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Thinking about Advent before Thanksgiving may seem counterintuitive, but I’ve learned over the years that a little planning ahead helps prepare my kids' hearts—and mine—for Christmas.
Whether we’re looking for a fresh way to teach our children or struggling to figure out how to engage our families this Advent, we can find ways to point our hearts to the Messiah this Christmas season. Here are some resources to help engage your family this Advent:
AGES 0-3
The Promised One - This board book engages little ones with the true meaning of Christmas.
The Christmas Surprise - Teach toddlers all about the first Christmas.
Jesus Came for Me - Help little ones understand what Christmas means in a personal way.
A Very Noisy Christmas - A chance for toddlers to learn about the Christmas story and make some noise while doing so.
ABCs of Christmas - Set of 26 cards to help littles ones focus on Christ.
AGES 4-7
The Promise of Christmas - A picture book for kids is designed to help children grasp how Christmas was a part of God's plan.
Tully's Christmas Mess - Join the Miller family as their family dog reminds them why they celebrate Christmas.
The Best News of All - Invite kids to memorize the angel's announcement to the shepherds about the birth of Jesus in an engaging way.
The Christmas Promise Storybook - A retelling of the Christmas story and how God kept his promise to send a forever king to rescue us.
Journey to the Manger Card Set - Set of seven cards to introduce kids to the characters involved in the nativity story along with Scripture references and an Advent reading.
AGES 8-12
Abigail and the Christmas Contest - Join Abigail as she navigates the craziness of Christmas and learns how Jesus brings true joy.
The Promise and the Light - A creative retelling of the birth of Jesus through the eyes of different people who first experienced it.
Bartholomew's Passage: A Family Story for Advent - Prepare your family to marvel at the coming of the Jesus this Christmas with this resource that pairs a fiction story set during Christ's birth along with devotions.
The Best Gift Ever (free Advent devotion from Wycliffe Kids) - Five-day guide for families with a Bible verse, short devotion, discussion questions, and activity (a couple with an international component).
Family Tree of Christ Advent Cards - Through a set of 25 cards, kids unpack the family tree of Christ and some unlikely characters God used as a part of His plan. Each card includes a Scripture reading, explanation, and discussion questions.
ALL AGES
The Advent Adventure: A Family Devotion - This family resource pairs with lighting an Advent candle, provides devotions, a weekly Scripture to memorize, and a craft for each week of Advent.
25 Days of Christmas: An Advent Family Experience - A way for parents and children to reflect on the Christmas story one person, place, or object at a time.
Kregel's Christmas Treasury of Illustrated Bible Stories - Read 18 passages in preparation for Advent along with ideas to celebrate the season as a family.
Advent Prayers for the Nations (free printable from Via Families) - Print off a prayer chain so your family can pray each day of Advent for an unreached people group. This was one of my favorite Advent activities I've done with my kids.
Jesse Tree Ornaments + Card Set - Track with the story of the Bible from creation to Christ's birth with 25 wooden ornaments plus cards helping unpack Advent in an impactful way as a family.
As we take steps toward investing into the spiritual lives of our families, may our hearts be drawn closer to Jesus and our Christmas celebration richer for the time spent preparing for it.
