2024 Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Event to help bring this festive and educational activity to life for young learners!

To participate in this free event, simply download our  free Gingerbread Man Sightings Engagement Pack by 9pm PST 11/22/24. This free pack includes all the resources and step-by-step instructions you need to facilitate the event in your classroom or at home.

The pack is designed to make the project fun and easy, with printable activities and creative ideas to engage your students. Inside the pack , you'll also find an invitation to join our Gingerbread Man Sightings Facebook Group, where you can connect with other participating educators, share your experiences, and exchange ideas for facilitating this activity.  Together, we can make this a memorable and educational experience for all!

Below you can find more details about:
Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Overview
Educator Tips for Setting up the Project

Picture
I facilitated this project for many years in my own childcare program, and have coordinated a special events for Pre-K Printables Club Members in years past, and it's always been a blast!

Please be sure to check out the rest of this page for tips and details about each step. You can see samples of other fun learning invitations our members have set up during past projects, and download a free copy of our Gingerbread Man Sightings Engagement Pack by 9pm PST 11/22/24 to participate in our event!

Sheena
Pre-K Printable Fun Site Manager



Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Overview

The Gingerbread Man Project is a fun, imaginative, and community-building activity typically done with young children during the holiday season. It often ties into the classic children's story “The Gingerbread Man” and engages students in hands-on activities, creative storytelling, and collaborative learning. The project can vary in scope and approach depending on the specific goals and age group, but here’s a general overview of how it works:

Day 1: The Gingerbread Man Story and Cookie Creation
  • Story Time: Start the project by reading your own version of the classic “The Gingerbread Man” story. You can use a traditional version or get creative with your own twist!
  • Cookie Making: After the story, your students will get to make their own gingerbread cookies. Whether they create real cookies or pretend cookies using craft materials, this is an excellent opportunity for hands-on learning and fun.
  • The Great Escape: Once the cookies are “baked” (or made), they will "run away" during the baking process! The idea is that the gingerbread men are mischievously escaping, just like in the story. Students can make their own "Missing Posters".
Day 2 & 3: The Gingerbread Men Go on Adventures
  • Tracking the Adventures: While the gingerbread cookies are “on the run,” they go on exciting adventures all around the city, state, or even to other states and countries! Friends and family are asked to help by sending postcards, letters, videos, or emails about where they’ve seen the gingerbread men and what they were up to.
  • Mapping the Sightings: Every time a sighting is reported, students will mark the location on a classroom map. This can help reinforce geography skills while making the project feel real and tangible.
  • Gingerbread-Themed Activities: While waiting for the cookies to return, students can engage in various Gingerbread-themed learning activities. Some ideas include:
    • Math: Count how many gingerbread men have been sighted, create patterns with gingerbread-shaped cutouts, or practice measurement by decorating cookies.
    • Writing: Have students write or dictate short stories about where they think the gingerbread men might go next.
    • Art: Create gingerbread house designs, decorate paper gingerbread men, or do a sensory activity with gingerbread-scented play dough.
Day 4: The Gingerbread Baby’s Special Return Plan
  • Story Time: Read The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett, a charming twist on the classic tale. In this story, the baker builds a gingerbread house to lure the gingerbread baby back home.
  • Building Gingerbread Houses: In this step, your class will build their own gingerbread houses (real or pretend) to try to “bring the cookies home.” This could be a fun art project where students decorate gingerbread house templates or a science/engineering activity where students design a sturdy gingerbread house out of various materials.
  • Gingerbread Home Ideas: Students can design their gingerbread houses using materials like graham crackers, frosting, candy, and more! If you’re working with pretend cookies, they could create a little gingerbread house out of cardboard or other craft supplies.
Day 5: The Gingerbread Men Return to Their Homes
  • The Big Return: As a grand finale, the gingerbread men will return to their new gingerbread houses. The students can rejoice in their return and settle them into their newly built homes.
  • Closure: Reflect on the journey of the gingerbread men by reviewing the sightings on the map. This could be a time for students to share their favorite parts of the adventure and talk about what they learned through the process. You can also talk about how the story ends and how the gingerbread men found their way back home.
  • Celebrate the Project’s Success: Close out the unit by celebrating with gingerbread-themed snacks, crafts, or even a little class party. You could also send home a small gingerbread-themed keepsake for the students, like a story booklet or a decorated cookie.

Additional Ideas for Extension:
  • Global Connections: If any of the sightings come from outside the local area, you could incorporate discussions about different cities, countries, and cultures, allowing students to make connections to geography and global learning.
  • Technology Integration: If you receive digital submissions (photos, videos, or emails), you can share them with the class on a smart board or through a class website, enhancing the project with tech tools.
  • Community Involvement: Local businesses, libraries, or other community members could participate by hosting "gingerbread sightings" or offering themed activities, creating a sense of collaboration between the classroom and the broader community.


Variations: While the basic elements of the Gingerbread Man Project remain the same, it can be adapted in many ways depending on the age group, curriculum goals, and community involvement. For example, some schools may include more detailed lessons on baking and nutrition, while others may integrate art projects by having students create their own gingerbread characters using different materials.

Download Your Free Copy of our Gingerbread Man Sightings Engagement Pack by 9pm PST  11/22/24

Our Free Gingerbread Man Sightings Engagement Pack Includes Everything you'll need to get started!
Picture
Simply Subscribe to our free Lesson Planning Newsletter for a free copy of this Engagement pack!
Inside you'll find:
  • Tips for facilitating this project in your program
  • Parent & Local Business Participation Letters (editable)
  • Gingerbread Men KWL Chart
  • Gingerbread Men Missing Poster
  • Gingerbread Man Play Dough Mat/Craft Template
  • Gingerbread Man Story Sequencing Activity
  • Gingerbread Man 2D Shape Clip Cards
  • Gingerbread Man on the Run Board Game 
  • Gingerbread Man Puzzle
  • Gingerbread Man Sorting by Size Activity
  • A link to join our Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Facebook Group

We respect your privacy. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter and any time.

Educator Tips for Facilitating the Project

Below you can find Tips for facilitating this project including:
Materials & Tips for Setting Up this Project
Tips for Participating & Setting Project Deadlines
Tips for Introducing the Project & Making Gingerbread Men
Tips for the Escape
Reading Letters, Tracking The Gingerbread Men, and Activities
Luring the Gingerbread Men Back Home & Building Houses
Celebrating their Return

Materials & Tips for Setting Up this Project

Before the project begins you will need to gather materials.
Here are the necessary basics (and a few optional fun goodies) that you might want to pick up:
  • A version of The Gingerbread Man, you can check out some of the versions we love and other fun books to read along the way.
  • The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett: After you read this book your students will create a Gingerbread House to lull the Gingerbread back home. If you don't have a copy, you can watch a read aloud on YouTube here.
  • Cookie Dough or Craft Materials: For Baking: Gingerbread cookie dough, cookie cutters, rolling pins, baking sheets, and decorations (sprinkles, icing, candy). For Crafting: Paper, crayons/markers, gingerbread man templates, glue, scissors (if making paper gingerbread men).
  • A map! You can print one for your town, state, country or even a world map (depending on where your letters will be arriving from)!  Materials to mark the map such as stickers, markers, or string and pins.
  • Decorative Materials for building gingerbread houses: (graham crackers, icing, candy, etc.) There are many ways to do this, and some examples below!
  • Fun Gingerbread learning materials, and activities  to support engagement and learning along the way. You'll find several free activities inside our extension pack.

Tips for Participating & Setting Project Deadlines

In order for this to be the most successful,
we recommend you collaborate with as many people to as possible to send you "Sighting" letters.

Before communicating about this project, determine the length of time of your project, and the dates it will run, we recommend a week for younger students. You will need to communicate about the project and send out invitation to participate well in advance (1-2 weeks is ideal). You will want to set a "deadline" for the letters to arrive. Please be sure to sure to provide the address (or email address) where you would like t You can collect the letters in advance, and place a few in your mailbox each day to keep the "magic alive".

Provide your participants with information about what they should include their letters. We have sample letters below in the "Letter" section. Each person sending a letter should describe details about "where" they saw the Gingerbread Men in their community and "What" they were doing! 
Receiving letters and post cards is always exciting, but we've also enjoyed digital mail over the years. Video messages from different parts of the country, and even emails that contain photos of different landmarks around the country can be printed and read aloud!

Some people to collaborate with:
  • Each Students Family!  Let them know about the project in advance, and ask them to contact their extended family (especially if they live in different places in the country or the world! Many people enjoy participating in this event, and look forward to it each year.
  • Other teachers, or Childcare Providers: You can work on this fun project by together and agree to send each other letters in the mail, each containing details about where they "saw" the gingerbread men in their city.
  • Connect with local friends, and businesses to send a letter! This is a fun way for them to support your program!

Sample Participation Letter

You can find several sample participation letters, inside our free Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Pack. They are editable, so that you can give a letter to parents and friends who many want to be involved with this project. 
Picture

Tips for writing "Sighting" Letters

  • Consider Buying Gingerbread Themed Cards, fun stationary, or Postcards featuring your city!
  • If you are participating in a letter swap with other educators consider creating a template letter and printing several copies.
  • Include details that tie in your location, such as: "While I was visiting San Francisco, guess who I saw run by me while I was driving on the Golden Gate Bridge? Your Gingerbread Men!" You can also include fun facts about your City/State, or if you are local you can reference local landmarks/businesses as well.

Tips for Introducing the Project & Making Gingerbread

Before you read.....

Introduce this project to your students with a fun KWL chart, this fun themed KWL chart is available in our Free Gingerbread Man Sightings Project pack.
Picture

Read a Copy of The Gingerbread Man

The project begins with a reading of The Gingerbread Man. There are many versions out there so pick your favorite, this version from Jim Aylesworth has lovely illustrations.  The only requirement is that the gingerbread man runs away while baking. 
Of course reading this fun tale is a great lead to baking your own cookies!
Picture

Making the Gingerbread Men

This step is a great opportunity for science, math, and creative development. 
​We have seen our members do this step in a variety of ways!

Bake from Scratch

If your feeling adventurous and have the time, baking from scratch is a fun way to kick off this project. 
Easily incorporate math and science lessons as well as contribution with this activity. 
We had a great time doing this and even did some taste tests on the molasses. 
Boxed cookie mixes are also great!
Picture

Use Pre-Made Dough

Another option is pre-made dough sheets. These can sometimes be hard to find if you are looking for actual gingerbread flavors. We added raisins to ours for eyes after using the cookie cutters with the roll-out dough. 
Get the mini rolling pins here on amazon. 
Picture

Pre-Baked Cookies

Inviting your kiddos to decorate pre-baked cookies and then pop them into a cold oven for finishing works too!
Our reader. Wendy P. shared this photo of these adorable cookies her crew made. 
Picture

Craft Gingerbread People

You can even craft them from paper, card stock, foam cutouts or wood! Jennifer Q. shared this photo of her group's gingerbread creations.
If you decide to craft them you can pop them into your play kitchen or even a DIY play oven. ​
Picture

Tips for The Escape

You may need assistance with this step! Enlist the help of an assistant, family member, friend, or even a parent of one of your students! While your cookies are “baking” they will escape from the oven. The designated person will need to turn the oven off, remove the cookies, and place them out of site. Consider placing them in the freezer to keep them for the end of the unit!

The Escape Letter

A handwritten escape letter, pre-written from the Gingerbread Men, that is left behind, supports children as they begin to understand what has happened to the gingerbread men.

This is one of the ones I wrote a few years ago.
Sample Verbiage:

“Run, Run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch us we’re Gingerbread Men!”
Picture
Wendy P shared this letter that was left for her preschoolers.
Picture
I've been doing this project for many many years. During one year I had a student that had done the project in my program before and was on third year, she knew what would happen to those cookies! 
She insisted we taped up the oven! 
Be prepared for these scenarios if you are repeating the project!
Picture

After the Escape...

After the escape you can:
  • Have a group discussion about where the Gingerbread Men where have gone
  • Brainstorm Ideas for how to get them back
  • Create Missing Posters
  • Go on a walk around your neighborhood to hang your posters (or your students can bring their wanted posters home to hang in their own neighborhoods).

Missing Posters

After the escape, make your own missing posters. Display them until the gingerbread men come home. 
You can find this  printable inside our free Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Pack.
Picture

Reading Letters, Tracking The Gingerbread Men, and Activities

When your sighting letters start coming in you can set aside a few minutes a day to read the letters and track the locations together. Place a marker on the map where the cookies were spotted last.

Sample Letter

For many years we had  members who participated in this project. Participating members agreed to mail a letter to each other participant so each class will receive on average 18 letters (more or less depending on the year). 

Here is where you get to use your creativity! For the letters you send you can mail a letter, send post cards, or even cute gingerbread note cards (the choice is yours). Be sure to share a little bit about where you saw the gingerbread men, and what they were doing! You can include information about your own city, or state for some added social studies fun.

As letters arrive your student(s) will open them and read about the gingerbread adventures, here are just a few examples of letters members have mailed in the past. 

Tracking the Sightings on a Map

After reading the letter track it on a map, this is a fun way to introduce maps to young children and get them thinking about the world we live in. 
Many of the participants will include some tidbit about the area they live in. For example "I saw a gingerbread man hop on a cactus in the desert!" or "I saw your gingerbread skiing down the mountain" this helps children visualize the locations where their cookie has been spotted. 
Wendy P shared this photo of her children tracking where their gingerbread man was spotted. 
Picture
Gloria C shared this fun display, children track on the map and the sightings are featured around the map. 
Picture

Participating in Gingerbread Themed Activities while you wait!

While waiting for your letters to come in, invite your preschoolers to engage in gingerbread theme learning activities! We have included some examples below! You can also find several more on our Free Gingerbread Man and Sweet Treats Theme Planning Page.

Re-Tell the Story

Practice story retelling with the activities found in our  Gingerbread Stick Puppet Storybook Theater set!
Picture

Gingerbread Man Math Activities

Introduce some math fun with this cookie sheet shape matching activity from our Gingerbread & Sweet Treats pack.
Picture

Gingerbread Man Crafts

One of our participants, Emily C, made these fun stained glass gingerbread crafts with her kiddos!
​If you haven't made these before check out our tutorial. 
Picture

Play a Game

Support color identification with this fun roll and play activity that can be found inside our Gingerbread & Sweet Treats Activity pack. 
Picture

Gingerbread Small World Play

This small world play invitation our reader Emily C. made is so adorable!
Picture

Gingerbread Man Fine Motor Activity

My preschoolers loved making their own little gingerbread people out of dough and decorating the dough mat. You can find a free Gingerbread Decorating Mat inside our Free Gingerbread Man Sightings Project Pack.
Picture

Bakery Dramatic Play

Jazz up your Dramatic Play center with a fun Bakery where preschoolers can pretend to bake and sell all kinds of sweet treats.
Picture

Luring the Cookies Home & Building Houses

Read the Gingerbread Baby

When you are ready to bring your project to a close it's time to find out how to lure those little cookies home!
Read the book Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
*Spoiler* In this story, the young baker decides to build a gingerbread house to lure his cookie home, your group will be doing the same!

After reading this story, consider brainstorming some ideas for how they can get their Gingerbread Men to return. What are some things you miss when you are away?

Below are some examples of how our participants have made their houses in the past. 
Picture

Gingerbread House Kit

Gloria C used a gingerbread house kit with her preschoolers. This is a fun and easy option!
Picture

Graham Cracker House

One year my group made ours with graham crackers and icing. 
Picture

Peppermint Gingerbread House

For a fun twist try making a peppermint gingerbread house!
Picture

Wooden Gingerbread Houses

Emily C invited her preschoolers to turn little wooden birdhouses into gingerbread houses! This is such a fun way to complete this project. 
Picture

Cardboard Gingerbread Houses

Kristen S found these wonderful little gingerbread cookie house boxes, so cute!
Picture

Tips for Celebrating their Return!

Your students will arrive on day 5 to find their cookies have safely returned to their new Gingerbread homes!

More Tips and Fun Goodies to Add 

It's a funny thing, once you get into this project...you REALLY get into this project! Suddenly you will notice gingerbread goodies everywhere!
​Here are some that our members have shared and love!
In addition to your free event activity pack, you can also find more Gingerbread  activities inside the Pre-K Printable Fun shop-these fun and engaging learning activities are super simple to set up and oh so cute! 
​Also be sure to check out the free Gingerbread & Sweet Treats Theme Planning Page for even more activity ideas related to this theme. 
Picture

Gingerbread Themed Cards

Send fun themed cards like these ones found at the dollar tree
Picture

Toy Christmas Cookies

Emily C shared this darling set of Christmas cookies her group got to play with. 
Picture

Elf on the Shelf Gingerbread Activities

The Elf on the Shelf got in on the fun with Wendy P
Picture

Life Sized Gingerbread Play House

This pop-up gingerbread house that Emily C shared is just adorable and perfect for dramatic play!
Picture

Dollar Tree Maps

My favorite map is this one found at the dollar tree, it's large, colorful and just the right price.
Picture

Gingerbread Inspired Breakfast

Wunderlick daycare shared these tasty looking gingerbread waffles, such a fun snack during this theme!
Picture

Project Display

I enjoyed making a display for the parents to see when our project came to a close. I included photos of our activities, our map and some of the letters we received. 
Picture

Choose a Theme:

A-E
All About Me
Apples
Arctic Animals and Ice
Around the World
Birds
Camping
Caterpillars & Butterflies
Circus
Clouds Wind Rain
Construction & Building
Deck the Halls
Dental Health
Dinosaurs
Earth Day & Recycling

Easter
F-M
Fall Leaves & Trees
Family & Home
Farm
Father's Day
Fire Safety
Flowers & Bees
Fourth of July
Friendship & Kindness
Fun in the Summer Sun
​Gingerbread & Sweet Treats
Growing Fruits & Vegetables (Gardening)
Halloween
Insects
Library Fun
Medieval Fantasy & Fairy Tales
Mother's Day
Movies & Popcorn
N-R
New Years
Nocturnal Animals Day/Night
Nursery Rhymes
Ocean Animals Under the Sea
Outer Space
Penguins
Pets
Picnics
Pirates and Tropical Island
Police
Pond Animals
Post Office 
Pumpkins
Rainbows
Robots
Rocks Dirt & Mud
S-Z
Santa and His Helpers
Scarecrows, Crows, & Corn
Snakes
Snow & Snowmen
Spiders
Spring Cleaning
Squirrels and Acorns
St. Patrick's Day
Transportation
Turkeys & Thanksgiving
Valentines Day
Winter Clothes & Staying Warm
Winter Sports
Woodland Forest Animals
Worms, Snails, Slugs
Zoo Animals

Picture

Learning Centers

Preschool Learning Centers are commonly referred to as Preschool Centers, or Learning Spaces. These are activity areas dedicated to a specific type of of play and exploring a variety of topics and activities. Download our Free set of Center Signs!
Learn More

Site

Home
About
Blog
Themes
eBook
Membership
Store
Subscribe
Member Dashboard

Topics

Art & Creativity
Dramatic Play
Language and Literacy
Math
Science and Discovery
Physical Development
Social and Emotional Development
Educator Resources

Contact Us

Need help? Visit our FAQ page 
Support Desk: [email protected]
Privacy Policy • Refunds • Terms of Use • Digital Product TOU •Pre-K Printables Club Membership TOU •Disclosures

©  Pre-K Printable Fun 2024. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
    • Pre-K Printable Fun
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    • Policies
    • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Activity Library
  • Themes
  • Become a Member
  • Log In
  • Store