Are you still amazed at Mary’s humble response to Gabriel’s announcement? The NET translation shares Luke 1:38 this way.

So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.”

This is the first lesson and preschool crafts packet in my weekly lesson series following the Jesus Storybook Bible. December lessons follow the announcement to Mary and the events following in Luke and Matthew. The Nativity preschool crafts and activities provide a variety of hands-on learning opportunities.

You’ll find a rebus story that will build sight word recognition and printable images to allow your child to retell the story. There is a diorama to cut and glue along with copywork and coloring pages. Each weekly lesson packet includes enough activities for a whole week of Bible learning fun.

To use the Retell the Story images, print the pages on cardstock. Cut out each individual image. Then laminate for extra durability. For cardstock, you can glue craft sticks to the back. If you laminate the images, I would use tape to adhere the craft sticks. Keep the craft stick images in a Ziploc bag for future use.

I started making Bible story dioramas during my years as the craft lady for our Wednesday night AWANA’s program. Taking home a 3D craft gave them an opportunity to retell the story to their parents. The diorama tradition continues in many of the lesson packets.

Print the diorama page and the characters on regular copy paper. Following the instructions included with the packet, cut, fold, and glue to make this reminder of Jesus’ arrival.

If you are using the lesson with an early reader, your child will recognize many of the sight words in the rebus story. I used the Dolch sight words lists for PreK, Kindergarten, and First Grade as a guide when writing these stories.  These pages can be printed on regular copy paper.

Each lesson includes copywork and coloring pages for developing fine motor skills.

The rest of the Nativity preschool crafts and activities help your child practice cutting skills, color recognition, letter recognition, and math skills. Print the memory game and the number puzzle on cardstock and laminate for durability before cutting. The I Spy page, the maze, and the number activity sheet can be laminated or slipped inside a page protector for use with dry erase markers.

May the reading and retelling of this story bring you a sense of awe and wonder this year.