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A Nativity scene is a beautiful reminder of the people who were present as the Christmas story unfolded. The scene helps give us a perspective of Jesus lying in the manger because there was no room at the inn. Choose from five Nativity craft ideas and create family Nativities during your small church children’s Sunday School.
The History Of Nativity Scenes
Did you know the Christmas tradition of having a nativity scene either at your church or in your home started over 800 years ago? Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity, a live nativity scene, for a Christmas Eve service at his church. He recreated a manger scene, complete with actors to silently portray each part of the holy story. He also added several animals to engage the viewers. His intent was to encourage worshippers to focus on the message of Christ during the holiday season, as opposed to focusing on material things that can so easily distract us! Some of our small churches have live Nativity programs during the holidays to focus on the same message today!
By the end of the century, nativity scenes were popping up in churches everywhere. From churchyards to entry tables, from elaborate to simple, from live scenes to recreated figures from porcelain, wood, wax, and even paper. Nativity scenes were becoming a tradition of the Christmas season everywhere and eventually worked their way into homes in a smaller version, sometimes referred to as a ‘creche.’
Today, there are nativity collectors all over the world. Specialty stores are dedicated to selling the pieces in a nativity set, conventions run where you can show off your collection and add more. There’s even a museum displaying pieces created through the decades!
Michael Zahs is the world record holder for the most nativity sets owned in the United States. He lives in Washington, Iowa. Michael is the proud owner/collector of 2,324 sets in January 2023. Now that’s dedication or obsession!
Parts Of A Nativity Scene
There is no set rule as to how many pieces need to be in a ‘creche’ or nativity scene.
The main figures of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger are a must.
Add Local Figures To Your Nativity Scene
- Angels
- Wise men
- Animals
- Stars
- Landscaping
- Stable or barn
- Shepherds
Nativity Crafts Are Great For Kids
Let’s face it: most children love to make crafts, especially for Christmas. So why not gather some kids from your small church or your neighborhood and make some nativity sets together? A nativity craft can provide:
- Perfect object lesson about the Christmas story.
- Time to discuss the message of salvation and Jesus’ love while you are crafting.
- Moment to connect with the young people of your small church and build intergenerational relationships.
- Opportunity to create a focal point in your Christmas decor featuring the true reason for the season.
Crafting with kids has always been one of my favorite activities. I love the process of creating and seeing how God gave each of us an artistic ability and how it comes out so differently in each one of us, young and old alike. It also brings me an appreciation for how God created each one of us so uniquely!
A Nativity scene is a beautiful reminder to all of us about the people who were actually present as the Christmas story unfolded. While you are creating your projects, encourage children to stop and think about what it would be like to be there when Jesus was born. Simple discussions around the nativity craft tables can be a meaningful experience for your guests. Children love to be heard!
Where & When Should We Do This?
There are so many possibilities for ways to use a crafting party for kids. These are all great ways to connect with your community.
- Work with your local elementary schools and sponsor an after-school event.
- Bring supplies and a couple of tables to a local park. Set up a sample and provide helpers to instruct people who stop by to make one.
- Arrange to do a program at the local library or community center.
- Sponsor a Crafty Christmas Party where you gather local kids at your small church
- Host a Mom & Me event to make a Christmas Nativity set together and then celebrate with cookies and cocoa.
Small churches can have big impacts on their community through hosting outreach events such as these. When you plan your calendar for your small church next year, think about what God could do if you hosted a monthly Saturday event for kids.
Five Ways To Make A Nativity Scene
Here are just a few ideas for different Nativity crafts. We hope you find these projects fun and easy to teach.
Before you start, read the instructions carefully. Some of these projects may take longer than one class period.
1. Clay Pot Nativity Set
This Nativity scene is made from painted terra cotta pots, wooden bead heads, and pieces of felt for clothing. This is a very unique Nativity set. The set Includes Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a sheep, a shepherd, and an Angel. You could certainly add more characters if you’re ambitious!
Supplies per child:
- Small 3-inch to 4-inch clay pots
- One tiny, 1.5-inch terra cotta pot for the manger
- Two large wooden knob balls, 1.5 inch
- One smaller wood bead to be baby Jesus’ head
- 2 pieces of felt for Mary and Joseph’s head coverings. Use 2 different colors and cut strips 4 ½ in. long by 3 in. wide. One for Mary and one for Joseph.
- Blue and brown felt cut at 4 ½ in. long by 3 in. wide
- One square of felt, white cotton, or tissue paper (cut 2 in. by 2 in.)
- Pieces of raffia or brown paper strips to use as straw
- Brown and blue acrylic paint
- A foam brush
- Hot glue
- Craft glue
- A black sharpie
Instructions:
First, paint your pots using a foam brush. Paint one of the larger pots brown and one blue. Apply two coats of acrylic paint for good coverage. It dries quickly on the terra cotta. The little pot you can leave alone or give it a thin coat of brown paint to make it look more like wood.
After your terra cotta pots are dry, hot glue the bead knobs on top of each pot. Use the black permanent marker to make simple dot eyes, or you can leave them natural and without faces.
Take the head covering from felt for Joseph. Hot Glue to the center top of the head, then fold down over the side of Joseph’s head. Hot glue down to the sides of his body. In the back, fold the corner flaps in (almost like an envelope) and hot glue down the center back. Take a piece of twine and put it around the head. Tie it in the back, spot glue.
Take the head covering for Mary. Hot glue to the center top of the head. Take the corners and fold to the front center of Mary’s body, just slightly overlapping, making it look like a cape. Hot glue it down. Then, fold the back corners in and hot glue them down in the center back. Take the small skinny bow and put it on the front of Mary under the head area.
Add ribbon or other trim around the top of the heads and on Mary’s dress.
For the baby Jesus, fold a square of white felt like you would swaddle a baby and glue it shut. Glue the bead to the top of the blanket bundle. Next, hot glue the swaddle down on top of the baby’s head to cover up the hole in the bead.
Add some raffia to the manager and set your Nativity out on display.
Use the same method as Joseph to make a shepherd and wise men. You could add an angel, painted white with a gold chenille stem for a halo and white sheer ribbon in a bow for wings. For some cute sheep, turn a small pot upside down. Glue fiber-fill stuffing all over it. Add some black beads for eyes, black felt ears, and a small nose.
Have fun adding to your Nativity set each year!
2. Hanging Nativity From A Terrarium
I discovered this hanging terrarium at the Dollar Tree and was intrigued by the shape and the way it hung. I thought it would make the perfect stage for a unique Nativity set for the holiday season. Perhaps it will even stimulate some questions about the Christmas story by curious onlookers!
Supplies per child:
- Hanging terrarium
- A small handful of fiberfill stuffing
- 2 peg wooden people (2 5/16 in. by 7/8 in.)
- 2 pieces of felt for Mary and Joesph’s head coverings. (2 different colors, cut 4 ½ in. x 3 in.)
- 2-inch wood round/live edge circle
- A small star (wood or fun foam)
- 1-inch piece of a craft stick, wrapped in felt or fabric (for baby Jesus)
- 4 mini Jenga type blocks, or scrap wood 1 ½ in. x ½ in. wide for the manger
- Rafia or brown paper pieces for hay
- Twine for Joseph’s headpiece
- Twine for Mary’s bow
- A small bow for the top of the hanger
- Craft glue
- Glitter to decorate the opening
Instructions:
Take the small handful of the stuffing and brush some glue over the inside back of the terrarium. You want your stuffing to be like a cloud in the air above Joseph and Mary, but not directly over top of their heads. Put it on the rear of the terrarium and in the upper section near the top cover. Glue your star in the middle/front of the cloud. Give this an hour to dry before you work on the inside of the nativity craft.
Take your craft glue and make a rim of glue around the opening of the terrarium. Next, gently press it down onto a paper plate filled with glitter. Lift up and lightly tap the sides of the terrarium. To get off any excess.
Make the head covering from felt for Joseph. Hot Glue to the center top of the head, fold down over the side of Joseph’s head, and hot glue down to the sides of his body. In the back, fold the corner flaps in, almost like an envelope, and hot glue down the center back. Take a piece of twine, put it around the head and tie it in the back, spot glue.
Take the head covering for Mary. Hot glue to the center top of the head. Now take the corners and fold to the front center of Mary’s body, just slightly overlapping, making it look like a cape. Hot glue it down. Next, fold the back corners in and hot glue them down in the center back. Take the small skinny bow and put it on the front of Mary under the head area. With a permanent fine line marker, put eyes only on Mary & Joseph.
Take the cut piece of the craft stick to make Jesus. Wrap a scrap of felt or ribbon around it like a ‘swaddling’ effect, only leaving a small bit of ‘head’ showing through.
Take your small wooden block for the manger. Glue some bits of raffia or strips of brown paper for hay onto it. Next, glue the baby Jesus onto the wooden block. Set aside.
Take your wood round and glue Mary and Joseph in the center back of the round. Then take the round and put craft glue on ½ of it underneath and hot glue on the other half, then glue it down to the center of your terrarium.
Add the manger with baby Jesus.
3. Wood Pegs Make A Quaint Nativity
Create your own Nativity set using wood peg dolls and acrylic paint. Start with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Add one or more shepherds, angels, and wise men. Painting brings your own flare to the project and encourages kids to use their creativity!
4. Easy Christmas Crafts Use Nativity Silhouette Stickers
Use Nativity stickers for an easy-to-do nativity scene. They are black and laser cut; they work so well on so many different projects. It’s a quick, easy, and elegant way to make a Nativity craft.
Take care of them. They are laser cut and have fine detail; be very careful removing them from the sticker paper. Use these for projects with older kids or for a younger child partnered with an older person to help.
Place the stickers on square or large round glass or plexi ornaments. Place the holy family in the front, add the angels or shepherd on the back side, and fill the ornament with a handful of glitter, confetti, or strands of tinsel. Add a ribbon and bow to the top for a fancy hanger!
5. Stickers & Candles Make An Easy Nativity
Use battery-operated pillar candles and dress them up with these children’s Nativity stickers. Put the Jesus sticker on a candle. Add Joseph to the left of Jesus and Mary to the right of Jesus. By doing this, when you look at the front of the candle, Jesus is in the front center, the place of greatest importance. Place the star sticker on the very top front, above Jesus.
This project gives easy success to children and allows them the choices to make it their own. Place the other stickers on the sides and back of the original candle, or use separate candles for angels, shepherds, animals, and scenery.
Bonus Idea: Mason Jar Candle With Nativity
Affix Silhouette Nativity stickers on a mason jar or other glass vase to make a stunning luminary for your home. Add some Epsom salts or small white pebbles inside the bottom of the jar. Place a candle inside. Tie a ribbon around the outside jar opening, and you’re done.
Set the Stage For A Christ-Centered Christmas
By planning an activity for the children in your small church family to make a Nativity set, you encourage them to set their focus on Christ this Christmas! Share with each other about the incredible gift Jesus brought to us that night in Bethlehem so long ago!
Consider inviting the parents to join you when you host your crafting day. It’s a great way to get the entire family talking about what’s important at Christmas. As families make their Nativity project together, have them discuss where they will put it when they go home. Encourage them to put in a place of honor to show our appreciation to Jesus, but it will also give these children a sense of value and pride.
These types of events give our small churches an opportunity to connect with new families or families perhaps we don’t know as well. Include a fun icebreaker game to start the time together and then have a simple time of hospitality and snacks at the end to further develop those connections over food.
Be inspired to craft some special memories with kids this Christmas. We pray the Lord expands the reach of your small church this holiday season.
Read More:
How To Host A Christmas Craft-A-Thon Outreach
