I love getting to think about the Christmas story through the eyes of a child. They are much more appropriately awed by the amazing facts of the story: the appearance of angels, shepherds who leave their sheep to find the baby in a manger, God come to rescue humans from sin. The wonderful thing is that this is not a fairytale – it is true! As you do these activities this week with your kids, remind yourself of the wonder of the story and worship Him because it is true.
HIGHLIGHTS from the Weekend…
This week your child learned there were shepherds in a field watching their sheep the night Jesus was born. They were the first to hear the good news when an angel appeared to them to tell them the wonderful news that Jesus had been born. At first, they were afraid, but then many angels appeared and sang, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to all men on whom His favor rests.” When the angels disappeared, the shepherds hurried into Bethlehem to see the baby lying in a manger. After they met Jesus, they weren’t quiet. They told many people the good news that God had kept His promise. The one who would save us from our sins had arrived! (Luke 2:8-20)
Teaching Truths:
- Jesus is God's Son
- God always keeps His promises
Memory Verse:
"For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
3 Activities that Help Us Learn This Week's Teaching Truth:
1. Act as a Shepherd
Dress your child up as a shepherd so he can pretend to find baby Jesus. Grab a towel and a bandana; lay the towel over his head, take the bandana and roll it up. Use the bandana to secure the towel by tying the bandana around his head. Place baby Jesus from your nativity scene under the Christmas tree. Have your child search for baby Jesus just as the shepherds did. When your child finds baby Jesus, use this time to read him this story about the shepherds from the Bible ask him some questions like this.
- Were the shepherds afraid?
- What did the angels say?
- What did the shepherds do after the angels appeared?
- What did the shepherds do after they saw baby Jesus?
- How can we be like the shepherds?
2. Shepherd Ornament
This week continue to make an ornament for the tree that symbolizes the shepherds. Have your child take two pipe cleaners of fun colors, loosely twist them together and bend the top to make a staff (like a candy cane). Next, cut a small rectangle of white card stock and using a black ink pad, help your child make a thumb print in the center of the paper for the body of the sheep. After the thumb print dries, let your child use a gray crayon and make squiggles for the fur, use a black marker and draw four simple legs and a colored in circle for the head. Lastly, hole punch the end of the rectangle and secure it to the end of the staff with ribbon. Let your child hang the ornament on your tree.
3. Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star
Sing this song with your child using the tune: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star
How I wonder what you are
Shining high up in the sky
Show the Shepherds where Christ lies
Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star
How I wonder what you are
Pray
Pray a short, simple prayer thanking God for keeping His promise to send Jesus, His Son.