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Small Church Christmas Programs: A Free 20-Minute Kids Program

A free 20-minute Christmas program for small churches, with an order of service, KJV readings, recitations, a nativity play, carols and a rehearsal plan.

All ages

Small Church Christmas Programs: A Free 20-Minute Kids Program

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⬇ Program planner (PDF) · 2 pages

Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.

Ages: Preschool (3–5), Early Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5), Preteen (5–6), Whole Family
Time: 20–25 minutes (two rehearsals)
Scripture: Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20; Matthew 2:1–12
Bible story: The Birth of Jesus The Shepherds and the Angels The Wise Men

What you need

This planner (order of service, parts list, rehearsal plan, family note)
The Christmas Story in the Bible reading, for two readers
The Christmas poems for church, cut apart
The nativity play for preschoolers (or Room for Jesus for older kids)
Bathrobes, towels, a baby doll, a box for a manger and a paper star

A free Christmas program for small churches, ready to use: about 20 minutes, every child gets a part, and it needs only two short rehearsals. A narrator and two readers carry the story straight from the King James Bible, the children act it out and recite short poems, and everyone sings three carols they already know.

The program at a glance

Welcome poem by a preschooler, then Joy to the World.
Reading 1: Joseph's dream, Matthew 1:18–25, from The Christmas Story in the Bible.
Poems: "Mary Said Yes" and "God With Us" from our Christmas poems for church.
The play: our easy nativity play for preschoolers (5 minutes), or Room for Jesus (7 minutes) if your kids are older.
Away in a Manger, sung by the youngest.
Poems: "No Room", "What the Angel Said" and "The Shepherds Hurried".
Reading 2: the wise men, Matthew 2:1–12, then the poem "The Wise Men".
Go, Tell It on the Mountain.
"The Greatest Gift", then every child says Luke 2:14 together.
Closing prayer, and a candy cane with the candy cane poem for every guest at the door.

The printable planner has the order of service with minutes and who does what, a three-week rehearsal plan, a parts list to fill in, and a cut-off note for families.

Tips for a small church

Few kids? One angel and one shepherd are enough, and a child can say two poems. Teens and adults make great readers.
Lots of kids? Do both plays: preschoolers first, then older kids in Room for Jesus.
Carols: all three are public-domain classics. See Christmas songs for church kids for more.
Keep it on Jesus. Every piece tells the Bible's Christmas story from Matthew 1–2 and Luke 2, and uses the same memory verses as our Birth of Jesus, Shepherds and Wise Men story sets.

Frequently asked questions

How do you put on a Christmas program at a small church?

Keep it to about 20 minutes, give every child one thing to do, and let a narrator carry the story. This program uses a 5-minute play, short poems, two Bible readings and three carols that everyone already knows.

What if we only have five kids?

Use the play with one angel, one shepherd and no sheep, let each child say two poems, and ask a teen or adult to read the Bible passages. The program still runs about 20 minutes.

Do we need a music director?

No. All three carols are public-domain classics a congregation can sing without practice. A piano, a guitar or simply singing together works.

When should we start rehearsing?

Three weeks out. Hand out parts and poems that Sunday, then hold two 20-minute rehearsals on the next two Sundays.