Christmas Plays for Children

From LoveToKnow Christmas

Choosing the right Christmas plays for children depends upon many factors. Not only do you need to take into consideration the age of the kids, but also the audience, budget and the intended message.

Holiday Skits for Kids

Before you begin work on costuming or recruiting volunteers to help with the Christmas play production, look for the right play for the group of kids you are directing.

When choosing the skit, keep the following things in mind:

  • Age of Kids: Preschool and kindergartners, elementary students and middle school kids will all perform at different levels. Older kids can memorize more lines than younger ones and may be easier to direct. In a mixed-age group, give younger children supporting roles that require less preparation and direction.
  • Audience: Who is the audience for the play? The kind of play you choose depends on whether the audience is people from the community, parents and relatives or other children. Both adults and kids are likely to enjoy Christmas comedy skits and plays.
  • Message: A play done by a local 4-H group may center its message around agriculture, while one performed by Sunday school children will focus on the Nativity and birth of Jesus.
  • Budget: Free Christmas skits are available online for groups with a small budget. Keep in mind the cost of costuming, lighting, props and any performance fees associated with the play when you draw up the budget.

Time is another important consideration when it comes to choosing Christmas plays for children. Figure out how much rehearsal time is needed for preparation, along with the running time of the play. Short Christmas plays are a good choice for groups who do not have much time for rehearsal or performance.

Scripted Christmas Plays for Children

Children's Christmas plays usually involve purchasing a script, director's notes and the license/royalty fees for putting on the performance(s). However, some free plays are available.

Free Online Plays

The Internet offers plenty of free resources. Do a quick search or try one of the following links for free holiday plays for kids:

  • The Sunday School Teacher's Network has many free Christmas church plays from which to choose.
  • Dramatix.org lists a number of Christian-based plays that vary in length and amount of characters.
  • Acts One offers four Christmas plays for download with a conservative Christian theme.
  • Christian Counseling and Educational Services has two free puppetry plays dealing with a Christmas theme. Scroll to the middle of the page to view the two choices, Jason's Christmas List and Christmas in July.
  • Activity TV has a puppetry skit entitled Elf Mitten Skit. Instructions for making the puppet are on tabs at the right, and kids can perform the skit along with the video to the left.
  • The US Scouting Service Project lists three short skits in the "Holiday Magic" section of the Theme Skits from the Indian Nations Council 1994 Pow Wow Book. Click on the link to get to the section.

Whenever you use a free Internet resource for Christmas plays for children, it is best to check the terms of use or "frequently asked questions" section. Though downloading, reading and performing the plays may be free, many authors request you contact them with the time and place it will be performed. Following these instructions is up to the group downloading the plays.

Purchase Plays

Children's Christmas plays are often available from playwrights online. Santa Scenes has plays for kids featuring aliens, pirates, motorcycles and more, available for purchase on their website. ArtReach Plays.com has traditional Christmas stories and some favorite revamped for the holiday season available for download and purchase.

If your group frequently puts on Christmas plays, it may be worth investing in a large book or anthology. Books with Christmas plays are a great resource to use each year. Pick your favorites or rotate the plays for a wider variety.

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