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.

(Check out the preschool/kindergarten version HERE!)

shop the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade version

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

• Saddleback Kids has a video about Jesus and 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!

The Christmas Bible story of the Shepherds and Angels is a joyful story that helps get kids excited about the Christmas season. This story highlights the angelic announcement to the shepherds and their journey to meet the newborn Savior, making it perfect for keeping younger kids engaged. There are plenty of creative ideas for kid-friendly videos, fun crafts, interactive worksheets, and easy-to-follow lesson plans that bring this story to life.

The Story of the shepherds and the angels

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”. These famous words are sung in various forms in Christmas songs during the holiday season and come from the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds.

Luke 2:8-20 tells the story of the Shepherds and Angels. The shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, watching their flocks at night. Suddenly, a heavenly host of angels appeared to them. They told the shepherds of the arrival of the newborn Jesus. The shepherds immediately went to find Jesus and spread the word about him.

The Shepherds and Angels Bible Lessons

Are you looking for an easy way to teach about the Angel’s Visit to Shepherds? Grab a scripted lesson and printable craft perfect for 3-8-year-olds.

(See the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade Version HERE!)

Shop the Preschool/Kindergarten version

Background Information About The Shepherds

Shepherds were considered among the lowest people in society. Given that culture was based on status, this meant that most people looked down on shepherds. Yet, despite this, God chose the shepherds to be the first people to hear about Jesus. This is a beautiful reminder that God doesn’t care what society says about people. God thinks everyone is important!

Printable Crafts: The Shepherds and Angels

For a simple way to teach this Christmas Bible story, use our print-and-go lessons about the angels and shepherds.   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.

Pasture Scene Christmas Craft for Preschool

A printable Christmas craft for preschool and kindergarten. 

This printable Stars in the Sky craft is perfect for preschool. Kids will cut and paste the shepherds and angels onto the background. Then use stickers to decorate the night sky above the shepherds and their sheep.

Sheep Craft for Older Kids

A printable Bible craft for kids in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades. 

Your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders will love this sheep made from folding paper like a fan. Using the template pieces provided in the bigger kids Bible lesson, kids will assemble a little sheep by accordion-folding a strip of paper and affixing the head and tail pieces to either end of the folded paper.

More Shepherd, Sheep, and Angel Crafts

• Be sure to check out my blog post “Gabriel and Mary - The Christmas Story” for several fabulous angel craft ideas, including a hand-print angel.

• Trueway Kids has a cute shepherd craft, with an accompanying YouTube instructions video.

• For a more involved, probably multi-day craft, check out this Christmas story craft idea from Let Their Light Shine.

Reading about the Nativity

Reading about the Symbols of the Nativity Story might help older kids make connections and form a deeper understanding of the story. This lesson includes reading from the Bible, comprehension questions, and a final craft to tie it all together.

YouTube videos about the shepherds and angels

• Saddleback Kids has a short video about Jesus and the Shepherds.

• Crossroads Kids’ Club has a great video describing how Jesus’ birth is part of God’s great story. It dives into the Old Testament with information about sin entering the world and how Jesus was part of God’s plan to fight sin. This video also includes an angel appearing to Mary, an angel appearing to Joseph, and the heavenly host appearing to shepherds.

• Crossroad Kids’ Club lands it again with another great video called Storytellers: Shepherds and Baby Jesus. This video describes why shepherds were so important, even though many people looked down on them. 

• 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 shepherds were the first people to meet Jesus and worship him. This is a wonderful story to invite students into worshiping Jesus too. Whether in Sunday School, in a faith-based school, or at home, there are plenty of ways to engage students in the Nativity story.

Please note: This post was written in 2016. Much of the technology referenced in this post is now outdated. The post has been left up for archive purposes.

In the fall, my school did an in-school Professional Development day.  It was a 'best practices day' and a few teachers were asked to present on something that was working well in their classroom, or something they felt confident to teach to others.  I love technology!  My classroom has a projector and an iPad, and I was asked to present on how I effectively use a single iPad to instruct and teach in an elementary classroom. 

There are many ways to use a single iPad effectively in an elementary classroom. 

I was nervous, but I have to say, it went really well!  So well, in fact, that I'll be giving another pro-D talk later on this year to a larger group of staff!  (Wish me luck!)  Our school may not have a huge technology budget for the elementary department, but with a little creativity, there are still many ways to use technology to make students' classroom experiences better.  Even before I was given a projector for my classroom (only two years ago now), I was finding creative ways to use a single iPad, or an old iPod touch to add to the learning environment.  

This is the PDF I handed out at my presentation.  It walks through hardware needed to set-up, apps for teachers, apps for students, and effective classroom uses.  Please feel free to use it at your school, keeping my logos and copyrights in tact. 

Guide to the One iPad Classroom 

- Rachel