Christianity Crafts Ideas

Crafting is so simple and can be done by anyone. The crafts can be adjusted to age and skill level so that young kids benefit as much as their older counterparts. You can buy crafting materials from the store, use items around the house, or the best idea, a combination of the two.

Have you ever noticed that they sell things like paper towel rolls and Popsicle sticks in the craft store? My mom used to wash the sticks after we ate our Popsicles and store them until we wanted to use them. I save the paper towel and toilet paper rolls as well as empty cartons and plastic jugs for crafts for the kids. There is no need to buy the things that you can find in your own kitchen and bathroom.

Paints, crayons, markers, scissors, and construction paper are the things I go to the craft store for. Your computer and printer are also useful in making crafts. Many websites have free designs and coloring pages that can be printed off to make crafts.

Some of the simplest crafts are puppets. Hand puppets can be made out of old socks or pieces of felt glued together. Kids can decorate the puppets to resemble Bible characters. Cotton balls make great beards and white hair. Pieces of yarn are turned into hair. Puppets can be used in skits, role playing activities, or just to display.

Instead of buying holiday cards, let the kids create their own to give to friends, teachers, and relatives. It is the thought that counts and they can pack a lot of decorative thought into a special occasion card. Proudly display the handcrafted cards that they make for the family so everyone can see them and enjoy.

Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. When I was little we used to make paper airplanes, but this is definitely a step above. The origami patterns can be printed off the computer and the children can decorate them before folding.

Choose patterns that correspond to different themes. The kids can create an ark full of animals along with Noah and his family. Their work can be displayed in their homes or at church as Sunday school projects. Origami is fun and all kids can be taught to do it with a little patience.

What types of crafts interest your kids? Whether its painting, paper crafts, working with blocks, flowers, or Popsicle sticks, they can use it as a Biblical learning experience.

Faith-Filled Gift Giving Ideas for Christmas

Homemade gift baskets can show just how much love we’ve poured into our gift giving this year. A basket can be put together at home cheaper than the same basket could be purchased from the store. My church youth group made homemade gifts one year and the project was a big success. The kids worked hard to create the best gifts they could for the person whose name they had chosen.

A special talent or skill that you possess can be a big help in creating a homemade gift. I like to crochet and sew. One year, I made winter scarves in Christmas colors for a few of my family baskets. I also made a few twin-sized comforters for the children. If crafts are your thing, try your hand at creating handmade jewelry. Whatever your talent, put it to good use.

Many of us are not the creative sort, but there are ideas for you too. Instead of hitting the toy and/or department stores, head to your local Christian store, such as: Lifeway Christian, Family Christian, and Cokesbury Christian stores. You can find interesting gifts from music and jewelry to videos and games. Children will love the videos and games. My kids loved the VeggieTales™ movies and toys when they were younger. The characters were funny and they taught good lessons without being preachy.

If you still haven’t found that special gift, I have yet another idea—gift cards. All of us know at least one individual or family that could use household or personal items more than other types of gifts. If someone on your list needs clothing, then a gift card will allow them to select the very thing they need.

Other types of stores sell gift cards, too. My family and I have given grocery gift cards to friends on fixed incomes or those who were having a hard time making ends meet. My father has even given gas cards as gifts. With the rising cost of petroleum, this is a great idea.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. As a Christian, even our Christmas gifts reflect our ministry—meeting others at their level of need.

Fun Nativity Crafts

The nativity is one of the central themes of Christmas. Nativity scenes are depicted on church lawns, in Christian plays, and outside of homes. Learning about the nativity can be fun for kids when you use crafts to teach them.

The birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the Christian nativity. He was born to Mary and Joseph in an animal stable because there were no rooms available in the nearby inn. Using a water trough filled with straw for a bed, Mary gave birth to the savior and laid him there. After the birth, the Christ child was visited by shepherds, wise men, and a host of angels. The men followed the North Star to his location in the east.

These are the basic elements of the story. Read the story to your children first to give them an idea of who was involved in the scene. From there, the crafting can begin.

Kids can make their own manger. Using Popsicle sticks and glue, fashion a manger for the baby Jesus. If you don’t want to use real straw, Spanish moss will work just as well. A small baby doll can portray the baby Jesus. Kids may want to paint the manger to make it stand out. Display their mangers in a central location for everyone to enjoy.

Coloring books and children’s websites have free printable coloring sheets that depict the nativity. Give each child a piece of poster board or a cardboard presentation board to work with. After coloring the Nativity pictures let the kids come up with their own nativity scene and paste it to the cardboard. If the children want to paint things different colors, it’s ok. Let them, even if baby Jesus turns out to be purple and Mary and Joseph are green. Let them express themselves through their crafts, no matter how out of the ordinary it may be to you.

A fun nativity craft that the entire family can enjoy is the making of an Advent calendar. “Advent” is the time of the holiday season that is represented by special programs at church on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each day beginning with the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, the focus is on the Nativity story. There are a variety of ways to make an Advent calendar. Each day of December through Christmas Day, families do something special pertaining to some aspect of the birth of Jesus Christ. Children can decorate each space on the calendar with a symbol of the Nativity. At the end of each day, the family will gather to look at the symbol for the day and study a certain part of the Nativity story.

The Nativity is important to understanding the spiritual reason for celebrating Christmas. Allow kids to express feelings about the Nativity through their crafts. You can join in too and make it a family affair.