Children's Christmas

27 pages

Large flexible cast, doubling possible.

A troop of young angels are singing their rousing "Angel Flight Song" as the play opens. Some of the angels have questioned the wisdom of making their announcement of Christ's birth to some lowly shepherds rather than to somebody "important." Through the miracle of "Angel Vision," they are able to observe firsthand how four potentates (King Herod, the Roman Governor, the high priest, and a wealthy businessman) would react if their announcement were made to each of them. They gratefully announce Jesus' birth to the shepherds as originally planned by God and ta...

18 pages

6 boys, 7 girls, 10 flexible parts.

This is a part of the nativity story that isn't in the Bible, but could have happened. With Mary and Joseph, the shepherds in the field, the women at the well, the three kings, and the little drummer boy, we prepare to embark on that special journey to the manger...sharing their worries, their joys, and their faith along the way. The play ends with that glorious moment when humankind first lays eyes on their Savior, followed by a celebration of music. Ideal for younger actors, this play appeals to audiences of all ages. Performance time: 30 minutes. 

17 pages

10-15 children, plus extras, doubling possible

The all angel news team of ANN, the Angelic News Network, are reporting the evening news. Tonight’s top story is the census. Gabrielle is working to keep everyone on schedule, Seraphima is maybe a little too relaxed for being on the air, Sandy Storms doesn’t have much to report on the weather, and Angel-on-the- Scene is interviewing an innkeeper about the increased business. Then Joseph and Mary arrive, and a bigger story begins to unfold before everyone’s eyes. It is not the story the angels expected to report, nor did it occur where they expected to report ...

20 pages

7 m, 5 w, 2 teen girls, 2 boys, extras as angels.

Leah, a teenager, has never spoken a word in her life, and her mother, an old servant woman at an inn, feels guilty and worried about the future. But that all changes when Baby Jesus is born at the inn's stable. As shepherds come to worship Him, another miracle occurs and Leah speaks for the first time, to sing a lullaby. A beautiful, dramatic story. Performance time: 30 minutes.

17 pages

Large, flexible cast.

PowerPoint visuals, music, and narration blend together to form this beautiful Christmas program that you personalize to make uniquely yours. "God's Great Gift" is seen through three program parts: the Creation story, the Christmas story, and your own church story. Start with our eight photos of the heavens taken from outer space (included) and collect your own slides along with statements of thanksgiving from each of your Sunday school classes. Adults and children alike can celebrate together in this service of worship because the production is done ahead of...

26 pages

Widely flexible,from children to young adults.

Benny is a young boy who thinks he is too little to do anything right. His grandmother decides to tell him a story of an impulsive young angel named Benjamin. He seems to have missed the journey to Bethlehem to welcome King Jesus. When Benjamin sets out to find Bethlehem on his own, he encounters a series of discouraged people. He proceeds to help them find their place in God’s plan, all the while fearing he himself has missed his own place. As he helps Mary and Joseph find a place for their baby to be born, he discovers God’s plan for his life and most impor...

28 pages

Large flexible cast, doubling possible.

It's Christmas and everyone is happy. Everyone, that is, except Travis, who tried to play a little joke on the Pastor's wife and now only has sticks and stones to look forward to. His grief is intensified by Felicity whose perfect record this past year has earned her all that she wants for Christmas - and she wants 364 gifts, one for each day of her goodness. After Felicity blows her contract and loses everything, they both learn that there is still one gift they can receive for Christmas...one that no one can ever be good enough to earn (Isaiah 64:6), but yo...

12 pages

10 speaking parts, angel choir, optional extras.

Here is a beautiful pageant for children with easy-to-learn lines and simple staging and costuming. It's Christmas Day in the year 2050 and the spaceship crew wants to celebrate the holiday - all except for the captain. He says Christmas is just for children. When they come upon three lost angel children there's nothing to do but follow their map to return them to heaven. Once there the crew sings carols and exchanges gifts with all the angels. The captain, however, cannot see anything because he doesn't believe - until he receives the gift of love. About 20 ...

9 pages

7 main characters.

Annie is the saddest-looking angel in Heaven! With a broken wing, a crooked halo, untidy hair, and always a pile of mending to do, she is just too busy to even get to choir rehearsal on time. The angels all know something very, very important is about to happen. When the Heavenly Father chooses Annie to stand guard over his newborn son, all the other angels work hard to get her ready, and most of all, make sure she will be on time. Performance time: 20 minutes.

12 pages

Large flexible cast

Preschoolers and children in lower grades will enjoy performing in this gentle and delightful Christmas pageant. Like many mothers of new babies, Mary is having a difficult time getting Baby Jesus to sleep. The wise men, shepherds, angels, lions, sheep, and mice sing their best lullabies, but all in vain. At last, one small, timid, striped kitten sings the Holy Child to sleep. Older children can handle the few speaking roles while any number of younger performers can participate as the animals. Easy costuming and staging and all the songs are traditional, wel...

29 pages

20 characters. (2 m, 1 w plus other parts which can be played by males or females.)

Friar Francis and Friar Juniper decide to re-enact the First Nativity for the people of their town at Christmas. They ask the nearby animals if their ancestors were at the First Nativity and could tell them what it was like. They encounter an amusing variety of creatures, reflecting a range of human follies. But the animals they encounter are all too busy with themselves to give Friar Francis what he wants. In despair, Friar Francis lies down for a nap. As he sleeps it is disclosed that Friar Juniper and all the animals have secretly been rehearsing for weeks...

23 pages

2 storytellers, any number of children as animals and townspeople

Various animals in the stable aren't happy when two strangers intrude upon their quiet night. The sparrows, cows, and sheep, along with mice and doves are upset and wish the humans would find another place to stay. They don't want to share their grain or warm hay. And after walking for miles, even the poor donkey is too tired to help Joseph and Mary. But then God fulfills his most glorious promise: Baby Jesus is born. Everything changes as each group of animals gives a special gift to comfort the Baby and his parents. At last, as all finally sleep, the tired ...

14 pages

2-3 puppet masters, 2-3 voices, 2 narrators, 1 stagehand

How can an angel do an important job when he can’t fly? This heartwarming and delightful story, told by narrators and shown with puppets, takes us back to the journey Mary and Joseph made to Bethlehem. Complete with a donkey seller, innkeepers, an innkeeper’s wife, shepherds, and a wise guy, the angel must deliver important messages, often after crashing from the sky! Ultimately the angel and the visitors come to worship the baby, the king, and someday, the Savior of the world. With gentle humor, “The Stable Story” shows us that Christmas is filled with mirac...

38 pages

Flexible cast

This resource will utilize your whole Sunday School. Younger primary children will enjoy performing and singing in "The Tracks of Christmas" (30 minutes) as they find out about the only perfect tracks that were ever made. In "A Christmas Miracle" (20 minutes) the poor woodsman's family was left wondering who the little stranger was that came to visit on Christmas Eve. A fun skit of pantomime and narration for middle primary students. To round out this package, older students will enjoy "A Christmas Tale at Antelope Springs." (45 minutes) Come along on this we...

21 pages

Flexible casting

These short, easy-to-stage pieces make it simple to have your church's youth become an active part of a Christmas worship service or outreach. Included are two reader's theatre works based on classic literature, made fresh for today's audiences: "The Selfish Giant" and "Where Love Is, God Is" require little rehearsal time. Three readings, "The Child of Bethlehem," "Mary's Good Night Song" and "Wise Men and Shepherds," are short works full of big meaning. To round out the collection: "The Gift of Song" highlights the history of six familiar carols and "Central...