Bible Crafts and Activities For
Sunday School

Bible Themes: Tabernacle - Ten Commandments - Treasures

Tabernacle - The following ideas and pictures were sent in by Connie Henry.

I recently had a need to come up with an idea to make a model tabernacle for an illustration in my first, second, and third grade Bible class. After several nights of searching on the net for a suitable picture and gathering craft ideas I have now completed this project. I used as many items as possible around the house to help keep down the cost. The entire project cost about $40.00. I have attached pictures for you to see the finished product. (You can find a description of the tabernacle in Exodus 25 -27.)

I began with a box that had contained reams of copy paper. I covered the outside of the box with wood grain contact paper and cut the end out of the box. I cut a couple of side groves for square dowel rods to fit in and made two sets of divider curtains between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.

I purchased material for the four top coverings. The interlayer matches the first curtain in red, purple, and blue linen. The second top is white goats skin, (fleece material) the third one is red ram's skin (red thick material) the fourth one is badger skin (I found brown fleece that worked just fine). These were sewn like a pillowcase for thickness.

The furniture can be dollhouse furniture or handmade, as mine were, by one of our elders.

The cherubs on the ark are made from poster board and sprayed gold as is every thing inside of the tabernacle.

The lamp stand was made with gold pipe cleaners with red fingernail polish for the flames.

The court fence is white matting board that I purchased at Hobby Lobby. I cut each side 3 inches deep and used the doll pins as post. Each doll pin was sprayed gold and painted with a silver top (nail polish). They slide over the white matting board. I have 60 of these posts just as the scripture describes them.

I found a coloring picture of a priest in his garments and colored them as described in scripture and glued him to 1/2 a toilet paper roll so he will stand.

The shewbread was crackers that I broke into small pieces and placed in a sprayed gold milk jug lid that was then placed on the shewbread table.    

 

Ark of the Covenant Activity Sheet

What you will need: Jumbo, mini, and regular-sized craft sticks, round 1" wood pieces, gold trim, and gold spray paint or acrylic paint.

What to do:

1. A pattern for this craft is available to members of The Resource Room.

2. In class have your children glue the craft sticks on the paper. Then glue on some gold trim to finish.

If you have preschool children or don't have the mini craft sticks, you can use this easier pattern. This activity sheet only uses the jumbo and regular-sized craft sticks. A pattern for this craft is available to members of The Resource Room.

Ark of the Covenant Craft for Sunday School

What you will need: Small boxes such as jewelry boxes, gold paint, gold trim, gold paper, skinny craft sticks or straws, small twigs, and clay.

What to do:

1. Paint a small box, inside and out, with gold paint. Paint craft sticks gold and then glue them to the box to make the poles.
2. Print out the angel patterns or draw angels or onto gold paper, cut them out, and then glue them onto the top of the "ark". A pattern for this craft is available to members of The Resource Room.
3. Glue gold trim around the top of the box.
4. Make the Ten Commandment tablets out of white clay, and the bowl out of gold Fimo clay, and place them in the box. Place a small stick in the box to represent Aaron's rod. For more information about the Ark of the Covenant go to this page http://www.domini.org/tabern/arkcovnt.htm

The Ten Commandments - You can find evem more ideas for this theme on the Moses and The Ten Commandments Idea page.

Scripture Reference:   Deuteronomy 5:6-21, Proverbs 3:1-2, 

Concepts: Rules are important; they keep us safe.  God's rules are important; they show us how to live a good and long life.

Activities and Games:

1. Rules of the Road - Hold up pictures of traffic signs and see if the children can identify them.  Discuss how important it is to follow rules of the road and the consequences.
2. Set up roads on the floor with masking tape. Bring in small cars and trucks for the children to play with. Put up road signs at intersections.  Demonstrate how the traffic signs are used.
4. Practice obeying rules game - Make a big red card and a big green card.  Instruct the children that when you hold up a green card they can take one step and if you hold up a red card they have to stay in one place. Play until the children end up at a designated line.
5. Play Simon Says.
6. Talk about cheating and how they don't like it when someone doesn't follow the rules.
7. Rules at home list - (Kindergarten or older children) Ask the children what are some of the rules they have at home and write them on the board. When you are finished discuss why they have each rule.
8. Talk about class rules and make a list - talk to the children about the importance of rules in the classroom so that everyone will have fun and stay safe. Let the children make suggestions and write them down as they suggest them.  When you are all done,  take out 3 to 5 of  the most important rules and write them down on a big piece of paper or on the board. Have the children draw pictures to illustrate them or have them make their own book of rules.
9. Have the children make traffic signs - Cut out red, green, and yellow circles from construction paper and have glue them on a rectangle to make traffic signs. Use this verse the emphasize the meaning of the colors:
10. Take one piece each of red, green and yellow construction paper.  Discuss briefly what a stoplight is, why we have one and how important it is to obey the stoplight so you don't have a wreck.  Have all the children stand up in a circle around the tables. They can march, skip, walk, whatever they want, until you hold up a red card, and then they have to stop where they are. Green they can go again, yellow means slow, etc.   Play this a few times, and then sit back down to color in coloring sheets.   Use only green, red and yellow crayons.  From Bethany Davis
12. For an extra time filler or activity, find one of those activity rugs with roads and streets on them; I have seen them at Walmart before.  Put on the floor, give the children toy cars and let them play. They will make up their own rules for intersections if they have enough time. It's a blast to watch.  You could also bring in a racetrack set if you are really brave and supervise them racing each other. From Bethany Davis
13.  At snack time you could serve stop sign shaped cookies or crackers
 

Stop and listen to God's rules.
Be slow to anger and never cruel.
Go with God and he'll go with you.
© Carolyn Warvel

 Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. The copyright notice must be included on all copies. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by email.

Ten Commandment Train

One of the most popular lessons I did was on the 10 Commandments. Each week I would give each child a train car and wheels (cut from colored construction paper), and a small round sticker with the number of the commandment we were doing that week. The first car was the engine and the last, the caboose. I precut the cars and wheels, and wrote a simple version of the commandment on each car. They would tape or glue the wheels onto the car, choose the color of numbered sticker they wanted and stick it to the car. At the end of 10 weeks, they each had a great little train to put up in their homes. It was so popular, that if a Sunday were missed, the children (or parents) would let me know which car they needed so they could have a complete set! (Go to the Educational Crafts Page for a pattern and directions)

I made a train track background on the learning board (bulletin board) with trees and hilly tracks, etc. Each week they watched the train grow. It gave them a goal to reach for! Lyn Roberts

Ten Commandment Boat

Draw a picture of a small boat (called HONOR) with 4 bins on the deck (the bins have the letters B, I, N and S on them) and the letters M, A, S and T on the mast. The boat is sitting in a small cove (with the word COVET).

Point to each of the letters B, I, N, and S and say:
"B is for BEFORE. You shall have no other God BEFORE me."
"I is for IDOL. You shall not make yourself an IDOL."
"N is for NAME. You shall not take the NAME of the Lord your God in vain."
"S is for SABBATH. Remember the SABBATH and keep it holy."

Now point to the word HONOR on the boat and say
"HONOR. Honor your father and your mother."

Point to each of the letters M, A, S, and T and say:
"M is for MURDER. You shall not MURDER."
"A is for ADULTERY. You shall not commit ADULTERY."
"S is for STEAL. You shall not STEAL."
"T is for TESTIMONY. You shall not give false TESTIMONY."

Now ask, "If a small pig is called a piglet, what is a small cove
called?" If no one answers, say, "A 'Cove-et' and that is our last commandment: You shall not COVET" Julie Beeston

Ten Commandment Song

Sung to the tune of "Father Abraham"

I am going to, going to obey
Even though I don't want to.
Jesus tells me to so this I'll do,
So let's just all obey,
Right arm.
Go through the first part with each command in the song -
Left arm, right leg, left leg, nod your head, jump up and down, turn around

Hope others can use it too! Sent in by Narita Roady

You can find even more ideas for this theme under Moses and the Ten Commandments

Easy and Fun Way to Remember all the Ten Commandments

1. One God – draw the number one large.
2. No Idols - draw a face and ears on the number two to make it look like a gargoyle
3. Do not take the Lords name in vain  - add to the number three to make it look like a pair of lips.
4. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy  - make the top of the number four taller and turn it into a cross.
5. Honor thy Father and Mother - draw faces in the number five and you get a lady at the bottom and a man with a flat top hair cut  
6. Do not kill - turn the six sideways and turn it into a gun.
7. Do not commit adultery - turn the 7 sideways and turn it into an A.
8. Do not steal - turn the eight side ways and turn it into a pair of handcuffs..
9. Do not bear false witness - draw a face inside circle of the nine and ears to look like a bear.
10. Do not covet - turn the 1 in a c – CO stand for covet.

Sent in by Cindy

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving at our church last year we had the children in my class color some coloring sheets of a church, a Bible, food, friends, and a mother and father. We glued them to poster board and had a little presentation on what we were thankful for. It went over very well. I just wanted to share this and hope you have a wonderful day! Sherry

Crafts For Thanksgiving - You can find Thanksgiving Crafts on the Thanksgiving and Fall Crafts Page.

Timothy - Paul writes Timothy a Letter Sunday School lesson Ideas

Scripture Reference: 2 Timothy

1. Before class write a letter to each student including words or phrases from parts of the letter Paul wrote Timothy. Give the letters to the students as they walk in. As an introduction to your lesson have each child read his letter and then tell them that in your Bible story today Timothy received a letter from Paul that said much of the same things that your letters said.  Read them the letter Paul wrote from the Bible.

Some examples:

Dear Jimmy, I thank God for you and remember you in my prayers.  I know your parents and the faith they have in Jesus and know that you also have this faith in Jesus.

Dear Rebecca,  I pray for you often that you may have the peace that comes through Christ. I thank God for you. You have been a source of joy to me.

If you have younger children write a simple message and write their names on the outside of the envelope in big letters. Hide them around the room. See if the children can find the envelope with their name on it. If they don't know what their name looks like, write their names on sheets of paper so that they can compare the name on the paper to the one on the envelope. When a child finds his envelope let him open it and read him the message.

2. Children can also write letters to their parents (especially their mothers and grandmothers) or other people who have taught them about God or bring them to church. They can decorate their envelopes, address them, and mail them. If you have children who can't write, write a short thank you letter for them and have them sign their name on the envelope and letter. They can also draw a picture for the person. They will enjoy placing a stamp on it and look forward to seeing their moms and dads get it in the mail.

3. Play a game using envelopes. Hide one of the words to the Bible verse in each envelope. Have the children try to find the words in order by playing a concentration game.

Tongue - Controlling the Tongue

Scripture References: "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. " Ps 39:1, and Psalm 141:3

Watchdog Lessons - A series of five Sunday school lessons teaching children how to watch their ways and control what they say. All the lessons come with printable activity sheets, Bible verse cards, songs, several crafts, and activities that reinforce the lesson.

Lesson 1, "Watch My Ways" Watchdog Group - In the first lesson children learn what a watchdog and a watchdog group are, and are introduced to the "Watch My Ways" Watchdog Group. They learn that a watchdog's job is to watch and warn its owner when something doesn't seem right or they may be in danger. They also learn that we need to watch our ways and what we say to become good "watchdogs". They are introduced to the Watchdog Motto, Promise, and Official Bible Verse. If they complete "Watch My Ways" training and are able to say the motto, promise, and Bible verse, they will receive an official membership card into the "Watch My Ways' Watchdog Group. Click here to get a free sample lesson.

Lesson 2, "Backbiting"

"Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." Amen. Psalm 141:3, KJV. Children learn what it means to backbite and how it hurts others. A good watchdog never attacks; his job is to watch and warn.

Lesson 3, "Taming the Tongue"

Our tongues can be like poison and hurt people if we don't learn to control them. Children make "Tame Animal" Watchdog Treats, and color an activity sheet that says, "Don't Let You're Tongue Bully You Around."

Lesson 4, "Watchdog Training"

We do not like it when our dogs whine, and we teach them not to do it. God teaches us through his words that he does not like us to whine and complain. Children can make a "No Whining" dog, color an activity sheet, and play the "Watchdog Training Game", a printable board game that reinforces the lesson.

Lesson 5, "Lie Detectors"

Good watchdogs are good detectors. They can detect noises and smells much better than humans and warn them when danger is near. We need to be good "lie detectors". Lies can sometimes be hard to detect because they come in so many forms - little white lies, exaggeration, breaking a promise, leaving out some of the facts, flattery, etc. Children practice detecting lies by playing "Detective a Lie" Game. They receive an official "Watchdog Lie Detective" badge when they have completed the game.

Treasures Sunday School Lesson Ideas

Scripture References: Colossians 2:3 (treasure of wisdom and knowledge) Matthew 6:19-20, Proverbs 24:3-4, Matthew 6:21 (search for it -knowledge- as hidden treasure)

Crafts:
1. Make a treasure box - Make a treasure box and instead of filling it with jewels or money, fill it with memory verses that bring wisdom and knowledge. This treasure box is the size of a file box that can easily fit 3" x 5" file cards.  Go to the Mother's Day Page to get the pattern and  the directions to make the card file size box.  You will need one piece of poster board for each box. You can buy cardboard boxes at a craft store, but they tend to be pretty expensive. There is also another box pattern that is somewhat smaller you can use.  You can fit 2 1/2 boxes on each piece of poster board.

The Christian Homeschool Journal web site also has directions to make a treasure box. They have the children put real items in the box to help them share the story of Jesus such as a piece of muslin, coin, nail, tiny grape vine wreath, pair of die, etc.  There is also a list of what each item stand for that you can print out.

If you don't have time to do a lot of cutting and preparation Oriental Trading Company has a cute little treasure chest that is very easy and fun to make. The sides are made of thick fun foam. Children glue stained craft sticks on the front and back and lid. The teacher would have to glue the jewel and cord fastener on with a hot melt glue gun. I would also glue the first two craft sticks on with a hot melt glue gun so that the children wouldn't have to worry about the box falling apart when they are working on it. Also use tacky glue not regular Elmer's glue. This will keep it from falling apart. Oriental Trading has some foam glue that works great. To find this project type in number 48/2509 in the search box. It cost $7.00 to make 12 boxes about 60 cents each. They also have a cardboard and plastic treasure chest that cost about $1.00 each. Type in number 48/1799 to view this project. Children five and older would enjoy making this craft.