Toddler Advent Reading & Activity Plan

I just wanted to share the Advent Reading & Activity Plan I made to do with my toddler this year (she'll be 22 months old when we do it). I've had several friends ask me for the plan when I told them about it, so I thought others might like to have it as a resource, as well. Feel free to use, not use, or modify whatever you want.

The Reading Plan:

Here's the reading calendar I made (based on the Jesus Storybook Bible). We'll read those, along with the Bible verses listed, at dinner with Daddy as our family devotional time. 

November 29: The Story & The Song  |  Psalm 19  |  CANDLE 1
November 30: The Story & The Song  |  Psalm 19
December 1: The Story & The Song  |  Hebrews 1
December 2: The Beginning: A Perfect Home  |  Genesis 1
December 3: The Beginning: A Perfect Home  |  Genesis 1
December 4: The Beginning: A Perfect Home  |  Genesis 2
December 5: The Terrible Lie  |  Genesis 3
December 6: The Terrible Lie  |  Genesis 3  |  CANDLE 2
December 7: God to the Rescue  |  Exodus 11
December 8: God to the Rescue  |  Exodus 12
December 9: God to the Rescue  |  Exodus 13
December 10: Ten Ways to Be Perfect  |  Exodus 16
December 11: Ten Ways to Be Perfect  |  Exodus 17
December 12: The Teeny-Weenie ... True King  |  1 Samuel 16
December 13: The Teeny-Weenie ... True King  |  1 Samuel 16  |  CANDLE 3
December 14: Operation “No More Tears!”  |  Isaiah 9, 11
December 15: Operation “No More Tears!”  |  Isaiah 40, 50
December 16: Operation “No More Tears!”  |  Isaiah 53, 55, 60
December 17: Get Ready!  |  Nehemiah 8-10
December 18: Get Ready!  |  Malachi 1, 3, 4
December 19: Get Ready!  |  Ezra 7
December 20: He’s Here  |  Luke 1-2  |  CANDLE 4
December 21: He’s Here  |  Luke 1-2
December 22: He’s Here  |  Luke 1-2
December 23: The Light of the Whole World  |  Luke 2
December 24: The Light of the Whole World  |  Luke 2
December 25: The Light of the Whole World  |  Luke 2
December 26: The King of All Kings  |  Matthew 2
December 27: The King of All Kings  |  Matthew 2  |  CANDLE 5

I based this plan off of one I found online that had a different story each day, but I customized ours so there would be more repetition of the stories since she's still pretty young. The one with a different story each day would be great for older toddlers or preschoolers, so I'll be referencing it in the future, I'm sure!

I also customized my plan to start at the beginning of Advent (rather than on Dec 1), and I extended it to the 27th to wrap things up after the dust settles a bit.

The Activity Calendar:

These are the activities I made to coincide with the readings (or some don't too). I got a lot of my ideas from this lady who made activities to go with the original reading plan I found. I also got many of the ideas from my sister. 

I changed a lot of them to fit with our schedule (such as just reading a book on days we're going to visit family, etc.) and to simplify them—for my sake and because my kiddo is still pretty young. One note: some of the activities require toys and books we have around our house already. You could probably pretty easily modify these to use books and supplies you have.

November 29
The word "ADVENT" means "Coming" (just like when we say daddy is COMING home). Jesus' birthday is coming soon, when we celebrate the day He was born as a baby. Each day for the next four weeks, we'll get ready to celebrate Jesus' Birthday on Christmas Day by opening an Advent surprise like this one!! I wonder what tomorrow's surprise will be!
[Tape A-D-V-E-N-T letters on wall]

November 30
Christmas is the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday, the day he was born! The Bible tells us the story of his birth many years ago. Let's read the story together from a book now.
[Read “The Story of Christmas”]

December 1
Christmastime is a great time to give to those in need. We like to show Jesus’ love to others just like He showed His love to us by coming as a man to rescue us. Let’s give to children in need today by choosing one of these gifts for them.
[Choose gifts from Compassion catalog]

December 2
Let’s make a sweet Christmas treat today! Christmas cookies are a fun way to celebrate.
[Make sugar cookies and decorate them together]

December 3
God made everything! He made the trees. Sometimes we like to celebrate Christmas by decorating trees like this one in our house! Let’s read about the things He made and make a little tree now.
[Read “Poems and Prayers” poems about what God made, make a green paper Christmas tree with ornament stickers]

December 4
God made a perfect home for Adam and Eve, didn’t He? Let’s think about that while we make our own home more beautiful by hanging these pretty ornaments on the Christmas tree.
[Hang 5-10 ornaments together]

December 5
Let’s color a fun Christmas picture together today. This is a picture of the day Jesus was born. Jesus is a special baby. Can you find Jesus? What else do you see in the picture?
[Color Nativity picture]

December 6
One thing people like to do to celebrate Christmas is make gifts and greetings for each other. Let’s make some cards for our librarians to deliver when we see them.
[Make Christmas cards using paper, stickers, and markers]

December 7
While we wait for Jesus’ birthday, let’s go to the library to deliver our cards and get a Christmas book to read today!
[Bring cards to librarians and get a book to read that day]

December 8
Passover, which we are learning about in our Devotions, is also known as the feast of unleavened bread. God’s people left Egypt quickly and didn’t have time for their bread to rise (or leaven). So they eat this special bread when they celebrate Passover.
[Eat Matzo bread, listen to Passover song, and watch Passover video] 

December 9
Moses and his sister and God’s people danced and sang and made music, praising God for His protection. You can make music to God, too. One great way to celebrate Christmas is with music!
[Make a jingle bell instrument (bells on pipe cleaner), gather other instruments, and listen to Christmas music and play along]

December 10
God provided for His people as they wandered in the desert by giving them manna to eat every day. He provides for us, too. Let’s pretend to eat some manna together while we watch a special Christmas movie.
[Eat “manna” (frosted flakes) and watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas”]

December 11
Candy Canes can remind us of Jesus at Christmastime. Let’s read a poem about candy canes and then make a candy cane!
[Read Candy Cane Poem and then make candy cane craft]

December 12
Candy Canes can remind us of Jesus at Christmas time since they look like a "J" upside-down and "J" is the first letter in Jesus' name! [Hold up like a “J”] They also remind us of a shepherd’s crook (read book and explain about how Jesus is our Shepherd and what a crook is), like King David talks about in Psalm 23.
[Read “The Lord is my Shepherd” book and then share candy cane treat]

December 13
Let’s write letters to your grandparents today, wishing them a Merry Christmas and telling them how much Jesus loves them.
[Write letters on Christmas paper and mail them]

December 14
There are lots of fun stories, pretend and real, about Christmas. The stories about Jesus from the Bible are true stories. Let’s read some make-believe, pretend stories now.
[Read “The Silver Christmas Tree” and “Clifford’s Christmas”]

December 15
Let’s celebrate Christmastime by making a pretty decoration for our Christmas tree today!
[Make paper chain and hang on tree]

December 16
God announced the news of Jesus’ birth by having a very bright star shine down on Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Let’s make a pretty sparkly star today!
[Make star of David out of popsicle sticks, glue, and glitter]

December 17
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Here is a picture of the star over Bethlehem, shining on the place where Jesus was born. Jesus is a very special baby! Let’s color this picture while we listen to a song about Bethlehem.
[Color Bethlehem picture and listen to “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and other Christmas music]

December 18
One way we can announce good news like Jesus’ birth is by blowing a trumpet loud for all to hear! Let’s read a story about trumpeting the Good News and then make a trumpet.
[Read Good News, page 66, in “Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing” and make a horn (cone) out of yellow construction paper.]

December 19
We like to celebrate Christmas by spending time with the people we love. Let’s read a book about that as we visit with our family this weekend!
[Read “Willow at Christmastime”]

December 20
Let’s read a Christmas story about one of your favorite friends, Charlie Brown!
[Read "Charlie Brown Christmas"]

December 21
Today we can read the Nativity Story in Mom's Bible. We can act it out with our little nativity people while I read.
[Read Luke 2 in Bible, use Little People nativity to reenact the story]

December 22
See how mom's tummy is betting bigger with the new baby growing inside? The same thing happened to Mary when she had baby Jesus! But even before Jesus started growing in her tummy, an angel named Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would have a very special baby! God made angels to help Him and help people. Today, we can make an angel decoration together!
[Make a Paper Plate Angel]

December 23
Jesus is the shining light. He shines in the darkest of night.
Later we'll have a special treat, you'll wear PJ's in your car seat!
We'll take a family drive tonight, to find the fanciest Christmas lights!
[Drive through Christmas Lane this evening]

December 24
Today is Christmas Eve, which means the day before Christmas!! Remember the word "Advent" that we talked about and taped on the wall? Do you remember what it means (“coming”)? We've been waiting for Christmas a long time now, but soon we won't have to wait anymore! Let’s make a Nativity Scene with your Nativity stickers today!
[Make a scene with construction paper and Nativity stickers]

December 25
Merry Christmas! Let’s go visit Grandma and Grandpa and celebrate!

December 26
Let’s read about what it might have been like in the stable where Jesus was born!
[Read “The Stable Where Jesus was Born”]

December 27
Did you have fun with these Christmastime activities? Let’s do one more as we end our Christmas celebrations. Here is a picture of Jesus, the special baby, for you to color. Let’s watch a Christmas movie while we draw!
[Color picture of baby Jesus in manger and watch Nativity video]

The Finished Product:

I then put the slips of paper with the daily activities in these little bags so she can open one each day to find out what the surprise is. If the materials for the activity were small enough, they went in these bags. 

I also gathered a basket with the books and other too-big items for each daily activity. I knew I wouldn't be able to follow through as easily if everything wasn't in one place and ready to go!

Hope this helps and blesses you as you prepare for Advent with your kids!

Our Ornament Tradition and our 2014 Ornament

Our Christmas Ornament Tradition

A few short months after our wedding, my husband and I celebrated our first Christmas together. 

We decided to start something that has now become a special tradition for our family. We decided that, each year, we will find or make an ornament that especially represents that year and add it to our tree (we're both big on ornaments that have stories and are not just decorative). 

In 2012, we put a picture from our honeymoon into this small frame. It represented a year of a new beginning—the year we got married!

In 2013, we made the tradition "official." We decided that, each year on our anniversary, we would take some time to write in our anniversary journal about what we decided to make for our ornament that year and why. Deciding our ornament on our anniversary has proven to be a good plan—that gives us time to find or create our ornament before Thanksgiving weekend, when we put up our tree each year.

For 2013, we got a small jar and put a poppyseed in it. We decided to make this our ornament last year because God had given us a baby—a baby who we called poppyseed up until she was born in early 2014.

Our 2014 Ornament

I'm really excited about our ornament this year—maybe because of the symbolism, or maybe because it took longest to make. This year, we decided to make a tree.

We decided on a tree partially because of the symbolism in this Andrew Peterson song and the story behind it.

2014, has, for us, been a year of growth, planting, putting down roots. There are three main reasons we decided a tree represents this year:

1. We have both been convicted this year about our need to pursue spiritual growth more fervently. This is something we are both, together, being more intentional about.
2. We had our baby girl this year! We "planted a new seed" and are cultivating her growth.
3. We've gotten more settled into our new home, our roles, and our routine. We are "putting down roots," so to speak.

The Making of the Tree

After we decided to make a tree, I set out looking for a tree ornament. But, the only ones I could find were Christmas trees. So, I decided to make a wire tree (which is significantly cheaper than buying one. About 10 times cheaper, in fact). I found this helpful (and silly) tutorial video about how to make gemstone trees.

I took some liberties and did my tree a bit differently... I added more "branches" (my tree has 11 of them). I also put crystal beads onto the loops so I didn't have to mess with gluing things. I also just curled the ends of my roots instead of gluing it to a rock since this tree will hang instead of standing. I added an extra little loop of wire and tied a green ribbon to it. With sale prices and a 40% off coupon, the materials for this project were only $2.50, and I still have at least half of the 26-gauge wire left over. I'm loving this tree and can't wait to hang it on our Christmas tree next week!

Four Christmas Songs That Make Me Cry

Well, I was listening to Christmas music the other day and just wanted to share some thoughts about some of my very favorite Christmas songs and why they are my favorites. What Christmas songs make you cry? Why? Here are some of mine:

Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson

Oh my goodness. I think this might be my favorite Christmas song. I picture "Noble Joseph by her side | Callused hands and weary eyes | There were no midwives to be found | In the streets of David's town | In the middle of the night | So he held her and he prayed | Shafts of moonlight on his face | But the baby in her womb | He was the maker of the moon | He was the Author of the faith | That could make the mountains move." This song really captures the reality of what it may have been like for Mary and Joseph… and the wonder of God being made man!

The Christmas Shoes by NewSong

I know some people think this song is cheesy or whatever, but it still gets me every time I hear it. Admit it—it makes you cry, too. To think of that little boy… his sweet innocence… and how he shouldn't lose his mom. Death is not part of the way things are supposed to be! Makes me long for the Day death is dead for good! (More about that Day below… read on)



Grown-Up Christmas List by various artists

Again, I know some people think this song is cheesy. That's fine. But, think about it. Doesn't it reflect something that is deep in every person's soul? Don't we all long for the Day when there is no more war, that no one would be lonely, that Right would win for good, and that love would abound? It's a longing for Heaven! God put that longing there! So this song makes me grateful and sad. Sad, because I know that there are so many in the world who long for Heaven and will not experience it because they will not allow Jesus to be Lord of their lives. Grateful, because it points me to my God who I know conquered the world and who WILL keep His promise to bring all who believe to that perfect new heavens & earth. Maranatha!



Here With Us by Joy Williams

Here, again, this song really captures the beauty, the wonder, the mystery, the so-above-anything-humans-could-have-come-up-with-ness of this idea that GOD ever would become a human being! And all this to rescue us. Amazing.

Seriously.

That this God who had "heard an angel symphony" would enter this world—to the sounds of a laboring virgin mother (I won't even get into the amazing paradox of those three words juxtaposed), the wailing of donkeys and bleating of sheep, the awed but very non-heavenly voices of the shepherds…

That this God whose eyes had beheld heaven since the beginning of time would enter this world—to the sight of a dirty stable and all that is imperfect about the world, including the angry, unbelieving crowd crying "Crucify him!"…

That the God whose hands created the world would enter into the world He made with tiny baby hands, and then work like a man with dirty, calloused carpenter hands, and then have those same hands nailed to a cross to rescue the very people who nailed Him there.

Think about it! That's crazy! … At least by any human calculation.

Even in the little things… and to think He never sinned! Think about it:


GOD being an infant—completely dependent on human parents for food, protection…

GOD fleeing with those parents to Egypt to escape Herod's wrath…

GOD patiently honoring her when His mother worried, blamed, gossiped...

GOD working hard with His hands, building things, dealing well with shrewd businesspeople…

GOD trusting the Father for provision as He began His public ministry, homeless…

GOD watching that rich young ruler walk away from eternal life—for money...

GOD patiently teaching the disciples when they were fearful, not trusting, and just plain old dense…

GOD actually touching that leper—the man all saw as untouchable...

GOD, who never before needed to sleep, closing His eyes each night to rest, weary...

GOD waking early to commune with His Father…

GOD seeing the Pharisees—who are among the people He came for—choosing to be the gods of their own lives, thank you very much…

GOD washing stinky, dusty, crusty feet…

GOD being abandoned by all those closest to Him in His final hour…

GOD enduring betrayal, beating, crucifixion…

GOD experiencing the separation from the Father that we deserve…


Emmanuel. God with us.


For our sakes.

O come, let us adore Him.

Three Songs About Christmas

Lately, I've been enjoying many lesser-known, wonderful songs about Christmas, so I thought I'd share some of them!

It's True by Sara Groves

In your heart you

know it's true

though you hold no expectation

in the deepest part of you

there's an open hesitation

but it's true

kingdoms and crowns

a God who came down to find you

it's true

Angels on high

sing through the night alleluia

heard it told you

think it's odd

the whole thing fraught with complication

the play begins with

baby God

and all His blessed implications

but it's true

kingdoms and crowns

a God who came down to find you

it's true

Angels on high

sing through the night alleluia

alleluia, alleluia

Oh it's true

kingdoms and crowns

a God who came down to find you

it's true

Angels on high

sing through the night alleluia

I Will Find a Way by Jason Gray

At the end of this run down tenement hall

Is the room of a girl I know

She cowers behind all the dead bolt locks

Afraid of the outside world 

So how should I come to the one I love?

I will find a way

Many thieves and collectors have used that door 

But they only brought her shame

So she won't even open it anymore

Still I will find a way

I could call out her name with love through the walls

But condemnation is all she hears

And I could bust down the door and take her into my arms

But she might die from the fear

So how should I come to the one I love?

I will find a way, I will find a way

How should I come to the one I love?

I will find a way

No hiding place ever kept her safe

So she hides inside herself

Now to reach her heart the only way

Is to hide in there as well

I will hide in there as well

She gave up on love waiting for a change

But a change is coming soon

'Cause how could she not love the helpless babe

Who is waking in her womb?

I found way, I found a way

She'll know I am coming before I am here

When she hangs her head she'll see me there

And then when I come she won't run away

All the beauty and joy will return to her face

And what of the loneliness? Now it is gone

Lost in the bond of a mother and son

Every sin that she suffered at the hands of men

Every single disgrace will be washed clean again

I will love her completely and when I am grown

I will carry her out of that tenement room

I am doing a new thing and soon you will see

I am coming among you and my name shall be

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Emmanuel

Here With Us by Joy Williams

It's still a mystery to me,

That the hands of God could be so small,

How tiny fingers reaching in the night,

Were the very hands that measured the sky,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King, Here with us,

You're here with us,

Still a mystery to me,

How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time,

How His ears have heard an angels' symphony,

But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King, Here with us,

You're here with us,

Jesus the Christ born in Bethlehem,

A baby born to save, to save the souls of man,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Heaven's offering sent down to save the world,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King, Here with us,

Oh, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Heaven's offering sent down to save the world

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King, Here with us

You're here with us, You're here with us

You're here with us!