Christian Advent activities for kids turn the weeks before Christmas into short daily moments of drawing, counting, prayer, kindness, and Nativity storytelling. They suit Christian families, homeschoolers, kindergarten and first grade educators, and Sunday school leaders who want Christmas countdown activities for kids that keep Jesus at the center. Preschoolers can join in when an adult reads the directions, helps with cutting, and writes down their words. This guide offers a suggested 24 day schedule, a materials list, adaptations by age, a flexible routine for home or Sunday school, and answers to common questions.
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What Advent Means for Children
Advent comes from a Latin word meaning “coming.” For Christians, it is a season of preparing for Christmas: remembering that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and, in many traditions, looking ahead to his return. A simple way to say it to a child is, “Advent is how we get our hearts ready for Jesus.”
It helps to keep two ideas separate. The liturgical season of Advent follows the church calendar. In many Western churches it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, so the starting date changes from year to year. Eastern Orthodox churches keep their own season of preparation, the Nativity Fast, on a different schedule, and some Christian traditions do not follow the church calendar at all. A December 1–24 countdown is something different: a popular family and classroom habit that gives each day a small activity. It works well, but December 1 is not the universal beginning of Advent. If your church starts earlier, simply begin the ideas below on your own date and move at your own pace.
Why Combine Faith Conversations with Drawing, Counting, and Storytelling
Young children often take in a story best when their hands are busy. A short Bible story moment paired with a hands on task gives them something to do while they listen, wonder, and ask questions. Used this way, Christian Christmas activities for kids offer chances to practice, though no particular result is promised:
- Drawing and coloring give children time to picture a scene and a reason to talk about it, along with practice holding a pencil and coloring.
- Counting and patterns connect early math to the story, such as counting sheep or adding groups of stars.
- Retelling lets children practice putting events in order and using story words in their own voices, whether with pictures or with figures.
- Kindness and gratitude turn the story into something children can do, not only hear.
Short and steady is a good goal: one idea, a few calm minutes, and a little conversation.
Materials and Preparation for Christian Advent Activities for Kids
Preparing these Christian Advent activities for kids starts with a few everyday supplies. For your Christmas countdown activities for kids, gather pencils, crayons, paper, scissors, and glue, then add the printable pages you plan to use:
- Pencils, crayons, or colored pencils
- Scissors and a glue stick for cut and paste days
- Plain paper for the optional extras
- A printer and US Letter paper, plus a folder or envelope for finished pages, if you use the printable
- A basket or box to hold the day’s page and supplies
A few preparation habits help:
- Decide your start date and whether you will follow December 1–24 or your church’s Advent calendar.
- Read the day’s Bible passage ahead of time in your family Bible or a children’s Bible. The references in this post come from Luke 1–2 and Matthew 1–2, and I paraphrase them rather than quote them.
- Pre-cut shapes for younger children.
- Gather optional items, such as scrap paper and painter’s tape, a day or two ahead.
If your children love to draw, one optional extra is a set of colored pencils such as Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils, 1152 Count . The pencils twist up, so there is nothing to sharpen. Check the packaging for age guidance and supervise as needed. Crayons or pencils you already own will do the job just as well.
24 Suggested Christian Advent Activities for Kids
The schedule below is an original suggestion inspired by the themes of my SmartPrint Kids printable, which I describe in the next section. It is not the order or the contents of that printable’s numbered pages. Each idea carries one of two labels:
- Printable theme: the printable’s listing mentions this kind of activity. The instructions here are my own and also work on plain paper; the actual page may be set up differently.
- Optional extra: an idea that is not part of the printable. It needs only everyday supplies, and no extra templates or materials are included.
Days 1–6: Getting Ready and Listening for the Promise
Day 1: Draw a Star of Hope (Printable theme: drawing stars) Talk about how people waited a long time for the promised Savior. Ask, “What are we waiting for at Christmas?” Let each child draw and color a star, then say or write one thing they want to remember this season. Display it where everyone will see it.
Day 2: Match Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love (Printable theme: hope, peace, joy, and love matching) Say each word aloud and ask for a time a child has seen or felt it. Then complete the matching activity. On plain paper, write the four words on cards, have the child draw a small picture for each, and match words to pictures.
Day 3: Trace and Pray a Simple Prayer (Printable theme: a simple prayer to trace) Trace the prayer slowly, or have an adult trace while a preschooler listens, then pray it aloud together. On plain paper, you could write something like, “Thank you, God, for sending Jesus. Help us love others. Amen.” That wording is my example, not necessarily the printable’s.
Day 4: Draw an Angel Messenger Tell in your own words how the angel Gabriel brought God’s message to Mary (Luke 1:26–38). Draw an angel, then ask, “How do you think Mary felt when she heard the news?”
Day 5: Finish the Sentence “I trust God when…” Model an answer first, such as “I trust God when I feel nervous.” Children then write, draw, or say their own ending while an adult writes down their words.
Day 6: Retell Mary and Joseph’s Part with Figures Tell a short version of Matthew 1:18–25, then let children move figures to act it out. If you would like a figure set, the Fisher-Price Little People Nativity Set with Music & Lights is one optional choice; check the manufacturer’s age recommendation. Paper figures or homemade ones work just as well.
Days 7–12: The Journey to Bethlehem
Day 7: Build a Star Pattern (Printable theme: shape patterns) Cut stars, circles, and triangles from scrap paper and line them up in a pattern, such as star, circle, star, circle. Read it aloud and ask the child to continue it. Connect it to the story: Mary and Joseph traveled one step at a time.
Day 8: Follow the Journey to Bethlehem (Printable theme: journey-to-Bethlehem maze) Explain that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1–5). Trace the maze with a finger first, then a pencil. On plain paper, an adult can draw a simple winding path from “home” to “Bethlehem.”
Day 9: Walk the Road to Bethlehem Make a path down a hallway with painter’s tape or paper. Walk it slowly together, and ask, “What might a traveling family need to carry?” At the end, say, “We made it to Bethlehem.”
Day 10: Draw the Stable Read or tell Luke 2:6–7, where the baby is laid in a manger. Draw a stable with a roof, walls, and hay. Ask, “What do you notice about where Jesus was born?”
Day 11: Write a Gratitude Note Complete “Thank you, God, for…” with a drawing or a sentence. For more ways to build thankfulness at home or in class, try these gratitude activities for kids.
Day 12: Put the Story in Order (Printable theme: Christmas story picture sequencing) This is a good midpoint review. Put the story pictures in order and retell the story so far. On plain paper, draw the angel, the journey, and the stable on three cards, mix them up, and let the child arrange them.
Days 13–18: Shepherds, Joy, and Good News
Day 13: Draw Baby Jesus (Printable theme: drawing baby Jesus) Read Luke 2:7 again. Draw the baby in the manger. Ask the child what they would like to say to Jesus, and write it down for them if needed.
Day 14: Count the Sheep (Printable theme: counting sheep) Introduce the shepherds who heard the angels’ message (Luke 2:8–20). Count the sheep aloud together, pointing to each one. On plain paper, press cotton balls or draw sheep for the child to count.
Day 15: Add Groups of Stars (Printable theme: adding groups of stars and simple addition) Make two small groups of star stickers or paper stars and join them: three stars and four stars make seven stars. Say the sentence aloud, then write it as an equation. Keep sums at 8 or below for beginners.
Day 16: Connect the Star Dots 1–20 (Printable theme: connect-the-dots star with numbers 1–20) Count aloud as you draw from dot to dot. On plain paper, an adult can number dots from 1 to 20 around a star outline ahead of time. Preschoolers can count with an adult, a few numbers at a time.
Day 17: Share the Good News The shepherds told others what they had seen and heard (Luke 2:17–20). Help your child draw a card, make a phone or video call, or tell a neighbor or relative that Jesus was born.
Day 18: Finish the Sentence “Love looks like…” (Printable theme: short writing prompts about love) Brainstorm together first: sharing a toy, giving a hug, saying a kind word. Then children write, draw, or say their own ending.
Days 19–24: Kindness, Gifts, and Christmas Eve
Day 19: Take a Kindness Challenge Choose one kind act for the day, such as setting the table, drawing a picture for a neighbor, or saying something encouraging. Talk about how kindness is one way to show love. You can find more simple ideas in these kindness day activities for preschool.
Day 20: Helping Hands Write or say one way to help at home or in class, then do it. On plain paper, trace the child’s hand and write one helping idea on each finger.
Day 21: Sing or Listen to a Christmas Carol Choose a hymn or carol your family or church knows. Sing or listen together, then let each child draw something they heard in the words.
Day 22: Give Something Away With an adult’s help, choose a book or toy in good condition to donate, or prepare a card or treat to deliver. Talk about giving because we have been given so much.
Day 23: Make “My Gift for Jesus” (Printable theme: “My Gift for Jesus” card) Ask, “What could you give Jesus because you love him?” Children might name kind words, helping hands, or thankfulness from earlier days. Complete the card, or fold a sheet of paper and decorate your own.
Day 24: Build the Nativity Scene (Printable theme: cut-and-paste Nativity scene) Cut and glue the scene, with an adult pre-cutting for younger children. Then use these Nativity activities for kids as a finale: retell the story from the first day, using the finished scene and any figures you have. Close with a short prayer.
A note on the wise men: Matthew 2 tells of wise men who traveled to honor Jesus, and Christian traditions differ on when to remember their visit. Many do so on Epiphany, January 6. This schedule ends at the manger on Christmas Eve, so you can add the wise men on whatever date fits your tradition.
What the SmartPrint Kids Printable Includes
For families who prefer ready-made Christian Advent activities for kids, I created the SmartPrint Kids Christian Advent Activity Book. This printable Advent calendar for kids includes 24 daily activities exploring the Nativity story, kindness, prayer, drawing, and early learning. You can find my resource on Teachers Pay Teachers.:
- A digital PDF download; there is no physical product
- 24 daily activity pages, numbered 1–24
- US Letter size, 8.5 × 11 inches, portrait
- Color artwork and accents, with spaces for children’s responses
- A name space and an “I did it!” checkbox on each activity page
- Best suited to kindergarten and first grade; preschool children need adult help as appropriate
The activities mentioned in the listing are:
- Drawing stars, angels, a stable, and baby Jesus
- Short writing prompts about love, gratitude, helping, and faith
- A simple prayer to trace
- Christmas story picture sequencing
- Shape patterns
- A journey-to-Bethlehem maze
- Counting sheep and adding groups of stars
- Simple addition with answers up to 8
- A connect-the-dots star using numbers 1–20
- A hope, peace, joy, and love matching activity
- Kindness challenges
- A “My Gift for Jesus” card
- A cut-and-paste Nativity scene
The numbered pages follow their own order in the PDF. The schedule in this post is a separate suggestion, so you can follow the PDF’s order, mine, or your own. I have described only what the listing confirms, so please read the listing itself for current details.
Adapting the Activities for Preschool, Kindergarten, and First Grade
Whatever the age, four supports make these ideas easier:
- Read directions aloud, including any story sentence or prompt.
- Accept spoken or drawn answers as real answers.
- Scribe for the child by writing their words exactly as they say them, or let them trace or copy.
- Help with cutting by pre-cutting, holding the paper steady, or guiding the scissors.
Preschool
Christian Advent activities for kids can be simplified for preschoolers with adult support. Choose one small task: color a star, count a few sheep, or answer a question aloud. Adults can read directions, write down children’s words, and prepare cut-out pieces. Keep these preschool Nativity activities short and follow the child’s interest.
Kindergarten
Christian Advent activities for kids give kindergarten learners opportunities to practice counting, patterns, drawing, and simple writing. Read directions aloud and use counters before introducing written addition. These Advent activities for kindergarten can also include labeling a picture or sharing a short spoken prayer.
First Grade
Adapt Christian Advent activities for kids in first grade by inviting children to write a sentence, explain a number problem, or retell part of the Nativity story. Offer reading and cutting support when needed. A Christmas countdown activity book can provide a starting point for these conversations.
A Flexible Routine for Home and Sunday School
A Simple Home Routine
Keep Christian Advent activities for kids manageable by choosing one task and a short conversation each day. This suggested routine combines Christian Christmas activities for kids with storytelling and prayer. Adjust the timing to your child’s interest and the activity you choose.
- Gather (about 1–2 minutes): Sit together and ask what your child remembers from yesterday.
- Hear (about 2–3 minutes): Tell or read the day’s short portion in your own words or from a children’s Bible.
- Do (about 5–8 minutes): Complete the day’s activity.
- Pray (about 1–2 minutes): Offer a one-sentence prayer, then tick the “I did it!” box if you are using the printable.
Morning, after dinner, or bedtime can all work. If you miss a day, do not try to double up. Continue with the next idea, or save the missed one for a weekend.
Weekly Sunday School Adaptation
For weekly meetings, choose a few Christian Advent activities for kids around one part of the Christmas story. These Sunday school Advent activities can combine Nativity storytelling, a drawing or counting task, and a kindness challenge. Send families a simple suggestion to continue at home:
- Welcome and opening prayer: about 5 minutes
- Story: about 7 minutes
- Two or three activities from that week’s group: about 15–18 minutes
- Kindness or sharing time: about 5 minutes
- Closing prayer and take-home: about 2 minutes
Suggested session themes:
- Session 1, hope: Days 1–6 (getting ready and the promise)
- Session 2, peace: Days 7–12 (the journey and the stable)
- Session 3, joy: Days 13–18 (the shepherds and good news)
- Session 4, love: Days 19–24 (kindness, gifts, and the Nativity scene)
Many churches pair these four words with the Sundays of Advent, but names and order differ, so rearrange them to match yours. Families can complete the remaining ideas at home. Before copying printable pages for several families or classrooms, check the terms of use on the listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages are these activities best for?
Christian Advent activities for kids can be adapted to different ages, but this printable is designed mainly for kindergarten and first grade. Preschoolers can join with adult help for reading, writing, and cutting. Choose tasks based on what each child can comfortably do.
Does Advent have to start on December 1?
No. The liturgical season follows the church calendar, and its start date varies. A December 1–24 countdown is one popular way to organize daily activities. If your tradition begins Advent earlier or later, use the 24 ideas on your own dates, one per day or one per week.
Do I need the printable or special supplies?
No. Christian Advent activities for kids can begin with plain paper, crayons, pencils, scissors, and glue. The printable provides ready-made activity pages, while the suggested extras can be completed separately. Purchased Nativity figures and special coloring supplies are optional.
Can I use these ideas in Sunday school?
Yes. Choose Christian Advent activities for kids that fit your lesson, group size, and available time. Pair a short Nativity story with one drawing, counting, or kindness activity. For these Sunday school Advent activities, prepare supplies beforehand and check the printable’s terms before making copies for your group.
What if we miss a day?
Skip it, do it later, or save it for a weekend. A countdown is meant to help your family, not add pressure. The conversation and the kindness matter more than finishing every day.
A Gentle Countdown to Christmas
Christian Advent activities for kids do not have to be elaborate. A star drawn on the first day, a prayer traced on the third, and a kind act near the end are small, repeatable ways to help children get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Use this schedule as written, adjust it to your church’s calendar, and keep the optional supplies optional.
If you would like ready made pages, you can view the SmartPrint Kids Christian Advent printable on Teachers Pay Teachers.
