Free Mary and Joseph Coloring Pages for Kids (Printable)

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to start learning about the story of Mary and Joseph and the journey to the birth of Jesus. There's a lot of different ways to do this but one of my favorite ways for teaching kids is to use coloring sheets. 

I've got some pretty great Mary and Joseph coloring pages that your kids will surely love.

They're perfect for your little ones but also detailed enough for your older bunch too. I've got a good variety of coloring pages that your kids can choose from. 

They span across several different grade levels and age groups, all the way from kindergarten and first grade up through maybe even eighth grade.

They’re interactive and tell the story of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.

Bible Story Overview

In a town called Nazareth, there was a young woman named Mary. She was going about her day when an angel named Gabriel appeared to her with some news. Gabriel told Mary that she was going to have a very special baby, and not just any baby, but the Son of God! 

Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph at the time. When she told him about the angel's visit and the baby, Joseph was initially puzzled and unsure. He thought about breaking off their engagement. But then, an angel visited him in a dream and reassured him that Mary's baby was indeed from God.

Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth was also expecting a miraculous baby. When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the baby jumped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a special moment of joy and confirmation for both women.

Mary and Joseph had to embark on a long journey to Joseph’s hometown, Bethlehem, due to being required to complete a census. When they arrived, the town was full of people who had also come to be counted in the census. So there was no room for them to sleep at the inn. 

They ended up finding shelter in a stable where animals rested. And it was there, in that simple stable, that Mary gave birth to baby Jesus. She wrapped him up in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger. 

Meanwhile, outside of Bethlehem, there were shepherds keeping watch over their sheep. An angel also appeared to them. The shepherds were terrified at first, but the angel reassured them not to be afraid and that their Savior, the Messiah, had just been born. 

They hurried off to find the baby, just as the angel had told them. And when they found Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus lying in the manger, they were filled with joy. They couldn't wait to tell everyone about the amazing things they had seen and heard.

Mary and Joseph followed the Jewish custom and took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord. They met an old man named Simeon who had been waiting for the promised Messiah. When Simeon saw Jesus, he took him in his arms and praised God, telling God that he could depart in peace now that he had seen God’s salvation. 

Download Your Free Mary and Joseph Coloring Sheets

Mary, Mother of Jesus

An image of a woman meant to symbolize Mary, mother of Jesus.

Mary With Her Fiance Joseph

Mary and her fiance Joseph.

An Angel Visits Mary

Mary was visited by an angel named Gabriel who told her she would conceive and bear a son through the Holy Spirit. His name would be Jesus and he would be called the Son of the Most High.

Bible Verse: Luke 1:28-32

Mary Visits Her Relative Elizabeth

Mary went to see her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant. They both rejoiced in God’s goodness.

Bible Verse: Luke 1:39-45

Joseph’s Dream 

An angel appeared in Joseph’s, Mary’s fiance, dream. The angel provided reassurance to Joseph that Mary had indeed conceived by way of the Holy Spirit. He told Joseph that Jesus would be the Savior, saving his people from their sins. 

Bible Verse: Matthew 1:20-21

Mary and Joseph Travel to Bethlehem

Pregnant Mary travels to Bethlehem with Joseph for the census by way of a donkey. 

Bible Verse: Luke 2:1-5

No Room at the Inn

There was no lodging available for Mary and Joseph so they settled in a stable.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:7

The Birth of Jesus

Mary had to give birth to Jesus in a stable, wrapped him in cloth and laid him in a manger.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:6-7

Announcing the Birth of Jesus

An angel visits the Shepherds to announce the birth of their Savior, Jesus.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:8-12

The Shepherds Visit

The shepherds come to visit newly born baby Jesus.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:15-20

The Presentation in the Temple

Jesus is being dedicated to the Lord in the temple.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:22-23

Ways to Use These Mary and Joseph Coloring Pages

Storytelling Through Coloring

Encourage your children to tell the story of Mary and Joseph as they color if they remember that specific part of the story. 

You can help guide their answers or ask questions like “What happened in this scene?” If they don’t know, you can use that as an opportunity to tell the story of that particular page.

Scripture Scavenger Hunt

Before they start coloring, have your kids find the Bible verses that describe the scene they are about to color. 

I give you the Bible verses on this blog post, so you could easily just call out the Bible verses and have the kids look them up and read them aloud.

This is a great way to get them acclimated to using the Bible.

Story Art

Because you have a series of coloring pages presented in the way the story unfolds, you can use them to create a progressing story art wall. It doesn’t have to all be done in one day.

But as your children completely color each page, they can arrange them in order to show the sequence of events leading up to Jesus’ birth and immediately after. 

This gives them a visual timeline of the events they are learning about.

Lessons From The Bible Story Kids Can Use Today

Trust in God's Plan

Mary and Joseph's journey was filled with unexpected turns, but they continued to trust in God’s plan. When Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told of her role in Jesus' birth, she responded with faith despite the uncertainty. 

Joseph also trusted God's message delivered through an angel in a dream, taking Mary as his wife and becoming the earthly father to Jesus.

How Kids Can Apply This

Encourage children to trust in God’s plan for their lives, even when things don’t go as they expect it to go. When they face problems or changes, remind them that God is with them, guiding them through every step, just as He was with Mary and Joseph.

Strengthening of Family Bonds

Despite their challenging circumstances, Mary and Joseph provided a strong, supportive family environment for Jesus. They traveled together to Bethlehem for the census and worked together to find a place for Jesus to be born. 

How Kids Can Apply This

Highlight the importance of family and how sticking together through challenges can strengthen relationships. Encourage kids to support their family members, participate in family activities, and contribute to the household.

This teaches them that every family member plays a critical role, just as each person in Jesus' family did.

Another Nativity Activity

More Ways to Engage With This Story During Christmas Time

Books and Movies About Mary, Joseph and Jesus

• “Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale” by Martin Waddell – This book shares a story that focuses on the animals in the stable and their willingness to make room for Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. It emphasizes kindness and generosity.

• “The Christmas Story” by Jane Werner Watson – This book is part of the Little Golden Books series and is perfect for younger learners. It retells the Nativity story featuring beautiful illustrations and simple text to engage your littles.

• “Good News! It's Christmas!” by Glenys Nellist – This is another great picture book for your children. It shares the journey of Jesus being brought into our world to be its Savior.

Unfortunately, the books about the story of Jesus’ birth are more targeted at the younger children and not our high school kids.

However, if you get a kid's Bible like this one, have your older kids read the story directly in a Bible they can easily understand using the following Bible verses: Luke 2:1-16. This Bible is perfect because it has a journaling aspect, offers mini devotionals and features some fun facts throughout.

Video to check out:

• The Star in either DVD format or Prime Video
• The Story of the Birth of Jesus YouTube Film
• The Three Wise Men Animation on Prime Video

Get Your Free Coloring Pages Now!

These story coloring pages do a great job at reinforcing the understanding of the Christmas story. 

Each coloring page tells a different part of the entire story that some also call the Nativity. Be sure to grab each downloadable PDF coloring page above so your kids can confidently retell the story of Jesus’ birth.

And if you think your young learners might like these, I've included a few extra coloring pages below so enjoy!

Not ready to print your coloring pages yet? Simply hover over the coloring sheets you want to save, and click the red Pinterest button to pin them to your Christmas or Nativity boards on Pinterest so you can come back to them when you're ready.

Extra Coloring Pages