This activity is perfect for busy days that you want to do a fun holiday themed activity but you don’t have much time. I used Play-Doh instead of making my own but here is a great gingerbread playdough recipe if you want to make your own. Also if you have kids sensitive to gluten try our awesome gluten free playdough recipe ( it’s my favorite).  It’s important for me to find ways of making one activity appropriate for both my kids and their vastly different developmental stages and I think we managed with this gingerbread people play.

1. Gather your materials. I used play-dough ( hard to beat under a buck for a pack when you are short on time!), colored popscicle sticks from our sponsor craftprojectideas.com , and cookie cutters for my toddler. We added some buttons, pieces of yard and bakers twine , scissors, beads and googly eyes for my preschooler.
2. For toddlers just have fun feeling, squishing, and introducing the cookie cutters. We talked about body parts and the color brown.
3. She attacked it with popscicle sticks and we talked about red and green.
4. And of course she just explored.
5. With my son I had it prepped for him to play while I read to my daughter nearby. I had an example because he likes having a guide and doesn’t seem to feel the need to follow, he is still creative. If your child is one that feels the need ot replicate the guide exactly I would simply give them oral instructions. Every kid is so different always adjust for your child.
6. He liked cutting them out more than decorating so we squished some of the already cut ones back together and cut a bunch.
7. Decorated a few with eyes.
8. He was rather proud of these baker twine candy canes too.
9. Projects like these are great because you can re do it if it was a hit or use the items for other play if it wasn’t.