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You are here: Home / Seasonal Activities / Born in a Stable: Simple Nativity Song

Born in a Stable: Simple Nativity Song

October 17, 2022 By Sara Mullett 31 Comments

Born in a Stable is a very simple Nativity song sung to the tune of Baa, Baa Black Sheep with easy actions, just perfect for introducing the Christmas Story in a way that very little ones can understand.

Often, traditional Christmas carols might be a bit too difficult for younger children, so this simple little song really helps them connect with the words and engage with the story.

It is also perfect to sing whilst playing with a toy nativity set or to accompany crafts during Advent.

Kids' Christmas Songs - Born in a Stable

Born in a Stable: Advent / Simple Nativity Song for Kids

Born in a stable,  (make a roof with your hands)

A long way away,  (point to the distance)

A little tiny baby,  (cradle imaginary baby)

In a bed of hay.  (rock baby Jesus)

*

His Mother was Mary,  (hands together in prayer)

And the Angels sing,  (hand together in prayer)

“Glory to God!”   (hold up arms in praise)  

For the birth of a King,  (hold up arms in praise)

*

Three Kings came to see him,  (hands make a crown on head)

From lands far away,  (hand over eyes looking far away)

They followed the star,  (make a diamond shape with fingers)

To praise him on this day.    (lift hands in praise)

*

 The baby’s name is Jesus,  (lift hands in praise)

He is the son of God,  (lift hands in praise)

He came to teach us how to live,  (hands together in prayer)

Our Saviour and Our Lord.  (hands together in prayer)

(sing to the tune of Baa, Baa Black Sheep)

Print Lyric Sheet Here

Melody for Born in a Stable: Advent / Simple Nativity Song for Kids

 


Accompany the song with the simple actions as described in the brackets above. The words fit in easily to the traditional tune for Baa Baa Black Sheep, then you just repeat it.

 

Here are the KS1 Christmas Singers from St. Mary’s at Crewe singing Born In A Stable for the 12 Schools of Christmas competition.

Aren’t they brilliant!

 

 

If you’d like some more very easy ideas for little ones, visit our Five Simple Christmas Piggyback songs for 2-5 Year olds.

Check out our Christmas lesson plan for lots more musical and educational activities to celebrate the season!

 

 

Filed Under: Action songs, Christmas, Piggyback Songs, Preschoolers, Seasonal Activities, Songs, Toddlers Tagged With: Nativity

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Comments

  1. Claudia Haithcock says

    October 11, 2022 at 4:09 am

    Can I get a copy of the words to the song, Born In A Stable? How can I also get the music to it as it’s played on your video. Id like our kids to learn to sing it . Thanks. Claudia

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      October 17, 2022 at 11:47 am

      Hi, I’ve just added a lyric sheet to the post, so you can find it there. The tune is just the same as Baa Baa Black Sheep!

      Reply
  2. Jess says

    December 2, 2020 at 12:35 am

    Has anyone made a music sheet for this? We are looking at having the tune played on the piano.

    Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      December 3, 2020 at 6:06 pm

      Hi Jess,

      Born In The Stable is sung to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep the sheet for which can be found here –https://www.letsplaykidsmusic.com/baa-baa-black-sheep/

      Reply
  3. Sofia Kuhn says

    November 23, 2020 at 12:08 am

    Thank you so much for this sweet song. I would love to use it with my kindergarten class. I will credit Let’s Play Music😊🙏🏼

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 23, 2020 at 6:25 pm

      You’re very welcome, I do hope everyone has a lovely time singing it! 😊

      Reply
  4. Joy Morton says

    November 11, 2020 at 10:45 pm

    Well done Sara!
    Lovely song.
    Sadly don’t think we’d be allowed to use it in our schools in Australia (too overtly religious)
    I have another very simple nativity song which I’d like to send you…not sure where it came from but I used it every Christmas when I was teaching in England. Goes well with beginnner recorders too.

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 12, 2020 at 9:16 am

      Thanks Joy, I would be very interested in your simple nativity song and would love to share it here on the blog if that’s ok with you! 😊

      Reply
      • Mary says

        December 3, 2021 at 4:27 pm

        I came up with a verse for the shepherds:

        The shepherds came to see him
        From fields that were near.
        They knelt down in wonder
        On a midnight clear.

        Reply
        • Sara Mullett says

          December 6, 2021 at 8:01 pm

          That’s great Mary, thanks for suggesting this additional verse, I’m sure that other readers will find it useful! 👍

          Reply
  5. J. Parkinson says

    December 4, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    Hi Sara,
    I am trying to send you the link but the comment just disappears so I don’t think I am allowed to.
    My YouTube channel is jago2012justsing and you will find it there- I would love you to hear it!
    Juliet

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      December 18, 2019 at 9:36 am

      Hi Juliet, So sorry for the delay, I’ve just listened to your fabulous KS1 singers and they sound wonderful! I’d love to put the link in the post if that’s ok?
      And good luck in the competition! Sara

      Reply
  6. J. parkinson says

    November 26, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    Thank you for this lovely song and permission to use it. It’s perfect for our Catholic ethos and for my 5-7 year olds.
    I have recorded a version with my Key Stage One Christmas singing group for a competition and I would like to share it on YouTube with a credit to you on the screen. Would that be OK?

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 28, 2019 at 9:27 am

      Hi, I’m delighted to hear that! Yes of course, I’d love for you to share the video and if you send me the link, if you are happy for me to do so, I’d love to embed it in the original post too. Good luck in the competition!!

      Reply
  7. Catherine Griffin says

    December 29, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    We absolutely love this… Our primary school is very ambivalent about showing any preference towards Christian things. They did it’s a cracker for their nativity, and it was absolutely incredible. When they were singing “born in a stable no place for a cradle”, all the ladies were in tears. It was so mindblowingly beautiful. The girls were dressed in beautiful angel costumes and heaven touched us. I was blown away that this school had so many of their children singing such beautiful Christian truth about God’s love for them. Thank you so much… Our family can’t stop singing the songs… Xx

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      December 30, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Thank you Catherine! I was so delighted to hear all about your Nativity! It sounded beautiful – the true meaning of Christmas ♥️

      Reply
  8. Keeva Austin says

    November 26, 2017 at 8:09 pm

    Hello – please may we use your song – Born in a stable at our church nativity this year please?
    Thanks Keeva Austin

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 27, 2017 at 5:37 pm

      Yes of course Keeva! I’m very happy for you to use ‘Born In a Stable’ at your church nativity! That is exactly what it is there for, but I would ask if you could please credit Let’s Play Music in the programme? Thank you and I hope it goes well!

      Reply
  9. DONNA says

    December 16, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    I love this! I am doing an outreach in a neighborhood in Hammod, LA. May I print and distribute??? donnabuge@hotmail.com

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Donna, I’m very happy to share the song, but as I wrote these words, please could you credit it to letsplaykidsmusic.com ? Merry Christmas! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Heather Ward says

    December 3, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    We would like to use this poem at our preschool program. Can we have permission to put the words on our overhead screen for the audience to follow along?

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      December 3, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Hi Heather, Yes of course! I am very happy for you to use Born In A Stable in your preschool concert, that is exactly what it was intended for! Do come back and let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  11. Noe Lani says

    October 19, 2014 at 8:17 am

    Thank you so much for this.

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      October 20, 2014 at 8:18 pm

      You’re welcome 🙂 Born In A Stable is a great way to introduce the Christmas Story to little ones.

      Reply
  12. Emilee Gauntt says

    August 29, 2014 at 11:47 am

    Is there a link to get music for the entire song? I would love to have this for my preschool choir Christmas program. The video above dosent seem long enough for the whole song. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      August 29, 2014 at 12:36 pm

      Hi Emilee, I wrote the words to this carol and the tune is just a variation of Baa Baa Black Sheep – the youtube video is only there to help with fitting the words to the tune. I have always found that it is best to keep preschool nativity programmes very simple – hope you all have fun getting yours ready!

      Reply
  13. Pauline says

    December 5, 2013 at 3:51 am

    Thank you for sharing this at the Kids’ Co-Op. What a lovely song – and actions too. My kids will love this. I’ll be featuring this post in my nativity activities for kids roundup. xoxo P

    Reply
    • Sara_LetsPlayMusic says

      December 14, 2013 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks so much Pauline, so pleased you like it! And thanks for featuring us this week!

      Reply

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