Baby Jesus Ornament #2

     Last year I shared with you a Baby Jesus ornament.  This year I had fun making a little bit of a different type with my 1st and 2nd graders in Sunday School.  I found the idea on Pinterest. 

     These were super easy to make.  I hot glued the craft sticks together to form a manger.  (I did this before the kids arrived.)  We put a brown paper backing behind the manger so we'd have something to stick the hay to (raffia).  The children cut the raffia themselves.  They glued on the raffia with regular glue.  Baby Jesus' face was cut from cream colored card stock using a quarter as a template.  The swaddling clothes were cut from some leftover white fleece I had.  Felt, burlap or wide ribbon would be other good options.  I hot glued a red chenille stem to the back so that it could be hung on the tree. 

Isaiah 9:6 Christmas Ornaments (Sunday Morning with my 1st and 2nd Graders)

 This morning we were studying from the books of Isaiah and Micah the prophecies that foretold of the birth of Jesus.  How amazing that hundreds of years before Jesus was born the prophets wrote about Him as led by God!

 

The boys and girls were very excited when I told them we'd be making ornaments.  Each child chose one of the names of Jesus as given in Isaiah 9:6 and we put the name on their ornament.

Fun with glitter!

Baby Jesus Ornament

  

  Several years back I made ornaments like these with preschoolers while we were serving in Texas.  I have kept the pattern for years, because it was just so simple and easy for preschoolers to make.  I got the general idea from the Lifeway Preschool curriculum, but I think I made a few adjustments to make it even simpler.  Here's how to make the very simple Baby Jesus keepsake ornament:

Start with a circle cut out of cardstock.  I like red. I used a cup to get a good circle pattern. Add a Bible Verse.  I chose, "Jesus was born in Bethlehem."  Matthew 2:1   This would also be a good time to put the child's name and the date on the back!  Punch a hole in the top center.

Cut out patterns for Baby Jesus' body.  Circles and oblong shapes. Children glue the head to the body with a glue stick.

Cut raffia into 2-3 inch pieces.  Children uses liquid glue to place the "hay" for the manger on the circle.  Don't cover up the verse!

Cut select fabrics.  Use ones like above that look like Bible time cloth.  Wrap Baby Jesus in the swaddling clothes and secure with liquid glue.  Trim as needed. 

Draw "sleeping eyes" and a mouth for baby Jesus.  Add the twine or ribbon to hang.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Be Our Guest~~~8 ideas for the Guestroom

     I'm excited to share with you a LINK to my guest post on the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

 

A few more posts from the Schoolhouse Review Blog you might enjoy....

Head off the Winter Blues

Christmas Books Round-up

Favorite Family Christmas Traditions

Preschool Sunday School~Peter had Breakfast with Jesus

I had a wonderful Sunday morning with my sweet kiddos as we learned about how Jesus taught us and showed us how to be loving.  Jesus was loving by cooking breakfast for friends after he worked a miracle to provide a net full of fish for them. 

Making a pattern with fish....

...and putting them on a stringer.

Auburn fans may notice the orange-blue-orange-blue pattern!

The children really enjoyed this activity.  This net I got years ago comes in handy for so many Bible lessons!

Acting out the story in the block center.

Building the boat for the fishing disciples.

We used "net" from a recycled fruit bag.

Puzzle Center: Working a puzzle from the kit.  We also worked a similar wooden puzzle during group time.

I set up our Book Center with Christmas books and the Nativity Scene.  (This is something easily done at home for children or grandchildren!)

Okay...somehow the Wise Men snuck in there!  I placed them in the corner to show the children they were still traveling...but I guess they just couldn't wait!  :)

 

 

Our Life Verse:
"All things work together for good for those who love God."
Romans 8:28

(Sound like a long verse for preschoolers?  You should hear my 4-year-olds say it! Amazing.  Oh...and the verse is repeated several times in other lessons.  I like that!)

Christmas in the Dining Room

     Here's a little peek at my Dining Room this year...

I was excited to have my new candlesticks to incorporate into my Christmas decor this year.  I just added some some candles I had on hand along with magnolia and boxwood cuttings.

This year we decided to place our Advent wreath on the dining room table.  This way, we make sure not to forget our readings.  (We also do our family devotions this way.  It has worked well.  We are already all together!)  This year we are enjoying Dad reading Tabitha's Travels. 

I decided to keep my china cabinet very simple this year...just adding a little holiday cheer on my cake stand.

These cute little snowmen are actually salt and pepper shakers.  The trees belonged to my Mammaw, so they are extra-special! 

Schoolhouse Review Crew: December Posts

During the holiday, Schoolhouse Review Crew is taking a break from reviewing homeschool curriculum, but not from providing lots of great articles for you from their reviewers!  Check out these blog posts from my fellow TOS homeschool blogger moms who are full of creative ideas:

Christmas Recipes Round-up

 

 Family Traditions

Creating Christmas Traditions

 

Advent Idea Box

Ways to Incorporate Field Trips into Your Homeschool 

More to come all month long!  (Even from yours truly!)

Printable Advent Calendar

     Tonight I was working on my children's sermon for tomorrow, and thought I'd share with you a FREE Printable Advent Calendar from Sermons4Kids.com.  Tomorrow begins the first day of Advent and the first day of December.  That doesn't happen very often!  Your child can color a star each day on the Advent Calendar until Christmas Day!  Enjoy my friends!

Something to Pack in Your Box of Christmas Decorations

     Want to be ready for Advent next year?  THRIVING FAMILY has available on their website a free downloadable version of their 2012 Advent Activity Calendar.  This is not really "dated" material, as it can be used any year.  I have a hard copy of the activity book---it is great!!  We would have used it ourselves, but were already reading Bartholomew's Passage.  The 2012 Thriving Family Advent Activity Calendar is: Knowing Him by Name.  Each day, you focus on a different name for Jesus.  Lots of great activities.  (Simple ones.)  I highly recommend it!  Here's an idea: print it out now, and stick it in a box as you pack away your Christmas decorations.  That way, you'll be ready for next Christmas and Advent!  It's FREE!!

Living Nativity

I want to share a few scenes from our church's first "Living Nativity".  I hope you enjoy them, and may they inspire you this season as you reflect on God's gift of Jesus to us! 

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was such a thrill for me to see all of this come together.  So many people helped me out in this endeavor.  Church members sewed costumes, built barns, made hot cocoa, set up lights and sound....
A beautiful thing when the Body of Christ comes together to serve!!

 

Catching up with the TOS Giveaways~~~Days 5-10

 Check out these links at the Old Schoolhouse Crew website.  Enter to win great prizes!!!

 

DAY 5
(Only one more day left to enter!!)

 

 

DAY 6

 

 

Day 7

 

 

Day 8

 

 

Day 9

 

 

Day 10