Take a journey with your Primary children back to the First Christmas in this wonderful O Little Town of Bethlehem At the Stable Singing Time activity. You’ll learn about different symbols of what Mary & Joseph might have experienced that night as you sing through this song with lots of repetition.
I recommend teaching O Little Town of Bethlehem (archives) as part of the Doctrine & Covenants 2025 Primary Songs as it’s one of the recommended songs to teach in December making it easy to pick your Christmas song to teach this year!
**See all O Little Town of Bethlehem Singing Time Ideas**

O Little Town of Bethlehem At the Stable
Sing through O Little Town of Bethlehem once, before introducing this activity. You can use this O Little Town of Bethlehem Flip Chart to help the children review the words.
Ask the children, do you know where Jesus was born? What words did you hear about the place where Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus were? Explain that today we will talk about some of the different things this family would have felt and experienced that we learn about from the song.

Let a child come up and pick one of the symbol cards. You can ask them a leading question such as: What did you hear from the song that goes with this symbol? How did Mary & Joseph experience this thing that night? Or, simply share a brief description of the object and how it relates to the song and the First Christmas. Ask the children to listen to the specific phrase for each symbol.

As you go through each of the different symbols, remind the children to picture themselves there at the stable with Mary and Joseph on this special night.
End with your witness of Jesus Christ and gratitude for the gift that he has given to us.
Extension Activities:
Objects: Bring in objects to represent each of the symbols. For example you can bring in real hay or some yarn or dry grass, Christmas lights to represent stars, a flashlight or lamp to represent the everlasting light, and instrument or big cutout music note for praises sung, etc.

Actions: Use the matching actions for each symbol as you sing through the song the next time. Each fun action coordinates with the object/symbol:
- Hay in the Manger: Swish hands – Rub hands back and forth across each other, palms together
- Twinkling Stars: Put a finger light or two on each finger and wave them up in the sky like stars
- Dark of Night: Turn off the lights! Make sure there is still enough light for your pianist if you need the melody or sing acapella.
- Everlasting Light: Shake dance scarves up and down and across the sky like the light of the sun shining.
Directed Listening: Have the children listen to specific keyword phrases for each symbol. Have them raise their hand or quickly stand and sit again when they sing the word/phrase!
- Hay in the Manger: “Are met in thee tonight”
- Twinkling Stars: “The silent stars go by”
- Dark of Night: “dark streets”
- Everlasting Light: “The everlasting light”
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this When Joseph Went to Bethlehem At the Stable singing time activity!
O Little Town of Bethlehem At the Stable Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes the first 4 symbols for the 1st verse in 1/4 page size.

Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including 8 symbols, 1/4 page and full page cards and action cards! You’ll find these bonus files included when O Little Town of Bethlehem is the featured song of the month.
Get more out of singing time with the INSTANT Primary Singing membership that includes printable lesson plans, tons of extended printables and an ad-free experience for each featured song of the month, or get immediate access to the entire song list for the year!
Learn more about INSTANT Primary Singing membership options here!
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Continue on to see this next fun activity – a O Little Town of Bethlehem Picture Puzzles idea! You’ll decode the pictures that go with each phrase of the song.
What other fun ways will you use this singing time activity in your Primary room?