Teaching children about The Wise Men’s Visit to Jesus can be a fun and meaningful way to explore the Christmas story. This Christmas Bible story offers a chance to introduce kids to the journey of the Magi, their gifts, and the significance of their visit in a way that captures their imagination. In this blog, you’ll find ideas for engaging videos, simple crafts, printable worksheets, and easy-to-follow lesson plans. Whether you're a teacher, parent, or children's ministry leader, these ideas are perfect for making the story of the Wise Men accessible and enjoyable for kids.
The Story of the Wise Men
Matthew 2:1-12 tells the story of the Wise Men. Wise men from the East saw a star appear in the sky. Knowing this star meant the arrival of the King of the Jews, they traveled to Jerusalem. They went to King Herod and asked where the new king was.
Herod was troubled by this and asked the chief priests where the Messiah was to be born. They told him that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem to find the child and send word of the child’s location.
The wise men found Jesus and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But they did not return to Herod because they had been warned in a dream. Herod was furious and had all the baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem and the surrounding region killed. But God told Joseph in a dream, so they fled to Egypt.
The Story of the Wise Men - Bible Lessons for Kids
Are you looking for an easy way to teach about the wise men this Christmas? Grab a scripted lesson and printable craft that is perfect for kids aged 3-8.
Background Information about the Wise Men and Star
Many Christmas cards, stories, and Nativity scenes have the wise men arriving while Jesus is still in the manger. However, this isn’t how the Bible describes it. The wise men visited Jesus in a house. It was a while after Jesus was born, so he was probably a toddler.
Stories and songs like “We Three Kings” have led many people to believe there were three wise men who visited Jesus. But again, this is not how the Bible describes it. We don’t know how many wise men there were. The Bible does tell us there were three gifts given to Jesus, and this is where many people assume that there were also three wise men.
Printable Bible Lessons and Crafts - The Wise Men
For an easy way to teach the Christmas story about wise men, use our print-and-go lessons. These engaging lessons need almost no preparation and include a scripted lesson plan, a printable craft or activity, and a take-home worksheet to keep caregivers in the loop.
A Sparkly Star Craft for Preschool
A sparkly star Christmas craft for preschool and kindergarten.
A Star in the Sky is the perfect craft for preschool-aged kids. In this printable craft, kids will create a sparkling star using glitter to make the star sparkle. It’s a great way to help little learners get hands-on with the star in our story. The star pointed the wise men towards Jesus. Tell students that when they look at their sparkly star, they can remember Jesus and the big rescue plan God made through His son.
Star Ornament Craft for Bigger Kids
Kids in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades will love this 3D star ornament that can be hung on their Christmas tree or on their fridge at home. For step-by-step instructions and a star template, check out ‘The Wise Men.’ Just like the wise men used the star to find Jesus, your students can look at the star on their Christmas tree and be reminded of the real reason for the season!
More Wise Men and Star Crafts
Creative Station has a step-by-step paper plate craft where kids create a silhouette of wise men in a desert scene. By attaching a popsicle stick to the bottom of the wise men's silhouette, kids can move the wise men across the desert.
This paper plate crown from the Meaningful Mama is a cute idea to help kids remember the story of Jesus and the wise men.
If you desire to use paint, this hand-print-wisemen craft from the Parenting Patch is perfect for preschool-aged kids!
Reading about the Nativity
Reading the nativity story directly from the Bible is a great way to help older kids dive deeper. This reading activity looks at eight key symbols from the traditional Christmas story. It includes passages from the Bible, comprehension questions, and a final craft to tie it all together.
CHRISTMAS WORKSHEETS
For easy printable activities, check out Christmas Morning Work for Kindergarten or these Bible-based Christmas worksheets for older kids.
YouTube videos about the Wise Men
Here’s another video by Saddleback Kids that animates Matthew 2:1-14
For a 30-minute show of the whole Nativity story, check out The Beginner’s Bible “The Nativity”.
NEED MORE CHRISTMAS LESSONS?
Want to continue the series? This lesson is part of a four-lesson set designed to be taught in the weeks before Christmas.
The story of the wise men brings a close to the Christmas story, but it’s more of a punctuation mark in the grand story of Jesus. It’s a story of wonder, excitement, danger, and celebration. Enjoy teaching it to your kids!