Day 3: Baby Jesus is Born!
*There are 3 activities for this day’s lesson. Feel free to choose one or two of the activities OR spread them out over several days! :)
- Materials:
- Bible (I like the NirV)
- Children’s Bible (I’m using the Say & Pray Bible for this lesson)
- Activity #1: Box wrapped up like a gift with a picture of baby Jesus inside
- Activity #2: Tub filled with decorative straw/hay OR shredded paper from paper shredder, Jesus figurine from nativity set OR picture of baby Jesus, Toy animals (sheep, cow, donkey)
- Activity #3: Envelope, Star cut out of paper OR big star sticker, Yellow yarn (I used a light yellowish/tan yarn), Popsicle stick, Small piece of cloth to wrap around stick, Craft glue (I glued the cloth around the stick)
Day 3: Lesson and Activities
- Open Bible to Luke 2:6-7. Ask if child wants to touch God’s Word. Touch gently. Then, read the verses. Read also: Isaiah 9:6, “God has given a Son to us!”
Children’s Bible Reading: Read story, verse, and prayer in Say & Pray Bible. Find cow, sheep, donkey, hen, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, stars in the sky.
Activity #1:
- Poem (perform moving gift box around) It’s time to celebrate – yay! Raise your arms UP HIGH! Stretch DOWN and touch your toes. Open up WIDE! Close them for a hug. What’s God’s special gift to us? (Open box) It’s JESUS! It’s JESUS!
Activity #2:
- Prep: Fill tub with decorative straw/hay OR shredded paper from paper shredder – hide Jesus figurine from nativity set OR picture of baby Jesus. Add other animals, too.
- (Tune: Are You Sleeping?) Where is baby Jesus? Where is baby Jesus Hiding in the hay! Hiding in the hay! Peek-a-boo!
- Note: It may seem like a huge mess playing with shredded paper, but it’s actually pretty easy to clean up. I tried to encourage Katelyn to keep the shredded paper close to the bin, but even the piles that she threw on the carpet were easily scooped up with my hands (and easy to vacuum up if needed, too!).
Activity #3:
- Make a pouch for baby Jesus out of an envelope, glue star at the top, yellow yarn for hay, craft stick cut in half for Jesus, wrap piece of cloth around Jesus – put in and out of manger pouch
- I also glued the envelope to a sheet of paper to hang on the wall. Katelyn enjoyed decorating it with markers, and it is hung low enough on the wall that she can pull baby Jesus and the hay out if she wants.
Closing: Luke 2:15, Let us go to Bethlehem. Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem!