“Run, Run as fast you can! Can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread man!”
Those words swirled around the room as my daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. S. announced the start of gingerbread trap building. Excitement was high as kindergartners brainstormed, innovated and built traps to catch their wayward gingerbread cookies.
In the end, there were about 10 traps total – each very different from the next, yet all as effective. When kindergarteners returned from storytime, they were delighted to see their gingerbreads caught in their traps. Success and joy – the traps worked just as they imagined and designed! Their 1st project as gingerbread trap engineers left them with bellies full of tasty gingerbread cookies.
Ice Cream Sundaes
Two days later, these same kindergartners tested their critical thinking skills on an “Ice Cream Sundae assembly line!” With moving paper as the conveyor belt and lots of tasty goodies lined up on both sides of the table, each student had an important “job” to do as part of their contribution to the end product – big bowls of ice cream sundaes loaded with goodies.
As ice cream sundae process engineers, they learned the importance of process layout, timing and function as well as coordinating as a team. Once again their little bellies were rewarded with the sweets of their labor – in record time and best of all, no waiting for anyone!
Special thanks to Mrs. S. for such fun kindergarten activities and inspiring this post!
