Gingerbread Cookies 101

If you've been searching for that perfect gingerbread cookie recipe, look no further!  KinderPrep has you covered!

First, mix together 3 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

And stir!

In a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

Mix together until creamy

Add 2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves (but smell it first because it smells so good)

And 5 twists of salt

Stir vigorously

Add one egg (with part of the shell falling in...then promptly remove the shell)

And one more egg, flawlessly cracking it

Stir in the flour mixture

Mix in 1/2 cup molasses

Make a big, floury mess and roll out the dough

Then, cut out gingerbread shapes

Arrange for cutesy photo op

And bake for 6-8 minutes at 350°

The next day, let the decorating begin!

Finally, enjoy!

But- wait!  There's more!  To house the gingerbread men, you need gingerbread cottages!

House Green

House Yellow

House Blue

and House Red.

Truly, it takes a village to raise a child.  Especially if it's a gingerbread village!

Have a very Merry Christmas, my KinderPrep Families!!!

December 8th, 2017

Merry Christmas!!!
This week, we really started to get into the spirit.

Especially since the weather outside was frightful.

But the fire was so delightful.

And since we had no place to go, we let it (hydrated polymer blend) snow.

Let it snow.

Let it snow.

Our first order of business this week was Christmasing up the classroom!

We carefully "frosted" construction paper gingerbread men with a mixture of paint, glue and shaving cream...

...to make our gingerbread door display.  Stay tuned next week for real gingerbread men!

We outlined Christmas trees and then sponge painted them...

...to make our tree display!

We put craft sticks in order, from smallest to largest...

...decorated them to make Christmas tree ornaments...

...and then hung them on our tree!

We also carefully painted a picture and dictated what our favorite thing was about Christmas time.

On Nutcracker Day, we read the book and then had an opportunity to play with nutcrackers...

...play Nutcracker BINGO...

...make our own nutcrackers...

...and, finally, watch scenes from the ballet.  Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies was a favorite (of course, so was Battle With Mouse King).

On How the Grinch Stole Christmas day, we read the book and then found letter i's in the text.

Then, we had a hot chocolate party as we watched the cartoon.

In between all of this, we practiced for our performance in pajamas...

...and we practiced.

Finally, we were ready for the big day!  We did SO wonderfully!!!

But the big, BIG event of the week???
Santa and Mrs. Claus!!!!

We could hardly contain ourselves!

We each waited so patiently...

...for a turn to sit down with him.

Afterwards, we even got a special visit from Betty the Elf...

...who told us it was time to tear open our presents!

It was an amazing ending to a magical week!

This family are dear friends of mine and, following in their grandfather's footsteps, have begun to attend events and even FaceTime Santa calls.  You can find them on Facebook at
Real Bearded Santa and Betty the Elf.