Make a gingerbread house

Kids can create a delicious gingerbread house with this fun and easy baking recipe for beginners

This fun and delicious recipe combines baking, engineering, and creativity! With this gingerbread house making project, children will have the opportunity to create their very own edible treat.

This simple baking project for beginners provides a hands-on learning experience that explores the structural components of gingerbread house construction. Learners will examine the shapes and structures that contribute to the house’s overall stability, helping them develop a deeper understanding of engineering concepts.

The engineering context

Baking is engineering. Aspiring engineers can hone their science, maths, and technology skills through baking, as they use precision and creativity to engineer new and delicious treats.

When it comes to making their gingerbread houses, children will need to channel their inner structural engineer to create a sturdy and eye-catching structure. The process of designing and building a gingerbread house requires careful consideration of the shapes, sizes, and placement of each piece, as well as the use of icing as a glue.

Suggested learning outcomes

This gingerbread house making activity offers a range of learning outcomes for students. In addition to developing baking and decorating skills, students will learn valuable STEM concepts related to structural engineering, including materials selection, load-bearing capacity, and stability. With guidance from their teacher or parents and our gingerbread house teaching activity overview, learners will have the opportunity to design and build their own gingerbread house, putting their newfound engineering skills into practice.

By the end of this activity students will be able to design and make a gingerbread house and understand how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce structures, gaining a deeper understanding of the principles of engineering.

Download our free gingerbread house template and recipe

A free gingerbread house template and recipe are available to download. They provide step-by-step instructions, a list of materials needed, and helpful tips for teachers and children alike.

Oh ho ho, and please do share your baking and experiment highlights with us @IETeducation #SantaLovesSTEM