Getting Crafty In The Brain Lab: Christchild Christmas Ornament

You're teaching the little ones about the birth of Christ, and you need an easy craft project? Here is what we did at our Cornland Monday School program:

These wooden ellipses are about the size of a penny that's been run over by a train. Maybe a little bigger. You can get them in the craft department for very little. I suppose you could substitute those wood ice cream spoons, instead. You could try foam shapes, too, but I don't know how well they'd hold up to being "swaddled."

Cut strips of material about 8 inches long (we used white fleece, which is nice because it's kinda stretchy, but whatever you have on hand.) and glue one end of the strip to one end of the wood. Thought about using yarn or twine. I expect it would work okay.

Wrap up your Baby Jesus and glue your remaining end down. The wood end that sticks out will be the baby's head/face.

Mine is just black marker, but you could use different colors, paint, or a smiley face sticker (I DID think about it!), or glue some yarn or fur for hair.

Cut rectangles of yellow construction paper (or foam, or whatever you want) a lit larger than the baby. Fringe the two long sides with scissors. This will be hay for the manger. Have the kids write their names in the unfringed area, so you can identify them when they're all done.

Glue your Christchild to the "hay" and bend the fringe up around him. Worry it a bit, and it'll be more straw-like. If it's too long, trim it off. Sure, you could use real straw, but the construction paper has the space for the child's name and date.

Finally, glue or tape a loop of string or yarn on the back at the head end, so you can hang it. If you don't like that idea, I guess you could stick a magnet on the back and put Baby Jesus on your fridge or file cabinet. (Personally, I find interesting foreshadowing in hanging Baby Jesus on a TREE.)
What I learned: put your name closer to the middle of the paper or you'll glue the string over part of your name. And who knows who "llen" is? Not I!

Nine baby Jesuses (Jesi?) hanging on an evergreen!