Crafts for Every Day
I'm not putting age limits on these crafts as all kids are different as to their abilities, etc. Also, a lot
depends on how involved the adult doing crafts wants to be with the kids and how much time they're given to complete a craft.
Day 1 - Jesus Brings Us Hope
Christmas Ornament - Cut fronts from Christmas cards with nativity scenes in various basic shapes (triangles, stars,
circles, squares, etc. - wood shapes from the craft store are perfect templates for this). Cut shapes from foam in slightly
larger sizes. Have children glue cutout from card to foam. Punch a hole in the top and have children string curling
ribbon through. Help them tie a knot in the top and curl the ends of the ribbon for them. Have them glue the Bible
verse for the day on the reverse side of the foam.
Christmas Box - Paint wooden cigar boxes with gold or silver spray paint well in advance. Cut the fronts from Christmas
cards with nativity scenes in rectangle shapes. Children glue card front to the top of the box then decorate around
the edge of the card with ribbon, ric-rac, buttons, glitter, etc. Glue a wooden bead to the top front of the
box for a handle. (Our local cigar shop is wonderful about saving wooden boxes as long as I give them plenty of notice
as to when I need them.)
Day 2 - Jesus Follows God's Word
Footprints in the Sand - On a piece of sandpaper (or sand colored cardstock - anywhere from 7 to 20 cents per sheet at
craft stores), have children paint bottoms of bare feet with tan acrylic paint. Then have them put footprints on the
paper. (One from each foot.) Have them decorate with sand, small shells, driftwood, etc. Glue a stick to
the top and tie each end of several strands of raffia to either side to create a hanger.
Footprint Magnet - Trace each child's bare foot onto craft foam and cut out. (To save time, have older kids cut
their own.) Have children glue Bible verse to the foot and place a magnet on the back. If you have lots of time,
you could punch holes around the edge of the foot all the way around and have the children lace yarn around the edge.
Day 3 - Jesus Gives Us Courage
Fish Windsock - Glue a piece of large foam per child together on the long side to create a tube. Cut either side
on the top to create the head shape and glue sides back together. From excess create a top and bottom "fin" shape.
Have children glue fins to the fish. Then, have them glue a white foam circle on either side of the head. Have
them glue a smaller black foam circle to the white circle, creating an eye. Have them glue strips of indoor/outdoor
ribbon (less than 25 - 30 cents per yard at most craft stores in the floral section) to the inside of the tail end of the
fish. On one strip of ribbon write, "Come, I will make you fishers of men...." The picture shows the string hanging
from the back of the fish but I'd hang the fish from the mouth so the ribbons fly nicer in the wind.
Fish Key Chain - Have children paint fish a solid primary color with a thin coat of paint. Then, have children
use one color of metallic paint (copper, gold, silver, or pearl) and place fingerprint "scales" on either side of the fish.
Have a hole pre-drilled near the mouth and attach the keychain. The best way to have these dry is to have a metal clothes
hanger hanging somewhere in the room and attach the projects with wooden spring clothes pins. Be sure you have a newspaper,
a dropcloth, or an old shower curtain or tablecloth underneath to catch excess paint.
Day 4 - Jesus Saves Us
Water / Oil Bottle - Using a clear plastic 20 oz. or smaller bottle, have the children place glittery confetti (like
from the party section of the Dollar Tree store), small trinkets, shiny beads, etc. in the bottle. Then, using a funnel,
fill the bottle approx. 1/3 of the way full with vegetable oil. Fill the rest of the bottle 1" from the top with water.
Add a few drops of food coloring. Put a bit of quick drying Tacky glue (in the silver bottle) around the outside edge
of the bottle, THEN put the cap on and let dry overnight. When shaken, the oil and water will mix then separate over
and over as the things inside the bottle "swim" around.
Watercolor Painting Cross -- Cut a small cross shape (about 4" tall is just about perfect) from heavy cardstock.
Have children paint abstract design with watercolor paints (just the cheap $1 set works fine). While the paint is still
wet, toss salt onto the paint and the colors will run like spiderwebs. (You might want to try this at home first.)
When everything is dry, brush the salt off and either punch a hole in the top and string a ribbon through so it can be used
as a bookmark, or place a magnet on the back. If children are able to make more than one, suggest that extras be given
to elderly and other special members of church from the children.
Day 5 - Jesus Gives Us a Reason to Celebrate
Leis (Flower Necklaces) - Pre-cut flower shapes from foam (a die cut machine comes in quite handy for this). Cut
brightly colored straws into 1 1/2" lengths. Have children use a darning needle and yarn to string a flower, a piece
of straw, a flower, etc. until they have a necklace large enough to fit around their neck. Help them to tie the ends
if needed. If you can get the floral dept. of a craft store to save their "orphaned flower heads" from silk flower bunches
for you, then you can use silk flowers instead of the foam ones.
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