Names of Jesus Christmas Tree Kids Craft { & More Ways to Teach Kids About Christmas } #FCBlogger

**A huge thanks to Family Christian for sponsoring today's post. All thoughts are 100% my own.

If you've been reading my holiday posts this season, you've probably noticed a familiar theme: the importance of teaching kids about the true meaning of Christmas! Though I do want them to enjoy all the fun and magic that the season brings too, I want to make sure my children know WHY Christmas is so important. I want them to know that it is not just about Santa Claus and getting lots of presents, but that it truly is about Christ's birth and the gift that He gave to each and every one of us. Though they might not yet understand the full scope of that gift just yet, I can set them up with the foundations now.

But how do we do that? Today I'm sharing a few very simple ideas:

• Lead By Example. The greatest thing that we can do to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas is to give them a good example to look up to. When YOU show the spirit of Christmas through inspirational holiday decor, Christmas music and by giving to others, your children will see that too! 
• Read Great Books. We love books in our home and Christmas books truly are some of my favorites. I've shared some of these great books with wonderful Christmas lessons- like The Sparkle Box, Goodnight Manger or The Legend of the Christmas Cookie, but these are only just a few of the many great selections that help to teach kids about Christmas! 
• Teach Them The History. Okay, so young kids may not really care WHY Santa Claus came to be, or where our traditions originated from...but teaching them at a young age, when they are ready, helps again to build a foundation for them. If they know that some of our traditions were adapted from those of pagan holidays to make the transition into Christianity easier, they will better be able to stand strong in their faith later on. Think of it as a mini lesson in apologetics at a young age! For this, our family personally loves the Why Do We Call It Christmas DVD. This is a fun special by the creator of Veggie Tales that is both goofy and fun, but also really informative and really helps kids understand everything there is to know about Christmas and how we celebrate it today!
• Make It Fun! If leading by example is the greatest way to teach, making it fun is a very close second! Christmas isn't supposed to be about lessons and lectures...it's magic, it's joy, it's FUN! So while teaching kids about Christ is important, make sure it's fun too! Use those books or the DVD, teach them fun songs that give glory to God. Use fun kid friendly Advent calendars or nativities. Get creative and get your kids actively involved! One of my favorite way to do so is through easy kid-friendly Christmas crafts!

Today, I'm sharing one such craft idea! This fun Christmas tree mixes the traditional symbol of the Christmas tree with a favorite Christmas verse/song of mine:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.- Isaiah 9:6

Names of Jesus Christmas Tree Kids Craft

• Popsicle Sticks
• Wood Craft Star
• Scissors
• Paint
• Markers
• Glue
• Misc. Craft Supplies (optional)

1. First up, an adult need to cut the popsicle sticks into various lengths. Sticks will start small and gradually get larger as it goes down.
2. Next up, paint your sticks their base colors. You can use traditional Christmas colors or get creative! Washi tape can also be used for fun designs!! 
3. Now, it's time to put your tree together! Use one full popsicle stick as the backing and glue the cut sticks to create a fun Christmas tree design. Add a wooden star to the top.
4. On 4 of the sticks, write the following names (1 per stick): Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
   
   
   
5. If desired, add more decor to your tree. Get creative and use whatever you have- stickers, sequins, paint more designs...just get creative!
6. Hang with ribbon if desired.

This fun craft is a great way to teach kids more about Jesus and will be an adorable addition to your Christmas decor too!

For more great Christmas inspiration, check out this board from Family Christian:


Follow Family Christian's board Christmas! on Pinterest.



And be sure to find more great ways to keep Christ in your Christmas and connect with Family Christian at the links below:


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What ideas do YOU have to help teach your little one's to keep Christ in their Christmas?