Prep and Host a Kid-Friendly Gingerbread Decorating Party

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Learn how to host a kid-friendly gingerbread decorating party, from building the gingerbread a week ahead to laying out candy before guests arrive.

At Little Sprouts, we have a yearly tradition of gingerbread at a big family gingerbread decorating party.  I build a creation and invite all of the daycare families over to have dinner and decorate.  We donate the creation to KidSpace, a child advocacy center here in town to bring some joy to the lives of children in transition.

Parent involvement is important for children’s education and this is a way our families can get to know each other see how their child interacts with others. For more ideas, check out our Easter party and Mom’s night out ideas we do yearly as well. For more on running a home daycare, check this out.

Little Sprouts started this tradition about 30 years ago.  We have entered our creations in contests, donated them to museum sales, and all kinds of things.  Recently, we have been donating it to KidSpace for several years now and it seems to bring them much joy. They are a child advocacy center.

And these adorable Christmas themed breakfast ideas for daycare are lots of fun for your holiday celebration! Check them out too!

Here’s a super fun printable downloadable coloring gingerbread house craft to go with your Christmas fun!

How to build a gingerbread house

Building and decorating gingerbread is so much fun.  If you have a group of adults, you can let them build their creations and decorate them, but with many toddlers and preschool-age kids, it’s easier to build the creation a week or so ahead of time so it’s more likely to hold together while they are decorating it.

The first thing you have to figure out is what you are going to build for decorating.  I have several books full of patterns and there are free patterns on the internet and many you can buy.  I started by checking out library books with patterns.

You can even create your own.  I have done that a few times, but usually, I just find a pattern and change it to what I want to build.

Best gingerbread recipe for gingerbread house

I have always used Martha Stewart’s Gingerbread recipe.  It’s foolproof.  I do not add cinnamon to mine because I am highly allergic, but I do use ginger and black pepper to flavor it.  I use her royal icing recipe as well.  Martha knows!  And this royal icing hardens rock hard, so it’s a great glue for the gingerbread.

Invite Families to the Party

I like to make a facebook event to invite families, let them know what to bring and what to expect. We ususally order pizza, so I ask them what kind of pizza they like. For great kids’ party drinks, check this out.

Start about a week before your gingerbread decorating party.  Roll out your dough to the 1/8 inch Martha recommends and cut your pieces from your patterns.  I use a pastry dough cutter or pizza cutter to cut sharp lines.

Bake your house pieces according to the instructions in the recipe and allow them to cool thoroughly.  I cool mine overnight or for a couple of days.

Now it’s time to assemble.  I use peppermint sticks to hold the house sides together and when adding the roof pieces, I secure them with straight pins like a nail until the creation is dry.  I remove them before the kids come for decorating.

Gingerbread house glue

You have to use royal icing rather than canned frosting or something else. It’s the only “glue” stiff enough to make the houses super sturdy. Remember, kids are going to be banging around on these. And remember, Martha knows best, so use her royal icing recipe linked above with the gingerbread dough.

Toddlers and preschoolers may need help squeezing the icing bag, placing decorations on the roof, and holding pieces steady while the icing begins to set. In my experience with our daycare group, it works best when an adult handles repairs and structural problems so the children can concentrate on adding candy and enjoying the decorating.

I allow these to dry for about a week before the gingerbread decorating party.  This year we had several days of rainy weather and our gingerbread was super soft.  Some of the houses had pieces break off, but we were able to put them back together.  If you have a large creation, sometimes the rain will totally destroy it.  I stick with smaller buildings most of the time because of that.

Gingerbread house ideas

Another great reason is when I have a lot of people working, it helps if each family has a unit they can work on.  We have done train cars, town buildings, and village houses.  We have also done a beach scene with a house and a lighthouse, Santa’s workshop, a mansion with a gazebo, a big city downtown with skyscrapers and a protest, and many other creations.  Whatever you choose, it’s going to be fun.

Gingerbread decorations

Gingerbread is fun to work with. Before your gingerbread decorating party guests arrive, lay out all the supplies.  This year we ate pizza, so I just had to put out dishes and make some tea.  The families brought decorating candy and pizza money.  That made it easy for everyone.  Once the guests arrived, it was all fun.

Set Up Decorating Stations

Setting up decorating stations before guests arrive makes a gingerbread decorating party much easier—especially when toddlers and preschoolers are involved. Give each child or family a gingerbread house, sturdy base, icing bag, and small selection of decorations. This prevents everyone from reaching across the table or waiting for supplies.

Place candies and decorations in small, shallow bowls so little hands can reach them easily. Divide popular items among several bowls instead of placing everything in one large container. Good decorating choices include:

• Mini marshmallows
• Pretzel sticks
• Gumdrops
• Colorful candies
• Sprinkles
• Cereal pieces
• Licorice
• Peppermint candies
• Shredded coconut for snow

Keep extra royal icing at an adult station so someone can refill bags, repair loose pieces, and help children attach heavier decorations. Cover the tables with washable tablecloths or disposable paper, and provide damp washcloths for sticky fingers.

For young children, prepare the houses several days ahead and allow the royal icing to harden completely. Preschoolers can focus on the fun part—adding icing and candy—without becoming frustrated when their houses collapse. Adults should handle any sharp tools, hot ingredients, or structural repairs.

If several families are decorating one large gingerbread village, assign each family a separate house, train car, or section. When everyone finishes, bring the pieces together to create one colorful group display.

Gingerbread decorating ideas

We use m and ms, skittles, licorice, twizzlers, marshmallows, smarties, any kind of candy you can think of as decorating supplies. Parents come up with creative ideas of what to bring and I supply the canvas. I also save the decorating supplies from previous years so we can reuse them. No sense in throwing stuff away that is still cute. I just warn everyone not to eat them. Ha!

Get creative with gingerbread supplies. There are so many things that can be used to make cute things for a house. Cinnamon sticks or tootsie rolls can be logs for a fire, a wood pile, or decorating other things. Pretzels can be too. I like using pretzel sticks to make train tracks if we make a train. The possibilities are limitless.

After everyone ate and decorated, we put the creation together.

I wanted to make a community garden in the center of the neighborhood, so I attempted some veggies.

After the creation was in place, it magically snowed during the night…

Having your families gather for a group project any time of year is a great way to let them get to know each other and to feel like they are a part of the daycare.  I have kids that are grown that still remember making gingerbread here with their parents.  It’s a great way to make memories and it’s super fun for everyone.

I hope you try some gingerbreading with your loved ones.  If you feel intimidated by baking the gingerbread, make houses from graham crackers or buy a kit.  Any way you do it, it’s awesome!  And imagine the kid’s faces at the advocacy center when they see all this colorful fun!

Last year we were unable to have a get together and I made these fun take home kits for them to use too!

Do you have any gingerbread memories to share?  I’d LOVE to hear them!

For more ideas for holidays and special celebrations in daycare, check this out.

Holiday Party Ideas for Daycare

For more kid friendly holiday party ideas, check these out:

• How to Throw a Great Easter Party-Getting Families Involved
• New Year’s Eve Kid’s Party Ideas for Toddlers

Here are some great Daycare Lesson Plans on Gingerbread if you want to make gingerbread a bigger part of your daycare this year.

You can also do the 12 days of Christmas activities with kids!

• Gifts for daycare kids
• Gifts for daycare friends
• Christmas shrinky dink ornaments

For more Family Engagement Activities For Preschool, check this out.

How to Make a Gingerbread House Template for Toddlers

A simple gingerbread house is much easier for toddlers to decorate than a tall or complicated design. Large roof pieces, narrow walls, and decorative towers may look beautiful, but they create weak points that can collapse when little hands press candy into the icing.

To make a sturdy toddler-friendly template:

1. Draw one rectangle for the front of the house and add a low triangle at the top for the roofline.
2. Trace the front piece to create an identical back wall.
3. Draw two short rectangular side walls.
4. Make two wide roof rectangles with only a small amount of overhang.
5. Cut the pieces from cardstock or thin cardboard.
6. Label each template piece before using it to cut the gingerbread dough.
7. Bake one extra wall and roof piece in case something breaks.
8. Trim uneven edges while the gingerbread is still warm and slightly soft.
9. Let every piece cool completely before assembling the house.

Keep the roof slope fairly low. A steep or oversized roof is heavier and more likely to slide before the royal icing hardens. You can also skip cutting doors and windows from the dough. Let the children create them with icing and candy instead, which helps the walls remain stronger.

How to Make a Sturdy Gingerbread House for Kids

Toddlers and preschoolers do not decorate gently, so their gingerbread houses need to be sturdier than decorative houses made for adults. Assemble homemade houses several days before the party and give the royal icing enough time to dry completely.

Use thick royal icing that holds its shape when piped. Apply a generous line along every edge, press the walls together, and add more icing along the inside seams for extra support. Allow the walls to harden before attaching the roof. Once the roof is in place, leave the completed house uncovered in a dry area until every joint feels solid.

Always build the house on a sturdy base, such as a cake board or a piece of heavy cardboard covered with parchment or foil. This allows adults to move the creation without lifting the house itself.

Graham Cracker Houses for Toddlers

Graham crackers are an easier option when you do not have time to bake gingerbread. Adults can assemble the crackers with royal icing a day or two before decorating. Keep the design small and use a square cracker for each wall with two crackers for the roof.

Another easy method is to build the crackers around a small empty milk carton or another clean, food-safe box. The hidden support keeps the house from collapsing while young children press on the walls and roof.

Using a Gingerbread House Kit for Kids

A store-bought gingerbread house kit can save time, but assemble it before the children arrive. The icing included with some kits may be too soft to hold the pieces securely. If necessary, replace it with a stiff batch of royal icing.

Check the kit for broken pieces, difficult assembly steps, allergens, and small candies before giving it to young children. Individual miniature houses are often easier for preschoolers than one large, elaborate house.

Toddler Gingerbread House Decorating Tips

For toddler gingerbread house decorating, concentrate on the experience instead of trying to create a perfect finished house. Assemble the houses in advance so the children only need to add icing and decorations.

Place a small amount of candy in a shallow bowl for each child. This reduces grabbing, reaching, and arguments over popular decorations. Toddlers may need an adult to squeeze the icing bag while they point to the spot where they want the icing. They can then press the candy into place themselves.

Offer larger, easy-to-hold decorations such as:

• Mini marshmallows
• Large cereal pieces
• Pretzel sticks
• Soft gumdrops
• Animal crackers
• Large sprinkles
• Broken graham cracker pieces

Closely supervise young children, especially when small or hard candies are available. Choose decorations appropriate for each child’s chewing ability and follow the family’s food-allergy instructions.

Allergy-Safe Gingerbread Dough and Decorating Supplies

Before planning the party, ask every family about food allergies and dietary restrictions. Gingerbread dough, royal icing, candy, graham crackers, sprinkles, and decorating kits may contain—or come into contact with—wheat, eggs, milk, soy, peanuts, or tree nuts.

If you need allergy-safe gingerbread dough, begin with a recipe designed and tested for the specific substitution you need. Simply replacing wheat flour or eggs in a standard recipe can change the strength of the baked pieces and cause the house to crack or collapse.

For children who cannot safely use the same ingredients, prepare a separate decorating area with:

• An allergy-safe house or large gingerbread-shaped cookie
• Individually packaged, verified decorations
• A separate icing bag and utensils
• Clean bowls and a protected work surface
• Ingredient labels available for parents to review

Prevent cross-contact by setting up the allergy-safe station before opening the other supplies. Wash hands and clean the table thoroughly, and do not allow children to trade candy between stations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make a gingerbread house sturdy for kids?

Use a small house design with short walls and a low roof. Assemble it with thick royal icing several days before decorating, reinforce the inside seams, and attach it to a sturdy cake board. Let every section dry completely before adding the next piece.

For toddlers, graham crackers built around a clean milk carton or small food-safe box create an especially dependable structure.

How far ahead should you bake gingerbread?

Bake the gingerbread pieces approximately five to seven days before the party. Let them cool completely, assemble the walls and roof with royal icing, and give the finished house several days to harden.

In very humid or rainy weather, gingerbread may soften. Store the assembled houses uncovered or loosely protected in a cool, dry room rather than sealing them in a container where moisture can collect.

How much candy do you need per child for gingerbread decorating?

Plan on approximately ½ to 1 cup of assorted decorations per child. Younger children usually need closer to ½ cup, especially when adults divide the candy into small bowls before the activity.

Provide several colors, shapes, and textures rather than a large quantity of one candy. Keep a small refill supply at the adult station instead of placing every decoration on the children’s table at once.

Should you assemble gingerbread houses before children decorate them?

Yes, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Assemble the houses several days ahead so the royal icing can harden. Children can then press candy onto a stable structure without knocking down the walls or making the roof slide.

Is a homemade house or a gingerbread house kit better for kids?

Both can work. Homemade houses allow you to choose the size, ingredients, and design, while kits save preparation time. For young children, choose a small, simple kit and assemble it before the party. Check the ingredient and allergen labels even if the children do not plan to eat the finished houses.

What can toddlers use instead of small candy?

Try larger cereal pieces, mini marshmallows, soft gumdrops cut into appropriate sizes, pretzel sticks, graham cracker pieces, or allergy-safe cookies. Select decorations based on the children’s ages and chewing abilities, and supervise the activity closely.