This Sweet Hide-&-Seek Game Teaches Kids The Religious Story Of Christmas

With the holiday season approaching faster than Santa’s sleigh flies through the Christmas Eve sky, families everywhere are gearing up for the return of a myriad of fun holiday traditions. While I am all about singing "Jingle Bells" on repeat and making cookies to leave out for the big guy in red, I am also always on the look-out for exciting ways to make Christmastime more about connecting with family and teaching our kids the reason for the season. The Christmas Star From Afar is a new holiday game that teaches the meaning of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus.

In accordance with the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, the game includes a 14-piece wooden nativity set complete with shepherds, wise men, sheep, a stable, Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus in a manger. Also included is a star, symbolic of the star that led the wise men to meet Jesus at his birth. In the same vein of the ever popular Elf On The Shelf, this holiday game features a hide-and-seek component that keeps kids involved daily, searching for the game’s star in a different location each morning leading up to Christmas Day.

Each day, your kids will find the star and move the three wise men to it, following the star until Christmas Day when the star finally reaches Jesus in the manger and leads the wise men to their savior. Made by toy maker Star Kids Company, the creators of this unique game truly had teaching kids the true meaning of Christmas in mind when they designed this playful, yet meaningful game.

Not only do your kids get to search for and find the star each day and move the wise men, they will also enjoy bonding with you as you read the accompanying book together. The hardcover book includes the story of the wise men following the star to Bethlehem to find Jesus, journeying far just as the toy wise men will do as your children move them throughout your home.

Much like you probably already do with your family's lovely little elf friend, you will need to move the star each night while your children sleep in order for them to look for it and move the wise men to it in the morning. This may sound like a tall order if you are already deeply involved in elf antics, but I have a feeling that you could probably pair the star with the elf and get a two-for-one if your kids aren't willing to part with that tradition in favor of a different one.

This game also pairs perfectly with an advent calendar or daily treats for your kiddos if you are up for that. I am usually a "less is more" kind of mom, but adding a game like this to our collection of Christmas customs seems like it could really amplify our focus on family and Jesus, so I'm all for it.

You can order your own The Christmas Star From Afar game to enjoy at home on the Star Kids Company website for $35 plus shipping. No matter what traditions your family already participates in during the holiday season, you won't regret adding this meaningful one to the mix.