Wing Lake Development Center Transformed into a Magical Winter Wonderland with Gingerbread House Adventure

The library at Wing Lake Development Center was transformed into a winter wonderland with the generosity of a local appliance store and committed Wing Lake parent, Kimberly Cromer. Cromer envisioned a magical winter gingerbread house for the students. With community support, an empty 90-inch- long appliance box was delivered to Cromer’s house and then transported to Wing Lake by a Bloomfield Hills School bus driver. A giant box has limitless potential for transformation, but it ultimately became a life-size gingerbread house complete with windows and colorful shingles. The idea quickly gained momentum, inspiring all classes to participate by crafting their own gingerbread figures and engaging in various sensory activities inspired by the book, “Gingerbread Man Loose in the School.”

During their visit to the magical library, students imagined a gingerbread man making his way through their school. They spun a spinner to decide their movements, mirroring how the gingerbread man navigated through the school. They experienced a variety of holiday scents, reminiscent of what the gingerbread man might have sniffed as he ventured into the lunchroom. Using dot-makers, students crafted artwork depicting what the gingerbread man encountered during his visit with the art teacher. Additional activities featured a scavenger hunt, a dice game, all with music and dancing. It was a collaborative community initiative that brought joy and laughter to both students and staff at Wing Lake.