Printable nativity scenes can be used to create activities for kids, as a template for making your own nativity scenes, or even printed out and colored for Christmas cards or wrapping paper. Download and print out a free nativity scene and get started today.
Download Free Printable Nativity Scenes
Download a free printable nativity coloring page and a nativity scene to color, cut out and play with. Click on either of the images to be taken to the PDF. Download the file onto your computer, and then print it out. If you plan on cutting out the images once you print them, print directly onto heavy cardstock to give them weight and durability. You can also save the images for later use.
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The first image is ideal for printing, coloring, and hanging. The second image, with the figures separated, has several options for use. After you've printed and colored the images, cut them out and you'll have a set of fully positionable paper dolls. Have children place them in the manger, use them as templates to cut out felt or other materials in their shape, or use them in scrapbooks as a way to embellish your pages.
Where to Find More Printable Nativity Scenes
Nativity scenes are abundant, especially over the holidays, which means you can find numerous printable scenes to choose from. These websites offer additional, free nativity scenes to print:
- Coloring Page - Here you'll find a lovely colorable page depicting Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, in the classic nativity scene. These images are suitable for children to color.
- DLTK - DLTK offers a huge variety of templates and printables. These printables are templates for each person and animal in a nativity scene, and the page also includes instructions for turning them into felt board characters or puppets. Scroll down the page to print the images in black and white so you can color them yourself, or print them out in color.
- Design Dazzle - These cute printables allow you to create paper dolls to use in your own nativity scene. The instructions are straightforward and use materials that you would likely have on hand.
- Paper Toys - Paper Toys offers a printable nativity that you can fold and glue to make a three-dimensional scene. Print out the black and white images and color them yourself, or opt for the colored versions to use them right away.
- True Aim - This blog has a stained-glass nativity-themed printable that lets children color in the nativity in a custom, patchwork fashion.
- Proverbial Homemaker - Here you'll find a 70+ page printable pack filled with interactive activities for younger, elementary-aged children, ranging puzzles, coloring pages, vocabulary cards, and so much more.
How to Use Printed Nativity Sets
Nativity scenes printed from your computer can be used in many different ways. Incorporate these printables into your holiday celebrations in the following ways:
- Use colored printables while scrapbooking to add charm to your Christmas pages. They are also less expensive than pre-made cutouts or other scrapbooking supplies from the craft store.
- Print out extra scenes for the kids to color while the adults are cooking or otherwise busy on Christmas day.
- Make paper dolls or puppets with the printables and ask the children to put on a show. You can also use these characters to explain the nativity scene and story to younger children.
- Resize the images using a graphics program and print out holiday cards.
- Let the children color the images and use the drawings as unique wrapping paper for small gifts.
Tips for Using Printables
If you're new to using printable templates or activities, use these tips to help you along the way.
- Use card stock or other heavy paper to print your images on if you're planning to make paper dolls, puppets or other items for kids to play with. Children can get carried away easily, and thin paper doesn't stand a chance.
- If you're printing out more than one copy of each image, start with a single copy first to make sure that the picture will come out correctly. It's much easier to change the size of the image, change the ink cartridge, or fix the paper feed when there aren't another dozen copies in the queue to be printed!
- Printables are usually free for personal use, but if you're planning on using the images on a larger scale, check to make sure the copyright is open to this sort of usage.
If you need more help with downloading the printables, check out these helpful tips.
Start Coloring
With the many uses you can get out of a printed nativity scene, you'll find it easy to get the entire family involved. Download and print a few scenes and see just where they take you this holiday season.
