St. Nicholas Nursery Lesson
St. Nicholas Nursery Lesson
Purpose:
- To tell the story of a Christian , whose model life inspires compassion and charity
- To reveal the true identity of Santa Claus: St. Nick
- To focus on giving more than on receiving
- To emphasize small treats and family fun
Discuss: Who is Santa Clause? What do you like about him? Do you know where he came from?
Tell the Story of St. Nick:
The real St. Nicholas is a man who loved God and who lived a long time ago. . . .
This is an opportunity to talk about who St. Nicholas was and how he served God by caring for those in need. Because Nicholas always wanted people to praise and thank God, not him, he did good deeds in secret.
Discuss:
- St. Nicholas helped people secretly—have you ever helped someone in secret?
- St. Nicholas was “good for goodness sake”, he didn’t need people to know—how does it feel to help from your heart without expecting anything?
- St. Nicholas helped people who needed help- children, sailors, hungry people. How can you be a St. Nickolas? (By doing good deeds in secret. Make their bed, tidy, clean, leave a nice card without a name, put a candy on their pillow…)
Encourage each child to think of one way to be a St. Nicholas and help someone.
St. Nick Puzzle Craft & Coloring pages.
St. Nicholas lived a long time ago.
(jerk thumb repeatedly over shoulder on “ago”)
But he was a real person like you and me.
(point to “you” and “me”)
When he was still just a little boy,
(measure “so high” with hand)
his mother and father died.
(close eyes, droop head)
This made Nicholas very sad.
(pull down corners of mouth: sad face)
But it also gave him a love for children
(hands over heart)
that he never ever lost.
(shake head, keeping hands over heart)
His parents left him lots of money.
(rub fingers together for “money, money”)
So he gave gifts to the poor,
(reach in pocket, hand out “money”)
in Jesus’ name.
(point up to heaven)
When Nicholas grew up,
(measure “so high,” and steadily move taller)
he became a bishop.
(indicate a bishop’s hat on top of head)
And he kept on giving gifts to the poor,
(reach in pocket, hand out “money”)
in Jesus’ name.
(point to heaven)
Once he heard about a man
(cup ear for “heard”)
who had three daughters,
(hold up three fingers, tick off)
but no money for their dowry.
(rub fingers together for “money”: shake head)
Girls needed a dowry to get married.
(mime putting a wedding ring on finger)
Nicholas heard the oldest daughter crying.
(rub eyes, pretend to weep)
She wanted to get married and couldn’t.
(indicate ring finger and shake head)
So one night when everyone was asleep,
(pillow head on hands)
Nicholas tiptoed by the poor man’s house,
(turn to the side, tiptoe, make “shhh” motions)
and threw a bag of gold over the wall,
(toss imaginary “bag,” like basketball)
giving a gift in Jesus’ name.
(point to heavens)
In the morning the daughter woke up,
(yawn, rub eyes, stretch)
and was so surprised!
(slap cheeks with hands)
A bag of gold was lying in the courtyard!
(point to “bag” on ground, amazed)
She ran off and got married right away.
(turn to the side, run briskly in place)
When the second daughter grew up,
(measure “so high,” taller and taller)
she wanted to get married too.
(mime putting wedding ring on finger)
And she also cried and cried,
(rub eyes, weeping)
because her father still didn’t have her dowry.
(rub fingers together for “money,” shake head)
Nicholas waited till everyone was asleep,
(pillow head on hands)
and tiptoed by their house again,
(turn sideways, tiptoe, make “shhh” motions)
and threw another bag of gold over the wall,
(toss imaginary “bag,” like basketball)
giving a gift in Jesus’ name.
(point to heavens)
The second daughter was surprised too!
(slap cheeks with hands)
Another bag of gold was lying in the courtyard!
(point to “bag” on ground, amazed)
So she ran off and got married right away.
(turn to side, run briskly in place)
When Nicholas heard that the third daughter
(hold up three fingers, tick off)
had grown up
(measure “so high,” taller and taller)
and was old enough to get married,
(put “wedding ring” on finger)
he didn’t wait another minute.
(shake head)
He tiptoed past their house at night,
(turn to side, tiptoe, make “shhh” motions)
and threw a third bag of gold over the wall,
(toss imaginary “bag” like basketball)
giving a gift in Jesus’ name.
(point to heavens)
The third daughter was just as surprised as her sisters
(slap cheeks with hands)
to find a bag of gold in the courtyard.
(point to “bag” on ground, amazed)
The father knelt down on the spot,
(kneel down, awed)
and thanked God.
(bow head, clasp hands in fervent prayer)
The man and his daughters never knew
(stand up again, shake head)
that those three bags of gold
(hold up three fingers)
given in secret in the middle of the night
(turn to the side, tiptoe, make “shh” motions)
were the start of giving gifts in Jesus’ name
(point to heavens)
on the feast of St. Nicholas.
(make imaginary Bishop’s hat over head)
In some countries children set out their shoes,
(stick out foot and point to shoe)
and are surprised by gifts the next morning.
(slap cheeks in surprise)
In our country we hang up stockings,
(stick out foot, tug at sock)
and are surprised by gifts the next morning.
(slap cheeks in surprise)
Nicholas is the patron saint of children.
(indicate lots of “children,” measuring “so high”)
He wanted them to be happy.
(turn up corners of mouth with fingers)
Especially the children of the poor.
(pull “pockets” inside out, turn empty palms up, sad)
He didn’t want to make children greedy.
(hunch over, hug “things” to self, make mean face)
He taught us to give our gifts
(hand out “gifts”)
in Jesus’ name.
(point to heavens)
To give our gifts,
(hand out “gifts”)
in Jesus’ name.
(point to heavens)