Planning a craft for your upcoming Sunday School class? Say goodbye to finger paint debacles and glitter explosions and embrace one of these 25 adult- and child-friendly crafts to incorporate into your next Sunday class time.
Preschool Craft Ideas
Edible Noah's Ark - Both a craft and a snack, this is a creative activity that doesn't have to get hauled home by a parent — because the kids can eat it! Have kids layer three round tortilla chips broken in half on a paper towel for the bottom of the boat, place a graham cracker on top for the "house" and stick pretzels to make a simple v-shaped roof. Then, fill the boat with animal crackers. Share the story and enjoy the creation as the morning's snack!
Praise Him Bag Shakers - Children can decorate the bottom third of a paper lunch bag with markers, crayons, paint or colored pencils. Unfold the decorated paper bag and place another paper bag inside the decorated one to strengthen the instrument. Add a small amount of popcorn kernels, dry beans or rice in the innermost bag, then gather up the sides, folding and twisting it into a handle. Use decorative tape to tape your handle tightly shut and enjoy marching, playing and singing to the Lord with these homemade paper maracas.
Jonah and the Whale - Attach a six-inch piece of twine around a small bouncy ball and secure with a strong adhesive glue before class. Poke a hole in the bottom of blue plastic cups and have children insert the other end of the twine through the hole in the bottom of the cup while teacher can tie a knot. Decorate the cup with googly eyes and a pre-cut blue fin to create an easy ball and cup game. Do you think Jonah went in the whale's mouth as easily as you can get your ball in the cup?
Hand Print Pot Holders - This is a great craft when talking about how God helps us. Grab a set of solid-colored pot holders from a dollar store. Use puff paint to trace little hands onto the pot holder. Complete with a message written in paint or permanent marker with Isaiah 59:1. These can be used as a gift on Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Pool Noodle Boats - There are many instances of Jesus traveling on boats or walking out on the water from a boat. Before class, cut a pool noodle into one-inch slices. Poke a hole that will fit a straw and cut straws in half. Cut sails out of thin craft foam using two-inch tall triangles and punch a hole in the top and bottom of the sail. Write a verse on the sail that applies to your Bible lesson. Have your preschoolers assemble their boats by threading the straw through the sail and then placing the straw sail into their boat. (A small dot of craft glue will help hold it there.)
Bee Kind Tube Craft - This bee craft is a great take-home reminder when teaching Proverbs 16:24 and how kind words are honey for the soul. Collect old toilet tissue rolls (one per student), black yarn, black pipe cleaners and yellow and white construction paper. Paint the rolls yellow before class and cut out a circle head and two white wings per student. On the day of class, have students glue a six-inch piece of yarn and wrap it around the tube like bee stripes. Students then glue googly eyes to the yellow circle head and draw a nice big smile. Glue the head to the tube and wings to the back. Attach two black two-inch pipe cleaners as antennae to the inner part of the tube behind the head. A reminder to "bee" kind to others with words!
Jesus Love Me To Pieces - Make this craft with your class for Valentine's Day or during discussions about God's love. Ask students to tell you ways they see God's love as you record their thoughts on the blank side of puzzle pieces. Have them trace a heart shape onto cardstock and glue the puzzle piece with their response in the center. Give them labels with the words "Jesus Loves Me To Pieces!" to stick in the center.
Belt of Truth - You can create this belt as you talk about the armor of God (Ephesians 6) and identity in Christ. For the craft, use a piece of twine cut to fit around each student's waist and construction paper cut to look like long neck ties with scripture written on them. Fold and glue the top of the paper around the piece of twine to create a personalized belt of truth!
Scripture and Cross Art - Cut heavy cardboard into a four-by-four-inch square; measure in one inch and cut out the center so it's like a picture frame. Next, wrap a one-inch area — both vertically and horizontally — on the frame with yarn, creating a yarn cross. Back the frame with cardboard and fill the sections with a favorite scripture.
Thankful Pinwheel - Using a paper plate, construction paper and metal brad, create this craft around Thanksgiving to encourage thankfulness and gratitude. Cut a circle out of construction paper that's about an inch smaller than the plate and then cut a pie-piece shaped triangle out of one side of the paper circle. Leave space in the center of the circle for the metal brad. Have students write "Thankfulness Wheel" on the construction paper and trace the pie piece all around the plate, creating sections and writing in specific things they are thankful for. Attach the construction paper to the paper plate using the metal brad and your students will have a wheel to spin and reveal their gratitude.
Spiritual Journey Scrapbook - Using inexpensive photo books from a dollar store, cut blank paper to create pages for your students to decorate throughout the year. Fill them with meaningful spiritual events like a favorite verse that was memorized, a class picnic, a kid's camp photo or the lyrics of a favorite worship song. Finish the book with a class picture from the year.
Colorful Ray Cross - Cut out a paper cross, then trace it over another piece of paper with different colors of paint, the thicker the line the better. Cut out that cross and use tape on the back to adhere it in the middle of a thick piece of cardstock. Use a finger or brush to smear the painted edges from the cross onto the cardstock, creating colorful rays. Write a favorite verse along the bottom. A great craft for Easter — and a lesson on the hope and joy of Christ's death on the cross.
Sample Sign Ups
Praying Hands Craft - Trace student hands onto cardstock and cut out. Have students write on each finger the names of people they'd like to remember to pray for. Students can keep in class for weekly prayer time or take home. This is a great way to talk about how God answers prayer; God is faithful and never late!
Drinking Straw Raft with Verse Sail - Have children glue nine drinking straws cut into four-inch pieces to craft foam to make rafts. Glue another three going the other direction on the bottom to act as "floats." Print John 16:33 on paper sails and punch holes in the top and bottom. Thread one upright straw through the holes and glue to the drinking straw raft.
Foam Pencil Stand - Cut blue pool noodle into four-inch sections and then in half lengthwise. Print a verse you are memorizing onto an address label, and have children place the noodles flat side down and stick the verse on the front. Decorate with stickers, and give each student a pencil to poke into their pencil stand. These can be used when learning about how God provides and helps us in our time of need — even in simple ways like when we need a pencil!
Coat of Many Colors Craft - Gather enough paper grocery bags for your class. Cut a neck hole at the bottom and arm holes on each side, making a "jacket" that students can pull over their heads. Have students tear construction paper into patches and using a glue stick to decorate their Joseph coat as you teach the story of Joseph and his famous coat.
Sheep Craft - The memory verse Matthew 9:36 is a great example of how Jesus looks on the world with compassion. You will need a paper plate, white crinkle-cut paper (make your own by tearing up what is in the recycle bin), black construction paper and two googly eyes per student. Ask students to write the memory verse on one side and then flip it over to create their sheep, gluing down the white "wool." Cut out one circle for the head, two elongated ovals to put on each side of the head for ears and four strips for legs, then attach eyes. The result is adorable and a special way to remember that we are all God's sheep, worthy of compassion and kindness.
Light of the World Lighthouses - With just recycled plastic cups, battery-operated tea lights, paper and some tape, you can create mini lighthouses and teach your students about Matthew 5:14-16. Place a red plastic cup upside down. Take white tape and create two parallel stripes around the cup. Cut door and window shapes out of black construction paper and glue to the lighthouse cup. Turn on the tea light and place it on the top of the red cup, then place a clear plastic cup upside down over the tea light. Voila! A lighthouse to illustrate that "you are the light of the world."
Painted Rock Craft - Use paint markers to decorate smooth, flat river rocks, then use fine point pens to write an encouraging phrase or verse. Use a craft sealer to weather-proof. Place these outside of the church to be discovered and enjoyed by church members. You could also place them in a nearby park with your church's name on them to spread welcoming cheer to your community.
Miniature Easter Garden - Recreating the tomb where Christ rose from the grave is a meaningful reminder of what Easter is really all about. Start with a terracotta pot and fill it with soil, moss and stones. Make a miniature pebble path leading to an "empty tomb" constructed with two larger stones spaced apart and one flat stone on top. Place small lights or tea candles along the path. Students can put on the table at home to remember the empty tomb at Easter.
Sharpie Tiles or Mugs - Grab some white mugs or tiles for your students and create these permanent reminders of a favorite verse or encouraging Biblical message. The permanent marker can be set after class by taking the pieces home, putting them in the oven and "baking" at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool before removing from the oven. The teacher can also do this and then bring to class the next week for students to take home.
Ark of the Covenant - Use small wooden jewelry boxes, flat metal washers and wooden rods to follow the instructions God gave the Israelites in Exodus 25:10-22 — without worrying about acacia wood or cubit measurements. Start by painting all of the materials gold (teachers can do this beforehand to save time). Hot glue the edge of the washers to the bottom of the shorter sides of the box, so that the holes are facing out at each other. Put the rods through the rings. Students can fill their "ark" with notes about God's promises to remember the everlasting covenant.
"God Is" Bookmark - As you look at different stories of God interacting with people in the Bible, use a two-by-six-inch piece of cardstock to collect adjectives that describe God's help or intervention. Copy the words "God Is…" at the top of the bookmark and cut out for each student. Have them fill in new phrases such as God Is … a listening God, a helping God, a trustworthy God, etc., along with a verse reference. Laminate when you finish this craft for a special keepsake.
"Names of God" Bookmark - Another bookmark idea, your class can work on these a little each week so students really soak in the context behind the names of God and look up related scripture. For example: Jehovah Rapha — "The Lord that heals" (Exodus 15:26); Jehovah Shalom — "The Lord our Peace" (Judges 6:24); and Jehovah Raah — "The Lord my Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1).
Locker or Closet Decorations - Give students a daily reminder of their spiritual journey with these craft ideas for the inside of a locker or closet. Write a verse around a small magnetic dry erase board or mirror; use a magnetic sticky note holder and write short verses on each one or create triangular banners with your class in fun colors with encouraging phrases such as "Shine!" or "Be Courageous!"
The key to Sunday School crafting is to keep it age-appropriate to avoid frustration. Reinforce your lesson and give students a take-home project as a great memory.
Julie David is married to a worship pastor and after 20 years in ministry together with three daughters, she is still developing the tender balance of thick skin and gracious heart. She leads a small group of high school girls.
Just a note to say how much I love SignUpGenius. I'm coaching a team from Team-in-Training that is fundraising and training to ride 100 miles around Lake Tahoe to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We have weekly training rides that need volunteer support and a need to get RSVPs from the cyclists so I know who will show up at team rides. Using SignUpGenius, I have ride support volunteers for almost all our rides through early May. This has been like pulling teeth in the past. It was so simple to set up and send out and easy for the volunteers to sign up.
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