How to Do Advent at Home with Kids: A Simple Family Guide
Advent is the season of waiting and preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and gives families a gentle, daily way to keep Christ at the center of a busy month. You don't need elaborate crafts or a perfect schedule. A Bible, a few minutes each day and a simple plan are enough.
What is Advent?
The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." For centuries Christians have used these weeks to remember how God's people waited for the promised Messiah, to celebrate that Jesus came, and to look forward to His return. For children, it is a wonderful way to see that the Christmas story begins long before Bethlehem, with God's promises in the Old Testament.
Choose a daily rhythm
Pick one time of day you can keep most days: breakfast, after dinner or bedtime. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty. A simple pattern works well:
- Read a short Bible passage.
- Talk about one or two questions.
- Pray together briefly.
- Do one small activity, like hanging an ornament or lighting a candle.
A reading path through the story
Kids love seeing how the whole story fits together. Over December, read promises like Isaiah 9:2-7 and Micah 5:2, then the announcements in Luke 1, Joseph's story in Matthew 1:18-25, the birth and shepherds in Luke 2:1-20, the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12, and finish on Christmas Eve or Day with John 1:1-14.
Easy Advent traditions
- An ornament a day: each day's reading gets a paper ornament that kids color and hang.
- Advent candles: light one more candle each Sunday (hope, peace, joy, love).
- A kindness calendar: one small act of service each day.
- Carols with Scripture: sing a carol and look up the verses behind it.
- A "waiting" jar: drop in a bean or button each day to see the waiting add up.
If you fall behind
Every family misses days. Simply pick up with today's reading, or double up on a quiet evening. The goal is not a perfect streak but a December pointed toward Jesus.
Questions to ask kids
- Who was waiting in this story, and what were they waiting for?
- What did God promise, and how did He keep that promise?
- What does this tell us about who Jesus is?
A ready-made Advent devotional
If you'd like everything planned for you, Come, Let Us Adore Him ($24) is a 25-day family Advent devotional with a short ESV reading, discussion questions and a printable ornament card for each day. For a simpler option, the Advent Family Bible Reading Calendar ($3.99) lays out 25 days of the Christmas story on one printable page.