3 Fun and Easy Crafts to Use in Your Children’s Ministry

Feeling crafty? Here are three easy and fun crafts to use whenever you have some spare time and materials.

Easy Craft Idea #1. Firecrackers

Kids learn to shine bright for Jesus.

You’ll need:

• a Bible;
• cardboard tubes;
• various colors of paper strips;
• star stickers;
• glitter;
• glue;
• construction paper; and
• scissors.

Making Your Firecrackers

Have kids each decorate a cardboard tube with stickers, glitter, and construction paper. Cut out a circle of construction paper big enough to cover the bottom of the tube. Glue the circle to the tube, and glue long strips of paper inside the tube so they dangle out the open end.

Read aloud Matthew 5:16. Ask:

• How is God’s love like or unlike a firecracker?
• Once you’ve experienced God’s love, what do you want to do with it?
• What are things we can do to shine bright like fireworks with Jesus’ love?

For Extra Impact

• Have kids tell good deeds they’ll do during the week to honor God.
• Tape colorful metallic-paper strips to the end of a flashlight. Turn off the lights, and let the kids shine the flashlight to create shimmering firework effects.
• Kids can make colorful bookmarks by stapling metallic strips to the end of a piece of card stock. Then write on the card stock, “Let your light shine!”

Easy Craft Idea #2. Footprints in the Sand

Kids make imprints of their feet to remind them to walk with God.

You’ll need:

• large sheets of black plastic,
• sand, plaster of Paris,
• water,
• a mixing bucket, and
• metal eyelets.

Making Your Footprints in the Sand

Lay out sheets of black plastic. Pour 3 inches of sand onto separate areas of the black plastic, one for each child. Mix enough water into the sand so it’ll hold a mold. Mix the plaster of Paris and water in the bucket according to the directions.

Have each child press one foot 2 inches into his or her sand. Carefully pour plaster into each footprint. Then insert one metal eyelet in each print to hang it later. Clean out the eyelet opening if necessary. The plaster takes 30 minutes to harden.

While prints are drying, read aloud from Joshua 22:5: “to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Ask: What does it means to walk in God’s ways?

Once the plaster has hardened, gently dig out the footprints and brush off the excess sand. The footprints should dry overnight before being hung on the wall.

For Extra Impact

• Read aloud a copy of the poem “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson. You can find a copy of the poem online or at your local library.
• Ask:
  • How can we follow God and serve him?
  • How does it feel to know God carries us during hard times?

Close in prayer, thanking God for being with us always.

Easy Craft Idea #3. Grass Seed Samson

Kids love making a version of the Chia Pet planter…only it’s a Chia Samson!

You’ll need:

• one rinsed plastic cup,
• potting soil,
• grass seed,
• construction paper,
• fine-tipped markers, and
• glue sticks.

Making Your Grass Seed Samson

Give each child a plastic cup. Then let kids draw a Samson face (up to the forehead) on the construction paper. The top of the cup is the hairline.

Fill each cup with potting soil to about half an inch from the top. Then sprinkle grass seed on the soil, and cover the seed with a thin layer of soil.

Set the “Samsons” in a sunny windowsill, and keep them well watered. After a few days, each Samson’s hair will begin to grow! Once it gets a few inches long, kids can cut the “hair.”

For Extra Impact

• Tell kids how God gave Samson a special gift of strength but Delilah stole his strength. Read aloud Judges 16:15-19.
• Ask kids:
  • What are some special gifts God has given you?
• Let kids each make a Samson snack by decorating a frosted cookie with dried fruit or candy for the face and shoestring licorice for Samson’s hair.

Looking for more craft ideas? Check out these posts!