Teaching Kids The Real Meaning Of Christmas

Teaching Kids The Real Meaning Of Christmas can be extremely difficult while living in a secular culture. In many places, Jesus is erased altogether.  Today, let’s look at our own Christmas traditions and see how we can enrich them with Christ-Centered Activities, that will teach our excited children the real meaning of Christmas.

When talking with children about the Holy Family, remember one word.  WONDER!

Growing up I have many fond memories of hours playing with our family’s Nativity.  Every Christmas it was brought out and my sister and I were allowed to play with it even though it was fragile.  I would spend hours reenacting the story of Jesus’s birth.  I was enraptured by this true story!  I also remember making my father be the donkey and riding around on his back so that I could pretend to be Mary… one of my baby dolls standing in for baby Jesus.  It was such a pleasant and peaceful feeling for me.

Fast forward many years and I am a mother of my own brood of children and now have the opportunity to pass on this wonderful family tradition to my children.  We have a Nativity in every room on the first floor as well as in the upstairs hallway!  Lots of opportunities to play, imagine, wonder, and focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  When my children were young I even had a plastic set for them to play with however, the dog ate it one year! So it goes…

Teaching Kids The Real Meaning

Of Christmas

• Set up a Nativity under your tree.
• Use the Nativity as a centerpiece on your dining room table and read through the Christmas Story in Luke 2 every night.
• Put a Manger Scene in every room of the house.
• Read The First Christmas In Origami and have fun with the whole family making an origami Nativity Set.
• Make sure you have at least one Nativity for your children to play with.
• Start a collection and make a display in a curio cabinet for the Christmas Season.
• Have a Nativity Scavenger Hunt…FUN!
• Set your Nativity on top of a box covered with a tablecloth.  It gives it height and presence.
• Place your Nativity on the mantle of your fireplace.
• Wait until Christmas to place baby Jesus in the manger in your family’s nativity.  This builds up anticipation and excitement for Jesus’s Birthday!
• Have your children make a Nativity   FREE Nativity Printables
• Read Luke 2 as you set up your Nativity for the year.
• Have a Family Nativity Play, check out this Play Script!
• Put Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils on your wooden Nativity so it brings the Christmas story to life.

As I was preparing to write this post I researched many Nativity Sets.  I found three that I happily recommend to you! Each set can be played with by children!

My first pick is the Little People Christmas Story Nativity with Lights and Sounds. especially for toddlers.

My second pick is really practical!  This is what we own, it has stood the test of time and it looks amazingly beautiful like each figure has been carved.  The pieces are made of plastic so children can play with them.  Hours and hours of enjoyment!  This is the Fontanini Nativity Set We started with just Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and a Stable.  Over the years we have added more pieces.  There are many, many figures to choose from and different options for stables too!  (pictured above)

Last but definitely not least is the Rustic Nativity Scene Handmade Made with Bark, it has a simple elegance about it and oh, the lovely detailed craftsmanship!  A beautiful piece for celebrating the birth of Jesus, this handmade piece embodies love, faith, and holiday spirit. Utterly charming and did I mention my kids love it too?

YOUR TURN…

How do you make the Nativity part of your Christmas?

Blessings,

* This post may contain affiliate links.  Thank you for supporting The Peaceful Haven!