December 2010

Advent Activities for Kids (Week 4)

Megan Breedlove December 20, 2010 No Comments

As announced, I am trying something different this year. Instead of posting weekly devotions, I will post Advent activities for each day in December up to, and including, Christmas. Each activity illustrates a particular aspect of the Christmas story and is designed to help you and your children think about this precious story in a (perhaps) new and different way. Most activities require almost no advance preparation; a few do require some prep time, and these are clearly marked. If it works better for your family to do different activities on different days, feel free to do so. Or, if you think of your own activity that would be more meaningful to you and your family, I hope you will use yours instead of mine.

My prayer is that God will use these activities to bring you and your children closer to our Savior. May He grant you a new appreciation for the tremendous gift He gave us in sending His Son, and may the peace of that Baby born in a stable rule your hearts this Christmas, and always.

December 22—In Greek, the verb phrase that is usually translated “wrapped him in swaddling cloths” is better translated “swaddled him”. Have your children swaddle a baby doll (or a real baby, if you have one, and if your child is old enough) and lay it in a bed. Ask your children what they think Mary would have had to do to take care of her baby. Encourage your children to pick up the baby (you could pretend it was crying), sing it a song, or simply pat its little head. Remind your children that you took care of them that way when they were little, and Mary had to take care of Jesus the same way. End tonight’s activity by showing your child pictures of him- or herself all swaddled up as a newborn. Talk about how you laid your child in a crib, and Mary laid Jesus in a manger.

December 23—Have your child tell you the Christmas story. If it’s at all possible, record this or take notes. (It’ll be sweet and funny to look back on later.) Your child can physically act out all the characters if he or she is so inclined. If your child is unclear about any part of the story, you can gently re-explain the parts he or she has missed. This activity will not only help them review their knowledge, but also bless your heart.

December 24—Consider letting your children open one gift each on this day. Before they open it, explain to them that every good and perfect gift that comes to them is ultimately from God (James 1:17). Tell them that God gave them the gift they are about to receive. After they have opened it, remind them to thank God directly.

December 25—(Note: advance preparation needed!) Have a birthday party for Jesus. Decorate for His party, sing “Happy Birthday”, and have cake (or another snack). Give Him presents. This will consist of offering Him the gifts you have prepared beforehand. You might make things to donate to the needy; you might collect food; you might think of a way to minister to someone in your own home. Remind your children that Jesus said that whatever we do for someone else, we do for Him, so giving to others is one way we can show Him that we love Him.

Advent Activities for Kids (Week 3)

Megan Breedlove December 13, 2010 No Comments

As announced, I am trying something different this year. Instead of posting weekly devotions, I will post Advent activities for each day in December up to, and including, Christmas. Each activity illustrates a particular aspect of the Christmas story and is designed to help you and your children think about this precious story in a (perhaps) new and different way. Most activities require almost no advance preparation; a few do require some prep time, and these are clearly marked. If it works better for your family to do different activities on different days, feel free to do so. Or, if you think of your own activity that would be more meaningful to you and your family, I hope you will use yours instead of mine.

My prayer is that God will use these activities to bring you and your children closer to our Savior. May He grant you a new appreciation for the tremendous gift He gave us in sending His Son, and may the peace of that Baby born in a stable rule your hearts this Christmas, and always.

December 15—Matthew 20:28 teaches us that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Discuss this with your children. Set a designated time limit for each child to practice being a servant to others. You might need to give them some ideas of how to do this.

December 16—Talk with your children about how hard it is to wait for Christmas. Then, tell them that the people of Israel had been waiting hundreds of years for a Messiah. Discuss how they must have felt as they waited. After all, they were waiting for a lot more than a few material things. Discuss what it must have been like for those who knew Jesus was the Messiah to realize that He had finally come!

December 17—Spend some time talking with your children about what it must have been like to have Jesus for a brother. Point out that He was perfect. Yes, it might have been annoying that He never did anything wrong, but it would also have been wonderful that He was also perfectly loving at all times. Talk about what family life would be like if we were all perfectly loving at all times. Have your kids think of ways to show their siblings love.

December 18—(Note: lots of advance preparation needed!) Take your kids to visit the maternity ward at a hospital. If possible, have a nurse allow you to stand in the doorway of a vacant room and look at the nice place women can come to have their babies. Then, visit a barn that houses animals. Talk about the differences between the two locations. Ask your children which place would be better for having a baby in. Tell them that the place Mary gave birth to Jesus was closer to a barn than a modern hospital room. Point out that Jesus was willing to leave Heaven and come be born in a barn so He could walk among us.

December 19—(Note: small amount of advance preparation required.) Have your children draw, decorate, and cut out a large star. Suspend it from the end of a stick (or broom handle, or whatever is handy). Take them outside and tell them that when they see the star appear, they should follow it. Lead them around, holding the stick with the star on it. Lead them over to a place where you have previously hidden the figure of the baby Jesus you have made or prepared earlier (such as wrapping a doll up in a blanket). Talk about finding Jesus in an unexpected place (such as lying on the rear bumper of your vehicle). Point out that the shepherds found Him in an unexpected place, too—lying in a manger.

December 20—Teach your kids the song “Happy Birthday, Jesus”. (This is not just the traditional “Happy Birthday” song with Jesus’ name inserted; there is a completely different song by this name.) If you don’t know it, you can find it on YouTube. It’s a beautifully simple song, yet profound. Discuss why Jesus is the “real” gift (as the song says).

December 21—Have your own candlelight service. Start with one lit candle in a darkened room. Talk about how Jesus was a light shining in our dark world, which was dark because of sin. (You may want to read from John 1.) Explain to your children that as more people came to believe in Jesus, the light spread (light another candle as you tell them this). If your children are old enough, have them take a lit candle, walk over to another candle, and say something simple, such as, “The light of Jesus has come into our world.” Then have your child light the candle. Do this with several candles, until there are several providing light to the room. Point out to your children that the more light there is, the less darkness there is room for. Tell them that as we spread Jesus’ light into the world, the darkness of the world will diminish, too.

Advent Activities for Kids (Week 2)

Megan Breedlove December 6, 2010 No Comments

As announced, I am trying something different this year. Instead of posting weekly devotions, I will post Advent activities for each day in December up to, and including, Christmas. Each activity illustrates a particular aspect of the Christmas story and is designed to help you and your children think about this precious story in a (perhaps) new and different way. Most activities require almost no advance preparation; a few do require some prep time, and these are clearly marked. If it works better for your family to do different activities on different days, feel free to do so. Or, if you think of your own activity that would be more meaningful to you and your family, I hope you will use yours instead of mine.

My prayer is that God will use these activities to bring you and your children closer to our Savior. May He grant you a new appreciation for the tremendous gift He gave us in sending His Son, and may the peace of that Baby born in a stable rule your hearts this Christmas, and always.

December 8—Make a paper chain out of construction paper, with one link representing each day left until Christmas Day. (If desired, you can make extra links and let your children rip them off until you get to the number of links you need to have.) Point out that just as we look forward to Christmas, when Jesus was born, so we also look forward to His return, when He will come take all those who love Him to live with Him in Heaven.

December 9—Remind your children that some people don’t know the story of Jesus’ birth. Some people may have never heard of Him, or may not realize how important He is. Who does your family know that needs to hear the good news of Christmas? Make plans as to how you might share it with that person.

December 10—(Note: requires advance preparation!) You will need Styrofoam cups, jingle bells, and pipe cleaners. Punch two small holes in the bottom of the cup. Thread one end of the pipe cleaner through one hole. String a jingle bell onto the end that’s inside the cup, then thread that end back up and out through the other hole. Twist both ends together to make a handle. Let your kids have fun ringing their bells. Talk about what a neat sound it is to hear bells ringing. Point out that it’s even better to hear the good news about Jesus. Suggest that every time they hear a bell ringing, they think about the news of Jesus being proclaimed to a world that needs to hear.

December 11—Take a trip to look at Christmas lights. (If you’re really brave, stop and get ice cream and let the kids eat it as you ride.) Admire the beauty of the lights. Talk about how just as Christmas lights light up our dark world with beauty, even so, but to a greater extent, Jesus lights up our world with His beauty. Encourage your children to shout, “Jesus is the Light of the world!” when they see a particularly beautiful display of lights.

December 12—Take your kids to visit a Salvation Army bell ringer at any place you know there will be one. Have them be prepared to put something (any amount you want, whether great or small) into the kettle. Talk about serving others and giving to those in need. If you prefer to support a different charity, feel free to do so.

December 13—Spend some time singing Christmas carols together. Make sure your kids understand the words they’re singing—not just what the words are, but the great, uplifting spiritual truths behind them.

December 14—Talk about the gifts the Wise Men brought Jesus—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Explain to your children the possible meanings for each of these gifts (see Wikipedia.com. Use “gifts of the Magi” for a search term, then scroll down to the section entitled “Gifts”). Discuss what kinds of gifts your children could give to Jesus that reflect each of these meanings.