5 Tips to easier Gingerbread Houses with Little Children

 

 

We make gingerbread houses every year. I decorate one and all the older kids all get to decorate their own. Don't be turned off from doing this activity because you think you aren't crafty or you are afraid it will be too messy or too much work. Here is a few pointers to make it easier for Mama and more enjoyable for everyone involved!

 

 

My gingerbread house from last year...Two Gumdrops stuck together, then placed in a row,  make great toadstools... while a snail is easily made by sticking a gumdrop to a peppermint; pretzel pieces make little snail antlers...

 

5 TIPS to easier gingerbread houses with little children:

 

1. Save yourself HOURS and purchase the houses PRE-ASSEMBLED. Our Walmart had these preassembled houses for $9 and that included icing and some candies to decorate. I have an amazing friend who makes her own homemade gingerbread, cuts the pieces out, etc. I do not have that time (or talent) so I buy preassembled.

2. Another option is make a mini village of houses using graham crackers. There are some great examples of how cute these can be at www.marthastewart.com

3. The following make great decorations: gumdrops, smarties, gum (for sidewalks) chocolate rocks (for sidewalks) peppermints, premade cake/cupcake candy decorations, skittles, red hots, marshmallows, pretzels (great for windows and shingles), shredded wheat (great for shingles and or faux hay bales), raisins, coconut (fake snow)....offer these to your kids in a muffin tin. Less mess and they see all the great decor available and I love their faces when i give them "their tin" filled with all the different candies...and giving everyone their own ration of candy in their own muffin tin means no bickering. Peace on Earth!

4. icing in containers with the interchangeable tips, especially white, are great for decorating and most children can do these with little assistance. Or, you apply the "power" and let your child "steer" the design...my boys have fine motor issues, so I "power" and they "steer" the design.

5. We put ours on a platter or cake board before starting...making it easy to turn to decorate all 4 sides and easy to move as needed.

**When decorating houses or hosting a gingerbread decorating party, consider serving SAVORY eats to balance out all the sugar. For a great post on a savory food bar and gingerbread party check out THIS AMAZING POST from my friend Nikki, of Tikkido!

Last year, we held our first Gingerbread House decorating party and invited 6 families, 24 people, to come decorate with us. Each family got their own table, house and muffin tin. When they were finished, we took family pictures of each family standing in front or our Christmas tree. Here's a few pictures...

                                Set up and waiting for guests.. We had two other rooms set up with
                                                         tables awaiting happy families...

Here is a look at our "savory bar" we set up! (Yes, those are chickens painted on my canisters!) Our savory bar included meats, cheeses, veggies, chips, rolls, a hot dip, and fruit).

If you've never hosted a gingerbread decorating party they are fun and easy to throw. You can cut costs by asking each family to bring $15 to cover thier portion of house and candy, or just ask each family to bring 2 bags of candy and assign a candy to them (that's what we did). Families loved doing this activity with their kids and appreciated the photos we shared with them. A good time was had by all!

Even if you don't want to throw a party, do give decorating a house with your kids a go! What a wonderful memory and these tips above mean less mess for you!  If you have never made gingerbread houses with your kids, you should give it a try! They will not remember how the house turns out per say, but they will remember doing that activity with you forever.

The memory is in the DOING.

Merry Christmas.~~Katie