Help your students imagine what it would have been like to be present at the birth of Jesus Christ by performing a play about the nativity story. Have them create their own scenes based on the Bible stories or use the skit script below to guide the performance. This would be a great way to prepare your class to celebrate Christmas.
This script was based on both versions of the nativity story in Matthew 1 and Luke 2.
You can copy and paste the script into a separate word document or download a PDF version of the script along with discussion questions here:
The Nativity Story: A Class Skit
Scene 1:
Joseph the carpenter is hard at work on a project when his fiancée Mary comes in to see him.
Mary: Joseph! Joseph! Something amazing has happened.
Joseph: What is it, Mary?
Mary: An angel of the Lord came to me. He said I was going to have a child and—I don’t know how to say this—the child would be the Son of God.
Joseph: How can this be?
Mary: The Holy Spirit came upon me. Joseph, I’m pregnant.
Joseph: [In shock] You’re going to have a baby?
Mary: Yes, and we are going to name him Jesus.
Joseph: I don’t know what to say. Mary, what will people think? We are not even married yet.
Mary: I know. What should we do?
Joseph: Mary, this is amazing, but I will not let you be disgraced. I think it is best to call off the wedding.
Mary: Don’t worry about what people think. I still love you. How about we sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow?
Joseph: Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.
[Mary leaves the room and Joseph lays down to go to sleep.]
Angel 1: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.
Joseph: [mumbling in his sleep]
Angel 1: The child that she carries is from the Holy Spirit. It is a boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will save people from their sins.
Joseph: [waking up] Mary! Mary! I was wrong. We must get married!
Scene 2:
The Innkeeper sits or stands at the side of the stage busy working at a desk when Mary and Joseph arrive. Behind the Innkeeper there is a barn with animals and a manger filled with hay.
Narrator: In those days a decree went out from the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus saying that everyone in the world should be registered in their hometowns. Joseph and Mary left Nazareth and traveled to the city of David called Bethlehem.
Mary: Joseph, the baby is coming soon. I can feel it.
Joseph: It looks like an inn. Maybe they have space for us.
Innkeeper: Hello there. Welcome to Bethlehem.
Joseph: We have travelled a long way and we are need of a room. This is Mary. She is pregnant and about to have a baby.
Innkeeper: I am sorry, but there are no rooms left.
Mary: There must be something we can do!
Innkeeper: I’m sorry, but there just isn’t any space for you.
Joseph: But sir, please. Help us.
Innkeeper: I tell you what. I have a barn out back for the animals. There is shelter there, but that is all I can do. I’m sorry.
Mary: We’ll take it!
Scene 3:
A group of shepherds stand watching over a flock of sheep when an angel appears to them in the night. When the angel arrives, the shepherds hide.
Angel 2: Do not be afraid! I am bringing you good news of great joy for the whole world. To you this day is born in Bethlehem a Savior. He is the Messiah, the Lord.
Shepherd 1: Where? Where can we find this baby boy?
Angel 2: You will find the child wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.
[Angels suddenly appear all around the shepherds.]
All Angels: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.
[When the angels finish praising God, they disappear.]
Shepherd 1: Let’s go to Bethlehem.
Shepherd 2: Yes! We have to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.
Shepherd 3: C’mon. Let’s hurry!
[The shepherds leave and go to the barn where Mary and Joseph kneel over a manger. In the manger is a baby boy wrapped in blankets.]
Mary: Hello there. Where did you come from?
Shepherd 1: An angel came to us in the fields.
Shepherd 2: Not just one angel but many angels singing praise to God.
Shepherd 3: They said we would find a baby lying in a manger.
Joseph: Yes, there was no room for us in the inn.
Shepherd 1: The angel said the boy is a Savior. He is the Messiah and our Lord!
Mary: Thank you for coming. I will treasure these words in my heart. Come and see the baby before you go.
Shepherds: Glory be to God!
[The shepherds depart, and Mary and Joseph look with joy upon the child.]
Download the Skit and Discussion Questions
Enter your email address here and I will send you a formatted PDF with the script and a collection of post-performance discussion and reflection questions.
Hello Jared,
Merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing all the great information. I love your shot videos and the lesson plan. They are very helpful to me to teach my student because they are short and right to the point.
Have a Blessed Christmas and a Healthy and peaceful New Year 2023.
Sr. Marie
Dear Jared,
The nativity sketch is just awesome. I am definitely going to use it in the future.
I am a Catholic religion teacher in primary schools in Belgium and I wanted to thank you for your resourceful website which has helped me greatly since I discovered it a year ago. I learned of your work via a fellow American who lives in Luxembourg and home-teaches her two kids.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family.
Alice de Remond du Chelas