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Each year, our family tries to get as much out of the Advent season leading up to Christmas ~ and focus on the REAL reason for the season. There are SO many fabulous Christmas and Advent resources available for families so they can learn more about the birth of Jesus and have fun together at the same time. Over the years we’ve found some great resources {and are always adding new things} to our box to pull out and use together. Here are a few of our favorites divided out by category.
Family Reading
Years ago, we were introduced to the Jotham’s Journey series by Arnold Ytreeide – the four books are Jotham’s Journey, Tabitha’s Travels, Ishtar’s Odyssey, and Bartholomew’s Passage. Each year your family will read a different book in the series in the days leading up to Christmas. Our kids have loved seeing how the stories and characters overlap. The daily readings each end in a cliffhanger, so the kids are always asking for more (and the adults don’t mind listening either!
Another resource we found two years ago was Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voscamp. The devotional focuses on the Jesse Tree and is such a story of redemption (our redemption!). Even the family tree of Jesus had its share of heartache and brokenness – and yet, we are fully His and made perfect. Really, just thinking about that amazes me each and every time. The 25 daily Advent readings, starting December 1st, includes a Scripture passage for study, a devotional that is a perfect length (so kids stay focused), questions for discussion, and family activity suggestions. You can learn more about it HERE and find links to go-along resources as well.
Moms can work through their own celebration of Christmas with The Greatest Gift (also by Voscamp). It’s a great book to add to your shelf and pull out each Christmas with a cup of coffee or tea, curl up, and focus on the meaning of the season.
For Younger Hands {Tots, Preschool and Younger Elementary}
Younger kids can get all crafty thanks to the Truth in the Tinsel ebook {now also available in Spanish and with a handy ornament coloring pdf!!}. Truth in the Tinsel shares 24 activities {one for each day in the month of December}, but also offers alternate schedules in case 24 seems too overwhelming for you to do {ahem…which is entirely possible and okay if it is!}.
For Elementary Ages
The folks at What’s in the Bible have a fabulous study called Everyday Emmanuel that you can use along with Why Do We Call it Christmas? with all your kids. The advent study is a pdf download that goes along with the dvd and includes a countdown to Christmas calendar, weekly advent devotionals and ornament activities, a question and discussion guide, family activity ideas as well as additional resources.– much fun! Our family has LOVED What’s in the Bible and I’m excited these two tie in together.
For Daily Bible Study with Kids
In past years we have used the Birth of Jesus study from Grapevine and everyone {including Kaleb} could participate. The stick figures are oh-so-easy to draw! We had the Multi-Level Teacher Guide E-book and Student e-book for Multi-Level.
Do you have any special ways that you celebrate Advent together with your family? Any special Christmas and Advent resources you can share? Leave a comment and share!
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My kiddos are really small, so we are just starting to build some ornaments to hang to learn about Jesus. Last year we did the name of Jesus and this year we are doing the Jesse Tree.
that will be so much fun, Lori. :)
For some reason, the code is not working for the Why Do They Call It Christmas dvd.
Did you add both the dvd and the Everyday Emmanuel study to your cart? The 50% off code should work if you are ordering both, since it is a special on both – not just one. :)
We wrap up 24 Christmas books in brown paper , tied with some lovely spotted material and pop them in a basket. Taking it in turns, the children are allowed to unwrap one a day during advent, which we then read. We also read through Dicken’s Christmas Carol and then Christmas eve we have a pork roast, decorate a biscuit nativity scene, read the Christmas story and settle down and watch the Muppets Christmas Carol. We’ve done that for 15 years now, even when we had no children. (Some people NEVER grow up!) I’m going to have a look into Jotham’s journey. We could always do with more books……
that sounds FABULOUS, Claire!!!
Just ordered the What’s in the Bible Christmas video and study after watching a few clips. So excited! We did Truth in the Tinsel last year and it was FANTASTIC! Looking forward to reading Jotham’s Journey this year. Thank you for your recommendations!
I need to pull those books out soon and see when we are supposed to start reading this year! :)