Advent season is a special time of spiritual reflection, anticipation, and preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth. For families, it presents a unique opportunity to integrate faith into daily activities and lessons. By infusing your daily routine with faith-filled Advent activities, you can create a meaningful and memorable experience for your family. Here are some inspiring ideas to consider:
Advent Wreath and Candle Creation
Gather your family to create an Advent wreath together. Explain the significance of the wreath – the circular shape symbolizes eternity, and each candle represents a week of Advent. Light a candle each Sunday, reflecting on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. We really enjoy rolling our own Advent candles for our Advent wreath. This kit is well worth the money to have a unique Christmas tradition for our home. There is also a foam Advent wreath kit on Amazon you can use for younger children.
This book is also perfect for prayers around the Advent Wreath.
Advent Daily Scripture Readings
Incorporate daily Scripture readings into your daily routine. Focus on passages that speak to the Advent themes and discuss their meanings as a family. This practice helps children understand the deeper spiritual significance of the season. If your family uses an Elf on the Shelf or similar concept, this printable pack has 25 daily cards that include Christ centered activities and scripture.
We use our Nativity Centered Morning Menu to memorize a Bible verse over the course of Advent.
Acts of Kindness
Encourage your children to perform acts of kindness throughout Advent. Whether it’s making cards for the elderly, donating to a food bank, or helping a neighbor, these acts reflect the love and compassion exemplified by Jesus.
Nativity Scene Reflections
Set up a nativity scene as a focal point in your home. Use it as a visual aid to recount the story of Jesus’ birth, discussing the roles of various characters and their significance in the narrative. How fun is this nativity felting kit on Amazon? I plan on creating our own felted nativity scene for Christmas this year.
Advent Calendar with a Twist
Create an Advent calendar that features daily activities focused on faith, such as writing a thank-you letter to God, praying for someone in need, or memorizing a Bible verse related to Advent. I created a Christmas printable pack to make this process easier. Simply print out the daily cards and reference the shopping list. There are 25 days of activities and/or reflections to choose from.
Prayer Time
Set aside dedicated prayer time during Advent. Encourage your children to share their thoughts, hopes, and prayers for the season. This practice nurtures their relationship with God and each other. Consider gathering around your advent wreath with your handmade candles to pray.
Advent Family Devotionals
Use Advent-themed family devotionals or study guides as a foundation for deeper discussions and reflections. These resources can guide your family through meaningful conversations about the birth of Jesus and its relevance in your lives. Here are some of our favorite Family Devotionals for Advent:
- Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: I particularly enjoy this devotional because it highlights the names and qualities of Jesus. The family devotional includes suggestions for fun-filled family activities or service projects. There is also Unwrapping the Names of Jesus for Kids devotional!
- ‘Twas the Season of Advent: I love this devotional so much and have purchased it for so many families in our community. I particularly love that the daily stories are an easy read and comprehendible for the little ones in our home.
- A Better Than Anything Christmas and A Jesus Christmas: These books are from the same author and both are great to use during the Advent season. I love that there are age appropriate application questions to choose from. There is also a journal space to keep track of thoughts, prayers, or answers.
Finally, I highly recommend the book The Characters of Christmas. This particular book isn’t specifically a devotional, but rather an opportunity to learn about specific people in the Bible. More importantly, people that played a role in the Christmas story. We include it in our Christmas Time Morning Basket.
For all families, Advent can become a rich and spiritually fulfilling time. By blending faith-focused activities with your daily routine, you create an environment where your children can grow in their understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. Embrace these Advent traditions, and may your homeschooling journey be blessed with joy, love, and a deeper connection to your faith.
