I love the Advent season!
I keep watch over my heart during the hectic Christmas rush by focusing each day on the arrival of my savior. We do this as a family with an intentional variety of resources.
There are books for the adults, activities for the kids, and lots of celebration moments all along the way. Some are free, and others we purchase. Here are my favorites from the past few years.
I’ve split this into three sections to help you find what you are looking for. Devotionals, family activities, homeschool curriculum.
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Devotionals
Emmanuel
Ruth Chou Simons
Here’s one I haven’t read, but I really want to. I got so much out of Ruth’s earlier book Graceland, and I’m hoping my husband will get this one for me (hint, hint, Hubby).
Her blending of scripture, encouragement, and beautiful artwork is so inspiring. I’m excited to read this book, which focuses on Christ being here with us in our daily lives. Grab your copy here.
The Dawning of Indestructible Joy
John Piper
I love John Piper’s Advent readings. And each year he makes one of his Advent books free to download. Get it at DesiringGod.org
Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional
Paul David Tripp
Paul David Tripp shows up in a lot of my favorite resources. He has an amazing way of pointing everything straight to Christ and proclaiming His grace. He’s both theologically deep and relatably honest. His Advent guide is no exception. Available on Amazon
The Promised One
Christianity Today
Christianity Today published an Advent guide written by 27 different authors. Daily readings, weekly themes, and 4 family activities to help you through the season. Purchase on Amazon
Family Activities
Advent Reading Plan for Families
Kim Sorgius, Not Consumed Ministries
I love this plan! (Honestly, I love just having a plan.) But this countdown to Christmas is great because it gets my family focusing on scripture together each day. I don’t know about you and your family, but we need tools that push us to dwell in God’s world. Especially for our kids, it doesn’t come naturally.
Use her plan, plus her cool suggestions on how to customize it and make it exciting for the kids. Get it here
Family Advent Activities
Christie Thomas
Christie’s blog Little Shoots Deep Roots has so many amazing resources for parenting with faith! Check out her awesome ideas (there’s way more than the 18 she claims in the title). And as she encourages, if this is your first year celebrating Advent, start little.
The Giving Manger
Allison Hottinger and Lisa Kalberer
We’ve never been Elf on the Shelf fans. At All. So when I found this on Amazon last year, I was excited to show it to Hubby.
Throughout December we catch the kids showing love, and each time they get to add another piece of straw to the manger. By Christmas day, when we read the Bible story, the manger is full and the kids get to place the wooden baby Jesus in the bed they’ve prepared for him.
While this could lead into acts-based theology, we simply reminded kids each day to consider God’s grace and love as the motivation for our loving actions.
Homeschool Curriculum
Unearthing Wonder:
A Family Advent Guide
The Peaceful Press
This activity guide blurs the line between family activities and curriculum, but I finally decided to put it in this section. Each day contains a short lesson about an animal with features that make it uniquely suited for cold-weather living. This is tied to a devotion about how God has also created us to live in Him and for Him.
Kids get to color a paper ornament each day, so by Christmas day, they have a wonderful display of God’s character and creativity.
Intended to supplement the book “All Creation Waits” by Gayle Boss, the packet includes Bible verse cards to affirm our kids as God sees them, and so much more.
Christmas School
Read Aloud Revival
The annual Christmas reading plan from Read Aloud Revival is absolutely awesome.
Last year we chose to pause most school subjects, replacing it with this plan, to make December a “recovery month”. The kids had gotten worn down, and I needed to maintain our normal school rhythms without pushing into new material.
This book-based curriculum includes everything needed to teach language arts, history/geography, art, music, cooking, science, crafts, and more.
The kids loved it, I loved it, and we’re doing it again this year.
