The Three Kings

THE THREE KINGS

Objectives:

  1. Children should be able to tell the story of the three kings, or wise men.
  2. Children should know that the star guided the wise men to Bethlehem.
  3. Children should be able to name Herod as the wicked king who wanted to kill Jesus.
  4. Children should be able to name the gifts the kings gave the baby Jesus.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer. Review St. Simeon’s prayer. Have the children memorized it yet?
  2. Read the story of the three kings in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 286-290, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 170-173, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 270-276. Supplement if desired with the Golden Children’s Bible pages 354-357. Review the icon of the Nativity. Where are the three kings? Add them to your crèche and review all the other figures in the icon and the crèche scene. Does the Bible actually tell us how many kings there were? (no)

 

3.   Feed the Elephant True/False Questions:

                                    True                                                     False

            Herod was King of Judea.                                 Herod was one of the wise men.

            The kings brought gifts for baby Jesus.          The kings hated baby Jesus.

            Herod hated baby Jesus.                                 Herod loved baby Jesus.

            The kings followed a star.                               The kings followed a kite.

            Jesus was born in Bethlehem.                         Jesus was born in Baltimore.

 

4.   Ask some questions: What were the gifts of the kings? Why did they bring these gifts? Why did Herod hate Jesus? What did God tell the wise men to do?

5. Make the Three Kings Stand-up Figures. Cut kings out of the pattern on the next page from blue, purple, red or other kingly colors of construction paper – one of each color for each child. Cut only the center section in white and glue inside the robe. Color face and hair. Use gold glitter glue for crowns. Finally, glue or tape a small gold chocolate coin inside one robe, a piece of incense inside another, and rub a bit of perfume or add a scratch and sniff sticker inside the third. Fold the robes closed and the figures will stand up. Open to see the gifts.

6. Close with prayer.