Ways to Involve Toddlers While Telling the Christmas Story

Young children enjoy stories and telling stories encourages language development, according to early childhood specialist Shannon Lockhart in a HighScope Extensions article entitled ̶0;Benefits of Listening to Stories and Reading Aloud.̶1; The Christmas story of Jesus̵7; birth is a common element for many families to share. You can incorporate pictures, a creche, costumes or dolls to help toddlers remember the story and feel a part of the historical event.

  1. Passion Play

    • Dressing up and playacting can bring the Christmas story to life for your toddler. Dress your toddler in a costume representing any of the story characters, such as shepherds, one of the Magi, angels or Mary or Joseph. Invite your toddler to bring a stuffed lamb to where you are building the creche or to come and take a peek in your manger. If you have a creche with figures your toddler can play with, have him place each character, including the animals, around the manger until everyone is in place at the end of the story.

    Story Box

    • Place paper dolls of all the Christmas story characters in a story box or bag and have your toddler remove each element, one at a time. Explain the significance of each element, such as Mary giving birth to the baby, shepherds coming to worship Jesus after the visitation by the angel or the animals who gave up part of their shelter and feeding trough to give the infant a place to sleep. Help your toddler arrange all the characters in a large diorama or on a story board and refer back to the characters each time you revisit a part of the story.

    Crafts

    • Many children enjoy crafts, and your church can probably supply many Christmas story craft ideas during the Advent season. Hang a gold cellophane star on your Christmas tree or over your child̵7;s bed to remind her of the star that led the Magi to the young Jesus. Line a small basket with straw, grass clippings or Easter grass to make a bed for the infant Jesus. Allow your toddler to color drawings about Jesus̵7; birth as you recite the Christmas story.

    Personalized Story

    • The purpose of Advent is to prepare believers̵7; hearts for the Christ child to be born anew. Place your toddler in the story by telling him that the baby Jesus came as a gift to him from God the Father. You can ask him how he would have responded if he had been with the sheep when the angels appeared, or ridden with the Magi as they followed the star. Pretend to go on the long journey to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph and talk about how they must have felt when there was no place for them in the inn. Your toddler might even enjoy telling you how excited the animals were to share their stable and see all of the people who came to see Jesus.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Icebreakers for Toddlers
      You might not think of doing ice breaker activities for toddlers, but they can be very beneficial for those who are shy and not familiar with each other. If you are planning a play date with your toddler and some new little friends, include a few sim
    • Solar System Art Projects for Toddlers
      The solar system is made up of the sun, planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids, according to Calvin J. Hamilton who created the Solar Views website. Toddlers can create art projects using paint, sponges, glue, glitter, paper, and
    • Ways to Involve Toddlers While Telling the Christmas Story
      Young children enjoy stories and telling stories encourages language development, according to early childhood specialist Shannon Lockhart in a HighScope Extensions article entitled “Benefits of Listening to Stories and Reading Aloud.” Th