KIDS: MAKE A PAPER NATIVITY

Kid's Christmas Craft: Easy to make nativity with Joseph, Mary,
Baby Jesus in a manger, sheep, donkey and stable. 3D Stand up paper creche

Teachers Guide for making the children's Christmas Nativity - Creche

Kid's Perfect Paper Nativity - stand up 3D


Regular or LARGE size
sets


What is a nativity?
What is the Nativity?

"Nativity" pretty much means "Birth". The word's origin is usually credited to be from "natal" a Latin word meaning "birth".
"The Nativity" has come to mean the birth of Jesus. It is also extended to mean enacting the the birth of Jesus. A nativity, a nativity scene or a nativity set has also come to mean a group of figurines of most any material that depicts the birth of Jesus. A nativity may be as simple as a figure of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in or in front of a stable. A nativity may also be a grand depiction with figures of Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, three wise men (or three kings), and angels and shepherds, the grand gifts of the wise men: gold, myrrh, frankincense, camels, cows, sheep, other animals, the donkey Mary rode in on and a brilliant star over the stable!

At this time our nativity scene includes 6 stand up pieces: Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus in a manger, the stable with 2 sheep out back, the donkey Mary rode to Bethlehem, and a standing sheep.

It looks harder than it is! All that is needed is to guide the children to cut carefully and to fold or re-fold on all dashed lines.

Where does the nativity scene belong in your house? Almost anywhere! Tradition has it that it goes under the Christmas tree, but many homes put it on a special table. It can go on the kitchen table, on your dresser, on a night stand or any place of honor in your house.

For older kids, it can be considered a PERSONAL NATIVITY FOR YOUR ROOM.

What is a creche?
What is a creche?

A creche is The Nativity scene by another name. In old French, it was from a word like "(baby) crib", but has become popular in the american language as just another way to say, The Nativity". Seems it can be spelled both ways, and sometimes creche has an accent over the second "c".
Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2: 1-20
2-6 (grade 1 if good cutters)
Sunday School Christmas Craft

Copies of the activity pages for each student
-please use the heaviest paper possible.
Markers or crayons
Scissors
Glue (white glue would be better than glue sticks)
Tape

Teacher
Choose from
1 the colored set
2 uncolored set
3 the 50/50 set that can be printed on a black and white printer, you don't need to color the stable just the figures.

Read the instructions before class so you can guide the kids.

Make the stable first and let it dry while making the figures.

The nativity scene setup would be that Mary is kneeling at the manger with baby Jesus in it. Joseph is bringing an oil lamp to Mary (remember they had no electricity then). Tell the children this setup idea, but be prepared for individualistic interpretations.

Manger: A box, usually wood, filled with hay that the animals in the stable would eat from.

Oil Lamp: Instead of lights like we have today, the people in Jesus' time used clay lamps, (sometimes they looked a lot like a Thanksgiving gravy server). The lamp would be filled with olive oil or other oil and lit (set on fire) - something like a candle would be.

 
Both size nativities use the same instructions

1 Color the stable if you have chosen the Nativity set to color.

2.Cut out the stable. LOOK WHERE EDGE 1 Is and where GLUE 1 is!
Be sure to cut in the doorway top

 3 Put glue on both the words GLUE 1 and align it under edge 1
4 Tape over the glued joint on the back 5 Glue back the door flaps for stability (yes you might cover your tape.)
6 Fold on every dashed line! (So you see the dashes at the folds) 7 Put glue on both words GLUE 2 then bring EDGE 2 over GLUE 2. "Close up the box" (If needed, then tape from the inside.) 8 If you have folded on all the dashed lines, the roof should come together like this. Put a glue dot on all 5 glue flaps and tuck them in.

9 Color if you have chosen the uncolored version. For best results, color the front and back of the figure the same color.

So both views of Mary should be the same color. Tradition has Mary wearing Blue (for virginity)

 10 Rough cut the figures on the DOTTED LINES ( to separate the figures for easiest cutting.) 11 Cut out all the figures on the outside line.
   
12 Fold on every dashed line of every figure.
(there are only 2 per figure so it's easy, but be careful or they won't stand) 		13 Put a glue dot on the INSIDE (uncolored side) of Mary's Head. Match as best you can the top back to the top front of Mary's head.
You may re-press your folds to make her stand up. 		14 Repeat step 12 for Joseph.
15. For the sheep and donkey, put a dot of glue on the inside of the head AND also a thin line of glue along his back to the tail. See the arrow on the uncut paper. 16. For baby Jesus, put glue on the 4 places it says "GLUE" (It should already have been folded on all the dashed lines. 17 Fold the sides with the glue flaps down first. Bring the flaps without glue over them. Press your finger together on each glue flap to help them stick. (Tape if needed)

18 Your figures can fit inside the stable but you can let them stay outside - whatever you choose.  

These are all provided as Microsoft Word Documents to minimize printing issues. You will be asked if you prefer to open or save the file. The choice is yours. (You can always save it after you open it as another option.)
PRINT ON HEAVIEST PAPER POSSIBLE - this is essential for LARGE STABLE
Click the button below to get the one you want.
Regular: stable is 3 3/4" tall x 4" wide x 2 1/2' deep (2 Pages) Personal Nativity
LARGE: Stable is 5' tall x 5 1/4" wide x 3 1/4" deep (3 pages)

 

Already colored
         Nativity
         Use color printer.
         Regular size

50/50 Nativity
        to color figures,         but no need
        to color stable.
        Use color printer
        or black and white         printer. Regular size


Nativity to color

        Use color printer
        or black and white         printer.Regular size

   

Nativity to color
         LARGE SIZE
         Use color printer
        or black and          white printer.
         5 x 5 1/4 x 3 1/4
        

 Print the large size nativity stable on heaviest paper your printer will allow - light card stock is ideal!