Nativity scene, an Old Church Slavonic word meaning “cave,” has acquired a different meaning over the centuries. This is how they began to call the folklore puppet theater performance about the Nativity of Christ, performed at Christmas time in a special box. Or simply - hand-made themed Christmas compositions depicting the cave in which Jesus was born.
How to make such a composition with children using paper, cardboard, plasticine and other simple materials is shown in the master classes in this section.
The Christmas nativity scene is a visual display of knowledge about the holiday.
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The work of a teacher is very interesting and multifaceted. A lot of creativity and imagination have to be shown in creating a developmental environment. In our teaching activities, my children and I often take part in competitions on Orthodox themes. This year I wanted to create...
Christmas Christ's time is an amazing time when the heart is filled with the expectation of a miracle. And this miracle happens. There is a wonderful old tradition - under Christmas to put up a nativity scene in the house. Nativity scene- an old Russian word. It means a cave. According to Holy Scripture, the Son of God is...
DIY Christmas nativity scene - Master class “Christmas nativity scene”
Publication “Master class “Christmas...” 
My partner and I pay a big role to creating a subject-development environment in the group of our preschool institution. Pupils receive a complete understanding of a particular topic through visualization. The mock-ups at the group development centers are a great help. Your attention...
Image library "MAAM-pictures"
Irina Barchukova. Master class on making a "Christmas nativity scene" model for the middle group. Dear friends, colleagues. Today I would like to present to your attention the layout of the “Christmas Nativity Scene” for the middle group. A little history. Orthodox Christmas in Russia - celebrated...
Dear time of day, My Dear Colleagues! The time has come for the New Year holidays, familiar to us all from childhood. New Year trees are soon replaced by the radiant holiday of Christ's Nativity. On this day, all people deify the birth of the Baby, celebrate and glorify it...
Scenario of the holiday “Christmas Nativity Scene” for children of senior and preparatory groups in English The hall is decorated with a Christmas tree, in the corner there is a closed screen. 1 child enters, he reads Khomyakov’s poem “On this bright holiday.” While the bells are being recorded, all the children enter and line up in a semicircle. The song “Christmas Evening” is performed, the children sit down. Ved.: Today we...
DIY Christmas nativity scene - Christmas nativity scene 2018
Another Christmas holiday has passed. An integral tradition of celebrating the Nativity of Christ are nativity scenes. A nativity scene can vividly and clearly tell a child about what miracle happened in Israeli Bethlehem many centuries ago and bring home a real...
Holiday Caroling and display of the nativity play "Christmas" The holiday was conducted by teacher-folklorist Larisa Fedorovna Markova and teacher of the secondary group "Pinocchio" Stugleva Lyudmila Viktorovna. The purpose of the holiday: education of a citizen of Russia, which combines: love for...
One of the Christmas traditions is the nativity play, a puppet show of the birth of Jesus Christ. To perform such a performance, you need nativity scene- portable puppet theater. The Land of Soviets will tell you how to make a Christmas nativity scene with your own hands.
Traditionally, the Christmas nativity scene is a two-story wooden box in which decorations and figurines of heroes are located. Even if you don't plan to put on a puppet show, a nativity scene will add some holiday cheer to your apartment. Plus, you can use it to tell your child the story of Christmas.
And it is absolutely not necessary to make a Christmas nativity scene out of wood, the main thing here is not the material, but the symbolism. A paper nativity scene may turn out to be no worse than a wooden one made according to all the canons. The main thing is that you made it yourself. In addition, you can also involve a child in making a paper nativity scene.
Try to do Christmas nativity scene out of the box: We think that you will certainly have an unnecessary shoe or candy box at home. The box will be the base (“stage”) of the nativity scene, which represents a manger. If it's too deep, you can trim the sides a little. The bottom of the box will be the back wall of your nativity scene.
To start Cover the box inside and outside with colored paper. The outside color can be any color; it is better to cover the inside with brown paper that imitates the walls and floor. To decorate, cut out stars from colored paper or foil and cover the Christmas nativity scene with them inside and out. You can also use other decorations for the nativity scene, for example, fir branches, pine cones, “rain”, etc. For greater credibility, the “floor” can be strewn with “straw” made from colored paper cut into thin strips.
Now you need make action figures- Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the wise men who brought gifts. By the way, there does not have to be three Magi: their exact number is not indicated in the Gospel, so there may well be more of them. The three wise men-kings - Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior - are a Western European tradition; in Orthodoxy they are not considered kings, and their exact number is not counted.
So, to make figures for a nativity scene, you need to take thin cardboard, paper, scissors, glue and paints (pencils, felt-tip pens). Roll and glue a cone from thin cardboard- this will be the body for the figure. Color the body: draw clothes, arms. You can make an applique instead of coloring. Draw the character's face on paper, carefully cut it out and glue it to the front of the cone (we will consider the gluing seam to be the back of the cone). You also don’t have to draw the hands, but cut them out and glue them on.
To make a baby Jesus figurine, you will also need a matchbox- it will symbolize the manger. Cover the boxes with colored paper. Cut yellow or light brown paper into thin strips and glue it on top of the box in a random order - this will be straw. Glue a paper-cut and painted figurine of the baby Jesus onto the “straw.”
Don't forget to put in your Christmas nativity scene and sheep figurines. The easiest way is to draw them on paper by drawing a small “stand” on the bottom (as in the picture). Then cut out the sheep along the outline along with the “stand” and bend the “stand” so that the sheep can stand. Or if you have small toy sheep, you can just use them.
If desired, you can make figures for the nativity scene from or even. All in all, use the technology that you know how to use and love to work with.
Don't forget to make the Star of Bethlehem too which announced the birth of Jesus. The easiest way is to cut out two star blanks from cardboard, glue them together, after placing a rope between them (if you plan to hang the star on the ceiling of the nativity scene) or a stick (if you want to put a star). And then cover the star with gold or silver foil.
A Christmas nativity scene will bring the holiday spirit into your home.. Don't miss the opportunity to make a Christmas nativity scene with your own hands and, together with your household, remember the history of the bright holiday of Christmas.
Let this bright holiday give all adults and children real joy, which comes only from childhood! And may she be with us not only on holidays!
Merry Christmas!
I really love Christmas and everything that is associated with it: carols, family gatherings, small Christmas nativity scenes with tiny figures, delicious food, cheerful people dressed up, Christmas stories... I also love more modern things related to Christmas: cartoons and good films based on Christmas stories, Christmas wreaths and decor, finger theater about the birth of little God.
For several years now I have been dreaming of buying a beautiful tabletop nativity scene, but I still can’t find one like I imagine. So that there are a lot of figures with which you can play, so that the figures are made in a childishly naive and at the same time restrained manner (without grins and bulging eyes - I came across those too :)
But recently I thought about drawing a nativity scene - a Christmas picture that every child can color in their own way. His parents will help him cut and glue everything correctly. And now your beautiful DIY tabletop nativity scene is ready!
Having started searching, I, of course, found interesting examples, but still decided to draw my own. Unfortunately, due to my growing belly and my daughter, who manages my time arbitrarily, my idea was put on hold. Just today my husband and I finally finished our nativity scene. We hope that he will still have time to please the kids during the Christmastide.
Blank-coloring scene of the Nativity of Christ
The barn and 14 figures can be printed, colored, glued to thick paper, cut out and glued in the right places. The result will be characters that stand on their own.
With such a nativity scene, you can organize a tabletop performance about the Nativity of Jesus Christ. It seems to me that making a nativity scene with a child is a great opportunity to tell him about sacred events, about the birth of an unusual Baby, about who the Magi are and why the star shone so brightly. In addition, by coloring the figures, it will be easier for the child to remember who is where, and what role he played in this story.
A few words about gluing:
The figures need to be folded along the dotted lines so that the rectangle is at the base - the figure will stand on it. Secure the top with a small amount of glue. Cut out three parts with the image of a barn along continuous lines, glue them onto thick paper, fold the edges along the dotted lines, and glue them together. You'll get a big house. In order for it to stand stably, you need to bend it along the dotted lines along the beams.
Several centuries ago, a wonderful Christmas tradition appeared in Rus' - a puppet show telling the story of the birth of the baby Jesus. In those days, people enjoyed watching actors act out scenes from the Bible and rejoiced at the great miracle all together. If you want to give your kids an unforgettable holiday, then hurry up and make a small home theater, or nativity scene, with your own hands. With its help, you can not only decorate your apartment and fill it with magic, but also introduce your children to the history of Christmas.
What is a nativity scene?
Ancient nativity scenes were a large wooden box made in the form of a two-story house. At the top of this structure were figures of Mary, Joseph and the baby. On the lower tier there was an action that told about the evil king Herod and his minions. The heroes of such stories were often the actors’ contemporaries: a soldier, a priest, a gypsy, a peasant and many other characters. Nowadays, the wonderful tradition of performing such performances is only being revived. You can make a nativity scene with your own hands with the whole family, and then gather there in the evenings, talk, read books and admire beautiful pictures. These gatherings will remain in your child’s memory for many years and will warm him even in the most difficult times.
You can create a home in different ways. But for all performances you will need a large box, which will serve as a stage. It is absolutely not necessary to make it from wood or other heavy materials—shoes or household appliances are perfect. Cover the future scene inside and out with film and decorate it with foil stars. You can create a design from natural or waste materials, colored paper and Christmas tree decorations. Figurines of heroes for such a theater are made in various ways. For example, they can be made from paper, from clay, or use ready-made toys. Some craftsmen create a shadow theater, which is a great success among both children and adults. In our article we will tell you how to make a nativity scene with your own hands from paper. The process of creating such a theater will be no less exciting than watching the performance itself. And if the rest of the family gets involved in the work, then everyone will remember the fun time for a long time.
To make the main characters of your home theater, you will need the following materials:
Thin cardboard and drawing paper.
Scissors and glue.
Paints, colored pencils, markers and plasticine.
Make small cones from cardboard that will serve as the basis for the figures of the mother of Jesus, Righteous Joseph and the Magi. Draw faces on paper, cut them out and carefully glue them on the front side. Now you can start coloring. Draw costumes, make an applique, add plasticine details. The heroes' arms can also be drawn separately and glued to the body. Remember that a nativity scene created with your own hands is not an exam in fine art, which means you don’t need to strive for ideal shapes and colors. Make this process fun and enjoy a job that unites and brings your entire family together.
Animal figurines
Remember who surrounded the divine baby in the first hours of his life. Figures of sheep and donkeys can be drawn on paper and placed on a stable stand so that they can be easily moved. If you know how to sculpt from clay or dough, then make animals from these materials.
Baby figurine
When making it yourself, do not forget about the main hero of the occasion - the newborn Jesus. To depict a manger, you will need a small box of perfume or matches. Cover the cradle with colored film, cut straw out of brown paper and stick it on top in any order. Draw a baby figurine on paper, color it and glue it to the box. Place the manger in the most honorable place, and hang above it, which two thousand years ago announced a great miracle to all the peoples of our planet.
Other ways to make a paper nativity scene
A Christmas composition made using templates will make your work much easier. You just need to save the pictures to your computer, print them and transfer them onto thick cardboard. Be sure to give the silhouettes of the holy family some stability by using stands made of the same material. To decorate the frame, take a cardboard box, remove one wall and the bottom. The roof of the future nativity scene can be made curved, and transparent plastic can be used for the back wall. Glue openwork tape or braid around the perimeter of the front to cover the uneven edges of the box. After this, you can glue figures to the bottom of the box and place a star on the roof. Since our work looks somewhat sketchy, it will look best in Place a candle or small flashlight behind the composition and turn off the light. Now the picture looks mysterious and evokes thoughts about the most beautiful days in the life of mankind.
How to perform a show
After you have made your own Christmas nativity scene, be sure to come up with several puppet show scenarios. If you want to comply with all the canons of ancient Russian ideas, then you will have to make several additional heroes. You might want to see an angel in a makeshift cave announcing the birth of Jesus. Or maybe you will draw the evil King Herod, who will order to kill all the babies in the country. In ancient times, children were shown scenes in which a cruel ruler meets death. She appears to the king in the form of a terrible skeleton and throws him into the underworld. The performance may be accompanied by singing, poetry reading, and after its completion there may be a game of questions and answers. Your kids will be happy to repeat what they learned this evening and will look forward to the next performances.
The easiest way to make a Christmas nativity scene is on paper. You can make it in the company of a child, using paints, scissors and thick sheets from which paper figures are cut out. This option does not require a master class, so we will not consider it, but will give recommendations on how you can create a Christmas nativity scene with your own hands of more complex designs.
To work on creating a cave and figurines of nativity scene participants, you will need the following materials:
- plasticine (hard and soft),
- board,
- stacks,
- wooden skewers,
- lace handkerchief,
- narrow golden ribbon,
- woven mat or pieces of matting,
- toothpicks,
- cake stand or pizza packaging,
- star.
The baby figurine is sculpted without any anatomical features, since most of it will be hidden under a blanket (handkerchief). The visible part - the head - is made of plasticine with special attention to detail. To create beautiful curls, you need to run the sharp end of the stack along hard plasticine with equal pressure along its entire length, then the cut strip will turn out to be in the form of a spiral. Instead of sculpting the baby’s eyes, you can make them out of beads. The finished figurine needs to be wrapped in a lace scarf and tied with a ribbon bow.
A baby's cradle is made from a piece of hard plasticine into which four straws (a skewer broken into pieces) are stuck, acting as legs. We make the pillow in the cradle from soft plasticine. The side walls are made of mats, which also need to be secured to soft plasticine.
The nativity scene itself is made from wooden skewers in the form of a hut. To do this, 3 sticks are placed on a plate, which will be the basis of the composition, connected to each other using hard plasticine. Each straw should be equidistant from its neighbor. Then the walls are completed by filling the space between the skewers. One side remains open. We take soft plasticine and attach it above the entrance (open side). We attach a star to it.
If you don’t have such a large plate as in our master class, then you can make a small fence instead of a hut by fastening mats and toothpicks together with soft plasticine and installing the resulting structure along the edge of the base.
We make animal figures and a bird from plasticine, fastening the parts together with toothpicks. We also make paws from toothpicks. We tie a rope to the bird, which will need to be tied at the top of the hut. We make the eyes from beads.
Finger puppets. Master Class
You can make a Christmas nativity scene with your own hands in the form of a finger theater. To do this you need pieces of multi-colored felt, fleece and beads to decorate the eyes. The figures are made in size 5-6 centimeters. All characters, including the Magi, are attached to the nativity scene with Velcro. The design itself is made of cardboard, covered with fabric, and closes with a button.
With wooden figures. Master Class
You can make a nativity scene with your own hands from an entire shoe box and the lid from another one. The box plays the role of a cave, and both lids are located in the lower and upper parts (horizontally for placing the Magi, vertically for attaching the angel). The boxes are fastened together with a stapler and glue.
The cave is painted black, the lids are covered with sheets of colored paper. The sheet of paper for the top cover is purposefully crumpled for greater aesthetics. Straw is also piled into the cave, on which the characters land.
You can make wooden dolls yourself, or you can buy a ready-made version and dress them up according to the images. Outfits can be sewn from fabric or glued together from paper. You can also take factory-made animals (from children's toys). An angel is attached to the top cover. Gifts are molded from plasticine and added to the composition. To make a projection of a star, you can cut out its outline from an empty Kinder egg and make a projection onto paper using a flashing light from a children's toy.
Crochet characters
You can use crocheted dolls in any of the presented nativity scenes. To do this you will need cotton yarn of various colors and a small hook. The characters' eyes can also be crocheted or dark beads used. The cradle can be made from pieces of yarn laid out in the form of a nest on which a crocheted baby fits.
