Gifts to Christ

I teach in a private dance studio for my church so I am able to talk about the true meaning of Christmas, with my dancers. I take this opportunity seriously since it is not every where you can talk about Christ in your dance classes. This  year I put a lot of preparation into this  lesson plan. I taught this lesson three times and so I am going to combine the experience into one post.

The following lesson plan was inspired by a teacher I use to work with but having the desire not to lose it when she left I do it in her honor. (So I don’t take credit for the ideas, simply embrace them.) The basic events that took place are as follows: Christmas music fills the room as we practice and show off what it is the children have been learning this first part of the year to their parents, because it is parents day. Then it is time to look inside the Christmas present that I brought to class, they typically have been looking forward to it all of class. As I start pulling things out they quickly recognize it as a Nativity scene. I then ask them to tell me the story, this is did new this year but it proved to be insightful and children love to talk. In my boys class they settled down enough and were old enough to tell the story with the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Ghost, and they did a beautiful job, I unfortunately do not remember the words well enough to retell them too you. In the girls’ classes they were cute and it was worth it though not as powerful as the boys. I emphasized the wise men in the story and how they brought gifts to the little Jesus. I asked them if they were there what would they give and they answers were all very lovingly given. A few of my favorites: “I would give baby Jesus my favorite stuffed octopus because I love it so much!”, and  “I would give him a room in my house.” I then told them briefly of the drummer boy and how all he had to give was something he had in himself, a talent, I asked if it were possible to give the gift of dance to baby Jesus. They all agreed. What followed was sweet and tender.

In the boys class: I had a cardboard manager with a baby doll inside and set it in the middle of our dancing room.  I turned on the music and let them dance. Their dancing was truly amazing you could see the light inside each one of them coming out as they did their best to give the gift of dance to baby Jesus. It was the best dancing I have seen from them this far. This however was not all, when they finished their dance I asked if someone would bring baby Jesus and the manger.They all wanted to do so. I decided to let them figure out how they were going to do this and well these six boys all circled around the manger and carefully lifted the manger and baby up and working together brought our baby Jesus over. It was a  tender moment for us all that got to see it.

The youngest of children and the wildest of boys still can be touched and thereby touch the hearts around them with their testimony of Jesus Christ.