Note to parent or teacher: Here is a four-part 0–5 lesson plan on ways to celebrate Christmas while remembering God’s gift to mankind through Jesus’ birth on earth. Each section can be done as a 30-minute sitting to spread out throughout your Christmas season. Alternatively, you can pick one or two sections to focus on instead if you’re not able to get through all four sections.

Additional articles about Christmas can be found listed here: “Updated 2019: My Wonder Studio’s Christmas Offerings.”

1. Remember what Christmas is all about.

Watch “The First Christmas” (children’s story drama).

Go around in a circle and say a word or two thanking God for sending Jesus to earth so long ago.

Listen to “What Makes Christmas.”

Read “What Christmas Is All About.”

List things that might make it harder to remember who and what we celebrate at Christmas. Then discuss ways to enjoy Christmas festivities while still keeping the real meaning of Christmas a part of your days.

Watch “What Is Jesus?”

Read “A Christmas Gift of Love.”

Say a prayer asking Jesus to help you remember the real meaning of Christmas throughout the season.

Do the activity “Celebrating Christmas Mini-Book.”

2. Keep Jesus as a part of Christmas events.

Read “The Greatest Gift.”

Watch “Come and See Jesus.”

Read “A Stocking for Jesus.”

Put up a stocking for Jesus in your living room or somewhere you will see it easily every day. Then take a few minutes to draw a picture or write a short praise or prayer to Jesus that you can place in the stocking. Try to add to the stocking every day throughout the Christmas season, then on Christmas Day take out the things that have been drawn and written for Jesus and read them all together.

Watch “Ring Christmas Bells.”

Read “A Letter to Jesus.”

Together, write a letter to Jesus using some of the examples given in the above article or others you think of. Post the final letter somewhere you can see it and remember what you want to give to Jesus as a family or group this Christmas.

Read “The Greatest Gift.”

Sing the “Happy Birthday” song to Jesus. Then go around in a circle and each person say one thing that they love about Jesus coming to earth.

Optional: Put together the “Activity: A Christmas Gratitude Tree” as a project you can work on throughout the Christmas season to show your thanks and gratitude for the many blessings and goodness that Jesus brings into your life.

3. Look for ways to make Christmas special for others.

Listen and read along to “Light Up the World at Christmas.”

Read “3 Things I Can Give This Christmas.”

Discuss ideas of things the children could give or do this Christmas to make it special for someone else.

Watch “I’d Like to Be a Christmas Tree.”

Read “Spreading Joy at Christmas.”

Explore with the children how Erica and Mindy were able to find joy in doing something special for others. Point out some of the things that happened in the story they found enjoyable even though Erica didn’t think it would be much fun at first. (E.g., playing Bingo, giving out Christmas goodie bags, singing Christmas carols, etc.)

Read “The Best Christmas Ever!”

Discuss how even though sometimes things seemingly go wrong, that misfortune can be turned into a blessing for someone else. In the story, Thomas was unhappy and discouraged about being in a wheelchair during Christmas, but when his sister Kate showed him ways he could enjoy Christmas all the same, it helped him to look for ways that he could do something special for others, too. Talk about how it’s important to look for the bright side of a situation, and see what you can do to make it a joyful time for you and others.

Color “A Child Is Born” while listening to the song “Make Haste.”

Optional: Make “My Christmas Giving Wheel,” and then have each child spin the wheel to find out how they can give to someone this Christmas.

4. Enjoy the things that make Christmas special.

Listen to “Carina and the Christmas Play.”

Discuss some of the things that your children might enjoy doing at Christmas, but that might be a little hard to do, perhaps, because they are shy, do not feel confident, or it is something new. Then talk about ways that they could become brave enough to do those things, especially if it is something that would make another feel joy at Christmas.

Read “A Celebration of Jesus’ Love for Me.”

Talk about different activities that you get to enjoy during the Christmas season, and some of the ways you could make Jesus a part of them.

Read and then color “Little Donkey” while listening to the Christmas song “Beautiful Star.”

Make “Nativity Finger Puppets,” then retell the story of the first Christmas in your own words.

Optional: Create a “Christmas Paper Chain” to place on your tree or somewhere in your house. You can use the pre-designed paper chain patterns in the PDF, make your own, or mix and match between the two.