This is my second go-around teaching Picture a Christmas. You can find my original singing time lesson plan HERE where the kids (or I for Jr. primary) draw the nativity items on the board with colored chalk.
To teach the song this year, I created a digital nativity set! That said, if you own an actual nativity set, please, go ahead and use it for this song. Since this song is so visual, it would be fun to create a live nativity with the primary kids as well!
You can download the stable and the rest of the nativity images using the access resource button at the bottom of this post. The stable prints on 4 pages so it will be large enough to fit the rest of the pieces.
I printed mine on white card stock, cut them out, laminated, then attached sticky magnet tape I bought from Walmart to the backsides. Amazon sells it too:
Now, to teach this song, start with the chorus. It frames out the theme beautifully – all centered around Christ. Sing the chorus to the kids as you put up the image of baby Jesus. Then post the 5 keywords around/below him (similar to how it’s pictured above). Ask the kids the following questions and sing the chorus after so they can listen for the answers:
- Why should we think of Jesus’ life and why are his words so dear?
- Why do we sing praise to Him?
- Why should we remember Him?
Have the kids begin to sing the chorus with you. Repeat until they know it well. Then remove everything from the board. Begin to build the nativity following each song phrase (stable, 3 small star clusters, angel, large star, baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, shepherds & sheep). Sing the phrase to the kids, add the image to the board, then have the kids sing the phrase with you. Repeat until all images are on the board, creating a full nativity scene and the song has been sung several times through.
Time permitting, tell the kids to take a “picture” of the nativity scene and start removing items, repeating singing the song through each time an item is removed. Repeat until the pictures are removed and the song has been sung several times. This could also be done as a follow-up lesson for review!! Play “what’s missing?” by secretly removing an item and as you sing the song, the kids can figure out what’s missing. Put it back, then repeat until each item has had an opportunity to be removed and the song reviewed several times!
You can find all my Christmas lesson plans HERE in case you are teaching songs other than what I’m doing this year. Or you can also go to the “Song Index” tab above and search for any Christmas songs you are teaching – I may have a lesson plan for it if it’s from the Children’s Songbook along with a few secular songs like Jingle Bells and Carol of the Bells (bell charts for both of these).
I came across another fun way to teach this song HERE using finger lights! In the comments is a video of the actions. Give each child 2 finger lights, one for each hand then do the actions with the lights off!
Check out this quick tutorial video for accessing the Resource Library:
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > Picture a Christmas.
3 thoughts on “Picture a Christmas II”
This is so wonderful! Thank you! I love the nativity images.
This is so lovely! I was hoping to use this for my primary, but I’m unable to find the printable in the resource library (Picture a Christmas isn’t listed). If possible, I’d super appreciate if you could add it back. Until then, I’m still using this idea and just tweaking it a bit because it’s seriously SO GOOD!
Thank you for always having the best lesson plans! With me being a full-time student, mother of three, working on the side, and having this calling, I don’t really have the time I wish I did to devote to coming up with fun plans, so I REEEEEALLY appreciate you! You’re an honest to goodness lifesaver! Thanks again!
Hi Jayshree,
Sorry for the confusion. I just checked on my Resource Library and it is there. If you scroll down under the “Song Title” to the “P” section, Picture a Christmas is listed. I’ve emailed you all the direct links, hopefully that helps.
~Camille