Let’s Get Baking: Gingerbread Mince Pies

Let’s Get Baking: Gingerbread Mince Pies

 

The Christmas season is finally here, and to celebrate: we are bringing you some brilliant baking blogs to brighten up your festive feasts! Baking is a tasty way to enjoy quality family time with your little ones, teach them new skills and enjoy some mouth-watering magic. So without further delay, let’s explore why gingerbread mince pies keep us all wanting more!

 

The complete method and recipe are available in a colourful Christmassy printout here!

 

 

The Benefits of Baking and Treat Making for Children

Gingerbread Mince Pies

 

  • Sumptuous Smells: Gingerbread mince pies contain tons of interesting-smelling ingredients that bring the senses to life! The Ginger and Cinnamon in this recipe inspire a sweet sensory exploration as children enjoy these vibrant scents. 

 

  • Marvellous Motor Skills: From mixing to making gingerbread men, this recipe is ideal for building a heap of physical skills. Improve hand-eye coordination, dexterity and muscle strength as little ones try out new tools and move through the method.

 

  • Listen, Learn and Light Up Language Skills: Following a recipe provides a fantastic opportunity to improve little listening skills while learning to follow step-by-step instructions. Language skills will also flourish as you use descriptive vocabulary to emphasise action.

 

  • Excitement, Energy and Emotional Development: Baking is a simple way to boost excitement, burn off excess energy in colder weather and fill children with a sense of achievement when the hard work is done!

 

 

Fun Festive Facts

Gingerbread & Mince Pies

 

 

  • National Gingerbread Day is celebrated in the UK on the 21st of November every year!

 

  • Swedish King Hans was suffering from seasonal sadness, so his doctor prescribed him the perfect cure. Yep, you guessed it, the medical advice he received was to eat plenty of gingerbread!

 

  • Us Brits go bonkers over mince pies, eating an astonishing 800 million over the festive period!

 

  • Both the ancient Greeks and Egyptians used gingerbread in their religious celebrations.

 

  • According to Swedish tradition, gingerbread can be used to make your merry wishes come true! First, hold your gingerbread in the palm of your hand and wish away. Once you are happy, break your gingerbread into pieces using your opposite hand. If the gingerbread breaks into 3 pieces: your wish will be granted!

 

  • It is believed eating one mince pie a day every day over the 12 days of Christmas brings good luck. Now that is one tastebud-tingling tradition!

 

 

We hope this blog has you inspired to bake some tasty treats!

Let’s get those little ones active and encourage bottoms out of their seats.

If you try this recipe let us know:

By leaving us a comment below!

Ben Williamson
Creative Writer
Ben is passionate about Montessori learning for children and has written for many parenting publications to bring the magic of real play to families in the UK. After graduating in 2009, his career has enabled him to work in areas such as Child Development and Psychology. As a great believer that learning starts at home, he combines his experience with his own parenting style to help bring other families together.