Dive into a treasure trove of activities, resources, and ideas to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus! This page features engaging crafts, joyful songs, and fun Happy Birthday Jesus party ideas that will help preschoolers understand and cherish this miraculous story. Join in the celebration and make the true meaning of Christmas come alive for your little ones!
Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
Read and Share Toddler Bible: pg 136
The Beginner's Bible: pg 271
My First Hands-On Bible: pg 218
In Who is Coming to Our House? by Joseph Slate, a group of animals prepares for a special visitor at Christmas. Each animal contributes to the preparations, excitedly anticipating the arrival of someone important. As they clean and decorate their home, the story builds for the joyful arrival of baby Jesus.
This Is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten beautifully recounts the Christmas story from the perspective of a stable that witnesses the events surrounding Jesus' birth. The stable describes the various animals and people who come and go, creating a vivid scene of that holy night. As the story unfolds, readers are invited to feel the warmth and love of the setting, culminating in the arrival of baby Jesus and highlighting the joy and hope of Christmas.
The night Jesus was born is often called a silent night, but it’s hard to imagine how that could be true with so many animals present in the manger—cows, sheep, donkeys, and perhaps even chickens, mice, and birds—all celebrating His arrival. The Silent Noisy Night offers a fresh perspective on the Christmas story by imagining how the creatures and people might have rejoiced in their own unique ways. With cows mooing and donkeys braying, it’s likely that the night was far from quiet!
Celebrate the journey to Jesus' birth with the interactive Christmas Advent Workbook! It features a fun tree-building activity and 25 engaging daily guides that explore Jesus' wonderful characteristics through crafts, songs, baking, and games. This delightful resource is perfect for families, churches, and preschools!
Shorten the verses as appropriate for the child's developmental level.
Matthew 1:21b
Give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Luke 2:11 (NIV)
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Luke 1:35 (NIV)
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
Silent Night Traditional
Silent night (one finger up to mouth making shh motion)
Holy night (left arm horizontal in front of body, and right arm starts vertical and closes down to the left arm so both arms on top of each other, like the sun going down on the horizon)
All is calm (palms up and cross in front of body at waist height and end with arms out to your sides)
All is bright (palms facing out cross hands in front of your face and swing them out to the sides of your face)
Round yon' virgin, mother and child (rock baby motion)
Holy infant (sign for holy with left palm up in front of body, touch right index finger to left palm and make a jazz hand facing kids and move it up from left palm, to in front of your face, and end up on the right side of your face at shoulder height)
So tender and mild (rock the baby)
Sleep in heavenly peace (sleep hands by face on left side)
Sleep in heavenly peace (sleep hands by face on right side)
Mary Had a Little Lamb Traditional
Mary had a little lamb
Little lamb, little lamb
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow.
Discuss how there is a Biblical meaning to “Mary Had a Little Lamb” as well.
Mary – Jesus’ Mother
Lamb – Jesus
White as snow – Jesus was without sin
Away in a Manger Traditional
Away in a manger (rock baby in your arms)
No crib for a bed (shake head "no")
The little Lord Jesus (point up)
Laid down His sweet head (place hands beside head to "sleep")
The stars in the sky (flick fingers in the air)
Looked down where He lay (place hand on forehead and "look")
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay (place hands beside head to "sleep")
Sheet available in the Bible Activity Workbook
Sheet available in the Bible Activity Workbook
Free Coloring Sheets for Immediate Family Use - Happy Birthday, Jesus
Discover more Happy Birthday Jesus Party Ideas
Cover your children, grandchildren, or students in prayer with this 31-day calendar of powerful Bible verses. Each day focuses on themes like wisdom, courage, love, and godly character, praying for spiritual guidance and strength for the next generation.
Cut out the small Baby Jesus from the Baby Jesus template. On a piece of construction paper, glue enough small pieces of brown and yellow yarn to form a bed. Glue Baby Jesus into the bed. Glue popsicle sticks around the baby to make a manger.
Paint both sides of a paper plate brown. Let dry. Using the large baby from the baby Jesus template, cut out and glue the baby inside the paper plate. Fold the sides of the plate in so as to swaddle the baby.
Fold a handkerchief in half, corner to corner. Roll two of the corners of the triangle in towards each other until the rolls touch. Without disturbing the rolls just created, very carefully separate the triangle point. (If you pull too hard the entire thing will fall apart.) Hold the one end while pulling back the other end around the rolls until a cradle is formed. The rolls become a baby. Let the child rock Baby Jesus during story time.
Connect the excitement of a child's birthday with a special celebration for Jesus! Hosting a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party allows children to honor His birth in a relatable and fun way.
Place individual pieces of a child's nativity set on a table and discuss each piece. Have the children close their eyes and remove one piece. Have the children figure out which piece is missing. After the missing piece is discovered, talk about its significance in the Nativity. For instance, if you take away a Shepherd, explain to the children how an angel appeared to the shepherds in the fields to tell of Jesus' birth.
Using modeling clay or play dough, create your own nativity scene. Have you child tell the story using their creations. This would be a wonderful Family Night activity.
Are you ready to embark on an incredible journey of faith and discovery with your child or students? Look no further! Our Old and New Testament Curriculum Bundle is the perfect companion for home, preschool, or church Sunday School or mid-week meeting Bible learning. It's time to immerse your little ones in the enriching world of biblical stories and truth.
Interactive Bible Stories
Discover ideas from the age-appropriate, Interactive Bible scripts available in the Old & New Testament Curriculum, 1 Year Interactive Bible Stories. 2 Year Interactive Bible Stories, 3 Year Interactive Bible Stories, and 4 Year Interactive Bible Stories
The Christmas Story
Materials: Angel, Mary, Joseph, and Baby (puppets, pictures, or manger scene pieces)
Read the following story and pause after you read the underlines words to hold up the corresponding puppet
People had been waiting and waiting for a very long time. As a matter of fact, people had been waiting ever since the first man and woman had to leave God’s special garden because they had disobeyed God. Do you remember the name of the first man and women? (Adam and Eve) They were waiting for God to keep His promise. God had promised to send them a Savior, someone who could make everything good and right again. One day an angel spoke to a girl name Mary and told her she would have a baby. Then the angel spoke to a man name Joseph, who was going to be Mary’s husband. The angel told Joseph that Mary’s baby was special. He was God’s son, Jesus! While Mary and Joseph were waiting for Jesus to be born, they had to go on a long trip. The ruler of the land had made a law that people had to go to their hometowns and write their names in a special book so that leaders could count how many people there were. So Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem to be counted. They had to walk all the way! Finally, they arrived in Bethlehem. Mary was ready to have her baby! But Bethlehem was so crowded they couldn't find a place to stay! Everywhere they were told, “There is no room!” Finally a kind innkeeper said they could stay in his stable with his animals. And just in time, too! That night Jesus was born. Mary wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid Him in a manger to sleep. All the angels joined in and said, “Glory to God! Peace on earth to those who love God!”
