Disguise a Gingerbread Man Template: A Fun & Creative Activity for Kids

If your kids love hands-on activities during the holiday season, the Disguise a Gingerbread Man project is the perfect blend of creativity, imagination, and pure Christmas magic.

Whether you’re a mom looking for something fun (and mess-free!) to keep the kids busy, or a teacher planning a classroom craft, this activity is an absolute favorite every December.

And the best part? You can grab a print-ready Disguise a Gingerbread Man template .

If you are looking for more Christmas Activities I have dozens of coordinating worksheets inside my Christmas Activity Bundle — perfect for home or school!

If you need more Christmas Activities check out my post on 50 Fun and Festive Christmas Break Activities for Kids

What Is the “Disguise a Gingerbread Man” Activity?

Inspired by the popular “Disguise a Turkey” project, this spin-off lets kids decorate a gingerbread man so he doesn’t get eaten during the holiday season.

Kids can turn their gingerbread man into anything they imagine:

A superhero
A princess
Santa Claus or an elf
A snowman
A football player
A unicorn
A ballerina
A firefighter
A piece of popcorn
A Christmas tree

This activity encourages:

Fine motor skills
Creativity and imagination
Storytelling
Following directions
Holiday excitement

It’s fun, simple, and perfect for all ages — from preschool through elementary.

What You Need for This Activity

You can keep it simple with basic supplies you already have at home:

Printed gingerbread man template
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Safety scissors
Glue stick or tape
Construction paper
Cotton balls, glitter, stickers (optional)
Googly eyes (optional but super cute!)

If you’re a teacher, this activity works beautifully as a center station, Friday craft, or holiday party activity.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete the Gingerbread Disguise

Print your gingerbread man template (you will find a clean, bold outline inside the Christmas Activity Bundle).
Let your child brainstorm a disguise — encourage big imagination!
Color the gingerbread man or cover him with construction paper to completely hide his cookie shape.
Add accessories such as a cape, hair, uniform, or wings.
Glue on extras like cotton-ball beards, bows, stickers, or glitter.
Optional: Have your child name their character and write a short story about the disguise. (The bundle includes matching writing pages!)

Grab Blank Gingerbread Templates here.

Fun Gingerbread Disguise Ideas for Inspiration

Here are some kid-approved disguise ideas moms and teachers love:

1. Santa Gingerbread

Add a fluffy cotton beard, red suit, boots, and hat. Instant Santa!

2. Reindeer Gingerbread

Glue antlers on top and add a red pom-pom nose.

3. Gingerbread Mermaid

Use shimmery paper or markers to create a colorful tail.

4. Gingerbread Unicorn

Add a paper horn, rainbow hair, and stars.

5. Gingerbread Astronaut

Wrap him in foil clothing for a metallic space suit.

6. Gingerbread Elf

Easy, cute, and perfect for Elf on the Shelf season.

7. Gingerbread Snowman

Cover the body in white paper circles and add a scarf.

8. Gingerbread Superhero

Create a cape, mask, and superhero emblem.

9. Gingerbread Basketball Player

Add a jersey and mini paper basketball.

10. Gingerbread Princess

Use glitter, a crown, and a beautiful gown.

These ideas work great at classroom craft stations or for family Christmas nights at home.

Download these ones for free over at Made in a Pinch.

Made in a Pinch

Why Moms & Teachers Love This Activity

The Disguise a Gingerbread Man template is:

Low-prep — just print and go
Mess-free — keep it simple or dress it up
Budget-friendly
Perfect for all ages
Great for group activities, homeschool, or calming time
A memory kids will talk about all December!

This also makes an adorable keepsake. Many teachers hang them in the hallway or create a class bulletin board full of disguised gingerbread characters.

Grab the Printable Gingerbread Template + 25 More Christmas Activities

If you want a ready-to-use gingerbread man outline plus matching writing sheets, coloring pages, crafts, and more — check out the Christmas Activity Bundle.