Advent is a season of celebrating the coming of our Savior and preparing our hearts in anticipation of His return. Participating in Advent guides us to remember and praise Jesus for giving us hope, peace, joy, and love in Him
As parents, we know that you’re always looking for ways to help your kids remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. We wanted to provide you with some helpful Advent resources to point your family to the gospel in this season.
Find one that would work best with your family and the ages of your children and carve out time each day and/or week leading up to Christmas Day to celebrate the coming Messiah.
1. Create an Advent Jesse Tree
The Jesse Tree is based on Isaiah 11:1, “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. “
Through this Advent guide, you and your family will read passages leading up to Jesus’ birth and color ornaments based on that Scripture. Create your own tree out of construction paper or put the ornaments on your big tree to see the whole story of Scripture.
To download and print the reading guide with ornaments, click here.
2. Jesus Storybook Bible
This one is perfect if you own Sally Lloyd-Jones’ book, The Jesus Storybook Bible. For every day of Advent, there is a printable ornament, and on the reverse of each ornament, there is a related story to read in The Jesus Storybook Bible and the Scripture passage it comes from. To download the guide, click here.
*If you don’t already have the Storybook Bible, you can find one at Amazon for $15 here.
3. Lifeway 4-Week Advent Family Guide
Use these devotions, activities, and connection questions to help your family rest in the love, peace, joy, and hope that only Jesus can bring. Show your kids that he is the reason for this beautiful season. Click here!
4. Prayer Garland
Create your own prayer garland with your family by cutting out 24 green and red construction paper strips. Help your kids think of names of family members, friends, ministries, places, unreached people groups, etc., and write them on the strips of paper. Staple the strips as links into one long garland. Hang the garland in your house as decoration.
Then, every day in December, have a family member remove one of the paper strips. As a family, pray for what is on that strip of paper.
5. More resources
Advent Blocks by GoodKind Advent Blocks Standard Set – GoodKind
ABC’s of Christmas Advent Cards by Tiny Theologians
Unwrapping the Names of Jesus Advent by Asheritah Ciuciu
Prepare Him Room Devotional by Marty Machowski
Advent Conversation Cards by Kids Read Truth Advent Conversation Cards
We hope that you’ll use these resources or others to invest in pointing your kids to Christ this Christmas season. The Kids Staff will be praying for you along the way and are here to help if you have any questions or need any ideas for resources. You can also check out all of our resources at mercyhillchurch.com/familyresourcecenter.
