Angels

Welcome to our very first day of A-Z Advent Activity!  To begin our celebration of the Christmas season, we're spending a day celebrating the first messengers of God's Christmas story.  

Preschool Activities

My little man and I will be starting most days with a coloring page.  Check out this angel coloring page. We'll also try to get to this paper plate craft and I will post pictures once we do!

My preschooler loves play dough so I found a recipe to make our own and we're making it angel dough (white playdough filled with silver glitter)!

Mix together 1cup water and 1cup flour. Add 1/4 salt, 1tbsp oil, and 2tsp. cream of tartar.

Heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the dough comes together.

Remove from heat. Knead glitter into the warm dough.

Store unused dough in an airtight container.

Check out lots of other angel craft ideas we've collected on our Advent Pinterest board.

Family Activity
As a family, read Luke 2:1-21.
Ask your older children, who did an angel appear to in the original Christmas story? Then go on a biblical scavenger hunt for the answers - they're not all in Luke 2:

•  Joseph: Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV) "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
•  Mary: Luke 1:26-28 (NIV) "In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 
• Shepherds: Luke 2: 8-12 (NIV) "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 
 

Service Activity
Decorate your mailbox with fresh greens.  Wait for your mail to be delivered and offer your postal worker a cup of hot cocoa in a disposable cup with a lid.

Purchase a gift for an Angel Tree child.  Select a child the same age and gender as your own children so they can participate in selecting the gift.  Wrap the gift together and pray for the child who will receive it.

Snack: 
Build stick people angels from pretzel sticks and mini-marshmallows.  Serve with a cloud of whipped cream.

Songs:

Angels from the Realms of Glory
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Angels We Have Heard on High Sing-Along 

Books: 

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for our letter B Advent activity: Baby Jesus!