As soon as the flurry of returning to school has ended and reception/KS1 teachers have their new classes settled into routines, the question always arises, ‘What nativity are we going to do?’ By the beginning of October, I'm usually cornered in the staff room and asked for recommendations. Teachers are always very relieved that I've done this research in advance for them (I am the school music lead in one of my schools, after all). I share here some of the most successful nativities we've used over the years, as well as some general tips for making it all happen.
Before you begin, here are some important things to consider:
- How much time do you have to prepare? Be realistic on difficulty. If time is short, choose something simple – simple melodies, simple words (lots of repeated phrases), short scripts to memorise, and the whole play not too long. Twenty minutes – the shortest you are likely to find – is realistic for reception classes or struggling KS1 cohorts; the longest nativities tend to be around 35 minutes.
- What additional resources are available? Be careful, this can vary considerably. Having YouTube videos, or even words and audio for whiteboards, can help enormously (both Out of the Ark and School Musicals Company do this very well). Check out what is available to make your life as easy as possible. An editable script (where you can change it as you need to) is a good idea.
- Don't try to do it all on your own. In the schools where I work, it's a team effort. Where I teach early years and KS1 classroom music, I help to prepare the songs in the music lessons. Once the melodies are secured in my lessons, the class teachers take over to provide reinforcement and practice. If your little ones are really struggling, do consider asking the school choir or Year 6 children to support the singing. Many schools team up reading buddies between Year 5 or 6 and reception children; this is a perfect opportunity to get older children to support these little ones' singing as an extension of those already timetabled sessions.
Some ‘go to’ nativities
Easy, and perfect for nursery and reception, is John and Ruth Kenward's I Spy Christmas (Starshine Music £21.90, plus license). It is only 20 minutes long, with many repeated words, just seven songs, and plentiful opportunities to come up with actions to accompany the music, such as the ‘ee-aw’ for the donkey. It contains a lovely mix of faster and slower songs, as well as a YouTube playlist and the popular, familiar ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’ carol at the end. Starshine Music's website describes I Spy Christmas as telling ‘the Christmas story entirely through songs, using the unique approach of a game of I-spy. With exceptionally appealing songs and all the children involved 100% of the time’. Visit: starshine.co.uk/products?p=/i-spy-christmas
Also from Starshine Music, Peter Fardell's A Wriggly Nativity has proved very popular (£21.90). Aimed at children aged 3–5, it has nine songs, is 25 minutes long, and has an interactive app if you have access to iPads. Visit: starshine.co.uk/products?c=/musicals&p=/a-wrigglynativity
Something more suited to KS1, and a bit more challenging, is Nikki Lewis's Born in a Barn (Out of the Ark, all-in resources around £60); with eight songs, and at 35 minutes, it includes Sparkyard whiteboard resources (words on a screen with music and backing-tracks). This published quite a while ago but shouldn't be forgotten. It works very well for the whole of KS1, with more able Year 2s doing the speaking parts – you need 16 of them. The songs are catchy and manageable (while still giving a bit of a challenge). ‘Don't worry, Mary’ is beautiful; if you've time to prepare it, parents and children will love this one. Visit: outoftheark.co.uk/born-in-a-barn.html
A similar, easier alternative, equally lovely and also from Out of the Ark, is Whoops-a-Daisy Angel by Niki Davies, with just six songs and easier melodies. It is just 20 minutes long, with a helpful, editable script, and 16 speaking parts. Published in the early 2000s, it is still going strong. Visit: outoftheark.co.uk/whoops-a-daisy-angel.html
Also by Niki Davies is a nativity with a bit of a twist: Honky Tonky Donkey (School Musicals Company, prices from £26.95, again with whiteboard resources). The character of the Honky Tonky Donkey (a one-man band) is loved by children; suffering from writer's block, he accidentally bumps into Mary and Joseph. Accessible for KS1 (and perhaps a very able reception class could join them), it's 25 minutes long with 29 speaking roles. It could extend to a cast of 50-plus. The melodies are quite tricky but there are only seven, and children love them. Visit: theschoolmusicalscompany.com/products/honky-tonky-donkey
Sing Up nativities
For nativities with playlists, I'd recommend Sing Up. There are many charming Christmas story books available. One school I worked in simply had the children saying some of the words from a story book and then put songs to go with this using Sing Up, to which they subscribed.
Sing Up also has three nativities available on its site for those who subscribe. For EYFS there's A Warm and Fuzzy Christmas Story, for KS1 The Dinky Donkeys, and for KS2 The Most Magical Place of all. There are scripts plus playlists and whiteboard words. Visit: singup.org/choirs/sing-up-musicals-and-scripts/sing-up-nativities
Christmas musicals for KS2 or whole schools (if a small school)
None of the schools I work in put on nativities in KS2. But schools that my own children attended have done so – though they were more in the line of Christmas musicals. If you are looking for something like this, then check out Edgy Productions, who provide materials that span a wider age-range in one production – perfect for very small schools where the whole school needs to be involved. New from Edgy, for ages 4–11, is That's the Christmas Service… Sorted! by Ian Faraday, Daisy Bond, Andrew Oxspring, Sarah Baker and Nick Haworth. The Edgy Productions website describes it as ‘a whole-school/church family service, in the traditional style of readings and songs. The nativity story is told in eight parts, through new, engaging narrations, differentiated for all ages. Each class, year group or Key Stage can present any part of the story, with a choice of text appropriate to their ability. Twenty-four lively, catchy songs (a choice of three to accompany each narration) have been selected from our catalogue of popular nativity musicals.’ Visit: edgyproductions.com/shop/thats-the-christmas-servicesorted-digital-download
Final thoughts
There are many excellent, well-produced materials to choose from, so don't worry too much about getting it wrong – it's very difficult to select something that won't do the job. Start rehearsals early and don't be too ambitions, then your Christmas play should have the parents weeping – and not you! Good luck.
