Getting Ready

Children have been so busy with many activities that are centered around the Christmas story. This season of Advent is a time during which we “get ready” for the coming of Jesus and the children have been doing so much in preparation!

Children have been acting out various parts of the Christmas story, telling the story in drama and with figures.  Sometimes they follow the storyline but at other times they have been imagining things that the characters might do.

Children have also been engaged in the nativity story through the visual arts.  They have been painting stars, and drawing sheep, shepherds, angels and the Holy Family.

Children have heard several different versions of the Nativity Story, which helps them to experience a variety of narrative types and perspectives, and see many different images and styles of artwork that depict the birth of Jesus.  When children are enveloped in a story, it offers them a way of experiencing it that is different and more complete than hearing only single version might.

Children are gathering and counting baby cereal that comes in, sharing the ways in which they have helped at home to earn the cereal.  Thinking about others is a value that we hope to foster and this project provides one way to do that.

 Gifts are being made and wrapped, again offering a way to consider sharing kindness to others.

During worship each morning, children hear the stories leading up to the birth of Christ.  Then they make an ornament as a reminder of that story and add it to the Jesse Tree.

Each of these activities can help children to feel and understand that we are in a time of waiting and getting ready during Advent.   We are getting so ready to celebrate the birth of Christ!

“Wait for the savior.  He will come.

Wait for the savior.  God’s own son.

He brings peace,

and love,

so rejoice now everyone!”

(One of our favorite songs from worship.  Ask your child to sing and clap it for you!)