Do you want to learn how to draw a gingerbread man in just 10 easy steps? A gingerbread man is a famous cookie or biscuit made out of gingerbread and shaped like a human! They taste sweet, smell amazing, and are a staple treat, especially during Christmas and winter break. These cookies have frosting and cute details that taste as good as they look!
We think that drawing a gingerbread man can be a lot of fun, maybe just as much fun as eating them! Get our free PDF at the bottom of this post and let the kids try out this step-by-step tutorial. In just 10 easy steps, they’ll learn how to draw a gingerbread man, including all the charming details like scarves, buttons, and hats.
The Story of the Gingerbread Man
The story of the Gingerbread Man is a classic folk tale that originated in England, and various versions of it exist across different cultures. There are numerous Gingerbread Man Books , and the holidays are a wonderful time to dive right into them!
The best way to make reading more meaningful is to discuss the central messages from stories. Here are a few key takeaway messages from the story, which are important for kids to learn:
- Be careful when making wishes.
- Be careful who you put your trust in.
- Little characters have great potential.
- Never blindly believe a stranger.
- Never run from your loved ones or your family.
- You won’t make friends by boasting, teasing, or taunting others.
- Never trust what someone tells you, especially if they are a stranger.
Click here for more ideas on Teaching the Central Message about the Gingerbread Man.
How to Draw a Gingerbread Man
Drawing tutorials are an excellent way to either:
- Teach a child to follow verbal instructions
- Let a child follow visual instructions
Every child has a unique learning style. Some kids are visual learners (this is usually through picture guides), some auditory (through listening to verbal instructions), some kinesthetic (through movement), and some written.
Our free printable includes different options, so your lesson can help the kids work on multiple learning styles.
What’s included in the printable?
- A follow-along printable. This is a guided activity and is suitable for preschoolers and older kids.
- A step-by-step picture tutorial. This is perfect for toddlers or kindergarteners.
We also included options with lines for handwriting practice.
Let the kids give their completed drawings as a Christmas card or laminate them to use as placemats this holiday!
Art Supplies
- White cardstock or paper
- Markers
- Crayons
- Color pencils
- Decorations
- Any leftover crafts supplies that you think will work
Check out our favorite kindergarten and preschool supplies list here.
Step-By-Step Tutorial
PRO-TIP: Make a batch of cookies and let the kids enjoy them as a delicious treat during or after this art activity!
To make it easier, we’ve split the step-by-step instructions into two parts.
PART ONE: The Gingerbread Man’s Head
STEP 1: Draw the head.
You can do this in two ways. Draw a circle. Then erase half and join it with a curve.
OR you can draw a half circle. Then, join the two ends with an arc. It is going to resemble a chestnut!
STEP 2: Draw a band.
Simply draw two small vertical lines on the right and left side of the face. Then, join it across. Think of it as a ‘headband’.
STEP 3: Draw a hat.
Draw a big curve on the left and a small curve on the right. Join the space between the curves by drawing a cloud or pom pom. Now we have the festive hat of the gingerbread man!
STEP 4: Draw the gingerbread man’s facial features.
We can’t just have a plain gingerbread man’s head! He needs a smile on his face, too! Draw two colored dots as eyes and then a curve as a smile. Add two circles at the end of the smile to add more depth. It will look like your gingerbread man has cheeks!
STEP 5: Draw a scarf.
Now, it’s time to draw more details. Start by drawing a horizontal band on gingy’s neck. Thereafter, draw a vertical rectangle on the left side. Now we have a scarf! To add more dimensions to the outline, draw a curve on the inside of the band on the gingerbread man’s neck. Then, draw a vertical line on the vertical rectangle.
If your little one doesn’t want to draw a scarf, a bow tie would be just as cute! The little ones can skip this step if they’d like.
PART TWO: The Gingerbread Man’s Body
STEP 6: Draw the body.
Now it’s time for the basic shape of a gingerbread man! First, draw the arm. The kids can trace a ‘pinkie’ finger for this part if they cannot free-hand. Then, draw a small connecting line. Now it’s time to add a leg. They can trace a ‘longer’ finger, like their index finger.
STEP 7: Follow the same steps to draw the right arm and leg on the opposite side of the gingerbread man’s body. The arm and legs should connect. If you’re teaching symmetry, it’s a great time to practice by trying to get the right and left sides of the gingerbread man’s body to look the same.
STEP 8: Add the famous gumdrop buttons.
Simply draw three circles like buttons on a shirt at the center of the body. Leave a small space between each circle.
STEP 9: Add some frosting details.
Add two squiggles on both arms and legs, making sure to leave a space in between them. The leg squiggles are done towards the bottom, and the arm squiggles are drawn towards the top. These details complete the gingerbread man perfectly.
STEP 10: Color in your gingerbread man!
The usual shades are:
- Red for the hat
- Green for the scarf
- White for the buttons and squiggles and some hat details
- Pink for the cheeks
- Black for the eyes
- Brown for the body
Congratulations! You now have a complete gingerbread man!
Where to get the free printable
Click the image below to get your free PDF printable.
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Don’t stop here with the gingerbread fun. Check out our other adorable gingerbread-themed activities that are too sweet to pass on:
- Gingerbread Tracing Worksheets
- Free Gingerbread House Coloring Pages
- Making Gingerbread Houses With Kids
- Gingerbread Fact Family
- Easy Gingerbread Decorating Party Tips
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