Lesson

Christmas Story Lesson for Kids

A free Christmas story lesson for kids (Luke 2:1–20) in four age levels, preschool to preteen, with a game, Bible story, questions, memory verse and take-home.

Preschool–Grade 6

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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)
Time: 20–60 minutes (depends on the age level)
Scripture: Luke 2:1–20
Bible story: The Birth of Jesus

What you need

A Bible (mark Luke 2:7 and Luke 2:11)
Bibles for the kids to look up verses (3rd grade and up)
A small baby doll wrapped snugly in a cloth, and a box or basket for a "manger" (preschool and kindergarten to 2nd grade)
A small box wrapped like a present, with the memory verse inside (kindergarten to 2nd grade)
Paper sheep or cotton balls to hide around the room (preschool)
Paper and pencils (3rd grade and up)
Printed take-home sheets, one per child
Printed birth of Jesus word search and crayons for early finishers

This free birth of Jesus Sunday school lesson teaches kids that Jesus the Savior was born for everyone, the "good tidings of great joy" of Luke 2. It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Pick the one that fits your class. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a sheep hunt, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord") with a motion, and a wrap-the-baby activity with a doll and a box manger.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the "Find the Sign" game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Pass the Present memory verse game and the Shepherds, Hurry! game.
3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Caesar's decree, God's promise about Bethlehem in Micah 5:2, the sign of the manger, the heavenly host), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: an "In Luke 2 or not?" opening game, students read Luke 2:1–20 and Micah 5:2 out loud themselves, then discuss who the good news is for and how the shepherds responded. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Luke 2:11 and Isaiah 9:6).

Lesson at a glance

Bible passage: Luke 2:1–20
Main point: Jesus the Savior was born for everyone.
Memory verse: Luke 2:11 (KJV), with Isaiah 9:6 added for preteens
Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

Opening game: a short game that leads into the story, like "Find the Sign."
Bible story: the census, the trip to Bethlehem, no room in the inn, the manger, the angels and the shepherds who hurried to see Jesus and told everyone. Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn Luke 2:11.
What this means for us: the good news is for all people, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
Activity: the birth of Jesus word search, the birth of Jesus craft, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
Prayer.

Tips for teaching the birth of Jesus

Read Luke 2:7 and 2:10–11 straight from your Bible. Many kids know the Christmas story from songs and pictures; let them hear what the Bible actually says.
The wise men and the star are not in Luke 2. They come later, in Matthew 2, so save them for another lesson. Each lesson gives you a short answer if a child asks.
Kids love the shepherds' hurry. Let them act it out; it helps the story stick.
Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.

Frequently asked questions

How long does this birth of Jesus lesson take?

It depends on the age level. The preschool lesson takes 20 to 30 minutes, the kindergarten to 2nd grade lesson about 45 minutes, and the 3rd to 5th grade and preteen lessons 45 to 60 minutes. For a short class, do the story, three questions and the memory verse.

What age is this Christmas lesson for?

All ages from preschool to preteen. The lesson comes in four separate teacher PDFs: preschool (ages 3 to 5), kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade, and preteens (ages 11 to 12). Each one tells the same Bible story at the right length and reading level, with its own questions and activity.

What is the main point of the Christmas story for kids?

Jesus, the Savior, was born for everyone. The angel called it "good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10–11), and the shepherds hurried to see Him and told everyone (Luke 2:16–17).

Were the wise men at the manger with the shepherds?

Luke 2 does not mention them. The wise men are in Matthew 2, which says they came "into the house" and saw "the young child" (Matthew 2:11). This lesson stays with Luke 2: the census, the manger, the angels and the shepherds.

Was Jesus born in a stable?

Luke says Mary laid baby Jesus in a manger, an animal feeding trough, "because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7). The Bible does not mention a stable, an innkeeper or a donkey, so the lesson sticks to what the text says.