Whidbey kindergarteners enjoy tons of tasty treats after gingerbread chase

It was almost a tragic day for a kindergarten class Wednesday when their homemade gingerbread men ran away, but after a wild goose chase — make that gingerbread man chase — the students enjoyed a very sweet ending. Jacqueline Thomas’ kindergarten class at Crescent Harbor Elementary School baked gingerbread and cut it into the shapes of gingerbread men Wednesday morning.

By Rebecca Olson • December 26, 2012 12:19 pm
Peyton Metivier joyfully takes a bite out of the gingerbread man she made and nearly lost when the whole batch ran away. After the Crescent Harbor Elementary School kindergarteners found the gingerbread men
Peyton Metivier joyfully takes a bite out of the gingerbread man she made and nearly lost when the whole batch ran away. After the Crescent Harbor Elementary School kindergarteners found the gingerbread men

It was almost a tragic day for a kindergarten class Wednesday when their homemade gingerbread men ran away, but after a wild goose chase — make that gingerbread man chase — the students enjoyed a very sweet ending.

Jacqueline Thomas’ kindergarten class at Crescent Harbor Elementary School baked gingerbread and cut it into the shapes of gingerbread men Wednesday morning.

But when it came time to eat the sweet treats, the gingerbread men were nowhere to be found.

“Our gingerbread men ran away and we kept finding notes!” said student Lily Isaacs.

The students scoured the school for notes and crumbs, finding clues in the principal’s office, the counselor’s office and other classrooms.

“We went to a lot of places then we came back here and the cookies were on Ms. Thomas’ desk. We smelled them out!” said Sierra Shinkle.

In celebration of their triumph, the students set to work decorating the traveling treats before they could escape again.

Parents donated the surfeit of sweets, a candy land of frosting, M&Ms, sweet tarts, Red Hots, chocolate chips and more.

Grinning and bouncing, the kindergarteners drowned their cookies in frosting before dousing them with colored sprinkles and other candies.

Madison Blatchley wasn’t the only who accidentally dropped a few sweets into her mouth before they could make it to the gingerbread man.

Then came time to eat their creations.

Huge smiles were plastered with frosting and topped with sprinkles as the kids enjoyed the treats they made by themselves from scratch.

Shinkle paused for a moment to smile and say that her gingerbread man tasted “good!”

Making gingerbread men is an annual event for Crescent Harbor kindergarteners.

“So it’s fun because the older kids in the school see them and say, ‘I did that!’” Thomas said.

The class read every version of the gingerbread man story that Thomas found, including pirate and cowboy versions.

They even acted out the story.

Thomas sent home a copy of the recipe with each student so they can make the cookies at home with their families if they want.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Thomas said. “This is like the best day ever in kindergarten.”