Celebrate the holiday season with engaging activities for your Children’s Ministry
Christmas is one of the most special times of the year, especially for the little ones in your church. Are you looking for church activities for Christmas to celebrate the season? If so, you're in the right place. We've rounded up our favorite unique and engaging activities to try in your Children's Ministry. These simple, engaging activities are perfect for sparking fun and teaching kids about the true meaning of Christmas.
1. DIY Nativity Costumes and Play
Nothing captures the essence of the Christmas story quite like a nativity play. Instead of using pre-made costumes, allow the children to create their own nativity outfits. Provide simple materials like fabric, paper crowns, and face paint, and let the kids decorate their costumes to resemble Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, and wise men. Once everyone is ready, perform the nativity play, allowing each child to take on a role. This not only teaches the story of Jesus’ birth but also encourages creativity and participation.
2. “Follow the Star” Treasure Hunt
Turn the story of the wise men following the star to find baby Jesus into an interactive treasure hunt. Create a series of clues and Bible verses that lead the children from one location to another around the church, representing the journey of the wise men. The final clue should lead them to a manger scene or a small gift that represents the birth of Christ. This activity helps children experience the wonder of the wise men’s journey while reinforcing the biblical story.
3. Christmas Ornament Crafting
Help children create their own Christmas ornaments that remind them of Jesus’ birth. Provide materials like clear plastic or wooden ornaments, glitter, paints, and small nativity figures. Children can fill the ornaments with miniature manger scenes, stars, or angels. As they craft, share the significance of each symbol—like the star representing the Star of Bethlehem or the manger symbolizing Jesus' humble birth. The children can take these home as reminders of the true meaning of Christmas.
4. Christmas Storybook Time
Gather the children for a special Christmas storybook session, where you read age-appropriate books about the birth of Jesus and other Christian Christmas themes. To make it more interactive, you can act out certain parts of the story or use puppets to bring characters like Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men to life. End the session by discussing the lessons of love, generosity, and faith that the Christmas story teaches, helping the children relate these values to their own lives.
5. Jesus’ Birthday Party
What better way to celebrate Christmas in children’s ministry than by hosting a birthday party for Jesus? Decorate the room with balloons, banners, and a cake. Sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus and talk about how Christmas is His special day. Instead of traditional gifts, encourage children to bring donations for a local charity or food bank, teaching them the value of giving. This fun and festive event helps children understand that Christmas is all about celebrating Jesus’ birth.
6. "Shepherd’s Night" Camp-In
Bring the experience of the shepherds to life by hosting a "Shepherd’s Night" camp-in. Set up tents or sleeping bags inside the church, and tell the story of the angels visiting the shepherds in the fields. As you retell the story, use glow sticks or small lanterns to represent the angelic lights. Afterward, have a time of reflection, allowing the children to talk about how the shepherds must have felt when they saw the angels and learned about Jesus' birth. End the night with a simple prayer or worship song to close the experience.
7. Christmas Cookie Decorating with a Message
Incorporate a sweet and creative activity with a deeper message by organizing a Christmas cookie decorating event. Provide sugar cookies shaped like stars, angels, mangers, and baby Jesus. As the children decorate their cookies with icing and sprinkles, talk about the symbolism of each shape. For example, the star represents the Star of Bethlehem, and the angel represents the good news of Jesus’ birth. After decorating, the kids can take their cookies home or give them as gifts to family members.
8. Advent Calendar Craft
An Advent calendar is a wonderful way for children to count down the days until Christmas while learning about the Christmas story. Provide materials like paper bags, envelopes, or small boxes, and let the children decorate their own Advent calendars. Each day, they can open a new compartment containing a small scripture verse, a prayer, or a simple activity that relates to the story of Jesus' birth. This activity helps children keep their focus on Jesus throughout the Advent season.
9. “Angels Among Us” Acts of Kindness Challenge
Encourage children to participate in an "Angels Among Us" challenge, where they perform acts of kindness in their homes, schools, or communities throughout the Christmas season. Each child receives a card listing different ways they can be "angels," such as helping a sibling, donating toys, or writing a kind note to a friend. When they complete an act of kindness, they can decorate a paper angel ornament and hang it on a special Christmas tree in the church. This teaches the importance of kindness and selflessness, echoing the message of Christmas.
10. “The Bethlehem Market” Christmas Bazaar
Create a miniature "Bethlehem Market" where children can learn about the culture of biblical times while participating in fun, hands-on activities. Set up booths representing different aspects of life in Bethlehem during Jesus' time. One booth might have children making small clay pots or weaving simple cloths, while another might let them sample foods that Mary and Joseph might have eaten. Incorporate storytelling at each booth to teach more about what life was like when Jesus was born, helping children imagine the world of the first Christmas.
So, you have your Christmas activities planned for your Children’s Ministry…
It's time to build a team that can help bring these plans to life! If you could use a helping hand during the holidays to support your volunteers and staff, SitterTree can help you connect with background-checked sitters near you.
Or get started with an introductory phone call.