The Best Gingerbread Man Cookie Hunt
Dramatic Play and the Great Gingerbread Man School Search
Nov 15, 2009
Children love to hear the story of the Gingerbread boy who leaps out from the oven to lead many people on a wild chase through the woods. Well, those who have read the story know the ending of the poor gingerbread boy being eaten by a sly fox. This activity is a little like the story except the gingerbread cookies brought in to the class end up running around the school having a dramatic play activity with the class
At the end, the students can be the sly foxes and stop the gingerbread boy or girl from running away. This activity should be done at the end of the unit when all the books and various activities have been completed and the children have a good understanding of the story.
Here is the best activity for young children to end a unit about the Gingerbread Man.
How to Plan for a Gingerbread Man Dramatic Play Activity
Students at this age love dramatic play. Little ones have such imaginations and can be easily led into all the fun and excitement of acting and play along. To make this activity run smoothly some planning needs to be done prior to the day. It is important to plan the activity on a day when the class either makes the cookies or if baking is not an option then either make the cookies at home or purchase from a bakery.
Secondly, plan the route of the class will take to find each clue and ask various teachers and staff around the school if they would not mind participating. Make sure to have an assistant to help when moving through the school and who can leave to place the cookies back on the students desks.
Thirdly, plan a time when the children will be eating the cookies, for example, when the class is outside for recess. Once the children are out of the room, the cookies can be hidden and a note left behind challenging the children to find the little gingerbread cookies if they can.
Once the teachers and other staff members have agreed to be a part of this gingerbread hunt, write the letters that will be left in care of each adult.
The first note, left in the room and found when the children return from recess, can read: “Catch me if you can my little friends. We have run to a place where a nice lady types all day. She answers phones and give out slips. This lady can give you an ice pack if you slip! Where are we? Love, The Gingerbread Cookies."
Then the next note would lead from the secretary to the next person, scavenger-hunt style, keeping, the class away from the classroom so an assistant can go and place each cookie back on each child’s desk.
The final note should read: “Oh we are so tired and cannot run anymore. We have gone to a room where you read and write all day. We will wait for you and never ever run away. Where are we? Love, The Gingerbread Cookies.”
How to End a Gingerbread Man Dramatic Play Activity
Once all final clue has been solved the students will make their way back to the classroom. When all children are seated at their seats, they will each find a gingerbread cookie waiting for them. While each child is eating his or her cookie, the teacher can reread the student's favourite story of the Gingerbread Man.
The teacher can end the activity by asking each child to write in his or her journal about a favourite moment from the hunt. Another activity is to give each child a blank piece of paper asking the question "What was your favourite part of the Gingerbread Hunt?" and make a class book of the day's events for the Reading Centre.
This activity takes a little planning, but is well worth the effort. The children will enjoy going to different teachers asking if they have seen the gingerbread cookies that ran away from the classroom. This activity will be memorable for little learners and the best way to end a unit about the Gingerbread Man.
HOL101
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