Activities
Collect nativity scenes from around the world as a reminder that Jesus came for everyone.
Send a care package to a missionary family. Include special items for the children.
Pretend that you live in a developing country for several hours — don’t rely on electricity, appliances, or conveniences. Wash some clothes by hand, take public transportation or walk, or cook over a fire.
Ask a missionary family if your children could be pen pals with their children.
Model volunteering; show your children what it's like to volunteer in places outside the church.
Host missionaries on home leave for a meal, or longer.
Pray for children at risk around the world.
Keep a world map or globe handy to easily find places that you hear about.
Buy and hang a colorful “Children of the World” calendar every year.
Collect coins from around the world. When friends are planning trips, give them a dollar and ask if they’ll bring back some coins from the places they’re visiting.
Pray with and for your children daily, asking God to use you that day for His glory, wherever you go.
Collect stamps from around the world. Write to missionaries and ask them to write back, using a stamp from their area.
Read missionary newsletters out loud to your children, or have the children take turns reading the letters.
Learn about EMM missionaries' lives by reading their blogs at emm.org/missionaries.
Host international students for a meal, or longer. Visit christmasih.org for more information about Christmas International House.
Collect money for missions-related projects involving children; check out EMM’s projects for ideas.
Buy items from Ten Thousand Villages (tenthousandvillages.com), research the countries they’re from, and display items around your house as a reminder to pray for the people in those countries.
Pray with your children for people and countries around the world. Find ideas at operationworld.org.
Give a gift of animals to villages in developing nations. Learn more at heifer.org.