We’re Going to Bethlehem

In our homeschool we packed up our donkey and took a trip to Bethlehem to register. You guessed it! We read about Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem. This is a fun activity for a preschooler who is a kinesthetic learner.

Supplies

Your favorite Christmas book
Period “Costumes”
“Props”
Your imagination

Bible Verses

Luke 2:1-5Luke 2:1-5
English: World English Bible - WEB
2 ¹ Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. ² This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. ⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; ⁵ to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

Activity

~Read a simple Christmas story. Pay particular attention to mention of the trip to Bethlehem.

~Explain that Mary and Joseph had to take a trip to Bethlehem. Explain that the king, Caesar Augustus, was counting all of the people who he was ruler of. People had to go back to their home towns to be counted, and Joseph was from Bethlehem.
~Discuss the preparations people take before going on a long trip. Have your children name things that they have brought on a trip in the past. Reminisce about what it was like to go a long distance on a car trip. What did it feel like? How did you feel while you were driving there?
~Compare your experiences to what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph. They didn’t have a car. They had a donkey to help them carry things and for Mary to ride on. How would they pack for their trip? What would they feel like after walking and riding a donkey for a long time? What is the weather like in the desert?
~Act out going to Bethlehem. Pack up your things and start your walk. Talk about what kinds of things may have happened on the trip – thirsty, tired, hungry, hot, etc.

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“The Perfect Christmas Gift” Homeschool Advent Devotion

Today in our homeschool we learned that Jesus is the perfect Christmas gift. This is an easy activity for your toddler or preschooler as is, but you can modify it to suit older children as well.

I used the Bible Lesson from Bible Kids Fun Zone called “The Best Christmas Gift of All”. I skipped the part about sin and salvation for my purposes, but you could certainly include that in your own lesson.

~Supplies: Coloring Page of Baby Jesus, scissors, wrapping paper, tape, small gift box, Jesus in a manger (I used the Little People figure. You could use the baby Jesus from your creche.)

~Scripture: John 3:16John 3:16
English: World English Bible - WEB
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

~Discuss the ideas in the first two paragraphs of the devotion, I talked about the joy of getting gifts on Christmas morning and how sometimes you get a gift that you didn’t expect and don’t really think is right. God also gives us a gift on Christmas.

~Put the gift box with the baby Jesus in a manger in it in front of your child. “This is from God.” Have your child open it. “The perfect gift that God gave us on Christmas is Jesus! Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. God gave Him to us, and we celebrate His birth on Christmas Day.”

~Have your child color the picture of baby Jesus. Then wrap the picture. I had my children cut a piece of wrapping paper the size of the picture and tape the paper at the top of the picture. You can lift the paper and see baby Jesus.

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King of Kings Homeschool Advent Activity

Today we learned about one of the names of Jesus, King of Kings. This is a great Advent devotion to try in your homeschool. Preschoolers and toddlers will love it! You will need to assist younger children with the craft as it involves cutting. I found a great devotion at Streams of Living Water for me. Then I used the Scripture reference, Revelation 19:16Revelation 19:16
English: World English Bible - WEB
16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

, to tailor a devotion for my kids.

~Remind the children that Christmas is all about Jesus, and He has many names in the Bible. Have the children give e few names if they can. Then read the Scripture, Revelation 19:16Revelation 19:16
English: World English Bible - WEB
16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

. “Jesus is KING OF KINGS.”

~Explain that the Hallelujah chorus uses the name “King of Kings” in it. “We’re going to listen to the song. Sing along and notice when ‘King of Kings’ comes up.” (This particular YouTube video has the lyrics printed in it.) You can also find the lyrics for the Hallelujah chorus here and for an extension activity learn the vocabulary words in it.)

~What does a king wear on his head? A crown, of course! We’re going to make a crown to remind us that Jesus is KING OF KINGS.” Below there are the instructions for how we made our crowns and pictures. You can also find a crown craft at Kaboose.

Supplies: 1 file folder/child, scissors, foil, stapler, pencil

-Fold a file folder in half length wise and cut along the fold. This will be the crown.

-Take one half of the file folder and fold it in half lengthwise again. Cut along the fold. This will be used to extend the crown to fit on your child’s head properly.

-Cut out a triangle template. Trace the triangle template along the top of the thicker piece of file folder. This makes the points on the crown.

-Shade the upside down triangles and have your child cut out the shaded triangles.

-Staple one side of the extension to the crown.

-Cover the entire crown with foil. (Foil is easy to tear making this craft easier for younger children.)

-Staple the two loose ends together to fit your child’s head.

Enjoy learning about the King of Kings!

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A Heavenly Host of Angels

Learn more about the Christmas story with this fun homeschool Advent activity. This is great for preschool children. Older kids will like the video.

Supplies

Coloring Page
Crayons
Scissors
Popsicle Sticks or Straws
Tape
YouTube Video
Bible
Lyrics to “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
Angels Pattern

Objectives

~To understand what a “host of heavenly angels” is.
~To visualize the Bible scene with the angels and the shepherds.

Bible Verses

Luke 2:8-20Luke 2:8-20
English: World English Bible - WEB
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. ⁹ Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. ¹¹ For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” ¹³ Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest, On earth peace, good will toward men.” ¹⁵ It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. ¹⁷ When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

Kids’ Activity

~Sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and watch the video below.

~Read the story of the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.
~Make your own heavenly host with the angel pattern. Cut out the angels and decorate as you like. Secure them to the popsicle sticks or straws to make them into puppets. Re-enact the Bible scene using the puppets.

Family Activity

~Send Christmas cards to announce Christ’s birth.
~Complete the coloring page of the angels with the shepherds.

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What is a Manger?

Have you ever really thought about Jesus’ humble beginnings? Open your children’s eyes to the fact that Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger, the food trough for the animals. This Advent season use this creative arts homeschool lesson to help your children learn about where Jesus was born. It is a perfect lesson for a kinesthetic learner!

Supplies

Lyrics to “Away in a Manger”Users
YouTube Video
Old Box
Shredded Paper
Doll
Rags to wrap doll in

Objectives

~To understand that Jesus was born in the most humble of circumstances, in a stable and laid in a manger instead of a crib.

Bible Verses

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7Luke 2:6-7
English: World English Bible - WEB
6 It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. ⁷ She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

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Kids’ Activity

~Sing “Away in a Manger”.
~Discuss how Jesus was born in the stable next to an inn. Explain that a manger holds the animals’ food. It is filled with hay.
~Watch this video of “Away in a Manger” and learn the signs.

Family Activity

~Make a manger prop and put a baby Jesus in it. Use an old box for the manger and make some hay with shredded paper.
~Have the children perform “Away in a Manger” using the signs and the manger prop.

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“Mary, A Mother?” Homeschool Advent Activity

Yesterday we finally finished decorating our tree and put our angel on top. I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the Annunciation, the time when the angel, Gabriel, visited Mary to tell her she would be Jesus’ mother. The homeschool activity I chose to do is simple, but the ideas in the discussion are big. Because my children are kinesthetic learners, I have included some movement in the activity. There are also many ideas listed at First-School.

1. What do you know about angels?
2. Fly around like angels for the next couple of minutes.
3. Did you know that an angel visited Mary to tell her about Jesus? This is the story.
   
4. Read the story of the annunciation. As you read, discuss these ideas to discuss and ask these questions: ~Do you remember Mary? When this story happens she is very young like when Mommy and Daddy were waiting to get married. She was waiting to marry Joseph.~Can you imagine seeing an angel? How would you feel if you did see one? Make a frightened face. When an angel talks to a person in the Bible, the angel always tells the person to not be afraid. We read that the people are afraid at first when they see angels. It must be pretty amazing to see an angel!~ Who is Jesus’ mother? Who is His Father?~Mary tells the angel that she will do what God tells her to do. How do you think she felt?
5. Have the children color the story page. Hang the pictures in a prominent place.
6. Memorize this verse this week: For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37Luke 1:37
   English: World English Bible - WEB
   37 For everything spoken by God is possible.”
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This video is a nice compliment to this lesson. The art in the video is beautiful, too.

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Rest! Jesus, Our Savior, Was Born!

Today was definitely a Sabbath day for my family, a habit we are trying to cultivate. We certainly enjoyed resting together! Our homeschool Advent activity was singing Christmas carols, and the one that talks about rest is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”. This is the video that we watched while we sang the song.

Enjoy resting in the Lord!

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“Deck the Tree” with Applesauce Ornaments This Advent

We had some homeschool friends over to do our Advent activity today, making cinnamon applesauce ornaments. They smell so good! The best part of this project is that all of the ingredients are non-toxic, so this is perfect for young children. However, if your children are very young, I recommend having another adult with you to supervise since my friend and I found this activity difficult to do alone. I also advise you to let the children play with the dough before you cut out the ornaments. I set up all of my supplies ahead of time, too. This project is well worth the planning and time that it takes to do, though.

Supplies

Lyrics to “Deck the Halls”
“Tree Ornament – Spicy Apple Sauce” recipe from Craft Bits (Note: I added 1/4 cup more applesauce than this recipe calls for. The dough was too dry otherwise.)
Bible
Your Favorite Christmas Storybook (I used The Story of Christmas by Patricia A. Pingry.)

Objectives

~To understand that our Lord is beautiful.
~To make the connection that since God is creative and beautiful, we are and people enjoy being surrounded by beauty.

I wrote the following on the index card inside the Advent calendar.

Bible Verse

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4Psalm 27:4
English: World English Bible - WEB
4 One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after, That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, To see Yahweh’s beauty, And to inquire in his temple.

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Kids’ Activity

~Sing “Deck the Halls”
~Read your Christmas storybook.
~Read the Bible verse. Explain that this verse tells us that the Lord is beautiful. Since He is beautiful and Christmas is all about Jesus’ birth, we are making our Christmas tree beautiful.
~Make the cinnamon ornaments.

Family Activity

~Decorate your Christmas tree.

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“Follow that Star” Advent Activity

We completed another successful homeschool Advent activity today. I think that you and your preschool age children will enjoy this one. Please post a comment if you have ideas for older children.

Supplies

Lyrics to “We Three Kings of Orient Are” (We only sang the first verse and the chorus.)
Star craft printable
Black construction paper
Glue sticks
Scissors
Bible

Objectives

~To understand who the Magi were.
~To understand that the Magi followed a star to find baby Jesus.

The following was written on the index card in our Advent calendar.

Bible Verses

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2Matthew 2:1-2
English: World English Bible - WEB
2 ¹ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men The word for “wise men” can also mean teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers. from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ² “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

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Kids’ Activity

~Sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are”.
~Read the Bible verses. Talk about how the magi were wise men who studied the stars, and they noticed a special star in the sky when Jesus was born. They followed that star to find baby Jesus.
~Make the star craft. Glue the star onto the black construction paper.

Family Activity

~Do some star gazing. If you have one, use a telescope. Talk about constellations.

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“Jesus is the Light” Homeschool Advent Activity

In our homeschool we had another successful Advent calendar activity today, and I just have to share it with you. I think that your children will enjoy this one just as much as mine did!

Supplies

Bible
Flashlights (one for each child)
Dark room
Lyrics to “Silent Night”

Bible Verse

“I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” John 12:46John 12:46
English: World English Bible - WEB
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

Kids’ Activity

~Sing Silent Night.
~Talk about how you cannot see anything in the dark and that you can use a flashlight, nightlight, lamp, or a candle to see in the dark. Discuss how Jesus tells us that He is the light of the world. If we need help, He can light the way. He is just like the other things we use to light up the darkness. Jesus can show you what you what to do if you ask Him for help.
~In a dark room give each child a flashlight. Play flashlight tag. Walk around with the flashlights reciting the verse as you go. Have one child light a path for everyone else to walk. (The kids love doing this. Enjoy their laughter!)

Family Activity

~Put lights on the Christmas tree. Discuss how the lights represent Jesus. He is our light in the dark.

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