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How to Put on a Kids' Christmas Pageant at Home

Reinact the Christmas Story of Jesus' Birth this Holiday Season

© Julie Pirkle

Nov 22, 2008
Away in the manager, (C) Julie Pirkle
With a little creativity and a few inexpensive props, your kids can star in their own Christmas pageant, acting out Jesus' birth to an audience of friends and family.

Kids will be thrilled to don homemade costumes and take on the persona of Mary, Joseph and the wise men, among others this holiday season, and act out the Christmas story right in their very own living room. Re-enacting the Christmas story of Jesus' birth is the perfect way to teach kids about the true meaning of Christmas, and is certain to become a beloved tradition year after year for both the actors and the audience members.

What You Will Need:

  • A Bible
  • A baby doll wrapped in a blanket
  • Angel costume (Angel wings and halo will do.)
  • Three crowns (Paper crowns can usually be purchased at your local party store. If you have a few Burger King crowns on hand, they work great too!)
  • Solid-colored, adult-sized t-shirts and/or bath robes; one for each kid participating.
  • A blue throw blanket or piece of fabric
  • Colorful fabric pieces cut into approximately 3' x 3' squares; one for Joseph and the number of shepherds of your choosing.
  • Fabric strips, approximately 2" x 1'
  • Three empty gift boxes with lids in varying sizes

Prepare for the Christmas Pageant

  • Choose a kid to play each part in your Christmas pageant. Roles can be adjusted, depending on how many kids are participating, but ideally, you will cast a Mary, Joseph, angel, three wise men and two shepherds.
  • Dress kids up in their costumes. Each participant can wear a t-shirt or robe except the angel. The "angel" will dress up in the angel costume. The "wise men" wear the crowns. "Mary" should drape the blue blanket over her head like a scarf. The shepherds should do the same with one of the fabric pieces. Use the fabric strips to adhere the fabric pieces to the "Shepherds'" heads by tying it around their head like a bandana.
  • Place baby Jesus in the center of the room or have "Mary" hold the baby. If an infant is part of your family, you may choose to substitute him/her for the doll by placing your baby in his/her infant carrier.
  • "Mary" and "Joseph" should kneel behind "baby Jesus."
  • The "angel" should stand behind "Mary" and "Joseph."
  • Give each of your three wisemen one of the empty gift boxes. Have the "wisemen" kneel on one side of "baby Jesus."
  • Position the "shepherds" on the other side of "baby Jesus."

Kids' Pageant Performances

  • Have the kids that are able to read pass around the Bible and read the Christmas story for their audience of family and friends. The Christmas story can be found in Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2:1-12.
  • When possible, pageant participants should act out their parts. For example, when the passage comes about the wise men presenting their gifts to Jesus, your "wise men" can act out this gesture.
  • Once the kids have finished reading the Christmas story, have them sing Away in the Manager and Silent Night.

Christmas Pageant Tips

  • If you have access to a camcorder, video tape your Christmas pageant performance. Kids will love to watch themselves on TV, and the video will become a treasured keepsake.
  • Don't forget to take lots of pictures both during and after the Christmas pageant. Audience members will enjoy posing with pageant participants as well.

Putting on a Christmas pageant to reinact Jesus' birth is sure to become a beloved family tradition and a gift to both participants and audience members. Afterall, Jesus is the reason for the season, and what better way to drive home this point than to put on your very own production for family and friends.


The copyright of the article How to Put on a Kids' Christmas Pageant at Home in Kids Holiday Activities is owned by Julie Pirkle. Permission to republish How to Put on a Kids' Christmas Pageant at Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


Away in the manager, (C) Julie Pirkle
        


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Comments
Dec 11, 2008 8:54 AM
Guest :
I have read of many churches celebrating Christmas with Pageants that include an actual baby portraying the role of 'baby Jesus'. Our first child Ruth, was born December 12th, 1981 and was chosen to be 'baby Jesus' for our church's (Reba Place Fellowship) Christmas Eve service. Last year, our grandson, Charlie, born on Oct. 19th 2008, was chosen, also at Reba Place Fellowship. But in prison no such ritual exists.

I wasn't even thinking about babies being in Christmas plays back in 1972. This was yet another year in prison, the difference being this was my first Christmas as a christian. The Christmas service held new meaning for me as we sang the traditional Christmas Carols bringing with it a hope for a new life with a redeemed future. Christian volunteers were a part of our service at the U. S. Medical Center for Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.

As our service wound to completion a cry was heard. The faint
whimpering of a baby. My first thought was that I wasn't hearing what I thought I had heard. I had been in prison for many years and had never even seen a baby inside of a prison (not counting my infrequent times in the visiting room.) But there it was again, a baby crying. Someone, a volunteer, had brought their baby into the service wrapped in a blanket unnoticed by the guards. I then thought, there was our 'baby
Jesus'. The parents of the yet unknown child were the children of an older couple (Lloyd and Nita Colbaugh) who had only a few years previously began their ministry to the prison. Even the great-grandmother, (Mom Carter) was a volunteer and had played a significant role in my own conversion, telling me that God had a plan for my life.

Life would go on and the incident of 'baby Jesus' coming to prison would fade to a memory, until the baby grew up and now is known throughout many countries far and wide as acclaimed Christian
singer/songwriter Sara Groves. I hope this story adds to your appreciation of the life of Sara and her family.
John C Thomson
Dec 11, 2008 9:24 AM
Julie Pirkle :
Thanks for sharing!
2 Comments
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