Paper City Nativity Scene

December 11, 2012
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97 comments

Ever since childhood, I’ve always enjoyed seeing the different Nativity sets displayed around the holidays. This year, I finally tried making my own Paper City style Nativity Scene to share with everyone. I had a great time playing around with different designs, and I think it will be fun to color in, too!

So far the kids are really enjoying it, and our youngest one keeps grabbing the sheep and saying “ba ba ba!”

Happy Holidays!
Joel

You can see more Made by Joel winter holiday crafts, including the Hanukkah and Christmas Dressy Cats play sets.

UPDATE: NEW NATIVITY SCENES – Joyfully Expanded & Travel Size Version!



Side notes:

After folding the figures in half, I decided to make small curved cuts at the top of their heads to round them out a bit. You can try that too if you’d like. (See photos above.)

Finally, I printed these on matte photo paper, but any paper will work great.

Also, don’t forget to always encourage your kids to draw their own if they’re in the mood! My son wanted to try it out, and he made this wonderful scene below. I love it!


If you enjoy an activity and would like to support my continuing effort in creating art projects for our kids at home and in schools around the world, a PayPal tip donation would be awesome.

Thanks!

Click on the templates below, then print.

 

 

97 Responses
    1. Heather

      Thank you so much for the wonderful work on the paper nativity! Both of my children on excitedly working on theirs, since it is too cold to go outside. You have put more joy and excitement in their anticipation of Christmas day to come!

  2. Anna

    Joel, this is SO beautiful! I love the simplicity and all the details at the same time …
    Last year Susie Poole, a British children’s book illustrator, let me put her nativity scene on my church coffee blog. Here it is, just in case one of your readers gets into the mood and wants to make more than one: http://kyrkkaffe.libris.se/?p=3581
    Great to see your children and their creations as well — all my best wishes for all of you!

  5. Katie

    Thank you for sharing this Joel, it’s a beautiful activity that I can do with my children before Christmas.
    I wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas!

  8. Pete

    Rad! Your sons scene is awesome. Really dig the simpler standy uppy mechanism. We seem to struggle with the slotted feet ones at ours but they look rad so dad helps a bit:) The simple fold is really nice and well… simple.
    Thanks

  13. Hilary T

    Thanks! This is going to bump our craft for today to another day. The kids are excited and have already loaded the printer with card stock so I can print it quicker! We are all very excited…lol!

    Merry Christmas!!

  14. Colleen

    Joel,
    I LOVE THIS!!!!
    I just happened to post on christmas/winter game printables today
    and when I saw this on FB I had to add it to the post!!!
    Thanks for all of your wonderful work!
    Colleen from Life Sprinkled With Glitter

    2. Colleen

      Joel, I just have to tell you once again THANK YOU!!! This is seriously the coolest paper nativity!
      My 6 year old son spent two hours meticulously coloring and cutting out one of these!
      He loved doing it SO MUCH that right when he woke up this morning, he asked me to print out another sheet of the “people” so he can do it over again!
      You do such great work!!!!

    3. Joel

      That’s so great Colleen! I love it when kids get so excited about artwork and creating their own toys! That’s the best! Thanks for sharing the success story.

  16. Carmen

    Thank you so much for sharing! We will be using this in homeschool today and I am planning on letting my Sunday School kids do this too! Love all your work!

  18. Cristina Ortega

    Hellody Joel! a few years ago I purchased one of Lori’s CDs for my nephew Adán. Both of you autographed it for him… He is now 12 yrs old, is in an excellent aspergers program and doing excellent in school.
    Just want to thank you for the Nativity Scene which I just printed for my niece who recently turned 4. She has made such a positive impact on Adán as did so many of your activities through the years.
    Ruby’s father, Fernando Ortega, is a Christian music artist so music is very much a part of her life. Adán shares Lori’s CD with Ruby often!!!
    Joel I know you hear this often but YOU ARE AWESOME in the way you touch so many lives. peace. auntie cris

  23. Renee Kosted

    Hi Joel! I just saw this on your FB page today….LOVE IT!! We (my 3 kids, me and my husband) are such big fans of yours…thanks so much for sharing your creativity in such a generous way.
    Merry Christmas!!
    Renée Kosted

  25. sue

    Hi Joel,
    This is so lovely, thank you.
    I am also impressed by your comment to encourage kids to give their own a go as well.
    Once again thanks and a Merry Christmas!

  34. Meghan

    Thank-you for sharing this beautiful and meaningful Nativity Scene. I have printed it out and can’t wait to colour and cut it out with my toddler. Merry Christmas!

  35. Maverick Hampton

    Can’t wait to use this for Sunday School on Sunday. Thank you, Joel. I love your papercrafts, they rock!!

  40. Bonnie

    This is so lovely, and keeping my 4-year-old happy and occupied as I try to finish off all my office work before Christmas!

  43. drusbi

    Muchas gracias, es el belén naïf más guapo que he visto nunca! líneas puras, expresiones dulces y más fácil y económico imposible.

  48. Cesc

    This morning my 98 year old mother and I colored the Nativity scene in her assisted living home’s activity room. As other residents walked by, they were delighted by the result. We set it up on a shelf where everyone can see it as they pass by her room. Your designs are marvelous. Thank you so much.

    1. Joel

      That is excellent! My mom volunteers once a month at an assisted living home, and most of the time the residents there are having to do kids crafts that they really aren’t interested in. One of my goals is to make simple craft kits for the elderly. So your comment is very encouraging! Thanks!

  51. dame2carreau

    I do not know in America but in France, Jesus is warmed by a donkey and an ox(beef). I do not see him… Could the Santa Claus draw one for my small Max who plays with the day-nursery(crib) since cut the him(it)? Please…?

  60. Susan Nagel

    This is so awesome!! Our church does a Christmas With The Arts day the first Saturday of December–a way kids 4 yrs old thru 5th grade can spend the morning creating while their parents go shopping! I have looked around for a nativity they could do and have it look lovely and this is it!! I’ll have my granddaughter color one with watercolor markers and another with colored pencils to see which looks best. This is going to be such a hot-thanks again!

    1. Joel

      Thanks for the comment. I hope you have fun!! I bet it would look great in watercolor – especially if you have some thick paper. Probably would work well on regular paper too though, once it dries.

  69. Karyn

    Hi Joel. Have just set up the nativity. My girls (5 & 3) just love your work & are always using the colouring pages too. Happy Christmas from a happy family in Australia!

  72. Mr. and Mrs. R.

    This is wonderful! Our children will agree, too. Thank you so much! :-)

    Found you today via the Moneysaving Mom site.

  73. Stephanie from Minnesota From Scratch

    I printed this off tonight and my three year old cut it out and colored some as well. She was very proud of doing most of the project herself. After we set everything up, my husband explained the scene to her and then we read a children’s book explaining things as well. It was a very special night and I just want to thank you for putting this printable together. I see you have a book, I will definitely have to check that out!

  75. Leanne

    Thank you so much for designing this! I teach 2 and 3 yr. olds at my church and they thrive on stuff like this!!! – and so do I!

  76. Janelle

    Thank you!!! This is just adorable. I teach a class of 5/6 year old children, they are going to love this!!! My 11 year old daughter is working on one right now to add to our Nativity collection. Thank you again!!!

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  83. Cathy

    I was travelling at Christmas this year and not trusting Canadian winter weather I was unsure exactly where I would be on Christmas eve and day. I found your paper creche and decided it would travel with me so I could have Christmas wherever I was. I had a lot of fun staging it in a cigar box, putting baby Jesus in a separate envelop so he would “arrive” on the scene only on Christmas Eve. I attached the tiny birthday envelop to the box with a magnet, ready for the special day.
    Thanks for sharing this lovely creche. I’ll use it every year from now on.
    I have photos but don’t know how to attach them. (I’m better with paper and glue than with computers). Happy New Year to all. C