Christmas Excitement

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Until this year, I always told the entire Christmas story in one sitting. Then I thought about my blog of the Giving the Twelve Days of Nativity. Hmmm. This might be a good idea for the children I teach or the children in our homes. 

Most of my students think Christmas is only about Santa and presents. I can teach Bible stories from a historical perspective, so I decided to do Christmas a little at a time. Here's my plan.

Day 1: Bring out the stable, Mary and Joseph and a few stable animals.  Introduce Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem. Trouble at the Inn (Define Inn). Bedding down in the stable. Demonstrating using dramatic play. Place the pieces in dramatic play. Allow the children to retell only this bit of the story.

Day 2: Bring out the shepherds, sheep, hillside, and angels. Retell the beginning of the story, then add the birth and shepherds' visit (Define manger). Add these pieces to dramatic play. 

Day 3 or in a few days: Bring out the wise men and camels and a small box to make a house (Matthew 2:11). Retell the story while I play with the pieces. Include their visit to Herod (I didn't have castle blocks but that would have been a great addition) and the reason they did not return. Add the pieces to dramatic play. 

In the telling of the story, I included that we give presents because the wise men gave presents to the baby Jesus. Sometimes adults who doubt the story of the wise men, ask me what happened to the presents. Many of my children have unemployed parents. I include that when Mary and Joseph and Jesus got to Egypt, Joseph had no job. Selling the expensive gifts that a child could not play with would have provided them with the money they needed to survive until they could return to their home. 

Every day children chose to play with the nativity set in dramatic play. They scattered out the pieces, built oasis and shepherd fields, and brought visitors to the baby. There was lots of excitement and learning about the true story of Christmas without Santa that I hope they never forget. 

Hey Kids: 

Do you have a nativity set that small children can play with? 

Can you help teach little ones about Christmas? 

What can you share about the true meaning of Christmas?