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Simple Nativity Story – Suitable for young children

This Nativity is suitable for reading to a young audience, preschoolers, and toddlers. Sometimes the nativity stories in young children’s Bibles are too short, sometimes too detailed. For the playgroup I work with or a kids’ talk at church, this version is a happy medium. Power Point slides or other images always help to hold the attention of a young audience and are more effective in communicating the story than using children as actors.

[Maybe start by showing (pink and blue?) baby dolls and say that a baby boy is called a son and a baby girl is called a daughter. This is the true story about the most important, most special baby ever born. It is special because in the Bible God says that Jesus is his Son.]

About two thousand years ago, in a town called Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Maria. Maria was soon to be married to a man named Jose. José was a carpenter, he made things out of wood. One day an angel came to see Mary and told her that she had been chosen to have a special baby. The baby would be God’s son and she is to name him Jesus.

Shortly after the angel’s visit, Mary and Joseph were married. Maria was expecting a baby. The baby was getting very big inside Mary’s belly when they had to take a long journey to Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a town far from Nazareth but it was where Joseph lived. Maria had to ride a donkey for a few days, along the road and over the hills before reaching Nazareth. Poor José had to walk all the way!

Finally Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. It was full of other people who needed to pay their taxes. Mary was very tired and she needed a place to stay. They hoped to find a bedroom in an inn where visitors could stay for the night. But there was no place for them! All the rooms were already filled with other people! Finally, a kind innkeeper said that he had a stable where he kept his animals. They could stay there, although it would probably smell a bit.

In the stable the baby of Maria was born. She called him Jesus. Mary wrapped Jesus in strips of cloth to keep him warm and laid him down in a manger filled with hay.

At the same time, on a hill near Bethlehem, some shepherds were tending their sheep. A bright light appeared in the sky. They were very afraid. He was an angel sent by God. The angel told them not to be afraid, because he had good news. He said that the Son of God had been born and could be found in Bethlehem.

The shepherds wanted to go see the baby. When they got to the stable, they were very happy to see baby Jesus. They knelt down and worshiped him. They told Mary and Joseph that they had seen the angel in heaven, who told them that Jesus was going to be the Rescuer (Savior) of the world.

Far in the East, a new star was shining high in the sky. A wise man noticed this and was very surprised. He went looking for another wise man: “Look at that new star!” he said. They both thought about it. They knew this was a very special star. Sage number 3 looked in a book and said that a bright new star meant that a great King had been born.

The 3 Wise Men decided to look for this new King. So they set out to find him, riding their camels. It was a long road! They first went to the King’s palace because they thought the new King would be in a palace. But King Jesus was not there!

The Three Wise Men set out again to find the baby. They followed the star to the stable in Bethlehem. They found the baby Jesus, the new king, lying in the manger. The wise men knelt down and worshiped Jesus. They gave him 3 gifts. The gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That is the true story of the first Christmas.