Christmas Archives - Our Life Homeschooling

The 12 Days of Christmas Traditional Poems for Kids

Sheri — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:18:48 +0000

At Christmas time, you can count down the twelve days of Christmas by reading this collection of Christmas poems with your kids. All young people should be familiar with these traditional poems by well-known authors.

One great way to introduce these poems to your kids is by reading one poem a day leading up to Christmas. Try reading at dinner time or before bed as part of your evening routine.

1

This poem has been put to song, making it the perfect poem to start your festive season. Try singing this along with your kids!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Anonymous

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

2

This next Christmas poem reminds us all that the humble stable place was the abode of our glorious Savior King.

New Prince, New Pomp

by Robert Southwell

Behold a silly tender Babe
In freezing winter night;
In homely manger trembling lies,
Alas a piteous sight:
The inns are full, no man will yield
This little Pilgrim bed,
But forced He is with silly beasts,
In crib to shroud His head.
Despise Him not for lying there,
First what He is enquire:
An orient pearl is often found,
In depth of dirty mire;
Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,
Nor beasts that by Him feed:
Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,
Nor Joseph’s simple weed.
This stable is a Prince’s court,
The crib His chair of state:
The beasts are parcel of His pomp,
The wooden dish His plate.
The persons in that poor attire,
His royal liveries wear,
The Prince Himself is come from heaven,
This pomp is prized there.
With joy approach, O Christian wight,
Do homage to thy King,
And highly prize this humble pomp,
Which He from heaven doth bring.

3

This is a lovely poem to read (or sing) as a lullaby to soothe young children at bedtime.

.
A Cradle Hymn

by Isaac Watts

Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy Angels guard thy bed;
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.

How much better thou’rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven He descended,
And became a child like thee!

Soft and easy is thy cradle:
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When His birthplace was a stable,
And His softest bed was hay.

See the kinder shepherds round Him,
Telling wonders from the sky!
Where they sought Him, there they found Him
With His Virgin-Mother by.

Lo, He slumbers in His manger,
Where the horned oxen fed;
–Peace, my darling, here’s no danger;
Here’s no ox a-near thy bed!

May’st thou live to know and fear Him,
Trust and love Him all thy days;
Then go dwell forever near Him,
See His face and sing His praise!

4

The greatest gift the world has ever received is Christ our Savior. “Can man forget this story?“

A Hymn on the Nativity of My Savior

by Ben Jonson

I sing the birth was born tonight,
The Author both of life and light;
The angels so did sound it,
And like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light, and were afraid,
Yet searched, and true they found it.

The Son of God, the eternal King,
That did us all salvation bring,
And freed the soul from danger;
He whom the whole world could not take,
The Word, which heav’n and earth did make,
Was now laid in a manger.

The Father’s wisdom willed it so,
The Son’s obedience knew no “No,”
Both wills were in one stature;
And as that wisdom had decreed,
The Word was now made Flesh indeed,
And took on Him our nature.

What comfort by Him do we win?
Who made Himself the Prince of sin,
To make us heirs of glory?
To see this Babe, all innocence,
A Martyr born in our defense,
Can man forget this story?

5

This is another wonderful poem that you can sing with your kids.

Christmas Bells

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The Carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

6

In this short prose, Whittier reminds us that the true joy of Christmas is in giving not receiving.

The Joy of Giving

by John Greenleaf Whittier

Somehow, not only for Christmas,
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.

And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart’s possessing
Returns to make you glad.

7

Like the angels, the Christmas star always leads us to the Christ child.

Star of the East

by Eugene Field

Star of the East, that long ago
Brought wise men on their way
Where, angels singing to and fro,
The Child of Bethlehem lay–
Above that Syrian hill afar
Thou shinest out to-night, O Star!

Star of the East, the night were drear
But for the tender grace
That with thy glory comes to cheer
Earth’s loneliest, darkest place;
For by that charity we see
Where there is hope for all and me.

Star of the East! show us the way
In wisdom undefiled
To seek that manger out and lay
Our gifts before the child–
To bring our hearts and offer them
Unto our King in Bethlehem!

8

What a beautiful poem to show children that at Christ’s birth, creation bowed to its Creator.

A Christmas Carol

by G.K. Chesterton

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)

The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown.
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.

9

Rosetti shows us that even the cold, dark night cannot shroud the warmth of Christ.

In The Bleak Midwinter

by Christina Rossetti

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty winds made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak midwinter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air;
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part,—
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

10

The world can be harsh, but Christmas brings out the best in all of us.

At Christmas

by Edgar Albert Guest

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas, man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling, and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man, I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of self,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas, kindness rules him and he puts himself aside,
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

11

Save the most popular Christmas poem of all to read on Christmas Eve!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

by Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St.Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

12

This is a perfect poem to read on Christmas day because it announces “Christ is born!”

When The Stars Of Morning Sang

by Anne P. L. Field

When the stars of morning sang
Long ago,
Sweet the air with music rang
Through the snow,
There beside the mother mild
Slept the blessed Christmas child,–
Slumber holy, undefiled–
Here below.

When the wise men traveled far
Through the night,
Following the guiding star
Pure and bright,
Lo! it stood above the place
Sanctified by Heaven’s grace,
And upon the Christ-Child’s face
Shed its light.

When the world lay hushed and still
Christmas morn,
Suddenly were skies athrill–
“Christ is born!”
Angel voices, high and clear,
Chanted tidings of good cheer,
“See, the Infant King is here,
Christ is born!”

I hope these poems inspire your soul with joy and peace as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

Looking for more inspiration?

25 Day Countdown to Christmas FREE Activity Book

Free Printable Christmas Coloring Patterns for Kids

Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia

10 Printable Christmas Mad Libs

Christmas Copywork Pages (FREE Printable)

The post The 12 Days of Christmas Traditional Poems for Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

The True Christmas Story Picture Books for Children

Sheri — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 20:15:46 +0000

With all the fun activities this time of year, sometimes the true Christmas story can get lost in the festivities. These nativity books for children will help you keep the story of the first Christmas central for your kids.

Nativity Picture Books for Younger Children

In this selection I have collected books that are perfect for toddler and preschool age kids. They have rhyming words, simple text, repeated phrases, and cute illustrations.

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family!

Song of the Stars Sally Lloyd Jones

Song of the Stars is a beautiful picture book, describing how all the animals and parts of nature can sense that something is coming…the time when the birth of Christ would occur. Together they sing a song, all calling Jesus by wonderful names. All of the animals come and crowd around the manger where Jesus lies.

Sale

Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story

Hardcover Book
Lloyd-Jones, Sally (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 08/06/2011 (Publication Date) – Zonderkidz (Publisher)

This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten

In this book of delightful illustrations, the reader is introduced to all of the characters who were there the night of Jesus’ birth, from the holy family to the donkey and cow.

Sale

This Is the Stable

Cotten, Cynthia (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/30/2008 (Publication Date) – Square Fish (Publisher)

Christmas in the Manger by Nola Buck

Christmas in the Manger is a simple true story of Jesus. It is told from the perspective of a little star to the wise men, characters who all played an important part in the Christmas story. This nativity book is a great addition to the many books that all point to the deliverance of baby Jesus.

Sale

Christmas in the Manger

Buck, Nola (Author)
English (Publication Language)
16 Pages – 10/22/1998 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)

Sounding Joy Ellie Holcomb

Is the sound of joy something you hear amid winter’s fun? This tells the story of Christmas time, and the nativity scene, and with a song every girl and boy will sing of the sounding joy.

Sale

Sounding Joy

Holcomb, Ellie (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 09/20/2022 (Publication Date) – B&H Kids (Publisher)

The Donkey’s Christmas Song by nancy tafuri

This is a sweet little book for very young children of how each of the animals in the stable sings a song, welcoming the newborn baby Jesus. After each of them has sung, the donkey shyly steps forward, knowing that his song is the loudest. He sings his song and makes the baby Jesus laugh.

Donkey’s Christmas Song

Tafuri, Nancy (Author)
English (Publication Language)
30 Pages – 10/01/2006 (Publication Date) – Scholastic Press (Publisher)

Nativity Picture Books That Tell the Direct Story

These amazing classic Christmas books most closely tell the story of Christ’s birth as we read about it in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Little Golden Book The Christmas Story told by Jane Werner

This Christmas book is closest to the true meaning of Christmas spoken of in the Bible, giving an accurate narrative of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Sale

The Christmas Story

JESUS
Hardcover Book
Jane Werner Watson (Author)
English (Publication Language)
24 Pages – 01/01/1999 (Publication Date) – Golden Books (Publisher)

The Nativity by Cynthia Rylant

Each of the pages is painted into a beautiful picture of what it could’ve looked like the night Jesus was born. After his holy birth, Cynthia Rylant goes on to tell how he grew up and gave the amazing verses in his sermon on the Mount.

Sale

Nativity

Hardcover Book
Rylant, Cynthia (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 09/19/2017 (Publication Date) – Beach Lane Books (Publisher)

Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

A brightly illustrated picture book written as a nativity poem, this book is written by Margaret Brown. She has written many other books which are some of our favorites As I read this story, the words reminded me of the style of her other book “Big Red Barn.” Christmas in the Barn depicts a very descriptive yet touching story of the Christmas journey, and how God gave us Christmas.

Sale

Christmas in the Barn: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

Brown, Margaret Wise (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 10/09/2007 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)

The First Christmas Night by Keith Christopher and Christine Kornacki

In the form of ‘T’was the Night Before Christmas’ by Clement C. Moore, The First Christmas Night is a rhyming book that starts with the Christmas promise of his birth spoken about in Isaiah 9:6. It continues about the journey it took for Mary and Joseph to get to the stable where Jesus was born.

Sale

The First Christmas Night

Hardcover Book
Christopher, Keith (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/15/2013 (Publication Date) – WorthyKids (Publisher)

Christmas Stories With Artistic Liberty

Some books tell the nativity story by sharing ideas of what could have happened or what a person might have experienced. It can help the reader relate to a character when we imagine the possibilities from another point of view.

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson

This is a cute story of a tiny mouse named Mortimer. He is tired of his home in the crack in the wall and climbs up to where the nativity scene is set on a table next to the beautiful Christmas tree. But the pieces to the nativity scene were in the way — he pushed them off, from the angel Gabriel to the baby Jesus himself. But someone keeps setting them up again. Finally, he hears the nativity story. He is touched and places the pieces back in their places.

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger

Hardcover Book
Wilson, Karma (Author)
English (Publication Language)
40 Pages – 10/02/2007 (Publication Date) – Margaret K. McElderry Books (Publisher)

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

Read the sweet story of a Kind Ox who shares the small stable he lives in with other poor animals, welcoming them all and giving them a place to sleep. Then comes Mary and Joseph, who are tired of searching for a place to stay. They stop at Kind Ox’s stable and give birth to baby Jesus.

Sale

Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale

Hardcover Book
Martin Waddell (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 10/03/2006 (Publication Date) – Margaret K. McElderry Books (Publisher)

They Followed a Bright Star Ulises Wensell

This beautiful picture book tells a story of the nativity in a different light. The shepherds are visited by the angels, who direct them to go to Bethlehem to see the new baby Jesus. As they travel to Bethlehem, the shepherds invite several people to come with them to see the Christmas baby. But the people refuse, having been given other jobs to prepare for a time when Jesus would need the fruits of their labor. At the end of their tiring journeying, the shepherds and the wise men see the little hands of the great gift of the world.

Sale

They Followed A Bright Star

Hardcover Book
Alavedra, Joan (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 10/06/1994 (Publication Date) – Putnam Juvenile (Publisher)

The Night of His Birth by Katherine Paterson

Fitting for older children, read about the nativity story from Mary’s perspective and wonderings on the day she gave birth to Jesus. How her mother, father, and even Joseph doubted her, and the satisfaction she now has over having given birth to the wonderful Savior of the world. It gives touching little descriptions on how she is new to motherhood, especially being the one to raise Jesus Christ.

Sale

The Night of His Birth

Hardcover Book
Paterson, Katherine (Author)
English (Publication Language)
32 Pages – 09/17/2019 (Publication Date) – Flyaway Books (Publisher)

Picture books are a wonderful way to make the true story of Christmas come alive for your children during the holiday season. I hope these classic Christmas books help you keep Christ in Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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The post The True Christmas Story Picture Books for Children appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

25-Day Countdown to Christmas FREE Activity Booklet

Sheri — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:52:52 +0000

This 25 page FREE Christmas Activity Booklet is a fun way to start the Christmas countdown with your kids. It can be tough for youngsters to wait all month for Christmas day, but you can give them one page a day to entertain your crew right up to the big day!

At Christmas time, we involve our kids in all our Christmas preparations. They help decorate, order gifts, bake, make cards, and wrap gifts. They love doing it and I love to see their eyes light up as they get in the holiday spirit.

This year I plan to give them these mini booklets to add to our festivities. Maybe your kids will enjoy them too. Grab some hot cocoa and crayons and try these fun games along with your children!

25-Day Countdown to Christmas Activity book

What is in the Christmas Activity Fun Book?

This fun mini-book of activities includes word searches, dot-to-dot, word scrambles, mazes, matching games, sorting games, Christmas tree decorating, guess the Christmas song, coloring pages, and more! These fun activities are the perfect holiday boredom buster!

One of my favorite things about this printable book is that the pictures are mostly black and white rather than colored. I did this on purpose because kids LOVE coloring! While problem-solving the puzzles and games on individual pages, they can color the pictures on the page as well.

These are the free Christmas activities included in the book.

Christmas Pictures Sorting Games– The challenge for this simple activity is to circle the pictures that represent Christmas. On the second page they have to circle the characters that were present at Jesus’ birth. Do turkeys and valentines belong with Christmas? Was Santa at Jesus’ birth?

Christmas Matching– What pictures go together? Kids will need to draw lines to match the Christmas pictures that belong together. (For example, snowman + carrot, wise man + camel, Santa Claus + sleigh, Christmas tree + ornament, candy canes + stocking, Mary + Jesus, stable + star, shepherd + sheep)

Christmas Mazes– Help Mary find baby Jesus through mazes shaped like a Christmas tree, a snowman, and an ornament. I think it would be fun for siblings to compete to see who can find the way the fastest!

Christmas Dot-to-Dot- Children can review number counting and practice fine motor skills by following the dots to make a picture.

Christmas Grid Picture Copy Game– This a fun game for older kids! The challenge is to copy the Christmas picture square by square to make a matching picture in the grid. The examples are a snowman, a stocking, and a gingerbread house.

Make Christmas Designs– Kids will decorate a Christmas ornament and tree. You can show them ideas from Pinterest or magazines or have them come up with their own.

Christmas Scramble– Unscramble the letters to make Christmas words.

Christmas Word Search– Can you find the Christmas words hidden in the puzzle?

Guess the Christmas Song– How well do you know the holiday jingles? Kids should carefully look at the pictures to guess the Christmas song.

Christmas Coloring Pages– What activity book is complete without coloring pages? Sprinkled throughout these printable worksheets, you will find some blank Christmas coloring pages. I think it would be fun to have a family coloring contest. Take pictures of the pages with your phone and send them to grandparents to be the judges.

What supplies are needed?

With all that we have to do for Christmas, keeping kids entertained shouldn’t take up a whole bunch of our time. That’s why these low-prep activities are perfect for busy moms!

You can print them out, staple them together or use a 3-ring hole punch to put them in a binder or folder. Then let kids get to work!

Supplies I use:

Printer paper
crayons, colored pencils, or markers
stapler or 3-ring hole punch
folder or notebook to keep the book in

You can print out the 25 pages and give one to your kids each day leading up to Christmas. This will keep them in suspense as they wait each day for the next challenge.

Another idea is to print the entire booklet out for each of your children and give it to them on December 1st. Some kids like to see a whole booklet to use as a “guide” for their Christmas celebration.

What age is the 25-Day Countdown to Christmas FREE Activity Booklet for?

Children of any age can enjoy the themed activities in the booklet. Even parents will have fun sitting beside children to play these festive brainteaser games.

The matching games, sorting games, dot-to-dot, and coloring pages are perfect for preschool and elementary-age kids.

Teens can get creative designing their own Christmas tree and ornament. Unscrambling and finding Christmas words in the word search will also challenge older kids. I think my teens will love guessing the Christmas songs best.

How Can I Access the Free Christmas Activity Pack?

This is a pdf file that you can download to your computer. Click on the link below to access your free download. Please remember, that these are for personal use only!

25-Day Countdown to Christmas Activity Book

I hope these 25 pages of fun will keep your kids busy all the way up to Christmas Eve as they wait to open gifts with family and celebrate our Savior’s birth.

“May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy other fun holiday printables in the month of December.

Free Printable Christmas Coloring Patterns for Kids– Find printable Christmas coloring pages, Christmas card templates, gift tags, Christmas ornaments, and a cut-out nativity scene that kids can color and make on their own. These are easy crafts that are useful and entertaining for kids!

10 Printable Christmas Mad Libs for Kids– As your kids get closer to winter break, these Mad Libs games will put everyone in the Christmas spirit. They will learn the parts of speech while laughing their heads off at the hilarious stories they make up!

Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printables– How well do you really know the Christmas story? This Bible Trivia about the birth of Christ is the perfect addition to your family Christmas dinner!

Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (Free Printable)– Copying scripture passages and great literature, centered around the birth of our Savior, is a great way to launch the holiday season with your children.

Free Printable Christmas Coloring Patterns for Kids

Sheri — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 20:34:32 +0000

This is the most wonderful time of the year for kids! One great way to check off all the boxes on our to-do list at Christmas time is to include our kids in the preparation. When we allow them to help us make handmade gifts, Christmas cards, ornaments, etc., they get in the holiday spirit and we can lighten our load in the holiday season.

Kids will have so much fun making these free printables! My kids are always asking if they can help with decorating and baking and all the festive fun.

Include Kids in Your Christmas Prep Work

I don’t know about you, but as Christmas gets closer, I get overwhelmed with all the work that needs to be done before the big day…buying gifts, making our annual photo calendars, sending Christmas cards, baking cookies, decorating…it all seems like so much!

I often hesitate to allow my kids to help me with the Christmas preparations because I’m afraid it won’t be done up to my standards, but I’ve learned over time what a relief it can be to delegate some tasks to the kids.

As our kids have gotten older, I have handed over more and more jobs to them.

wrapping gifts for immediate family members
baking cookies
making photo calendars
making and addressing the Christmas cards
decorating
ordering gifts
wrapping gifts
baking cookies

With these free templates, your kids can help contribute to the whole family by helping with the Christmas work. They can make Christmas cards, gift tags, ornaments, and more! These are very easy Christmas crafts that can be useful!

*This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family!

How do I access the (17 pages) of free Christmas printables?

Subscribe in the box below by entering your email.
Check your email inbox to confirm your subscription.
You will get a success message with the PDF link.
Click on the link and print. Enjoy! Please remember that these are for personal use only!

Christmas Greeting Cards

For many years I have ordered our family Christmas cards online through Snapfish. I love photo cards because it’s a nice way to send family pictures to friends, but it’s gotten kind of pricy.

This past year I decided instead to have the kids make handmade cards and put our family picture inside. This is a much cheaper option since ordering picture prints online is more affordable than paying for printed Christmas cards. Plus it gives kids some fun holiday crafts to make!

Even our older kids enjoy making these which is why it makes a great activity to do as a family.

Supplies Needed:

Red and white cardstock
white printer paper
crayons or colored pencils
glue stick
paper cutter or scissors
envelopes (4.375 x 5.75 inches)

Directions

Print the free printable Christmas patterns on white printer paper.
Have kids color the pictures.
Using the red or green cardstock, fold it in half and cut it into two pieces. (You can make two cards from one paper.) Fold the half sheets in half to make a card.
Cut out and glue the Christmas patterns to the red or green card stock.
Have kids write a nice Christmas message and put a family picture inside. ( I make a list of a few different Christmas messages for them to use. )

This is a perfect way to delegate your Christmas card list to the kids and keep them busy at the same time! Friends will love receiving personalized homemade cards designed by your children.

Christmas Gift Tags

Although sticker gift tags are a dime a dozen, your kids will love designing these Christmas gift tags. These adorable designs will personalize the gifts under your tree.

Supplies Needed

white cardstock or printer paper (US standard letter size)
hole punch
crayons or colored pencils
yarn, ribbon, or jute string
scissors
black pen or marker

Directions

Print the patterns on white paper.
Have kids color the pictures,
Cut out the gift tag shapes.
Hole punch the designated circle.
Write “To: ____” and “From: _____” on the back of the tag.
Put a string or yarn through and tie it to a package.

Christmas Ornaments

Our kids each have a small lighted Christmas tree in their bedrooms. They are always looking for festive Christmas ornaments to adorn their tree. These ornament templates are a fun way for kids to decorate their own Christmas trees.

Supplies Needed

white cardstock or printer paper
hole punch
crayons or colored pencils
yarn, ribbon, or jute string
scissors
black pen or marker

Directions

Print the patterns on white paper.
Have kids color the pictures with crayons or colored pencils.
Cut out the ornament shapes.
Hole punch the designated circle.
Put a string or yarn through and decorate the tree.

Make Your Own Nativity Set

For more free craft projects, kids will love making their own nativity set with this free Christmas pattern. Our church has a cute Little People nativity set in the foyer and I’ve been surprised to see how many children are fascinated with setting it up.

This simple nativity set is a fun way for kids to learn about the true story of Christ’s birth. Additionally, it will keep them entertained the whole Christmas season! My kids love pretending with nativity sets!

Supplies Needed

-white cardstock or printer paper
crayons or colored pencils
scissors
toilet paper holders or popsicle sticks

Directions

Print the patterns on white paper.
Have kids color the pictures with crayons or colored pencils.
Cut out the characters and glue them to popsicle sticks or toilet paper holders. ( I had my kids cut a general shape around the character rather than directly on the lines.)

Kids can come up with lots of ways to make a stable. Under a desk, inside a shoebox, on a bookshelf, under the tree…it always amazes me how creative kids can be!

Coloring Sheets

These fun coloring pages (5 coloring pages) are great to use at a Christmas party or to decorate your refrigerator These heart-warming Christmas scenes will lighten the mood in the cold winter months.

How do I access the (17 pages) of free Christmas printables?

Subscribe in the box below by entering your email.
Check your email inbox to confirm your subscription.
You will get a success message with the PDF link.
Click on the link and print. Enjoy! Please remember, these are for personal use only!

I hope these fun activities give you some ideas to try for your Christmas celebrations in the days leading up to Christmas Eve!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

You may also enjoy these similar Christmas posts.

9 Favorite Homeschool Christmas Chapter Books and Short Stories

Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas

Free Printable Christmas Copywork Pages

The Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printable

The post Free Printable Christmas Coloring Patterns for Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printable

Sheri — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 04:13:58 +0000

How well do you really know the Christmas story? The Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printable is a great way to test your Bible knowledge of the Christmas story.

We want our kids to come away from Christmas with the birth of Christ impressed on their hearts, but with so many tales and songs about Santa Claus and Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, family members can easily miss the true meaning of Christmas. By playing this fun game, your family can keep Christ’s birth the central theme this Christmas season.

This trivia game is a mix of easier and harder questions which makes it perfect for the whole family. This way you can give younger children the easier questions and save the tough questions for older children or mom and dad.
It is divided into several categories: prophecy, names, characters, time and numbers, places, signs, and gospels. Each answer has a reference from the Holy Bible so you can verify its meaning and context.

Ways to Use the Christmas Trivia Questions

This printable Bible quiz is great to use in a Sunday school class or Bible Study group. You can also save it for family game night on Christmas Eve! Another way that we use it in our home is to do a few trivia questions each day during our homeschool Morning Time.

Families can play this game together by breaking up into teams for a competition. It might be helpful to pair older and younger kids. Whichever team has the most correct answers wins the game.

My kids also like competing against themselves as well. They enjoy trying to guess the right answer to these fun facts to see how many they can get right.

You can either read the trivia questions below or download the printable game cards from the link below. Good luck!

Click on this link to access the free printable.

PDF Format Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printable

Prophecy

What is the earliest Old Testament book to prophecy the coming Messiah? Genesis 3:15
Which Old Testament prophet foretells the birthplace of Christ? Micah 5:2
What Old Testament prophet spoke these words? “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. The Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” the prophet Isaiah 1:2
Which prophet said Jesus’ name would be Immanuel? Isaiah 7:14
The angel attributed John’s spirit to one of the Old Testament prophets. Which one? Elijah Luke 1:17
Who prophesied the death and mourning of the baby boys in Bethlehem? Jeremiah, Matthew 2:18
Jesus succeeded the throne of which king of Israel? King David Luke 1:32

Easy Questions for Younger Kids

Who appeared to Zechariah in the temple? Angel of the Lord, (the angel Gabriel) Luke 1:11
When Mary gave birth to Jesus, where did she lay him? In a manger ( a feeding trough) Luke 2:7
What gifts did the wise men give baby Jesus? Gold, frankincense, and myrrh Matthew 2:11

Names

What does the name Immanuel mean? God with us.
Who announced the baby Jesus’ name? The angel. Matthew 1:21
Finish this phrase with the names of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6. “And he shall be called…” Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
True or false. Jesus is the only child in the Bible whose name was given before his birth. False, John the Baptist Luke 1:13
Who did the angel tell that the baby was to be named Jesus? Mary, Joseph, or both? Both. Matthew 1:21, Luke 2:31
Other than the name Jesus, what other name was given to him? Son of God or Son of the Most High. Luke 2:32,35

Characters

Who was the king of Judea at the time of Christ’s birth? King Herod
Who were John the Baptist’s parents? Zechariah and Elizabeth
How was the priest chosen to serve in the temple to burn incense when his division was on duty? By lot. Luke 1:9
What was Mary’s relationship to Joseph before Jesus was born? They were betrothed. Luke 1: 27
Which two people did Mary and Joseph meet in the temple when they went to present Jesus to the Lord? Simeon and Anna Luke 2: 25-38

Actions and Responses

What were the people outside the temple doing while they were waiting for Zechariah? Praying. Luke 1:10
What did the angel forbid John the Baptist from doing? Drinking strong drink. Luke 1:15
What were the shepherds doing when the angel of the Lord appeared to them? Watching their sheep. Luke 2:8
True or false. The shepherds were excited when they saw the angels. False. They were afraid. Luke 2: 9,10
What was Zechariah’s punishment for not believing the angel? He became unable to speak Luke 1:20
When Joseph found out about Mary’s pregnancy, what was he resolved to do? Divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:19
What did the angels say to the shepherds? Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Luke 2:14
What was Herod’s response when he learned he had been tricked by the wise men? He killed all the male children (two years old and under) in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:16

Time and Numbers

How long did Mary stay with her cousin Elizabeth? 3 months Luke 1: 56
How long did the angel say Jesus’ would be king over the house of Jacob? Forever; there will be no end. Luke 2:33
How many angels appeared to the shepherds? A multitude of the heavenly host.
What was the exact number of wise men who came to honor baby Jesus? The number is not mentioned.
How old was Jesus when he was circumcised? 8 days Luke 2:21
When did Mary and Joseph return to Nazareth? After Herod died. Matthew 2: 19-23

Places

To which city did Joseph travel to be registered by decree of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus? The city of David, Bethlehem Luke 2: 4
What city was Mary from? Nazareth Luke 1: 27
Where were the wise men from? The east. Matthew. 2:1
After the wise men left, an angel warned Joseph in a dream to flee to which country? Egypt Matthew 2:14

Signs

What was the sign the shepherds were to look for to find the child Jesus? “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12
How did the wise men find baby Jesus? They followed a star Mt. 2:9,10

Gospels

Which two of the four New Testament gospels tell the story of Jesus’ birth? Matthew and Luke
Which gospel tells the story of the angel appearing to Joseph? Gospel of Matthew
In which gospel do we find the Magnificat (Mary’s song of praise)? Gospel of Luke
Early Christians attributed the genealogy of the royal line of Christ to be in the gospel of Matthew or Luke? Matthew
According to early Christians, Mary’s genealogy is believed to be in which gospel? Luke

Harder questions

When did they call him by the name of Jesus, the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb? At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised. Luke 2:21
In the Christmas Carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas?” what do the two turtle doves have to do with the story of Christ? That was the sacrifice Mary and Joseph brought to the temple according to the law of Moses. Luke 2:24
Did Mary travel on a donkey to Bethlehem when she was great with child? Scripture does not say.

So how well do you know the Christmas story? I hope these fun trivia questions have helped you learn more about the birth of Christ as well as cherish the precious gift of God’s Son in a new way this holiday season.

You may also enjoy these Christmas resources.

Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (FREE Printable)

10 Festive Christmas Mad Libs Printables

Christmas Writing Prompts Your Kids will Love

9 Favorite Christmas Picture Books

9 Favorite Christmas Chapter Books and Short Stories

Merry CHRISTmas!

The post Best Family Christmas Bible Trivia Free Printable appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Christmas Writing Prompts Your Kids Will Love

Sheri — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 01:13:01 +0000

Brighten up your homeschool this holiday season by trying some creative writing. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, you might enjoy taking a break from your normal writing lessons and doing something different. Add some holiday spirit to your homeschool by trying these Christmas writing prompts your kids will love!

Christmas Memories and Family Traditions

Writing about Christmas memories can be a way for kids to remember important moments in this wonderful time of year.

Tell about the time you had a white Christmas. How much snow did you get? What outside activities did you do and with whom?
What can you remember about Christmas last year? Did you go somewhere special? Did you get any special gifts?
Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition that you do in your family? Describe it to someone who has never heard of it before.
Write a movie review of your favorite Christmas movie. Who are the main characters? What is the plot? How is the problem solved?

Christmas Story Starters

When kids get writer’s block, sometimes it can help them if you give them an idea to get them started. Try using these story starters to get their creative juices flowing.

You are lost in a toy store overnight. At midnight, the toys come alive. Tell readers about your adventure!
Christmas morning arrives, but all the Christmas presents under the tree are missing! What happened?
What is your favorite Christmas book? Begin writing a summary of the plot, but finish it with a different ending to the story.
In the style of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” make up a continuing tale that begins with “If you give a kid a candy cane.”

Narration Christmas Prompts

Narration is the simple practice of telling back. It is an excellent way to help kids develop good writing skills.

Make a gingerbread house and decorate it with icing and trimmings. Describe step-by-step how you put it together.
Write a narration telling how you decorate your Christmas tree. Imagine you are explaining it to a person who will be decorating their own tree for the very first time. What goes up first? Next? Last?
Read the Christmas story from the Bible. Rewrite the story of Christ’s birth from the perspective of one of the characters in the story. (wise man, shepherd, Mary, Joseph, etc.)
Read a popular Christmas picture book of your choice. Narrate the story sharing the key moments.
Write a recipe-style script of the ingredients needed for a perfect Christmas.

For more help understanding how to do narration, read these blog posts.

Step-by-step Guide to Homeschool Writing

Helpful Habits for Writing Well #3 Narration

Random Christmas Creative Writing Prompts

Write a short story about the funniest presents you’ve ever given or received. Who gave them? What was so funny about it?
It’s Christmas Eve, but you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping! Tell how you scramble to pull everything together for the big day!
Write about your favorite Christmas song. Why do you like it? What is special about it?
Write a letter to your parents telling them all the reasons why they should get you a _________ this year for Christmas. Give them several examples explaining your point of view.
What was the best gift you ever received? Why did you like it so much? How did you feel when you opened it?
What will you be giving your family members this year for your secret Santa gift exchange? Explain why you chose each gift. How will each person respond when they open it?
Write your own script for a Christmas pageant.
Compose a Christmas poem with the title “Silent Night.”
Explain how to build the best snowman to someone who lives in a place where it never snows.
Write a letter persuading your friends to go caroling with you in your neighborhood.

Journal Writing Christmas Prompts

Keeping a log of the ways you celebrate Christmas can be a fun tradition from year to year.

Keep a diary of the 12 days of Christmas. Write about any special traditions or events that happen during this time. Buy or make a booklet for your journal. Decorate it with beautiful sketches of Christmas ornaments and scenes. Keep the notebook to record details about the 12 days of Christmas every year. You will be able to look back and see the special ways that you have celebrated Christmas throughout the years.
Keep a bullet journal of Christmas lists: previous gifts received, favorite Christmas songs, movies, and books, the Christmas dinner menu, etc.
Go on a nature walk. Write about what you see, hear, and smell. Collect specimens: leaves, berries, or pine cones. Journal your observations of these items.
Keep a yearly writing journal of your Christmas day menu. What was your favorite dish? What was missing this year? What should you make sure to have on the menu for next year?
List the ways you can show compassion to others during this special time of year. Choose a few on your list to do this season!

December Writing Prompts that Serve Others

In all the celebrations this season, why not take some time in the month of December to focus on others? This is a great way to help your kids look outside themselves and see others who may be going through a difficult time this Christmas.

Write a letter of encouragement to a widow or widower who has recently lost a spouse.
Send a note of thanks to a service member who is deployed overseas during the Christmas holidays.
Send holiday cards to some elderly people in your neighborhood or church who live alone. Decorate the cards with personal drawings, colorings, or handmade touches.
Jot a thank you note to your mail carrier or waste service personnel. Let them know you appreciate their service throughout the year.
After your gifts are open and you are on winter break, write thank you notes to some of the people who gave you gifts.

Give your kids free time in the day to write for pleasure. Daily practice will help elementary students and older students alike to develop a good writing habit. The more they write, the better they will be at it.

I hope these fun Christmas writing prompts ignite your children’s imaginations! Ask them to share their stories with the whole family so everyone can enjoy them!

Merry Christmas!

The post Christmas Writing Prompts Your Kids Will Love appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids

Sheri — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 23:29:30 +0000

Want to have a good laugh with your kids this holiday season while also sharpening their language arts skills? Try these 10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids!

Mad Libs are a creative way to introduce different parts of speech to children without them even realizing it. Most importantly, mad libs are fun for all ages…even adults! As you prepare for the big day, this Christmas game will put everyone in the holiday spirit.

Get the 10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids!

What do kids learn from mad libs?

Mad libs help kids to identify a part of speech while also strengthening their understanding of the English language. Mad libs will also build vocabulary skills since kids will think carefully about which word to fill in the blank.

These silly stories also encourage their creative writing. Often, after playing Mad Libs, my kids will try writing some in their own words.

How do you play Mad Libs?

The easiest way to play is to designate one child to be the writer. A second student answers the questions that the writer asks from the blanks in the narrative, usually parts of speech questions. The writer will fill in the missing words with adjectives, verbs, adverbs, interjections, etc. The writer shouldn’t let anyone else see the answers! When all the blanks are filled in, either child reads the funny story out loud.

There are other variations of this game as well. If you are in a group, you can pass the paper around and have each person take a turn calling out the part of speech and filling in the blank. The last person to get the paper can read the final story to everyone else.

What if a child doesn’t know these parts of speech?

Kids of all ages can learn and strengthen their English language even if they haven’t had formal lessons in this subject yet.

When I played this game with our kids, my five-year-old joined in by asking, “What’s a verb?” When I explained it, I was surprised that he understood and could quickly come up with a good word. Kids can easily learn as they go along.

In these mad lib stories, I have included nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. I also have some blanks with plural nouns.

Ways to Use Mad Libs

As you homeschool this holiday season, you can incorporate these mad libs games as part of your English lessons. Or, if you are taking time off from school work, give them to your kids during your Christmas break. Either way, they will have so much fun, they won’t even realize how much they are learning while playing this Christmas game.

Mad libs are great entertainment for parties, cookie exchanges, ice-breakers, or family fun nights. You can do one mad lib game a day leading up to Christmas or speed through all of them in one setting.

Enjoy the world’s greatest word game at your next Christmas dinner or Christmas party for a funny story. Or read them aloud with your entire family by having your kids read them to everyone on Christmas Eve.

Create Your Own Mad Libs!

My kids had so much fun playing these games that they wanted to do it over and over. I was surprised after they finished a few of them, they decided to try writing some of their own. They were pretty good too!

Writing your own Mad Lib story is not as simple as you think. We found it helpful to come up with a topic first and then start the story from there. When I wrote mine, I liked writing my stories without any blanks for the first draft and then erasing words and putting in blanks later. But my kids liked to put the blanks in as they were writing. Both ways worked. Find the method that works for you. Either way, your creative juices will be flowing as you and the kids laugh your way through your silly stories!

Get the 10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids!

What’s included in the download?

This PDF has 10 colorful Christmas printable Mad Libs in US letter size. This is a PDF download for your computer, tablet, or smartphone. If you want a physical copy you will have to print it off. For personal use only, please.

This collection has stories about candy canes, baking cookies, decorating your Christmas tree, caroling, stringing colored lights, building a snowman, and more!

10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids Titles

The Candy Cane

Merry and Bright

The Snowman

Holiday Cookies

Christmas Carols

The Gingerbread Man

Our Christmas Tree

Wrapping Gifts

Christmas Day

Christmas Dinner

Get the 10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids!

I hope these Christmas Mad Libs add some cheer to your holiday season!

For more Christmas inspiration, you may enjoy these similar posts.

Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (Free Printable)

9 Favorite Christmas Picture Books

9 Favorite Homeschool Christmas Chapter Books and Short Stories

Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas

The post 10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs For Kids appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (Free Printable)

Sheri — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:10:47 +0000

Light up your homeschool with some holiday cheer by using these Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (Free Printable!) Copying scripture passages and great literature, centered around the birth of our Savior, is a great way to launch this blessed season with your children. Pour some cocoa, find a cozy spot in the house, and sit beside your children as they copy these delightful copywork selections.

What is copywork?

If you have been in the world of homeschooling for any period of time, you have probably heard the term “copywork” tossed around. So what exactly is copywork? Copywork is simply the habit of hand-copying a short passage of text from an excellent author.
Think about it. How do we learn to do anything? We observe someone who is doing it! Copywork challenges kids to copy the written work of excellent communicators. It helps kids develop good writing skills in a natural way, the same way we learn many other life skills.

What are the benefits of copywork?

Copywork is a valuable tool that can help kids become good writers. It is a great way for them to indirectly gain an understanding of language arts skills. By observing the vocabulary, sentence structure, writing style and form in a well written piece, kids will grasp the fundamental tenets of excellent writing.

How do you teach copywork?

Have your students pay close attention to copy the text just as it is written. Remind them that the first word in every sentence or in every line in a poem begins with a capital letter. They should write quotation marks, semi-colons, colons, and apostrophes just as observed in the line. Have them write the title appropriately making sure to capitalize the first letters in each word of the title.

When they finish, review the copywork with them. Have them correct spelling and punctuation errors. Ask them to spell key words. Refine their handwriting skills as needed. Ask them the meaning of any unknown words.

How much should a child copy?

A good rule of thumb is to have a child copy one sentence a day for first grade, two for second, and so on. If they want to do more, sure! But this metric is a reasonable developmental goal for most kids. Older students should be able to copy paragraphs.

What should a child copy?

A child should copy the best pieces from great authors! What quality books are you reading aloud to your kids? These are a great place to start! Copy passages of Scripture, Aesop’s Fables, poems, short stories or fairy tales, non-fiction books on topics that interest them, notable sections from each chapter of the fiction book they are reading.

Can they type their copywork?

Personally, I don’t think they should. I like to compare it to the difference between take a trip somewhere by riding a bike and riding in a car. When you go more slowly as you do when you ride a bike, you remember more of the scenic attractions along the way. You are aware of more details and you remember more. I believe the same is true for copywork. What you write down, you are more likely remember.

How often should a child do copywork?

I have our kids do some copywork every day. Daily practice will be the best way to improve their writing skills. It takes very little time and covers so much ground. Coywork should take a child roughly 10-15 minutes. If it takes young students longer than that to complete a copywork selection, you may be assigning them too much or they may not be ready to move from handwriting to copywork.

Are handwriting and copywork the same thing?

No, they are not. Handwriting should be mastered before copywork. When a young child can write fluently, then they can begin copywork. Having said that, copywork will help improve a child’s handwriting, specifically fine motor skills and proper letter formation. While copywork will help kids develop beautiful handwriting, it is also so much more than that. Copywork teaches good writing form and sentence struction. It also exposes kids to quality pieces.

Does copywork really work?

The main difference that I see between copywork and other writing methods is this. In copywork, the student first observes an excellent piece, slowly and carefully, copying with exact detail, and makes a conclusion afterward. The writing begins after the observation. Children can only express what they possess!

In many popular writing methods, kids in early elementary school are encouraged to begin writing but they have very little to no exposure to quality pieces of writing or time to reflect on them.

When used along with the habit of narration, children observe first and write later.

How we use copywork in our homeschool?

I give each of our kids a copy work notebook (spiral bound) to use only for this subject area. Separately, I print out the sample, 3 hole punch it, and put it in a 3 ring binder.

Each new day, they write the date in the margin. Then students copy the selection beside it, either a sentence, small section, or paragraph, according to their age and ability. I have found that a good place to start is with one-line bible passages or simple sentences from their early readers.

I like to teach my older children cursive writing, so once my older children are fluent, I require their copywork in cursive.
Often I will have them read their own copywork back to me. This helps them to detect mistakes. (Also, if they have trouble reading their own writing, they can realize that on their own without mom having to harp on them about it!)

What is in the Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages?

In this collection, you will find meaningful passages from well-loved chapter books, short poems, and famous quotes.
-2 pages of FAQ about copywork
5 pages of Christ-centered Christmas copywork pages
-Appropriate for 1st-8th grades (approximately)
-This is more copywork than kids can realistically complete in the month of December. Don’t try to do all of it! Kids don’t need to go through the copywork in order. If you prefer, you can pick and choose the selections you like best OR choose ones that are most appropriate to ages and abilities of your children.
-Various scripture verses
-poems by Christina Rosetti, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Clement Moore, Ernestine Northover, Vicky Luong
-favorite passages from Little Women, A Christmas Carol, Farmer Boy, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
-famous quotes by C.S. Lewis, Dr. Seuss, and Laura Ingalls Wilder

How do I get the free download Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages (Free Printable)?

Subscribe in the box below by entering your email.
Check your email inbox to confirm your subscription.
You will get a success message with the PDF link.
Click on the link and print. Enjoy! Please remember, these are for personal use only!

I hope these free resources of copywork sheets will be a useful tool in your homeschool!

For some additional resources, don’t miss these other free copywork pages!
Fall Themed Copywork
Winter Themed Copywork
Spring Themed Copywork

You may also enjoy these similar posts on writing.

Helpful Habits for Writing Well #1 : Create a Literate EnvironmentHelpful

Habits for Writing Well #2: Copy the Best Pieces from Great Authors

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Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas

Sheri — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 02:56:10 +0000

Every family is different. No family size is better than any other. We personally, however, LOVE the fullness of adorable little people in every corner of our home, the hum of children’s voices, always someone to play with, the kitchen, a rotating door of tasty meals throughout the day to nourish us all. Having a large family is our personal preference. It is also gift from the Lord….and we absolutely LOVE it! Although I am constantly learning new and better ways to care for all the special people in our home, here is my Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas.

Video: Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas

How do you realistically do Christmas for a big family?

Seriously narrow your to-do list.
Don’t put the Christmas expectations of an average size family on your large family.
Order gifts online.
Keep up with your regular chore routines.
Allow older kids to help you with projects.
Accept imperfections.
Understand that your attitude is EVERYTHING.

Neither I nor my husband come from a family as large as ours. So learning to manage the day to day demands of a large family has been something new to us in general, let alone at Christmas time when the stakes are even higher. In our home currently, we have nine kids from age seventeen all the way down to our nineteen month old cutie pie… and another little blessing due in just a few weeks!

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Dynamics of a Large Family

Big families are a unique dynamic. While every family is busy this time of year, in my opinion, big families are more of a survival kind of busy. A one day at a time, keeping everyone fed, clothed, and meeting the individual needs of each child-kind of busy. With more people comes more of everything: more stuff, more meal prep, more people going in different directions, just MORE.

BUT our needs and abilities are different. When I see what other average size families have time for… many of those things we used to have time for when our family was smaller, I am reminded how different our lifestyle is. If we did all those same things, our kids would be rushed around, half-fed, with no clean clothes to wear. We would have little time for each other and our lifestyle would be very harried. It just is not feasible for us. If you are a mom of many, maybe you can relate.

I believe you can keep Christmas very simple and still have a meaningful holiday with your large family. You don’t need to unnecessarily guilt yourself into feeling like you have to do ALL the things. You don’t have to have matching pajamas, perfect decorations, or plans to attend all the local Christmas performances to have a meaningful Christmas. You can stay home. Watch movies together, listen to Christmas music, bake cookies, play board games. Your Christmas can be simple and still be wonderful.

Here is a Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas.

#1 Seriously Narrow Your To-Do List

The count down to Christmas is ON! All moms feel it. We have our lists and they are our masters. But, have you been realistic about what you can actually accomplish?

We have a lot on our plate this year with a baby due just after the holidays. On other Christmases we have had less on our plate and were able to do more, but this year is not that year. This year needs to be a simple Christmas. My to-do list is short. On this list I have very obvious things that most people wouldn’t even think to put on a list, but I have learned that some years I have to lower my expectations. Here’s my list for this year.

Buy tree and decorate with the kids.
Hang lights outside.
Make cookies together.
Go out to eat with the whole family at a nice restaurant (Christmas gift).
Send Christmas cards to family and friends.
Buy gifts for the kids and our parents.
Create picture calendar from Snapfish.

When you look at your to-do list, are you expecting too much from yourself? If you want to have a simple and meaningful Christmas with all your favorite people, then you may need to seriously narrow your list. There will be other seasons when you may be able to do some of those projects you have always wanted to do, but consider how too many things could take the joy out of the holiday for you…and the whole family.

#2 Don’t Put the Christmas Expectations of an Average Size Family on your Large Family

No matter how much I tell myself not to do this, I still do it. I put the same Christmas expectations of other families on our large family. When I see what other families are doing or what my kids’ friends are doing, I want to do all of those things! Giving gifts to co-op and church teachers, fun Christmas outings to concerts and local events, hand made gifts and projects for the kids to make. These are all fun and there are times when we can do some of those things, but that time is not this year.

There may be fun experiences that you want to do with your kids…going to performances, concerts, sports games, local entertainment, etc. Or maybe there are projects, etc. you want to do, but Christmas may not be the best time to feel like you should do those. Pick other less busy times throughout the year to plan those kind of things for your kids. Or plan those types of things on a Christmas year when you have less on your plate.

#3 Order gifts online

This may seem very obvious and something everybody does, but it really makes all the difference for a large family. Other than taking our kids our to shop for their person (they do a secret Santa among the siblings), we order almost all of our gifts online.

I love to shop local whenever I can because supporting small business is important to me. During Christmas season, however, I have to let this go. My husband and I shop online in the evenings to get gifts for the kids. You can still support small businesses online! Physically going shopping for gifts is a huge time sucker. Shopping online saves us so much time, plus we can sit together with popcorn and kombucha (our snack of choice) and make plans for what we want to get for each child. It’s almost like a date!

#4 Keep up with your regular chore routines

If you are a mom of many, maybe the following scenario is familiar to you. I have had people say both of these things to me.

“How do you keep your house so clean?!”

AND someone else at another time,

looking around…trying to be nice, “How are you are SO laid back?!”… which we all know translates to “I wouldn’t let MY house go like this!”

The truth is that if someone shows up when we are in the thick of our routine of chores and rhythms, then our house generally looks pretty good. However, if someone pops in after we have been away for a few days, or when I’m in the middle of a project, or trying to do something other than the every day work: making meals, running laundry, and picking up…well, there’s a pretty good chance they will walk in on quite the mess!

This rule applies even more to Christmas because we tend to have our focus on projects other than the daily maintenance and housework. Big families are messy! When I hear a young mom with 1 or 2 kiddos talk about how quickly the house can get destroyed, I inwardly snicker because, really…it’s just not the same!

Keeping up with your regular house work and chores will help keep your ship afloat this time of year.

If you’d like to read more about how we manage the house work in our home, I share more about it in 10 tips for How to Homeschool a Large Family.

#5 Allow Your Older Kids to Help You With Projects

Every year I make and order an online picture calendar. It is a good deadline for me to collect the best pictures of the year and print them out in a booklet for the family to enjoy through the years. Over time, this project has become bigger and bigger to me. One year, I procrastinated more and more until I was beginning to wonder if I could pull it off. All the while, my older girls had been asking me if they could do it. My type A self kept saying no. They couldn’t do the way I wanted it done. But then I realized that if I didn’t let them do our calendar that year, it wasn’t going to get done! I decided to give them a go. Guess what? They LOVED the project! Sure, I had to tweak a few things, but they saved me so much work. Their help was a major contribution to our Christmas preparation!

What are some things your kids can help you with? Count your Christmas work as part of your homeschool day. These are life skills…important tasks that need to be done every year at this time.

Here are some ideas of things your kids might be able to help you with.

Wrap gifts. They don’t have to be perfect!
Address and stamp Christmas cards.
Make cookies.
Teenagers can tackle your gift list by shopping online, putting items in your cart for you to review and purchase.
Decorate the tree.
If some of the clutter that accumulates during Christmas season overwhelms you, offer to pay your kids to do jobs….match socks, clean out your Tupperware cabinet, organize a drawer.

#6 Accept Imperfections

In my opinion, accepting imperfection is THE ticket to a simple Christmas. It’s good to have a plan, to be organized. But unless you intend on running your large family Christmas like a factory operation, all things will not go as planned!

No matter how hard I try, there is always something that’s missed or not quite how I want it. One section of Christmas lights keeps going out. The four and six year old pull the brass trumpet ornaments off the tree and start up a band. Somebody’s gift isn’t going to be delivered on time. The kids are all fighting over who gets to open first. I thought I made the gifts even for all the kids, but I missed one for a child.

When you have a lot of people, it’s messy. The more people, the more problems. As the proverb says, “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean.” Lower your expectations and be okay with just being together this time of the year.

#7 Understand That Your Attitude is EVERYTHING.

Draw strength from the Lord. You can have a peaceful heart in the midst of flawed plans and fighting kids. Your calm, accepting demeanor can have such a positive effect on your kids, your husband, your home. Your attitude about Christmas, Mom, is catchy. Let it be one of gratefulness. Look around and really see how blessed you are that God has gifted these children to you and your husband. Be in awe that the God of the universe condescended to mankind, took on human flesh, became a baby. The King of kings “made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant”, lived and died to save a hopeless world. Though He was rich, He became poor. For you. For the world.

Keep the right perspective this season. Your attitude is EVERYTHING.

Pin it for later! Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas

For more posts about large families, you may enjoy reading these.

How to Plan Healthy Meals for Your Large Family

10 Tips for How to Homeschool a Large Family

Our Large Family Homeschool Curriculum

Our Homeschool Routine | Day in the Life Mom of 9

Mom of Nine shares how to Homeschool While Pregnant

The post Realistic Guide to a Simple Large Family Christmas appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

9 Beautiful Christmas Picture Books to Read Aloud

Sheri — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 03:15:32 +0000

If you are looking for simple ways to make Christmas meaningful for your young kids, read to them! Read them the VERY BEST picture books. Cut out the twaddle. Find living books that have stood the test of time. Look for books you want to read repeatedly because they are beautiful and move you somehow. These nine great Christmas books below are our family’s favorites!

For more Christmas inspiration, you may also enjoy reading these posts below.

9 Favorite Homeschool Christmas Chapter Books and Short Stories.

Christmas Homeschool Copywork Pages

10 Printable Festive Christmas Mad Libs for Kids

If you go to the library or any book store, it won’t take you long to see that there are tons and tons of Christmas picture books out there for kids. It can be overwhelming to pick books that you know you and your kids will enjoy. I have a few Christmas picture books that are SO good that I read them to my kids over and over again every year. They have become to us like good friends. Weed out the drivel and look for these kinds of books for your family.

One thing that I think is important when choosing new books is to consider the illustrator. The pictures are the highlight of these stories. Some of the books on our list are illustrated by some of my favorite artists.

Video: 9 Favorite Christmas Picture Books

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This is the Stable

This book tells the true story of Christ’s birth in poetic form. It is a simple and short read, each line building on the phrase “the quiet stable, dusty and brown” to emphasize the humble state of Christ’s birth. See the manger, the animals, the shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and all the key characters of the nativity story. Finally, see baby Jesus, the God-man become an infant who cries and looks around, snuggling his mother. I love how this book helps young readers imagine what it must have been on the night of his birth.

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas

In this classic Christmas story, the well-to-do Mr. Willowby orders a Christmas tree. When it is delivered, he puts it in his front window only to realize it is slightly too big and bends at the top. He has his butler cut of the tip and passes it down to his maid Miss Adelaide. When Miss Adelaide puts it in her living room, she has the same problem! She cuts off the top and passes it on to Timm the gardener. The story continues as the tippy top of each tree gets passed down to the bear, fox, rabbit, and finally, a family of mice. In the end all the people and animals are proud to have a Christmas tree as fine as Mr. Willowby’s!

The Little Fir Tree

Watch a little fir tree grow from a sapling to its full splendor as the Christmas tree for little children to admire and decorate. This pine tree is the Christmas tree every year for one unfortunate little boy who is lame in his legs. His father digs the tree up and puts it in a planter beside his bed every winter. Then, in spring, he takes the tree back out to the field to grow over the summer. One year the father doesn’t come to dig up the tree for his son. The tree waits and waits. Finally, he hears singing in the distance, growing closer. This year the boy comes to the tree with a surprise to show him.

The lovely thing about this festive picture book is the Christmas carol “Oh Christmas Tree” woven throughout the storyline. You simply must sing the lines to your kids as it comes into the narrative! It makes all the difference in the telling of this heartwarming tale.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

What is a Christmas without the classic poem by Clement C. Moore “Twas the Night Before Christmas”? This is a poem/book to read repeatedly leading up to Christmas Eve. If you read this regularly to your kids, you will hear them reciting it here and there throughout the day. And, they can help you every time you come to the end of the book with “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Jan Brett illustrates this beautiful book and she does not disappoint!

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

The gruff Mr. Toomey is the valley’s gifted craftsman. He creates beautiful carvings of wood in his shop. He has a harsh demeanor toward the town folk, a man with no time for child’s play, but it is because he hides a deep wound behind his hardened appearance. One day the Widow McDowell and her son request him to make a carving of the nativity for the upcoming Christmas season. The catch is that she wants her son to be able to sit and watch the woodcarver as he works so he can learn some of his trade. Reluctantly, Mr. Toomey agrees.

With each piece Mr. Toomey whittles, the inquisitive young boy interrupts his work with questions about how the figure of a lamb or an ox or Mary or Jesus might have looked. Working on this project over time slowly softens Mr. Toomey’s heart. He presents the special gift to Thomas and Widow McDowell with a new sense of healing and hope.

This is such a tender story. You don’t want to miss this one!

Christmas in the Country

This sweet story is told from the perspective of a little girl who is remembering what it was like to go to her grandparents’ cottage in the country at Christmastime. Winter in the country is slow and quiet. Country folk have simple holiday traditions: making cookies, decorating the tree with Christmas lights, and services at the local church. But to a young girl, the memories are vivid.

Reading this book with your kids just might take you back to detailed memories of the times you spent with your grandparents! Everybody can use a little time in the country to inspire the soul!

The Legend of the Candy Cane

A stranger has come into town and buys an old abandoned building on main street. Everybody wants to know what he is building in his shop?! One young girl offers to help him as he works. As she unpacks the boxes, she gets to be the first one to see what kind of a store this will be… a candy store!

Lucy helps Mr. Sonneman fill all the jars with colorful gems of candy, but one candy piques her curiosity. Together she and Mr. Sonneman walk through the town, sharing the legend of the candy cane and the true meaning of Christmas.

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

This classic story takes place in the hills of Appalachia in a small town. Every year, one family provides the tree in the local church. In the spring, Ruthie and her Papa climb the high rocky craig to pick out the perfect balsam fir. They mark it with a ribbon.

But not long after, Papa is called away to war. Ruthie and Mama have to manage the farm alone all summer. They only hope that Papa can return in time for Christmas Day, especially since Ruthie has been chosen as the heavenly angel. If you are a fan of Barbara Cooney’s beautiful illustrations, this beautiful story is another of her treasures!

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

If you love the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” books as much as we do, you will understand why this book made it to my list of favorites. Follow the mouse as he goes to the movies, eats popcorn, and realizes that he wants to string it on his Christmas tree. This leads him to build a snowman, have a snowball fight, make Christmas ornaments, and of course, at the end, it takes him back to the movies! I love Felicia Bond’s artwork, so this is another reason to choose this great book at Christmas time.

PIn it! 9 Favorite Christmas Picture Books

Share your favorite Christmas Picture Books!

These are some of the best Christmas picture books I have enjoyed with my kids over the years during the holiday season. I hope they will add some cheer to your whole family as you count down the days of Christmas! Comment below to share your favorite picture book to read at Christmas!

You may also enjoy these other holiday books.

The True Thanksgiving Story Book List for Kids

7 Favorite Thanksgiving Homeschool Read Aloud Books

The post 9 Beautiful Christmas Picture Books to Read Aloud appeared first on Our Life Homeschooling.

Christmas Archives - Our Life Homeschooling

The 12 Days of Christmas Traditional Poems for Kids

1

The Twelve Days of Christmas

2

New Prince, New Pomp

3

.A Cradle Hymn

4

A Hymn on the Nativity of My Savior

5

Christmas Bells

6

The Joy of Giving

7

Star of the East

8

A Christmas Carol

9

In The Bleak Midwinter

10

At Christmas

11

Twas the Night Before Christmas

12

When The Stars Of Morning Sang

The True Christmas Story Picture Books for Children

Nativity Picture Books for Younger Children

Song of the Stars Sally Lloyd Jones

This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten

Christmas in the Manger by Nola Buck

Sounding Joy Ellie Holcomb

The Donkey’s Christmas Song by nancy tafuri

Nativity Picture Books That Tell the Direct Story

Little Golden Book The Christmas Story told by Jane Werner

The Nativity by Cynthia Rylant

Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

The First Christmas Night by Keith Christopher and Christine Kornacki

Christmas Stories With Artistic Liberty

Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell

They Followed a Bright Star Ulises Wensell

The Night of His Birth by Katherine Paterson

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A Cradle Hymn