Bible Arts & Crafts for Christmas

Whether a parent searching for fun things to do at home or a Sunday School teacher looking for crafts at church, it is already evident that the value of hands-on reinforcement is known. Even when the story is one that children hear every year, using arts and crafts to tell the story again can keep the lessons interesting to the children and encourage interaction.

While many crafts are related to Christmas Day and the nativity, there are also crafts that relate to the Advent period before Christmas.

Advent

Make an Advent service chain by writing service suggestions inside paper chain links. Use enough links to allow one to be removed daily with the last one being opened on Christmas Day. Make a point of using service opportunities that can be carried out by the whole family. These can be as simple as giving a hug or sharing a toy, making a card or baking cookies, or as complicated as giving a gift using a local Angel Tree or helping someone who has a need in the church.
Cut candles from construction paper and glue to another piece to form an advent wreath.

Christmas and Nativity

Make a gingerbread nativity scene. The manger can be made with actual gingerbread or graham crackers can be used instead. Use gumdrops to make people, animal crackers for the animals, and candy canes for the shepherd’s staff.
Use tissue paper, cut into small squares, to fill in the background of a silhouette nativity scene, to make a pretty “stained glass” to hang in a sunny window.
Paint small rocks with key elements of the Christmas story.
Decorate toilet paper rolls with the people and creatures that feature in the Christmas event. There are printables
Make a handprint manger by using brown ink or paint for the handprint. Turn it upside down so the fingers become the legs of the manger, and stick a cutout baby Jesus in the palm, surrounded by straw (yellow paint or bits of actual straw glued on).
Decorate paper or plastic ornaments with the names of Jesus from the Bible. Printable ornaments that can be used as-is or as a resource for a list of names can be found at Bible Story Printables.
Make a felt nativity scene for children to play with. Felt boards are fun for children; the pieces can be moved easily and stay where they are put.
If your family has LEGO, use them to build a nativity scene.
Make an angel from a paper plate – fold the plate so there is a point at one side and a wide base, use two handprints, cut out, for the wings, and a circle with a face and hair drawn on for the head. A halo can be added, if desired.
Fingerprints can be used to make a stable outline, a manger, baby Jesus, and a star. Even very young children can do this, with help.
Make a cross that will cling to a window like vinyl with glue and food coloring. Lay out a pattern and cover it with a freezer bag (zip-top type). Either color the glue before layering it on, or squeeze or paint a layer of glue on the cross pattern and use the food coloring to color it. Swirl with a craft stick or toothpick. Let it dry, then peel from the plastic and stick to the window.
Make a bell with a plastic cup. Decorate the outside, add a bow to the top. Poke a hole in the top and string twine or yarn through it, leaving enough inside below the knot to add a pom-pom to, to represent the clapper.

Product

Visual

Where to Buy

5ARTH Natural Wood Slices - 37 Pcs 2.0"-2.4" Craft Unfinished Wood kit Predrilled with Hole Wooden Circles for Arts Wood Slices Christmas Ornaments DIY Crafts