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Nativity Scene Ornament

  • History & Social Studies
  • Young Adult
  • Grades 4-5
  • Grades 6-8
  • Grades 1-3

Create a miniature wood stick nativity scene to hang on the tree or just have on display!

Materials

  • Bucket of Bling
  • 25 Pack Assorted Paint Brushes
  • Friendship Thread Basic Colors
  • White Fuzzy Sticks
  • Acrylic Paint Jars, 24 Assorted colors
  • Wood Beads Tub
  • Mini Craft Sticks
  • Craft Sticks 150 Pack
  • White Adhesive Craft Foam
  • Light Blue Adhesive Craft Foam
  • Dark Blue Adhesive Craft Foam
  • Scissors
  • Pen
  • Hot Glue Gun ***May Require Adult Assistance
  • Craft Glue

Instructions

Step 1. Gather your supplies.

 

 

Step 2.

 

Glue (7) wood craft sticks to (2) mini craft sticks, as shown. Repeat this step to create (2) separate panels.

 

Step 3.

 

Glue (5) wood craft sticks to (2) mini craft sticks, as shown.

 

Step 4.

 

Paint the panels from Steps 2-4 brown.

 

Step 5.

 

For Mary and Joseph, fold a white fuzzy stick in half and string on (3) wood beads, making sure the smallest is at the top, as it is the head. Use (2) larger wood beads for the body. For baby Jesus, use a smaller wood bead for the head and wood beads that are the size of Mary and Joseph’s heads for his body.

 

Step 6.

 

Cut off the excess fuzzy stick on the top and bottom of all of the figurines.

 

Step 7.

 

Use hot glue or craft glue on the top and bottom of the figurines to secure.

 

Step 8.

 

For Joseph’s clothes use a dark blue piece of adhesive craft foam. Lay the figurine on the adhesive side on the craft foam and wrap one corner around as shown.

 

Step 9.

 

Wrap the other side of craft foam across the figurine’s chest.

 

Step 10.

 

Cut off the excess craft foam.

 

Step 11.

 

For Mary’s clothes, repeat Steps 10-12 using light blue craft foam. For Mary’s veil, place the figurine on the non-adhesive side of white craft foam. Trace around the figurine as shown.

 

Step 12.

 

Cut out the veil.

 

Step 13.

 

Peel off the backing of the adhesive craft foam and shape it around Mary’s head and body as shown.

 

Step 14.

 

For baby Jesus, use white adhesive craft foam to wrap around his body the same as Joseph and Mary, but keep some of the excess and wrap it under his body as shown.

 

Step 15.

 

Glue the figurines to the panel from Step 4.

 

Step 16.

 

Using the two panels from Step 2, hot glue them in a triangle shape to the bottom panel as shown.

 

Step 17.

 

Glue a gold acrylic star jewel to the top of the triangle.

 

Step 18.

 

Thread a piece of friendship thread through the holes on the top of the triangle if you wish to hang this from your tree!

 


Teacher's Corner

Decorate your Christmas tree with a handmade nativity scene and learn why Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth every December

Lesson Objectives

  • The First Noel: The nativity story marks an important turning point in the Christian faith: The birth of Jesus. During their trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph couldn’t find room at an inn, so Jesus was born in a manger among farm animals. As a class, watch this interpretation of the nativity night to understand the importance of this event!
  • The First Nativity Scene: Did you know that the first nativity set was created by  St. Francis of Assisi in 1223? With permission from the Pope, he set up a manger with two live animals and recalled the nativity story to his village — since then, this Christmas tradition has continued around the world. Have your students seen a nativity set in their town — what characters are on display?            

Follow-up Discussion

Once the class creates their own nativity ornaments, have them act out their own scene! Use a script that you feel is appropriate for the age level of your students, assign roles, rehearse, and put on a show! Afterward, test their listening skills by taking a class quiz.