This year my Little Man is a sponge, so I’m being intentional with a few Christmas Lessons for a Preschooler by using each week of December as a theme for exploring the story of the nativity with my toddler son.
My mom has been a preschool teacher for more than 40 years. So you would think all this comes naturally to me, but it doesn’t. I learn by doing so I’m pretty good at organizing a spreadsheet and putting Pinterest ideas on a bullet point list. But, the rest I really have to work for. But, Little Man likes to “go to school.” And, right now that means intentional time together at a table.
Sometimes he is working on a themed color page on the coffee table. Sometimes we are mixing up a snack or special treat at the kitchen counter. And, other times we are at the dining table with paint and glitter and glue sticks. You never know and most of the time, I don’t know what we will actually do that day.
At the end of last month, I knew I wanted to make sure we walked away from December with basic knowledge and understanding of The Christmas Story and how that differs from Santa and shopping and gifts and lights, etc. Since COVID adjustments really began in our community, we have not been attending church in person and I know that means if he is going to learn about Jesus, I”m going to have to be the one to teach him.
So, this month I set out an outline, made a list of possible ideas, gathered some items I had in my garage and picked up a few others at the dollar store, and just look ahead on the weekend to see what’s coming and I put it in a box that stays on the backside of our kitchen table. If you have a playroom or desk area, this would be a great space to store this weekly supply box as well.
Don’t let all these bullet points overwhelm you. I really tried to layout all my ideas and make it super simple for someone else to reproduce the ideas in my head. ModernMomLife.com has become one of my go to places for holiday crafts for kids and I have a couple Boards on Pinterest you may want to follow: Preschool Learning, Christmas Crafts, Kids Fun.
What makes craft time more successful with Preschoolers?
- Planning
- Already having all the supplies gathered and any pieces prepped
- Just try doing one thing at a time, finish and go to the next thing
- Don’t talk about something until you are ready to accomplish/tackle that project
- Give them creative freedom, its ok if the head is in the armpit or the wrong colors are used
- Talk to them as they are doing things and get them to narrate the story or project back to you
- Let them do any part of the project that is safe enough for them to complete – hot glue guns and scissors are for grown-ups, but they can probably handle more than you give them credit to do.
Week 1 Focus: The Angel’s Secret
- Story – An angel came to see Mary and told her she was going to have a baby. She was scared so the angel told her “Do not be afraid” or “Do not be scared”. What did the Angel tell mary? She was going to have a baby and name him JESUS. Mary was overwhelmed, but she responded, “Everything is possible with God” or “Nothing is impossible with God.”
- Read the story from the Bible – preferably their Bible, if not, tell it in a way they will understand. You want them to know this is a true story from the Bible.
- Watch “the angel’s secret beginner bible” on YouTube and some of the other movies that follow are great for a visual representation of the story
- Angel shape craft
- Angel mirror paint craft
- Handprint angel craft
- Button wreath craft
Week 2 Focus: Mary and Joseph Travel to Bethlehem and Baby Jesus is Born
- Talk about why they had to go to Bethlehem and the journey on the donkey. Talk about there not being room for them when they get there and having to sleep in a stable
- My son loves barns and animals, so we really played up that the only place for Jesus was in a barn and the animals were curious but made room for Jesus
- Break this up into a couple of lessons – the first part is traveling to Bethlehem then Jesus is born. This could really be two weeks if you wanted more time.
- Move something around the house to symbolize the donkey traveling to Bethlehem.
- Plan to have an outing to go visit someone or even a barn. Talk about planning and packing for a trip and what it would be like to take all your things on the back of a donkey instead of a car.
- Talk through all the sense and imagine a barn, what did it smell like, what would you see, what would you hear?
- This is a great week to have a Baby Jesus Breakfast or Happy Birthday Jesus party
Week 3 Focus: Shepherds heard the Good News (combine with Wisemen and do Jesus’ First Visitors)
- Talk about where the shepherds work and how they are out in the fields with sheep
- Talk about the angels coming in the sky and telling the Shepherds about Jesus
- Talk about the angels singing – sing some songs they might have sung
- Talk about the Shepherds leaving “at once” and going to find Jesus
- Glue cotton balls on paper to make sheep
- Make toilet paper roll sheep with clothespin legs
- Color pages of angels singing to the shepherds
- Make a nativity scene on a paper plate
- Play with shaving cream on the counter and talk about fluffy sheep – write out the story in the shaving cream as you talk
- Go drive to see Christmas lights together and talk about what its like to go and see something someone tells you about.
Week 4 Focus: The Kings Comes from Far Away
- (if its easier, you can make this week Jesus’ First Visitors and combine the Shepherds and Wisemen)
- Here the message is that the wise men lived far away but they saw the star the night Jesus was born and they wanted to see what it meant. They traveled a long way to find Jesus because they were waiting for a Savior. When they found him, they brought him gifts. (the Herod part of the story and the angel appearing to them is important and could work for younger elementary, but its a lot for preschool)
- I don’t think it matters if you call them wise men or magi – just be consistent in what you choose
- Also, don’t worry too much about getting into
- Make crafts with 3 things
- Use glitter and gold
- Decorate 3 toilet paper or paper towel rolls as the three wisemen
- Make gifts together to travel and take someone – baked goods or ornaments work really well
- If you have not done so, go to the store and let your kid pick out gifts for people in the family. Wrap them together and talk about taking them to Christmas for them to open.
Other Christmas topics to weave in during the holidays
- Santa and Reindeer
- Christmas Tree
- Wrapping Presents
- Snowflakes (although this can bump to January)
- Wreath
- Giving Gifts
- Serving Others
- Shapes: Triangle and Square
- Colors: Red and Green
