12 Christmas Surprises

Make Christmas Ornaments - You can have each child make one ornament.  Print and glue the ornaments on cardstock. Cut them out and punch a hole in each small circle.  On the back of each ornament, they can draw their own picture of Christ. Bend a paper clip into a hanger and hook one end through the hole.  You could even have the children hold their ornaments and sit them in order of the story.  Have them stand and hold their ornaments up as you retell the story of the first Christmas.  If you have lots of children and there are several with the same ornament, that's okay.  Just have each group stand as you read their part of the story.
Match the figures with the facts - This would be a fun activity to do together as a group. Put magnets on the back or tape to chalkboard. 



Christmas in the Americas
Christmas Story Clipart from the Friend
Flannel Board Figures of Christ Child, Star and more
Instructions on Making the following Nativity:
          Nativity Cutouts (Black/White) or (Color)
          Nativity Stable  (Black/White) or (Color)



Advent Calendar - It would take some planning, but perhaps as a Christmas present to the children, give them an advent calendar going from December 1 through December 25.  I found a really cute one on Danielle's Place (scroll down...near the bottom) and it is called Advent Calendar.  Items are pretty inexpensive and you could even do clipart of a particular item (like the quarter) instead of giving the real thing if you weren't able to.  I liked this idea because it helps teach the true meaning of Christmas.
Baby in a Manger
Cereal Box Manger: (by Janet Cox) If you have an older nursery you could have them make a nativity inside a cereal box with the front cut so it lifts open. I am doing this with the preschoolers. I just found really basic pictures of the figures, they will color them, cut them out (for some of them I draw straight lines around the picture so they can cut a square instead of curves). Then we will glue the figures inside the box and put brown paper with a star on the outside. (when you open the box you are looking inside the stable). When we have made similar things with other themes, they love to "hide" things under flaps and look for them, so we'll put a little white "blanket" that they will lift to see Jesus.

I photocopied a nativity scene on plain paper then they glued a fabric "blanket" on baby Jesus and stuck cotton balls on the sheep to make it fluffy and pasted stars in the sky with one big star. (Idea by Rita Zaugg)
I used Crayola Model Magic (soft, squishy, modeling material) for making handprints for the children's Christmas presents for mom and dad.  It's nontoxic and it isn't messy or sticky.  Roll it out flat and round for a handprint.  Stamp the child's hand in washable ink and then on to the mold.  It dries in a day, but it isn't brittle and won't break.  We had a blast.  One package of Model Magic makes three molds, for one package that's 3.99. But you can buy it in bulk and it's cheaper and makes 4 molds per package.  The kids LOVED it and it makes a great gift for parents.  I sprayed the molds with a clear paint so the ink won't wash off later, that's optional though.  I then wrapped it in colored tissue paper.  (Idea by Sharla Arnold / ga07222007)
Match box mangers - Use an empty match box container, put a small amount of straw cut up into small pieces so it can fit inside the match box.  Buy a package of small plastic babies at Wal-mart.  I've seen them with the baby shower and party items section of the store.  Wrap one of the babies with some fabric and place inside match box on top of straw.  You could also give a certain number of pieces of straw to each child in a Ziploc baggie (to be given to the parents).  As their child does a good deed they earn a piece of straw for Jesus' manger.  When the box was full of straw by Christmas, they got to put the baby in the manger.



(From December 2001 Friend by Hilary Hendricks)

Baby Jesus snuggles deep (Pretend to sleep.)
in warm but scratchy straw. (Scratch.)
On nearby hillsides, shepherds hear (Put hand to ear as if listening.)
the angel’s song with awe. (Pretend to lead an angel choir.)
They race to Bethlehem to see (Run in place.)
the King born in a stable, (Make an animal sound.)
then kneel before the Son of God— (Kneel.)
a manger for His cradle. (Pretend to rock a baby.)
 

Match the Figures with the Facts, December 1982 Friend
Merry Christmas Game!
Wise Men Search



I brought a small wooden cradle and several dolls and cloth diapers. When I came to the part in which Mary wraps the child in swaddling clothes and lays him in the manger, I act it out wrapping a doll with the cloth diaper. Then each child got a turn to wrap Jesus in swaddling clothes and lie him in the manger. Since I had several dolls and swaddling clothes, the children were able to have their turn without too long of a wait. They loved it! (Idea by Kerri from Washington)
LDS Primary Lesson Helps for Lesson 46
Lesson Helps from Terri E. Bittner
Really cute idea for teaching the story of Christmas from the Friend



A Christmas Alphabet Poem