LeeAnn G Taylor - Embracing the Mosaic Life

Trusting our broken pieces to the Ultimate Artist

  • About
    • About LeeAnn
    • Community
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Purposeful Living
    • Becoming Your Best Self
    • Advocating for Others
    • Marriage
    • Money & Possessions
    • Parenting
  • Perspective
    • Embracing Freedom
    • Recovering from Perfectionism
    • Releasing Control
    • Releasing Fear
    • Rest, Renewal & Reflection
    • Worship
  • Parenting With Purpose
  • Books
    • Books I’ve Read
    • My Writing

Advent Ideas & Children’s Christmas Books – Sharing the Story of Jesus With Kids

November 14, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

On Sunday during our fellowship time at church, a friend, a busy working mom with three kids, asked if I was planning a Christmas post similar to my Easter one, 10 Ways to Teach Kids About Easter.

The Easter post shares ten different ways parents can share the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection with their children using hands-on activities and books and she had enjoyed using the ideas to make the story come more alive for her kids.

Today I’m sharing similar resources for the Advent season and Christmas.

Be sure to read all the way to the end for a giveaway of an awesome prize pack of children’s Christmas books!

Celebrating Advent With Your Children

If you’re not familiar with the concept of Advent, it is simply taking the time before Christmas to anticipate Christ and celebrate Christmas, His coming to the earth. Generally Advent celebrations begin on December 1st and continue through Christmas Day.

Here are a few ways to celebrate Advent, the anticipation of Christ’s coming, with your children:

1. Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands by Amanda White

truthinthetinselcover

For preschool to elementary kids, this printable gives you 24 days of Scripture reading, ornament crafts, talking points and extension activities, plus fun printables and templates! If you’re not super crafty (like me), you can download the printable ornaments for your kids to color and hang instead and read the scripture reference each day.

Be sure to read to the end of this post to find out how to win your own copy of this great curriculum or click this link and use the code MOSAICLIFE to get 20% off. 

2. Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift

This absolutely gorgeous hardback book is designed to be read year after year for the Advent season. The quality of the book is such that I can imagine it becoming a book that is passed down to future generations.The illustrations remind me of The Jesus Storybook Bible illustrations and are just beautiful!

I received a copy from the publisher Tyndale for review and am absolutely thrilled to be using this book for Advent this year for our kids (ages 8, 5 and 2).

The book starts out where all books should start out, at the beginning! From creation to the flood to the story of Abraham, each day works through the Old Testament stories and progresses toward the ultimate revelation of Jesus as King.

Each day has a “Thoughts to Discuss” section and a “Family Activity” idea.

Neither of these sections are overwhelming and provide just enough “extra” to go deeper with older children. I also love the free printable ornaments you can download from Ann Voskamp’s site that go along with each day.

3. What God Wants for Christmas: An Interactive Nativity for Children by Barbara Rainey

What God Wants for Christmas

I’ve admired Dennis and Barbara Rainey from Family Life Today ever since I found out I was pregnant and knew I’d need some help with raising a child. The parenting process hasn’t come naturally to me and their practical advice has helped me along the way.

While I haven’t used this resource myself, it comes highly recommended online by other moms who have used it with their children to create meaningful conversations about Christ’s coming during the Advent season. The set includes nativity characters, a pop-up nativity scene, written materials, and an audio book on CD.

For more detailed info, you can listen to a conversation with Barbara and one of her children talking about how they use this resource on the Family Life Today radio show.

4. Read a Different Children’s Christmas Book Each Day in December

This was my friend Kathy’s idea and I think it’s a great one. Most kids love to sit and listen to a story being read aloud, so doing so during the days leading up to Christmas creates great time and space for creating happy family memories. Add hot cocoa and popcorn to story time and you can get almost any kid to sit and listen for a few minutes!

cocoa

I’d encourage you to look for Christmas books in your local used bookstore, ask friends for recommendations, or review the list below for some ideas. If you have a bit more time and want to create some mystery and excitement for your children, wrap each book ahead of time and allow your child to pick out the book and unwrap one each day to read.

You might not already have 25 Christmas books focusing on Jesus, but if you start now and add to your collection throughout the years, you’ll soon have plenty of books to choose from during the month of December.

A Review of Children’s Christmas Books

I’m excited to share these three books with you, as they’re some of the first in my own collection of children’s Christmas books that tell the story of Jesus.

Two of these are also included in the huge Children’s Christmas Book Prize Pack Giveaway at the end of this post, so you’ll have a chance to win your own copy too! Thank you to Cross Focused Reviews and Ambassador International for providing review copies and giveaways for my readers.

The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell

This hardback book has absolutely beautiful illustrations and tells the story of Jesus’ birth by focusing on how God kept His promise to send His people a new King. Perfect for preschool and early school-aged children, it is short enough to keep their attention and focuses on one theme, that Jesus is “a new King; a rescuing King; a forever King!”

Both of my kids (5 and 2) listened intently, fascinated by the slightly different approach to the story of the birth of Jesus. I love books that connect the Old Testament promises to the New Testament fulfillment of those promises and this is a great introduction to that theme for young children.

christmas promise

A Donkey’s Little Tale by R. Mitchell Scott

Oh, I just love this sweet book! Written from the perspective of the donkey as Mary rode to Bethlehem, the book is a poem of sets of two line rhymes sharing what the donkey must have experienced that particularly special late night.

There is a tenderness conveyed between Mary and Joseph that is precious. The different perspective of the donkey along with the rhyming words keeps the kids’ attention. The illustrations are simple, inspired by the author’s own clay figures, and are quite charming.

donkey

The Manger Mouse by Sarah Martin Byrd

This book tells the story of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of a little mouse named Matty. Young and insecure about his significance in the world, with his mother’s encouragement he becomes an integral part of Jesus’ first night as a newborn on earth.

The illustrations are done with beautiful pastels and are big and bold, good for little ones listening along with the story but not able to read yet.

In addition to the basic story of Jesus’ birth, there are so many lessons that can be drawn from this short story about the importance of our gifts, no matter how “small”, how God uses the unlikely to accomplish the important, and having courage in the face of uncertainty.

mouse

More Reader & Blogging Friend Favorites:

I asked around for more children’s Christmas book recommendations that tell the story of Christ and I’m thrilled to share even more great books from readers and other blogging friends online. These look amazing and I can’t wait to add some of them to our own collection!

20 Best Children's Christmas Books

Why Do We Call It Christmas? The REAL Story Behind the Holiday by Phil Vischer

Song of the Stars – Amanda W.

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree – Linda B.

The Gift of the Magi – Anne H.

The Legend of the Candy Cane – Martha Kate Stratton

The Three Gifts of Christmas – Amanda W.

The Little Match Girl – Anne H.

The King’s Christmas List – Amanda W.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier – Anne H.

Room for a Little One – Sarah E.

The Donkey’s Gift – Angela L.

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Deidra L.

The Pine Tree Parable – Amanda W.

The Tale of Three Trees – Daisy Rosales

The Littlest Angel – Heather K.

A Christmas Prayer – Amanda W.

The Wonder of Christmas – Amanda W.

Children’s Christmas Books Prize Pack GIVEAWAY!

update: this giveaway has ended

Some of my blogging friends and I have gathered together to offer a huge prize pack of children’s Christmas books. Enter the giveaway for a chance to win all 8 books plus the Advent resource, Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands.

If you win, you’ll be well on your way to building an awesome library of Christmas books for your kids to enjoy year after year.

We are all so excited to share these books with you!

Children's Christmas Book Giveaway

LeeAnn is giving away: A Donkey’s Little Tale, The Manger Mouse, and Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands

Gennie is giving away: The Polar Express

Ashley is giving away: The Berenstain Bears – The Joy of Giving

Susana is giving away: What is Christmas?

Britta is giving away: The Adventure of Christmas – Helping Children Find Jesus in Our Holiday Tradition

Nelle is giving away: The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet

One lucky person will win them all!

To have a chance to win, enter using the rafflecopter widget below. (Click here to enter if you can’t see the widget.) Giveaway is open to U.S. residents and ends Monday, November 17th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This post contains affiliate links {full disclosure}.

 

Sharing with Faith & Fellowship, Advent Ideas Linkup, The Missional Weekend, Mommy Monday, and The Mommy List.

Parenting With Purpose: Reflection & Renewal – PLUS, Enter to WIN our Favorite Things {$250 in Prizes}

October 27, 2014 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

I just returned home yesterday from Allume, a Christian women’s blogging conference. It was a beautiful time of connection, reflection, and renewal.

While the logistics with childcare were a bit tricky this week, I’ve found that getting away for even just a day or two for a women’s retreat or conference allows me to return home refreshed. This means I’m a better mom and wife when I come home than when I left. It’s hard to argue with that benefit!

As you seek to parent with purpose, I’d encourage you to start looking at options for getting away for a few days yourself. Plan to attend your church’s women’s retreat or look for one of these in your area: Extraordinary Women Conference, Living Proof Live, Women of Faith.

Invest in your own spiritual development as a mom and you’ll come home a better and more purposeful parent!

Now For the Giveaway!

While away this past week, I met lots of blogging friends in person who I’d previously met only online. It was an incredible time of relationship building with lots of laughter!

There were so many moments of blessings and now I’d like to bless YOU! Some of my blogging friends and I have joined together to provide our readers with a fun giveaway this week of some of our favorite things.

As we head into the Thanksgiving season, this is just a little way to say “thank you” for the incredible blog readers and friends you are.

Enter to win below using the Rafflecopter form {email subscribers, click over to the blog to enter}. There are up to 58 entries available per person, so you have a great chance of winning this amazing prize pack. The winner will receive the items mailed directly to them by each participating blogger.

I’d love for the winner to be from The Mosaic Life community, so enter away! The giveaway ends October 31st, so if you’d like to use any of these items as Christmas gifts and you’re the winner, you should receive them in plenty of time.

everydayfavorites2

  • Kayse is giving away a collection of Martha Stewart Office Items.
  • Britta is giving away a Conair Power Facial Cleanser
  • Jennifer is giving away a “Be Still” print.
  • Monica is giving away a Let It Go (by Karen Ehman) Study Pack!
  • Erika is giving away a super cute coffee cozy of your choice.
  • Carey is giving away Cravings, a daily devotional for moms.
  • Kristin is giving away 2 books by Angie Smith – For Such a Time as This & Audrey Bunny.
  • Anna is giving away a candle, tea, and chocolate.
  • Bethany is giving away a Ginger & Lime Sugar Scrub & a 5ml bottle of Wild Orange Essential Oil.
  • Jamie is giving away a Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.
  • Amanda is giving away a framed print and a $10 gift card to Starbucks.
  • LeeAnn is giving away a set of linen notecards.

Enter to Win! {Rafflecopter}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for more ideas and resources for Parenting With Purpose as you create a God-centered home? You can find the whole series here.

Parenting With Purpose: Reflection & Renewal for Moms

This post contains affiliate links {full disclosure}.

Blog Topics

Recent Posts

  • The Legend of the Sand Dollar – An Easter Object Lesson
  • Happy New Year!
  • 10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Easter (at Home — COVID-19 Edition)
  • You Have the Power…it’s IN You!
  • Sequin Sparkle and Change Bible Review
  • She Reads Truth Bible: Review
  • Love Does for Kids: Book Review & Giveaway
  • Ellie Claire Art Journals: Cultivating Creativity
  • The Study Bible for Women: CSB Version | A Review
  • Family Honor Plate & Table Thyme Discussion Cards Review

Disclosure Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Beautiful Pro Theme - Site Design by Mosaic Media