Supplies

• Bible
• music player
• CD or MP3 of quiet music
• small box or basket
• thick blanket
• 1 glow stick per child, plus 2 extras
• rubber bands for binding 2 glow sticks together to make a cross
• small bag of potting soil

Easy Prep

• Darken the room as much as possible.
• Set up a box or basket as a manger. Crack two glow sticks, use rubber bands to bind them together in a cross shape, and set the cross in the manger. Put uncracked glow sticks around the cross. Cover the cross with a thick blanket to obscure the light. 

Tip

• For safety reasons, it's better to use thicker glow sticks, as the thinner, bracelet glow sticks can break.

A Dark Night

          Turn off all the lights and darken the room as much as possible.

          Say: It’s dark in our room, just like the night Jesus was born. Sometimes, even though it’s light outside, we can feel dark or sad inside. We might feel sad, afraid, or lonely.

          Have preschoolers form small groups with a teenage or adult leader to discuss this question.

          Ask: • Tell about a time you felt sad, afraid, or lonely.

          Play music quietly while kids talk together. (This fills some of the background silence and makes it more comfortable for kids to share.)

          Say: When we go through dark times like the ones we’ve talked about, we need God’s love. God sent Jesus to be born! Jesus is the light of the world who came to show God’s love!

Angels Visit Shepherds

          Say: The Bible tells us that shepherds were out in a field that night, protecting their sheep from wild animals. Have kids imagine they are the shepherds in the dark field as you read aloud Luke 2:8-12, with expression. Turn on the lights.

          Say: I need your help celebrating this good news like the angels did.

          Read aloud Luke 2:13-14.

          Have kids pretend to be angels, crouch, and whisper “Glory to God” when your hand is low. Practice that. Have kids jump and shout “Glory to God” when your hand is high. Practice that.

          Say: There was one angel (hand low)

          And then more (hand medium)

          And then all the angels in heaven. (hand high)

          Do this again.

Heading to the Manger

          Say: After the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds hurried to find Jesus. And they found baby Jesus in the manger—just as the angel had said.

          Motion to the manger.

          Say: A manger is kind of like a big tub and is something you’d find in a barn. Animals eat out of a manger. It would be scratchy, dirty, and smelly!

          Read aloud Luke 2:6-7, and then have kids make baby crying sound effects. And the baby was in a dirty stable.

          Pass around the bag of potting soil and have kids smell it.

          Ask: • What would it be like to put a tiny baby in a dirty stable?

Shining God’s Light

          Have children gather around the manger; then turn off the lights.

          Say: Jesus was no ordinary baby; Jesus is God. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus came to show God’s love to a world that was dark with sadness, fear, and sin.

          Pull back the blanket to show the glow cross. Let kids take turns looking inside the manger.

          Give preschoolers each a glow stick, but tell them not to crack it.

          Ask: • What do you usually do with a glow stick like this?

          Say: The shepherds had the most important news in the world. They ran and told everyone about the light of the world. The shepherds wanted to tell everyone about the light of the world—Jesus.

          Let kids crack their glow sticks and hold them up high.

Light Party

          Tell kids to hurry and tell as many people as possible that Jesus is the light of the world before you call “Stop!”

          Say: That was fun! We can tell everyone that Jesus is the light of the world. We can celebrate and share this amazing gift of God’s love for us!