By: Gigi Moore,
on 6/26/2011
Here are the cutouts I designed and cut out of large pieces of cardboard. This years VBS theme is New York ‘Big Apple Adventure’. If i have time tomorrow I might do a large apple cutout and maybe a traffic light.
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 6/23/2011
Yes, despite my neglected blog, I'm still around! This week I've been busy with working on helping to plan our VBS. I'm currently looking for craft ideas, songs and other activities that correspond with the following themes:
- Jesus is Our King
- The Lord is My Shepherd
- God is the Great Creator
- Praise the Lord
If you have ideas or have posted on any of those topics, let me know.
I'm also looking for "the best" picture book version of Psalm 23. Any suggestions or favorites?
Back soon with more posts, I promise!
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 7/9/2010
I volunteered to help out with crafts at our church's Vacation Bible School this summer. Our church is small, and I needed crafts that were simple and appropriate for all ages. I was happy to find several great craft ideas online, including a Beaded Cross Necklace. Glue Dots helped make this project easy to assemble and quick because the necklace required no drying time.
One of the VBS lessons had the theme, "Jesus, our Savior, says, 'Believe!'" We crafted "I Believe" beaded cross necklaces and key chains to go along with this lesson (original idea from Sunday School Network.com). To make the project more memorable and correspond with our lesson, we used color changing UV beads from Steve Spangler Science (they are the same size as Pony Beads). These beads look white but turn different colors when placed in the sun. I held up a bead before we made the craft and asked the kids if they would believe me if I told them that the white bead was actually a blue bead. Believing takes faith. (Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NIV) Using color changing beads is the perfect way to illustrate this concept.
"I Believe" Colors of Faith Color Changing Beaded Cross Craft
I do like stories of journeys to and from faith, so when I read the title Trespassers Will Be Baptized, I knew I wanted to know more.
Elizabeth Emerson Hancock was growing up in Kentucky where her daddy was a Baptist Preacher. She herself was a deeply religious child who felt the call. In fact, during a block yard sale, Elizabeth and her sister Meg saw the other kids setting up lemonade stands and took matters into their own hands. They set up their own stand..."Baptisms: 25 Cents"!
Hancock weaves humour into this story of growing up religious. She reminds us what it is to look at our parents with awe and then inevitably become disappointed in their choices.
Readers move from the pulpit to Vacation Bible School, to mother-daughter retreats and back. We see the hypocrisy and the love in the church environment. The story is told anecdotally focusing primarily on Hancock's relationship with her father, sister and mother in turn.
When I first picked this book up, I thought it might have a bit more of a Jesusland feel to it, but I was wrong. We simply follow Elizabeth (Em) and her family along the way. It is a description rather than an analysis. It is enjoyable, and gives a good look into the ways of the South and the way that her own family had a journey to faith both within the church and within the home.
I have at least one creation craft on my blog, for younger kids. Earth Day crafts often work well for that too - things like planting grass in cups. Making cheerleading pom-poms might work for Prais the Lord - and of course, there are lots of great sheep ideas for the Lord is my Shepherd - we made some sheep placecards on clothespins once, the kids enjoyed doing. For Jesus is our King, I think I'd google frisbees crafts, and look for something that could be made crown like, or decorated with a crown, like a paper plate with the inside cut out, and turned up, to "toss" at the feet of the King (sort of loosely from Rev. 4)
Are you not working with a published material?
A couple of places to check out for ideas: DLTK-kids Bible, Catholic Icing (I know they have crafts that would fit those themes).
I have to see if I can find some crafts I've got hidden away for Creation. I have one on my blog for each of the different days.
Also check out Christian Children's Blog, or something like that she reviews lots of books and she probably knows of a good one for Psalm 23.