Sturdy for Common Things

Storytime Anytime: Gingerbread

Storytime Anytime is a concentrated storytime experience that parents and caregivers can recreate with the youngster in your life. Each storytime focuses on a book about a specific interest, a song, rhyme, or fingerplay that complements the story, and then a few, simple extension activities. Storytime doesn’t just happen in the library, storytime can be anytime! 

Gingerbread has been around since 2400 BCE and today is a treasured international treat. This popular sweet not only temps taste buds of young and old, but also is the inspiration behind old nursery rhymes and stories such as The Gingerbread Boy and Hansel and Gretel as well as popular modern children’s books like The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School and Gingerbread Baby. Here’s how we explore this delicious, old-fashioned treat through story, rhyme, and play!

READ: Maisy Makes Gingerbread by Lucy Cousins (public library | local bookstore) We read a lot of Maisy Mouse books in our house! Illustrated in bright, bold colors, Masiy and her friends teach basic concepts in her day-to-day adventures. Maisy Makes Gingerbread follows Maisy step-by-step in the kitchen making gingerbread when surprise visitors arrive.

 

SING: “Homemade Gingerbread” by unknown author via Preschool Education. This rhyme is simple to remember after you do it a couple times and summarizes the simple steps of gingerbread baking.

Stir a bowl of gingerbread, smooth and spicy brow.
(Hold a bowl and make a mixing motion with the other hand.)
Roll it with a rolling pin, up and up and down.
(Both hands out flat facing the floor, move back and forth like when using a rolling pin)
With a cookie cutter, make some little men.
(Pretend to hold a cookie cutter and move it up and down.)
Put them in the oven, till half past ten.
(Pretend to hold a tray and place it in the oven. Then point to wrist.)

 

PLAY: These are simple gingerbread activities to expand the theme of the storytime – Gingerbread!

• Make Homemade Gingerbread: Cooking with kids is a terrific sensory and bonding activity as well as exercises skills in science, math, and reading. Try making these gingerbread cookies or a batch of gingerbread cookie houses in your home. Your home will smell sweet and spicy and your child will be excited to be an active participant in the baking process.
• Playdough Pretend Play: Make gingerbread scented playdough for easy gingerbread play. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and beads, buttons, and ribbon to decorate. Roll the dough back up and start all over again!
• Explore Smelling Spices: A variety of spices go into the construction of gingerbread cookie dough. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, GINGER.. Smell these spices with a child. Have them close their eyes and see if they can tell the difference between them all!
• Gingerbread Man Story Basket: If you read one of the many versions of The Gingerbread Man (see book suggestions below) this gingerbread man story basket is a terrific extension activity. Prompt creative play and storytelling by assembling a basket with toys or items featured in the story.
• Cardboard Gingerbread House: Decorate a large cardboard box like a gingerbread house by using crayons, markers, paint or whatever art supplies you have on hand.

MORE BOOK SUGGESTIONS:
The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone
The Gingerbread Man by Karen Schmidt
The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock
Cookie Count: A Tasty Pop-up by Robert Sabuda
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray
The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstup, illustrated by Matt Tavares (holiday themed)
Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratun (holiday themed)

For more gingerbread stories, songs, and fun, check out this gingerbread storytime post from a few years back when I was a youth librarian.