It’s all about Gingerbread this week at our house!

Last night we made gingerbread houses! (I’m trying so hard to be intentional about the holiday merriment this year. Is it just me or is it a little too easy to just have business as usual and not to all the “extra” stuff? Overwhelmed. Plus I really want our lives to be simple.) We got this Gingerbread Mini Village Kit at Target for $10! And the kids had a blast decorating. I love that they each got their own house so they got to be creative and make it just they way they wanted.

Then they asked me if they could have their gingerbread houses for breakfast. I laughed, and said, “Yeah right!” Then I thought, “Why the hay not?” I mean, the alternative is for the crumbly houses to be sitting on the counter for a week while the gingerbread gets stale and the children are sneaking candy behind my back.

Everyday they would begging for a piece of candy and everyday I would say no. I would probably end up resenting the little things (gingerbread houses, not kids) and sneaking them into the outside trash cans late at night (still gingerbread houses, not kids).

So I said, “YES! You can eat those gingerbread houses for breakfast tomorrow morning… After you have your morning water and some fruit.” (I can’t be all fun and games.) The children were stoked. Like super stoked.

It is so much fun to say yes to your kids. And I’d like to think they will remember these small moments forever.

After our breakfast gingerbread gorge fest we went to the Discovery Science Center’s new exhibit Science of Gingerbread. (Because, the truth is, I really do like to be all fun and games!)

The Science of Gingerbread exhibit is great… and just the right size for us to experience everything in one afternoon. I like to go around lunch. All the morning moms leave before afternoon naps and we have the whole place to ourselves.

I can’t stress enough how much my kids love this place. (Get the yearly membership! It’s $99 for one year or $125 for two years. If you go once a month for two years that is only $5 a visit! Essentially we only paid $1 each to get in today. And I don’t feel bad about hitting the road after a short 2 hour visit.)

We got to do the Gingerbread Derby Competition (11am, 1pm, & 3pm).
The kids got to build their own race car out of gingerbread house supplies then test their creations on the race track.
Cora Jane won.

One part of the exhibit was building a freestanding arch and my kids loved this!! And since we are studying ancient history we were able to talk about the Roman arch and keystones. (Wouldn’t this arch kit be fun to make with the kids!?!)

In typical Discovery Cube fashion, there are interactive parts of the exhibit too!

We had so much fun! If you go, let me know how you like it!

Here is a quick run down of all the areas:
Gingerbread Derby Competition – SO MUCH FUN! (11am, 1pm, & 3pm)
Kitchen Chemistry Learning Station – learning gingerbread recipe and the chemical reactions that happen when you bake.
Gingerbread Spices Learning Station – smelling and feeling Gingerbread ingredients.
Build a House Learning Station – giant blocks, Roman arch, matching shapes and a playhouse.
3D Printing of a gingerbread house – you get to watch a 3D printer print stuff. It’s really neat!!!!

There is also Cookie Decorating in the Healthy Kitchen and Santa Meet & Greet but only on select days and times so check the schedule here before you tell the kids you’ll be meeting Mr. Claus!