Jesus Christ's Birth and Childhood Teaching Series Overview

It is a wonderful privilege to teach our children about Jesus Christ. Children love learning about babies and other children. Through these records your preschooler and elementary aged child can grow in understanding of who Jesus Christ is.

Click on the links for specific teaching ideas for each topic:
1. Mary Believed
2. Jesus is Born
3. The Shepherds Saw the Savior
4. Anna and Simeon Praised God
5. The Magi Rejoiced
6. Joseph Obeyed
7. Jesus Grew

For Background: "Why Do We Need A Savior?"

Goals For The Teaching Series - for children to develop in their understanding and believing of:

Jesus Christ’s birth and childhood
People were looking for a savior
Jesus Christ is the son of God
People heard God’s Word and responded by believing and obeying
God showed His love for us by sending His son to be the Savior

Reasons to teach about Christ's birth during December:

In everyday life the child will encounter songs and images that refer to Jesus Christ's birth.
There are chances for your child to talk with people in the community about Jesus Christ's birth.

Reasons to teach about Christ's birth other months than December:

Christ wasn't born in December. Christmas was made as a meld of a Christian celebration with a Pagan holiday.
With all the activities in December, sometimes there is not as much time to go in depth on the topic.

Parent Preparation:

Read Bible verses: Luke 1:22-56, Luke 2, Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2, Genesis 3:14,
Further Biblical records to read: Luke 1:1-21, 1:57-80, John 3:16
I found it helpful to read additional study material. I read “Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed” by Victor Paul Wierwille chapters 12, 13,15, 16, 17, and 18.

Children's Bible:
If you have a Children's Bible, you may want to read from it when teaching your child of Jesus Christ's birth and childhood. Review it ahead of time to see if the pictures and words in the Children's Bible are Biblically accurate. We have found one that we like pretty well: NIrV Read With Me Bible.

Visuals:
While you don't have to have visuals, they can help young children attend longer and engage in learning God's Word.

Pictures from a children's Bible
Pictures from a Bible coloring book. I like using "The Really Big Book of Bible Story Coloring Pages" by Gospel Light, and "Bible Stories To Color And Tell ages 3-6" by Heart Shaper
Puppets
A nativity scene - I was given a plastic nativity scene. My girls love arranging the pieces and retelling what happened. We also use other figurines (Lego's) and toy sheep that we have.
Make people out of playdough
Pieces of fabric or scarves for land and the night sky.

Songs:

CD "Home Where the Word Lives" by Cindy Bernardini
"Christmas, Luke 2:11" Songs for Saplings ABC
"Jesus Grew" Hide 'Em In Your Heart Volume 1
"Away in the Manger", here is a video with motion ideas

Crafts:

"God Gave His Son" Bible Verse Journal. Each week do a craft around the theme verse. Put these in a notebook so that your child can be reminded of learned verses.