One of our art projects this week was a mix of art and sensory- decorating gingerbread men!
We used a recipe that mixes cinnamon and applesauce, because we wanted the dough to be toddler friendly. However, the consistency was all wrong and threw the whole project off track. Originally, we were going to make it hands-on throughout the whole process, but since we had to alter the recipe within the hour of time allotted for art, we had to pre-cut the gingerbread men and just let them go to town decorating. (We ended up just adding some Elmer’s Glue to the dough, which thickened it up enough to cut out the shapes.)
Note to self: ALWAYS test new recipes before you have nine little ones eager to dig in!
It all ended up okay, of course. They had a blast choosing buttons and bells to give each little gingerbread man a new look.
The toddlers love when they can be independent in little ways throughout the day. Letting them pick and choose buttons might seem small, but it gives them a sense of control and the freedom to make a choice. And that is a huge part of their development at this age!
The pinching motion they use to pick up these small pieces, as well as the pressing motion used to push them into the dough, are both great for refining their fine motor skills.
Their little gingerbread men ended up being adorable! And the room smelled like cinnamon apples for a day and a half!
Teach Toddlers 