If you’re looking for non-candy Gingerbread Crafts for toddlers and preschoolers to make this holiday season, you’ll love these unique and adorable ideas. Below, you’ll find non-candy gingerbread house crafts, gingerbread man crafts, and a gingerbread play dough activity.
Decorating gingerbreads is such a wonderful tradition to do with your kids, and a fun way to kick off the holidays. My boys always loved it, but oh, the mess and the sugar rush…
By the time we finished, I swear, they’d have eaten half the candy I’d given them to decorate with, and it would be crazy-town here for the rest of the evening.
These sugar-free gingerbread activities are great for daycare or preschool because they’ll provide kids with all the creative fun that real gingerbreads do without any of the sugar.
They’re all fun ideas for a kids’ Christmas party too!
At the bottom of this post, I’ve included a couple of terrific ginger cookie recipes.
Easy Gingerbread Crafts for Kids
Paper Plate Gingerbread Craft
When it comes to adorable gingerbread crafts, this paper plate gingerbread man scores a 10 out of 10.
Kids can experiment with colour blending and a painting technique called “pouncing” when painting their paper plates, and then lots of good fine-motor action is involved putting making creating their gingerbread man’s face and trimming it with “icing”.
Scented Sandpaper Gingerbread Man Craft
These scented sandpaper gingerbread ornaments provide a wonderful sensory experience for little ones.
There’s the feel of the sandpaper, the sound that the spices make against the sandpaper, and of course, the wonderful aroma.
Cardboard Gingerbread House
This cardboard gingerbread house is a great group activity for kids to do at a Christmas party or they can do it solo at home.
Either way, they’ll end up with a colourful candy house that they’ll be proud to display, and you won’t have to worry about them over-indulging in sugar while they make it.
Popsicle Stick Gingerbread Ornament
These craft stick gingerbread men are ridiculously easy to make and ridiculously adorable. Your kids can make a bunch of them in no time to hang on the tree or to give away as gift-toppers.
Gingerbread Man in Gingerbread House Ornament
Don’t put away those popsicle sticks yet! You’ll want to make this sweet gingerbread house with a gingerbread man tucked right into it to hang on your tree this year.
Make our cardboard gingerbread star as well for a matched set of ornaments.
Mini Gingerbread House Ornament
This homemade gingerbread house ornament is perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree.
The toddlers and preschoolers made these adorable little gingerbread houses using craft gems and scraps from the sewing basket. And again, no sugar added!
Milk Carton Gingerbread Village
This is one of my favourite gingerbread crafts for a group of kids to make together.
Have each child decorate a milk carton gingerbread house, and set up a whole gingerbread village in your classroom, or to display on on a mantel in your home.
Cardboard Gingerbread Man Ornament
These adorable gingerbread man ornaments are made from cardboard, but they look like real gingerbread cookies. Older kids will love getting creative making these sweet ornaments, but they’re easy enough for toddlers and preschoolers to make too!
Decorating Gingerbread Play Dough Cookie
And lastly, here’s a gingerbread activity that the kids can do over and over again in the month leading up to Christmas.
Make a batch of gingerbread playdough and the kids can pretend to bake and decorate Christmas cookies all through December.
Gingerbread cookies that aren’t gingerbread men:
Easy Dipped Gingerbread Cookies
You won’t find an easier recipe for a gingerbread cookie! No-one will ever guess you didn’t make these white-chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies from scratch!
Big, Soft Ginger Cookies
If you love the flavour of gingerbread, but don’t love a crunchy gingerbread man, you have to try these big, soft ginger cookies. They’re easy to make, soft and chewy, and totally delicious.
There you go!
Plenty of gingerbread crafts and activities to keep the kids busy this holiday season, and some yummy treats to satisfy their tummies too.
More Fun Holiday Activities for Kids:
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
