Create a child-friendly felt nativity set that grows with your family. Free printable patterns for an interactive Christmas tradition! 

Were you like me growing up?

We had a beautiful nativity set filled with all the standard cast — shepherds, wise men and angels along with cows, a donkey, sheep and camels.

I loved that set. It was displayed across the top of the upright piano in the living room. A room you only went into for your daily piano practice.

I didn’t much like piano practice, but I loved that nativity set. The very set we weren’t allowed to touch!

I think that’s why, for years, I’ve been dreaming of making a creche and figures specifically for children. I wanted to write a book recounting this miracle. A book that would evolve as the children grew with new details and new supporting characters adding more richness each succeeding year.

Becoming a new Grandma propelled my decision to take on this long-dreamed-about project . . . finally!

Are you also looking for a meaningful Christmas craft that brings the nativity story to life for your little ones?

This easy DIY felt nativity set tutorial will help you create an interactive story board that little ones can use to retell the Christmas story again and again.

Perfect for families, Sunday schools, or as a special holiday gift, this durable felt nativity scene will become a cherished part of your Christmas season.

More Holiday Ideas for Our Young Kiddos

You’re in luck! I have joined three of my favorite bloggers who are also grandmas. We are each sharing a kid-friendly activity for the holidays. These three companion posts are all listed at the bottom of this post, and each is a real treat!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

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Why Make a Felt Nativity?

• Interactive way to teach the Christmas story (And Jesus was the master of teaching by stories!)
• Durable, child-safe alternative to breakable sets (Can I get an Amen?)
• Grows with your family year after year (like the height chart on the door frame, but more Biblical)
• Versatile display and storage options
• Perfect for travel and visits to relatives (Isn’t that the goal, to have Jesus with us everywhere?)
• Creates meaningful holiday traditions

Before we go much further, I must apologize. My week has been held hostage by the technology demons (and currently Mercury is not even in retrograde). So I am scrambling to make up ground. The pics are all added, and now over the next several days, I will be adding the patterns to the Free Printables library for my subscribers. Be sure to bookmark this post so you can easily check back.

Pick Your Display Style (Because One Size Doesn’t Fit All!

The Classic Route, W/ or W/O a Board-

Think of it as your kids’ Biblical play mat:

• Flat felt background (simple but effective)
• W/O a board, rolls up for storage (unlike that giant inflatable Santa taking up half your garage)
• Perfect for floor play (and easy to vacuum around!)

The Pinterest-Worthy Frame Display-

For when you want it to look grown-up but stay kid-friendly:

• Hangs on the wall (safe from the family dog!)
• Enshrines the kid’s creche as the masterpiece it is (you know, like hanging the fingerprinting on the fridge)
• Kid-height accessible (no more lifting little ones for a better look)
• Doubles as actual charming Christmas decor (look at you, being all efficient!)

Note, I used a 20 X 28 frame from IKEA that I had on hand. The sky and hills are attached to the frame backing with spray Gorilla Glue.

Great Alternative I’m Converting To-

What can I say? Sometimes you just have to get into a project (neck deep this time) before the best solution presents itself:

• Still presents as a masterpiece
• Requires no floor space
• Still doubles as charming Christmas decor
• Any height you choose
• Any size you choose. Mine will be larger — just saying.
• Portable — easy to lay on the kitchen table, our take to Grandma’s
• Rolls up for easy storage

My backdrop of night sky and hills are going to be displayed as a large banner hung with top and bottom dowels.

This way it still presents as “artwork” that hangs on the wall, but I can achieve a larger surface.

The Road Trip Ready Version-

Because sometimes you need Jesus to be portable:

• Tri-fold board that stands up (like a science fair project, but holier)
• Folds flat for travel (unlike that Christmas tree you tried to strap to your car roof)
• Perfect for visits to Grandma’s (and she’ll be so impressed!)

The Mini Travel Edition-

When you need a pocket-sized miracle:

• Small enough for the car
• Great for restaurants (way better than those paper kids’ menus)
• Perfect quiet time activity (hallelujah!)

Want to know when there printables are all available or when the new banner version is posted? If you’re a subscriber, you won’t miss out. What? Not a subscriber? Let’s fix that right now:

Thanks bunches! Now back to out Creche Crafting:

Choose Your Crafting Adventure

Beginner Mode: Keep It Simple-

For when you just can’t with the Pinterest perfection:

• Basic shapes glued together
• Minimal details
• Still totally adorable
• Done in one nap time (hopefully!) Okay, a couple of nap times

Level Up: Add Some Pizzazz–

When you’re feeling crafty:

• Hand-stitched details
• Fun textures
• More detailed figures
• The Mary and Joseph you wish you’d made first time around

Pro Mode: Go All Out–

For the crafting overachievers (we see you!):

• All the fancy stitches
• Multiple outfit layers
• Intricate details
• Warning: may cause crafting envy

Let’s Get Started! What You’ll Need:

• The backbone of your chosen background
• Large piece of felt for the background (I went with charcoal sky and hills of sand)
• Spray Glue, if you are adding sky, hills etc for backdrop and don’t want to stitch them in place
• Assorted colored felt pieces for figures and scenery (I used what I had in my stash, but here is a great general purpose assortment or these richer colors)
• Heat n’ Bond or similar fusible adhesive
• The hook part of velcro, optional (not really, you want this)
• Sharp fabric scissors, actually small embroidery scissors are best, these are mine
• Freezer paper, this is what I use
• Pattern templates offered as a Free Printable (provided below)
• Basic crafting supplies (needle and thread, markers, snippet of yarn, a scrap of iron-on interfacing (you know, those kinds of things)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1) Creating Your Story Board Background-

First, we’ll create the basic scene where your nativity story will unfold. This becomes your children’s stage for creative storytelling.

• Lay out your large background felt piece or pieces
• Create a simple stable structure, optional
• Add background elements like stars and hills, maybe the outskirts of Betlehem in the distance

I used a 20 X 28 Ikea frame that I had on hand. Removed the plexi and spray glued the large sweeping hills below the dark felt sky.

I chose to keep the stable loose so the story can change with the whims of the kiddos, but my felt is soft felt, not stiff, so a young child would probably struggle with placing it.

Step 2) Making the Nativity Figures-

Each character in our nativity scene is designed to be child-friendly and easy to handle.

Making the figures is the most involved (and satisfying) part. But once you have the steps down, they go pretty quickly, so please don’t be intimidated. I added pictures of each step to eliminate frustration and encourage you to give it a go. Of course, feel free to simplify the figures — or add even more detail if that’s how you roll.

General Steps

PRO TIP: If you are new to working with iron on adhesive, use a piece of scrap fabric under your work to protect your ironing board cover from any stray adhesive.

Key Characters Include:

• Baby Jesus in the manger
• Mary and Joseph
• The Three Wise Men
• Shepherds
• Angels
• Animals (sheep, donkey, camel)

Step 3) Adding Special Details-

Make your nativity set beautiful and engaging with these special touches:

• The Star of Bethlehem (with template)
• Cypress trees and greenery
• Little details like gifts from the wise men and shepherds’ staff
• Simple animal features

Free Printable Templates

Download our free nativity patterns to make this craft even easier:

• Stable template
• Character patterns
• Animal shapes
• Star and decoration templates

Tips for Success

• Use contrasting felt colors for visual appeal
• Make pieces large enough for small hands
• Add some details separately for more imaginative play (staff, the gifts, the eastern star, etc)
• Consider adding simple embellishments for texture
• Store pieces flat
• Only introduce the little elements, such at there Magi’s gifts, when your kiddos are old enough

Variations and Ideas

• Create a larger outdoor nativity scene using these patterns
• Add Velcro backing for better grip
• Make multiple sets for Sunday school classes
• Design a travel-sized version
• Do you have a bit older grand who would love to learn some simple embroidery? The robes and cloaks would be a great canvas for running stitches and daisy chains or maybe adding some beads.

Growing Your Nativity: The Long Game

Think of it as a Christmas story that gets better every year:

• Start with the Holy Family (because, priorities!)
• Add characters as kids grow (like a Biblical collector’s set)
• Spark conversations (“What do you think the innkeeper’s wife was thinking?”)
• Let kids help choose new additions (“Who should join the story this year?”)
• Watch their understanding grow with the collection

Conversation Starters
(Because Kids Say and Ask the Darnedest Things)

• “Why didn’t the innkeeper make room? Was he having a bad day?”
• “Did the shepherds bring their lunch?”
• “How many sheep should we make? One hundred?”
• “Did Mary get to ride the donkey, or did she have to walk?”

Remember: There’s no wrong way to create your nativity set (unless you forget Baby Jesus – that would be awkward).

The goal is to make something your family will love and use for years to come, whether it’s Pinterest-perfect or charmingly homemade.

And please, PLEASE, let me know how your set turns out. And I’d love to see any pics, especially with your kiddos!!!

What figures did you start with? What other figures or items should I add next?

Now don’t forget to join the other Grandmas for their best holiday ideas for celebrating with Grands.

I do hope you’ll check back soon, when technology is smiling on me once again.