Bible Lessons on the Birth of Jesus
This Christmas season we want to engage kids in Sunday school with creative Bible lessons on the birth of Jesus! Before we do, together we can rediscover why teaching about the birth of Jesus matters in children’s ministry. While we do, we will figure out some great ways to teach engaging lessons for different age groups, share activities with parents that reinforce the Christmas story message, and incorporate key Bible verses that we don’t want to miss at Christmas time.
Christ in Christmas
Children can be like a mirror because they often reflect the condition of their surroundings. This means kids don’t just look like their parents - they usually talk and behave like them, too. It also means that children are influenced by how they are nurtured, cared for, taught, and often mimic those around them. Parents who say, “Do what I say, not what I do” are in for a wake-up call when they find out that their kids learn by example more than they do from being told what to do.
At Christmas time, it’s no different. A child will learn the meaning of Christmas by what they see and hear from their parents and at church. If Christmas is celebrated in a way centered around Christ, the true meaning of Christmas, kids will learn to do the same!
When we make a point to teach about the birth of Jesus in children’s ministry at Christmas time, it helps kids see the Holidays for what they truly are. We can also help put the focus back on Jesus at Christmas time by giving parents resources and fun ways to share the story of Jesus in the home.
I’ll be Home for Christmas
Outside of Sunday mornings and a few special services in December most Christmas celebrations happen in the home. This is where kids will form many memories about the holidays. If we want kids to treasure what matters during this season, there are some great ways that we can have a positive impact through our children’s ministry.
Here are just a couple of ways to do this:
1. Scavenger Hunt: Where Is Jesus at Christmas Time?
At the beginning of December, send home a fun scavenger hunt called, “Where is Jesus at Christmas Time?” Be sure it’s emailed or handed straight to parents so as not to spoil the surprise of where things will be hidden from the kids. Provide 10 Bible verses for parents to hide around the house so kids can discover why Jesus is the reason for the season.
Include instructions for parents on where each verse should go:
- Hide John 3:16 near Christmas gifts. Ask kids, “How is Jesus God’s gift to us?”
- Hide John 11:25-26 in a Christmas tree. Say, “A Christmas tree stays green all year, unlike a tree that drops its leaves in the fall. How does an EVER-green tree remind us of this verse?” (Hint: Everlasting life!)
- Hide Matthew 2:9 near a star. Ask kids, “How did God provide a way for the wise men to find Jesus? How did He provide a way for you to learn about Jesus?”
- Hide Luke 2:8-12 near a candy cane treat. Say, “The shepherd's staff looks like a candy cane! Do you know what a candy cane represents?”
- Hide Luke 2:13-14 near a bell or jingle bell. Ask, “How did the angels celebrate with joy? How is this like when we worship God?”
- Hide 1 John 15:9-13 in a wreath. Say, “A wreath represents true love because the circle shows how Jesus’ love keeps going and has no end. How is God’s love shown to us?”
- Hide 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 on a Santa Clause or someone who displays the spirit of generosity in your house. Say, “To be more like Jesus we can learn to be generous and give gifts to those around us!”
- Hide Ephesians 6:15 near snow boots. Ask, “What is the good news of peace that we can share with others?”
- Hide John 8:12 near Christmas lights. Ask, “Why is it dark without Jesus?”
- Hide Colossians 3:15 next to cookies and milk. Say, “What do you have to be thankful for? Why do we owe our gratitude to Jesus?”
2. Christmas Charades
Send home a Christmas Charades Game for parents and kids to play together. Create a print-out of about 20 cards for kids to cut out with characters and objects from the Christmas Bible story. Include things like “camel”, “angel”, and “baby Jesus”.
Include instructions for how to play charades. Provide a printed copy of the Christmas story from passages in the Bible for the family to read together.
Free Christmas Bible Stories for Sunday School
Children's Ministry Deals offers free Christmas Bible Story lessons and lesson supplements. Explore them, plus our free curriculums, skits, Christmas programs, and more to inspire your teaching!
As you browse them and decide what you will teach, it’s important to remember to design your lesson for different age groups in your ministry. For younger kids, pick just one or two verses from the Christmas story to read. We can engage kids in the lesson by inviting them to participate in acting out a scene or by asking them to repeat after us. It also helps to include songs related to the theme to break up the lesson and keep kids interested.
Older elementary-aged kids, often enjoy hearing a passage in its entirety. We can help keep their interest by asking questions about what we read and following up with a fun activity or game:
- Our Nativity Story Puppet activity is a great way to engage young preschool or early elementary students in hands-on crafting and puppet show play.
- Our 10 Christmas Games work well for elementary-aged kids.
Some other creative activities to reinforce the Christmas message include:
Preschool Bible Lesson on the Birth of Jesus
Lesson and "Follow the Star Maze" Activity
Invite children to participate in a life-size Christmas maze after teaching a lesson on the 3 wise men following the star. Create a path with masking tape and include some dead ends. Once kids have gone through the maze, they receive a star sugar cookie prize!
No Room in the Inn Musical Chairs Game
A Christmas take on the familiar musical chairs game! Using Christmas music, have the kids walk around the chairs. When the music stops and there aren’t enough chairs, have all the kids shout out, “No room in the inn!”
End the game when there is only one kid left. Tie this game into the story of Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
Elementary Bible Lesson on the Birth of Jesus
Begin by reading the various angel encounters in the Christmas story:
- Zachariah's Encounter (Luke 1:5-25)
- Mary's Encounter (Luke 1:26-38)
- Joseph's Encounter (Matthew 1:18-25)
Explain how each story has a common occurrence: the angels say, “Don’t be afraid." Share similar ways to say this repeated phrase: Don’t worry, don’t be anxious, it’s going to be okay, etc.
Don't Be Afraid Game
- Split children into teams. Give each team a wrapped Christmas gift box with a hole in the top.
- Choose volunteers from each team. Blindfold the volunteers and have them reach their hand into the box to pull out the “gift."
- While blindfolded, they will have to guess what the object is. They can ask their teammates yes or no questions to help them narrow down their guesses.
Suggested Gift Objects
- Container of Christmas candy
- Tinsel
- Pinecones
- Cinnamon sticks
- An orange
- A harmonica
- A clump of hay
- A Santa Clause hat
Each team will need one adult leader to supervise and keep kids from cheating! Whichever team’s blindfolded volunteer guesses correctly first, wins.
After the game is over ask the kids, some follow-up questions:
- Were you afraid to put your hand in the box?
- Why did the angel tell Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds not to be afraid?
- Why don’t we need to worry?
- What kind of plan does God have for us?
Edible Sheep Craft
Instruct kids how to make an edible sheep craft after teaching a lesson on the shepherds hearing the good news of Jesus:
- Give each kid one large gum drop.
- Using icing, have them dip tiny marshmallows in white icing and stick them to their gum drop.
- Next, give each kid one large marshmallow to stick on the front of their sheep with more icing.
- Have kids rip one tiny marshmallow in half and stick each half on one side of the large marshmallow as ears.
- Lastly, hand out chocolate chips or M & Ms to stick on as eyes and a nose for the sheep!
Excellent Bible Verses for Christmas Sunday School Lessons & Take-Home:
- Prophesy of Jesus being born (Isaiah 9:6-7)
- Prophesy of Jesus being born (Isaiah 7:14)
- Angel speaks to Mary (Luke 1:30-31)
- Angel speaks to Joseph (Matthew 1:20)
- Bethlehem and Jesus in a Manger (Luke 2:4-7)
- God with Us on Earth (John 1:14)
- Angel and the Shepherds (Luke 2:8-11)
- Angels Worshiping God (Luke 2:14)
- Wisemen Follow the Star and Bring Gifts to Jesus (Matthew 2:10-12)
We hope these lessons, verses, games, and take-home activities will help your children’s ministry spread the hope of Jesus this season! Merry Christmas!
