Christmas is coming.

Advent about to start.

Our tree will go up on the 15th December this year

Until then we will slowly start to fill our house with colour and sparkle and light

This year we will also be making Baby Tilda’s garden magical

We have lots to do

In the midst of all the mayhem

It is important to me that our children know the true meaning of Christmas

It is important to me that they know the story of the Nativity

Of Mary and Joseph

Baby Jesus

Shepherds and Angels

The Three Wise Men

We have always had a nativity scene at Christmas

Until this year it has been a little fabric one

One that Esther and William adore

It would have been handed down to Tilda this year

That is what should have happened

This year Esther and William have a wooden nativity play set from Haba

Available at The Toadstool

Our Nativity Set will be out throughout Advent

Sometimes we will explore it together

Sit round it and read stories

Sing carols

Often times Esther and William will just play

And through their play

They will learn the Christmas story

The structure, the order of what happened and how and to who

They may even start to have some understanding as to why

But mostly they will become familiar with the characters

They will know that Jesus’ mummy was Mary

That Joseph was his Dad

That God was his father

They will know that Jesus was born in a stable

Laid in a manger

They will learn the name Angel Gabriel

They will know that the shepherds came to the stable first

Bringing with them their sheep and their lambs

Followed by Three Wise Kings

They will begin to understand the importance of the star

And as a family we will link the Christmas Star

With our Baby Tilda stars

Knowing that stars in the sky are important

They shine for us

To guide us

To light our way

Show us where to go and how

Christmas is all about babies and stars

One of the many reasons the season is so hard

But it is about a story bigger than all of us

One I want my children to know and believe

As they grow

The wooden nativity set from Haba

Is made up of sturdy, chunky pieces

Perfect for preschool hands

The figures are painted on both sides

So you can set the scene up in lots of different ways

This beautiful Christmas Scene is of excellent quality and will last for many Christmases

Many years

The sturdy cardboard box doubles as the stable and is beautifully painted

With great attention to detail that extends the play possibilities of the set

The Nativity Set also comes with a small booklet full of ideas for learning through play

There are suggested activities linked to numbers and counting, searching and discovering for details, recognising and naming colours

We have tried and enjoyed these simple activities but mostly Esther and William enjoy free play with the set

Carol singing and listening to the story of the very first Christmas

This is a beautiful play set to have in your house this Christmas

And for Christmas ever after

We were sent one Haba Nativity Set from The Toadstool for the purpose of this review