25 Day Count Down to the Advent

I hope that you will find this 25 day Advent Calendar countdown guide a blessing in your home. I will be honest and say that I worked long hours on this blog post - thinking up each day and what verses to read. Then thinking up unique crafts for each day that a child can touch and really understand the lesson being taught. Finally, putting a teaching point with each day. I was blessed by putting this Hands-On Nativity Lessons for Kids together. My prayer is that you will treasure these beautiful lessons in your home and perhaps even use these crafted tutorials with your children. God bless you.

Easy and Inexpensive Daily Craft Tutorial

All of the materials needed for the entire Nativity Lessons are simple inexpensive materials easily found in your own home or at a local store. I have most of these crafts completed and my plan is to post each craft on the day that it is presented. Once the blog post for the craft tutorial goes live, I will link the post to this main post right near the craft title for each day. Here are the materials that are needed for all the crafts in this Nativity Lesson guide.

Materials Needed for the Entire 25 Days

- Popsicle Sticks (Large and Small)

- Magic Markers (several different colors if possible)

- "Strong" Glue (glue gun and glue sticks preferred)

- 15-20 Wooden Peg People

- Several pieces of different colored flannel for clothes for the Wooden Peg People

- Craft Paper (Gold, Silver, White preferred)

- Medium Cardboard Box

- Scissors

- Cotton Balls

- Star Stickers

- Medium Wooden Embroidery Hoop

- Different Colored Ribbon (3-4 different colors/shapes)

- Glitter and Yellow Paint

- Gold (Glitter) or Yellow Pipe Cleaners

December 1

Read: Isaiah 9:6 and Matt 1:21-23

Craft: Visit - Popsicle Stick Scripture Memory Puzzle, for instructions.

Teach: Introducing your child to the names of Jesus and explaining that the meaning of Emmanuel is "God with Us."

December 2

Read: Luke 1:5-17

Craft: 7 Christmas Angel Crafts

Teach: Angel Means Messenger from God (Luke 1:19). Explain that God uses angels to send messages to us from Him. Angels take care of us all the time and some people are fortunate to actually see an angel.

December 3

Read: Luke 1:18-25

Craft: Wooden Peg Person Zacharias - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial 

Teach: Read the story and act out the angel Gabriel visiting Zacharias and then Zacharias becomes mute because of his unbelief. Talk about having child like faith and belief in God.

December 4

Read: Luke 1:26-38

Craft: Wooden Peg Person Mary - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: The angel visits Mary and she believes the message from the angel. Discuss how Mary's child-like faith is different from Zacharias unbelief.

December 5

Read: Luke 1:38-42

Craft: Wooden Peg Person (pregnant) Elisabeth - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: Discuss how the Holy Spirit can speak through us and also cause a baby to leap for joy in the womb.

December 6

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

Craft: Wooden Peg Person Joseph - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: God can also visit us when we dream by speaking to us and also by sending his angels. Talk about other stories in the Bible where God spoke to people in a dream.

December 7

Read: Luke 2:1-5

Craft: Cardboard Donkey - Visit Cardboard Animals for Kids

Teach: Trip to Bethlehem to Pay Taxes. Discuss how this journey to Bethlehem fulfills Biblical prophecy - read Micah 5:2.

December 8

Read: Luke 2:6-7

Craft: Cardboard Box for Stable - Visit Cardboard Nativity Stable Tutorial

Teach: No Room in the Inn - Stay in the Stable with the Animals. Discuss why Jesus as the King was born in a dirty stable. Why wasn't He born in a palace?

December 9

Read: Luke 2:6-7

Craft: Baby Jesus (wooden peg child) in Swaddling Clothes in a Craft Stick Manger - Visit Baby Jesus in a Craft Stick Manger - Tutorial

Teach: Discuss what it means for a brand new baby to be born and how Mary did her best to keep him warm, clean, and safe in a dirty environment. Talk about a mother's love for her child.

December 10

Read: Luke 2:8

Craft: Wooden Peg Person Shepherd(s) - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: Discuss what is would be like to stay up all night watching the sheep to keep them safe from danger. What do you think the job of a shepherd involves? Did you know that Jesus is considered the "Good Shepherd" of His sheep (us)? Read John 10:11

December 11

Read: Luke 2:8

Craft: Cardboard Sheep and Cotton Balls - Visit Cardboard Animals for Kids

Teach: Did you know that the Bible says that we are like sheep? Read Isaiah 53:6 What do you think this verse means for you personally?

December 12

Read: Luke 2:9-14

Craft: DIY Stars and Angels Mobile for Kids

Teach: Listen to the song, "Angels We Have Heard On High." Discuss with your children how majestic the dark night sky must have appeared when it lit up with all those beautiful angels singing at the top of their voices. Sing the song together at the top of your voices.

December 13

Read: Luke 2:15-20

Activity: Role Play Shepherds Visiting Baby Jesus with Hand-Made Props

Teach: What do you think the shepherds were thinking when they visited baby Jesus? What do you think made them so excited that they wanted to tell everyone about their visit to the baby King?

December 14

Read: Luke 2:19

Craft: 7 Heart Crafts to Love 

Teach: Mary Ponders in her Heart - What do you think Mary was "pondering" or deeply thinking about in her heart? What does it mean to ponder something in your heart?

December 15

Read: Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10

Craft: Popsicle Stick Glitter Star (attach to the cardboard box manger) - Visit Cardboard Nativity Stable Tutorial

Teach: What do you think the heavenly star looked like? Was it different from all the other stars in the sky? Jesus promises to guide our path and He sent a beautiful star to guide the path of the wise men. Read - Isaiah 30:21

December 16

Read: Matthew 2:3-8, 12

Craft: Wooden Peg Person King - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: Mean King Herod - Why do you think the "mean" King Herod was so upset about Jesus birth? Talk about the evils of unbelief and jealousy.

December 17

Read: Matthew 2:1

Craft: Cardboard Camels - Visit Cardboard Animals for Kids

Teach: Wise Men Come from the East on Camels - How far do you think the Magi travelled to visit baby Jesus? Why do you think they came so far? Look at an old Biblical map online.

December 18

Read: Matthew 2:11

Craft: Wooden Peg Person - One Wise Man with Gift of Gold - Visit Three Gifts for Baby Jesus

Teach: The gift of gold was brought to honor a king. Do you think gold is valuable? Do you think the wise men believed that Jesus was the King even though He was only a baby?

December 19

Read: Matthew 2:11

Craft: Wooden Peg Person - One Wise Man with Gift of Frankincense - Visit Three Gifts for Baby Jesus

Teach: Read about the history of frankincense. It is used as an incense and can represent our prayers ascending to heaven. Read Revelation 8:4

December 20

Read: Matthew 2:11

Craft: Wooden Peg Person - One Wise Man with Gift of Myrrh - Visit Three Gifts for Baby Jesus

Teach: Read about the history of myrrh. It was used as a "healing balm" for certain illnesses. Is Jesus able to heal our broken hearts?

December 21

Read: Luke 2:22-33

Craft: Doves of Peace Craft

Teach: Jesus Dedication - What does it mean for a baby to be dedicated to God? What is the symbol of the dove? Does the dove represent peace? Is the dove gentle, white, sweet and loving?

December 22

Read: Matthew 2:13-15

Activity: Role play the angel visiting Joseph and then the family flees on small donkey to Egypt.

Teach: Angel visits Joseph (dream) to Flee to Egypt from Mean King Herod - Do you think that God will show you the way to go when you are in danger? Do you believe that God can take care of you? Can you remember a time when God protected you from danger?

December 23

Read: Matthew 2:19-23

Craft: Small Child Wooden Peg Person as the Jesus Child - Visit Biblical Wooden Peg People Craft Tutorial

Teach: Angel visits Joseph - Safe to Return to Nazareth with Jesus. Was Nazareth a nice place for Jesus to grow up? Why do you think it was important for Jesus to grow up in Nazareth?

December 24

Read: Luke 2:40, 52 and Mark 6:3

Craft: Growing Strong Hands-On Learning Craft - Visit 5 "Strong as a Tree" Kid Activities

Teach: Jesus Grew Strong as the Carpenter's Son. Did Jesus only grow strong in physical strength? In what other ways did Jesus grow strong? Do you think that you can grow strong like Jesus did?

December 25

Read: Entire Story as a Family

Activity: Let Your Children Role Play with the Hands-On Props

Teach: Let your children recount the nativity story that they learned and "teach" you the step by step lessons.