Advent is the season of hopeful anticipation as we wait for the coming of Christ. It is a beautiful time in the life of the church, and it can be a wonderful time for families to reconnect with each other and deepen their faith. It can also be difficult as a parent or caregiver to know what all the opportunities are to make the most of the season. We're here to help! Below you will find links, book lists, videos, and activity suggestions for you to choose from to enhance your experience of the season. There is no wrong, right, best, or worst way to experience this holy season. Use whatever works best for your family to create a wonderful time of rest and reconnection this Advent!
One of the easiest, and also most fun, ways to help your family engage with Advent is through stories! The books listed below are not all overtly Christian, but all hold an important truth of Christ while also being entertaining for our kiddos.
Books for the whole family
- Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas by Traci Smith The Faithful Families series is hands down the best set of resources I have found for parents. Each book has tons of easy to understand and utilize ideas to help guide their families in everyday acts of faithfulness.
- Shadow and Light by Tsh Oxenreider An easy and engaging daily Advent devotional for families (easiest with elementary age and up)
- Advent at the Kids Table: An Offering of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love! by The Welcome Table
- The Christmas Promise Advent Calendar by Allison Mitchell
- The Way to the Manger: A Family Advent Devotional by Jeff Land
Activities for the Whole Family
This can be a great activity in place of, or in addition to, something like Elf on the Shelf.
Books for Littles
- My First Advent Storybook by Laura Richie (can be used as a daily advent reading)
- Jesus Calling: The Christmas Story by Sarah Young (can be used as a regular advent reading)
- Christmas in the Manger by Nola Buck and Felicia Bond
- Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
- All the Colors of Christmas by Matthew Paul Turner
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
If you are looking for a family devotional, we recommend taking time to read scripture together! Scripture is a gift that we can learn from and be guided by! You might try reading through the book of Luke as a family- if you start reading one chapter a night on December 1 you will have read the entire Gospel of Luke by Christmas Eve! You can also use the lectionary to find weekly or daily scripture readings.
*Please note that purchase links to resources are provided, in most instances, by Amazon.com. These are included for your convenience, although all resources are also available from other sources. It is important to us to fully disclose that Amazon.com tracks purchases made through these direct links and, in return for the referrals provides First United Methodist Church with credits to use toward ministries for our resources.
