Have fun with an Epiphany Party!
Many children go to too many parties at Christmas Time, so why not leave your Church’s
children’s party until Epiphany – and make it into a theme party? You could use some of
these ideas to get you started ……
Telling the story
Share a suitable version of the Epiphany story with the children – there are many lovely
versions available. Six versions of the story are available in Star of Wonder, compiled by
Pat Alexander (Lion Publishing).
Game Hunt the Stars
You will need stars cut out of different coloured paper, each one with a letter from the
phrase Wise Men came from the East. A child is born.
Each group has to find stars of a different colour and when they have found all 34, put
them together in the right order to make the message.
Activities
The gifts from foreign countries are symbols of the fact that people from all nations are
called upon to recognise and to worship Jesus. The nature of the chosen gifts is symbolic.
Gold is a gift for a king
Frankincense is a priestly gift for God. Incense is a symbol of prayer and worship being
offered to God.
Myrrh is a gift for a human person because it would be used at death. It symbolises the
fact that Jesus was human as well as divine and that he would die. Right from his time as
a baby, and before, there are signs that Jesus had been sent by God to die for the sins of
the world. These gifts symbolise the facts that:
Jesus is King
Meekness and Majesty
Jesus is Divine
Manhood and Deity
Jesus is Human
In perfect Harmony
The man who is God…
(words from Meekness and Majesty by Graham Kendrick)
Gold make a gold coloured box and decorate it with stars. Scrunch gold tissue to put
inside, along with gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins and sweets. Explain the significance
of the gift of gold brought to Jesus.
Frankincense Cut a circle of net and fill with pot pourri. Tie securely with ribbon and make
a ribbon loop to hang the posy up with. Explain the significance of the gift brought to
Jesus.
Myrrh Have some toothache tincture for children to taste. This is very bitter and will need
to be quickly followed by a sweet! Myrrh is bitter and it represents a bitter message. Have
pre-cut small card crosses. Attach a sprig of bitter herbs onto the cross with sticky tape.
Explain the significance of the gift brought to Jesus.
Other activity ideas
Make crowns for the children to wear.
Decorate pre-baked star biscuits with white and yellow icing and gold and silver
decorations.
Cut out stars from card and decorate them with gold and silver glitter and the words “I’m
following Jesus”. Attach a glittery thread to hang them with.
Party Food
Pre-pack food in a cake box or on a polystyrene tray. Decorate beforehand with gold
fringing and add a star patterned serviette. Put the food and a carton of drink in the
container and play carols as the children enjoy their food.
Make Epiphany Cards
Cut out the shapes of what could be the gifts brought by the three Wise Men double, on
thin card, so they stand up. Inside the card the children could write out the meaning of
each gift. Cut out a fourth plain card and inside the children can draw the gift they want
to give Jesus today. The cards can be lavishly decorated with foil, beads, sequins, braid
etc.
Closing Prayer
Lord God, you used a star to guide the three wise men to worship your son. Please may
he lead us to you, so that we may honour and please you in all we do. Amen.