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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- 10 easy nativity crafts for toddlers and preschoolers.
- Every craft lists ages, prep time, mess level, supplies and a safety note.
- Use large pieces and keep small parts away from children under 3.
- Figures have blank faces so kids can retell the story their own way.
- Mix scene crafts, hands-on crafts and story-time play for a calm week.
In this post15 sections
- Nativity Crafts for Kids: A Gentle Way to Tell the Story
- Simple Scene Crafts: Manger, Plate and Felt Board
- 1. Craft-stick manger
- 2. Paper plate nativity
- 3. Felt board nativity
- Hands-On Crafts: Angels, Stars and Figures
- 4. Handprint angels
- 5. Stained glass star
- 6. Toilet roll figures
- 7. Shepherd headband
- Story Time and Outdoor Play
- 8. Story stones
- 9. Cotton ball sheep
- 10. Star trail walk
- FAQ
Nativity Crafts for Kids: A Gentle Way to Tell the Story
The nativity story is one many families retell each December, and crafts give small hands a way to take part. This list keeps things simple and respectful: easy shapes, few supplies and a short story prompt with each craft. The story appears in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, and you can tell it in your own words or from a children's Bible you already own.
| Craft | Ages | Prep | Mess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft-stick manger | 3 and up | 10 minutes | Low |
| Paper plate nativity | 3 and up | 10 minutes | Medium |
| Story stones | 4 and up | 15 minutes | Medium |
| Handprint angels | 2 and up | 5 minutes | High |
| Stained glass star | 2 and up | 10 minutes | Low |
| Toilet roll figures | 3 and up | 10 minutes | Medium |
| Felt board nativity | 3 and up | 15 minutes | None |
| Shepherd headband | 3 and up | 10 minutes | Low |
| Cotton ball sheep | 3 and up | 5 minutes | Medium |
| Star trail walk | 2 and up | 5 minutes | None |
Simple Scene Crafts: Manger, Plate and Felt Board
1Craft-stick manger
Glue six craft sticks into a small open box shape with a sloped roof and add a pinch of raffia or shredded paper as hay. Place a tiny bundle of felt inside as a baby and tell the story in a sentence or two. Let it dry for an hour before play.
Ages: 3 and up (an adult builds the frame)
Prep: 10 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: craft sticks, craft glue, raffia or shredded paper, felt scrap
Safety: hay and bundles are small, so keep the finished manger out of reach of children under 3, and use a glue stick or white glue only.
- Glue a paper star on a stick behind it as a backdrop.
Everything for the manger and the scene crafts.
2Paper plate nativity
Cut a paper plate in half and glue the pieces into a stable with a brown roof, then add torn paper hay and a yellow star. Kids color or glue on simple figures cut from construction paper. The curved plate makes a sturdy little standing scene.
Ages: 3 and up
Prep: 10 minutes
Mess: Medium
Supplies: paper plates, construction paper, glue stick, crayons, scissors
Safety: an adult cuts the plate, and keep paper scraps off the floor for young children.
- Use paper figures with no faces so kids can add their own.
Basic supplies for plate and figure crafts.
3Felt board nativity
Cut simple shapes from felt: a stable, a star, a manger, sheep, and figures. Press them onto a felt-covered board or a baking sheet with a felt layer. Kids retell the story and rearrange pieces as they go. No glue, no mess, and the pieces store flat.
Ages: 3 and up
Prep: 15 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: felt sheets, scissors, a felt board or a framed felt piece
Safety: felt pieces are small, so use the big shapes and keep sets away from children under 3.
- Cut figures at least 3 inches tall so they stay easy to grab.
Reusable story pieces.
Hands-On Crafts: Angels, Stars and Figures
4Handprint angels
Paint a child's hand white and press it on blue or dark paper with fingers pointing down, so the hand makes the angel's gown. Add a paper circle head and a gold paper halo. A baby's footprint works as a smaller version.
Ages: 2 and up (an adult guides little hands)
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: High
Supplies: washable white paint, blue construction paper, gold paper, glue stick, wipes
Safety: use washable non-toxic paint, keep paint away from mouths and wipe hands right away.
- Write the year on the back for a keepsake.
Safe for handprints.
5Stained glass star
Cut a star frame from black paper, stick clear contact paper across the back and let kids press on squares of yellow, orange and gold tissue paper. Tape it to a window so the light shines through. Toddlers can stick the pieces on in any pattern.
Ages: 2 and up
Prep: 10 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: black paper, clear contact paper, tissue paper squares, tape
Safety: an adult cuts the contact paper, and keep the sticky side away from hair and tissue off the floor.
- Make a few stars in different sizes and hang them in a row.
The base for the stained glass star.
6Toilet roll figures
Wrap a cardboard tube in colored paper or felt, add a paper robe, a pipe cleaner headband or a small gold crown and a round paper head. Make three or four figures and stand them on a tray of straw. Faces stay blank so anyone can play.
Ages: 3 and up
Prep: 10 minutes
Mess: Medium
Supplies: cardboard tubes, colored paper, glue, pipe cleaners, paper circles
Safety: pipe cleaner ends are sharp, so an adult bends them over, and keep small parts away from under 3s.
- Save tubes in November so you have enough.
For headbands and crowns.
7Shepherd headband
Cut a strip of brown felt or paper, add a few paper stripes and tape it into a headband. Wear it for the story retelling or the star trail walk. Kids can make a matching sheep headband from a cotton ball and ears.
Ages: 3 and up
Prep: 10 minutes
Mess: Low
Supplies: brown paper or felt, tape, markers, stapler for adults
Safety: staples are for adults only, and use tape for toddlers.
- Make a few extra headbands so siblings can join in.
Story Time and Outdoor Play
8Story stones
Paint a star, a manger, a sheep, an angel and a crown on large smooth flat stones, then let them dry. Kids pull stones from a bag and retell the story. Use large stones only, at least the size of a child's fist, and keep play supervised.
Ages: 4 and up (large stones only; not for under 3)
Prep: 15 minutes
Mess: Medium
Supplies: large flat smooth stones, acrylic paint, paintbrush, clear sealer for adults
Safety: small stones are a choking hazard, so use stones bigger than a toilet paper tube hole and keep them away from children under 3.
- Seal with spray (adult only, outdoors) to protect the paint.
Everything for the story stones.
9Cotton ball sheep
Draw a sheep body on cardstock, then glue on cotton balls for wool and add a black paper face and legs. Kids can count how many sheep they make and tell the shepherd story. Great for a group craft.
Ages: 3 and up (not for under 3)
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: Medium
Supplies: cardstock, cotton balls, glue stick, black paper
Safety: cotton balls are a mouth and choking hazard for under 3s, so use tissue balls instead for little ones.
- Count the sheep together to the number of fingers.
10Star trail walk
Cut out ten large gold paper stars and tape them in a line along a hallway or garden path. Kids follow the stars from room to room until they reach the manger scene. Add a flashlight for an evening version.
Ages: 2 and up
Prep: 5 minutes
Mess: None
Supplies: gold paper or cardstock, tape, a manger scene
Safety: use painter's tape on the floor so it does not slip, and keep stars away from stairs.
- End the trail at your manger craft and tell the story there.
Nativity craft safety checklist
The story is the point. The crafts are only a way to hold it.
Supplies for nativity crafts
-
Craft sticks and craft glue
Typically $6 to $12
For the manger and the scene.
Check price on Amazon for Craft sticks and craft glue -
Felt sheets
Typically $6 to $14
For the felt board and headbands.
Check price on Amazon for Felt sheets -
Washable kids paint
Typically $8 to $15
For handprint angels and story stones.
Check price on Amazon for Washable kids paint -
Tissue paper
Typically $5 to $10
For the stained glass star.
Check price on Amazon for Tissue paper -
Clear contact paper
Typically $6 to $12
For the star window.
Check price on Amazon for Clear contact paper
More Christmas crafts are in our handprint Christmas crafts and keepsake cards, paper plate Christmas crafts by age and preschool Christmas crafts for ages 3 to 5. For a story-time companion, see our Christmas books for toddlers. The Christmas Activity Pack adds 24 days of printable fun.
Frequently asked questions
What are easy nativity crafts for toddlers?
Handprint angels, a stained glass star, a craft-stick manger and a felt board nativity are easy for toddlers with an adult building the frame and handling small parts.
What nativity crafts work for preschoolers?
Preschoolers like the paper plate nativity, toilet roll figures, shepherd headbands and cotton ball sheep. Adults handle scissors and glue guns.
How do I tell the nativity story to young kids?
Use a few short sentences in your own words or a children's Bible you own, and let kids move the figures as you tell it. The story appears in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.
Are story stones safe for toddlers?
Only large flat stones for ages 4 and up with supervision. Small stones are a choking hazard for children under 3, so use a felt board or paper figures instead.
Can I make nativity crafts without religious figures?
Yes. A star, a stable, sheep and angels can stand alone, and blank-faced paper figures let families keep the craft simple.
How long do nativity crafts take?
Most take 5 to 15 minutes, with a little drying time for paint and glue. Plan an hour for the manger to dry.
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