Lesson Plans for Toddlers

Looking Forward to Christmas

These lesson plans are for teachers in parochial school settings, for parents and grandparents to use with their children, or for personal or group Bible study. If you choose to use these complimentary lesson plans, we encourage you to purchase at least one copy of the book, which is available on Amazon.

Week One

Goal: To make baby Jesus special

1.    Take a manger from the Nativity set – especially if it is made of wood or straw.

2.   Take the baby Jesus out of the manger if not breakable, or if the child can be careful.

3.   Give the child a piece of felt or soft material that fits into the manger and have the child place the blanket into the manger.

4.   Talk about how special the baby Jesus is and tell the child to carefully put the baby Jesus into the manger.

5.   Tell the child Jesus is God’s Son and that God sent Him to us to save us – to make us clean.

6.   Talk about baths that make us clean and that Jesus makes us clean on the inside – that he washes us clean all over.

7.   Pretend to have a baby in your arms and rock your arms saying that God LOVES baby Jesus and that God LOVES us, too.

Activity:  Sing one or more verses of “Away in the Manger, OR, “God Loves Me Dearly.”

Activity:  Give the child a picture of a baby, or of Jesus in a manger and a few crayons.

Activity:  Give the child a hug and say that God helped Mary and Joseph take care of baby Jesus.

NOTE:  If more than one child is age two or three, take turns or make two of everything – two paper baskets can be made.

Week Two

Goal: To connect David to Jesus

 1.   Draw or find a picture of a lamb.

2.   Activity:  Have the child color the bottom part of a white paper green.  (It doesn’t have to be colored completely.)

3.   Ask the child to color the top part of the paper blue.

4.   Paste the lamb onto the green part.

5.   Show the child a Bible and say it tells about David.

6.   Tell the child David took care of sheep and lambs.

7.   Point to the lamb on their picture.

8.   Tell the child that David loved sheep and lambs.

9.   Tell the child David was called a shepherd, and that Jesus was called “The Good Shepherd” because he loves us even more than David loved the lambs he took care of.

Activity:  Sing “I am Jesus Little Lamb,” “God Loves Me Dearly,” or, “Jesus Loves the Little Children.”  

Week Three

Goal: To make the Shepherds real

Activity:

1. Draw an angel with wings, or find a picture you like.

2. Let the child draw an angel – if they want to do so.

3. Remind the child shepherds take care of sheep & lambs.

4. Show the child a Bible and says it tells about shepherds.

5.  Tell the child shepherds were watching their sheep.

6.  All at once they were surprised!

7.  An angel came to tell them that baby Jesus was born!

8.  Tell the child God loves them very much to send Jesus!

Activity:  Ask the child if they if they know how to act surprised.

1.   Place your hands over the child’s eyes, then… surprise!

2.   This is what happened to the shepherds.

3.   They were watching the sheep.  Then SURPRISE!

4.   The angel brought good news! What was it?

5.   The shepherds hurried to see baby Jesus.

6.   They were excited!

Activity:  Sing “Away in a Manger, “Jesus Loves Me, “or, “Angels We Heard on High.”

Week Four

Goal:  Jesus grew and became a Man

Activity:  Find a picture of Jesus as a man that you like.

1. Show the child the picture you found.

2. Show the child a picture of Jesus with children.

3. Sing the song: “Jesus Loves the Little Children, or tell them that Jesus loves children – and everyone.

Activity:  Draw a picture of a cross with two line all around, or show a picture of a cross.

1. Tell the child that Jesus went to the cross for us.

2. Tell the child Jesus did that to save us – to make us okay with God.

Activity:  Gather child (or children) around you and tell them you want to give them some love-hugs.  Tell them Jesus will someday give them hugs, too.

Activity:  Draw circles for the children to color.  Punch a hole at the top, put a string or narrow ribbon through it and hang it on the tree.

Activity:  Show the child the star or angel that is at the top of your tree and tell about it.

Activity:  Draw or trace a star and let the child/children color or paint the star. (If painting, use poster board) Punch a hole, put string or narrow ribbon through it and hang it on the tree.

Prayer:  Thank you, Jesus for coming.