Thursday, November 13, 2014

Gingerbread Men Shaped Padded Envelope Poppers


The first real "sticking" snow of the season...


...means it's gingerbread men time at our house.


When the children were tiny we'd have a Gingerbread Man unit study.  Now, we pretty much settle for decorating the cookies, with maybe a story, and quick craft thrown in for the younger children.  I love how every year there's a new version of the old story to be found.  Our favorite this year (actually from 2009, but new to us) is "The Gingerbread Girl" written and performed by Jim Rule and Friends, and not to be confused with the picture book by Lisa Campbell Ernst (also a good story).

As to the craft, I lucked out, and had a grad gift for T delivered in a bubble wrap lined envelope instead of a box, so we could stick with our "keeping fall simple" theme, and re-use another old idea - padded envelope poppers.


I cut the bag open, then traced around a cookie cutter on the paper, and cut out gingerbread men...


...for the children to decorate...


...and pop.  Making for an extremely simple craft, and a toy to boot.  Who doesn't like to pop bubble wrap?  In fact, the teens were a little miffed I didn't save any for them.  I guess I know what I'll put in their stockings come Christmas.

A few tips: 
  • Popping bubble wrap attached to a paper envelope is a little different than popping regular bubble wrap.  You have to place your thumb and fingers just right - and use more force.  It might be difficult for small children (it probably represents some kind of choking/suffocation hazard, too - so be careful).
  • Some packing envelopes have bubble wrap that pops easier than others.  It's a good idea to test it out, before cutting the shapes.
  • I was worried that washable marker used to decorate the shapes, would come off on the children's hands while popping the bubble wrap.  But, allowed to dry completely, the marker did not come off the paper.

9 comments:

Bethany said...

Li and I are reading gingerbread man stories right now and I need a good gingerbread recipe. Do you have one you'd be willing to share? :)

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Bethany - We always use the classic Betty Crocker recipe...mainly because that's the cookbook I have in the drawer...but it's a good recipe - http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-gingerbread-man-cookies/83f05042-2a8c-4f18-818a-a59095602856 - If I remember right, Jan Brett has a recipe in the pages of the Gingerbread Baby, too.

OurWanderingAdventures said...

ADORABLE!!!! We do this with the bubble envelope as well, but then we paint the bubble side and use it as a gingerbread, star, heart stamp :)

Bethany said...

Thanks! We've tried a couple before that just didn't turn Out.

Die fantastischen 5 said...

Cool idea, thank you!

Ticia said...

Now I want to buy some padded packages just for that purpose. TO think I just threw some away...

Unknown said...

Wonderful, beautiful, simple- and I NEED more SIMPLE in my life!

MaryAnne said...

What a fun activity! Thanks for reminding me that we need to back gingerbread, too.

claireshomeeducation said...

Great idea. Now to find some bubble wrap....